Forty-one-year-old Nate Lashley, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2019, started this year’s tournament with a bang.
He aced his second hole of the day, the par-3 11th, which measures 217 yards and is typically known as one of the more difficult holes at Detroit Golf Club. It also marked the first hole-in-one of his PGA Tour career.
“It was one of those shots, just a little right of the pin. I hoped it would carry the bunker, but it must have just taken a perfect bounce and gone in the hole,” Lashley said after his 2-under 70 on Thursday.
“Pretty decent shot, but also a lot of luck involved there.”
Lashley pushed his 4-iron a tad, but it caught the side-hill perfectly and rolled right into the hole. After his round, the former Arizona Wildcat revealed that he had previously posted an ace in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He also said he had a hole-in-one on Pebble Beach’s 7th hole, perhaps the most famous par-3 in the world, during an AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am practice round three years ago. Lashley said he had 11 holes-in-one before Thursday’s ace, marking his first during a PGA Tour competition.
“Something I’ll always remember,” Lashley added.
“This golf course has a lot of memories, so just another one right there. Having a hole-in-one, being my first on Tour will be another fun thing for me here in Detroit.”
The highlight of Lashley’s career came at Detroit Golf Club in 2019, when he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in wire-to-wire fashion. He opened with a 9-under 63 that year and never looked back, winning his first PGA Tour event by six strokes.
He has not won another PGA Tour title since, but he did tie for third at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this season. His next best finish came at The Players Championship, where he tied for 13th. On the flip side, Lashley has missed nine cuts in 15 events he has played, as he has made plenty of bogeys this season.
More bogies followed after his ace on Thursday.
“A little disappointed with my round today, a lot of bogeys really,” Lashley said.
“I hit it okay, missed a few fairways, and got in some bad spots, but can’t make five bogeys around this golf course. It’s a lot of birdies out there, so hopefully something to improve on [Friday].”
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.
The biggest event on the cycling calendar, and one of the most noteworthy sporting events in the world, is upon us: the 2024 Tour de France will start this weekend.
The 111th edition of the race will be kicked off in the Italian city of Florence on Saturday, June 29. A total of 21 stages and 2,170 miles will take riders to Nice on the French Riviera.
This year’s Tour projects to be as memorable a Grande Boucle as any in recent history. Look no further than a star-studded start list that includes some of the biggest names in the sport — including the so-called “big four” of Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel going at each other for the first time ever.
So, who will come out on top? That is anybody’s guess at this point in time, but here is our overview of who to keep an eye on over the next three weeks.
The phenomenon
Given what has transpired so far this season, there is one out-and-out favorite for this race. It’s none other than the best rider of his generation.
1. Tadej Pogačar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates: A two-time Tour de France winner already, the 25-year-old wunderkind is in the middle of what could end up being a historic season. His 2024 palmarès so far includes some dominant victories, including at the Giro d’Italia in May. Will he show any signs of fatigue after beating his competition by almost 10 minutes in the first grand tour of the season? Or was it just a three-week appetizer for what lies ahead? For what it’s worth, Pogačar himself — who changed his training regimen and personal coach since the last Tour de France — seems to think his best is yet to come. A scary thought.
The defending champion
One big reason why Pogačar is the favorite is that his main rival of the last three editions of the Tour de France was involved in a devastating crash in early April. Nonetheless, you can never count another two-time champion out either.
2. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN), Visma | Lease a Bike: Vingegaard was able to beat Pogačar in back-to-back years, and at a full 100 percent should be able to challenge the Slovenian megastar yet again. The question is: will he be at a 100 percent? The Dane suffered a punctured lung as well as rib and collarbone fractures at the Tour of Basque Country less than three months ago, and hasn’t raced since. His form is a mystery, and something his rivals might want to try to exploit early on in the Tour. If the 27-year-old is able to keep things close heading into the final week, however, his superb climbing abilities might put him right back into the conversation after all.
