By Joel Beall
A three-time Masters winner was an unexpected add to the tournament Monday.

That would be Jim (Bones) Mackay, longtime caddie for Phil Mickelson. Mackay, who was on the bag for all three of Mickelson’s Masters triumphs, was spotted on the grounds Monday working with Jimmy Walker.

The 2016 PGA champ has employed Mackay before, with Bones helping out at the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

After parting ways with Mickelson in 2017 after 25 years together, Mackay joined NBC Sports as a commentator for its golf coverage. However, Bones has come out of retirement multiple times in the past three seasons, including fill-in loops for Justin Thomas and Matt Fitzpatrick this year.

One of those temporary gigs with Thomas led to a win at this year’s WGC-St. Jude FedEx Invitational, with Bones also caddying for Thomas at the following week’s PGA Championship while Thomas’ usual bag man, Jimmy Johnson, dealt with health issues.

Walker is hoping Bones can provide a much-needed spark. The 41-year-old Texan has missed the cut in eight of his past 10 starts, with his last top-10 finish coming in 2018. He enters the week 407th in the World Ranking.

The post Surprise! “Bones” Mackay will be on the bag at Augusta National appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Michael Johnson
Some players have used the downtime to work on their equipment for the PGA Tour’s re-start at the Charles Schwab Challenge, but former PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker took it to a new level.

Walker is coming to Colonial C.C. armed with metalwoods that all have steel shafts, including his Titleist TS3 driver. According to the Darrell Survey, it will mark only the third time since 2008 a PGA Tour player has put a steel-shafted driver in play, the others being Todd Demsey who used a True Temper Dynamic Gold driver in his TaylorMade R11s driver at the 2012 Byron Nelson Championship and Patrick Reed, who also used Dynamic Gold in his Callaway X2Hot Deep Pro at the 2014 RBC Heritage.

Walker is expected to have True Temper X100 steel shafts (with D-5 swing weights) in his 44-inch, 8.5-degree Titleist TS3 driver and TS3 15-degree 3-wood after practicing with each over the last several weeks.

“It all started a couple of months ago,” Walker told his equipment company, Titleist. “We got home and there was nothing to do so I got out my original Titleist 970 fairway metal, started hitting it, and was blown away by how well it worked. I remember it was the first club I ever had built by Titleist when I qualified for the Byron Nelson as an amateur in 2001. It was the first PGA Tour event I ever played. I had that club in the bag for the longest time.”

After pulling the club out during the pandemic, Walker called J.J. VanWezenbeeck, director of player promotions for Titleist, to fill him in on his idea of making the switch back to steel. Not only to steel, but to a shaft the company doesn’t even make anymore.

“I’m like ‘J.J., I am going to put this sucker in play.’ I was trying to be serious and he’s laughing,” said Walker. “He said, ‘Well let me try and find some X shafts if I can even get in the building. I’ll see if I can dust some off and build you a current model.’ Sure enough, he sent me a picture of this dusty box in the corner. He built the TS3 fairway and shipped it to me.”

After “hitting it like four times,” Walker texted VanWezenbeeck: “It’s already in the bag. I’m playing this thing. It’s that good.” While Walker couldn’t get any immediate TrackMan numbers because his home course practice facility was closed, he was able to test it out in competition with his buddies at his club.

“There were a couple of shots that stood out that first time I played with it, and I said to myself, ‘I remember that feeling.’ I mean, they were like the best feeling shots I’ve hit in so long,” said Walker. “It was the way the shaft flexed into the ball. It was just like a whip at the bottom. And it had a heavy hit on it. I couldn’t believe how soft the shaft felt, but back in the day, people looked at that club and thought how stiff it was.”

When Walker did get a chance to test on TrackMan, he was pleased what he saw with both metals. With his driver speed in the high 170’s and spin rates spin between 2,200 and 2,300, Walker felt he had better control off the tee. His fairway metal is going slightly shorter than it was with his graphite shaft, but that is actually a good thing.

“My 3-wood was going a little too far for me, and this new one slid into a pretty good slot when it comes to gapping,” said Walker. “I go from the 3-wood to a 3-iron that can cover up to 240. And I now have a 64-degree wedge in the bag which I love around the greens, so I feel like I have perfect set comp right now.”

While the move might seem drastic, fact is Walker has been a fan of steel for some time. According to the Darrell Survey, Walker regularly played a steel shaft in his driver until 2008 when he made the permanent switch to graphite three events into the season, making him the final hold out of the steel shaft era.

“I remember playing steel for the longest time and somewhere along the line, everybody’s like, ‘well, you’ve got to make the switch to graphite,’ and we all did,” said Walker. “That was early to mid-2000’s. I held out as long as I could.”

And now he’s back with steel again.

The post Former PGA champ to use steel-shafted driver at Charles Schwab Challenge appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

.@TigerWoods walking off the 18th green to celebrate his return to glory with his family is an image we’ll never forget.

One year later, he reflects on just how much it all means to him. #MastersRewind pic.twitter.com/9DfmU8k2pL

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 12, 2020

It’s getting dusty in here again! Awesome stuff all around. That being said, let’s hope we don’t have to do this next year.

WE’RE BUYING

Tiger Woods: As mentioned, the Easter Sunday broadcast was pretty special. Based on a quarter-century of rather guarded interviews, it was surprising—and great—to see Tiger get so emotional. Perhaps more surprising, though, is that he became social media’s biggest star last week. First, by posting this photo of him hosting a stay-at-home Masters Champions Dinner featuring food he would have had served at the real thing:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-suPm5jPgA/?utm_source=ig_embed

And then by sharing his homemade Magnolia Lane:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-4rvdvjzmF/?utm_source=ig_embed

Who is Tiger’s gardener? And who is his social media specialist? Both had strong Sundays.

