Roundup: Billy Payne's Legacy As Masters Chairman

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Jaime Diaz of Golf World says Billy Payne's "accomplishments far outnumber the four previous chairmen who followed Jones’ and Roberts’ legacy" and gets an exclusive sitdown with the retiring Chairman.

Among the topics covered included the Masters ball idea...

“That would be a very drastic step, and we would hope before that was necessary, there would be a collaborative decision. We love to follow collaborative decisions. Not be a loner. But we reserve the right to do so if we think it’s needed. We retain options about our course. So, I would suspect we would exhaust those before we would unilaterally jump ahead of others.”

The Augusta Chronicle's John Boyette also talked to Payne about a range of accomplishments. The outgoing chairman offered this on his successor, Fred Ridley:

“I think he’ll be, as I tried to be, another great custodian,” Payne said Tuesday in an interview with The Augusta Chronicle. “I think all chairmen after our first two founders are custodians of their dreams and aspirations. We try to maintain it and, if we can, make it a little better. He’s going to do that beautifully.”

The Chronicle also ranks Payne's best moments and offers this history of the chairmen. Boyette also notes that Ridley will be the first chairman who has actually played in The Masters.

AP's Doug Ferguson leads by writing that "Payne ruled more with an open mind than an iron fist" and offers an extensive history of his tenure.

ESPN.com's Bob Harig focuses on the admission of female members and the many major construction accomplishments achieved during the Payne years.

Christine Brennan for USA Today on Payne's legacy of supporting women's athletics in general.

It was no surprise that the man who ran the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta — an event known as the “Women’s Olympics” for the tremendous success of U.S. women in soccer, softball, basketball, gymnastics and swimming, among others — would be the one to bring staid, exclusionary Augusta National into the 21st century.

In fact, in the early 1990s, as the young leader of the upcoming Atlanta Olympics, Payne wanted to make golf an Olympic sport, with this kicker: staging the competition at Augusta National. He also was going to demand that the competition include women.

At the time he was not a member of the club, and he knew that women were not allowed to be members, but his idea was to show those old men of Augusta National what women could do.

Rex Hoggard for GolfChannel.com:

In many ways Payne – whose leadership style was born from his time as president and CEO of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic committee – was both a consensus builder and an autocrat, a leader who understood the challenges the game faced and Augusta National’s unique position as a conduit for change. That he was willing to use that influence was, quite simply, an act of leadership.

Hoggard also has player reaction, including the reactions from Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson.

Josh Berhow at Golf.com reminds us that Payne also pushed things on the television rights front.

During his tenure, Payne was behind the Masters' new TV contract with ESPN in 2008 — which broadcast and elevated the Masters Par-3 Contest —

On that topic, a statement from ESPN President John Skipper on retirement of Payne:

“It has been my pleasure to work with Billy Payne during his tenure as Chairman. He has wonderfully maintained the preeminence of the world’s greatest golf tournament while innovating effectively in digital media and expanding the footprint of the tournament, the club and the game of golf both literally and figuratively in Augusta and throughout the world. I wish him well-earned satisfaction in his accomplishments and pleasure in his deserved retirement.

“Billy’s last accomplishment was leaving the club in the capable hands of Fred Ridley. We look forward to working with Fred for many years.”

“Golf is trying to shed its image as an old man's sport and is luring bloggers to push that message”

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CNBC's Michelle Castillo reports on the PGA Tour’s efforts to reach millennials and women, using the world “hired” to describe the bloggers helping to spread the gospel of PGA Tour golf.

Castillo focuses on fashion blogger and scarf purveyor Alexandra Dieck, proprietor of Lexicon of Style, who will be employed to cover The Northern Trust in New York.

Dieck, 26, is among a handful of social media influencers hired by the PGA Tour to tout the sport to younger audiences during the Northern Trust tournament this week. Dieck's social media peers will include other fashion writers, foodies and mommy bloggers.

"We are creating a totally new experience in addition to great golf that is inherently more social and fun, and we want more people to know about it," said Julie Tyson, PGA Tour's vice president of business development. "We are widening our circle of storytellers to include influencers we know our fans already look to for insights and information."

Widening the circle...

Billy Payne Steps Down As Masters Chairman

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To be succeeded by Fred Ridley. The news comes as a bit of a surprise given that Chairman Billy Payne was almost finished overseeing a few final projects. However, with Hootie Johnson's recent passing and the growing success of so many other initiatives spearheaded by Chairman Payne and a bad back testing his spirit, perhaps the shift to Chairman Emeritus should not be a surprise.

The club's announcement:

Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, announced today that he is retiring from his position at the beginning of the Club season on October 16. Payne will be succeeded as Chairman by Fred Ridley, who currently serves the Masters Tournament as Chairman of the Competition Committees.

Payne, 69, has served as Chairman since May 21, 2006. In retiring from this role, he will assume the title of Chairman Emeritus.

