PGA Tour University: Policy Board Approves Plan To Reward Top College Seniors With Korn Ferry Tour Access

Of all the ideas hatched at Camp Ponte Vedra over the last decade, I’m not sure there is one that appeals more than the PGA Tour University concept, reportedly approved by the Policy Board this week.

It’s forward-thinking both in extending the Korn Ferry Tour’s reach, while addressing signs that college players increasingly turn pro before they are ready. The idea of incentivizing top seniors to finish their eligibility via access to the PGA Tour’s top feeder tour should ensure players get a degree (or at least take all Concepts of Coaching classes offered). And should produce a more mature, polished player at 22 or 23. In theory, anyway.

From Ryan Herrington’s Golf World story explaining the concept:

The plan allows for the top five players on a new created collegiate player ranking, which will include only golfers playing in their fourth year of college eligibility, to gain immediate membership on the Korn Ferry Tour after the NCAA Championship in late May, allowing them to compete in the final eight or nine KFT events as full members. If these college players earn enough points in those tournaments to crack the top 25 on the KFT’s year-long points list, they will earn a PGA Tour card for the following season. They can also play their way into the top 75 on the points list and gain entry in the KFT final series. If a player doesn’t crack either threshold, they will still get direct entry into the final stage of KFT Q school later in the year.

Golfers ranking Nos. 6-15, meanwhile, will get to move directly to either the PGA Tour Latinoamérica or Mackenzie Tours, according to sources, and will also be given automatic entry into the second stage of KFT Q school. There will be no direct access to PGA Tour membership.

The program will not impact generational talents either.

NASCAR, XFL Stealing Eyeballs? 2020 Honda Classic Ratings Down

NASCAR’s Auto Club 400’s 2.9 Nielsen average easily beat out the Honda Classic won by Sunjae Im. According to Showbuzzdaily.com, the 2020 Honda on NBC drew a 1.67 overnight rating, down nearly 30% from last year’s 2.4, also on NBC.

The slide continues a tough start to 2020 for golf ratings, which have now seen ten straight broadcast television windows down. Most recently, the WGC Mexico City saw weekend ratings drop 37% Saturday and 18% Sunday despite an excellent leaderboard and finish.

Possible influences? NASCAR’s renaissance built on improving race intrigue and even the XFL’s sliding ratings still make a dent. (Sports Media Watch’s Paulsen on the XFL’s ratings).

The fall is noticeable because both events featured compelling final rounds and did not feature Tiger Woods to influence ratings.

Other notes:

-Saturday’s third round 1.17 rating on NBC was down from a 1.4 (2.1 million avg viewers).

-Sunday lead-in coverage on Golf Channel fell from a .8 in 2019 to a .47 in 2020

Bevacqua: Golf Channel Move From Orlando Long In The Making

NBC Sports President Pete Bevacqua talked to Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand about Golf Channel’s move to Stamford, Connecticut. He said the move “started well before” he began with NBC in September 2018.

“It’s the continued evolution of the media landscape and something that started well before I got here if you think about how we brought all the different components of NBC Sports primarily under one roof in Stamford. This was the next step in that process.” NBC Sports HQ moved from Manhattan to Connecticut in 2013.

Bevacqua also said the move is intended to improve the final product with production teams interacting with NBC Sports Network executives.

“Nothing can take the place of talented people interacting with one another. When you can have the great people of the Golf Channel interacting with the Sam Floods of the world and the Fred Gaudellis and the Rob Hylands and all the people that bring our other sports alive, we’re all going to be better. We’re all going to be more creative.”

McIlroy Suggests Pro Golf Needs Streamlining, Might Be Oversaturated

The question came at the end of Rory McIlroy’s press conference in advance of the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By Mastercard. If the Premier Golf League does not happen, what changes might it inspire for the PGA Tour?

What McIlroy presented sounded a lot like…the Premier Golf League!

Ewan Murray reports for The Guardian.

“I don’t want to come across as sort of elitist but I think some smaller fields [would help], maybe a few more events with no cuts,” said the world No 1 when considering how the game can be modified. “There’s so many tournaments and there might be an over-saturation in a way. You look at the NFL and they play 18 games a year, 20 games a year max, and people want it all the time.