The uncertain stars
The last three years in particular were the Pogačar and Vingegaard show, and when at their best they are a clear step above the rest of the peloton as far as stage racing is concerned. However, two other riders are actually within striking distance themselves — even though they crashed alongside Vingegaard in April.
3. Primož Roglič (SLO), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe: Vingegaard’s former teammate still has some unfinished business in France after narrowly losing the 2020 Tour to his compatriot Pogačar and failing to finish the race in both 2021 and 2022. At age 34, however, time is running out for the ex-ski jumper. Despite being on the older side compared to his closest rivals, Roglič is still a world-class rider — something he showed in the lead-up to the Tour de France when he won the Critérium du Dauphiné, despite a serious wobble on the final stage.
4. Remco Evenepoel (BEL), Soudal Quick-Step: Evenepoel was among the riders beaten by Roglič at the Dauphiné, but he appeared to focus more on his own build-up toward the Tour de France rather than the result in that particular race. Considering that he too crashed at Basque Country, this makes sense, but it creates an aura of uncertainty around the Belgian — especially when comparing himself to the Pogačars and Vingegaards of the world in a grand tour setting for the first time. Still, the talented youngster is a realistic podium contender in this race and might even be able to push for the top spot himself due to his time-trialling capabilities.
The outsiders
It would be quite a surprise if the winner wasn’t one of the big four of Pogačar, Vingegaard, Roglič or Evenepoel. That said, anything can happen in a three-week race and teams might be forced to adapt due to crash, crack, or illness. If so, a member of this group might end up on the top step of the podium when all is said and done.
5. Carlos Rodriguez (ESP), Ineos Grenadiers: Rodriguez may lack the star power of the top-ranked riders on this list, but he is no slouch either. He finished second, first, and fourth in his last three stage races this season, and was fifth in the Tour last year. With a strong Ineos Grenadiers team supporting him, he could jump onto the podium in 2024 in case the big four show some weakness.
6. Adam Yates (UK), UAE Team Emirates: Fresh off a win at the Tour de Suisse, Yates will serve as Pogačar’s right-hand man and top lieutenant the next three weeks. He is a quality general classification racer in his own right, however, and finished third behind his captain and Jonas Vingegaard in 2023. Another podium result is not out of the realm of possibility even with a support role as his primary job.
7. Matteo Jorgenson (USA), Visma | Lease a Bike: With Vingegaard’s form best classified as “TBD” and with fellow American Sepp Kuss scratched from the Visma | Lease a Bike start list due to medical reasons, the 24-year-old Jorgenson might be part backup leader, part super domestique starting off the race. Regardless of his role, he is more than capable of a top-three finish considering how his season has been going so far: he won Paris-Nice in March, and finished only 8 seconds down to Roglič at the Dauphiné earlier this month.
8. Juan Ayuso (ESP), UAE Team Emirates: Ayuso would be a leader on most teams, but being on the one headlined by Tadej Pogačar means he too will have to work for the big boss. That doesn’t mean he will not compete for a general classification spot as well, and be kept close to the race lead as a possible break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option.
9. Egan Bernal (COL), Ineos Grenadiers: One of four former Tour de France champions to start this year’s race alongside Pogačar, Vingegaard, and Ineos Grenadiers teammate Geraint Thomas, Bernal is in the middle of a good season. He has yet to win, yes, but for the first time since a career-altering crash in 2022 is competing at a top level again. A podium finish might still be out of reach, especially with Carlos Rodriguez ahead of him in the pecking order, but stranger things have happened.
10. João Almeida (POR), UAE Team Emirates: Almeida has finished in the top-10 in 13 of his 15 career stage races, including as No. 2 at the Tour de Suisse earlier this month. He is still only the fourth favorite among a stacked UAE squad, but similar to his teammate Ayuso might be kept in the running for as long as possible especially after showing some promising form in Switzerland.
11. Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS), Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe: Vlasov was Primož Roglič’s top helper at the Dauphine, and himself riding a good race to finish sixth overall. It was his fourth top-10 result in a stage race this year, and he could end up making some noise at the Tour de France as well if allowed to go for his own result on top of helping protect Roglič.
