Topgolf "Strategic Alliance" With PGA Tour And LPGA Tour: Five Ways This Could Be Fun

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A newly announced PGA Tour/LPGA Tour/Topgolf "strategic alliance" was announced yesterday and while LPGA Commish Mike Whan appeared to have thought about the possibilities, Commissioner Ben Carson was alarmingly disengaged about possible fun ideas.

Therefore, my suggestions for the alliance at GolfDigest.com for scaling, leveraging, baking and of course, platforming the fast-growing Topgolf brand on the C-level. (That's C as in championship level).

The full press release from the groups.

Video: Black Swans & Na-Yeon Choi's 18th Green Recovery

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I'm a little slow to have seen Na Yeon-Choi's 18th hole impressive recovery in Saturday's Lotte Championship final round (won by Minjee Lee).

Not only does she go left-handed from a lake bank, but then there is the uncredentialed audience watching her ball go toward the hole. Tom Abbott and Karen Stupples on the call from Hawaii:

You've gotta see this! @nychoi87's "trick shot" to save par on 18 at the #lottechampionship

A video posted by @lpga_tour on Apr 15, 2016 at 6:09am PDT

 

Lydia Birdies 18 To Win; Needs Reps To Improve Her Pond Leap

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Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com reports on the amazing Lydia Ko's second major win in the ANA Inspiration, her 17th professional win coming after a birdie on the 18th.

Mell writes:

She’s still only 18, but Ko’s already leaving us wondering if there’s anything she won’t be able to do in the women’s game before she’s finished.

With her clutch wedge to a foot for a closing birdie that proved to be the decisive stroke, Ko claimed her second consecutive major championship. Six months after winning the Evian Championship and becoming the youngest major championship winner in the history of women’s golf, she’s now the youngest to win two of them.

At 18 years, 11 months and 10 days old, Ko is an old soul in golf. She has already won 17 professional events around the world, 12 of them LPGA titles. That’s three worldwide this year, with back-to-back titles now on the LPGA tour.

The Ko highlights including the third shot on 18:

Now, about the jump into Poppie's Pond. Are we covering the mouth? Oh, that needs work:

Transitioning: Caitlyn Jenner Plays ANA Inspiration Pro-Am

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The one big negative of Caitlyn Jenner playing the ANA Inspiration (aka Dinah Shore) Pro-Am Wednesday?

A reminder that the LPGA Tour's first major that kicks off Thursday, and arguably its most historic and important event of the year, has a pro-am.

ESPNW.com's Melissa Issacson reports on Jenner's "first tournament since her transition" including a hole-out for eagle on her first hole.

Also, Jenner says her home club, Sherwood, has been very supportive.

A single-digit handicapper before her transition, Jenner said she is treated "better" as a woman at her home course, Sherwood Country Club near Thousand Oaks.

"They changed everything [for me]," the former Olympic decathlon gold medalist said. "A locker room change. They went right to my handicap from the ladies tees. There was a tournament they said I couldn't play because it was a men's tournament. They're all in there, so they've been great. And next week they have a ladies tournament and all the ladies want me to play."

There is one issue. Jenner seems to be admitting to anchoring to pro-am partner Danielle Kang.

"She told me she putts better now because her boobs anchor her," Kang said.

"Yes, I do," Jenner agreed.

Jenner teeing off in the pro-am, courtesy of Beth Ann Nichols, who also filed this report.

Forward Press: Doral Week On Edge!

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A normal week of Doral intrigue might include Donald Trump spat with his Blue Monster neighbors. But the presumptive Republican nominee is busy with Super Tuesday, with only plans to roll in Sunday for a low profile appearance at the WGC Cadillac.

But this is The Donald, and between his spats with the PGA Tour brass, the expiration of Cadillac's role, player perception of a Blue Monster bias and pre-Masters pressure building, the week seems ripe for something happening like we've never seen. I explain the many dynamics in play in this week's GolfDigest.com Forward Press, along with a preview of the best LPGA field yet as that tour preps for its first major.

We discussed the Doral week issues on Morning Drive:

Lexi Using The Force On The Greens

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Well, not exactly The Force, but Lexi Thompson is taking a time-tested practice drill onto the course in a quest to improve her putting.

Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek.com on why Lexi is putting with her eyes closed. In tournament play. Which kind of makes Jordan Spieth's occasional flirtations with looking at the hole look like child's play.

“It feels like I’m burning a hole through the golf ball with my eyes (open),” said Thompson, who always has been more of a feel player.

Thompson said she putted with her eyes open once last week on a long putt at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic and knocked it 10 feet past the hole. She then closed her eyes and drained the come-backer.

No Sugar Coates: Pettersen And Lee Paired Together

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The last time they played together the day ended in tears and controversy. So it's just a miraculous bit of algorithm writing which has led to the happy Solheim Cup reunion when first round play starts Wednesday in the Coates Golf Championship (remember, early start to avoid the Super Bowl Sunday window.)

Beth Ann Nichols reports for Golfweek.com.

“That computer, it’s amazing how it spits things out,” U.S. captain Juli Inkster said facetiously.

Pettersen and Lee were embroiled in controversy last September at the Solheim Cup in Germany when the Americans’ Lee scooped up her ball on the 17th green at St. Leon-Rot Golf Club. The Europeans’ Pettersen immediately told a rules official that the 18-inch par putt had not been conceded. Lee insisted that she heard otherwise.