GolfBlogger - A Daily Golf Blog Live From Michigan

Limited Edition Masters WatchJanuary 17, 2019Limited Edition Masters WatchLimited Edition Masters WatchThis, apparently, is a 2017 Limited Edition Master’s watch. If it is only sold at Augusta National, however, I wonder how a number of these got on Amazon. Bootleg? Scalper?...
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Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions PreviewJanuary 16, 2019DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS PREVIEWNEW YEAR, NEW TOURNAMENT; LPGA WELCOMES DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONSTwenty-six LPGA Tour winners from the 2017 and 2018 seasons have gathered at Tranquilo Golf Course in Orlando, Fla., for the inaugural Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America. Rolex Rankings No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, who captured every major award following her dominant 2018 season, leads a field that highlights the very best talent that women’s golf has to offer, including past World No. 1 players Shanshan Feng, Cristie Kerr, Lydia Ko and Stacy Lewis.The exciting field also includes 49 celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment, teeing off alongside the LPGA Tour stars all four days. Notable celebrities include defending champion Mardy Fish, who won the 2018 Diamond Resorts Invitational, World Series champion and 2018 U.S. Senior Open competitor John Smoltz, Super Bowl champion Mark Rypien and NHL All-Star Jeremy Roenick.COMPETITION FORMATProfessionals: 26 players; 72 holes, stroke play, no cutCelebrities and amateurs: 49 players; 72 holes, Modified Stableford scoring format, no cutMODIFIED STABLEFORD SCORING FORMATThe Modified Stableford scoring format awards six points for eagle, three for birdie, one for par, zero for bogey, minus-two for double-bogey and higher.PURSEProfessionals: $1.2 million; winner’s portion is $180,000Celebrities and amateurs: $500,000; winner’s portion is $100,000WHITELINE PAR AND YARDAGE34-37–71, 6,645 yards (par and yardage are subject to change through the start of the tournament)ARIYA JUTANUGARN SHARES BIG HEART DURING OFF-SEASONFor World No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, the off-season was spent enjoying time with family in Thailand, but also busy with time helping others. Jutanugarn, joined by sister Moriya, helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity, and the pair started a foundation to raise money to fund cleft palate reconstruction for children in their native Thailand.“We’ve been dreaming to do that for a long time,” shared Jutanugarn of the new charity golf event, the Mo-May Golf Charity, held last month. “We were worried about how it was going to happen, and basically this year, finally, we did it. Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thongchai Jaidee came and helped us. Kiradech helped us do the [golf] clinic and played a round with us. And all the donations went to cleft lip and all that. So we got like $40,000 U.S. It’s pretty good.“I feel like everybody should have a chance to live like a normal person because I feel like some of them can’t even smile and they can’t even eat. So I feel like that’s a main problem for them.”Switching her focus back to competition, Jutanugarn has decided to change a few things for the start of the 2019 season. She has a new caddie in Daniel Taylor and is working on her wedge game, which she says will help her feel more comfortable with hitting driver.“I want to hit like I did at ANA,” said Jutanugarn. “I feel like if I hit it like I did at ANA, I’m going to have a pretty good short iron to the green. But at the same time, if I’m going to hit driver, I have to work on my wedge. My wedge has to get better, then I feel more comfortable to hit driver.”LEWIS HITS TRANQUILO WITH NEW DAUGHTER IN TOWIt’s a new year for Stacy Lewis on many levels. The 14-time LPGA Tour winner is teeing up at this week’s season-opener with a new title to her name – mom. Lewis and husband Gerrod Chadwell are making their first work trip with daughter Chesnee Lynn, born Oct. 25, safely nestled in the Smucker’s Day Care Center.“It was a little bit hard dropping her off the last few mornings, but life is definitely different,” said Lewis, who last played at the 2018 Marathon Classic in July. “It’s all about her. It’s not about me anymore, which is completely okay. So just trying to fit the golf in there. Not a lot of high expectations for this week, but we’ll see how it goes.”Lewis was not cleared to pick up a club for eight weeks following Chesnee’s birth and says she is still rebuilding her athletic body after giving birth. But with some sleepless nights under her belt, Lewis is happy to be back on the course and back at her first job, although that new job is well-worth the sacrifices.