Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.
Thursday’s July 4th round provided fireworks at the John Deere Classic.
There were 26 scores of 65 or lower, including four 63s, a 62, 61 and Hayden Springer’s historic 59.
By the end of Day 1, his four-shot lead went down to two after Sami Valimaki shot a 10-under 61.
TPC Deere Run saw 748 birdies and 26 eagles during Thursday’s round, which is quite a lot considering the birdie totals in the last six tournaments.
Total Birdies in the last 6 PGA Tour events
— Charles Schwab Challenge: 1,116 total; 323 in Rd. 1
— RBC Canadian Open: 1,473 total; 487 in Rd. 1
— The Memorial: 750 total; 230 in Rd. 1
— U.S. Open: 1,007 total; 302 in Rd. 1
— Travelers Championship: 1,248 total; 265 in Rd. 1
— Rocket Mortgage Classic: 1,803 total; 587 in Rd. 1
While there were only three full-field events, the number of birdies scored on Thursday at TPC Deere Run is more noticeable. It is the most scored this season through the 30 first rounds played.
The last time the Tour saw this amount of birdies or close to it in the first round this year was at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. There were 683 birdies in the first round and 1,980 total.
Back at the beginning of the season, the Cognizant Classic saw 1,613 total and 572 birdies on Thursday. Last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic was also up there with 587 after one day of play.
The John Deere Classic could have the most birdies scored in a tournament this season, especially if the conditions stay like they are.
ICYMI: Top stories across professional golf
Check out these stories:
Golfers must avoid these 10 mistakes during every round they play
Thursday’s Golf Tips: The 5 best ways to remain cool, hydrated on the golf course
Golf Talk Today: A quick July 4th golf fashion guide to stay trendy but patriotic
All golfers should do these 10 things during every round they play
Justin Rose qualifies for The Open; see who else made it to Royal Troon
LIV Golf’s Sergio Garcia falls short of The Open, frustrated by slow play warning
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
PGA Tour rookie Hayden Springer made quite the debut at the John Deere Classic as he fired off a 12-under 59 to make TPC Deere Run look easy. His putter was red hot.
He made eight birdies and two eagles to mark the second sub-60 round of the year on the PGA Tour. Just two weeks ago, Cameron Young recorded a 59 during the third round of the Travelers Championship.
“It’s pretty special to be able to do that,” Springer said after his round on Thursday.
“I played well last week, but it’s been tough to get stuff going and go low — So, it is special. It feels good to be standing here and to have shot a good round of golf.”
The 27-year-old made par on the first hole, then went nuclear. He made a 13-footer for eagle on the par-5, 2nd followed by four straight birdies. Those were not easy birdies either.
He chipped in from around 62 feet off the green on the third. Springer’s touch was nearly perfect, as the ball only had eyes for the hole. His birdie at the par-4 4th was a little over 10 feet. The birdie at 5 was over 20 feet long, and his fourth straight birdie at 6th was over 16 feet.
At this point, Springer felt like today, he could see him shoot a low score.
“I had come up just short of the green on the fringe and probably had a 20-footer, and I made that,” he said. “I was like, okay, ‘I feel like I’m not missing today. I’m pretty much holing any putt I look at.’ So probably that putt going in was kind of the trigger, like we might be able to go super low.”
Springer made two more birdies on 8 and 9 to turn in 27 strokes.
After the turn, he made five straight pars before his seventh birdie came at 15. The former Texas Christian Horned Frog sank an 18-footer to move to 9-under. He explained that he got frustrated, but his caddie kept him balanced.
Springer did not think a 59 was on the table going into the par-5 17th, but he holed out from 55 yards for his second eagle.
“I had a really good lie over there,” he said. “I hit it nice. It landed right where we were looking, just short left, and happened to go in. I didn’t ever think I would make that shot, but it changed the momentum to be able to go shoot 59.”
To record a sub-60 round, he needed a birdie on the 18th, and the rookie sank a 12-footer to do so.
Springer earned every bit of this 59, making 111 feet of putts on Thursday. He hit 14-of-18 greens in regulation, 10-of-14 fairways and went 4-of-4 scrambling.
In the strokes gained categories, he is No. 5 off the tee, No. 4 in approach to the green, No. 1 around the green, No. 3 in putting and No. 1 in strokes gained total, picking up +10.110 on the field.
