As golfers tend to be, Jon Rahm was in fine fettle after a five-under 67 in the second round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Even better, the Masters champion compiled such a creditable figure after a double-bogey-par-bogey start to his day that surely had him, at least briefly, considering the halfway cut more than adding the DP World’s most prestigious title to his list of victories.

Still, a subsequent eagle and six birdies speedily put paid to any negativity and rocketed the Spaniard to six-under and only a few shots from the lead.

“I’m obviously extremely pleased,” said Rahm, who shot 62 here last year en route to a runner-up finish behind Shane Lowry. “If you’re going to get a start like that at least you have time to make it up. I told [caddie] Adam [Hayes] to maybe forget about the cut and other things, to maybe see if we can stand on the 10th tee even par [for the day]. I thought it was a good goal to set and I hit it a lot of great shots coming in and took advantage of enough opportunities.”

At which point the conversation veered into the inevitable (the Ryder Cup) and the surprising (Kobe Bryant). Chatting with Nicolai Højgaard in Italy during the European Ryder Cup team’s expedition to the Marco Simone course, where later this month Europe will attempt to wrest the Ryder Cup back from US hands, Rahm discovered he and the young Dane shared a common love of the late Los Angeles Lakers star.

From which evolved an evocative tale.

“I didn’t really know Nicolai before Monday in Rome,” said Rahm. “I don’t think I’d ever spoken to him before besides ‘hello’ and ‘good round.’ But I learned he’s a Kobe fan. I’m a massive fan as well, so that’s something we have in common that maybe I wouldn’t have figured out until it was too late. I don’t think a lot of people realise how many people Kobe impacted with his work ethic and his approach to basketball and life until after he passed. Then all the stories came out and you got to see the truth. Before that maybe he wasn’t the most liked player in the world.”

Ah, but there was more to come. Asked why he was such an admirer of Bryant, Rahm was off and running.

“I’ve no idea, because I didn’t really grow up watching basketball in Spain, especially the NBA,” he said. “Once I got to the US I was researching people to learn from and obviously the name Kobe Bryant came up. When you search ‘work ethic’ on YouTube, his name’s popped up. I came across him giving a talk while he was still playing which caught my eye. It was about what he thought and how he approached the game and his mentality towards the pressure moments. I became a fan. To hear his life story and what he did what was quite impressive.”

Sadly, Rahm never got the chance to meet one of his sporting idols. But he came close.

“Funnily enough we finished Sunday at Farmers the day Kobe passed and I was supposed to meet him two days after that,” Rahm continued. “We have a friend in common and he arranged it. I’ve met a lot of impressive athletes before and I’d never been this excited before in my life. I had a long list of questions for him because I’d heard from people he was very welcoming towards that and he was going to give me advice. I guess we’ll never know but that’s the impact he had and me. I talked with Nicolai about that a little bit on the course, just before both of us started making a couple of birdies. We both had a bit of the ‘Mamba mentality’ influencing us.”

The post Jon Rahm pleased to discover one of his Ryder Cup teammates shares same reverence for Kobe Bryant appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Daniel Rapaport
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Tiger Woods began the Genesis Invitational with two perfect shots, easily reaching Riviera’s benign par-5 first hole in two. He then drained the eagle putt of 24 feet, 8 inches.

Seriously. In Kobe Bryant’s city, in Woods’ first tournament since learning of his longtime buddy’s shocking death, Woods’ first putt of the day corresponded with both numbers Bryant wore during his Hall of Fame career.

Sometimes, sports do the darndest things.

“No matter what we do, I think for a while we’re going to always remember Kobe and what he meant, and especially here in SoCal and the entire sports world,” Woods said after learning of the 24-8 measurement. “Like I said, very ironic that I happened to have those numbers on those holes and those exact measurements.”

Woods opened the first-ever Genesis Invitational with a two-under 69, getting his latest bid for a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour victory off to a solid start. He’ll enter the second round five behind Matt Kuchar, who fired a bogey-free, seven-under 64 amid perfect scoring conditions early Thursday morning and is three clear of his closest chasers.