The best of the rest
Despite a clear hierarchy to the list of favorites, general classification ambitions will not end with the names above. In fact, plenty of riders will consider a top-10 result as a success and could even have their eyes on the podium under the right — or wrong, depending on how you look at it — circumstances.
That being said, the chances of somebody like Felix Gall, Tom Pidcock, Geraint Thomas, Enric Mas, Jai Hindley, Mikel Landa, Simon Yates, or Derek Gee winning or even podiuming this year’s Tour de France are fairly low. That does not mean they won’t play their part in making the race exciting, but they have not shown they can consistently challenge the top dogs.
Two months ago, 15-year-old Miles Russell set an incredible record, becoming the youngest player to make a cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He eventually finished in a tie for 20th at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, which earned him a spot in next week’s tournament.
He missed the cut despite posting a 4-under par score through 36 holes. But Russell made a lasting impression—so much so that the Rocket Mortgage Classic offered him a sponsor’s exemption to compete in this week’s event at the Detroit Golf Club.
“I was pretty much speechless at the time,” Russell said when he received the call that he would make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
“It’s always been a dream to play at the highest level and compete with the best players in the world, and I get to do that this week. I am really looking forward to it.”
Russell has quite a resume. He broke par for the first time at the age of six and then finished second in the Drive, Chip, and Putt finals at Augusta National in 2018 at nine years old.
Since then, Russell has racked up numerous junior titles. He won the Junior PGA Championship last August by seven strokes and then added a Junior Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass, where he won by three. As such, Russell won the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Player of the Year Award, becoming the youngest player ever to do so—besting Tiger Woods in the process. Speaking of Woods, Russell will join Charlie Woods at next month’s U.S. Junior Amateur, which will also take place in Michigan at Oakland Hills Country Club.
“I don’t know how to describe it other than just a rollercoaster, and it’s just been a rollercoaster of just fun,” Russell said.
“It all happened a little faster than I thought it might, but it’s just what happens when you have good play.”
Russell will undoubtedly continue to have fun this week at Detroit Golf Club, the host of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, regardless of the result. He said he will have to rely on his short game—his strong suit—to get around this tight golf course, but he also noted that staying disciplined will be critical.
“My goal is just to come out here and have fun,” Russell said.
“That’s my main goal: have fun, maybe learn something, and take something to my next event.”
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.
Travis Kelce joining Taylor Swift on stage during her run of London shows for The Eras Tour made for an incredible NFL-related moment this week.
But it is not the only NFL-related moment the London portion of The Eras Tour has provided.
Joining Travis in London for these run of shows is his brother Jason, and Jason’s partner Kylie. The recently-retired NFL center has been spotted showing off his own armful of friendship bracelets, and waving to fans while walking back to their spot for the show while holding some … we’ll go with refreshments.
But this moment making the rounds on social media Tuesday certainly tops those. Watch as Jason comes across a young fan wearing one of the center’s throwback Philadelphia Eagles’ jerseys. Jason introduces himself to the young fan, leaving them bewildered and almost overwhelmed:
The young fan is left speechless as Jason surprises him.
Shortly thereafter, the photographs made it to social media as well:
The perfect NFL-related content to get us through to training camp.
The eighth and final PGA Tour Signature Event is an all-out birdie fest at the Travelers Championship. In the second round, there were 297 birdies and 10 eagles made.
TPC River Highlands has ideal conditions and a field of golfers itching to go low.
This is one of the five no-cut tournaments, and some of the world’s top-ranked golfers are taking advantage of it.
The U.S. Open and Memorial Tournament challenged the best players, so seeing the shortest track on the PGA Tour schedule seems welcomed among the 70 players in the field.
There were 30 players at 67 or better, and only 13 scores over par on Friday.
Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre posted the lowest scores of the day, signing for 8-under 62.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Collin Morikawa fired off a bogey-free 7-under 63. He went out in 29 strokes with six birdies. The two-time major winner added his seventh birdie at the 16th.