Springer had a nearly perfect round of golf and showed Thursday. He became the 14th PGA Tour player to record a sub-60 round and the second at the John Deere Classic after Paul Goydos shot his own 59 in round 1 of the 2010 event.
Battling with a heavy heart.
Last month, Hayden Springer’s daughter passed away at age 3 after battling Trisomy 18.
Hayden and his wife, Emma, reflect on Sage’s legacy after a T3 start at Final Stage. pic.twitter.com/q5n03dvxyf
His last year has not been an easy one. It was full of heartache but also determination. He tragically lost his three-year-old daughter Sage to Trisomy 18 last November, and a month later, Springer earned his PGA Tour card.
The rookie currently leads by four shots over Harry Hall, who shot an impressive 8-under 63. There are 12 players at 65 or lower on the day, as another birdie fest seems to be on the horizon.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.
First off, Happy Fourth of July!
As we all celebrate our patriotic freedom today, today’s topic is Fourth of July golf fashion. With the John Deere Classic starting today, we wanted to give a July 4th fashion guide — the Do’s and Do not’s.
A patriotic outfit can quickly go from trendy to loud, so let’s examine what works and does not for your Fourth of July golf round.
The Do’s of Patriotic Golf Fashion
Stick to the basics
Solid-color pants or polos are a great choice. Red, White and Blue are three great primary colors for building outfits.
Patterns are still fine; I’m not saying to avoid them, but just be smart about it.
Many pieces from the J. Lindeberg Team USA line are perfect options for the Fourth of July.
Before everyone freaks out about the bright pattern, the red polo is the classic approach I am talking about. The navy pants are also great.
Let the Pattern be the moment
If an American flag or any kind of pattern is what you want to wear, let it be the moment. Wear a more neutral pair of pants and shoes to match. Try to tie it together by matching the hat to the pants or to one of the colors in the pattern.
Don’t be so predictable
Yes, it is America’s Day of Freedom, but that does not mean American flags must be all over the clothing. Red, White, and Blue are iconic colors that people recognize as patriotic. There are some nice patterns out there that are great for the holiday, but remember, less can be more for days like the Fourth of July.
The Do not’s of Patriotic Golf Fashion
There is only one thing to avoid for golf fashion on the Fourth of July.
Please do not wear the American flag pattern all over
Less is more, especially when it comes to patriotic patterns. Wearing an American flag top and bottoms is way too much. Opt for the flag shirt and solid bottom or vice versa.
Most patriotic pants are too tacky, so avoid those at all costs.
John Daly is likely the only person who can wear those pants and pull them off because he is that confident.
That does not mean you can purchase one American flag item instead of the entire outfit.
ICYMI: Top stories across professional golf
Check out these stories:
Jordan Spieth reflects on history at John Deere Classic, making first start in 9 years
TaylorMade and other brands give fans amazing patriotic golf equipment
Bernhard Langer to play final DP World Tour event in native Germany 50 years after debut
John Deere Classic changed everything for Sepp Straka in 2023, propelled him to Ryder Cup
Justin Rose qualifies for The Open; see who else made it to Royal Troon
LIV Golf’s Sergio Garcia falls short of The Open, frustrated by slow play warning
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Jordan Spieth is back in the Quad Cities for the first time since his 2015 John Deere Classic victory.
So far, it seems to be a sentimental trip for him as he reminisces on his history at TPC Deere Run.
Ahead of the tournament, Spieth joined the media to reflect on his 2013 and 2015 victories and how much has changed for him.
“I probably spent a little more time at the course back then, but in general, my day-to-day on the course hasn’t changed much,” Spieth said on Wednesday. “Off the course, it’s obviously very different.”
He has grown a lot from the young 21-year-old kid on Tour.
“I think I try to be that kid,” he said. “I try to think about being that kid every time I tee it up.”
Spieth is now a dad of two kids and has 13 PGA Tour wins.
Ahead of the tournament, he, his son Sammy and his daughter Sophie went to ‘The Big Dig,’
“I think Michael [Greller] had the most fun,” he said. “He and his two kids were out driving tractors around. It was a lot of fun. It was full circle, right? I was 21 the last time I was here, and now I’ve got two kids that I took to The Big Dig.”
