Andrew Relinquishes His Honorary Membership In The Royal And Ancient

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The former Duke of York and former Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews Captain has added the club to the list of places he’s no longer associated with in an official capacity.

From the R&A’s Martin Slumbers to members of the club:

I wish to advise Members that today, the Club received notification from The Duke of York’s office that the Duke will relinquish his Honorary Membership of the Club. In doing so, he sent best wishes for our continued good work. We respect and appreciate the Duke’s decision. Other than confirming the facts, neither the Club nor The R&A will make any further public comment on this matter.

The Guardian’s Ewan Murray suggests there is “relief” at the news and notes this about the former captain:

“The Prince drove into office on 18 September 2003 and was Captain during the year in which the Club celebrated its 250th anniversary. Describing his feelings towards the role he said, ‘It is an enormous privilege, an honour and a dream come true for me to be invited to become the Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, especially in this, its 250th anniversary year.’

“A painting, specially commissioned by the club to mark its anniversary, shows The Duke of York driving into office. Painted by Anthony Oakshett, it contains over 600 individuals and was completed in 2006.” The status of the portrait following Andrew’s relinquishing of his membership is unknown.

At the 2010 Open the former Duke gave a neverending and impassioned speech in favor of technology.

Writers: Morikawa, Korda, Mickelson 2021 Players Of The Year

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Full disclosure, I voted the Male Player of the Year was the the toughest category given the similarity in years between Morikawa and Rahm. But over the calendar year he had a slight edge if you ignored the Memorial mess. Previously, PGA Tour players voted Patrick Cantlay their Player of the Year and the PGA of America’s point system gave Jon Rahm the 2020-21 player of the year.

For Immediate Release:

MORIKAWA, KORDA, MICKELSON VOTED GWAA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

HOUSTON (January 27, 2022) -- Collin Morikawa, Nelly Korda and Phil Mickelson have been named respective winners of the 2021 player of the year awards by the Golf Writers Association of America.

Morikawa, who turns 25 on Feb. 6, was voted Male Player of the Year for the first time. Korda, 23, earned Female Player of the Year honors for the first time. Mickelson, 51, who has never won the GWAA’s Male Player of the Year award, was voted Senior Player of the Year for the first time.

Morikawa, ranked second in the Official World Golf Ranking to Spain’s Jon Rahm, received 48 percent of the vote to 37 percent for runner-up Rahm.

Morikawa won twice in a sensational 2021 season, highlighted by his victory in the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, where he shot 67-64-68-66 and edged runner-up Jordan Spieth by two shots. He also won the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession.

Morikawa tied for fourth at the U.S. Open, tied for eighth as defending champion at the PGA Championship and tied for fourth at the Olympic Men’s Golf Competition in Japan. He led the PGA Tour in greens in regulation (79.17%) and capped the season by going 3-0-1 in the Ryder Cup, helping the U.S. to a resounding 19-9 victory over Team Europe at Whistling Straits.

“It is an incredible honor to be named by the Golf Writers Association of America as their Male Player of the Year for 2021,” Morikawa said. “I have a deep appreciation for the journalists dedicated to promoting our great game, and to be recognized amongst the names of past winners is humbling.”

Korda won four times on the LPGA Tour and added six more top-10 finishes. Her victories came in the Pelican Women’s Championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the Meijer LPGA Classic and the Gainbridge LPGA.

In August, she struck gold in Japan, winning the Olympic Women’s Golf Competition. She also was a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup team. Korda received 72% of the GWAA vote.

"It is a huge honor and privilege to be voted Female Player of the Year,’’ Korda said.  “I am extremely grateful to be the recipient of this year's award alongside all the other incredible past honorees. Thank you to the entire team at the Golf Writers Associate of America.  It truly means a lot to me to receive this recognition and it will be something I will forever cherish." 

Mickelson made the most of just six starts on the PGA Tour Champions in the 2020-’21 wraparound season, winning four times. He won the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic and the Constellation Furyk & Friends and capped his season by winning the Schwab Cup Championship.

And, of course, he won the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island to become the oldest-ever major champion. He received 59 percent of the vote.

“I’m very appreciative of that honor,” Mickelson said of his Senior Player of the Year Award. “I had a really fun time playing some Champions tour events and last year was a really special year, obviously winning the PGA Championship and playing and competing in the Champions tour events, and having success was really special. Being able to spend time with so many guys that I grew up playing with, I’m just honored.”

David Hill Brought In To Help Norman-Backed League Change Golf On TV

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James Colgan spoke to longtime and now former Fox Sports head David Hill upon joining LIV Golf as a consultant on the TV side. Presumably to help on the production side of a proposed Saudi-backed golf league.

