After a dynamite start to his pro career in which he won a PGA Tour event at 19 years old, ascended to No. 13 in the world and held a 54-hole lead at the US Open, Matthew Wolff has struggled at times on and off the course. That continued upon joining LIV Golf in the summer of 2022. Not necessarily helping matters (or maybe it did?) was when Brooks Koepka called out Wolff, who plays for Koepka’s Smash GC team, for wasting his talent.

“I mean, when you quit on your round, you give up and stuff like that, that’s not competing,” Koepka told Sports Illustrated in July. “I’m not a big fan of that. You don’t work hard. It’s very tough. It’s very tough to have even like a team dynamic when you’ve got one guy that won’t work, one guy is not going to give any effort, he’s going to quit on the course, break clubs, gets down, bad body language, it’s very tough. I’ve basically given up on him—a lot of talent, but I mean the talent’s wasted.”

Koepka certainly didn’t mince words there, but surprisingly, Wolff’s swing coach thinks that this was ultimately a good thing to happen to his longtime pupil. George Gankas starting working with Wolff when the future NCAA champ was just 13 years old and knows him as well as almost anyone. Gankas joined the No Laying Up podcast recently and went into detail on his thoughts when it came to Koepka’s public blow-up. He wasn’t thrilled with the method Koepka used, but he did think that Wolff needed a kick in the pants like this.

“They could’ve done that privately,” Gankas said. “There were some incidents where Wolff possibly wasn’t playing as hard as he could and he called him out on it and, you know what, in my opinion, as much as anybody doesn’t want to hear it, I don’t think it should have been done publicly. But I think it did Wolff good. I think it woke him up.”

Wolff had a strong T-3 showing at LIV Greenbrier right after Koepka’s comments but finished a disappointing 42nd of 48 players at LIV Bedminster the next week.

“I don’t know if it was [that] he didn’t like the actual attention or the fame or whatever it was, or he just didn’t want to play,” Gankas said. “He’s figuring it out right now. He’s a much better person than he was two years ago.”

Gankas in part is referencing the mental health issues that Wolff has acknowledged and been dealing with since turning pro. “I think there were just times that he didn’t want to play golf. I do,” Gankas said. “I don’t think the talent has ever been gone.”

Gankas made sure to note that Wolff was “just a kid” and that he has plenty of stellar golf to come despite his recent up-and-down play.

“I know he’s going to be on top of the golf world again,” Gankas said. “He’s 24 years old. People think he’s 30. He’s still a kid. The fact is the talent is there. I don’t think that he could ever lose his golf completely. He’s got a lot of good years ahead of him.”

The post Matt Wolff’s swing coach believes Brooks Koepka’s scathing criticism was ultimately good for Wolff appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Dan Rapaport
For Greg Norman and LIV Golf, Tuesday’s press conferences are a victory lap of sorts — an opportunity to show off six big-name golfers they have signed up from the PGA Tour. This being the first time Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Wolff, Abraham Ancer, Brooks Koepka, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed have addressed media regarding their decision, nearly every question has been a version of the same core quandary: Why did you do it?

[parone_video_player campaign=”281″ defaultlang=”en” feed=”51-all-videos”/]

Money, of course, is the chief driver here, and it’s the main reason those six are in Oregon. But it is not the only reason.

Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau speaks to the media in Portland. LIV Golf

The crown jewel of this recruiting class, DeChambeau was efficient with his words, disciplined in the scope of his comments. He stayed on message, and his agent, Brett Falkoff, gave him a pat on the back after he walked out of the media centre. Job done. It was a noticeable departure from DeChambeau’s rambling exchanges back in his PGA Tour days, before he stopped talking to writers due to perceived slights. It’s as if someone finally got through to Bryson to tell him that this is what he should say, and that he does not need to say anything else.