He explained that his return to the John Deere Classic had been on the table since early spring, and thankfully, the timing worked out for his schedule.
“I was pretty excited about the idea that I would be coming back the Deere this year, now that we’re here, it’s crazy,” Spieth said on Wednesday.
“It really does feel like a second home. It’s been really cool, the reception I received since coming back one day at Zach Johnson’s charity event and then a couple of days here at the golf course. I don’t have support like this anywhere outside of DFW, so hopefully, that continues this week, and I can pick up where I left off.”
Spieth has only played in this event four times. The John Deere Classic gave him a sponsor exemption in 2012 when he finished T58. He would win in 2013, tie for seventh in 2014 and win again in 2015.
Will he have similar luck in his fifth start? So much has changed for him since his last start in the Quad Cities.
Spieth has not had his best season on Tour in 2024. He has played in 17 events and has just three top 10s and three top 25s. The 30-year-old has also missed five cuts.
Last week at the Travelers Championship, he finished T63. At the U.S. Open, it was a T41. Spieth missed the cut at Jack Nicklaus’ Signature Event, The Memorial.
The last time he finished inside the top 10 was at the Valero Texas Open with a T10. Since then, it has been an up-and-down grind. Despite his performances in the last few months, Spieth is among the betting favorites.
Nonetheless, this week holds a lot of weight for him. Spieth is currently No. 59 in the FedEx Cup rankings. He will need to find some success in the coming weeks if he wants to play past the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Sepp Straka fired off a final-round 62 at last year’s John Deere Classic to win his second PGA Tour victory.
A few weeks after his win at TPC Deere Run, he went on to post a runner-up finish at the Open Championship. He then went on to make his Ryder Cup debut later that fall, helping the Europeans trounce the Americans in Italy.
His impressive come-from-behind victory at the John Deere Classic changed everything for the Austrian golfer.
“It was an incredible part of last year,” Straka said on Wednesday.
“I was playing some pretty good golf but wasn’t getting much out of it, and that all flipped here. I went to the Open and had another really great week, my best finish in a major. Ended up making it to Atlanta. Playing on the Ryder Cup was definitely the highlight of the year, but that wouldn’t have been possible if I didn’t get hot here at the John Deere.”
Straka has played in 17 events so far this season, recording four top 10s and nine top 25s. He has made 12 of 17 cuts.
The former Georgia Bulldog finished T-5 back-to-back weeks at the Charles Schwab Challenge and The Memorial. A tie for 56th at the U.S. Open was sandwiched between those starts, although Straka made an incredible hole-in-one on Friday at Pinehurst No. 2.
He most recently played at the Travelers Championship, tying for 23rd. Yet, he has not won since triumphing at this event last year.
Straka felt his putter cooperated better a year ago, so perhaps TPC Deere Run will boost his momentum. He is currently 90th in strokes gained putting, 30 spots worse than where he finished last year in this metric.
“I made pretty good changes and am trending with the putter nicely,” he said.
“I think that’s helped. I’ve been hitting the ball well, hitting a lot of fairways, and giving myself a lot of opportunities. It’s been nice to have a lot of good events in the summer months. This is kind of the time you want to be playing well.”
Last year, the Austrian was the last player in the Tour Championship field.
Straka now sits 17th in the FedEx Cup standings this time around and is 24th in the world. The 31-year-old is trying to return to Atlanta and keep his hot streak going.
To get to Atlanta, a player must finish inside the Top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings. Straka is safely in right now, but playing well could help him out even more. The PGA Tour staggers the starting scores in Atlanta. First place starts at 10-under. Second place is at 8-under, third sits at 7-under, fourth is 6-under, and fifth is 5-under.
Players ranked 6-10th will begin the tournament at 4-under. Those ranked 11-15th start a 3-under, a 2-under start goes to the players ranked 16-20th, the 21-25th players are at 1-under, and the final four players start at even par.
If the Tour Championship started next week, Straka would start at 2-under, so if he played well in the next few weeks, he could earn a better starting score.
“You always want to finish the year in Atlanta,” Straka said.
