Trump Sues New York Over Ferry Point Contract Termination

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The Trump Organization, which had a 20-year contract to operate Ferry Point in the Bronx, claims it was unfairly targeted by Mayor Bill DeBlasio.

Jonah Bromwich of the New York Times reports on the Trump Organization is suing New York City for wrongful termination of the Ferry Point contract. In a statement, the company told the Times the course was “widely recognized as one of the most magnificent public golf experiences anywhere in the country.”

Plenty of tee times still available, especially with those twilight rates…

Anyway, this from Bromwich’s piece:

Now, the organization has made its case in an 18-page petition saying that it was never obliged to attract an actual tournament but merely to maintain “a first class tournament quality daily fee golf course.” The petition included several statements from professional golfers, including Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, attesting to the course’s being “first class” and “tournament quality.”

A spokesman for the city’s law department said that it would “vigorously defend” its decision to terminate the contract and that it “looked forward to selecting a new vendor for Ferry Point.”

More Men's Olympic WD's: Sergio, Tyrrell, Louis

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While Zika was a convenient excuse, COVID-19 remains a threat, particularly to the unvaccinated. And those who have taken the jab still face absurd restrictions that nullifies everything about the Olympic “experience".

So far, no eligible player has pulled out due to safety fears. Instead it’s been mostly about the schedule, majors, Ryder Cup and of course, resting for the playoffs.

Before analyzing the angles of WD attack, this is just your friendly Tuesday reminder that the PGA Tour rebuilt the men’s pro golf schedule into a tighter window for the FedExCup Playoffs, the Olympics and the NFL season. The PGA moved to May and the major season still feels too condensed, with the U.S. Open build-up feeling less robust compared to the past.

Now, only one of those three wraparound reasons appears a legitimate rationale at this point (NFL…).

Anyway, who says these guys aren’t creative? We’ve got Olympic WD’s for all sorts of reasons, starting with Sergio turning his focus to the Ryder Cup.

The next eligible Spaniard is Rafa Cabrera Bello, currently ranked 140th in the world.

Next up is world No. 10 Tyrrell Hatton, who blames the congested schedule that is definitely congested.

Hatton’s replacement would normally be Matthew Fitzpatrick, but reports suggest he’s already telegraphed his intention to pass. Lee Westwood would then be next but he’s already said he would not play. Next on the clock with the fifth round pick for Team England is Tommy Fleetwood.

Louis Oosthuizen is passing up a chance to represent Team South Africa to spend more time witht he family and play the FedExCup season (get that man a Playoff(C) memo).

This presumably opens up a spot for Christian Bezuidenhout to join Garrick Higgo in Tokyo.

Before these latest WD’s on Twitter, G.C. Digital had the scoop on the field yesterday. Impressive, that kid.

Actually, the final rankings already knew these players were pulling out before they took to Twitter. Here is the “final” list.

Men's Olympic Golf Field Finalized, For Now

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You can view the full list here at GolfNewsNet.

Slovakian great Rory Sabbatini is in easily and that has to be a huge sigh of relief in those parts.

Whether all of these players go is another story.

Xander Schauffele after his U.S. Open final round:

Q. Secondly, I'm assuming you're going to go to the Olympics since you're qualified. Is that true?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: That is a decision -- my goal was to try to win this. I haven't really reached. I knew I had to try and qualify for the team. It was getting really bunched up with everyone behind me. I haven't really made a decision yet. It's something I was going to decide tonight or tomorrow morning.

Q. What would keep you away if you decide not to go?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Logistics are tricky. There's no opening ceremony, no experience of Japan. You're kind of locked down in your hotel. You can't go and see other venues or events. In terms of an actual Olympics, obviously, you're playing for some hardware, some gold medals and what not, but the overall experience, which I hear is really cool, isn't going to be there in Japan this year.

Fun!

Rahm Wins A Thriller: 2021 U.S. Open Final Round Wrap-Up

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Whew, that was a doozy. I’m beat so no blog posts tonight but we have plenty of time to ponder a busy week that will have huge ramifications down the road for everything from the skill debate, distance and the already painful television announcer cheerleading issue.

For now , I have a robust final round Quadrilateral that went out to all free and paid subscribers. It’s a look at Jon Rahm's first major as other stars crumbled, including Bryson DeChambeau who posted a back nine 44.

Plus, player praise for Torrey's setup, the streaker story, NBC notes, the trophy ceremony and Tweets.