“I know football’s different than golf and all that, but I think being a golf fan these days can get quite exhausting following so many different tournaments, different tours, all that stuff. So maybe streamlining it a bit might be a good place to start a conversation.”

McIlroy, as you may recall, announced his opposition to the league’s plans barring a mass exodus of players citing history and the lack of independence.

Also in Murray’s story from Bay Hill was this from Adam Scott, who is still “very positive” about the concept though doesn’t think “it’s going to happen necessarily.”

And this:

“Everyone sees it from somewhat of their own agenda. Being an international player, the thought of a world tour sounds really great. Maybe less so for someone based in Florida who doesn’t have to necessarily travel as much. I don’t think my sentiment has changed at all. I still think it’s fantastic.”

Marion! Finally, Hollins Is A World Golf Hall Of Fame Finalist

The World Golf Hall of Fame’s release of finalists for its next induction class includes Tiger Woods (too soon), Tom Weiskopf (took too long), Dottie Pepper (this time!) and Tim Finchem (inevitable). You can see the full list of finalists here.

But for history buffs, the inclusion of Marion Hollins is both a win for her remarkable life, but also for the many folks in Northern California who have championed Hollins. Namely, Pasatiempo’s Bob Beck.

The Hollins description:

Marion Hollins – Won the 1921 U.S. Amateur and went on to become one of the most influential women in the game’s early development, including her work as a golf course architect and one of the only female golf course developers in history; a principle force behind the founding and formation of Cypress Point, Pasatiempo and the Women’s National Golf and Tennis Club.

Let’s never forget that she was vital in the shaping of Augusta National, both in helping Bobby Jones find his architect, and in visiting during construction on behalf of MacKenzie.

John Boyette wrote about Hollins a few years ago in advance of the Masters.

At Golf Channel, profiled Hollins as part of a pre-Masters feature last year and I wrote about her here.

THATgate: Azinger Regrets His Grammar, Lee Westwood Comments

Since we have enough problems in this world, it appears we can cross out the impending Azinger v. Europe summer long brouhaha.

Doug Ferguson talked to Paul Azinger following last Sunday’s bold commentary, and it appears the NBC announcer brought a mop along to mop after his first unsuccessful attempt.

“A lot of pressure here,” Azinger said on the broadcast. “You're trying to prove to everybody that you've got what it takes. These guys know, you can win all you want on that European Tour or in the international game and all that, but you have to win on the PGA Tour.”

That European Tour.

“Bad grammar,” Azinger said Monday. “If I had said ‘the’ European Tour, the whole thing would have been different.”

Maybe.

Either way, that was his lone regret.

It was easy to assume this was just an unfortunate word choice. But it was the take on Lee Westwood, with 41 worldwide wins, that he says were not his intention.

Westwood isn't on that list, but with 41 wins around the world across four decades, his record speaks for itself. Azinger was bothered only by the notion that Westwood took his comments as being disrespectful of his career.

“I would never do that,” Azinger said.

The Daily Mail’s Derek Lawrenson argued that Azinger’s comments hit close to home for a reason: he was correct. Still Lawrenson described the Azinger episode this way:

How insular can you get, topped off by the sneering ‘that’ for good measure. Cue predictable outrage all over Europe, from players such as Ian Poulter to fans and critics, with Westwood summing it up deliciously on Twitter: ‘Oh dear, oh dear.’

At least Azinger was being true to form. As the man who said Francesco Molinari was ‘facing the biggest putt of his career’ when trying to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year, eight months after the Italian had won the Open and five months after claiming five points out of five at the Ryder Cup, we shouldn’t be too surprised.

McCord On Recent CBS Broadcasts: "I have never seen anything quite as negative...It’s not a good time."

Note the cap.

Longtime CBS golf broadcaster and pretty-good golfers, too, Gary McCord sat down to talk with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz of the Subpar podcast.

It’s a terrific listen, but McCord’s comments on the state of CBS golf broadcasts jumped out after Peter Kostis’ recent podcast statements.

“I’m not part of it. You can kind of react to it from a position I have never had before for a long, long time. It just so happens that my former network is not doing as well as they would like with the golf broadcast at this point. I have never seen anything quite as negative as I’ve seen coming out of everywhere about what’s going on, so I have a lot of empathy. Those are my friends. I don’t want to see them fail, but they are getting blasted. It’s not a good time.”