Phil Mickelson’s robe: For his Masters Rewind, Phil donned a white robe instead of the green jacket:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-2a5CjDjNn/?utm_source=ig_embed

Wow, that thing looks comfy. By the way, how nice must it be to re-watch your own Masters win? I’m guessing it’s pretty nice—especially in one of those robes.

Dakota Cunningham: Usually I’m jealous when I hear other people’s hole-in-one stories, but this John Strege story about a young St. Jude’s patient overcoming leukemia is awesome. And the 14-year-old didn’t just get lucky with an ace. He’s a total stick who also calmly sank a putt worth $50,000 in front of Justin Rose last year. Impressive. Speaking of “kids” …

Collin Morikawa: A year ago, Collin was finishing up his senior year at Cal. Now? He’s a PGA Tour winner, he holds the tour’s longest active made-cut streak and he recently received his first Masters invite. Already one of the world’s best iron players, we caught up with Collin on this week’s Golf Digest Podcast to talk about all that and more. Turns out, he has some great taste in TV as well:

This guy is really going places. Well, after the lockdown, that is.

WE’RE SELLING

The “Mock Masters” final leader board: First off, congrats to Patrick Reed for winning our statistical experiment run by Rick Gehman and chronicled by Shane Ryan. No doubt Reed would have enjoyed having Tiger Woods return last year’s favour by slipping the green jacket back on the 2018 winner. But based on the reactions, let’s just say this wasn’t a popular victory. And that a final leader board of Reed winning by three over Corey Conners and Tyrrell Hatton after Tiger, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson all collapsed in the final round? Thanks, but we’ll stick to re-watching 2019.

Cabot St. Lucia’s timing: To be clear, Cabot St. Lucia, which we got a sneak preview of in Derek Duncan’s latest Golf Digest piece, looks like it’s going to be awesome. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s a Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design that’s set to open in 2021 in a spectacular part of the world.

Jacob Sjoman/Courtesy of Cabot Saint Lucia

That being said, these guys couldn’t have built this thing before I honeymooned in St. Lucia in 2015? Sigh.

This snake: Jimmy Walker, Texas Ranger:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-0ZtNOpG3z/?utm_source=ig_embed

Good lord.

ON TAP

This week would have been the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, AKA that place with the lighthouse on the 18th hole where C.T. Pan edged Matt Kuchar last year for his first PGA Tour title. OK, so it’s more known for the lighthouse.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Random tournament fact: Luke Donald has five runner-up finishes in this event without a win. Basically, what the U.S. Open is to Phil Mickelson, Hilton Head is to Donald.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Jim Nantz will record an interview with C.T. Pan for the broadcast this week: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Luke Donald would finish runner-up in a “Mock Heritage” simulation: Even odds
—I’m going to have nightmares about that snake: LOCK

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Let’s share a couple uplifting stories of life during these scary times. First, Michael Thompson and his wife, Rachel, adopted a second child:

Congrats to them. And congrats to the Garcias for welcoming a second child of their own into the world:

Happy Easter to everyone! We’re blessed to have welcomed Enzo Akins Garcia on Friday, April 10, at 6:25 pm. Enzo and Angela are both doing great, and Azalea is very happy to be a big sister! Hope you all have enjoyed Easter (and Masters) Sunday. God bless from our family to yours pic.twitter.com/ipjLtv9SnL

— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) April 13, 2020

So much for Sergio sticking with the Masters-themed baby names. “Firethorn” really would have turned some heads. Oh well.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

This guy did a Tiger King-Tiger Woods mashup. And it’s awesome.

Nothing will replace The Masters this week, but I hope this video will help with the pain.

I saw a Tiger. pic.twitter.com/JHUsDi2pSs

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) April 9, 2020

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (TRICK-SHOT DIVISION)

Keeping with the kids theme, how about this effort?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uy8-allPe/?utm_source=ig_embed

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PRO PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (AND BOOZING)

With no RBC Heritage to contend at, Luke Donald and his wife, Diane, shared a special lockdown cocktail recipe:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

It’s Fri-Yay, and we are READY for a cocktail! ? Here is my go-to recipe for a skinny spicy (optional) margarita. *Also easily ordered in a bar when the world re-opens and we can go out again??. Here’s what you will need… Fresh lime juice ? White tequila ?? Orange liquor ?(like Grand Mariner, Cointreau, or Triple Sec) can also use fresh orange juice if you want to be very low cal Thinly sliced jalapeño ? Sparkling water ?(can be lemon, lime or even grapefruit flavored) Ice ? Mix together lime juice, tequila, a splash of orange liquor, and a few slices of jalapeño with ice in a cocktail shaker. I’m sorry I don’t have measurements but watch the video ? and really it’s to taste. You may want more lime or more orange liquor than I like. But for this recipe i counted to 4 for the tequila, 2 for the grand mariner, and juiced 2 limes, one for each drink. If you like it sweeter add more orange liquor, spicier add more jalapeño, stronger… and more TEQUILA??! Shake shake shake, pour over ice, garnish with jalapeño slices and top with sparkling water.

A post shared by Diane Donald (@dianedonald) on Apr 10, 2020 at 3:15pm PDT

If I didn’t have a nearly two-decade-long ban on drinking tequila, I’d give that a try.

THIS WEEK IN OTHER TOUR PROS BEING QUARANTINED

This back-and-forth #Quarantunes battle between LPGA pro Tiffany Joh and former player Jeehae Lee might be the best thing on Twitter right now. Here’s a sampling:

#Quarantunes
This only took like 30 takes ?
Let’s go, @tiffjoh ??‍??‍??‍ https://t.co/8d4nCoafNM pic.twitter.com/U3bww4driV

— Jeehae Lee (@jeehaeda) April 11, 2020

K. You again @jeehaeda ? #Quarantunes https://t.co/M9LjXmOEsk pic.twitter.com/FFQaFIiHo7

— Tiffany Joh (@tiffjoh) April 9, 2020

Damn. These girls are good. Are they taking requests?