DeChambeau talked about his entrepreneurial spirit, his desire to use the money to give back to the communities in his hometown in California and to build a multisport complex in Dallas, where he currently resides. He spoke of the freedom the schedule gives him to rest and to pursue his own content-making opportunities on YouTube. DeChambeau said he wants to focus on “moving on,” “looking forward” and using the game as a force of good — almost verbatim to Phil Mickelson’s answer to this question.

“I understand people’s decisions and their comments and whatnot,” DeChambeau said. “But as it relates to me, I’ve personally made that on my own as my own decision. And I won’t say any more on that because there’s no need. We’re golfers at the end of the day. And I think that I respect everybody’s opinion, that’s the most important thing.

“But golf is a force for good and I think as time goes on, hopefully people will see the good that they’re doing and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

DeChambeau also said he tried multiple times to get onto the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council to work on changing the tour from the inside, but he was not successful. He said he did not know what the PGA Tour could’ve done to avoid his departure but did say he has not resigned his membership and hopes to play both tours.

WATCH: All the action live from Portland

Matt Wolff

Matt Wolff. Sean M. Haffey

Wolff seemed the most genuine of the bunch. He is a different cat, not afraid to discuss his challenges with life on the road and the cold competitiveness of the PGA Tour. He said he felt isolated, depressed, dejected. He simply hasn’t been happy for long stretches, and he seems to view LIV as a much lower-stress option to the life he lived 12 months ago. Wolff absolutely loved his time at Oklahoma State — he has said he regrets leaving Stillwater early, and spent most of his time there during his hiatus from the game last year — and revelled in the team environment. He is a deeply social person, perhaps not cut out for the rugged individualism of the PGA Tour. He knows that, and he’s OK with that.

“I just think that like this just gives us such a good opportunity and getting back to (why I joined),” Wolff said. “You’re going to try so hard for your team and it just gives you so much more opportunity to enjoy yourself and have little small wins and feel good about yourself rather than shoot 75 on Sunday (and feel like) I could’ve played better, I could have done this, I could have done that.”

Abraham Ancer

Abraham Ancer. Sam Greenwood

Ancer fancies himself an entrepreneur. He co-launched a successful drinks company with Mark Wahlberg and has his eyes on other business projects. The influx of cash, he said, coupled with a lighter tournament schedule will allow him to live a balanced life between his golf, his family and his business. All three players spoke of the lighter schedule, though LIV is expected to expand to a 14-event schedule for 2024, and all three said they’re keen on continuing to play the majors, which would bring the total to 18.

“I actually made a list of a lot of pros and cons and it wasn’t definitely an easy decision,” the Mexican said. “If it was just a business decision then yeah, it was extremely easy, right? But now it’s came down to quality of life. And I felt like in the last two or three years I’ve been giving my all to golf and business outside of golf as well. So I haven’t really had a life outside of golf in business. So I feel like I haven’t seen my family that much. So yeah, just talk to everybody that’s close to me and kind of put the cards on the table.”

Ancer was also pressed on whether he’s worried that his golf game will suffer now that he’s not playing against PGA Tour competition every week and dealing with a 36-hole cut. He brushed that one aside, suggesting he’s way too competitive a person to simply go through the motions in any competition.

Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka. LIV Golf

Koepka, who said did not have discussions with LIV Golf until after the US Open, took a rather combative and dismissive tone throughout his 30 minutes at the podium. When asked what changed from when he vehemently supported the PGA Tour, he simply said “my opinion”. When asked to give specifics on that, he declined. When asked if he’s concerned about future access to the majors, he said that playing well will take care of itself but didn’t seem too bothered either way: “I made a decision,” he said. “I’m happy with it, and whatever comes of it, I’ll live with it.” The most illuminating part of his presser came when he discussed his injuries and how the lighter schedule will benefit his worn-down body.