If reports are true of—wild guess here, $8 billion 10-year TV deal announcement next week that includes CBS—they’ll have 10 years to figure it out.

On the overall state of “analysis” found on PGA Tour broadcasts of late, McCord says a lovefest is making for awful TV.

“If you go, ‘Wow, that was a great shot, and let’s go to Gary.’ ‘Oh, that was a wonderful shot, and how about that one? That was fantastic.’ Are you kidding me? You can’t have that,” McCord said. “You gotta have this ridicule. Some guys gotta jack it up and another guy has to break and you got to get those people together and get your team together and do it. And that’s what we are lacking at this point in my humble opinion.”

The full podcast:

From Many, Plenty Of 2020 U.S. Open Tickets Still Available Including The Corona Beer Garden

Good news for those hoping to walk the grounds of Winged Foot in 2020: U.S. Open tickets are still available, reports Mike Dougherty of the Westchester County Journal News.

Saturday’s third round is sold out, but tickets remain for all other days for the re-brand-platformed national championship.

Dougherty writes:

A sell-out is expected, according to the USGA.

The number of tickets for the 2020 U.S. Open will be capped at 25,000 per day. It’s a reduction from the maximum of 30,000 tickets sold each day of the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

“We’ve surveyed our fans over the last eight or so years and some of the feedback we’ve gotten indicates that it was a little too crowded, so we took that to heart,” said Charlie Howe, who is the USGA’s championship manager for the 120th U.S. Open.

If you were hoping to attend Saturday, the only option is the Corona Beer Garden—not to worry 38%, it won’t infect you—at $225.

The lack of a sellout isn’t big news after Shinnecock’s so-so sales ended various sell-out streaks and the overall saturation of the New York market with significant USGA, PGA Tour and PGA of America events. But with more limited quantities this time around and USGA’s need to generate revenue from the U.S. Open to offset money-losing events, the situation warrants monitoring.

Arnold Palmer Invitational To Get Less-Attractive Schedule Spot in 2021

The King’s Legacy can’t buy a break.

Arnold Palmer’s beloved Golf Channel is leaving Orlando, and now the API will be moving up on the 2021 schedule. And based on last week’s Honda Classic, the schedule spot might make it tough to attract a quality field despite the API’s elevated status (three-year exemption).

From Brian Wacker’s GolfDigest.com report:

According to the source, the sequence of tournaments following the Genesis Invitational, the final event on the West Coast swing, will be the WGC-Mexico Championship, API, Players and Honda. As part of the shift, it’s expected that the Valspar Championship, also held in Florida, will move to a late April date.

The wealth of quality events this time of year makes scheduling tough and the different calendar in 2021 left the PGA Tour no choice. Still, with Riviera, a WGC before the API and the Players/Honda pairing after, it sure seems likely The King’s event will be the odd man out.

To understand how the opening spot on the Florida swing has suffered, check out the Honda Classic’s Official World Golf Ranking strength of field numbers since 2015. The event followed the Riviera stop until 2019 when the WGC Mexico Championship moved between the West Coast swing and Florida.

Year Honda Strength of Field

2015 466

2016 446

2017 387

2018 375

2019 298

2020 261

For perspective, the 2019 and 2020 strength of field’s were well less than half the WGC Mexico City.

The 2018 to 2020 API strength of field: 443-545-568.

Bamberger's Muni Monday: The Palm Beach Par-3

With the PGA Tour moving on from last week’s Palm Beach Gardens, Michael Bamberger at Golf.com profiles the amazingly-situated Palm Beach Par-3, a true muni with history and a wonderful story of rejuvenation thanks to Ray and Maria Floyd.

Green fees for 18 go as low as $21 for residents up to a $57 max. And Sam Snead won an LPGA event there!

Even better is Floyd’s love of Par-3 courses and the fundraising effort to save the place.

Floyd is a par3ophile. He loves the Par-3 course at Augusta National and for years he and his little gang, on the Mondays and Tuesdays of Masters week, would go straight from the 18th green to the little course to settle their bets. These days, the course is off-limits until the Wednesday afternoon tournament.