And Viktor Hovland doesn’t “suck at chipping” anymore:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7lI1VFmMv/?utm_source=ig_embed

Never mind. Keep working on it, Viktor. You’ve got time.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Doug Sanders, on his dual reputations as a straight hitter and a ladies’ man: “The only times I left the fairway was to get a phone number.”

— Mike O'Malley (@GD_MikeO) April 13, 2020

That might be the greatest quote of all time. RIP Doug Sanders.

THIS AND THAT

European Tour pros have been told to brace for a “radically different” tour when play resumes, including reduced tournament purses. Not good. … The PGA of America and USGA have earmarked millions of dollars to help club pros, course employees and other workers affected by COVID-19 shutdowns. That’s better. … This week’s podcast guest, Collin Morikawa, and a bunch of other tour pros including John Daly, Michelle Wie and Jimmy Walker will compete in a charity poker tournament presented by MGM Resorts. Let’s see if Jimmy is snake-bit at the tables also. Sorry, couldn’t resist. … And finally, even with all the Tiger replays in my house, my daughter still calls him “Lion” for some reason:

We’re making progress… #MastersRewind #Lion pic.twitter.com/TFPredXh8Y

— Alex Myers (@AlexMyers3) April 12, 2020

I’m failing as a parent.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who is the best poker player on tour?
Did Joe Exotic really do all his own vocals?
Is Phil allowed to take that robe off of club grounds?

The post Tiger Woods’ quarantine title defense, Phil Mickelson’s Masters robe and an LPGA Twitter battle you have to hear appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Welcome to another edition of The Grind where we’re pretty sure we’ve seen this movie before. An American dressed in all black just imposing his will South of the Border. Yep, we’ve definitely seen this movie before:

Of course, this had a slightly different ending with Patrick Reed taking home a trophy instead of getting his eyes gouged out like Johnny Depp. But overall, the good guys won. And if there’s anything we can all agree on these days, it’s that Patrick Reed is one of the good guys. Wait. No? OK, well, we’ve got a lot to discuss then.

WE’RE BUYING

Patrick Reed on Sundays: To be clear, I’m not giving Reed credit for being resilient and overcoming adversity at Club de Golf Chapultepec. This mess of him morphing from Captain America into Captain Controversy is his own making. But I am giving him credit for not succumbing to final-round pressure and being able to close out (big) golf tournaments better than just about anyone else these days. In addition to a green jacket and being a Ryder Cup hero, Reed now has two World Golf Championships, two FedEx Cup playoff events, and eight PGA Tour titles. Before turning 30. That is quite a résumé. And yes, he won just days after Brooks Koepka and Peter Kostis called him out for breaking the rules.

Apparently it’s easier to shush the haters at altitude. Although, Team Reed went on a Twitter blocking rampage following the victory, targeting everyone from fans to members of the media to fellow tour pros:

Oops! pic.twitter.com/uenL4bW0a8

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) February 25, 2020

Jeez. Not even Bryson DeChambeau has Eddie blocked! Anyway, congrats to Patrick Reed on the win and congrats to me on not getting blocked. Yet.

Viktor Hovland: Now here was an overwhelmingly popular victory. Hovland picked up his first win as a pro and the first for the country of Norway on the PGA Tour. Not surprisingly, Norwegian announcers absolutely lost their minds when he drained a 30-foot birdie putt to win on the final hole:

Viktor Hovland's win, as heard in Norway. ??? pic.twitter.com/mEcDvGXePI

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 24, 2020

What a talent, what a personality. This 22-year-old has superstar written all over him. We just hope he can overcome the Curse of Coco Beach.

Erik Van Rooyen: First of all, the South African more than held his own at the WGC-Mexico Championship with a T-3 finish. But just as impressively, the dude shreds on the guitar:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B55dsyclvcS/?utm_source=ig_embed

Great song, great playing. It’s almost enough to look past those joggers he wears on the course. Almost.

This bathroom: A bathroom is usually the least exciting room in a house, but that’s not the case for this man:

My Masters bathroom? pic.twitter.com/syMRVUfkmD

— Gregg Thompson/The Pond (@golf69ski88) February 19, 2020

Couple more for you: pic.twitter.com/GovniQcEYM

— Gregg Thompson/The Pond (@golf69ski88) February 19, 2020

Absolutely beautiful. And how about that toilet tucked away? That’s an Amen Corner everyone can appreciate. If this were a match, MASTERS bathroom is Tiger Woods and your typical master bathroom is Stephen Ames.

WE’RE SELLING

The Premier Golf League: The CEO of the potential new league, Andrew Gardiner, stepped out of the shadows and presented some interesting ideas like shotgun starts and four-man teams, but it might have been too little too late after Rory McIlroy said he’s “Out” and that he wants “to be on the right side of history.” With no Rory and Tiger/Phil barely on the right side of 50, it doesn’t seem like the PGL stands much of a chance. Even with Twitter gems like this:

https://twitter.com/premgolfleague/status/1230949491970379776

“Thank you Tiger”: Speaking of Tiger—well, not really—this was trending on Twitter on Friday and had golf fans freaking out that Tiger Woods was hanging it up:

https://twitter.com/xxJAHOOxx/status/1230127379760189440

Instead, it had to do with a Japanese wrestling referee Tiger Hattori retiring. PHEW!