“Don’t want to miss out on the last tournament. I feel like the last couple of months, I’ve given myself a pretty good chance to get there. Few more tournaments left, one major, and then the points ramp up for the playoffs. There is a lot of movement this late in the season, and if you can play, it’s really nice to be in Memphis in a good position.”
Straka will attempt to become the first repeat champion at the John Deere Classic since Steve Stricker won three in a row from 2009 to 2011.
He is paired with 2021 John Deere Classic winner Lucas Glover and 2015 PGA Championship winner Jason Day on Thursday and Friday. They tee off at 1:49 p.m. ET for Round 1 and 8:29 a.m. ET for the second round.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
July 4th week is here, and the golf brands brought the heat with the Red, White and Blue equipment.
TaylorMade, Callaway, PING and Srixon all have some patriotic equipment. From stars and stripes balls to putter and driver head covers, these brands did not miss
Let’s examine each brand to see what kind of American-themed equipment they offer on the market.
TaylorMade is first. The brand debuted its “Frozen Fireworks” headcovers. With red and blue treats on top, they scream summer. The black mallet style really makes the red, white, and blue colors pop.
For the blade putters, the only way to describe the red is American. Both have fireworks on them, which is a fun cover to have in the summer months.
Ignite those celebrations on the greens.
The Frozen Fireworks headcovers feature those tasty treats you eat under the bright lights, and are available exclusively online now.
The brand also released its new Tour Response stripe balls and the TP5 and TP5x balls with the American flag. The Tour Response’s regular stripe is red, white and blue with stars.
TaylorMade’s flag balls have the stars and stripes stamped all over. It is another way to be extra patriotic this summer.
Callaway took a different approach and gave their consumers hot dog balls. The Chrome Tour balls have logos for hot dogs, ketchup, mustard, relish, and onion. These are limited edition packs, but they come with four different sleeves, so all the options are there.
Hot dogs are a summer staple, making Callaway’s choice even better. Who does not like a good hot dog on a summer evening with the works?
PING put together a traditional driver head cover that could work year-round. The red and blue pom pom on the knitted cover is a classic move. Plus, the American flag stamp is a great patriotic option. The blue bottom with the stars and stripes pulls it all together.
It is not too flashy or in your face, but a simple way to be patriotic this summer.
Fourth of July favorites are on display at the PING Shop. Take a closer look at the Patriot Collection to sport the red, white and blue all year long.
Srixon put out a limited edition Z-Star Diamond golf ball with red, white and blue on it with the stars. It has a clean look and is another easy way to show patriotism.
The golf brands chose to be extra patriotic this year, and while July 4th is already here, these are still a great summer choice.
Which is your favorite Red, White and Blue moment? Let us know!
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.
Today’s topic is tee markers!
With the John Deere Classic this week, we wanted to look at some of the best tee markers on the PGA Tour.
Various tournament sponsors get so creative with their materials. From paint cans at the Valspar Championship to the little Waste Management dump trucks at the WM Phoenix Open, the creativity just flows.
Earlier this year, the RBC Canadian Open put itself on the list for its rink hole tee markers — goalie helmets.
There are iconic markers like the U.S. Open and other USGA events, but we wanted to do the more unique options for this article. The traditional ones are just as nice, but creativity goes a long way in this instance.
There are plenty of options, but these are the tee markers we consider to be the greatest on the PGA Tour.
The Greatest PGA Tour Tee Markers
Sanderson Farms Championship
Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
Sanderson Farms Championship uses little chickens as tee markers. However, it’s also a way for the title sponsor to engage with the community. Patients at Friends of Children’s Hospital paint the chickens that sit atop the white Sanderson Farms boxes on each hole.
Valspar Championship
Of course, Valspar is a paint company, so using paint cans as tee markers is on-brand for them. People immediately know the title sponsor because of this, too. We still want to know if paint is in these cans—can someone get this answer for us?
RBC Canadian Open — The Rink Hole
Each year, the RBC Canadian Open changes up “The Rink” hole, but it is one of the most unique things on the PGA Tour. From referee volunteers to the goalie helmet tee markers, it is the most Canadian thing at the Canadian Open. This year, the tournament added an organist to add even more of a facade to the lore.
Wells Fargo Championship
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Another iconic tee marker is the Wells Fargo stagecoaches. These were used at the Wells Fargo Championship, but now the tournament opts for the box one with the logo.