During his tenure as Chairman, Payne was a collaborative presence, bringing together golf’s leading institutions to implement new ways to expand the reach of the game, such as his vision for the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Latin America Amateur Championship and the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship. He worked to make the sport more welcoming, including the addition of women into the Club’s membership and the creation of the popular Junior Pass Program during the Masters. In keeping with the tradition of constant improvement established by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones, Payne directed the significant expansion and development of the Augusta National campus, leading to the creation and improvement of numerous facilities and services enjoyed by the membership and visitors to the Tournament. He also encouraged innovation, especially through the development of digital media offerings and emerging television technologies, in an effort to help reach new and younger audiences.

“The privilege I experienced serving as Chairman of Augusta National and the Masters was far greater than I could have ever imagined,” Payne said. "Just as nothing can prepare you for the unique responsibilities and important decisions that come with this position, it is equally impossible to anticipate the many joys and, most importantly, the wonderful friendships that are the ultimate reward of service. This honor, however, is too great for one person to claim as their own for too long a period of time. I retire knowing it is simply the right thing to do – and at the right moment – to open the door and invite someone new to be called upon to lead, bring forth new ideas and craft a new vision that will honor our Founders and serve the game of golf for many years to come.

“I am now proud to call upon my good friend Fred Ridley to lead Augusta National and the Masters to a future that I am confident will hold new promise, while always being faithful to the principles of Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. Fred will be an excellent Chairman who will serve with my complete and enthusiastic support.”
Ridley will become the seventh Chairman of the Club and Tournament. Those who previously held the post are Roberts (1933-77), Bill Lane (1977-80), Hord Hardin (1980-91), Jack Stephens (1991-98), Hootie Johnson (1998-2006) and Payne.

Riviera Wants A Lakers Courtside-Seat-Style Ryder Cup

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While the U.S. Amateur proved a good fit for Riviera given the weather and sensational match play setup by the USGA's Ben Kimball, it was not a big draw in LA. The miniscule crowds, even more miniscule member support and commitment to the possible 2028 Olympic golf all but rules out any return to the major championship world. The U.S. Open is also slated to return to Los Angeles in 2023 at The Los Angeles Country Club.

Apparently in the mind of the club's "corporate officer" Michael Yamaki, the amateur has positioned Riviera for the first ever boutique Ryder Cup. His reasoning? Folks in LA overpay for Laker courtside seats and gasoline at San Vicente and Allenford, so they'll do the same at Riviera for a massive-scale golf event like the Ryder Cup, PGA or U.S. Open. 

From John Strege's Golf World item:

“I’m still talking with the PGA of America. At some point they professed they’d like to see a Ryder Cup on the West Coast. I think we could do that event. I’d still like the PGA Tour [to consider] a Presidents Cup here.”

And this pearl...

“Its [the USGA] perception of us here in Southern California is that we’re just in our hot tubs or surfing,” Yamaki said. “They don’t think that we will support sports in the same way as the East Coast.”

Given the piles of tickets from the U.S. Amateur, I'm guessing the USGA's mind hasn't been changed.

Rio A Year Later And Golf's Place In The Games

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Rex Hoggard filed a series of one-year-later GolfChannel.com stories and accompanying video report (below) on golf's Rio return. He looks at the state of the course, the increased funding in developing countries and the long term plans for the Rio course.

Some of the images of decaying venues are hard to see knowing that a year ago such joyful and memorable competitions were taking place, but it's a tribute to the new Rio course CEO Mario Galvo that Gil Hanse's creation is alive and well.

Here is Hoggard's story on the course, including this...

An Agence France-Presse report last November described a layout overgrown with natural vegetation and nearly devoid of players. But as the anniversary of that historic hand-over passes it appears the rumors of the layout’s death have been greatly exaggerated.

“The visions of an Olympic course that was going to be overgrown and left to waste didn’t occur. There seems to be a genuine desire to create white elephants when the Olympics are over,” says Mark Lawrie, the R&A’s director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

In April, when Lawrie returned to the Rio course, he found a much different reality. Although he admits the volume of play hasn’t been what officials hoped for, the course itself remains playable with conditions Galvão contends are better than what the world’s best competed on for medals a year ago.

This, for those inspired by Aditi Ashok's play last year in Rio, will serve as a statement backing what IGF organizers hoped would happen.

“Prior to golf coming back to the Olympics, there was very little that the [Indian Golf Union] got from the sports ministry in India,” said Dilip Thomas, the executive vice chairman of the Indian Golf Union. “Golf was also categorized as an elite sport and supposedly played by wealthy people. After the Olympics and following Aditi's performance in the early part of the event, the Indian government has started to look at golf through different eyes and now consider it to be a medal prospect for the country in the future.”

But if Ashok’s impact on golf in India, where an estimated 1 in 10,000 people play the game, was predictable, a year removed from Olympic golf’s return, it has resonated beyond the Rio leaderboard.

