Masters Makes Their Own Rules Files: Green Reading Books

It's always refreshing to hear of the ways Augusta National Golf Club resists change for the sake of change. Particularly when the innovation in question slows down play and possibly strips the sport of artistry.

As Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy revealed this week, their use of the intricate green reading books can be dangerous to their games. The lads don't have to worry about that dilemma at The Masters, however, since the club does not provide the books widely used on the PGA Tour each week. 

I explain in this Golfweek.com item with quotes.

This is all worth noting for those who question how the club could force today's players to play by their rules on the equipment front. They can and could and probably will someday if no one else will act. And the players will still show up. 

Quick 2018 WGC Dell Match Play Primer And Notes

The forecast is mostly good--hold your hats Friday apparently--and the match play friendly Austin Country Club is back along with a strong field for one of my favorite events on the calendar.

PGA Tour Live kicks things off at 10:15 am ET, while Golf Channel's ET air times Wednesday are: 2-8 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)

You still have time to sign up for the PGA Tour's official Bracket Challenge. You can also see the bracket there.

For intel, the PGATour.com staff broke down all 16 groups.

Jordan Spieth is suspicious of the Reed Group 4 draw, reports Rex Hoggard. 

Spieth also talked gamesmanship and how he ultimately thinks its a fun part of match play, writes The Forecaddie.  Hoggard tackles that topic of gamesmanship for GolfChannel.com.

Dustin Johnson is defending and ramping up his Masters preparation this week, writes Bill Speros.

Lance Ringler uses Golfweek's Sagarin rankings to figure out which groups are the toughest.

For me, Group 7, which came up the easiest numerically (!?) features Garcia, Schauffele, Fritelli and Sharma is a must watch either way. For Matt Adams it's Group 4 with Spieth, Reed, Schwartzel and Li is the most competitive.

What Does PGA TOUR and PGA Tour of Australasia Cooperation Agreement Mean?

No one I spoke to here at the WGC Dell Match Play in Austin is sure, other than a clear upside to more big time golf in Australia. The likely first sign of cooperation will be an event sanctioning around the 2019 Presidents Cup. The 2018 World Cup is at Metropolitan later this year. 

Either way, the great golf fans of Australia and even better courses will hopefully become a more prominent and regular part of the year-end golf events. There is also should be a boost from the added cache of any PGA Tour involvement, hopefully boosting the long-struggling Australian professional golf tournament swing.

For Immediate Release:

PGA TOUR and ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia announce cooperation agreement

Only one tour gets the caps treatment!

Golf-development relationship more tightly binds the two Tours together

They're tightly bound! That's good if it means more sandbelt golf...

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA and SANDHURST, VICTORIA—The PGA TOUR and ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia announced March 19 that they have signed a cooperation and golf-development agreement, with the two golf organizations collaborating to strengthen professional tournament golf in both the Australasian region as well as globally. The agreement went into effect on December 4, 2017. 

The two organizations have long enjoyed a strong and healthy working relationship as members of the International Federation of PGA Tours, jointly sanctioning, with other governing bodies, the four World Golf Championships events and the World Cup of Golf. This new agreement will further strengthen the two Tours’ affiliation, formalizing the efforts for both the PGA TOUR and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia to work together in a closer, more collaborative manner to support each Tour’s individual development.

With that in mind, the two golf tours, as members of the International Federation of PGA Tours, will bring the World Cup of Golf to The Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia November 21-25, 2018. With the World Cup of Golf headed to Australia for the sixth time, this will move the country ahead of China and Spain in hosting the second-most number of World Cups. Only the United States, with 11, has hosted the tournament more often than Australia. 

“We have always valued our association with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, as numerous significant events in our history have occurred in Australia,” said PGA TOUR Executive Vice President and Chief Global Officer Ty Votaw.

“Australian players have also been pivotal in the history of the TOUR, whether it has been World Golf Hall of Famers David Graham, Kel Nagle, Greg Norman or Peter Thomson, or PLAYERS Championship winners such as Greg Norman, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Steve Elkington—and so many others.”

Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia which owns and oversees the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, is equally as supportive.

“The ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and the PGA TOUR have always shared a productive relationship, and this agreement is a great fit for us as we look to grow and enhance golf in the Australasian region,” said Kirkman. “This agreement will provide assistance in the development of opportunities that grow the game of golf in Australia and also an ability to further the profile of Australia’s golfing talent."

PGA Tour Clarifies Booze And Fan Behavior Policy...

In response to my post suggesting there is not a coherent alcohol policy, the PGA Tour sent this clarification:

The PGA TOUR has a detailed policy as it relates to alcohol sales and responsible drinking at our events.  Of note, our policy requires tournaments to end sales of alcohol to the general public one hour before the scheduled completion of play, each day, which is consistent with other major sports leagues. 