“I came back to play three weeks after surgery on a knee where they’re like you’re not going to play for six months,” Koepka said. “Just because I didn’t feel like I was going to miss the whole season next season. It was just bad timing. Where now, I mean, got, what, seven more events to play? I mean, you’re not doing a month on the road anymore. You know, life does go on even though when we’re not playing golf. So being away from home for a month. I don’t have any kids that I know about. So being at home is not really a thing for me, but life does go on. And like there’s some things we miss at home, being friends, family, a lot of birthdays. It would just be nice to be home a little bit more. I think that’s a big thing that everybody, every one of these 48 players will say the same thing.”

Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed. Ben Jared

Reed, wearing a LIV Golf hat, said he had resigned his membership from the PGA Tour. Reed also did not shy away from criticising Ponte Vedra. He was asked what the tour could’ve done to keep him and said “listen to the players for once”. He said the FedEx Cup schedule forced him to play for weeks on end and of the burnout that comes with multiple weeks on the road.

“We have a smaller schedule,” Reed said of LIV. “We actually have an off season where not only can we get healthy, work on our bodies, but we’re basically allowing ourselves throughout the year to, you know, try to peak at the right times is when you’re playing rather than feeling like you have to play every single week. And on top of it, just the quality of life for us as players now, you know, having less events, being able to spend more time at home with the family, if you have kids, being able to spend time with your children, and not sitting there and having to play three, four weeks in a row, then have a week off, and during that week off you’re preparing trying to get ready for the next week. You’re able to actually now set out a schedule, go out and put all you have in every single event. You’re not having to conserve energy ever.”

Interestingly, he suggested a shotgun start is the best way to identify a champion because everyone is playing at the same time.

Pat Perez

Pat Perez. Robert Laberge

Perez kept it real: he’s 46, he’s played over 500 events on the PGA Tour, and for him, this is like “winning the lottery”. He will play much less than he did for the past two decades and he will make more money.

“I’m a 30- to 33-week guy,” he said of his past PGA Tour schedule. “Every year I’ve done it and now I don’t have to. And I get to be with them. I get to be with my family. At my age this is an absolute golden opportunity for me. I get to play. DJ is my captain. I get to play seven this year and whatever else in the future. It’s a no-brainer for a guy my age that’s been on the road. I just had three weeks off. I feel great. I couldn’t be more excited about this, and that’s the bottom line.”

He spoke passionately against the PGA Tour’s handling of the situation and said he has not resigned from the PGA Tour because he feels he has done nothing wrong, and that he should be able to play on the PGA Tour Champions when he turns 50.

“(Jay Monahan) doesn’t listen to the players. Somehow the tour they keep talking about, oh, yeah, we work for you, we work for the players, we work for the players. It’s the opposite. Seems like we work for them. We don’t have a say in anything.”

Perez drew perhaps the only laugh in a very tense room when he said that “at world No. 170, I’m not concerned about the majors”.

You may also like:
The teams are set for Portland after LIV Golf draft
DP World Tour and PGA Tour strengthen ties
All the latest news from around the UAE and beyond
Xander ends his PGA Tour drought
In Gee holds on to win KPMG
Dubai’s Chiara Noja continues to dominate on LET Access Series
Abu Dhabi-based 12-year-old wins in Scotland
All the latest news from around the UAE and beyond
Wolff among latest names rumoured to be joining LIV Golf
DP World suspends LIV Golf players
LIV Golf: Top stars set for Portland
WATCH: Highlights of the Ladies European Tour Czech Open
WATCH: Highlights from the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
WATCH: The monster putt that won on DP World Tour
UAE champions to the fore at BMW International Open
Take a look at how Rory outdrove playing partners
Rory calls LIV players’duplicitous’
JT shuts down LIV rumour mill
LIV players permitted to play in Open
PGA plans tour series to rival  LIV

The post What Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and the rest of the new LIV golfers said in their first pressers appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

WE’RE BUYING

Jon Rahm: The 25-year-old Spaniard is golf’s newest king after ascending to World No.1 with a dominant victory at the Memorial. Of course, it didn’t look quite so dominant after that late penalty (more on that later), but regardless, what a performance in what felt like his first major title given the field and difficult scoring conditions.