In underdeveloped golf countries the Olympics provided a unique opportunity to educate the public, which a recent International Golf Federation study suggests goes beyond the reach of even the game’s majors and other marquee events, as well as a chance to leverage the game’s newfound status as an Olympic sport.

The video piece with interviews from key figures a year later:

Poll And Question: Best Ways To Boost The U.S. Amateur?

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I'd ask you to consider some points made in this Golfweek column related to the state of the U.S. Amateur before voting.

Because even in the aftermath of a classic final match and a week in LA where many players enjoyed the experience of a lifetime, it is apparent that the U.S. Amateur is not quite the championship it once was. Over the decades, tweaks have been made to the format in the name of keeping the event prestigious and it feels like it may be time for those closely associated with the caretaking of America's best amateur event to consider a few tweaks.

There is not one obvious issue or even one essential solution, but there does seem to be a path toward improvement inspired by trend of players turning pro immediate after the NCAA. My suggestions:

--Ranking incentive? As mentioned in the Golfweek piece, the it may be time to consider some exemptions to match play for top-ranked amateurs, which would incentivize them to remain amateurs and reward summer performance leading into the U.S. Amateur. The World Amateur Golf Ranking would also get a huge credibility boost.

--Day and date change. The U.S. Amateur has always fallen near the start of school for those on the semester system and traditionally falls on a Sunday finish against other golf. Perhaps being played a couple of weeks earlier and finishing on a less competitive day will restore some prestige. Other events on the USGA calendar may be moving (Herrington/Golf World) so why not consider the Amateur as well?

--Perks for semifinalists and finalists. We know that exemptions to the U.S. Open disappear when a player turns professional, as do free passes to U.S. Open sectional qualifying. This is why winners of semi-final matches seize on the Masters invitation and not the U.S. Open exemption, prompting the USGA to bring the U.S. Open trophy to the first tee. It's time to reconsider.

--Lose the logos. While it's difficult to pin down the impact, the sight of players sporting company affiliations does not exactly cry amateur golf or improve the event. Years ago the NCAA made players cover college affiliations in non-NCAA competitions, but it may be time to ask players to not look like professional golfers at the U.S. Amateur.

Feel free to add your suggestions and vote for as many of these as you'd like...

Best way to give the U.S. Amateur a boost?
 
pollcode.com free polls

We Can Find Things Again! European Tour Restores Old Website!

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The information-light, purportedly-young people friendly revamp of the European Tour's website is no more after earning universally loathsome reviews.

In an open letter complete with the file photo  PelleyModeratelySomber_RedGlasses_4.jpg, Chief Executive Keith Pelley chalked the change up to technical issues and fan input.

I was hopeful the technical issues we faced were behind us, but having monitored our website and app closely they are clearly not, which is why we have taken action.

You, the fans, are vitally important to the European Tour and our players. I want to make your experience – whether in person at our tournaments or on-line – the best it can possibly be.

We have listened to your feedback and we appreciate all of you who took the time to contact us. We took that very much into consideration when taking this step.

You should know we will continue to work behind the scenes, reviewing the future direction of our website and app, but nothing will be done until we are 100% confident, both from a technical and a design perspective

Here it is folks...rejoice! The site we thought worked fine is back:

PGA Tour Policy Board Adds Kleiner Perkins Internet Expert, But Will They Opt Out September 1?

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I know you all recall that I wrote about the May-PGA move in the August Golfweek. But just in case, a reminder that the piece included a mention of September 1 as the PGA Tour's deadline to opt out its current network television deal. If they do not, the current contract with CBS and NBC is likely to continue as-is until 2021.

Given the uncertainty over schedule dynamics, declining ratings and the uncertain state of television, logic would say wait things out and open up negotiations in two years when the dust has settled.

Countering that thinking was Monday's announcement of Mary Meeker joining the PGA Tour Policy Board. Meeker is a partner in Kleiner Perkins, Silicon Valley's most prestigious venture capital firm and is considered an expert on internet trends.

I believe this announcement also makes her the first woman to serve on the PGA Tour Policy Board. She gets a huge break out of the chute for liking golf architecture, too.

For Immediate Release:

Mary Meeker Joining PGA TOUR Policy Board as Independent Director
 
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (August 21, 2017) – The PGA TOUR Policy Board today announced that Mary Meeker, a General Partner at venture capital firm of Kleiner Perkins in Menlo Park, California, has accepted an invitation to join the Board as an Independent Director.
 
Meeker becomes the Policy Board’s fifth Independent Director, joining Chairman John McCoy, Victor Ganzi, Edward Herlihy and Randall Stephenson.
 
Meeker has been with Kleiner Perkins since December 2010 and focuses on investing in Internet-related businesses around the world. Meeker has led KP’s investments in a number of leading technology companies including Spotify, JD.com, Waze, Airbnb and Peloton.  She is on the Board of Directors of Square, Lending Club and DocuSign. Meeker joined Kleiner Perkins after serving as Managing Director at Morgan Stanley in New York where she helped lead the Global Technology Research Team. Meeker has been listed by Forbes as one of ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’ since 2012.
 