“When I first came back hitting balls, it felt so foreign. I kind of had to go through my checklist of, all right, this is how you grip a club,” said Lewis, who joins a growing group of moms on Tour, with Karine Icher, Suzann Pettersen and Gerina Piller all giving birth in 2018. “This is how you set up. This is what my shoulders need to be. I think for four or five days I just went through that checklist of just trying to make it feel more normal again because my body doesn’t feel the same as it did before.”CELEBRITIES LOOKING FORWARD TO WEEK WITH LPGA TOUR STARSThe best of the LPGA Tour won’t be the only ones inside the ropes this week at Tranquilo Golf Course. Some of the most famous names in sports and entertainment are looking forward to teeing it up alongside the professionals.“We are competitors too, and the better we play will motivate them and vice versa,” said Mark Rypien, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Washington Redskins. “I think we can feed off it without taking away from the competitive nature that they have and the competitive nature that we have.”Mardy Fish, a six-time professional tennis champion and the new captain of the Davis Cup tennis team, certainly leads the pack of celebrity contenders. Fish, who was recently complimented by Jack Nicklaus as the best non-professional golfer he has ever seen, won the 2018 Diamond Resorts Invitational, the previous incarnation of this event that was played alongside PGA Tour Champions players.“I don’t think I can give them tips, no, not on the golf course,” said Fish with a laugh when asked if he could share any winning advice with this week’s pros. “If you want a tennis tip or something, I can handle that. I don’t think I can teach them anything that they don’t know, that’s for sure.”NEXT EVOLUTION OF THE RACE TO THE CME GLOBE BEGINS AT #DIAMONDLPGAThe 2019 season brings a fresh face to the Race to the CME Globe. Starting this week at Tranquilo Golf Course, LPGA Members will accumulate points in every Official LPGA Tournament to gain entry into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship with an equal opportunity to take home a $1.5 million bonus, the biggest prize in women’s golf.All tournaments have the same point values except for the five major championships, which carry 25 percent more value, and two additional events. For the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, points will be awarded to the top 20 and ties, and for the DOW Great Lakes Bay Invitational, points will be awarded to members who make the cut. For all events with a cut, points are awarded to members who make the cut, while for events without a cut, points are awarded to members who finish in the top 40 and ties. Only LPGA Tour members are eligible to earn points in the Race.Points will be reset for the CME Group Tour Championship following the Blue Bay LPGA, with the top 60 LPGA Members, seeded into the championship field. No points will be allocated at the CME Group Tour Championship. Rather all competitors in the field will compete on an equal playing ground for an official money purse of $5 million. The player who wins the CME Group Tour Championship will also be named the “Race to the CME Globe Champion.”Ariya Jutanugarn (2016, 2018), Lexi Thompson (2017) and Lydia Ko (2014, 2015) are the only players to have won the Race to the CME Globe and hoist the crystal trophy.FINAL 2018 STATISTICS2018 STATISTICAL LEADERSOfficial Money: Ariya Jutanugarn, $2,743,949Scoring Average: Ariya Jutanugarn, 69.415Driving Distance Average: Yani Tseng, 275 yardsEagles: Lexi Thompson, 15Birdies: Ariya Jutanugarn, 470Greens in Regulation: Jin Young Ko, 77.0%2018 AWARD WINNERSRolex Player of the Year: Ariya Jutanugarn, 237Race to the CME Globe: Ariya Jutanugarn, 6,750Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year: Jin Young Ko, 1,263Rolex ANNIKA Major Award: Ariya Jutanugarn, 882018 WINS BY COUNTRY (32 tournaments, 10 countries)9 – Republic of Korea (In Gee Chun, Jin Young Ko, Inbee Park, Eun-Hee Ji, Sei Young Kim, Sung Hyun Park* (3), So Yeon Ryu)9 – United States (Marina Alex, Brittany Lincicome, Danielle Kang, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Annie Park, Angela Stanford*, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie)5 – Thailand (Ariya Jutanugarn* (3), Moriya Jutanugarn, Thidapa Suwannapura)2 – Canada (Brooke Henderson)2 – Japan (Nasa Hataoka)1 – Australia (Minjee Lee)1 – England (Georgia Hall*)1 – Mexico (Gaby Lopez)1 – New Zealand (Lydia Ko)1 – Sweden (Pernilla Lindberg*)*Major Championship winner2018 WINS BY PLAYER (32 tournaments, 26 players)3 – Ariya Jutanugarn (Kingsmill Championship, U.S. Women’s Open*, Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open)3 – Sung Hyun Park (Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship*, Indy Women in Tech Championship)2 – Nasa Hataoka (Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, TOTO Japan Classic)2 – Brooke Henderson (LOTTE Championship, CP Women’s Open)1 – Marina Alex (Cambia Portland Classic)1 – In Gee Chun (LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship)1 – Georgia Hall (Ricoh Women’s British Open*)1 – Eun-Hee