Sunday’s playoff thrills at The Memorial, Phil tags a golf course marshall in the head, and more this week in The Links.
Jack’s tournament produces yet another first-time winner in McGirt
Locking horns at 15 under through 72 holes, William McGirt outlasted Jon Curran in a playoff Sunday at The Memorial to collect his first PGA Tour victory and $1.53 million in winnings. Considering McGirt’s last win nine years ago was worth a whopping $16,000, a 9462.5 percent increase in payout sounds awfully nice to go along with a three-year exemption and invites to The Open Championship, PGA Championship, and Augusta. McGirt fought off hard charges from some of the game’s best, including some of these notables from the weekend:
Dustin Johnson (3rd), Rory McIlroy (T-4), Keegan Bradley (T-8), Charl Schwartzel (T-11), Phil Mickelson (T-20), Jason Day (T-27), and Rickie Fowler (MC).
“We did it. We did it. We did it. Finally.”
– William McGirt
A young star in the making? Fitzpatrick wins Nordea Masters
If you don’t follow the European Tour, this kid might force you to pretty soon. Matthew Fitzpatrick (-16) cruised to a dominating win in Sweden at the Nordea Masters at Bro Hoff Slot GC. Both Henrik Stenson (T-4) and Lee Westwood (T-8) were in the field, but each fell short to the 21-year-old Englishman’s Sunday grit. Fitzpatrick characterized his performance as “fantastic… the best [he has] played.”
GolfWRX.com provides an inside look at a GolfTEC success story
GolfWRX.com author John Iaciofono had been searching for his golf swing for months— that is, until he came to us. Click here to read John’s excellent inside-look on how GolfTEC East Hanover and his Certified Personal Coach, Wayne Sciscio, helped move John from dead-last in a member-guest championship to taking home the trophy just one year later. Congratulations, John, this is why we do it!
PGA Tour moves WGC-Cadillac from Trump Doral to Mexico City
The PGA Tour has announced that the WGC-Cadillac will move from Trump Doral, putting a halt to a 53-year relationship with the Tour. The move is a reported reaction to Trump’s controversial comments on Muslim immigrants and repeated “comments [that] are inconsistent with [the PGA Tour’s] strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf.”
USGA and R&A publish driving statistics
On Thursday morning, two of the most recognizable governing bodies in golf released an 18-page report coming from 48 years in the making: Driving statistics compiled from seven professional tours, including the PGA Tour and European Tour, which can be downloaded in their entirety here.
Some key stats from the study:
- Between 2003 and 2015, four of the seven tours increased just 0.2 yards per year off the tee
- Between 2003 and 2015, the other three tours decreased 0.2 yards per year off the tee
- Launch conditions like clubhead and ball speed, backspin rates, and launch angle have been stable since 2007 on the PGA Tour
Mickelson tags marshall in the head
Phil Mickelson pushed a drive deep into the gallery, and connected with a Muirfield Village course marshall’s head on Thursday morning. Mickelson, who is renowned around the Tour for his commitment to autograph signing, made sure to rush over an apology with a signed glove.
Take a look at the wayward tee shot, complete with commentary from Jack Nicklaus:
When dinosaurs roamed the Earth …
Back again for another week in the spotlight, this massive 15-foot alligator trounced around Buffalo Creek GC in Florida last week and nearly broke the Internet. Just a reminder to the daredevil photographer in-frame: If things goes south, run in a zig-zag pattern.
Extras!
#RelationshipGoals
A video posted by GolfBalled.com (@golfballed) on
In Memoriam of The Champ:
“You’ll always be The Greatest for more than just what you did in the ring. A champion to so many people in so many ways.”
– Tiger Woods on the passing of Muhammad Ali
Be sure to check back here at the GolfTEC Scramble again next Monday for our latest weekly edition of The Links!