“In this dynamic, fast-changing world of media and technology, Mary’s expertise – and proven reputation as a trend-spotter – will be especially helpful as the TOUR innovates to create the best experience for our fans,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Given that her keen business acumen is matched by a true love and appreciation for the game of golf, we’re thrilled to welcome her to the PGA TOUR Policy Board and look forward to the impact she’s sure to make on the future of our organization.”
 
A native of Indiana, Meeker graduated from DePauw University with a B.A. degree and received an MBA from Cornell University in addition to an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from DePauw.
 
“We couldn’t be more pleased to have someone of Mary’s expertise and caliber become the newest member of the PGA TOUR Policy Board,” McCoy said. “Many on our Board have known Mary for years and are familiar with her successes and expertise. We look forward to working with her and applying her insights as we guide the business strategies of the PGA TOUR to continue its overall growth and success.”
 
Meeker has a strong, longstanding connection to golf, dating back to a summer job working as a groundskeeper and serving as captain of her high school golf team. Meeker has played golf around the world and has participated in pro-ams on both the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, including at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
 
“I grew up around golf and am passionate about the sport,” said Meeker.  “I love practicing, playing, watching, competing and appreciating the artistry of golf course design. The PGA TOUR is impressive – the players, the leadership and organizers, the volunteers and the business model, including the focus on local charities communities and global growth. It’s an honor to have a seat at the table to help participate in the growth of the game.”

According to the release, Meeker joins four other directors, the PGA of America president, and four player directors. That makes ten. The board has traditionally included just nine members. The Tour confirmed there will be ten voters until John McCoy retires some time next year.

The current pre-Meeker board:


But there was also great news for Meeker and others at the PGA Tour!

Citations for everybody at the C Level!

NETJETS EXTENDS CONTRACT AS THE OFFICIAL PRIVATE JET PROVIDER OF THE PGA TOUR
 
TOUR extends partnership through 2022 for the worldwide leader in private aviation
 
Columbus, OH – August 21, 2017 - NetJets® Inc., the worldwide leader in private aviation, has extended its contract as the Official Private Jet Provider of the PGA TOUR® and PGA TOUR® Champions. The agreement solidifies a partnership between NetJets Inc. and the TOUR through 2022, providing flights, marketing support and charitable contributions to assist the PGA TOUR, tournaments and players around the world.
 
“We launched our initial partnership with the PGA TOUR in 2014 and it has been a mutually beneficial arrangement that delivers incredible exposure to our brand and value to the audiences we serve,” said Pat Gallagher, NetJets Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Currently, more than 30 top-ranked PGA TOUR players rely on NetJets to give them a competitive advantage by maximizing their time. We are excited to work together with the PGA TOUR on tournament activations and media opportunities, as well as extending valuable opportunities to our Owners.”
 
Since 2014, when NetJets became the Official Private Jet Provider of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, the company has had the privilege of flying nine of the last 10 FedExCup winners and seven of the Top 10 world-ranked golfers.
 
“My time is valuable and I try to maximize every second I can get on the course and with my family. For more than 16 years, NetJets has made it possible for me to do both,” said Jim Furyk, NetJets Owner. “They do everything possible to get me to tournaments on time, making my schedule, my safety, and my comfort their priority. I truly can’t imagine traveling any other way.”
 
“The PGA TOUR continuously seeks quality partnerships that support our members and the TOUR on a global scale,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, Sponsorship & Partnership.  “NetJets is the recognized leader in the private aviation industry with an outstanding reputation for service, safety and comfort. In addition to our joint marketing efforts throughout the year, NetJets has direct relationships with a number of our players who regularly utilize their service for their private travel needs week to week. We are extremely pleased to extend our valuable relationship with NetJets for the next six years.”
 
NetJets, Inc., the global leader in fractional ownership of private aircraft, has more than 700 aircraft in its fleet, making it the fifth largest airline in the world. Featuring 14 aircraft types, including the Challenger 350, Global 5000 and 6000 as well as the Phenom 300, only NetJets can serve the wide-ranging needs of PGA TOUR players. All of its jets feature plush interiors, the latest avionics, state-of-the-art entertainment systems, mood lighting and more. Larger cabin aircraft, which are designed for longer-range flights, feature a spacious divan and seating that can be adjusted to lay flat for a restful sleep experience.
 
Learn more about the NetJets experience from NetJets Owner and PGA TOUR player Dustin Johnson.

USGA's "Walker Cup Needs New Selection Process"

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Some people sample fine wines, GolfChannel.com's Ryan Lavner tracks the always-flawed Walker Cup team selection process. And while you might not care about the plight of college golfers snubbed because they don't fit the team room dynamic, or mid-ams because they didn't play well enough, the entire mess is important if you'd like to see amateur golf survive.