This shot: My Golf Digest pal Christopher Powers loves (over)using the headline, “This is it, this is the best/worst (insert something) ever. But this is one case in which it applies. So without further ado . . . This is it, this is the most embarrassing golf shot ever hit:

My brother's friends first shot at St Andrews is unforgettable pic.twitter.com/DsKHW3TizB

— Tom (@culley999) February 21, 2020

There are shanks and then there’s this. Just brutal. And it occurred on the opening hole of the world’s most storied course and in front of a gallery. Talk about a nightmare.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour begins its Florida Swing with the Honda Classic, AKA that event with the Bear Trap. Unfortunately, because of the new(er) schedule, it can’t corral many of the PGA Tour’s stars, even the many who live in Jupiter and could walk to the course.

Random tournament fact: Keith Mitchell won last year and got quite the headline in the local Palm Beach Post:

Wow. Very unkind headline today. @pbpost pic.twitter.com/MtuZRXjvmj

— Peter Robbins (@gatortakes) March 4, 2019

Ouch.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—A PGA Tour pro will get attacked by an actual bear: 10,000-to-1 odds

—My wife will ever go for a bathroom like that: 1-MILLION -to-1 odds

—Patrick Reed doesn’t care what this no-name golf writer thinks of him: LOCK

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Brooks Koepka going all GQ. Literally.

It’s fashion, bro.
Had a good time talking with @gq
Check it out here: https://t.co/o0WfyRqBC0 pic.twitter.com/ZAUzcnJwEb

— Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) February 25, 2020

Nicely done, Brooks. As someone who also did a shoot with GQ, I know there’s no better way to pad your wardrobe without spending a dime.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK (INVOLVING PUTTING GREENS)

Introducing Bryson DeChambeau’s “towel guy”:

Speechless. #TowelGuy @NoLayingUp pic.twitter.com/8D666VrpOc

— mdw (@mdw3344) February 20, 2020

Turns out, he was creating shade so Bryson could see the laser attached to his putter. True story. Still, quite a look. And how about Colin Montgomerie practising his putting at a PGA Tour Superstore?

When it rains in Phoenix where else to practice but @PGATSS pic.twitter.com/grpOdp0kFV

— Colin Montgomerie (@montgomeriefdn) February 22, 2020

No laser for Monty. Old school.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Check out 84-year-old Mary Ann Wakefield draining a 94-foot, full-court putt at an Ole Miss basketball game to win a new car:

LEGEND! 84-year-old Mary Ann Wakefield sunk this 94-foot putt to win a new car ?

(via @OleMissMBB) pic.twitter.com/Rkq2GDD8yk

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 23, 2020

Good for her. Rory McIlroy might want to take some notes.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I just suck at chipping.” —Viktor Hovland’s brutal assessment of his short game following his win in Puerto Rico was nearly as entertaining as that winning putt:

Viktor was asked about a bad chip he hit earlier in the round and this was his response… pic.twitter.com/lhVO1iBMRi

— Skratch (@Skratch) February 23, 2020

Although, with ball-striking stats like this, he could chip like my boss and still win on tour:

Highest Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee per round since the U.S. Open:

Viktor Hovland, +1.03
Rory McIlroy, +1.01
Cameron Champ, +0.82

Highest Strokes Gained: Approach per round since the U.S. Open:

Justin Thomas, +1.04
Collin Morikawa, +0.98
Viktor Hovland, +0.95

(min. 30 rounds)

— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) February 24, 2020

OK, maybe not my boss, but you get the point.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

The political mudslinging has gotten particularly nasty as we approach November’s Presidential election. First, Donald Trump knocked Mike Bloomberg swing’s speed:

Mini Mike is a short ball (very) hitter. Tiny club head speed. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! https://t.co/5DUj16jtZf

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2020

Then this past week, Bloomberg hit back with this billboard:

https://twitter.com/Mike2020/status/1230924914468773890

What a country.

THIS WEEK IN PGA TOUR PRO-WAGS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Jimmy Walker and Erin Walker shared their first cooking video together:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

@tourwifetravels and I grilling up steaks and making homemade pasta. Our first IGTV – kids screaming, dogs barking – #realife @central_market @heb @kowsteaks @fiestaspices

A post shared by Jimmy Walker (@jimmywalkerpga) on Feb 21, 2020 at 12:46pm PST

First of all, it’s tough to beat steak and pasta. Secondly, Netflix might be calling about filming a new cooking series.

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Golf’s ultimate showman took in a show during a trip to NYC:

Last night we went to the play ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and Ed Harris was beyond incredible as was the entire cast.
That is all I have to say about that.

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 21, 2020

Thanks for the rec, Phil, but I wish you’d stopped by the office.

THIS AND THAT

Charles Howell III has now passed $1 million in earnings for 20 consecutive seasons and the 40-year-old is closing in on crossing the $40 million mark for his career. . . . Nineteen-year-old Stephanie Kyriacou, the 90th-ranked amateur golfer in the world, won the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville by eight shots. Something tells me there aren’t actually 89 amateur golfers better than her right now. . . . And apparently, there are some degenerates out there betting on which golfer gets to the tee box first:

All time bad beat for first golfer to the tee box (via: @NVanWyhe1) pic.twitter.com/ZnXQMptCte

— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) February 23, 2020

This makes me feel a lot better about myself.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

What’s the dumbest golf bet I’ve ever made?

What’s the most embarrassing golf shot I’ve ever hit?

Has Patrick Reed blocked me on Twitter yet?

The post Patrick Reed’s Twitter blocking rampage, a Tiger Woods scare, and the most embarrassing golf shot ever appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By E. Michael Johnson
Rickie Fowler is a trend setter, but Fowler’s use of a Puma stand bag to house his clubs last week at the Farmers Insurance Open isn’t the reason Jon Rahm, Jimmy Walker and other TaylorMade and Titleist players are allowing their caddies to lighten the load at this week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Rahm and Walker will be using stand bags from their respective companies as part of a product launch for the bags. Titleist is introducing its Players 4 Plus bag and as part of its introduction made bags for each player, putting their names and sponsors logos on the carry bags and allowing players the option to use them. Similarly, TaylorMade rolled out its FlexTech and FlexTech Lifestyle stand bags with Rahm, Beau Hossler and Chez Reavie expected to lighten their caddies’ load by employing the bag in Scottsdale. The FlexTech and FlexTech Lifestyle bags utilize a design where each main side pocket is built into the center of the bag to create a single piece construction that allows for more storage without adding weight.