Ji (Kia Classic)1 – Moriya Jutanugarn (HUGEL-JTBC LA Open)1 – Danielle Kang (Buick LPGA Shanghai)1 – Sei Young Kim (Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic)1 – Jin Young Ko (ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open)1 – Lydia Ko (LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship)1 – Jessica Korda (Honda LPGA Thailand)1 – Nelly Korda (Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship)1 – Minjee Lee (LPGA Volvik Championship)1 – Brittany Lincicome (Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic)1 – Pernilla Lindberg (ANA Inspiration*)1 – Gaby Lopez (Blue Bay LPGA)1 – Annie Park (ShopRite LPGA Classic)1 – Inbee Park (Bank of Hope Founders Cup)1 – So Yeon Ryu (Meijer LPGA Classic)1 – Angela Stanford (Evian Championship*)1 – Lexi Thompson (CME Group Tour Championship)1 – Thidapa Suwannapura (Marathon Classic)1 – Michelle Wie (HSBC Women’s World Championship)*Major Championship winnerROLEX FIRST-TIME WINNERS (10)Jin Young Ko (ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open), Pernilla Lindberg (ANA Inspiration), Moriya Jutanugarn (HUGEL-JTBC LA Open), Annie Park (ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer), Nasa Hataoka (Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G), Thidapa Suwannapura (Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I), Georgia Hall (Ricoh Women’s British Open), Marina Alex (Cambia Portland Classic), Nelly Korda (Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship), Gaby Lopez (Blue BayLPGA)LEADERS TOP 10 COMPETITION16: Ariya Jutanugarn13: Jin Young Ko, Minjee Lee10: Nasa Hataoka, Brooke HendersonWHO’S IN THE DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS FIELD26 LPGA Tour Winners from 2017 and 2018Marina Alex (2018 Cambia Portland Classic), In Gee Chun (2018 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship), Shanshan Feng (2017 LPGA Volvik Championship, 2017 TOTO Japan Classic, 2017 Blue Bay LPGA), Georgia Hall (2018 Ricoh Women’s British Open), Nasa Hataoka (2018 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, 2018 TOTO Japan Classic), Brooke Henderson (2017 Meijer LPGA Classic, 2017 MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open, 2018 LOTTE Championship, 2018 CP Women’s Open), Eun-Hee Ji (2017 Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship, 2018 Kia Classic), Ariya Jutanugarn (2017 Manulife LPGA Classic, 2017 CME Group Tour Championship, 2018 Kingsmill Championship, 2018 U.S. Women’s Open, 2018 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open), Moriya Jutanugarn (2018 HUGEL-JTBC LA Open), Danielle Kang (2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 2018 Buick LPGA Shanghai), Cristie Kerr (2017 LOTTE Championship, 2017 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia), Sei Young Kim (2017 Lorena Ochoa Match, 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic), Katherine Kirk (2017 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic), Lydia Ko (2018 LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship), Nelly Korda (2018 Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship), Mi Hyang Lee (2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open), Mirim Lee (2017 Kia Classic), Stacy Lewis (2017 Cambia Portland Classic), Brittany Lincicome (2017 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, 2018 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic), Pernilla Lindberg (2018 ANA Inspiration),Gaby Lopez (2018 Blue Bay LPGA), Anna Nordqvist (2017 Bank of Hope Founders Cup, 2017 The Evian Championship), Annie Park (2018 ShopRite LPGA Classic), Thidapa Suwannapura (2018 Marathon Classic), Lexi Thompson (2017 Kingsmill Championship, 2017 Indy Women in Tech Championship, 2018 CME Group Tour Championship), Amy Yang (2017 Honda LPGA Thailand)49 CelebritiesMarcus Allen, Ray Allen, Josh Beckett, Lee Brice, Clay Buchholz, Roger Clemens, Richard Dent, Mark DeRosa, Josh Donaldson, Mardy Fish, Michael Flaskey, Colt Ford, Terry Francona, Eric Gagne, Tom Glavine, Denny Hamlin, John Hart, Danny Kanell, Toby Keith, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Ryan Longwell, Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Brian McCann, Kevin Millar, Mark Mulder, Phil Nevin, Bud Norris, Blair O’Neal, Carson Palmer, Patrick Peterson, Chad Pfeifer, AJ Pierzynski, Alfonso Ribeiro, Willie Robertson, Ivan Rodriguez, Jeremy Roenick, Joe Don Rooney, Mark Rypien, Sterling Sharpe, John Smoltz, Cole Swindell, Joe Theismann, Brian Urlacher, Jack Wagner, Tim Wakefield, Michael Waltrip, Larry the Cable GuySOCIAL MEDIATournament: @DiamondResorts (Twitter and Instagram), #DiamondLPGALPGA: @LPGA, @LPGAMedia (Twitter), @lpga_tour (Instagram)TV TIMES (all times Eastern)Thursday, Jan. 17 – 12-3 p.m., Golf ChannelFriday, Jan. 18 – 12-3 p.m., Golf ChannelSaturday, Jan. 19 – 2-3 p.m., Golf Channel; 3-5 p.m., NBCSunday, Jan. 20 – 2-3 p.m., Golf Channel; 3-5 p.m., NBCDiamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Preview via LPGA...