Unfortunately, as Lavner lays out, this appears to be yet another blow for an amateur game that is already struggling to keep top players from turning pro before the Walker Cup. (Even as great as the event has been.)

The latest top talent to be passed over by the committee working in secret, LSU's Sam Burns, is the Nicklaus Award winner and sports a resume as strong as the last LSU player passed over for suspicious reasons, John Peterson.

Lavner calls the oversight "egregious" and writes:

By almost any metric, Burns should have been a lock for the U.S. team. Three months ago, the LSU sophomore earned the Nicklaus Award, given to the top college player. Drawing significant interest from sponsors and tournament directors, he could have turned pro in June but opted instead to wait until after the Walker Cup in September. It should not have been a risk, but that decision proved costly: Last month he played the Barbasol Championship, an opposite-field event on the PGA Tour, and tied for sixth. Because he was an amateur, however, he forfeited a $113,000 payday and sacrificed other playing opportunities.

Burns was the Division I player of the year. He remained amateur through the summer. He starred in a Tour event. It’s unclear what else he could have done to show the committee how much making the team meant to him, save for getting an American flag tattoo.

Peterson took to Twitter and attacked the USGA:

 

 

The mid-amateur world is also upset, though in such a wide open year, the over-25 set had their chances to make the team and failed. This did not stop former U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Scott Harvey from protesting:

 

 

Besides the biennial oversight issue, the lack of a running points list and sense of momentum leading to the team selection hurts the marketability of the event. For better or worse, team cup points lists keep us aware of who is in the running. The Walker Cup, however, is selected in private and therefore, is conducted in private.

Redman Wins U.S. Amateur For The Ages

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I've put out feelers with those who would know better and have asked: where did the 2017 U.S. Amateur final rank with the great ones they recall. I'll get back to you on that but in the meantime, as far as events I've been lucky enough to cover, Doc Redman's win over Doug Ghim at Riviera will rank with any golf display I've seen.

Yes, it was the dreaded nobody-should-lose situations, as any 37 hole Amateur final would be appropriately labeled. No player was ever more than two up, and while there were a few loose shots, the quality of shotmaking and course management over a long, intense day was astounding.

The two closed morning play with a 31 (Redman) and 32 (Ghim), making them nine-under on the back nine before the lunch break.

But it's this that'll be talked about across the golfing landscape for sometime: 

The most remarkable part? No one following the match all day was shocked by the eagle make to keep Redman alive and one down with one to go. I've never seen anyone make that many feet of putts at Riviera.

Oh, and the Western Amateur runner-up had never seen the course until this week and it was his first foray on kikuyu. Take that, local knowledge!

For now, just enjoy the game stories and coverage. (Sadly I see no replays on the Fox schedule for this instant classic.)

Ron Driscoll's game story at USGA.org covers all the nuts and bolts from an epic day.

GolfChannel.com's Ryan Lavner writes of Redman:

Little was known about the 19-year-old from Raleigh, N.C., until the recent Western Amateur, where he steamrolled the best field in amateur golf en route to the finals. In the championship match against Norman Xiong, Redman fell 4 down at the turn, but he chipped away at his deficit, lipped out a putt to win on the 18th hole and ended up taking Xiong to 22 holes before eventually falling.

“A lot less dramatic,” he said with a wry smile.

Golfweek's Brentley Romine tells us about Redman's background and recent golf spurt that has him now on the Walker Cup team.

For as good as Redman is in golf, he’s equally as brilliant, showing in interest in the stock market and securing a math internship at Clemson. Clemson assistant Jordan Byrd said after Redman came to him after his first semester and asked how he could get into the Honors College.

“No one’s ever asked that before,” Byrd said.

Tom Hoffarth in the LA Daily News with this on Ghim, who played beautifully:

Ghim said the fact neither could get apart from the other all morning and afternoon was “testament to how good we played. For most of the day we stepped up and executed. Whenever someone got in the lead we knew it was probably going to last for awhile unless we could pull off an incredible shot. Both guys were just waiting for a moment to maybe try to take a chance, but no one really wanted to because it was so risky.

“It was like a chess match … It was like a blinking contest. Who’s going to blink first?”

Mike James on how close the match was, filing this for the LA Times with a quote from UT's Ghim:

Four times in the first 18 holes, the players tied each other with birdies, including on the difficult 18th.

“I felt like every time we won a hole it was so significant because we weren't giving each other anything; nothing was easy,” said Ghim, 21, a senior at Texas. “Every hole that we won was super hard earned…. It was like do or die every time you had a chance.”

Their matching up-and-downs at the par-3 sixth:

 

 

And Redman's last hole birdie to send the match to sudden death.

 

Other fun stuff from the USGA, starting with the early morning highlights.

And the later day highlight reel that won't disappoint.

The full final round photo gallery includes some beauties from Chris Keane in a really nice gallery format.