As for why the Waste Management Phoenix Open, it’s likely not a coincidence. The event has a decidedly relaxed vibe, making it easier to get players to agree to do something outside the norm. Additionally, the heavier staff bags that tour caddies routinely lug often are stocked with plenty of rain gear. Scottsdale is perhaps the most likely tour venue on the schedule to avoid wet weather, making the use of the smaller bags more viable as the likelihood of inclement weather is minimal.

Regardless, the caddies who get to carry the lighter bags will rejoice, but don’t expect the bags to stay in play for longer than this week. Sponsors like to see their logos on television—and they like to see them in big, bold letters.

The post Why do Jon Rahm, Jimmy Walker and others have stand bags at the Waste Management Phoenix Open? appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
ST. LOUIS — It produces a hodgepodge of winners. That’s the stigma associated with the PGA Championship. Compared to other majors’ ignominies—like the weather predicating who captures the claret jug or USGA officials unnecessarily intervening at the U.S. Open—the PGA’s alleged stain is relatively innocuous. But that belief is real, and Golf Digest’s own Brian Wacker set off a firestorm for reflecting that sentiment in a recent column, one that drew blowback from some past champions.

But is it fair? Or more importantly, correct? We know there are a host of names engraved on the Wanamaker Trophy that won’t sniff the Hall of Fame, yet every tournament boasts such a roll call. Which got us thinking: Which major—year in, year out—produces the “best” and “worst” winners?

For our investigation we used OWGR data from 2000 to 2017, giving each major 18 submissions for 72 winners total. Why 2000? That year Titleist’s Pro V1 and Nike’s solid-core Tour Accuracy golf balls were introduced, which from an equipment perspective is viewed as the parcel in how the game was played, and how it is today. Plus, manually charting this test became time-consuming, and 18 and 72 seemed apropos golf numbers.

Mentioned above, we pulled a player’s Official World Golf Ranking the week before their major triumph, giving us a snapshot of their stature in the game pre-victory. OWGR does have its critics, but it’s the best barometer available to illustrate this idea of a player’s standing.

So what does that equation reveal? This century, the Open Championship produces the “worst” winner, with an average OWGR rank of 42.55. The Masters has the highest average OWGR winner at 15.77, followed by the U.S. Open with a 21.83 mark and the PGA at 33.22.

That the Masters is decidedly lower than its major brethren is not a surprise. Only 85 to 90 players tee it up at Augusta National, a limited field compared to the competitions at the other three majors. The green jackets want to ensure a “name” entity join their ranks, and—judging by these numbers—that endeavor’s been a success.

However, there are outliers, so what happens if we subtract the highest OWGR winner from each tournament? Call this the Ben Curtis Corollary, because without his Cinderella story in the mix, the Open Championship jumps the PGA, 21.94 to 25.23. (The Masters remains the lowest at 12.65, the U.S. Open trailing at 18.41.)

There is another part to this equation. Chiefly, how often does a championship cater to the best in the world? Amazingly, the PGA Championship comes out on top, with nine of its last 18 winners—Tiger Woods three times, Rory McIlroy twice, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington and Jason Day—ranking inside the top five in the world. That’s three more than the Masters and the British, and four better than the U.S. Open.

Moreover, only five times has the PGA Championship winner been ranked outside the top 30 this century. That’s equal to the U.S. Open, with six British Open victors outside the top 30 (the Masters has just two such instances: Zach Johnson and Angel Cabrera).

Mentioned above, the OWGR data provides only a glimpse before a player’s win, failing to showcase what followed. For example, Justin Thomas enters Bellerive as the defending PGA champion, ranked No. 2 in the world. A ranking markedly better than his No. 14 standing the week before his Quail Hollow triumph. Conversely, every major battles this issue, which somewhat negates its wrath.

Still, the OWGR numbers give us an idea of the merit of each event’s winner. And, at least this century, the PGA more than meets the standards of a major champion.

The post Does the PGA Championship produce the worst major winners? An investigation appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Up until now, “backstopping” has existed as a giant conspiracy theory, a collection of grainy screengrab videos that pop up from time to time on Twitter. In those clips, tour pros appear to purposely not mark their golf balls in order to give opponents a potential advantage, a safety net — albeit small — to slow down a shot containing too much pace. But as any lawyer knows, it’s hard to prove intent. Unless someone admits to it.

That’s exactly what happened on Saturday when Jimmy Walker responded to such a video posted by longtime European and Australian Tour pro Mark Clayton. Clayton called “Ben An and John Huh helping each other” a “joke,” but Walker didn’t see the big deal and admitted to purposely not marking his ball in certain situations in a series of replies.

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005579145387085824

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005579885258133505

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005580417267888129

Walker was then informed that players purposely doing this are actually in violation of golf’s rules.

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005580981938647041

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005581406171525120

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005581572521775104

https://twitter.com/JimmyWalkerPGA/status/1005583024736690176

The rule in question here is 22-1, which says in part that “In stroke play, if the committee determines that competitors have agreed not to lift a ball that might assist any competitor, they are disqualified.” Yep, pretty serious.

Of course, there are grey areas here, most notably if it’s match play or if marking a ball would cause undue delay in play. But Walker admitted to going as far as asking other players if they wanted him to mark his ball or not — at least, to those he gives preferential treatment to based on friendship or fortune. On one hand, you could argue that Walker is showing good sportsmanship to his playing partners, but on the other, not protecting the rest of the field isn’t fair. Either way, it doesn’t seem like Walker was aware of the rule.