Andy Lyons

Rahm became the third-youngest, the fifth-fastest, and the second-ever Spaniard (after Seve Ballesteros) to reach No. 1. Impressive stuff from a guy who only seems to be scratching the surface. Golf fans should expect to see plenty of a different shade on Sunday for the next couple decades or so.

Christina Kim’s next career: The LPGA pro was a delightful addition to the golf broadcast this past week and we’d love to hear more of her. After her playing career is over, of course. She certainly had Golf Twitter chuckling when after Bryson DeChambeau expressed shock at missing a green left, she blurted out, “The ball’s above your feet, I mean, it’s probably going to draw.” Boom. You’d figure a scientist would know that. Anyway, our Brian Wacker caught up with her during the week to talk about her productive week while the LPGA is still off.

Matt Fitzpatrick on a Sunday on a tough track when he starts way back: In the two rounds with the highest scoring averages this season—the final rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial—Fitzpatrick has posted the only two scores in the 60s to make huge climbs up the leader board. I’ve got to remember this the next time I see wind in the forecast and a final-round pin sheet like this:

R4 hole locations for the ⁦@MemorialGolf⁩ ? pic.twitter.com/DcnlhEJWSB

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) July 19, 2020

WE’RE SELLING

Jon Rahm’s penalty: What a bizarre bogey that turned out to be. Did his golf ball move? Yes, but there’s no way he could see it. And didn’t the PGA Tour get away from HD replays being involved in rulings? Also, here’s a great point:

Imagine if in the NFL, 1 team was allowed video replay and the other wasn’t. That’s what you have on @PGATOUR. Not every shot is videoed the same way, with same scrutiny or with same # of angles. Going back to replay for rules infractions is an unfair playing field. #Memorial

— Will Strickler (@wstrick17) July 20, 2020

And here’s another tour pro offering his take on the situation in a slightly different way:

You know what moved…the tip of my junk when he holed it from there. Y’all can kick rocks

— Mark Hubbard (@HomelessHubbs) July 20, 2020

Seriously, that was one heckuva shot, especially given the situation. And I’m glad a replay didn’t cost Rahm the win. Full disclosure: I also bet on him to win so. . . yeah. . . I might have been just a bit biased.

Brooks Koepka: The four-time major champ finished solo seventh at Hilton Head a few weeks ago. Since undergoing a stem-cell procedure on his knee in the off-season, however, here are his eight other results on the PGA Tour: MC, WD, T-43, MC, T-47, T-32, MC, T-62. I’m not a doctor, but that knee might need some work. And if only there had been a three-month pause in the season to get it fixed. . . Of course, if Brooks reads this, he’ll probably sweep all three majors this year.

The World Handicap system: I had high hopes for the new system implemented by golf’s governing bodies this year, but it’s a total disaster. At least, for me. After entering seven (bad) scores, my handicap index hasn’t moved. Not a single tenth of a point. In either direction. Nothing. The result is I’m putting up embarrassingly bad scores for someone who is supposed to be a 7.8—and I’m running out of time to get more strokes before my annual golf trip/tournament next month. Please let me know if anyone else has experienced anything similar. Misery loves company. And other bad golfers.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the second annual 3M Open, AKA that tournament with a lot of water in play where Matt Wolff drained a walk-off eagle last year and Bryson DeChambeau gave us this classic reaction:

Bryson DeChambeau when he found out Wolff hit that putt… pic.twitter.com/JcN9FOxTQV

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 7, 2019

He didn’t even look that stunned this past Friday when he made that 10 at Muirfield Village.