After the goosebumps-inducing eagle at the opener, Woods added birdies at 5 and 8 to make the turn in four-under 31. It was an exhibition in ball striking: he found six of seven fairways, seven of nine greens and, most encouragingly, needed only 13 putts. Woods has long struggled with his putting here at Riviera—the site of his first-ever PGA Tour event, as a stick-thin 16-year-old way back in 1992—and joked on Tuesday that after all these years, he can’t seem to believe that every putt breaks toward the sixth tee, the low-point of the course. Perhaps he’s learned his lesson.

“I got off to a nice start on the front nine and just didn’t hit many good shots on the back nine,” he said. “Made a couple loose swings and made a couple good saves on the back nine for par, but just wasn’t able to get any birdies on the back nine.”

In hindsight, the front-nine ball striking display was particularly impressive given Woods’ lack of preparation for the week. He said after the round that the only time he hit balls this week before Thursday morning was for 10 minutes, under floodlights before his 6:40 a.m. tee time in the pro-am on Wednesday. There’s simply too much on his plate this week, given his additional obligations of hosting the event in conjunction with his TGR Live venture. So Woods pieced together a move on the driving range this morning, but you wouldn’t have known it judging from the front nine.

As Woods indicated, the back nine was a completely different story. The first concerning shot came at the fickle par-4 10th, where he pulled a driver well left and had to grind out a par. At the dogleg left 13th, he yanked a drive into the trees left but managed to get up and down from 165 yards for par. There was another scrambling par after a right miss at the par-5 17th, but he couldn’t overcome a push into the trees down the right of 18, leading to a closing bogey.

The good news for Woods is he won’t have to wait long to flush away that uneven back nine. He’s off in his second round at 7:16 a.m. local time, when the wind should be manageable and the poa annua greens as smooth as they’ll be all day.

“Considering I’m still on East Coast time, I kind of like it,” Woods said of the early tee time and way-earlier wake up. “I’ve been getting up pretty early, so it will be a quick turnaround, get back at it. Hopefully we’ll have a little bit smoother greens out there on the golf course. Hopefully I can hit it as good as I did on that front nine to give myself a number of looks for the entire 18 holes, not just nine holes.”

The post Tiger starts Genesis with goosebumps-inducing eagle, finishes with two-under 69 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Dottie Pepper—like Johnny Miller—has become such a popular broadcaster that many golf fans forget her playing career includes two major championships. But Pepper has also forgotten a lot about the aftermath of her second Nabisco Dinah Shore title (now the ANA Inspiration) in 1999. Just not for any reason you’d expect.

Following her celebratory plunge into Poppie’s Pond, Pepper contracted a bacterial infection that caused her numerous trips to urgent care and pretty much took her out of competition for the next six weeks.

“I still don’t remember the flight back,” Pepper recalls. “I was seriously sick.”

As Pepper explains, the incident helped spur the tournament to put concrete on the bottom of the pond. Although, that posed a different problem years later when Stacy Lewis’ mom broke her leg. In any event, Pepper, now the lead on-course reporter for CBS Golf, took time out of her schedule to hop on this week’s Golf Digest Podcast.

In addition to sharing stories from her playing days, Pepper told us what it’s like to track Tiger Woods as he looks for his record 83rd PGA Tour win, and what it was like to follow him at Torrey Pines on the day basketball legend Kobe Bryant died. The 17-time LPGA winner also talked about her transition from player to broadcaster and revealed the cool perk that comes with announcing certain holes at the Masters.

Plus, Sam Weinman and Keely Levins joined me to talk about Webb Simpson’s putting turnaround and a possible rival to the PGA Tour. And then Stephen Hennessey and Christopher Powers stopped by to offer their best bets for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and a crazy Super Bowl prop bet that hit. Please have a listen:

https://soundcloud.com/user-96678684/scott-stallings-transformation-charlie-woods-swing-amex-picks

The post Dottie Pepper on tracking Tiger, getting sick after her biggest win, and the cool perk of being a Masters announcer appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Kobe certainly had his flaws, but you can’t argue the impact he had on the world. As Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard pointed out, 13(!) PGA Tour pros list him as their favourite athlete in their media guide bios. He was bigger than a sports star, bigger than a brand. His Mamba Mentality is a movement. And one that isn’t going away anytime soon. So let’s keep Kobe in our heads, at least for his relentless drive and tireless work ethic. And let’s keep Kobe, his daughter GiGi and the seven other victims of this tragedy in our hearts as a reminder of how precious our time on Earth is. OK, time to talk about some happier stuff.