Hill plans to carry out Greg Norman’s vision to get a younger viewing audience should the league be a go, something the Shark seems consumed with given the demographic of golf. The Shirtless one failed with his last get-younger, revolutionary concept with Verizon billed as a game changer and turned out to be nothing more than music-playing carts geared at millennials. So no where to go but up!

From the Golf.com story:

“What Greg has done is taken all that energy that he’s renowned for and pushed it into making golf for today,” Hill said. “His main hope is to take the excitement of golf to areas where it’s not represented, especially in the Asia area and China.

“The reason he’s so adamant about this is because the average age of people who watch a golf telecast is 65. That’s the average age. And that tells you that the golf audience is on a downward ski slope. What Greg wants to do — because he’s so passionate about the sport — he wants to reverse that trend and hopefully produce golf that appeals, for the first time many decades, to a much younger demographic than watches now.”

I’d settle for a league and a broadcast deal first. Baby steps.

Quadrilateral: Major News & Notes, January 27, 2022

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Toughest Courses To Putt…Torrey Pines?!

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As the Farmers kicks off on its special Wednesday start, Data Golf posted the list of toughest greens to putt and Winged Foot continues to influence plenty of statistical categories. Hardly a shocker. But this week’s Farmers Insurance Open host and 2021 U.S. Open site Torrey Pines made the list twice. Much of this is the inevitable influence of “poa” and some of it highlights how a set of thoroughly unimaginative greens can wreak as much havoc as those with strong slopes (Augusta National).

Maybe without green reading books they’ll putt better?

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Announces Field, Celebs As Best They Can

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There are tough jobs and then there is the task of dressing up this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, deserted by a number of stars and former champions given waivers to pursue PIFSIPSIA riches.

Certainly it’s not all bad, with great adds to the Pro-Am field in Mia Hamm and Mookie Betts. Otherwise, I’m not sure Der Bingle would know what to do with this…

MONTEREY, Calif., Jan. 25, 2022 – The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is poised to welcome back its unique vibe at this year’s tournament as spectators return to line the courses to watch the world’s top players join with celebrities, several making their debuts, in the popular pro-am format. The four-day tournament tees off Thursday, Feb. 3 with play on Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore course.

United States Ryder Cup teammates Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Daniel Berger, set to defend his AT&T title from a year ago, headline the professional field. Cantlay and Spieth finished tied for third place behind Berger who dramatically eagled the 72nd hole on Sunday to punctuate his victory. Other top professionals appearing are Matt Fitzpatrick, Kevin Kisner, Justin Rose and Maverick McNealy, the Stanford graduate who was runner-up to Berger in 2021.

Celebrities making their tournament debut include:

  • Mia Hamm – two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion;

  • Mookie Betts – Dodgers’ outfielder and first player in MLB history to win MVP Awards and World Series titles with different teams before age 30;

  • Lukas Nelson – country rock musician and son of Willie Nelson;

  • Canelo Álvarez – professional boxer who has won multiple world championships in four weight classes from light middleweight to light heavyweight;

  • ScHool Boy Q – American rapper and songwriter from South Central Los Angeles; and

  • Scott Eastwood – actor and producer.

Returning favorites in the celebrity field include Macklemore, Don Cheadle, Josh Duhamel, Kira Dixon, Huey Lewis, Ray Romano, Alfonso Ribeiro, Darius Rucker, and Jake Owen as well as former NFL stars Steve Young, Larry Fitzgerald and Alex Smith.

A few professionals have practically earned celebrity status based on the number of times they have played the event. Defending champions Davis Love III (2001, 2003) and Peter Jacobsen (1995), whose playing partner for many years was the beloved Jack Lemmon, each return for the 31st time. Tom Lehman is back for his 22nd year.

“There is always considerable excitement around the tournament but with the spectators and celebrities on hiatus last year, the buzz is even greater with their return for 2022,”said Steve John, CEO of Monterey Peninsula Foundation, host of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. “It promises to be memorable for the players, fans, volunteers and the deserving charities that will benefit.”

2023 Drive, Chip And Putt Registration Open

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No experience necessary for what will be the 10th anniversary of this tradition unlike any other.

Nationwide qualifying starts May 1 with more than 350 local events capped off by the regionals and finals the Sunday prior to the Masters.

Register here.

Search venues by zip code here.