Regardless, it’s another excellent marker that is so on-brand.
John Deere Classic
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Lastly, the John Deere Classic’s tee markers are truly iconic. The little tractors and various equipment are so creative and fun. John Deere understands its brand, and these tee markers prove it.
This handful of tee markers are just some of the best ones in professional golf. Which pro event has your favorite tee markers? Sound off in the comments below!
ICYMI: Top stories across professional golf
Check out these stories:
Can Jordan Spieth shake off frustrations and win again at John Deere Classic?
Justin Rose qualifies for The Open; see who else made it to Royal Troon
LIV Golf’s Sergio Garcia falls short of The Open, frustrated by slow play warning
Rocket Mortgage Classic gives CBS Sports highest rated non-major/Signature Event of 2024
Solheim Cup: It’s official Lilia Vu easily secures spot on Team USA with World No. 1 Nelly Korda
Rocket Mortgage Classic gives CBS Sports highest rated non-major/Signature Event of 2024
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Englishman Justin Rose will head back to The Open Championship at Royal Troon after carding an 8-under 134 at Burnham and Berrow—one of the four qualifying sites scattered across the British Isles.
It will mark Rose’s 19th appearance in golf’s oldest major, with his best finish coming in 2018, when he tied for second at Carnoustie. The 2013 U.S. Open winner also played at Royal Troon in 2016, tying for 22nd.
“Sometimes you take it for granted—you’re exempt, you turn up and play for many years, but as you get older, things get a little harder, so in some ways, it’s good to have to qualify because it makes you appreciate The Open a little more and how special it is,” Rose said after.
“Coming back to Burnham and Berrow was also special—first time back here since 1997. I was grateful to be back here and walk down memory lane.”
Rose played spectacularly, tying fellow Englishman Dominic Clemmons—an amateur—atop the leaderboard. Mexican Abraham Ancer and Swede Charlie Lindh will join these two players in The Open from Southwest England.
The four players who qualified from Burnham and Berrow, from left to right: Dominic Clemons, Abraham Ancer, Charlie Lindh, and Justin Rose.Photo by Luke Walker/R&A via Getty Images
Ancer, Lindh, and Indian Anirban Lahiri finished at 5-under, putting this trio in a 3-for-2 playoff to determine who would go to Royal Troon. But Lahiri failed to make par on the first extra hole, while the other two managed to do so, thus ending Lahiri’s bid of returning to The Open.
Miracles at Dundonald Links
Amateur Jack MacDonald, who grew up minutes from Royal Troon, drained a 25-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole to clinch a spot in the 152nd Open field. He defeated Swede Tim Widing, who has a pair of wins on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, and fellow Scotsman Daniel Young.
But that was not the only magic produced at Dundonald on Tuesday.
Ángel Hidalgo, who hails from Spain and has never played in a major championship, drained a 120-yard wedge shot for an eagle two on the par-4 9th—his final hole of the day—to leap up to 5-under overall and book a ticket to Troon. Talk about clutch.
At 26 years old, Hidalgo has never won on the DP World Tour, but he does have one victory to his name on the Challenge Tour—the European equivalent of the Korn Ferry Tour.
“I’m still shaking,” Hidalgo said of his miraculous shot.
Ángel Hidalgo reacts to his miraculous final shot that got him into the 152nd Open.Photo by Mark Runnacles/R&A via Getty Images
“The second shot was perfect distance. It was the first time all day I had a full club and at that type of moment. With nerves I prefer to have a full club. I didn’t see the ball go in but to be honest I don’t care. I just jumped and cried with my caddie, and we deserve it. We fight a lot. All this year we’ve not really had any luck so for it to finally take place in The Open would be a really good gift.”
Meanwhile, Englishman Sam Hutsby did not need any late miracles. He earned medalist honors at Dundonald thanks to a brilliant 8-under 136 over 36 holes. Hutsby finished three clear of Hidalgo and Irish amateur Liam Nolan, who hails from Galway on Ireland’s west coast. It will mark Hutsby and Nolan’s first major appearance.
“It’s hard to process the fact that I’m going to The Open,” Nolan said.
“I’m looking forward to everything: the crowds, it being in Scotland, the Home of Golf, and, yeah, I just can’t wait to go.”