WE’RE BUYING

Marc Leishman: The Aussie won the Farmers Insurance Open while playing with a different tragedy on his mind, providing the latest victory for a country looking for any good news. “Pretty amazing, particularly with all the problems that have been happening back in Australia with the fires and people losing their lives. Just devastating really,” Leishman said. “So if this can bring them a little bit of joy, it’s a big win for me personally and then for them as well. I hope this can bring them a bit of joy.”

Sean M. Haffey

Leishman joins Cameron Smith as Aussie winners on the PGA Tour in the past three weeks. Plus, Lucas Herbert won the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Well done to all three providing a much-needed boost and raising awareness and relief funds for what’s happening Down Under.

Sebastian Soderberg: The Swede didn’t come close to winning in Dubai, but he did shatter the European Tour record for fastest round by shooting a Sunday 75 in 97 minutes. Soderberg and his caddie, younger brother Jasper, also got in their cardio workout by 8:45 a.m. and had the rest of the day to do whatever they wanted. How efficient.

97 minutes. 75 shots. ?

Sebastian Söderberg on the fastest round in European Tour history.#ODDC pic.twitter.com/4J4TxH9wV1

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 26, 2020

When it comes to playing quickly, though, Soderberg couldn’t quite catch Wesley Bryan, who played a solo Sunday round at the BMW Championship in 89 minutes. Oh, and shot 69, by the way. That prompted this Grind video in which I tried my best to speed talk like the Micro Machines Man in Wes’ honour:

In any event, golfers of every skill level don’t need to play this fast, but we could all pick up the pace a bit. So to guys like Wes and Sebastion, thanks for the inspiration.

Tiger Woods’ new driver: Not to give TaylorMade free advertising here, but Woods sure looked comfortable swinging the new Sim driver around during his T-9 at Torrey Pines to kick-off 2020.

While Phil Mickelson has resorted to wildly swinging out of his shoes as he approaches 50 (he hit 2 of 14 fairways on Friday), Woods has throttled back by hitting what he calls a “slap cut.” He’s hitting more fairways, his misses are manageable, and “slap cut” is instantly one of my all-time favourite Tigerisms.

WE’RE SELLING

Jon Rahm’s Sunday: First of all, that was a rough start. I mean, wow. ROUGH. It makes you wonder how much more pressure he was feeling to win this tournament than a Euro Tour event. . . To the Spaniard’s credit, though, he made a furious late rally only to come up one shot short. But making matters worse is the fact he thought he was actually tied for the lead when he tapped in for birdie on 18. How can you not know where you stand in a tournament?! How could he not know he needed eagle on 18?! That’s a bad job. A really bad job.

Bryson DeChambeau’s finish: On the bright side, Bryson says his new bulk has “opened new boundaries I never thought were possible.” But his recent quote about hitting it so far that his pace of play won’t matter didn’t hold up too well as DeChambeau was given a bad time on the back nine while contending in Dubai. Also not holding up too well was his play down the stretch as he threw away his chance to defend his title. . .

Today in Dubai, Bryson DeChambeau was put on the clock and given a slow-play warning on the 10th hole.

He went on to shoot 76, T-8, which included bogeying his last four holes. pic.twitter.com/3RovwMAgbM

— Samantha Marks (@SamanthaSMarks) January 26, 2020

Coincidence? Maybe. But this is certainly something to keep an eye on, especially when he plays on the European Tour.

Tiger’s bad break: Seriously, how in the world did this not stay in the hole?!

@TigerWoods nearly holed out from the fairway.

The ball went IN the hole … and came back out. ? pic.twitter.com/ikm21gLSju

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 26, 2020

No, seriously. How? Did anyone ask Bryson? Tiger out here doing magic tricks.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to TPC Scottsdale for the country’s biggest annual boozefest, which also coincides with a golf tournament. Welcome to the Waste Management Phoenix Open! Please try not to get arrested! And if you’re playing golf like Bryson DeChambeau, please try to keep up with the group in front of you!