R&A: 2021 Open Expects To Welcome 32,000 Daily

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Good news on The Open Championship regarding fans and attendance at Royal St George’s:

STATEMENT ON THE 149TH OPEN AT ROYAL ST GEORGE’S

Following the UK Government’s announcement to delay the planned easing of restrictions, we are now actively working with the government and public health authorities, including those in Kent, in the next phase of the Events Research Programme, which will enable a number of events to take place with higher capacities than the current Step 3 guidance.

As a result, we can now confirm that we will be able to welcome up to 32,000 fans on each championship day of The 149th Open at Royal St George’s and that this will include those existing ticketholders and hospitality guests who have already purchased tickets.

Our end goal is to stage a fantastic Open at Royal St George’s and give our fans and players something to be genuinely excited about this summer. Continuing to ensure the health and safety of all of those attending remains our highest priority.

We will be emailing all existing ticket holders and hospitality guests to confirm the arrangements for The 149th Open this afternoon, including the requirements for Covid status certification.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are pleased to now be able to proceed with our plans for having a significant attendance at this year’s Championship. These fans will play a huge role in creating a very special atmosphere as the world’s best players compete for the Claret Jug and we look forward to welcoming them to Royal St George’s.

“I would like to acknowledge the support and understanding we have received from the government and public health authorities, fans, players, our patrons and partners, as we have worked through this extremely challenging process. The Open is a very special championship in the world of sport and we are fortunate that so many people care as deeply about it as we do.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said, "The Open Championship returns to Royal St George's for the first time in a decade and what better way to welcome its return than with more than 30,000 fans each day watching the best golfers in the world battle it out for the famous Claret Jug.

"We have always said we will do everything possible to return fans to our iconic cultural and sporting events as soon, and as safely, as possible — and thanks to the phenomenal success of our vaccine rollout and uptake of the NHS App we're able to take another step forward through our flagship Events Research Programme."

Quadrilateral: Brace For Bland Headlines! U.S. Open Second Round News And Notes

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The Early Save-Green-Reading-Book Arguments Need Work

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Kudos to Jim Stracka for speaking and GolfDigest.com’s Daniel Rapaport for disclosing the magazine’s partnership with Stracka Line in this story about the surprise green reading book news.

The bad news? The arguments against require taking on the PGA Tour, not the big bad governing bodis, and assume the books would be banned from practice rounds (highly doubtful). But we don’t know the specifics because this aggressive bit of Player Advisory Council rulemaking has not been fleshed out yet. The details will be tricky since the Tour is not normally one to intervene in rules of golf issues.

But I don’t think these arguments will hold up.

Stracka also expressed concern that the banning of the books on the PGA Tour would confuse the hordes of amateur golfers who use them. The ban, it would seem, would only apply to the PGA Tour, and the books would not be made illegal in the Rules of Golf. It’s also not yet clear what, exactly, the ban would cover, or how it would be implemented.

“They’ve tried to avoid bifurcation forever,” Stracka said. “What they’re doing is, they are bifurcating the Rules of Golf. They are creating a new set of rules for them and one for everybody else. And that’s just bad for the game."

The PGA Tour is supposed to be entertaining and watching people look at a cheat sheet is tedious. They also make players wear pants during tournament days in the name of the “product.” It’s refreshing they are going to lead instead of follow on something that adds cost and time to the game, despite claims of one college golf study suggesting green reading books speed up play.

Why, then, would the players vote as they did?

“My only guess it there were a couple influential players who basically convinced the other players on the committee to say yeah, let’s get rid of these books. Why, I have no idea because most of them use the books! It’s mind-boggling.”

Maybe some actually care about how the sport is played, rewarding skill, making players and caddies resort to using eyes, and know it looks ridiculous?

Matthew Wolff On TV Announcers Making Golf Sound Too Easy

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Matthew Wolff after a U.S. Open first round 70, discussing at length his attitude and recent inability to find happiness on the course:

“I was talking to Bubba Watson earlier on the range this week and he told me he stopped watching golf, he only watches LPGA because they're so positive. He goes, LPGA is like the commentators, like everyone is just so positive, like every shot they hit is the best shot ever. And I think that -- and I'm not, I'm not like hating on the LPGA, I think it's awesome, because like these shots are hard out here and it's like, you know, sometimes they're describing a shot and they make it sound easy and it's not. And it's just, I'm only trying to have positive thoughts in my head and be positive. And I mean, kudos to pretty much every professional athlete out there, it's, I haven't been in this world for a long time, but it's fucking hard.”