A few things to note: the general public refers to non-corporate tent folks. Alcohol is served differently to those paying more money, and sadly, also known to make their share of noise when a chalet is placed too close to play.

As for the idea of stopping sales one hour before the scheduled completion of play as a policy? That's too late to have an impact on the behavior we've been seeing at tournaments and will continue to see. In an arena or stadium sport, the time windows are generally much tighter than an all-day golf tournament. Also, as we know golf is a different sport than those events where rival teams are playing each other. 

Finally, the real damage is done when sales start first thing in the morning and drunken idiots are out soaking up the sun, reduced to half-melting morons by lunchtime. What could go wrong?

NYT Review Of The New Tiger Biography By Benedict And Keteyian

Thanks to reader John for Dwight Garner's review of the new Jeff Benedict, Armen Keteyian book titled "Tiger Woods."

Garner calls the book "tawdry" but also "moving" and seems put off by the authors' confidence in exposing sides of Woods we don't know. 

It’s a confident and substantial book that’s nearly as sleek as a Christopher Nolan movie. It makes a sweet sound, like a well-struck golf ball.

I found it exhilarating, depressing, tawdry and moving in almost equal measure. It’s a big American story that rolls across barbered lawns and then leaves you stranded in some all-night Sam’s Club of the soul. It reminded me of a line from Martin Amis’s new book of essays: “How drunk was Scott Fitzgerald when he said there were no second acts in American lives?”

And this...

If this book has a flaw it may be that it’s too confident. Reading it can be like watching one of those crime shows in which the bumper music ends with slamming car doors. The authors move about like a supersleuth Starsky and Hutch, or Tango and Cash, or Crockett and Tubbs. To be fair, a bit of wit and play are allowed to sneak in.

Danzi And Spieth Split From Lagardère

It's been a few years since we've had some big movement in the player agent world, particularly as players either set up their own shop or move to boutique operations.

Will Jay Danzi's departure from Lagardère Sports USA--with prized client Jordan Spieth joining him--lead to more switches or wholesale changes in how player careers are handled?  

The Forecaddie with some of the details of Danzi's move.

Preview: Apple's Eddy Cue On Callaway Live

The Apple Senior VP of software and internet content isn't your average SVP given Apple's place in the corporate world. Landing Eddy Cue as the opening guest on season four of Callaway Live is especially impressive given how few interviews he gives.

The episode debuts at 9 pm ET Tuesday. A preview:

ZZZZ: Olympic Golf Format To Remain Same In 2020

Great to see golf's leaders are still entrenched deep in their imagination black hole!

This is hardly surprising but it is a wonderful reminder that if golf can take the boring route, it will. Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com reports that players have been informed of 2020's Olympic golf plans and they look at lot like 2016's bland format.

According to a memo sent to PGA Tour players, the qualification process begins on July 1, 2018, and will end on June 22, 2020, for the men, with the top 59 players from the Olympic Golf Rankings, which is drawn from the Official World Golf Ranking, earning a spot in Tokyo (the host country is assured a spot in the 60-player field). The women’s qualification process begins on July 8, 2018, and ends on June 29, 2020.

The format, 72-holes of individual stroke play, for the ’20 Games will also remain unchanged.

Golf Gods Working Overtime: Reed And Spieth In Same Match Play Pod

Naturally, a day after citing Jordan Spieth in a whiny effort to get a free drop, Patrick Reed has been drawn into the same match play pod as the man whose name he invoked in rather pathetic fashion, as Brendan Porath notes.

Sadly, the Tweeted video that spawned Internet intrigue was dinged by the PGA Tour's censors--gee I thought they liked fans sharing things on social--but there's YouTube!

Uploaded by collegefootballpool 09 on 2018-03-19.

Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com breaks down this week's WGC Dell Match Play pods, with Group 4 featuring Reed and the player who he thinks gets free drops because he's Jordan. 

Kelly Says Goodbye: Q&A With Golf Channel's Tilghman

Kelly Tilghman signed off after 22 years at Golf Channel Sunday. 

Here is her goodbye column for GolfChannel.com.

And here is my Golfweek Q&A conducted on eve of her Golf Channel finale. Fans of Kelly will enjoy her reflections and insights into why she's saying goodbye, though her Tiger assessment is just as thought-provoking.

22 years at Golf Channel: A remarkable career. Kelly Tilghman, it's been an incredible run, and we'll see you soon - hopefully on a golf course.

3,795 Likes, 68 Comments - Golf Channel (@golfchannel) on Instagram: "22 years at Golf Channel: A remarkable career. Kelly Tilghman, it's been an incredible run, and..."