Random tournament fact: It’s been one year since Johnny Miller signed off on NBC for his last tournament. I miss you, Johnny. I miss you every day. Well, every Sunday, at least.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Tiger Woods would ever make a leader board gaffe on the final hole: 1-MILLION -to-1 odds

—Tiger Woods will win the Masters: 10-to-1 odds (Actual odds, now a co-favourite)

—Johnny would have a LOT to say about Bryson this week: LOCK

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

Fully understand if Bryson wants to keep hitting it 40 past me tomorrow so we don’t have to chat.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) January 25, 2020

Eddie Pepperell is the best. And he followed it up with this update after he and Bryson played together on Sunday:

We actually got on quite well. And to his credit, he’s sped up.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) January 26, 2020

Well, other than that bad time, of course.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (PGA TOUR EDITION)

This is pure golf porn, folks.

Flushed. ?

?? pic.twitter.com/kNJUJFnKh0

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 22, 2020

Nicely done, PGA Tour.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (EUROPEAN TOUR EDITION)

And kudos to the European Tour CONTENT makers as well for this gem of a game pitting Viktor Hovland and Andrew “Beef” Johnston:

Beef ?Hovland #LuckOfTheDraw ??#ODDC @OMEGAGolfDubai pic.twitter.com/d0glMwwGQj

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 24, 2020

Just don’t try this at home. Unless your course is completely empty.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Lucas Herbert is a European Tour winner. And an honest bloke:

Victory + Australia Day = ? pic.twitter.com/Sj0ObZRnPO

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 26, 2020

Hope Monday morning wasn’t too painful, Lucas. You’re only 24! It gets much, much worse. Trust me.

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/B704RKDAaz9/?utm_source=ig_embed

Get it? “Boat” load? Good stuff, Jena. Also, by my extensive research of Jena’s Instagram account, this is the first time she’s posted a photo of the couple on a boat together since May 4 of last year. What’s significant about that? Brooks won the PGA Championship that week. So he’s basically a lock-in Saudi Arabia this week.

And how about C.T. Pan going shopping with his wife and sometimes caddie, Michelle:

When it comes to grocery shopping, I’m her caddie. 3 tasks I need to do for her, show up, keep up and shut up. #happywifehappylife #groceryshopping #happymondays #groceryshopping pic.twitter.com/k1nAAFuZDc

— C.T. Pan (@ctpangolf) January 27, 2020

Also, pay up at the end. ? https://t.co/ojLON1xv2R

— C.T. Pan (@ctpangolf) January 28, 2020

Looks like someone learned his lesson from that time he knocked Michelle’s caddying skills on national TV.

THIS AND THAT

The Players Championship’s purse will increase $2.5 million to $15 million total with $2.7 million of that going to the winner. And no one even batted an eye. . . . Phil Mickelson missed his second consecutive cut to start a calendar year for the first time in his career. And at No. 86 in the Official World Golf Ranking, he might have a few more holes on his schedule since he currently isn’t qualified for a slew of big events. . . . Speaking of the OWGR, Jordan Spieth dropped out of the top 50 for the first time since his rookie season. That historic 2015 campaign seems like it was decades ago. . . . The Premier Golf League, a possible PGA Tour competitor, is drawing interest from players, including Rory McIlroy. The bad news for Phil and Jordan? These would be 48-man events. Ouch. . . . And finally, it looks like I need to find a new hiding spot for my fruit snacks. . .

She’s a crafty one. And like Kobe, I’m a proud girl dad. RIP Kobe and GiGi.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

What’s the golf equivalent of Kobe’s 81-point game?

How fast could I play 18 holes walking?

How much should I bet on Brooks Koepka?

The post Tiger Woods’ new toy, Jon Rahm’s brutal leader board gaffe, and a possible good omen for Brooks Koepka appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Brian Wacker
Gary Woodland was practising at TPC Scottsdale on Sunday when the news of Kobe Bryant’s death broke. At first, he tried to figure out if it was real, then a wave of emotion swept over him.

Part of the reason: Woodland is himself a father of young children, and Bryant’s impact was transcendent.

“He shut the world down for a day,” Woodland said Wednesday. “It’s the people, the stories, and he’s one of those guys where I never met him, but I feel like I knew him. And that’s the impact I think that Amy’s had as well. People, even if you don’t know her, you felt like you know her.”

The Amy that Woodland was talking about is Amy Bockerstette.