2017 Walker Cup Team Finalized, Notables Passed Over

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It remains one of the stranger things in golf: a committee working off of no public points system selects the biennial Walker Cup team.

Unfortunately it leaves them open to criticism when players widely viewed as top talent get passed up.

LSU's Sam Burns, assumed to be a lock, was the most notable left off the team and who postponed turning pro with the Walker Cup in mind.

Brentley Romine at Golfweek's assessment of the notables and his capsules of the team.

Among the notables left off: Sam Burns and Sean Crocker, who will now both turn pro immediately; and mid-amateur Scott Harvey, who played in the 2015 Walker Cup.

Ryan Lavner at GolfChannel.com assessed the selections and noted this:

The USGA’s International Team Selection committee does not make its points list public, and no USGA official was made available for comment Sunday to discuss how the roster was constructed.

For Immediate Release...

USGA Announces 2017 United States Team for the
46th Walker Cup Match

USA Squad Will Face Great Britain and Ireland Team at The Los Angeles Country Club in September

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. (Aug. 20, 2017) – The United States Golf Association today announced the 10 players who will make up the 2017 United States Walker Cup Team. The USA team will meet Great Britain and Ireland in the 46th Match at The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club’s North Course, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9-10.

The 10 players chosen by the USGA’s International Team Selection Committee and captained by John “Spider” Miller, of Indianapolis, Ind., are: Cameron Champ, 21, of Sacramento, Calif.; Doug Ghim, 21, of Arlington Heights, Ill.; Stewart Hagestad, 26, of Newport Beach, Calif.; Maverick McNealy, 21, of Portola Valley, Calif.; Collin Morikawa, 20, of La Canada Flintridge, Calif.; Doc Redman, 19, of Raleigh, N.C.; Scottie Scheffler, 21, of Dallas, Texas; Braden Thornberry, 20, of Olive Branch, Miss.; Norman Xiong, 18, of Canyon Lake, Calif.; and Will Zalatoris, 21, of Plano, Texas. McNealy is the lone returning player from the 2015 USA Team.

“George Herbert Walker’s vision was for leading amateur golfers to come together for a friendly competition to promote interest in the game on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean,” said Diana M. Murphy, the USGA president. “The United States Team is a talented group of players who will work together to be competitive against Great Britain and Ireland, but at the same time uphold the ideals of friendship and understanding that were foreseen nearly a century ago.”

The Walker Cup Match is a biennial amateur team competition between the USA and a team composed of players from Great Britain and Ireland, selected by The R&A. The Match is played over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches. The USA leads the overall series, 35-9-1, but the teams have split the last 14 meetings since 1989.

The first USA Walker Cup Team, which posted an 8-4 victory in 1922 at the National Golf Links of America, in Southampton, N.Y., is considered among the best teams ever assembled and included Francis Ouimet, Bob Jones, Charles “Chick” Evans and Jess Sweetser. Many of the game’s greatest players have competed in the Walker Cup, including U.S. Open champions Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson for the USA and Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose for Great Britain and Ireland.

“It is a great honor to serve as the USA captain and to work with a group of young men who represent the best of amateur golf in this country,” said USA captain John “Spider” Miller, who played on the 1999 USA Walker Cup Team, won two U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships and also captained the 2015 USA Team, which lost, 16½ -9½. “The squad members have a long list of individual and team accomplishments but they are now committed both to representing the United States and to the spirit and tradition of the Walker Cup Match.”

The Walker Cup Match will be conducted for the third time on the West Coast and was previously hosted by Seattle (Wash.) Golf Club in 1961 and Cypress Point Club, in Pebble Beach, Calif., in 1981. This year’s match will be played on The Los Angeles County Club’s North Course, which was designed by George C. Thomas Jr. and restored by Gil Hanse. The course will be set up at 7,425 yards and play to a par of 35-36-71.

“Amateur golf is central to the USGA’s mission and we are meticulous in our selection of the USA Walker Team,” said Stuart Francis, USGA Championship Committee chairman. “The Los Angeles Country Club, which hosted USGA championships in 1930 and 1954, has the same dedication and will be a tremendous venue for this international competition.”

Sam Burns, 21, of Shreveport, La.; Dawson Armstrong, 21, of Brentwood, Tenn.; and Dylan Meyer, 22, of Evansville, Ind., are the first, second and third alternatives, respectively.

USA WALKER CUP PROFILES:

Cameron Champ, 22, of Sacramento, Calif. (born 6-15-95): He was one of two amateurs to make the 36-hole cut in the 2017 U.S. Open, tying for 32nd. Champ won this year’s Trans-Mississippi Amateur by four strokes and was runner-up in the Pacific Coast Amateur. Champ, who was the medalist in the North & South Amateur in June and a semifinalist in the Western Amateur in August, was chosen third-team All-American and first-team All-Southeastern Conference. He helped Texas A&M University finish second in the 2017 SEC Championship. Champ, a product of The First Tee program, tied for fifth individually at SECs. His father, Jeff, was selected in the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft as a catcher by the Baltimore Orioles.