3.6: 2018 API Sunday Ratings up 136%, Highest In Six Years

Steiny to Tiger today: "do you need a Late Night With Jimmy Fallon mug? Or some Colbert merch? Maybe some Pyeonchang logoed ski caps? I've got gift packages pilling up here from Lazarus and McManus..."

The latest ratings bump courtesy of Tiger Woods:

NBC SPORTS’ FINAL-ROUND COVERAGE OF ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD SCORES HIGHEST-RATED OVERNIGHT AT EVENT IN SIX YEARS

Arnold Palmer Invitational and Valspar Championship Post Two Highest-Rated Final Round PGA TOUR Telecasts (Non-Majors) on Any Broadcast Network since the 2015 Wyndham Championship

ORLANDO, Fla., March 19, 2018 – Record viewership of the PGA TOUR continued this weekend for NBC Sports Group at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Sunday’s final-round coverage on NBC (2-6:45 p.m. ET) delivered a 3.6 overnight rating, +136% vs. 2017 and the highest-rated final round at this event in six years. Combined with last week’s final round viewership at the Valspar Championship (5.1 overnight rating) these rank as the two highest-rated final-round PGA TOUR telecasts (non-majors) on any broadcast network since the 2015 Wyndham Championship. Golf Channel’s Sunday final-round lead-in coverage earned a .97 overnight rating, the highest at this event in five years. Across NBC and Golf Channel’s coverage, more than 12 million minutes were streamed, +683% vs. 2017.

ADDITIONAL SUNDAY NOTES

·         Sunday’s final-round coverage on NBC peaked to a 4.89 from 5:15-5:30 p.m. ET.

·         Golf Channel’s lead-in coverage peaked to a 1.24 from 1:30-2 p.m. ET.

SATURDAY

Saturday’s third-round coverage earned a 2.29 overnight rating on NBC (2:30-6 p.m. ET), +92% vs. 2017 and the highest-rated at this event in five years. Golf Channel’s lead-in coverage (12:30-2:30 p.m. ET) earned a .95 overnight rating, +126% vs. 2017. Nearly 5.3 million minutes were streamed, +511% vs. 2017.

Masters: Get a Different View Of Butler Cabin

Another day, another Masters mood-setter, this time with a little different view of Butler Cabin. (Hit the link if embed not providing a play button).

15 days until #themasters and a special ceremony in a special place. #cominginapril

8,031 Likes, 72 Comments - The Masters (@themasters) on Instagram: "15 days until #themasters and a special ceremony in a special place. #cominginapril"

Kerr On Ko: "Her game’s not in good shape"

No one wants to kick Lydia Ko when she's down, but given the turnover of coaches and caddies she's fired in recent years, this assessment filed by Golf Channel's Randall Mell from the Bank of Hope Founders Cup is noteworthy. (The event was won by Inbee Park, who held off world No. 363 Laura Davies among others, as Ron Sirak writes in this game story from Phoenix.) 

From Mell's story on Ko:

Ko came to Phoenix ranked 112th in driving distance, 121st in driving accuracy and 83rd in greens in regulation. She was sixth in putting average.

Cristie Kerr saw the struggle playing two rounds with Ko.

“Her game’s not in good shape,” Kerr said. “She seemed a little lost.”

ShackHouse 56: Rory Wins At Rowdy, Dramatic Bay Hill

House and I discuss the 2018 Arnold Palmer invitational just minutes after the round concluded and cover the gravity of Rory McIlroy's win, his comments on fan behavior, Tiger's strong week and House's Knock off the Rust tour where two winners are announced (and I need to hear from you guys!). 

As always, ShackHouse is brought to you by Callaway, who rolled out new customization of Rogue drivers this week and on Tuesday, debut season four of Callaway Live with Apple executive Eddy Cue. 

Tiger: "Crazy As This May Sound I Haven't Putted On Bent Grass In Two Years"

Tiger had plenty to say after not committing to a 16th hole tee shot, driving out of bounds and finishing the last three holes at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational poorly.

But another contending week has his now heading to The Masters with his game in strong shape at a tournament he's won four times. 

From this Golfweek roundup of his post round comments Sunday:

“I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t really thought that much about it, especially this week. I’ve been grinding and focusing on this week, trying to win this thing and now the tournament’s over, I’ll start to make some changes for Augusta, what kind of equipment setup I’m going to go with, some things I want to do with my swing. As crazy as this may sound I haven’t putted on bent grass in two years.”

Statistically, Tiger's putting is astounding, but as David Dusek of Golfweek notes, this also means an over-reliance on the flat stick.

ESPN.com's Bob Harig on Tiger's non-committal at 16 that ended a fantastic final day run.