It was a year ago at TPC Scottsdale where she and Woodland were introduced to one another on the famed 16th hole, through an arrangement by the PGA Tour. Bockerstette, 21, has Down syndrome and is the first person with the condition to have received an athletic scholarship to attend college, at Paradise Valley Community College in nearby Phoenix. On that day, Woodland asked Bockerstette if she’d like to hit a shot on the par 3 during the pro-am. She did, knocking her tee shot into a greenside bunker before getting up-and-down for par. Video of the moment went viral, and it has since been seen more than 44 million times.

Together again.

More to come.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/mvF82osceJ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2020

Wednesday, the two were reunited. A lot has changed in the 12 months since they met. Woodland is a major champion, having won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach last June, and Bockerstette a celebrity with a foundation that launched in October that promotes golf instruction and play for people with intellectual disabilities.

“The impact of the U.S. Open was cool from a personal standpoint,” Woodland said. “It gives me a lot of confidence. I show up to golf tournaments, now I know I’m a major champion, I know I can beat the best players in the world any given week, so that’s special.

“From an impact that Amy’s had on me, that’s changed me in everyday life, being a positive attitude, loving people, staying in the moment. That will help you on and off the golf course anywhere you go. That’s the way I try to live right now. I’m trying to instill that in my kids, and my family, and that’s because spending time with her.”

Which brings us, for a moment, back to the sudden and tragic death of Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter GiGi and the seven others, including three other teenagers, who perished in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles on Sunday morning.

Bryant was the father of four girls—a #girldad, another item that went viral after ESPN anchor Elle Duncan’s emotional moment talking about the one time she’d met Bryant and their bonding over being parents of girls. And Woodland is the father of two girls, after his wife, Gabby, gave birth to twins last summer, as well as a boy, 2-year-old Jaxson, who was born in 2017 when Woodland’s wife was again due with twins but lost a girl during pregnancy.

“It’s been an emotional week,” Woodland said. “When I think of Kobe now, I think of the images of him with his daughter, with Gigi, on the basketball court, talking to her, getting back into the game because of her and the love she had for it.

“I’ve looked up to Kobe my whole life. I grew up in that generation with him dominating, so I’ve always wanted to be him, the way he worked on the basketball court, I wanted his work ethic. … Looking at him the last couple years, I want to be like him as a father. I want to be able to spend time with my kids.”

Which is why on Tuesday Woodland brought his son onto the golf course with him for the first time during his practice round. Bryant’s passing was a cruel reminder of the fragility of life.

It was also a reminder of the impact he had, much the same way he had on Bockerstette and in turn Bockerstette had on him.

“I don’t know the impact that I’ve had on that compared to the impact she’s had. It’s been unbelievable,” Woodland said. “Everywhere I go I hear, ‘I got this,’ [and] people come up to me, I have adults come up to me crying because they have seen the video and they know somebody that has Down syndrome or it’s been, the impact that it’s had on other people has been tremendous. I had a kid come up to me in Maui this year after Saturday. I was going through the autograph line signing autographs talking to some kids and a kid came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I want to let you know I have special needs and I saw the video that you did with Amy and it makes me believe that I can be a normal kid.’ I got emotional there.

“That’s what it’s all about.”

The post Kobe Bryant, Amy Bockerstette and the impact both have had on U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“I’ve never cried for another man that I’d never even met before,” Thomas said Tuesday at the Waste Management Open. “He was my favourite player.”

Bryant’s impact was transcendent and tributes have continued to pour in since the 41-year-old Lakers legend, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash Sunday morning in Calabasas, Calif. Jon Rahm posted an emotional video message on his Instagram on Sunday night after his runner-up finish at the Farmers Insurance Open. Tony Finau, who grew up a Lakers fan and whose mother died in a car accident in 2011, wrote about the joy and inspiration he received from watching Bryant. Others paid their respects after learning of the stunning news as well.

This week at TPC Scottsdale, Thomas will pay tribute to Bryant in a few ways. Each of his wedges is stamped with a different homage — “81 points” for the number of points Bryant scored against the Raptors in 2006; “Mamba Mentality,” a nod to Bryant’s nickname and approach to basketball; “Black Mamba” for his nickname; and his full name, “Kobe Bean Bryant.” His Scotty Cameron also features a purple and gold headcover with “RIP GiGi” and “RIP Kobe” written in black magic marker on it.