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First Look: BGT Putter ShaftJanuary 16, 2019BGT Putter ShaftBreakthrough Golf Technology Stability Putter ShaftI recently had my trusty vintage Scotty Cameron Newport putter reshafted with a high tech Stability Shaft from Breakthrough Golf Technology. The putter fitting and reshafting was done for me by Ken Johns at my local golf mecca, Miles of Golf.The BGT Putter Stability Shaft was developed by the legendary Barney Adams as an upgrade to the basic steel pipe that has been the staple since the last days of hickory.Barney Adams: “At 37 inches long, 125 grams and bearing an ultra-stiff flex, it’s designed to improve any golfer’s game. It delivers the face more square at impact, for improved accuracy and solid feel. Plus it has a lower launch for a predictable roll and better distance control. I’ve never seen a product that can improve someone’s putting so quickly. My team found the weakest point of a steel putter shaft. They used computer analysis to place a flex-resistant insert at this weak point on the Stability design. It not only greatly increases stiffness but also adds the benefit of improved feel. Golfers will feel and see the difference from their first stroke with it.”The BGT putter shaft is a funny looking thing, with a thick black top that ends in a more traditional looking steel shaft. According to the manufacturer, BGT shafts have four components that will improve putting performance:A 7075 aluminum connector that helps to reinforce. This versatility allows attachment to any tip diameter of any putter, regardless of the bend profile. Stainless steel tips with extremely consistent wall thicknesses are coated with a smoke PVD finish to add further protection from corrosion and rusting. Eight layers of high modulus carbon fiber that are specifically layered, wrapped and widened, with a no‐taper design to greatly reduce torque. A lightweight, 22‐gram aluminum insert that was developed and precisely located to reinforce flexural rigidity.Thanks to some 40 degree weather in early January here in Michigan, I managed to get out to give the reshafted putter a one-round test. It’s a little heavier than the original shaft, which I see as a plus. The feel is quite pleasant.As for improved scoring, the jury is still out. This time of the year, the greens are unmowed and running very slow. But initial results were promising. I putted well, all things considered.I’ll have more after a few rounds this spring....
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William Murray Slice Shot VestJanuary 16, 2019William Murray Slice Shot VestWilliam Murray is of course Bill Murray, and the company is inspired by the actor and his brothers, all of whom are in the Caddie Hall of Fame.This vest is reversible, with the Murray plaid on one side and a charcoal heathered look on the other. Primaloft fill in the body and collar keep you warm.I think I need this one for cold weather play here in Michigan....
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Jack Nicklaus to Headline GAM Centennial CelebrationJanuary 15, 2019#GAM100Jack Nicklaus to Headline GAM Centennial Celebration FARMINGTON HILLS – Golf legend Jack Nicklaus will headline a gala June Golf Association of Michigan Foundation fundraiser at Oakland Hills Country Club to help honor the association’s centennial. The GAM 100 CELEBRATION on Monday, June 17, will include golf on the famed South Course, with proceeds benefitting the GAM Foundation, including its efforts to grow the game through its Youth on Course initiative. Nicklaus, 79 on Jan. 21, returns to where he won the 1991 U.S. Senior Open on the South Course in a playoff with Chi Chi Rodriguez, and where 30 years earlier he finished fourth in the 1961 U.S. Open as a 21-year-old amateur. Nicklaus will take part in a special program and celebration dinner, as well as a VIP meet-and-greet session. Opportunities and donation levels to take part in the celebration events, including golf, will be announced soon. The Monday of the GAM 100 CELEBRATION is also the final practice day for the 108th Michigan Amateur Championship that Oakland Hills is hosting across the street on the North Course over the following five days. The celebration is one of the highlights that will mark the GAM’s centennial this summer. A special centennial Annual Meeting in April is planned, and a new executive director will also be named this year. “Jack Nicklaus is the greatest golfer of all-time and it will be great to have him back at Oakland Hills,” said David Graham, who will retire in June as the longest tenured executive director of the GAM with 18 years of service. “It’s a special spot for him. His history of championship golf is unparalleled, and then you must add to that what he has contributed to the game as a golf course designer, businessman, brand, and philanthropist. He has three great golf courses he designed in Michigan—TPC of Michigan, Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor and The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort—and he has epitomized a level of excellence for me and many of Michigan’s golfers over the years.” On April 22 at Detroit Golf Club — one of the GAM’s original 14-member clubs and the site of the PGA TOUR’s return to Michigan for the 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic — the GAM will present its Annual Meeting of Club Delegates. Mark Reinemann, USGA Executive Committee member and Chairman of the 2018 Rules of Golf Committee, will be the guest speaker, and both classic Donald Ross courses at DGC will be available for golf that day. Special pricing to encourage broad participation is being determined, and invitations will go out soon. As always, the meeting will feature the presentation of annual awards, including the Distinguished Service Award and Player of the Year honors, a series of meetings and workshops for delegates.ABOUT THE GAM: The GAM serves 60,000 golf members and 470 clubs and courses in the state, and its Foundation is a charitable