But Floyd said he never even thought about the Augusta course when he was doing his work at this Par-3. “You couldn’t have a more different piece of land,” Floyd said. The Palm Beach course is flat as a nickel, windswept, public and busy. Floyd changed the routing so the holes move in a variety of directions, added more slopes to the greens and replaced the Bermuda grass with Paspalum, a thick-bladed grass that can withstand salt-heavy air. Floyd and his late wife, Maria, raised $3 million from private sources for the renovation and the township put up a matching amount.

PGA Tour's Golfbet Partnership With The Action Network Hints At Aggressive "In-Play Betting"

Remember the old days when Tim Finchem didn’t even like the PGA Tour getting in those high stakes, dozen-balls-to-the-winner world of fantasy golf?

If he only knew what would make Shotlink even more valuable in the coming years.

Because the post-Finchem PGA Tour is touting partnerships even when only 25 states legally allow sports gambling (Though by the end of 2021 essentially every state populated by more people than cows is expected to make sports betting legal.)

While I would never condone such duplicitous behavior (though do keep an eye on Nadal in the Derby), the PGA Tour insists its approaching things carefully by partnering with the Action Network and saying they are wading into the pool, not diving head first.

John Lombardo and Bill King of Sports Business Daily covered the Action Network partnership, how it allows PGATour.com to separate itself from a deadly sin and spoke to Norb Gambuzza, the PGA Tour’s SVP of Media, Gaming and Crapshooting, Or Something To That Effect.

And it sounds like gambling was a draw for networks re-upping media rights.

“The betting space is a topic of significant interest with all of our media partners,” Gambuzza said. “Having this deal sync up with our media deal was important.”

Gambuzza suggested the Action Network deal (full press release below) suggests an awareness that too much gambling talk will backfire.

“We’re going to give [Action Network] video, give them data, collaborate on functionality and push fans there,” Gambuzza said. “We’re going to talk about Action Network content on our digital platforms and social platforms. But we’ve got to do that in a matter that is not obtrusive or too direct or in our fans’ faces. We’re going to wade into the pool instead of jumping in, and experiment a bit.”

As for the GolfBet “platform” announced Monday, it will not be a place to bet.

Note in the press release that data on shots is a focus, suggesting that the PGA Tour’s belief fans will want to bet on shots.

For Immediate Release:

The Action Network and the PGA TOUR today announced the launch of GolfBet, a first-of-its-kind, golf-focused betting content platform. GolfBet will be powered by The Action Network and hosted at www.actionnetwork.com/golf, and also will be available within The Action Network app. Through the strategic partnership, the PGA TOUR will provide GolfBet content distribution via TOUR digital platforms, footage rights to support GolfBet video content, and official TOUR data to ensure that GolfBet and The Action Network offer golf fans and golf bettors the most accurate data and compelling content available.

“We believe that golf fans and sports bettors alike are in search of a deeper level of information that has not existed until the launch of GolfBet,” said Norb Gambuzza, PGA TOUR’s SVP Media & Gaming. “The Action Network is the perfect partner to create this type of content platform to educate and entertain fans about responsible betting on golf while bolstering the overall gaming ecosystem. We are bullish that GolfBet content and the growth of sports betting will drive fan engagement and expand our overall audience.”

“The PGA TOUR is one of the most forward-thinking leagues and rightsholders around the massive growing legal sports betting business,” said Patrick Keane, CEO of The Action Network. “Our consumers are passionate golf fans, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance our coverage via the launch of the GolfBet platform.”

The PGA TOUR has been very active recently in the betting space, including a 2018 announcement of an integrity program, partnering with Genius Sports to protect its competitions from potential outside influences related to gambling. Later that year, the TOUR announced a global partnership with IMG ARENA to license its official, live scoring data to betting operators all over the world, which will revolutionize in-play betting on golf and will be available to the market later this year. In August, the TOUR partnered with DraftKings to relaunch “PGA TOUR DraftKings Fantasy Golf,” with exclusive intellectual property to differentiate DraftKings in the daily fantasy space. Now, with the launch of GolfBet, the PGA TOUR is developing a robust betting content ecosystem that supports both sports betting and daily fantasy.