Random tournament fact: Bryson is not playing this year. In fact, a lot of big names are skipping with a WGC and a major in the next couple weeks.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Matt Wolff will win with a walk-off eagle again: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—I will win the 1 MILLION contest: 1 BILLION-to-1 odds
—Bryson will still be talked about a LOT during the broadcast: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Sam Greenwood

Again, penalty or not, that was awesome.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The European Tour has done it again, this time having three pros compete in a closest-to-the-pin contest from 300 yards. By hitting driver off the deck. And Marcus “The Bullet” Armitage stole the show:

The #DriverOffTheDeck Challenge ?@CallawayGolfEU ? | #MavrikThinking pic.twitter.com/VRluayZVGI

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 17, 2020

Damn. These guys are good.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (FAIL DIVISION)

No longer in the running for “2020 Volunteer of the Year." pic.twitter.com/gBlrBCPQlV

— Skratch (@Skratch) July 19, 2020

I hate to say it, but. . . dude, you had one job.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’ve been preaching about [the golf ball going too far] for, goodness gracious … 43 years [ago] I first went to the USGA. I mean, that’s a long time to be studying something. Guys, stop studying it and do something! Will you, please?” —Jack Nicklaus, who took matters into his own hands by basically turning Muirfield Village into Winged Foot on Sunday. Glad to see I’m not the only person upset with golf’s governing bodies. Maybe Jack is ticked off at having a low handicap index as well.

THIS WEEK IN PROS ARE JUST LIKE US!

OK, so it’s a screenshot, but this was remarkable. It’s Sergio Garcia after stroking possibly the worst putt in golf history:

That’s tough to do.

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Once again, there was a lot. Phil putted one from 78 yards:

A putt from 78 yards.
A full swing from 34 feet.

"Phil the Thrill" makes par. ¯_(ツ)_/¯#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/jCwFdzGvys

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 19, 2020

And he LAID UP on a par 3:

Phil just LAID UP from 173 yards on the par-3 16th pic.twitter.com/nZwkvhA7Qd

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) July 19, 2020

Incredible. But the best Phil being Phil story comes from The Action Network’s Jason Sobel, who reported on an old bet Mickelson won with Colt Knost that Jon Rahm would reach the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking within a year. “There was a comma involved,” Knost told Sobel of the wager. Well done, Phil. I actually won some money off Rahm winning this week. Sadly, there wasn’t a comma involved.

THIS AND THAT

Davis Riley is now one Korn Ferry Tour title away from the coveted and rare BATTLEFIELD promotion to the PGA Tour following win No. 2 at the TPC San Antonio Championship. Unfortunately due to COVID, that’s the only way he’s getting to the bigs before next season. . . . Congrats to Jack Nicklaus for edging Tiger Woods in the “Open for the Ages,” but my favourite part was Rory McIlroy’s final-round 63. Even in fake tournaments he continues to rack up backdoor top 10s! And finally, congrats to Nicole Rae and Liam Byrne for winning Golf Digest’s fourth annual Trainwreck tournament:

That being said, after winning by four, their handicaps are officially under investigation.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How many actual majors will Jon Rahm win in his career?
What country club(s) would I join if I won $1 million?
Would more on-course drinking improve my handicap?

The post Jon Rahm’s controversial finish, Phil Mickelson’s brilliant bet, and an unexpected TV star appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Welcome to another edition of The Grind where we’re having second thoughts about intermittent fasting. While I’ve lost 10 pounds (Go, me!), Bryson DeChambeau has gained 40. Our golf games, however, are also going in opposite directions. Of course, Bryson’s weight doesn’t come from just stuffing his face (Shout-out to Pablo Sandoval), but from a calculated mix of protein shakes and well, more protein shakes. He could barely put the stuff down even while basking in the glow of his latest win.

So grab some whey and start mixing. We’ve got a lot to get to.

