After six years of serving the PGA of America as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Seth Waugh has decided to step down.
Waugh, who previously served as CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, became the CEO of the PGA of America in September 2018, the same month Le Golf National in Paris hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup. Of course, the PGA of America facilitates both the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship.
But now, a month before Le Golf National will host the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Golf Competition, Waugh announced in a statement that he will not renew his contract with the organization.
“I recently informed the board that I would not be renewing my contract that is set to expire on June 30, but I am honored to continue to serve the association as a Senior Advisor,” Waugh said.
Seth Waugh and Xander Schauffele at Valhalla.Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
“It has been an absolute privilege and honor to serve as the CEO of the PGA of America for the past six years.”
Waugh has had quite a tenure. In May 2019, he helped lead the organization at Bethpage Black, which hosted the PGA Championship in May for the first time instead of its traditional August date.
Then, a global pandemic disrupted the entire world, which consequently led to a golfing boom among amateur players. People from all walks of life have begun to play the game as the sport continues to grow among younger, more diverse populations.
But the men’s professional game has been divided over the past few years thanks to LIV Golf’s prominence. Waugh and the PGA of America have mostly stayed out of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf fray, but he did say at Oak Hill in 2023 that “division is not good for the game.”
Nevertheless, the PGA of America invited numerous LIV Golf players to compete at Valhalla this year, hoping to create the strongest field in all golf.
On top of that, Waugh has repeatedly opined about rolling back the golf ball, which has sparked controversy over the past decade. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the R&A—the two governing bodies golf has—wanted to create a rule where professional golfers would use a limited-distance golf ball to combat the preposterous length players now have.
“We fear that the proposed changes could seriously interrupt the current momentum in the game and be fundamentally damaging and detrimental in the long run,” Waugh wrote in July 2023.
“It is something that we feel could lead to division and cause us to lose a very precarious characteristic of golf; the fact that we all play on the same course with the same clubs and balls. In our view, this dynamic should be preserved as a fundamental tenet.”
To respond, the USGA and the R&A decided that, instead of creating a different ball for pro circuits, all golfers must play with a newer limited-distance ball that will be instituted in pro events in 2028 and among the amateur game by 2030.
“The very best will figure out this new ball and how to hit it farther than I certainly do,” Waugh said at Valhalla in May 2024.
From right to left: Seth Waugh, John Lindert, and Kerry Haigh speak to the media ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship.Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images
“I think our biggest fear is for that part of the game that is growing, are you going to sort of disrupt that for one-half of one percent that are out there, right, and where do you draw the line of what’s elite and what’s not? Is a club championship elite or not? And so, we are glad it’s one rule, and the game will be bigger than any of this. We can all argue about it, but the game will be fine both recreationally and, I think, professionally, as well.”
Waugh has witnessed some incredible events play out during his tenure, too.
He saw Phil Mickelson become the oldest major champion at Kiawah Island. He also witnessed Justin Thomas win his second Wanamaker Trophy at Southern Hills in 2022. Then, Michael Block became an internet sensation at Oak Hill, jarring a hole-in-one on the 15th hole that golf fans will remember forever.
Plus, he watched the Americans win the Ryder Cup on home soil in 2021, when Steve Stricker captained Team USA to victory in his native Wisconsin.
However, a captain has yet to be announced for the 2025 competition at Bethpage Black. Luke Donald, meanwhile, will return as the leader of Team Europe after their resounding victory in Rome last fall.
Still, Waugh feels confident in his work and will continue to consult the organization as an advisor. PGA of America Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh will serve as CEO in the interim.
“The goal from the start was to leave the room better than we found it, and I believe that together, we have done just that,” Waugh added.
“I want to thank the membership, my colleagues, all the various board members, past presidents, our extraordinary partners, my peers at all the other golf bodies, as well as everyone who plays and loves our beautiful game for all the support and friendship during this journey. What a gift this has been.”
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.
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.
On Feb. 1, 2024, the two-time Masters champion ruptured his Achilles while playing pickleball and miraculously returned to the PGA Tour Champions three months later. This injury typically takes 12 months to recover, but the 66-year-old German has insisted on returning to competition.
Since his three-month hiatus, Langer has played in five events, recording a pair of top 10s at the Regions Tradition and the Principal Charity Classic, where he finished third. He most recently tied for 21st at the Dick’s Open, but if not for a second-round 3-over 75, he would have fared better.
Yet, Langer, who uses a golf cart to get around, still has lingering issues stemming from the injury. He admitted as such ahead of this week’s U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club, where he will defend his title.
“My leg and my ankle are swollen. It’s fatigue. I don’t have the range of motion in my foot,” Langer said.
Bernhard Langer during the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
“There are various things that aren’t there yet. My balance is not where I want it to be, and my strength. My calf muscle is probably one or two inches smaller than the other leg. I can’t get on my tiptoes. Right foot, I can do that. Just my right foot. I tried it on my left and nothing. I’ve got a ways to go, but I’m happy to be playing golf. The good thing is I can get carts in tournaments because right now, I can’t walk four or five days, 18 holes. It’s impossible. I tried to walk nine holes, and that was a stretch. That’s where we are at the moment—hopefully improving every week.”
No doubt that Langer has seen improvement since his Achilles injury, but he can still compete because of his health, which he takes great pride in.