The impressive list of regional hosts:

  • Saturday, September 10 | Scioto Country Club (One of four courses to host the U.S. Open (1926), Ryder Cup (1931), PGA Championship (1950) and U.S. Amateur Championship (1968). Also hosted two U.S. Senior Opens (1986, 2016)

  • Saturday, September 17 | TPC Boston (Host of The Northern Trust PGA Tour playoff event in 2020)

  • Sunday, September 18| Castle Pines Golf Club (Host of The International on the PGA Tour for 21 years)

  • Sunday, September 18 | Oak Hill Country Club (Site of six USGA championships, including three U.S. Opens; and host of three PGA Championships, the 1995 Ryder Cup and two KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships. Oak Hill will also host the 2023 PGA Championship)

  • Sunday, September 25 | Pebble Beach Golf Links (Site of 13 USGA championships, including six U.S. Opens, and the future site of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open and 2027 U.S. Open; and host of the 1977 PGA Championship)

  • Sunday, September 25 | Desert Mountain (Site of the 2015 and 2016 Senior PGA’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup)

  • Saturday, October 1 | Medinah Country Club (Site of four USGA championships, including three U.S. Opens; and host of two PGA Championships and the 2012 Ryder Cup)

  • Sunday, October 2 | Champions Golf Club (Site of five USGA championships including the 1969 U.S. Open; and host of the 1967 Ryder Cup)

  • Sunday, October 2 | The Bear’s Club (Founded Dec, 31, 1999 by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus)

  • DATE TBA | Quail Hollow Club (Site of the 2017 PGA Championship and the host of the 2025 PGA Championship)

Same Old Story: Pretty Much No One Watches AmEx Final Round

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The former PGA Tour Commissioner once predicted golf would compete with the NFL in the popularity department. Maybe he meant NFL Network Gameday Final? Eh, the PGA Tour was thumped by that cable post game show, too. And by Sunday’s LPGA coverage on both NBC and Golf Channel.

But as long as AmEx is willing to sponsor, more power to them through 2028.

For reasons we’ll never fully understand, the PGA Tour tries to go up against NFL action in the early season non-network weeks and in markets where they probably might draw just as many spectators on weekdays as weekends. (This coming Sunday the first notable exception when CBS and Farmers wisely move the final round to Saturday).

For those wondering what might happen if these early events moved to a Tuesday-Friday schedule, note that the Friday broadcast out-rated Sunday’s AmEx final round, won by Hudson Swafford. But even that rating was beaten by all sorts of random stuff like X-Games Aspen and late Friday Big Ten basketball games.

Last year’s AmEx and LPGA TOC ratings for reference, all courtesy of ShowBuzzDaily.com.

Women Better Then Men Files: Hilton Grand Vacations TOC Results

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Check out Matt Vincenzi’s item at GolfWRX looking at the difference between the LPGA’s best and male amateurs playing from the same Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions tees. In particular, he notes the play of winner Derek Lowe and very good (+2.8) golfer Mardy Fish.

Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott pointed out that the amateurs and LPGA pro’s played under the same circumstances: “They played in the same groups, from the same tees, in the same conditions. The celebs had the advantage of playing a stableford format, which is slightly more freeing than straight stroke play, but as far as head-to-head tournament play goes, this was a pretty good comparison.”

Much to the dismay of the “A” player in the local men’s league, the professionals unsurprisingly came out on top. While the tournament’s champion, Danielle Kang, shot four consecutive rounds in the 60s, the amateurs in the event combined for a grand total of zero.

Additionally, former Red Sox pitcher and 0.2 handicap Derek Lowe, posted rounds of 76-72-75-72, the best of any celeb. It was an impressive performance from Lowe and resulted in a final score of +7, which was still 23 shots worse than Kang. 

No More Nice-Sounding Golf Orgs: "We Are Golf" Becomes "American Golf Industry Coalition"

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The World Golf Foundation’s lobbying and educating efforts have a new name: American Golf Industry Coalition.

Clean. Tough. No grey area! We don’t need no stinking badges!

Let’s face it, the seemingly neverending threats to the municipal sport always seem to forget golf’s economic impact and it appears the group highlighting the $84 billion economy, 2 million jobs and $4 billion charitable impact decided it was time to send politicians a more pointed message with its name.

Acronym-wise it’s not ideal but neither was We Are Golf. But highlighting that there is a real industry with jobs and livelihoods on the line seems shrewd.

The website is now Golfcoalition.org.

For Immediate Release:

Rebranded ‘American Golf Industry Coalition’ Focused on Addressing

Golf’s Collective Priorities, Led by Make Golf Your Thing DEI Initiative

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2022) – Today, the organization formerly known as “We Are Golf” announced that it has rebranded as the American Golf Industry Coalition. Representing a partnership among golf’s leading organizations, the coalition is committed to addressing the collective interests of the industry.

A primary area of focus centers around helping to facilitate the industry’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiative, known as Make Golf Your Thing. Through those efforts, the coalition also provides support to the six cross-industry work groups dedicated to making golf accessible to all (education & skill development, talent acquisition, procurement, human resources, youth & adult player development, and marketing/communications). Additionally, the coalition contributes to advocacy efforts for legislative and regulatory issues of importance to the industry.

“The golf industry is comprised of more than two million people who wake up every day giving their all to a game that is growing and evolving,” said Rhett Evans, Chairman, American Golf Industry Coalition Executive Leadership Committee & CEO, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. “I am proud of the platform and vision the newly-branded coalition provides for addressing golf’s collective issues on behalf of the industry it represents.”