“It’s been steady. I haven’t made too many errors, and when I have missed greens, I’ve been able to have stress-free pars and good looks for pars, at least,” Morikawa said. “Shots are going where I want. [I’m] putting the ball in the fairway, and that’s key out here, especially with some nasty rough. Just got to continue that for the next two.”
Tom Hoge and Justin Thomas also shot 7-under 63s. Five guys signed for 6-under 64, including Scottie Scheffler, Sungjae Im and Michael Thorbjorsen, who made his PGA Tour debut this week.
The birthday boy and leader by two shots, Tom Kim, followed his Thursday 62 with a 5-under 65.
Joining Kim with a 65 on Friday are Akshay Bhatia, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Brendon Todd, Matthieu Pavon, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Chris Gotterup. Friday’s 65 marked Schauffele’s second straight round of 65.
Cameron Young carded a 4-under 66 to sit at 2-under total. Eleven different players finished Friday’s round with a 3-under 67.
The field made 32 more birdies and three more eagles in round two of the Travelers Championship. A rain delay halted play, but the entire field finished before darkness took over. Could the course play easier now that it has gotten some moisture on it?
If scores continue, the 54-hole and 72-hole records that Keegan Bradley set last year could be in jeopardy. How low will the final score be on Sunday? Sound off in the comments below.
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.
This past Monday, the International Golf Federation released the golfers who will represent their home countries at the 2024 Olympics in Paris later this summer. That list includes seven LIV Golf players who will represent their nations.
Then, on Thursday, ahead of the LIV Golf Nashville event, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, and Dean Burmester—all South African players—detailed what it felt like not to make the South African Olympic team. PGA Tour players Erik van Rooyen and Christiaan Bezuidenhout will represent the country instead.
Grace felt strongly that the Olympic committee got it wrong.
“These are the two guys [Burmester and Oosthuizen] that should be representing South Africa this year,” Grace said ahead of the Nashville tournament.
“I think that’s maybe a good call for each country to pick or try to get their own solution on how they get the criteria right for guys to qualify. But the system at this stage is not very accurate. We all know that. We all talk about it, week in and week out, but these should be the two guys probably representing South Africa.”
Burmester won his first LIV Golf title in Miami earlier this year. Not to mention, he has three other top-10 finishes. The worst performance came at LIV Las Vegas, but for the most part, he has played well.
At the two major championships, Burmester tied for 12th at the PGA Championship. He then captured 69th place at the U.S. Open last week.
Oosthuizen, meanwhile, has two runner-up finishes this year at LIV Adelaide and LIV Jeddah. Two more top-10s followed suit at Mayakoba and Miami. While he has been successful, the Olympics are not high on his radar.
“I grew up with the four majors being your main events, and I don’t really see the fit of professional golfers playing golf in the Olympics,” Oosthuizen said.
“I had the opportunity to go to one of the Olympics and pulled out at the end. It was more getting scheduling-wise getting everything—I think it was close to a major, and that was my main focus always, majors, so the Olympics didn’t fit into my schedule that year.”
Oothusizen represented his country at the World Cup and in the Presidents Cup before, so missing the Olympics is not a big deal to him. Regardless of tour affiliation, he wished the two participants good luck.
“I hope the boys play well and that they perform well, and it’s still going to be a strong South African team playing,” Oosthuizen said.
Burmester followed suit, praising van Rooyen and Bezuidenhout for their performances. Van Rooyen has one runner-up finish, three top 10s, and seven top 25s. As for Bezuidenhout, he has second place at the American Express. He also has three top 10s and nine top 25s. Bezuidenhout was solo fourth at The Memorial in one of his most recent starts.
“Christiaan and Erik are going to do South Africa proud, and they’ve also played some great golf in their own right,” Burmester said.
“I think Louis and I look like Olympians, first of all,” Burmester said. “It would be an honor to go to the Olympics and represent your country. I think it’s the field we have, and those two guys are going to have that opportunity, so it’s super special, and we can only wish them well.”