Not surprisingly, Walker’s surprisingly candid tweets sparked quite a debate. Many feel it’s not a big deal, especially because it’s rare that a ball left as part of a “blockade” actually serves as a blockade. But as Golf Channel’s Will Gray points out, it does happen. And it can have a big effect, especially with big bucks on the line:

One of the worst #ProtectTheField examples I've ever seen. Finau 2 shots off the lead, ended up saving par from a plugged lie. pic.twitter.com/TsKHqHLrNK

— Will Gray (@WillGrayGC) October 8, 2017

In that case, Finau finished one shot ahead of Phil Mickelson and Chesson Hadley, costing them (assuming he wouldn’t have made a lengthy par putt had his golf ball not been slowed down by an opponent’s ball) more than $100,000 each. It’s not hard to envision ramifications like a player earning or not earning their PGA Tour card because of a similar situation. And although video evidence confirms Walker’s assertion that “lots of guys do it,” several other tour pros strongly disagreed with the six-time PGA Tour winner:

@MichaelClayto15 is correct. The ball should be marked. A player has a responsibility to the rest of the field.

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) June 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/golf_strange/status/1005813352721985536

Tied for the lead on the 72nd hole what would have been done? Tired of seeing this.

— Greg Chalmers (@GregChalmersPGA) June 8, 2018

I will admit I was “late to the party” on the backstopping/marking debate … but after talking to some guys like my dad, Johnny Miller, & @MichaelClayto15 they explained to me it was important to “protect the field” … also I’m sick of hearing the “pace of play” excuse

— Zac Blair (@z_blair) June 10, 2018

Every time I play an event, my goal is to shoot a lower score over 72 holes than everyone else playing, so why on earth would I intentionally help a fellow competitor by not marking my ball!! #backstopping

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) June 10, 2018

Walker will play with Justin Rose and Louis Oosthuizen in the first two rounds of this week’s U.S. Open. Considering the attention his Twitter admission received — and the fact he’s playing in a major run by golf’s governing body — we’re guessing Walker will be extra quick marking his golf ball at Shinnecock Hills.

The post Jimmy Walker’s surprising “backstopping” admission sparks heated debate on (Golf) Twitter appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall

In our biennial poll of the Best Teachers in America, Butch Harmon was the overwhelming top choice according to his instructing brethren. And with good reason. Despite a diverse clientele—from child prodigies to professionals to celebrities to royalty—Butch is able forge a connection with each golfer. “I’m very proud to say that all my tour players have improved on my watch,” Harmon once told Golf Digest. “That’s the only way an instructor can judge himself.”

In honor of Harmon, we’ve compiled a list of the lessons imparted to his star pupils, in hopes they can translate to your game.

Jamie Squire

Tiger Woods

Harmon started working with Woods in 1993 when Tiger was an amateur and was by his side at his 1997 breakthrough at Augusta National. Regardless of his sensational rise to the pro ranks and his 12-shot Masters victory, Tiger felt his swing was filled with imperfections and shortcomings. According to his self-assessment, Woods believed his club-shaft was across the line at the peak of his backswing, with his club-face closed.

“I agreed with Tiger about the flaws, but I wanted to do it a piece at a time,” Harmon said. “He wanted to do it all at once. I told him it was going to be hard to play through it, and that he might want to do what [Nick] Faldo did with [David] Leadbetter and basically take a year off. He said no, and in 1998 he struggled and won only once.”

But the changes worked. Woods would win eight times in 1999 and followed it with nine Ws—including three majors—in 2000. The main tenet Harmon preached was the importance of keeping the club in front of him more on the backswing and downswing. Due to his outrageous speed, if Tiger was a tad offline, his ball would be all over the ballpark.

“When we worked together, I believed the best way for Tiger to control his distance and direction was for him to keep the club moving square to the target line for as long as possible,” Harmon says. “This required a more vertical swing plane, where the club stayed in front of his chest and his right elbow never got behind his body, and a backswing where the club rarely reached parallel.”

Woods last saw Harmon in 2002, with the pair officially splitting in 2003.

Chris Condon

Phil Mickelson

Mickelson left longtime coach Rick Smith for Harmon in spring 2007, exasperated by his inaccuracy with his driver and irons. The switch paid immediate dividends, as Mickelson won the Players Championship in May. “I felt that if Phil’s technique were better, he’d go from good to phenomenal,” Harmon said.

When Mickelson first met with Harmon, he swung his arms back too far relative to his shoulder turn, creating a long but narrow arc with the club across the line at the top. His hip turn was excessive, his leg action loose. The result: A downswing in which he had to “save” a lot of shots with last-second manipulation of the clubface. He was brilliant at times, inconsistent at others.

During his relationship with Harmon—Mickelson amicably parted ways with him in 2015—the duo worked to make his backswing wider and more effective at setting the club and his body at the top. Why? The ability to execute his go-to shot—a high, slight fade—with ease.

“Phil hasn’t lost any of his creativity at working the ball and adjusting his trajectory,” Harmon says. “The difference is, he doesn’t have to work as hard to do it.”

David Cannon

Adam Scott

With a swing seemingly carbon copied from a certain 14-time major winner, it’s easy to accuse Butch of re-creating Tiger’s swing on Scott. Not the case, according to Harmon.

“When Adam came to UNLV from Australia in 1999, he was already swinging this way,” Harmon says. “They have similar builds, and they can do the same kinds of things athletically. I saw Adam and said to myself, ‘Wow, this looks familiar…’ ”

Scott’s swing is so textbook it’s hard to say anything about it, but he said Harmon helped him achieve greater consistency off the tee. “My big problem is that I hang back a little bit at impact. Butch is helping me get fully onto my left side so I can stay on top of the ball. When I do it right, I’m much more accurate with the driver.”