For more than a dozen years since its founding, the American Golf Industry Coalition has become a banner under which golf’s collective priorities can be addressed. The coalition assembles industry representatives annually in Washington, D.C., to meet with elected officials and advocate on behalf of golf’s $84 billion economy, $4 billion charitable impact and two million jobs throughout the U.S. The industry came together virtually for ‘National Golf Day’ in 2021 due to the coronavirus, and details on 2022 National Golf Day will be made available soon.

The coalition also works to amplify tangible examples of key initiatives at both the grassroots and industry workforce level and advocate in support of issues that impact the industry at the state and federal level.

Better Than Most Putting Contest Weeks

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I thought it was time for the first of several pre-Masters, pre-Chevron player rankings but decided the silly season vibe meant we’re not ready just yet.

But silly did not necessarily equate to boring, as I round up here in The Quadrilateral, with notable work by players at the American Express, Abu Dhabi, Hilton Grand Vacations TOC, Singapore Open and Latin America Amateur.

A preview for all and full roundup for the loyal subscribers.

Caymans Islander 2022 Wins Latin America Am

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Aaron Jarvis of the Cayman Islands and a freshman at UNLV captured the 2022 Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC).

The 19-year-old will play this year’s Masters, The Open, The Amateur and U.S. Amateur.

Jarvis was No. 1,669 in the World Amateur World Ranking (WAGR) to start the week at Casa De Campo. He posted a final round 69. Besides the exemptions, he also got a trophy to check his healthy head of hair. The highlights:

Santiago Tarrio Hits Backward Flop-Shot In Competition

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Here’s something you don’t see every day. Especially in competition. From the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi Championship:

Hatton Rants About Unreachable Three-Shotters And Centerline Bunkers*

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It’s been a while since we’ve had a player drop a big, whiny and strange rant about golf architecture. In this case it’s Kyle Phillips Yas Links in Abu Dhabi, home of the Abu Dhabi Championship won by Thomas Pieters.

But it was defending champion Tyrrell Hatton who unraveled after making nine to end Saturday’s third round. The Guardian’s Ewan Murray delivered a few account. From his story:

“It must be one of the worst par fives that I’ve ever seen in my life and, over the last two days, I’ve clearly played it about as well as it was designed,” said Hatton, who took seven there on Friday.

The problem seems to be the lack of reachable and a centerline bunker splitting a huge landing area, with the left round shortening the route to the hole.

Pressed on what precisely is wrong with the 18th, Hatton was not of a mind to back down. “What’s wrong with it? Where do you start?” he asked. “It shouldn’t have a bunker in the middle of the fairway and it shouldn’t be over 600 yards from a forward tee. If you hit a good drive as a pro you should have at least a chance to go for the green in two, otherwise the hole becomes a par three [after the first two shots] and that’s if you play it well. Hardly anyone will get there in two today.”

I’d say it’s showing that players rarely face a three-shot par-5 or a centerline bunker.

*Hatton kept at it after Sunday’s final round, reports The Guardian’s Murray. A return in 2023 seems unlikely.

Hatton doubled down on fierce criticism of the 18th hole here from Saturday, when he took nine at the par five. Asked what he thought when walking onto the same tee on day four, the defending champion replied: “That I would love for a bomb to drop on it and blow it up to oblivion to be honest. It’s just such a terrible finishing hole.

“And the fact that they moved the tee back today is ridiculous. I hit a really good tee shot and still had 290 yards to the front [of the green]. I could pick driver up again and still not get there. It would be a much better finishing hole if you’re actually rewarded for hitting the fairway which, as it stands, you’re not.”

There was more. Hatton won this event at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, meaning his desire for it to return there is perhaps logical. “Also, this place for spectators is just awful,” Hatton added. “Seeing where the rope lines are and where spectators have to walk, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear a lot of people have hurt their ankles and all sorts this week.

Daily Mail: Captain Luke Sounding Good To Harrington

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While it’s hardly an official announcement, Luke Donald has received a very public endorsement from the most recent Ryder Cup captain, leading the Daily Mail’s Derek Lawrenson to report that the captaincy race is all about over.

Lawrenson writes of Padraig Harrington’s blessing…

‘As players, we’ve certainly discussed who will be the next captain,’ the Dubliner admitted to Sportsmail.

‘It was assumed it was going to be Lee but I can see where he is coming from, he is playing good golf and he wants to concentrate on that. His decision certainly put the cat among the pigeons though, didn’t it?

‘All I can say is that Luke would be great. Behind the scenes he does a terrific job. His management style... he knows. 

Henrik Stenson, also thought to be a leading candidate, was given an ultimatum to decided between a Captaincy or taking Saudi Golf League money, the Telegraph’s James Corrigan recently reported.