arm currently focused on youth golf. With the help of over 250 volunteers and rules officials the association provides 35 championships for golfers, age 7 to 70-plus, and administers 40 qualifiers for the major GAM championships and 18 for the USGA and its schedule of national championships. The GAM also administers the GAM/USGA Handicap System and measures and rates almost 70 courses a year. Learn more at gam.orgABOUT JACK NICKLAUS: No name is more synonymous with greatness in the sport of golf than the name Jack Nicklaus, and no single person has changed the face of the sport more than Jack Nicklaus – the player, the designer, the philanthropist, and the good-will ambassador. Jack was named “Golfer of the Century” or “Golfer of the Millennium” by almost every major golf publication in the world. He was also named Individual Male Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated, and one of the 10 Greatest Athletes of the Century by ESPN. In June 2018, the Golden Bear received the Lincoln Medal from the Ford’s Theatre Society, making Jack Nicklaus just the fourth person in history—and the first athlete or sportsperson—to be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005), the Congressional Gold Medal (2015) and now the Lincoln Medal.Jack’s competitive career spanned five decades, and his legend has been built with 120 professional tournament victories worldwide and a record 18 professional major-championship titles (six Masters, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens, three British Opens). He is one of only five golfers—Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods the others—who have won all four of golf’s modern majors, an achievement often referred to as the career “Grand Slam.” Jack remains the only player to have completed the career Grand Slam on both the regular and senior tours. His eight majors on the senior circuit, now called the PGA TOUR Champions, stood as a record from 1996 until 2017.The legacy Jack has left as a player can be rivaled only by the legacy he is leaving as a golf-course designer, businessman and philanthropist. Jack was voted the 2017 Golf Course Designer of the Year by the World Golf Awards, following his receipt of such honors as GOLF Magazine’s Architect of the Year in 2014. Jack has been involved in the design of over 300 courses open for play worldwide, and the firm he founded, Nicklaus Design, has more than 415 courses open for play in 45 countries, 40 states, and more than 150 Nicklaus Design courses have hosted over 1,000 professional tournaments worldwide or significant national amateur championships.Jack and his wife Barbara have a long history of involvement in numerous charitable activities, from junior golf to children’s hospitals to several scholarship foundations. Jack and Barbara are the guiding light for the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which supports numerous pediatric health-care services in South Florida, as well as nationally, and has raised almost $90 million dollars since its inception in 2004. In 2015, Jack and Barbara’s efforts for impacting pediatric healthcare reached a significant milestone when Miami Children’s Health System renamed its flagship hospital Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. In November of 2017, and in a system-wide rebranding, Miami Children’s Health System became Nicklaus Children’s Health System. This includes 14 outpatient centers and facilities located throughout Florida.via Greg Johnson...
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Mitsubishi Electric Championship Winners and HistoryJanuary 15, 2019Mitsubishi Electric Championship Winners and History The Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai began life in 1984 as the MONY Senior Tournament of Champions. It is the Champions Tour’s version of the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions. The field consists of senior Major champions from the last five years, plus regular tournament winners from the past two years. Six players have two wins each:Bernhard Langer: 2009, 2014 John Cook: 2011, 2013 Hale Irwin: 1997, 2007 Dana Quigley: 2003, 2005 George Archer: 1990, 2000 Al Geiberger: 1992, 1993 Miller Barber: 1986, 1989A complete list of Mitsubishi Electric Championship winners follows:...
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Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Winners and HistoryJanuary 15, 2019Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Winners and HistoryThe Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions is the LPGA’s 2019 season invitational featuring tour winners from the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Interestingly, the event is also a pro-am as the LPGA winners will be paired with 45 celebrities from the sports and entertainment worlds.The tournament is the successor to the Diamond Resorts Invitational, which was a PGA TOUR Champions event from 2013 – 2018. In 2018 the Diamond Resorts Invitational field included 28 Champions Tour and 4 LPGA professionals.The Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions will use two scoring systems. The 26 professionals will play a 72 hole, stroke play no cut tournament. The amateurs, on the other hand, will use a modified Stableford system which awards six points for eagle, three for birdie, one for par, zero for bogey, minus-two for double-bogey and higher.The purse for 2019 is $1.2 million, and the winner’s portion is $180,000. Celebrities and amateurs have a $500,000 purse, with the winner receiving $100,000.The Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions will be played at the Tranquilo Golf Club at Four Seasons Resort Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The course will play to a 34-37–71 with a white line measurement of 6,645 yards Diamond Resorts is a timeshare company that maintains a network of 379 destinations. The company currently sponsors LPGA professional Brittany Lincicome. One of Diamond Resorts regional offices is in Orlando.Winners TBD...