The two separated in 2010.

David Cannon

Dustin Johnson

Johnson had experienced some success pre-Harmon—highlighted by a win at Pebble Beach in 2009—but his career took off when he hooked up with the venerable teacher in 2010, with 14 victories in tow since.

Harmon didn’t overhaul Johnson’s distinctive swing—most notably, his bowed left wrist; instead, he tried to erase some of the complexities, like his tendency to over-rotate his hips.

“My thought for him is to stay taller and extend down the target line,” Harmon says. “I tell him to feel like an ostrich, with his neck stretched up at address. It’s a great thought for the amateur player as well: Stay tall, and extend down the line.”

In addition to making tremndous strides in Johnson’s wedge game, Butch was integral in selling the player on the fade off the tee, a shot many believe spurred Johnson to his win at Oakmont and his subsequent heights in the game. “I’ve been trying to explain it for years that he didn’t have to cut across it,” Harmon explains. “He just had to set up left, swing the club back in line of his feet, and instead of curving it, he’d just slide it from left-to-right.”

Phil Inglis

Greg Norman

Joining forces in 1992, the former No. 1 Norman was experiencing a slump and sought guidance from Harmon. With a focus on widening his stance, flattening his swing, and modifying his release, the Great White Shark returned to top form, winning the 1993 Open Championship and 1994 Players Championship.

“Greg’s swing thought on the backswing was, ‘Right pocket back,’” Harmon says. “That meant turning his right-front pant pocket behind him. For Greg, it allowed him to maximize his range of motion going back, but it has the added benefit of preventing a sway to the right–a common amateur fault. The sway not only reduces power, it makes it tough to get back in position to hit the ball.”

Harmon’s teaching also helped Norman enter the final day of the 1996 Masters with a six-shot lead. Following his Sunday collapse, Norman blamed the awkwardness of his swing as the cause of the downfall, an excuse some say played a role in the the eventual break-up between the two.

The experience is one Harmon still cites when warning about the challenges of a swing change.

“Regardless of how Greg’s swing changes felt, you don’t get a six-shot lead at the Masters with lousy technique,” he says. “It goes to show that you have to play through the uncomfortable parts and expect it to feel awkward. In fact, when the lesson with your instructor is over and you find yourself getting the hang of a swing change a day later, you’d better schedule another lesson, because I’ll bet you’re not doing it right. It’s very easy for your old swing to sneak up and take hold again.”

Rickie Fowler

Fowler went three years without a coach after his instructor died in 2011, but picked Butch up at the start of the 2014 season. Though Fowler rose to prominence thanks to his athleticism and length, the Oklahoma State product was still too erratic.

“Rickie used to drag the handle back and turn his hips and shoulders very early in the swing,” says Harmon. “The clubhead would lag behind the rotation of his body. Also, his ball position would tend to creep too far back, which contributed to that early turn—he was trying to load up behind the ball.”

The duo worked on timing, syncing up his takeaway by getting the club to keep pace with his body turn, without the clubhead getting left behind. That really simplified his swing and eliminated the need to re-route the club coming down, which caused inconsistency.

“You might have noticed the move he makes over the ball: He practices the first few feet of the swing, making sure he sees the shaft go back right on his toe line,” Harmon says. “That’s on plane.”

While Fowler didn’t win in 2014, he finished fifth or better in every major, highlighted by runner-ups at the U.S. and British Opens. Fowler would go on to win three times in 2015.

Focus On Sport

Seve Ballesteros

Harmon teamed with the late Ballesteros for just a short time in the mid ‘90s. Feeling the five-time major winner had become too robotic, Harmon wanted to get Ballesteros back to his more natural rhythmic swing, one that tried to quiet the noise and focus on fundamentals.

Alas, Harmon considered the Spaniard one of his missed opportunities. “I worked with him a few years ago and thought we had a good run going,” Harmon told Golf Digest’s Guy Yocom in the early 2000s. “But he has spent the last several years looking for quick fixes.”

Despite not having more time together, Harmon’s observations on Balesteros’ short game and vision led to teachings passed on to Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, and Rickie Fowler. In fact, Harmon had been instrumental in setting up practice grounds between Woods and Jose Maria Olazabal, another Harmon student, so that Woods could see the Spaniard’s creativity around the greens up close.

“The thing that was phenomenal about Ballesteros was his imagination and creativity,” Harmon told Larry Dorman after Ballesteros’ passing. “He saw things that other players don’t see. He saw shots they don’t see. He was just a genius.”

Jamie Squire

Fred Couples

Players usually don’t make swing changes as they near 50. Yet Harmon has worked with Couples on altering his takeaway, lessening his lift with a lower and wider sweep to start the club along the target line.

“We had him setting up with the clubhead a foot behind the ball, getting a head start on the takeaway,” Harmon says. “He even played some rounds like that.”

The change allowed him to accomplish a deeper, fuller turn, which correlated to finding more fairways. The pursuit worked. Couples has won 13 times on the Champions Tour since the fix.

“For a feel player like Fred, any technical change is going to seem pretty drastic, and it’s going to be hard to trust,” Harmon says. “Obviously, it’s easy to work on your swing on the practice tee, but having the courage to try to post a number with it is another matter. A lot of amateurs get into the habit of using their old swing on the course and their new swing on the range, hoping that the change will work its way into their game. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen that way. Take your swing change onto the course as much as you can, and the sooner the better. It might be torture for a while, but that’s how you learn to trust it under pressure.”

Andy Lyons

Ernie Els

The man nicknamed “the Big Easy” for his smooth, effortless motions felt his swing was out of whack. In a bit of a career lull, the South African switched from friend David Leadbetter to Harmon in 2008. Els was hoping to shorten and tighten his swing, as well as looking for a new perspective.