Playoff at Royal Cinque Ports
Matthew Southgate set the pace and won medalist honors in Southeast England, fighting back tears after he made it to Royal Troon. But Royal Cinque Ports saw plenty of other drama unfold on Tuesday.
Australian Elvis Smylie and Spanish amateur Jaime Montojo finished at 3-under par, thus booking tickets to Ayrshire. But this serves as a full-circle moment for Smylie, the left-hander from the Gold Coast.
“Just saying that I’ve qualified for The Open gives me goosebumps,” Smylie said.
Elvis Smylie poses with an Open flag after making it to Royal Troon.Photo by Tom Dulat/R&A via Getty Images
“The last time I went to The Open was at Royal Troon in 2016, when I was 14 years old. Going there as a spectator eight years ago and now going back as a competitor—I don’t know what to say. I just can’t wait for the experience. I’ve already FaceTimed my dad, who’s back in Australia, and he said he will book a flight over. My mum is already over here commentating on Wimbledon, so everyone will come and watch me at Troon. I’m very excited.”
Both Smylie and Montojo will make their major debuts at Royal Troon.
A playoff between LIV Golf’s Branden Grace—the first man to shoot a 62 in a major championship—Jamie Rutherford and Spanish amateur Luis Masaveu determined the final spot from Royal Cinque Ports.
Masaveu won with a birdie on the second extra hole, becoming the 16th amateur to clinch a spot in this year’s Open field.
Nevertheless, a notable name did not qualify from Royal Cinque Ports: 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. Thomas Detry also failed to finish among the top four.
West Lanchasire sends three Englishmen to Royal Troon
Sergio Garcia headlined the field at West Lancashire, and for the second year in a row, the 2017 Masters champion came up short. He will not make his 100th major championship start; he will do so at Augusta National next April instead.
So, with Garcia not making the cut, West Lanchasire saw two Englishmen finish atop the leaderboard instead: Sam Horsfield of LIV Golf and amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry.
Horsfield and Dodd-Berry finished at 6-under par.
“It’s the greatest moment of my career and everything that I’ve been working towards, even though I should have probably done it a year earlier and played at Royal Liverpool,” Dodd-Berry said.
From left to right: Sam Horsfield, Matthew Dodd-Berry, Daniel Brown, and Masahiro Kawamura pose during Final Qualifying for The Open at West Lancashire.Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A via Getty Images
“I’m really excited to get to Troon.”
Horsfield is also eager to head to Ayrshire for the 152nd Open.
“I always say to everyone that The Open is my favorite major,” Horsfield said.
“I’d never had that feeling before, the one when they call your name on the first tee—that was the coolest experience. I’m really looking forward to getting back and hopefully continuing to play well. These are the stages you want to play on.”
Englishman Daniel Brown and Japan’s Misahiro Kawamura finished their 36 holes one stroke behind Horsfield and Dodd-Berry at 5-under, thus rounding out the four spots awarded at West Lancashire.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Luke Clanton played phenomenally, finishing tied for 10th at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. The Florida State golfer is back on the PGA Tour for the second consecutive event as he is in the field for the John Deere Classic.
Heading into the final day of play, Clanton sat two strokes off the lead. Many felt he could join Nick Dunlap and become the second amateur golfer in six months to win a PGA Tour event. Instead, he shot an even-par 72 on Sunday.
Despite that level of success against PGA Tour players, the rising junior is not worried about professional golf just yet.
“I want to win a national championship with the team,” Clanton said ahead of the John Deere Classic.
“That’s been my number one goal in college, and we came pretty close this year. All of us back home are very driven this year to do it. Again, I think whatever happens happens. I’m still 20 years old. I’m still learning the ropes as much as I can. I’m going to do what I do.”
Clanton finished as the second-lowest amateur to Neal Shipley at Pinehurst in the U.S. Open and kept the momentum going in Detroit with a 14-under total score. His driver was his best club, as he was No. 2 in strokes gained off the tee at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Clanton is a rising junior at Florida State University and helped the Seminoles get to the national title match against Auburn. He fell 2 & 1 in his final match to J.M. Butler.
However, the 20-year-old had one of the most impressive spring runs. He won three consecutive events, was runner-up in the NCAA Individual tournament, recorded 10 top 1s in 14 starts, and finished with the lowest single-season average in FSU history at 69.33.