Taking the high road and wishing two of their fellow South Africans luck in Paris is the proper way to handle it. While they did not get chosen to play in the Olympics, it seems they understand why.
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.
CROMWELL, Conn. — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan met with the media at TPC River Highlands on Wednesday and revealed that the Travelers Championship will receive Signature Event status again in 2025.
These tournaments feature elevated purses and limited field sizes, hovering around 70 players. This year’s Travelers Championship marks the eighth and final Signature Event of the 2024 season.
“This event will be a Signature Event in 2025,” Monahan said. “This is the 18th year with Travelers, and we have an agreement; they’re in a 10-year agreement through 2030.”
Travelers first sponsored this tournament in 2007, when Hunter Mahan won his first event on the PGA Tour. Since then, it has become a fan favorite among tour pros, who cite the golf course and hospitality as reasons why.
“It’s good to be back. I feel like this is always a fun tournament to come play,” said World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler on Wednesday.
Scottie Scheffler smiles ahead of the 2024 Travelers Championship.Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
“The community really rallies around the tournament. The fans are always tremendous. The golf course is typically always in great shape. The clubhouse. The way the tournament treats us as players is always tremendous. So it’s a very easy, fun week for us to come play, and glad to be back here.”
Caddies even receive courtesy cars this week, a rarity on the PGA Tour. But that’s not all. The top players on the PGA Tour receive plenty of other amenities.
“They do such an amazing job for us, our caddies, and our support team,” added Xander Schauffele.
“If you look at the range, it’s got the little umbrellas, we have a coffee stand, a lounging area, there’s the green truck there with the pizza. So it’s such a relaxing week coming after the U.S. Open and I think all of us really appreciate that.”
With this in mind, the Signature Event model—new for 2024—has drawn plenty of criticism. In March, Lucas Glover called these tournaments a “money grab,” adding that he “doesn’t like the idea at all.”
“Why do the signature events have [a maximum of] 80 players, and only 50 make the cut? Our biggest signature event next week is 144 players with a full cut. The signature event,” Glover said in March, referencing The Players Championship.
“I just don’t see what was so bad out here that we had to do all this. Let’s raise some purses to make sure we keep some guys around, but now we’ve eliminated a lot of playing opportunities for some really good players.”
Monahan recognizes this too, as many players, such as Min Woo Lee, who has had a strong 2024 season, did not qualify for the Travelers this week, even though Rory McIlroy withdrew.
“Nothing’s perfect, nothing ever is, but when you look at where we are today and as we shared with our board [on Tuesday], we feel like we’re delivering to our fans exactly what we set out to do, and that is to get our top players competing together more often, and to create the most competitive schedule we can possibly create,” Monahan said about the Signature Events.
Jay Monahan during the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open.Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images
“When you look at our full-field events, and you look at the strength of the field, whether it’s top 50 or top 125, our strength of the field at full-field events is up 35 percent.”
The Signature Events have undoubtedly provided opportunities for the best players to compete against one another. Look no further than who has won the seven Signature Events this season: Scheffler has won three. Wyndham Clark triumphed at Pebble Beach with a record-breaking 60. Hideki Matsuyama shot 61 at Riviera to come from behind and steal the Genesis Invitational, and then Rory McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship. Chris Kirk also won The Sentry, the first tournament of the year. That’s a pretty strong whos-who of the PGA Tour.
Plus, these wins came against very strong fields. The top 50 players from last year’s FedEx Cup standings gained entry into each of these tournaments in 2024. Then, the PGA Tour established the Aon Next 10 and Aon Swing 5 to help round out these limited-field events. Whoever wins an event on the PGA Tour in 2024 also gains entry, while each tournament has sponsor exemptions they use to round out the field. Those exemptions have been greatly scrutinized, as PGA Tour Policy Board members seem to take a fair share of those. Look no further than Webb Simpson, who again received an exemption to play this week.
Nevertheless, this tournament always delivers. Players typically go low on this golf course, as TPC River Highlands, the shortest course on tour, yields plenty of birdies. It also produces great drama, as the tournament has had six playoffs since 2007. One stroke has decided the result six other times, too.