“Ernie used to slow down his upper body and do everything with his hands at impact,” Harmon says. “Once he learned to stay wide going back, his one thought became turning his chest through to the finish.”

The changes ultimately paid off: at age 42, Els won the 2012 Open, his fourth major championship.

Ross Kinnaird

Jimmy Walker

Walker has been working with Harmon since 2011. Harmon’s approach towards Walker helps illustrate why the teacher is beloved by his pupils: rather than having a universal syllabus or directive, Harmon takes a look at what he has to work with and builds from there.

“We didn’t want to create a new swing,” Harmon says. “Just take what he does naturally and make it better.”

While Waker exhibited great flexibility in his early swing, it worked against him at times. “He has the ability to turn almost too much,” Harmon says. “We’ve reduced his turn a bit so he has an easier time delivering the club to the ball.” Clearly the tweak worked: a late bloomer, Walker has won six times since the start of the 2014 season, including the 2016 PGA Championship.

The post How Butch Harmon Has Helped The Best appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It all began when Dufner won the PGA at Oak Hills in 2013. As he was greeted by his then wife, Amanda, on the 18th green, Duf gave her a little tap on the bum causing an instant viral moment:

Stick-in-the-muds Rory McIlroy (2014) and Jason Day (2015) weren’t involved in any butt slaps — at least, as far as we know — but Jimmy Walker brought the fun ritual back when he won the Wanamaker Trophy in 2016:

Win a major, give your wife a love tap. Jimmy Walker is a true champion. #PGAChamp https://t.co/ZybKrIh09I

— Carson Cunningham (@KOCOCarson) July 31, 2016

And on Sunday at Quail Hollow, the odd tradition continued — just not how you think. Winner Justin Thomas gave his girlfriend a celebratory kiss and a hug, but that was it. Instead, he got slapped on the butt by his buddy, Jordan Spieth. And Jordan got him pretty good:

Congratulatory butt slap from Spieth pic.twitter.com/tGht912qK9

— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) August 13, 2017

Boys will be boys, right? Justin tried to walk it off like he didn’t notice, but you know he felt that. And if his buddy wins next year’s PGA to complete his career Grand Slam, JT can return the favour. No matter who wins, though, I think we can all agree this is a custom coincidence that must might continue in 2018 at Bellerive Country Club. Keep your eyes peeled next August.

RELATED: Why Justin Thomas’ girlfriend almost missed his big win

The post Jordan Spieth continues odd PGA Championship tradition with celebratory butt slap of Justin Thomas appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

When the then 37-year-old Walker won the PGA Championship last August at Baltusrol, in wire-to-wire fashion with rounds of 65-66-68-67, it was the culmination of well paid dues. On and off the minor tours for several years, Walker finally made it to the PGA Tour to stay in 2007. But after seven years as a winless journeyman, he got his first victory in 2014, and then five more in quick succession. That the last was a major championship made the lean, 6-foot-2, sweet-swinging Oklahoman appear a classic late bloomer ready to move into the ranks of the game’s elite.

“I feel like I can do it. I can do it now. I can win a major championship,” Walker said after winning by a stroke over Jason Day last July. It was a mindset greatly fostered by the encouragement of swing coach Butch Harmon, who persisted in breaking Walker’s lifelong habit of underestimating himself. “For me, it was a matter of time,” Walker said. “That’s what I needed to feel about myself to win something like this. It sure makes me look forward to more.”

But Walker hasn’t won since. In 19 events this year, he has only one top-10 finish and seven in the top 25. He’s sit 98th on the FedEx Cup points list entering this week at Quail Hollow Club.

The post-major winner blues are not rare in the pro golf, but Walker, well known as a hard worker who enjoys playing the game even during off weeks, did not seem a candidate. The problem, discovered after months in which he had exhibited flu-like symptoms, has been Lyme Disease.

Walker was diagnosed several weeks after he believes he was bitten by a tick during a hunting trip in November. Besides the physical symptoms of fatigue, he became more irritable on the golf course, causing him to lose his composure and concentration. There is no definite prognosis on when the disease will run its course, and no guarantee that it ever will.

The months of uncertainty and disappointment have given Walker an admittedly glum outlook. As he met the media Tuesday as the PGA defending champion, he tried to sound optimistic, but couldn’t pretend that he’s not tired of being tired.

“I mean, you get that sensation that like Wow, I’m really falling back,” he admitted.

He’s developed a practiced fatalism. “We’ve just taken the mindset that it is what it is,” said Walker, using one of Tiger Woods’ pet phrases. “I’m not worried about the golf or the game. Doing what we did last year, being able to win this tournament and set yourself up for basically the rest of your career is just a nice—it’s a huge relief.”

But Walker, given the effort he gladly expended to get to the top, doesn’t really do complacency.

“The competitor inside you, it’s kind of hard to take when you can’t get out there and get going,” he said. “I know everybody takes time off from work, but I really don’t. I enjoy coming out and playing and competing, and when you can’t do it at your best, it’s tough. You’ve kind of got to give yourself a little bit of a break, which is hard to do, and I’m working hard on it.”

Last week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Walker led after 36 holes after rounds of 68 and 65. But he shot 74-72 on the weekend and dropped to a T-28 finish. Nevertheless, he took heart from the extra mental effort he put forth to fight the still mysterious malaise that Lyme can bring on.

“You know, I really tried to concentrate—sounds stupid—but extra hard last week. You know, try harder,” Walker said. “But it just kind of comes and goes. I just try to be 100 percent committed on every shot and see it and feel it and then try to execute it. It’s really hard to describe. It’s hard to quantify what happens, and is that why it’s happening. It’s a weird deal. I just keep plugging along.”

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