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Callaway Apex 2019 IronsJanuary 15, 2019Callaway Apex 2019 IronsCallaway Apex 2019 IronsI have a set of the 2016 Callaway Apex irons and they are still one of the best sets I’ve ever played. For 2019, Callaway has upgraded the Apex:The Callaway Apex 19 is the ultimate forged players distance iron.Extremely soft feel comes from a forged 1025 mild carbon steel body, and for the first time Callaway has put Urethane Microspheres into a forged iron.The 360 Face Cup creates fast ball speeds for consistent distance, and the spin control VFT Face in the short irons promotes aggressive shot-making.The tungsten-infused, multi-material construction allows us to locate the Center of Gravity with extraordinary precision for optimum ball flight and control.Apex is expertly crafted with a beautiful players shape, a platinum chrome finish and a new True Temper Elevate 95 Shaft....
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Abu Dhabi HSBC Champions Winners and HistoryJanuary 14, 2019A lynchpin to the European Tour’s expansion in to the near East and Asia, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship was played the first time in January 2006. It is one of three European Tour events in the Gulf States. The local organizer of the event is the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. HSBC joined as the title sponsor in 2011. Prize money has grown from $2 million in 2010 to $2.7. In recent years, the tournament has made headlines by attracting top players through appearance fees. Tiger Woods, for example, is rumored to have earned an appearance paycheck of $3 million. The 2012 Tournament field included the world’s top four players, six of the world’s top ten and three of the four current Major title holders. The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority is an arm of the government of the Emirate that sponsors a wide variety of sporting events and shows, including the Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship, the Al Ain Aerobatic Show, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the Abu Dhabi Red Bull Air Race, a gourmet event and a yacht show. The Board also sponsors several sports teams and athletes. For the Abu Dhabi HSBC Champions, the venue is the 27 hole Abu Dhabi Golf Club.Abu Dhabi Golf Club The compete list of Abu Dhabi Champions winners follows: Abu Dhabi HSBC Champions Past WinnersYear Winner Country ScoreAbu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship2018 Tommy Fleetwood England 266 (-22)2017 Tommy Fleetwood England 271 (-17)2016 Rickie Fowler United States 272 (-16)2015 Gary Stahl France 276 (−19)2014 Pablo Larrazábal Spain 274 (−14)2013 Jamie Donaldson Wales 274 (−14)2012 Robert Rock England 275 (−13)2011 Martin Kaymer (3) Germany 264 (−24)2011 Martin Kaymer (3) Germany 264 (−24)Abu Dhabi Golf Championship2010 Martin Kaymer (2) Germany 267 (−21)2009 Paul Casey (2) England 267 (−21)2008 Martin Kaymer (1) Germany 273 (−15)2007 Paul Casey (1) England 271 (−17)2006 Chris DiMarco United States 268 (−20)...