WE’RE BUYING

Bryson DeChambeau: The most talked-about golfer on the PGA Tour since the restart is now the tour’s best player as well. Regardless of weight class. DeChambeau entered the Rocket Mortgage Classic as a huge favourite. He left with a sixth career tour title and a seventh consecutive top 10 since supersizing himself. With his newfound length, the 26-year-old is just taunting golf course architects. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ross,” DeChambeau said referring to Donald Ross. “I didn’t mean to hit it over those bunkers all the time, but it just happened.” Hey, at least the young gun showed some respect by calling him Mr. Ross.

No, DeChambeau is not the first golfer to overpower golf courses (Jack, Tiger, Daly, Gilmore, among others), but no one has taken that focus quite to this extreme. Bryson making the 350-yard drive routine—he averaged 350.6(!) for the week—is like Stephen Curry making the 30-foot shot standard practice in the NBA. You now have to defend against it. And since golfers can’t play defence, their only way to keep up might be to eat up.

Shit just got real @b_dechambeau you better watch out cause this little whippersnapper will be within 75 of you in no time. ??‍ pic.twitter.com/jysRuzSLeD

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) July 6, 2020

And if I ever redo my PGA Tour Content Kings ranking, this guy is going straight to the top. There is always something to talk/write about with him, whether it’s what he’s eating or wearing or saying. DeChambeau may not always endear himself to golf fans, but they are clearly fascinated by him.

Will Zalatoris: Introducing the latest in a long line of Wake Forest golf greats (Go Deacs). Like Bryson on the big boy tour, this young man had strung together an impressive run of high finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour before finally winning at the TPC Colorado Championship. Such an important victory would normally mean we’d see him on the PGA Tour next season, but well, this is not your typical season. With the way he’s rolling, though, the three-win battlefield promotion isn’t out of the question.

.@WillZalatoris' #KornFerryTour results this season …

T4
T23
T34
T9
T26
T6
T3
4th
?

First professional victory @TPC_ColoradoHL.

Earned. pic.twitter.com/REe1gpEbK4

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) July 5, 2020

Tom Brady’s golf swing: It looks like Tom got a swing tip from Phil Mickelson at The Match, because, well, wow:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCV3LhwlgIR/?utm_source=ig_embed

If there’s ever a rematch, Tiger and Peyton might be in trouble.

The Golf Ball Fairy: There’s a small town in Pennsylvania where a mystery person has been leaving golf balls in bulk all over the place. For two years.

Would picking up golf balls on a daily basis be annoying to some? Sure. But think of all the money avid golfers living there have saved!

WE’RE SELLING

Bryson’s detractors: The haterz keep shifting the goal posts as DeChambeau keeps producing strong performances. After he ripped off six consecutive top 10s it was, “Yeah, but he isn’t winning!” After his seventh consecutive top 10 was that precision win, it was, “Yeah, but it was against a weak field and not a major!” I can’t wait until he wins the Masters and people point out August National doesn’t have real rough. It’s almost enough to make me feel bad for the guy. Almost …

Bryson’s cameraman comments: And then DeChambeau did something like this. Complaining about a cameraman doing, well, his job. And then not really apologizing about it after. And then doubling down on the flimsy apology following his win. Not great for the brand. Speaking of which …

Bryson’s Saturday shirt: Bryson wore a shirt with math equations on it. Because he’s THE SCIENTIST. Get it?!

wait wait wait wait wait pic.twitter.com/P7hi6NjitV

— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) July 4, 2020

I actually kinda dig how the shirt looks from far away, but this is a bit much. Perhaps, because I never want to think about calculus again.

Matthew Wolff’s Sunday: I also never want to think again about how much money I missed out on because of Wolff’s disappointing final round. But while it’s still fresh, my $10 on Wolff at 125-to-1 odds would have practically covered this summer’s golf trip. However, it wasn’t meant to be as Wolff blew his three-shot lead through 54 holes in about the time it takes Bryson to do a set on the bench press. I’m still a big Wolff fan, but that hurt. Of course, it hurts a bit less when you’ve successfully bet on Webb Simpson and Dustin Johnson the previous two weeks. So don’t feel too sorry for me.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Dublin, Ohio, for the next two weeks, first for the Workday Charity Open and then for the Memorial. If you’re going to play back-to-back tournaments at the same course, you could do a lot worse than Muirfield Village. And while players are in town, they should go check out the original Wendy’s. On second thought, maybe they should just eat in. As we’ve been reminded many times, Muirfield Village makes a mean milkshake.