I don’t think this will help announcers to feel emboldened to say what they think.

A New Tee On Augusta National's 505-Yard Par-4 11th?

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Eureka Earth has posted another photo of the major work taking place to sand-cap and update Augusta National, with the latest view showing what appears to be the start of a new back tee at the 11th hole (very upper right corner of Eureka’s image).

Currently 505 yards, a more cynical mind might conclude the club is not expecting a distance rollback any time soon.

Rory On Arm-Lock Putting ("I would like to see addressed") And Green Reading Books ("It's made everyone lazier")

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Strong stuff from Rory McIlroy at the 2021 U.S. Open. As noted in today’s Quadrilateral, these comments and the apparent bifurcation of the rules attempt by PGA Tour players will have huge ramifications if true.

Two key exchanges:

Q. When you were answering the question about the greens book, you said that you thought maybe it would be better for golf if there wasn't a greens book. I think that's pretty much what you said. Can you talk about what other things you'd like to see changed that you think would better golf that currently are being implemented in the game right now? Like if it's anchoring putting, whatever it might be.

RORY MCILROY: I thought we got rid of anchoring putting three years ago.

Q. I don't know, did we?

RORY MCILROY: No, probably not (laughter). Yeah, that is certainly something that I would like to see addressed, as well, and I think there's a common consensus with the players on that one too. Look, the game of golf is in a great place. I think we always have these conversations of what we can do to make the game better or grow the game or expand the game.I think it's in a pretty good place. Yeah, there's a couple of little things that us golf nerds want changed, whether it be green reading books or arm-lock putting or whatever it is, but from a whole and looking at the game from an entirety of it, I think it's in a really good place.

Forget Brooks-Bryson, let’s get Rory paired with an arms-locker!

But let those words sink in. The Vice Commissioner and key vote has just kick-started what should be debated about the current anchoring rules. He’s also took down green books:

Q. Can you expand on just why the green books are such an advantage?

RORY MCILROY: It's not that it's an advantage really, it's just taking away a skill that takes time and practice to be mastered. I think reading greens is a real skill that some people are better at than others, and it just nullifies that. It nullifies that advantage that people have.Yeah, honestly, I think it's made everyone lazier. People don't put in the time to prepare the way they used to, and that's why you see so many more players at Augusta, for example, take their time around the greens, hit so many more putts, it's because they have to. It's because there is no greens book at Augusta. Look, it might take practice rounds, it might make practice rounds a little longer, and you might have to do a little bit more work, but I think, once we get to the tournament rounds, it will speed up play, and I think it will help the guys who really have done their homework, it will help them stand out a little bit more.

Quadrilateral: Wednesday's U.S. Open News And Notes

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Report: PGA Tour's PAC Votes To Outlaw Green Reading Books By Season's End

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The players are bifurcating back to restore skill!?

No really. In a move no one saw coming and will have huge ramifications on multiple levels, the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council reportedly voted to get rid of green reading books by season’s end.

Eamon Lynch with the Golfweek exclusive that will be especially interesting given today’s USGA press conference.

The Tour’s Player Advisory Council voted to outlaw the books at a meeting two weeks ago. Support for the ban among the 16 players who comprise the Council was described by one person who was present as “overwhelming.”

“The books should be banned,” the player added. “Green reading is a skill to be learned.”

The skill word is huge here and will liven up other discussions about distance, grooves, rangefinders and any other number of things that have altered the sport.

Despite claims otherwise, the books slow the game down, provide an awful look for the “product” and have likely reduced time put into practice rounds in search of local knowledge. Oh, and the whole general skill of reading greens, imagination, etc. that was warned about when players fought to have the (expensive) cheat sheets.

The USGA and R&A attempted to reduce their influence—even while including them in official yardage books for their Opens—by changing rules on size of the information accessible during competition. The change has had the opposite effect, with players pulling the books closer to their face, appearing to work harder at reading smaller lines and only highlighting the absurdity of the books.

Lynch’s report says the vote would ban the books in Tour events by the end of the 2020-21 season in August.

The irony of players via their PAC in taking back an element of skill for the sport is beyond heartening. This move could also embolden the other organizations to expedite rule changes with skill in mind.