“In a typical PGA TOUR season, there are approximately 1.2 million golf shots taken across our schedule,” Gambuzza said. “This represents a massive opportunity for in-play betting, new types of markets for operators who have access to official PGA TOUR data, and tremendous opportunities for content generation. We think that The Action Network has the unique expertise to develop a diverse array of tools, analysis, and other content which will help fans and bettors understand, access, and enjoy these new betting opportunities as the market evolves.” 

In 2019, The Action Network produced more than 800 individual pieces of golf-related content and offered robust bet tracking and analysis tools focused on golf. “Action Network users tracked over 50 million picks on our platform last year, and golf was our fastest-growing segment at nearly 300 percent year over year,” Keane said.  

In addition to The Action Network producing the majority of the weekly content for GolfBet with well-known experts like Jason Sobel, Josh Perry and Peter Jennings, GolfBet will also strike partnerships with other media companies to power the platform.

“We envision GolfBet as a one-stop platform where fans can get all of the most relevant and up-to-date betting information,” Keane added.

Max Wright, Senior Vice President of IMG ARENA, said, “Golf was one of the few major sports that had not yet offered consistent in-play betting markets. We see a massive opportunity for growth through ‘in-play’ betting once our official PGA TOUR betting data hits the market later this year. This partnership between PGA TOUR and The Action Network is hugely complementary. We believe that an information hub like GolfBet which delivers high quality content to help to inform and educate users about golf and golf betting will be a net positive for the growing golf betting market.”

GolfBet content is planned to be largely subscription free for the foreseeable future. The PGA TOUR and Action Network plan to work with TOUR’s domestic media partners, as well as Discovery on ex-U.S. collaboration opportunities, as GolfBet continues to grow on a global basis.

Besides the obvious concerns about fan interruptions intended to influence a wager, I’m still not clear on whether there is time to look at data AND bet on a live shot.

As someone who watched 2019’s The Match with an eye on live betting, it was clear that even with just two players, between sharing a pertinent stat and execution of the shot, making a bet would require a fast connection and easy method to make a selection. Maybe that will come within the PGATour app or on The Action Network at some point.

Either way, these days of golf gambling are a far cry from the old days.

Arnold Palmer Stamp Coming To The Post Office This Week

The debut is Tuesday at the API. But as Jeff Himler notes, the “Forever” stamp goes on sale Wednesday and they’ve ordered plenty in Latrobe.

But there’s one major hitch for the members of Arnie’s Army in Latrobe: The First Day of Issue ceremony will be held at his Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla., in conjunction with the opening of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf Tournament.

Hometown fans still should be able to buy the Palmer stamp beginning Wednesday at the Latrobe post office, which has ordered 80,000 of the 25 million stamps printed. The stamps will be sold in sheets of 20, totaling $11 at the current first-class rate of 55 cents per stamp.

You can also pre-order the stamp online.

Azinger Tries To Walk Back European Tour Slight And Sticks To His PGA Tour Partiality

Paul Azinger’s on camera comments regarding the value of a PGA Tour win over worldwide play in Europe did not go over well with international players. The mix of the condescending remarks (on-camera) and referencing “that” tour and “all that” international golf, Azinger certainly sounded more demeaning than likely intended. Then again his walk back (bottom of this post) suggests he’s holding his ground. I love Ryder Cup years!

Here is the clip where Azinger is explaining why getting a PGA Tour win would mean so much to Tommy Fleetwood, third round leader of the 2020 Honda Classic:

A good example of why I wouldn't advise watching PGA Tour golf with the sound on pic.twitter.com/rQEHjY5cTa

— Garrett Morrison (@gfordgolf) March 1, 2020

Prominent players and Ryder Cuppers chimed in:

I like @PaulAzinger a lot. And get on with him great. But Paul please do not condescend or disrespect the @EuropeanTour and our players like that. We have slapped your arse in Ryder Cup for so long 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆I know you captained a win but seriously that was embarrassing today.

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) March 2, 2020

One minute Paul walks down the range wishing you good luck before you play the next he’s condescending to the tour you play on and disrespects the tournaments you’ve won around the world. I’ve won in 19 different countries over 4 decades. That is disrespecting a lot of people!

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) March 2, 2020

It was so easy for @PaulAzinger to say that @TommyFleetwood1 has won around the world and is a world class player. Now the time has come for him to prove that on the strongest tour in the world.
He was at best ignorant, at worst arrogant in delivering that.
Bring on September !