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The Desert Classic Winners and HistoryJanuary 14, 2019The Desert Classic Winners and HistoryThe Desert Classic Winners and HistoryThe Desert Classic Presented by Workday is the latest incarnation of the long running Palm Springs Desert Classic which began in 1960. Over the years, it has been known as the Bob Hope Desert Classic, The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (probably its two best-known incarnations), the Humana Challenge and the Careerbuilder Challenge.Whereas the Bob Hope Classic was unique on the PGA Tour for being played on four different courses over five days, the tournament now uses the regular TOUR format. It remains, however, one of two of the Tour’s televised celebrity pro-am events (the other being the AT&T National).The tournament format:A four-day tournament, beginning Thursday of tournament week, with the first three rounds played in a pro-am format.For each day of the three-round, pro-am competition, the professional has a different amateur partner. Amateurs will compete in daily competitions as well as an overall, three-day competition.Round 4 is professionals only with a normal 70 + ties cut.The top three low net and low gross amateurs will play alongside the pros on Sunday to determine the overall winners .The overall low net amateur and low gross amateur playing on Sunday will be awarded crystal as the 2015 Careerbuilder Challenge Amateur Champion after play on Sunday.The field size for the event is 156 professionals and 156 amateurs.The tournament plays out over three courses: La Quinta Country Club, a tournament course since 1965, PGA WEST Nicklaus Private and PGA WEST Palmer Private. PGA WEST has been in the rotation since 1986. Silverrock Resort Course has been dropped.From 1960 to 1962, the tournament was played at Thunderbird Country Club and Tamarisk Country Club, both in Rancho Mirage, California; Bermuda Dunes Country Club in Bermuda Dunes, California; and Indian Wells Country Club in Indian Wells, California. Bermuda Dunes has been used every year of the event and Indian Wells every year until 2006.In 1963, Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells, California, replaced Thunderbird Country Club. La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California replaced Tamarisk Country Club from 1964 until 1968, but rejoined the event from 1969 to 1986, alternating with Eldorado Country Club.Bob Hope added his name to the tournament in 1965 and became the Classic’s Chairman of the Board.Starting in 1987, the classic courses began to be phased out of the vent. The PGA West in La Quinta got a permanent spot in the rota in 1997. Eldorado Country Club was dropped in 1990. In 2005, a local foundation gave the Classic Club in Palm Desert, Calif. to the tournament. It replaced Indian Wells the following year. The Hope now is the only event on the Tour that owns its own facility. Strangely, it was dropped from the rota in 2008 (over player concerns about high winds). The tournament now owns a course that isn’t used for the tournament. Strange.The 2011 rota consisted of the PGA West (Palmer and Nicklaus Courses), La Quinta CC and Silver Rock Resort, all in La Quinta, California. Bermuda Dunes is not being used this year.The tradition of choosing the tournament’s “Classic Girls” from among the area’s collegians began in those early years, with the earliest tournaments having a celebrity dubbed “Classic Queen.” The earliest titleholders included Debbie Reynolds, Jane Powell and Jill St. John. The queens of the 1970s included Barbara Eden and Lynda Carter.The Classic’s biggest draw was—and continues to be—the celebrity Pro-Am competition which has attracted some of each era’s biggest celebrities. Of note was Dwight Eisenhower, who became the first president to play in a Tour event. History was made at the tournament in 1995 when the pro-am team of Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, and defending champion Scott Hoch teed up for the tournament’s opening round. The event marked the first time a sitting president – Clinton – had played during a PGA Tour event and perhaps the first time three presidents had ever played together.Bill Clinton hosted from 2012 to 2017.The first tournament was won by Arnold Palmer with a final score of 338, or 22 under par. Palmer would win the event five times: 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1973.More Hope Classic history: David Duval shot a 59 in the final round of the event in 1999. For a recount of the round, visit here.A complete list of Careerbuider Challenge Winners follows:...
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Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero Driver – Designed With AIJanuary 14, 2019Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero DriverThe Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero Driver is said to be the first use of artificial intelligence in design in the golf industry. At first I didn’t think that made much sense. of what use is AI with a driver. Callaway’s explanation makes some sense, though. The Artificial Intelligence was basically used to run the face design through 15,000 iterations, with each design building on data collected from the previous. Callaway compares that to the usual five to seven prototypes created in a more traditional driver design.The Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero Driver features:The Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero is the ultimate combination of low-spin and high MOI in a driver, led by new Flash Face Technology.Flash Face’s sophisticated architecture was created by Artificial Intelligence – the first known instance of using A.I.in the golf industry – to create a radically different face.Jailbreak Technology features two internal bars that stiffen and stabilize the crown and sole, placing more impact load on the face to promote faster ball speed.Adjustable Perimeter Weighting gives golfers the power to easily promote draws, fades or a straighter flight.The advanced head shape and internal weighting create a rare combination of high MOI and low spin in a player’s driver, resulting in more forgiveness and longer distance....
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Kiss My Putt Golf Wine GlassJanuary 11, 2019Kiss My Putt Wine GlassRidiculous Golf Item of the Week...