So, considering all of this, it makes sense for the tour to make the Travelers Championship a Signature Event in 2025, despite some of the criticism the overall model has received.
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.
CROMWELL, Conn. — Who knows when the PGA Tour will strike an agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), LIV Golf’s beneficiary. But one thing is certain: no deal will be made during this week’s Travelers Championship.
Speaking to reporters at TPC River Highlands, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan provided an update on negotiations without revealing anything the golfing world did not already know. He also shut down any rumors about a pending deal.
“There’s been a lot of news around our ongoing discussions with the PIF, Monahan said.
“I’m not going to negotiate in public, and I know [everyone is] eager to know more, but I will go back to the meeting that we had two Fridays ago in New York, where our entire Transaction Committee, including Tiger Woods and Adam Scott being in person and Rory [McIlroy] dialing in from the Memorial Tournament, alongside Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the Governor of the PIF and representatives of the PIF. It was a very productive discussion. As we’ve said, progress was made and we continue to be in regular dialog. I had a 10 o’clock call [Wednesday] morning with the PIF, and we’re doing that multiple times a week.”
Jay Monahan speaks at the 2024 Memorial Tournament.Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images
At least talks with the PIF have taken place, which did not appear to be the case before the Players Championship in March.
“I would say to you that there were a lot of important aspects that we talked about in that meeting [in New York], aspects that will be important towards a final agreement that we got consensus on, and there are a number of areas that we recognize that we weren’t going to, but identified them, and that’s what we’re focused on, and that’s what we’re working on,” Monahan continued.
“So, my outlook for those discussions continues to be very positive.”
The negotiations between the PGA Tour and the PIF were further complicated by the addition of the tour’s new investor, the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), in February.
Before the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Monahan and the tour announced that SSG—a consortium of sports owners from around the country—agreed to invest $1.5 billion in the tour. This investment will give the tour much-needed capital amid rising costs, thanks in part to LIV Golf’s rise to prominence.
Of course, the PIF has over $700 billion in assets and has reportedly invested north of $1 billion into the PGA Tour’s rival circuit.
Nevertheless, SSG helped the tour establish an equity program for players, meaning top tour members will have massive stakes in its newly formed entity, PGA Tour Enterprises.
“All I can say is that when you have the likes of John Henry and Arthur Blank, Sam Kennedy, Andy Cohen, Joe Gorder, a lot of people that—some people are new to our sport, but have massive experience in sport and in the corporate world. When they say that this is one of the most complex scenarios that they have ever seen, I think that says a lot,” Monahan added.
“As it relates to whether or not the complexity is being underestimated, I think it’s only fair to say that unless you have a full context for everything that’s being discussed, it would be unreasonable for anyone to think that you would fully understand the complexity. There are a lot of different factors at play, but nobody who is having the conversation is unaware of the complexity, and everyone, I think, is embracing the fact that there are things, obstacles, and things you have to overcome in a complex situation. We have the right people around the table for us, and they do as well.”
Monahan provided one large word salad to reporters—a salad that continued no juice or any meat. Yet, the commissioner said that all involved are focused on getting to the right outcome, with players and fans in mind.
When that outcome comes about is anyone’s guess.
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.
CROMWELL, Conn. — New England has another PGA Tour pro and his name is Michael Thorbjornsen.
After finishing atop the PGA Tour University rankings, as Ludvig Åberg did in 2023, Thorbjornsen earned his PGA Tour card for the remainder of the 2024 season and all of 2025. But since he hails from Wellesley, Massachusetts, a suburb west of Boston, the Travelers Championship decided to award Thorbjornsen with a sponsor’s exemption, given that this is the only tour event held in New England.
“This is definitely my home, I would say, on the PGA Tour,” Thorbjornsen said in front of the press Wednesday.
“I obviously made my first PGA Tour start here two years ago as an amateur. Love this place. It’s close to home. Love the golf course. Travelers does an amazing job of hosting the players, the caddies, just incredible hospitality and, yeah, I couldn’t ask for a better start.”