— Thomas Bjorn (@thomasbjorngolf) March 2, 2020

Besides the European’s recent Ryder Cup dominance, the comment also disregarded field strength in Europe, particularly in weeks when Fleetwood has won:

Zinger: “You can win all you like on that @EuropeanTour... but you have to win on the @PGATOUR”

As per @gfordgolf:

Strength of field for Fleetwood's 3 biggest @EuropeanTour wins:

‘18 Abu Dhabi: 351
‘17 Abu Dhabi: 330
‘17 French Open: 270

Honda: 261pic.twitter.com/HEmv63gsvA

— James Byrne (@jamesbyrne89) March 1, 2020

JuliaKate Culpepper at Golfweek received this attempt at calming the waters and Azinger isn’t budging.

Azinger told Golfweek he and Poulter exchanged multiple text messages Sunday night.

“I wasn’t trying to be malicious. I didn’t mean to disrespect anyone,” Azinger told Golfweek. “But professional golfers choke for two things: cash and prestige. And the PGA Tour has the most of both.”

The man loves his PGA Tour!

Let the Ryder Cup bickering begin!

Deja Vu All Over Again? DJ First Star To Bow Out Of Tokyo 2020

Dustin Johnson’s intention to devote himself to the Playoffs(C) suggests defections will become a focus of the Olympic Games build-up. Again.

Last time it was Zika virus, this time if may be the Coronavirus. Or, in Johnson’s case, Playoff Fever.

From Eamon Lynch’s exclusive, Johnson agent David Winkle confirmed the Tokyo 2020 defection:

“At the end of the day, it’s a matter of personal preference and priority. As much as he would be honored to be an Olympian, the FedEx Cup Playoffs are also very important to him. Having had a few close calls in the Playoffs, he really wants to win them before his time is done and feels that he wouldn’t be giving himself the best opportunity to do so if he added a lengthy international trip just prior to their beginning (and shortly after returning from two weeks in Europe).”

With Brooks Koepka on the fence and Tiger Woods signaling that his schedule will be very limited, the men’s portion of Olympic golf is staring down a no-show narrative. Again. And it’s only March.

Beyond the Olympics and possible pandemics, a rush of scheduling-based defections should warrant a condensed schedule reconsideration. At least, in Olympic years. Again.

Finally A Course Ranking Focusing On Fun: National Club Golfer Lists GB&I's Top 100

Little known fact: golf course rankings have become dreary affairs focused on experience and in the case of too many, rewarding design difficulty over fun. Imagine in this enlightened age rating movies based on how uncomfortable the seating was, and how long the movie played (three hours is resistant to…fun!).

Mercifully, this ranking is all about storytelling and the only thing that matters: enjoyment factor. The National Club Golfer’s Chris Bertram explains how the panel approached the first magazine course ranking focused on fun:

Defining what is ‘fun’ and what makes one course more ‘fun’ than another is, in my opinion, even harder.

If what each of us thinks makes a course ‘good’ differs greatly, what we think is fun is at least as fluid. In an attempt to define it – not least to illustrate to you the kind of courses our panel has included in the 100 – I asked our contributors and some architects to tell me ‘fun’ meant to them. You’ll see that while there were common themes, there was also a wide spectrum of essential factors mentioned.

That, I think, helps to explain the presence of so many different types and styles of courses in the list, which I firmly believe is a good thing.

As a general rule, courses that are relatively short in length and relatively forgiving in nature prosper – which is entirely predictable. Frankly, we could have populated the list with nothing but that kind of course.

While we can all have the usual ranking quibbles, the list does an amazing job of highlighting fun and places overlooked because they are not of “championship” length or 18 holes.

That said, as much as I think Prestwick and Dornoch are top-5 (world) fun, I love seeing Formby’s Ladies between those two giants, with the short, sweet, charming Kilspindie right after that.

Those planning a UK golf trip and hoping to see some lesser-known gems will want to bookmark this.

Or, for those dealing with buddies looking to check off a name place in lieu of a cheaper, more enjoyable alternative, maybe some of the placement here will help make the case for fun.

The full list is here.

PS - I’m not telling you who is #1, but I do wholeheartedly endorse the top 3.