Doug Ghim, 21, of Arlington Heights, Ill. (born 4-16-96): He advanced to the 36-hole championship match of the 2017 U.S. Amateur, where he was defeated by Doc Redman in 37 holes. Ghim was chosen first-team All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year as a junior at the University of Texas. He helped the Longhorns win the Big 12 Championship and tied for second individually. Ghim was also the runner-up in the NCAA Austin Regional. In 2017, he won the Pacific Coast Amateur by one stroke at Chambers Bay with a 72-hole score of 9-under 275 and was fourth in the Northeast Amateur. Ghim was the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links runner-up to Byron Meth and a semifinalist in the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur. He has played in seven USGA championships, including four U.S. Amateurs.

Stewart Hagestad, 26, of Newport Beach, Calif. (born 4-10-91): He won the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship by defeating Scott Harvey in 37 holes. Hagestad, who became the second-youngest champion, produced the largest comeback victory (4 down with 5 holes to play) since a 36-hole Mid-Amateur final was introduced in 2001. He was the low amateur in the 2017 Masters Tournament, tying for 36th, and competed in this year’s U.S. Open. Hagestad was a member of the University of Southern California (USC) golf team and graduated in 2013. Hagestad, who was chosen 2016 Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year, won last year’s Met Amateur, edging Ethan Ng in 38 holes. He has played in 12 USGA championships, including eight U.S. Amateurs.

Maverick McNealy, 21, of Portola Valley, Calif. (born 11-7-95): He earned the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur in 2016. McNealy was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team and halved his Sunday singles match with Paul Dunne. He was a first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection for the third consecutive season as a senior at Stanford University. McNealy was the recipient of the Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s top collegiate player, and received the Byron Nelson Award and Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He competed in this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills and The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. McNealy tied for 44th in the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic. He has competed in his nine USGA championships and four U.S. Amateurs. McNealy, who advanced to this year’s U.S. Amateur match-play bracket, was a member of the USA team that tied for sixth in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship.

Collin Morikawa, 20, of La Cañada Flintridge, Calif. (born 2-6-97): He advanced to the Round of 16 for the second consecutive year in the U.S. Amateur Championship. Morikawa defeated a pair of Australians in the first two rounds of match play. He earned first-team All-American and first-team Pac-12 Conference honors as a sophomore at the University of California. He was chosen 2016 Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year. Morikawa, who competed in his first USGA championship at the 2015 U.S. Amateur, won the 2017 Northeast Amateur by two strokes with a 72-hole score of 11-under 265. He was the Sunnehanna Amateur runner-up, losing to Braden Thornberry in a three-hole playoff, and tied for second in the Trans-Mississippi Amateur.

Doc Redman, 19, of Raleigh, N.C. (born 12-27-97): He is the 2017 U.S. Amateur champion, edging Doug Ghim in 37 holes in the championship match. The runner-up in the 2017 Western Amateur, he advanced to the championship match of the U.S. Amateur after making the match-play field through the playoff with a par on the par-4 10th hole at The Riviera C.C. At No. 62, he is the second-lowest seed to make the final match (Steve Fox was No. 63 when he won in 2012). He was a first-team Freshman All-American and the 2016-17 ACC Freshman of the Year at Clemson University, where he will begin his sophomore year. He also finished sixth in the Northeast Amateur in 2017. Redman, who caddies at home during his free time in the summer, reached match play in the 2016 U.S. Amateur. He also earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as well as Academic All-ACC honors in his freshman year, when he led Clemson in stroke average. He was a Rolex honorable mention All-American in high school, when he won the 2016 North Carolina 4A Championship.

Scottie Scheffler, 21, of Dallas, Texas (born 6-21-96): The low amateur in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills, he was a first-team All-American in his junior year at the University of Texas. At Erin Hills, he shot 69-74-71-73 for a 1-under-par total of 287 and a T27 finish. An all Big-12 Conference selection, he finished T3 individually (6-under 282) at the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships and was also on the Ping All-Region team. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in 2013. A member of the USA Team at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship in Mexico, Scheffler also qualified for the U.S. Open in 2016. In 2015, he was the Phil Mickelson Freshman of the Year and the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

Braden Thornberry, 20, of Olive Branch, Miss. (born 4-11-97): He won the 2017 NCAA Division I individual title by four strokes with a 72-hole score of 11-under 277. Thornberry earned the Fred Haskins Award as the top collegiate golfer. He earned first-team All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition as a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. He tied for third in the SEC Championship and finished fourth at the NCAA Austin Regional. In 2017, Thornberry won the Sunnehanna Amateur in a three-hole playoff with Collin Morikawa and tied for fourth in the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Classic, the best finish by an amateur in the tournament since 1965. He has played in four USGA championships, including three U.S. Amateurs. He reached the Round of 32 this year and defeated Joaquin Niemann, the world’s top-ranked amateur, in the first round.