Two years ago, before this tournament evolved into a Signature Event, Thorbjornsen finished in solo fourth, four strokes behind winner Xander Schauffele. The former Stanford Cardinal shot all four rounds in the 60s as he sat toward the top of the leaderboard for most of the weekend. That strong performance came one week after the 2022 U.S. Open, where he missed the cut at The Country Club at Brookline—just miles from where he grew up.
He received another invite last year but unfortunately missed the cut. At least a fellow New Englander, Keegan Bradley, emerged victorious.
Michael Thorbjornsen at the 2023 Travelers Championship.Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Thorbjornsen will make his professional debut this year, as he believes his prior experiences as an amateur have helped him immensely.
“Growing up as a kid you always want to be playing at that top stage, playing on the PGA Tour,” Thorbjornsen added.
“It’s definitely a little overwhelming at times, but… the past couple of years, I’ve been exposed to more and more of this, so it’s not too much of a shock to the system. I guess I’m getting used to it. It’s okay, I really don’t mind it at all.”
But now that Thorbjornsen has a bigger opportunity and will be in the limelight more often, he has a chance to influence other young players from the New England area. He is honored to have that opportunity.
“Just because you’re from the northeast and it snows for more than half of a year, that’s no excuse. Just keep working hard, guys,” Thorbjornsen said when asked if he had a message to younger players from New England.
“I just want to set a good example for these kids and inspire them to be the best golfers and best human beings they could possibly be because that’s what the guys ahead of me did for me as well. So, hopefully, one day in 10 years, we’ll have some of these kids out here playing and beating me and winning this tournament.”
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.
Fresh off a solid performance at the U.S. Open, Sam Burns arrives at the Travelers Championship feeling strong about his game, as it is trending in the right direction.
Burns opened the RBC Canadian Open with a 7-under 63 and ultimately tied for 10th. He then tied for 15th at the Memorial, as a 3-over 75 during the second round kept him from threatening Scheffler and others towards the top of the leaderboard. Then, last week at Pinehurst No. 2, Burns closed with a final round 3-under 67, which gave him a back-door top-10 finish.
Yet, the former LSU Tiger did not have that consistency in the weeks prior. Burns missed the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship and did not have his best stuff at Harbour Town. But during that stretch, he and his wife Caroline welcomed a baby boy named Bear on April 22—the same day Scottie Scheffler won the RBC Heritage, which ended with a Monday finish.
His now 8-week-old has kept him busy, and being a new father is never easy. Yet, his son has given him a boost of momentum over the past three weeks.
Now he is back in New England for his fourth tournament in a row, hoping to secure his first PGA Tour title since the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Sam Burns at the 2023 U.S. Open.Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
SB Nation caught up with Burns to talk about his life and his game ahead of this week’s Travelers Championship—the final Signature Event of the season.
One-on-one with Ryder Cup star Sam Burns:
(Editor’s Note: This conversation has been lightly edited and modified for readability and clarity.)
Playing Through: First question for you: how is your son Bear doing?
Sam Burns: He is great; it’s gone by quickly. He is eight weeks old already, but it’s been nice having him out on the road during the last couple of weeks. They’re here again this week, so it’s been really fun.
PT: Nice! That’s great to hear. You and Scottie Scheffler are obviously really good friends, and you have a similar timeline with your children, too.
Burns: Yeah, we’re actually staying in a house together this week. Did so last week at Pinehurst, and then we got home one day after a round last week, and we’re sitting there holding the babies, and we looked at each other and said, “Wow, life has really changed quickly.”
PT: Being on the road as much as you are, how tough is it to be a new father and still try to compete at the highest level?
Burns: I think when you get out here and get to the golf course, it’s truly like any other job. You are focused on what you are trying to do. You obviously miss being at home with them, but at the end of the day, I have a job to do this week. Been coming out here last few days and just prepare the best I can, then when I get home, its time to change diapers and hold the little one. It’s a little bit different than what I used to do, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
PT: What’s the state of your game right now? You played well at the U.S. Open, how are you feeling?