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Harbor Cup Competition Tops $400K For CharitiesJanuary 10, 2019The eighteenth at The Heather is a 451 yard par 4. The Heather was the site of the 2018 Harbor Cup Competition, which raised $43,000 for local charities.Harbor Cup Competition Tops $400K For Charities Since 1997Played annually in the fall, the Harbor Cup is a Ryder Cup style competition that pits 12 Boyne golf resort professionals (Team Boyne) against 12 other Petoskey area pros (Team Harbor) Since its start in 1997, the competition has raised more than $400,000 for local charities including Manna Food Project and the First Tee of Northern Michigan.In 2018, the yearlong charitable efforts of the northern Michigan golf pros raised more than $43,000.At the September competition, Team Boyne pulled out a 13-11 victory over Team Harbor. It was Team Boyne’s first win in two years. The event was held at The Heather, Boyne Highland’s Robert Trent Jones’ course.“The Harbor Cup has become a symbol of excellence in charitable contributions in Northern Michigan and we are so proud of the efforts that each team makes to generate awareness and the donations that impact so many,” said Bernie Friedrich, Team Boyne’s Harbor Cup Captain and Senior Vice President of Boyne Resorts’ Golf Operations and Resort Sales. “The long-term success of this event and its causes would not be possible without the support of both teams golf professionals, as well as support from Country Club of Boyne and Bay Harbor Golf Club members, homeowners, and team members.”Boyne Golf professionals presented a check totaling $26,600 to the Manna Food Project, a pantry and warehouse that supplies food to more than 35 pantries and agencies in Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet counties. The charitable contribution provides over 100,000 meals to community members.Boyne Golf pros present a $26, 600 check to The Manna project.In addition, a check for $14,400 was presented to The First Tee of Northern Michigan, an organization that promotes character development and life enhancing values through the game of golf. The donation helps to increase programming opportunities and reach more youth. Other organizations impacted by the event include Boyne City Schools where a gift of $600 was presented for the Girls Tennis Team and Petoskey Area Schools received $1,600 toward their girls’ golf team.Boyne Golf professionals present a check for $14, 400 to the First Tee of Northern Michigan.The Harbor Cup is symbolic of golf’s PGA TOUR tournaments collectively raised $180 million for charities in 2017, bringing the TOUR’s all time charitable donations for $2.65 billion. We Are Golf, the industry’s advocacy group reported that overall, golf raised $3.9 billion in 2016.In Michigan, at least, I’m pretty sure that I could play in a charitable golf outing every day of the week during the season. Some are for school sports teams, established charities and community organizations. I have played in others simply trying to raise money to help a family meet medical bills.I doubt any other sport can match those efforts.Kudos to Boyne Golf for their Harbor Cup efforts....
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Nike Therma Half Zip Golf ShirtJanuary 10, 2019Nike Therma Half Zip Golf ShirtNike Therma Half Zip Golf ShirtThere is no such thing as bad weather. There are only bad clothing choices.The Nike Therma Half Zip Golf shirt features:NIKE Therma fabric helps keep you warm; water-repellent finish helps keep you dry2-way stretch allows natural range of motion; high collar provides extra coverage1/2-zip design provides easy on and offHem vents provide a comfortable fit...
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Betting Odds For The Sony Open 2019January 9, 2019Betting Odds For The Sony Open 2019Say what you want about the fall events, the PGA TOUR’s real season begins with the Sony Open in Hawaii. It’s the first real opportunity to see who will elevate their game heading into the 2019 Majors.With the current odds, Marc Leishman may be the best value to lead the first round among the stars teeing it up in Hawaii. Leishman is in at +2500 on Bovada and BetOnline. Leishman has been on a tear of late, winning the CIMB Classic last October, then finishing T4 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions last week. He finished second at the Australian PGA Championship at the end of November.The favorite to finish in the Top 5 is Justin Thomas, at +120 at Bovada and +150 at BetOnline. Thomas had two wins in 2018: The Honda Classic in February and the WGC-Bridgestone in August. He finished third at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.Bryson DeChambeau is second at +225 on Bovada and +250 on BetOnline. Thomas clearly is the bettors favorite as a previous Sony Open Champion (2017).. DeChambeau, however, makes more sense. “Mr. One Length” won four tournaments in 2018:June 2018: The MemorialAugust 2018: The Northern Trust September 2018: Dell Technologies Championship November 2018: Shriners Hospitals for Children OpenIn 26 events in 2018, he made the cut 22 times, and the Top Ten nine times.In any case, the Sony Open in Hawaii is a nice kickoff for the new, accelerated PGA TOUR season. This year, the “Fifth Major” — the Players Championship — has been moved to March. The Masters is in its usual spot in April. The PGA Championship has been moved forward to May, followed by the US Open and the Open Championship in their usual spots in June and July. That puts a Major (or near Major) in every month from March through July.It should be an exciting year....
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Kinesiology TapeJanuary 9, 2019Kinesiology KT TapeI was reminded of the benefits of kinesiology tape a few days ago when I started to suffer from some lower back pains. I had Mrs. GolfBlogger help me apply some KT tape to the affected area, and the pain very quickly disappeared.You’ll see KT tape on a lot of athletes these days. Indeed, the first time I became aware of it was when I saw Michelle Wie wearing the tape at a tournament.I did a review of the Kinesiology KT Tape a couple of years ago. From my perspective, it’s good stuff. Consult a doctor. Your results may very. I’m not a certified trainer. Yada yada....
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GolfBlogger.Com is a daily golf blog featuring golf news, golf course reviews, golf equipment and golf book reviews, golf lifestyle, golf fitness, golf history, Michigan golf news and reviews, photography, cigars, food and beverages, the PGA Tour and the LPGA with essays and musings.

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