Thomas also brought a couple of Bryant jerseys with him, including one from Bryant’s alma mater, Lower Merion High School, in Philadelphia, that he’ll wear on the 16th hole during Wednesday’s pro-am.

Given the indelible mark Bryant’s left on so many, Thomas likely won’t be the only player this week to honour the late legend. It’s also likely that a tribute will be held during next month’s Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, about 20 miles south of where the crash occurred and 15 miles east of the Lakers’ home at the Staples Center.

“He had that kind of impact,” Thomas said of Bryant. “It sucks.”

The post Justin Thomas unveils touching tributes to Kobe Bryant at Waste Management Phoenix Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Daniel Rapaport
Sunday’s final round of the Farmers Insurance Open was overshadowed by news of the death of basketball star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Per multiple news reports, both were killed, along with as many as seven other passengers, in a helicopter crash in California.

The news broke around 11:30 a.m. local time, while the entire field was on the golf course at Torrey Pines. A tangible sense of grief pervaded the grounds as fans looked at their phones and learned the tragic reality.

Many players, however, didn’t find out until after their rounds, as they weren’t checking their phones during play. A number spoke about the news afterward, including Tiger Woods, who knew Bryant for some 20 years and grew up a huge Laker fan in Southern California. Woods only learned of Bryant’s death after finishing off a closing 70.

“It’s unbelievable the reality that he’s no longer here,” Woods said. “LeBron [James] breaks his [scoring] record, and he passes today.

“We really connected on the mental side of it,” Woods added. “The prep. How much it takes to be prepared … that’s where he and I really connected. We were very similar.”

Woods was asked about what he’d remember most about Bryant. “Ultimate toughness. Ultimate competitor. One of the most shocking, tragic days I’ve ever been a part of.”

“I just don’t know what to say, It’s so shocking, so harsh, sad and real right now.”

Tiger remembers his friend Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/khRxpOsJQD

— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) January 27, 2020

Here’s the reactions from other tour pros:

Marc Leishman: “It’s devastating news for his family and the whole basketball community. It’s horrible to see someone who’s so successful die in a tragedy like that. Yeah, I just give my condolences to his family and everyone who knew him. It’s a very sad day.”

Rory McIlroy: “I’ve never liked helicopters … that’s terrible. So sad. Ironic, given what LeBron did last night to pass him, as well. Horrific.

“His dedication, his drive. The fact he’d make his teammates wait on the bus for two hours while he set an example and worked hard and mastered his craft. And that’s what he did. He was a pure master of what he did.”

Tony Finau: “I’ve experienced something like this in my life before. My mom passed away in a tragic car accident in 2011. It’s crazy that some of those feelings that I had at that time are back. That’s how much Kobe meant to me. At a different magnitude—the love of a mother is one you can’t replace, but to have some of those feelings come back when I heard the news, it makes me quite sad.

“I think the way to live a life that respects Kobe, and that he would respect, is have the Mamba mentality. And maybe that’s what I need—work even harder at your craft, and have more love of your craft. Maybe that’s something we all need as athletes.”

Max Homa: “It’s devastating. He’s a hero to so many people. The way he competed. I talk to Justin Thomas about this all the time, how much we try to emulate that. He’s a lot like Tiger for us.

“His mentality meant a lot to me. … He was Superman. He played basketball with about eight broken fingers. He shot free throws with a torn Achilles. It’s hard to imagine he could have the sniffles, let alone have something like this happen.”

Jason Day: “It actually makes you feel physically sick. He obviously had an unbelievable career, and he was doing some great stuff off the basketball court. For this to happen to someone that a lot of people idolize, it makes you feel sick. There are really no words to describe what is happened. I cannot imagine what his wife his going through, what his family is going through.

“You never know when time is up. He was a very healthy man, in the prime of his life, accomplishing so many things off the court.”

Matthew Wolff: “He was a light. Everyone around him felt really good. It’s really sad, it just shows that nothing is bigger than life. Anything can happen to anyone.”

Players also took to social media to pay their respects to Bryant.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7zC7G_htSx/?utm_source=ig_embed

Kobe Bryant was my HERO growing up. Even to this day he was an inspiration to the way I approached things. I woke up every day and saw this quote every time I opened my phone. His mentality motivated me not only in hard times but throughout my whole life. RIP, Kobe. pic.twitter.com/VtoYenQaYt

— Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) January 26, 2020

Mourning with the rest of the world the tragic loss of the legend Kobe,his daughter Gianna, and all of the other passengers. This is just devastating and there are no words to describe the sadness and loss we are all feeling. We are so so sorry.