Norman Xiong, 18, of Canyon Lake, Calif. (born 11-9-98): He earned the 2017 Phil Mickelson Award as Division I’s top freshman while playing at the University of Oregon. The Ducks won the Pac-12 Conference Championship, finish third at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and reached the NCAA match-play final against Oklahoma. Xiong was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. He shot rounds of 64 and 70 in stroke play to earn the No. 2 seed in the 2017 U.S. Amateur match-play bracket. Xiong defeated Doc Redman in 22 holes to win the 2017 Western Amateur and was the championship’s stroke-play medalist by one stroke over Brad Dalke. Xiong won the 2015 CIF/SCGA Regional as a sophomore at Temescal Canyon High School.

Will Zalatoris, 21, of Plano, Texas (born 8-16-96): He reached the Round of 16 in the U.S. Amateur for the second time in his career. Zalatoris, who won the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur, defeated the 2015 Junior Amateur champion Philip Barbaree, 1 up, in the first round. Zalatoris earned first-team All-America honors and was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as a junior at Wake Forest University. He posted a pair of top-5 finishes in the ACC and NCAA Austin Regional tournaments. Zalatoris, who has played in 10 USGA championships, has competed in five consecutive U.S. Amateurs, including four straight in which he has advanced to match play. He finished third in this year’s Pacific Coast Amateur and tied for 10th in the Trans-Mississippi Amateur. In 2016, he won the Trans-Mississippi Amateur and Pacific Coast Amateur titles.

Here was USGA President Diana Murphy introducing the squad just after U.S. Amateur play:

Kapalua Event Saved; Joint PGA Tour-LPGA Tournament Of Champions Has "Not Materialized"

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In reporting on the PGA Tour landing new sponsor Sentry for the Tournament of Champions, Doug Ferguson noted this about the efforts to turn this into a joint PGA Tour-LPGA Tour winners-only kick off event.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had said last year that the tour was contemplating a scenario where the LPGA Tour and the PGA Tour play a winners-only format at the same venue. “That has not materialized here,” Monahan said.

Meanwhile, the Sony Open in Honolulu is the week after the Tournament of Championship. Its title sponsorship ends in 2018. For years there was concern that if one of the tournaments had left, it would be more difficult to stage the other as a single event in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

“We have been playing golf in Hawaii for over 50 years,” Monahan said. “And the two tournaments present a strong start to the calendar year that we looking forward to continuing.”

It would have been a fun idea and may still happen, though the release notes the event's playing in January 2018 but it sounds like it may have to be nimble beyond that year.

For Immediate Release:

Sentry Becomes New Title Sponsor of Tournament of Champions
Leading insurance company signs 5-year deal to sponsor winners-only event at Kapalua

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, and STEVENS POINT, Wisconsin (August 16, 2017) – The PGA TOUR and Sentry, one of the largest business-focused mutual insurance companies in the United States, today announced a five-year agreement making Sentry the new title sponsor of the exclusive winners-only Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Resort in Hawaii.

The newly named Sentry Tournament of Champions will maintain its traditional spot as the first tournament in January 2018 when the 2017-18 PGA TOUR schedule resumes following the holiday break. The agreement extends through the 2021-22 season.

“Sentry Insurance is proud to partner with the PGA TOUR to sponsor the Tournament of Champions, held on beautiful Maui,” said Pete McPartland, Sentry chairman of the board, president, and CEO. “This tournament and its champions format is the ideal way to more broadly introduce Sentry to the business insurance audience.”

While this represents Sentry’s first major sports sponsorship, it has been involved with golf since 1984 when the company built SentryWorld, Wisconsin’s first destination golf course. Sponsoring the Sentry Tournament of Champions is considered a natural next step for Sentry, providing an opportunity to reach a wide business audience.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sentry to the PGA TOUR and become its first major venture into sports sponsorship,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President of Sponsorship & Partnership. “Sentry is highly respected as a company that is dedicated to its employees, its customers and embraces the spirit of giving back. So, we view this as a relationship between two organizations that hold common values.”

Sentry assumes sponsorship of a tournament that dates to 1953, when it was introduced at Las Vegas’ Desert Inn Country Club as an event for winners from the previous season. The Tournament of Champions remained at Desert Inn CC until 1967, when it moved to Stardust Country Club. The tournament moved from Las Vegas in 1969 to La Costa Country Club in Carlsbad, California, where it remained for 30 years before relocating to its current home at Kapalua Resort on the island of Maui.

As might be expected with a winners-only format, the Sentry Tournament of Champions has a rich history of champions, from World Golf Hall of Fame members to modern-day stars, as represented by just the past five winners: defending champion Justin Thomas, a four-time winner this season, including at Sunday’s PGA Championship; Jordan Spieth (2016); Patrick Reed (2015); Zach Johnson (2014); and Dustin Johnson (2013).