He likes to keep it simple on the golf course. Regardless of what he has won in his young career, it is all about golf.
“I’m out here to play the best I can. Simple as that,” he said. “If I put four days together and it gets me more accelerated points, awesome. Number one goal is to play as good as I can.”
Even though he could have won over six figures last week, the youngster is determined to finish school. Clanton knows that professional golf will be there when he accomplishes the goals he set for himself in college.
“I would say I’m probably pretty close to where I wanted to be,” Clanton said. “I would say I think I had pretty big goals growing up, a lot of expectations for what I wanted to do. There is one thing I want. I think that’s pretty obvious of course. I think we’re just going to see what happens in the next couple of weeks.”
That goal is not a PGA Tour victory but an individual and team national championship with Florida State.
For the first two rounds of the John Deere Classic, Clanton is paired with Pierceson Coody and Joe Highsmith. They tee off at 2:44 p.m. ET on Thursday and at 9:24 a.m. ET on Friday.
The youngster’s next tournament will be the ISCO Championship in Nicholasville, Kentucky, from July 11 to 14. Clanton received a sponsor’s exemption. It is the opposite field event to the Genesis Scottish Open. He will also play in the 3M Open on an exemption at the end of July.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Akshay Bhatia’s three-putt on the 72nd hole, which left Cameron Davis as the only man standing at 18-under-par, and thus the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic champion, helped give CBS Sports a nice ratings bump.
The network drew an average of 2.472 million viewers for Sunday’s final round at the Detroit Golf Club, a one-percent increase from last year when Rickie Fowler bested Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin in a playoff. Fowler’s win garnered plenty of attention, as he has quite an impressive following among PGA Tour fans. It also marked Fowler’s first PGA Tour victory since 2019. With that said, inclement weather forced the tour to begin the final round early a year ago, leading CBS to air a tape delay in the afternoon, which negatively affected ratings.
Weather had an impact on this year’s tournament, too, mainly during Saturday’s third round.
Yet, luckily for the network, Mother Nature did not create any issues or delays on Sunday, thus leading CBS to yield the highest-rated non-major/Signature Event of the 2024 season, per Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal.
Cameron Davis poses with the trophy after winning the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic.Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
With Bhatia and Davis coming down the stretch, the broadcast peaked with more than 4 million viewers—4.028 million to be exact—during the 6:00 to 6:17 p.m. ET window, per a CBS Sports spokesperson. That’s an impressive figure, considering many of the game’s top players did not compete last week in Detroit.
Similar sentiments can be said about this week’s John Deere Classic, as Jordan Spieth headlines the field. CBS will air live third and final round coverage from the Quad Cities this week.
It will also televise next week’s Genesis Scottish Open live from the Renaissance Club in Scotland.
CBS Sports will then wrap up its 2024 golf season with two more events, which bookend the Summer Olympics in Paris: the 3M Open at the end of July and the Wyndham Championship in August. NBC Sports has the rights to broadcast the FedEx Cup Playoffs this year.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25516449/1386500788.jpg "John Deere Classic reminds fans of the greatest PGA Tour tee markers john,deere,classic,reminds,fans,of,the,greatest,pga,tour,tee,markers,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25516466/1146494868.jpg "John Deere Classic reminds fans of the greatest PGA Tour tee markers john,deere,classic,reminds,fans,of,the,greatest,pga,tour,tee,markers,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25516472/1522570804.jpg "John Deere Classic reminds fans of the greatest PGA Tour tee markers john,deere,classic,reminds,fans,of,the,greatest,pga,tour,tee,markers,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25516013/2159726010.jpg "The Open: Justin Rose headlines 16 players who made it to Troon the,open,justin,rose,headlines,players,who,made,it,to,troon,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-dp-world-tour,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25516039/2159728538.jpg "The Open: Justin Rose headlines 16 players who made it to Troon the,open,justin,rose,headlines,players,who,made,it,to,troon,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-dp-world-tour,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25516035/2160305076.jpg "The Open: Justin Rose headlines 16 players who made it to Troon the,open,justin,rose,headlines,players,who,made,it,to,troon,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-dp-world-tour,liv-golf")