Burns: Yeah, it was nice to play well there on Sunday. I had been playing well there all week, but anytime you can go bogey-free at a U.S. Open is always a nice thing. My game is feeling better. I’ve played well the last three weeks, and I am excited to tee it up this week.
PT: What clicked for you during that final round 3-under 67?
Burns: I putted well. As the golf course continued to get tougher, I think it was important to figure out where you could leave it around the greens. That was the key thing for us, especially on Sunday. It was difficult to get the ball on the greens, so where you ended up and dealing with what you had in front of you was really important. And we were able to do a really good job of that and manage that.
PT: Did you get a chance to watch the crazy finish?
Burns: By the time I got home, I probably saw the last four holes. Yeah, it was pretty wild to see. Excited for Bryson. He obviously played really well all week. But also tough for Rory. For Rory to finish that way, as a competitor and as a player, you don’t wish that upon anybody. But I know he obviously took it pretty tough—as he should of. But he will bounce back.
Sam Burns putts on the 1st green during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
PT: Speaking of Rory McIlroy, he announced that he will next play at the Genesis Scottish Open. Are you going to play before that somewhere?
Burns: No, I’m actually going to take three weeks off after the Travelers, which will be great. (Burns will next play at The Open at Royal Troon, which begins Jul. 18.)
PT: This golf course, at least from my understanding, is a ball-strikers course. You have to be precise. It’s not a bomber’s course, and you must have your short game. So what do you make of TPC River Highlands?
Burns: I think with a couple of the changes that they made—the first time I saw them was on Tuesday—so I think the changes were good. They made the holes better. On 12, they took away being able to hit to the bottom of the fairway, which puts the bunkers more in play. Yeah I think the changes they made were good changes. They made the green on 11 a little bit smaller. So yeah you have to be precise with your irons. You also have to drive it well to set yourself up, but it’s all about getting good looks on the greens.
PT: Commissioner Jay Monahan announced that the Travelers Championship will be another Signature Event in 2025.
Burns: Awesome!
PT: From what we have heard from players, this is one of the favorite stops on tour, correct?
Burns: For sure. I love coming up here every year. Last year, I unfortunately had to miss it for a buddy’s wedding. But I always love coming up here. The fans are incredible, the community supports this event like no other. I also love going to eat some pizza at Sally’s in New Haven. We went there last night, it was awesome. But yes, this is always one of my favorites to come to.
PT: And then the Ryder Cup last year, how cool of an experience was that?
Burns: It was incredible. I wish the result would have been different, but an incredible experience. Going to play in Italy was extremely fun.
Sam Burns squared off against Rory McIlroy in Sunday Singles at the 2023 Ryder Cup.Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images
PT: Is there a lesson or takeaway from Marco Simone that you had and have applied to this year?
Burns: A little bit. I think playing over there is a lot different. I played a President’s Cup in the U.S., but that was a lot different—especially with how it feels. Over there, you expect everyone to root against you and that’s exactly what we felt. But it was really fun.
PT: You are such a great putter. Do you have any advice for amateur players on the putting greens?
Burns: A lot of times, from what I see with amateurs and putting, you know, in the Pro-Ams, they are always asking me to read putts for them and give them a line. But I am thinking, ‘You know I have seen you hit the last three putts, if I read this putt for you, it’s not going to help because you are either going to hit six feet short or six feet long.’ So the biggest thing is the speed. You see a lot of amateurs three and four-putt, mostly due to speed control. I think if you can take even five or 10 minutes before your round or after your round, and spend time hitting 20 footers, that will help. You want to try and get to within that three-foot circle. The make percentage from 20 feet is already pretty low. You see, guys try to make these 20-footers, and they ram it 10 feet past the hole, and they have a slippery putt coming back. You may get lucky one time, but you are losing strokes more often than not. When you hit it that hard, the hole becomes that much smaller, too. So speed control is big and amateurs should focus on that more than anything.
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.
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