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) January 27, 2020

I heard the news on the 11th tee today. We’ve lost a great man, an incredible athlete, a legend. His daughter and the others that were lost… it’s unimaginable. My prayers go out to all their families. Thankful for all we have to remember you by… RIP Kobe

— bubba watson (@bubbawatson) January 27, 2020

It is hard to put into words losing an icon in our generation. Rest In Peace Kobe. You’ll be missed. Es difícil expresar lo que es perder un icono en nuestra generación. Que día tan triste. Descansa en Paz Kobe ??????????? pic.twitter.com/WQ0Rw1LFpM

— Jhonattan Vegas (@JhonattanVegas) January 26, 2020

When I made my first paycheck, I used that $ to buy a ticket to see Kobe play in 2007 when he went from 8 to 24. This photo was taken with my blackberry. I wanted to see greatness in person and I was speechless. You’ve inspired so many. Rest In Peace Mamba & Gigi pic.twitter.com/hv2C5aIRmq

— Jane Park (@TheJanePark) January 26, 2020

Wow I am just at a loss for words… life is just way to short and everyday you need to count your blessings. Kobe and Gigi and the other passengers that were on the helicopter I am sending prayers and my deepest… https://t.co/qa0fNrhozj

— Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) January 26, 2020

The post Tiger Woods among PGA Tour pros mourning the shocking death of Kobe Bryant appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Daniel Rapaport
On a day overshadowed by tragedy, Tiger Woods shot a two-under 70 to finish tied for ninth in the Farmers Insurance Open, six strokes behind champion Marc Leishman.

Moments after birdieing the par-5 18th at Torrey Pines, Woods first learned of the passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, 13-year-old Gianna, who were among as many as nine killed in a helicopter crash in California.

“It’s unbelievable the reality that he’s no longer here,” Woods said of Bryant. The two had known each other for more than 20 years. “LeBron [James] breaks his [scoring] record, and he passes today.

“I just can’t imagine what their entire family’s going through right now,” Woods added. “It’s just shocking.”

News of Bryant’s death made its way around Torrey Pines when Woods was playing the seventh hole. He was one under for the round at that point, the product of an eventful opening stretch.

After he stumbled to convert an up-and-down on the first hole, walking away with a disappointing bogey, Woods came as close as possible to holing his second shot on the par-4 second. In fact, he did hole it—only to have the ball bounce off the bottom of the cup and somehow pop back out of the hole, leaving a tap-in birdie to get back to level for the day.

Despite fighting his swing a bit—Woods had trouble turning his iron shots right-to-left—he managed to make a few key pars to keep the round from sputtering. However, Woods failed to hole the mid-range putts needed to close what had been a five-stroke deficit to start Sunday. Take the par-5 sixth, for example: After a laser 3-iron hopped onto the green to set up a 14-foot eagle putt, Woods had a chance to get within two of the lead and put a charge into tournament. But the putt slid by on the low side, and Woods had to settle for his second disappointing birdie in five holes.

A three-putt bogey at the par-4 10th all but ended Woods’ chances to win his record 83rd PGA Tour title and a ninth professional tournament at Torrey—seven Farmers and the iconic 2008 U.S. Open (not to mention the Junior World title here won here)—but his card was clean the rest of the way. Woods birdied both par 5s on the back, including a delicate downhill five-footer at the last, to shoot four straight sub-par rounds to begin 2020.

Woods now has three straight top-10 finishes in PGA Tour events heading into his next start, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February, where he will do double duty as player and host.

After walking off the 18th green, it was caddie Joe LaCava who informed Woods of Bryant’s death. Woods was visibly shaken and spoke only of his fallen friend, not about golf at all, after the round.

“We really connected on more the mental side of it, the prep, how much it takes to be prepared,” Woods said. “That’s where he and I really connected, because we’re very similar. We both came in the league—well, he came in the league and I turned pro right around the same time and we had our 20-year run together. It’s shocking.

“Life is very fragile, as we all know. You can be gone at any given time and we have to appreciate the moments we have.”

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