Random tournament fact: Bryson DeChambeau won the 2018 Memorial, but he’s not in the field at Muirfield Village this week. That’s good news for his fellow tour pros. And for whoever is making those milkshakes.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Bryson DeChambeau is taking this week off: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Bryson will win the PGA Championship/U.S. Open/Masters: 10-to-1 odds
—Bryson’s fellow tour pros will still be asked about him this week: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Stacy Revere

This drop may have cost me $1,250 as DeChambeau was able to two-putt from the fringe on No. 16 instead of having to hack out of thick rough for his second. Because of a stupid sprinkler head that happened to be near his ball. I’m not bitter about it, though. Not bitter about it at all …

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Well, it finally happened. Ho-sung Choi took one of his crazy swings and … completely whiffed. With a driver. Yikes.

Ho Sung Choi in the final group on the Korean PGA Tour today ? @GolfingWorld @ESPNCaddie @JasonSobelTAN @henrikstenson @EddiePepperell @BeefGolf @golfjuice @GOLFTV @Fehertwit @ESPNGolf @SkySportsGolf @iaincartergolf @brianwacker1 @chambleebrandel @AlanShipnuck @golfjuice pic.twitter.com/t0ZnybH98Y

— Korean Golf News (@KoreanGolfNews) July 4, 2020

Making this clip even more incredible is the fact he was 12 under at the time and playing in the final group. So he’s still a legend in my book.

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

After Francesco Molinari announced he’s moving from the U.K. to California, his golfer half, Tommy Fleetwood, was understandably upset:

?????but you said you’d never leave me!!!!

— Tommy Fleetwood (@TommyFleetwood1) July 2, 2020

And Frankie fired off the perfect response:

There’s always going to be a bed for you! pic.twitter.com/QR9VTA9UnR

— Francesco Molinari (@F_Molinari) July 2, 2020

MOLIWOOD forever. Well, unless you’re a U.S. Ryder Cup captain. Then you definitely don’t want to see this team forever.

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Golf’s ultimate showman—and pitchman—was back at it, this time pushing private jets:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCT8OycDtuW/?utm_source=ig_embed

Maybe if Matt Wolff had won I would have treated myself. Sigh …

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It shows how much time he has on his hands. He needs some kids or something.” —Kevin Kisner on Bryson’s GAINZ. Hey, he’s got a point.

THIS AND THAT

After initially allowing fans for next week’s Memorial, the tournament changed its mind. With everything going on right now, another no-fan event is what they call a no-brainer, folks. … I’m happy to announce the launch of Golf Digest’s new podcast, Local Knowledge, and particularly proud of the work by Daniel Rapaport, Joel Beall, Sam Weinman and Greg Gottfried put into this first episode. Please give it a listen and subscribe:

Yours truly will host the next episode and let’s just say the topic will be juuuuust a tad lighter. … Congrats to Tyler Strafaci on his North & South Amateur win at Pinehurst, which came 81 years after his grandpa, Frank, went back-to-back in the prestigious amateur event. The Strafaci family is better at golf than my family. … And finally, my wife made this fantastic patriotic-themed chocolate pie for July 4:

So at least my family is really good at dessert.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

What does a Bryson DeChambeau “cheat day” look like?
Doesn’t Phil Mickelson have his own private jet?
Would Phil Mickelson mind taking a look at my swing?

The post Bryson DeChambeau destroys another golf course, Tom Brady’s improved golf swing and Brooks/Jena celebrate an important anniversary appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.