“You have to be reasonably healthy because if not, you can’t do what you want to do and can’t swing the way you want to swing,” Langer added.
“I was born with a competitive nature, so I have a healthy drive and live a disciplined life, which probably helps. And the willingness to put in the work. I’m 66, and many people say, ‘Why don’t you retire?’ I guess I could, but I love the game of golf, and I love to compete. I’m still good enough to compete and be up there where I can win tournaments. When that changes, when I feel like I’m going to finish in the bottom third of the field every week I compete, then it’s probably time to quit. Hopefully, I will know when that is.”
Langer continues to finish in the upper tier of PGA Tour Champions events, despite many of his competitors being 10-to-15 years younger than him. But he has no plans to slow down, which can be attributed to his healthy lifestyle.
He does not drink alcohol. He does not smoke.
Instead, Langer, like Gary Player has done for years, continues to exercise and stretch every day. He has done so for as long as he can remember.
“The body functions better when we move the body,” Langer explained.
Bernhard Langer hits a chip-shot during the Dick’s Open.Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
“If we become too sedentary, you’ll pay the price for it sooner or later. I talked to my physical therapist, and he said, ‘If you lay two weeks in the hospital, just two weeks, don’t do anything, guess how much strength you lose? 50 percent.’ I was shocked. That only encourages me to do more, do something every day instead of just lying around for a few days in a row.”
Despite his impressive health regimens, did Langer have concerns about how his body would function after his injury?
Of course, he did.
But two months after his operation, Langer’s surgeon and physical therapist approached him and said, “I think you can try and putt a little bit and chip.”
He then progressed to hitting 50-yard and 100-yard shots. A week or two later, his medical team gave him the green light to try full swings with his driver and irons.
“I hit some wedges, no problem. If I can hit a full wedge, I can hit a full 7-iron. Hit a full 7-iron, no problem. Grabbed the 3-iron, no problem. The next day I grabbed the driver and had no problem swinging the club,” Langer said.
Bernhard Langer at the Principal Charity Classic.Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
“But I was very concerned at the beginning that I would change my swing because of my injury, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to come back sooner and create a new swing that probably wouldn’t be as good, and then I’d have to spend weeks and months redoing later when I’m better at what I taught myself.”
Langer then brought in his swing coach and went to the driving range.
“I don’t want to change my swing,” Langer said to his coach.
“I want to swing the way I did before, and if my body doesn’t allow me, I’m not going to play.”
Well, Langer and his coach looked at his swing, and it looked perfectly fine.
“That was very encouraging because that meant now I can practice and compete if I can get a golf cart because I couldn’t walk,” Langer added.
“As long as they give me a golf cart, I can actually play in tournaments.”
Not only can he play, but Langer continues to compete with some of the best senior players on the planet—almost as if he did not sustain this injury in the first place.
Yet, he believes he can win the U.S. Senior Open, which would mark an incredible feat given the circumstances. It would likely go down as the most improbable win in U.S. Senior Open history should Langer go on to win.
But would you be surprised?
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.
Welcome to Playing Through’s new morning ritual: Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, in which the crew will discuss various elements of the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and other professional golf tournaments.
Today begins a way too early discussion about the 2024 Presidents Cup. Team USA will travel to the Royal Montreal Golf Club from Sept. 24 to 29 to take on Team International.
Professional golf will get another trip to Canada in 2024 after a widely successful RBC Canadian Open. The golf fans in the Great White North do not disappoint, but will it be too much of a home event for the Americans?
In 2022, Team USA won its ninth consecutive Presidents Cup 17.5-12.5, improving to 12-1-1 all-time in this competition. While the Presidents Cup does not have as long a history as its fellow biennial Ryder Cup event, it still draws in crowds.
This year’s Team USA captain is Jim Furyk, and the International captain is Mike Weir.
There are six American PGA Tour players that qualify through points, per the Presidents Cup website. It did not mention LIV golf players because they were denied qualification last year. Various events receive points in the qualifying standings. Furyk will also get six captain picks.
7: Tony Finau: 3,780 8: Max Homa: 3,772 9: Brian Harman: 3,669 10: Chris Kirk: 3,265 11: Russell Henley: 3,235 12: Sam Burns: 3,160 13: Akshay Bhatia: 3,102 14: Justin Thomas: 2,918
Scottie Scheffler holds a commanding lead in the standings. After six PGA Tour victories this season, he has all but officially secured his spot.
Many of the Ryder Cup team members from Rome could see themselves in Canada.
However, will Furyk take a similar approach to Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson?
A later Golf Talk Today will feature a more detailed discussion about who Furyk should have on his team.
Team USA Presidents Cup hot take
This take will be short and sweet.
Bryson DeChambeau should easily be on Team USA for the Presidents Cup.
Despite playing for LIV Golf, DeChambeau finished inside the top 10 in two majors and won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. He is playing phenomenally right now, and the former SMU golfer will be a great addition.
ICYMI: Top Stories from professional golf
LIV Golf’s Lee Westwood calls for golf’s war to end ahead of U.S. Senior Open debut
Charley Hull, Georgia Hall offer entertaining Olympics preview at LPGA Dow Championship
Rocket Mortgage Classic: How to watch, preview, tee times, more
Ernie Els compares U.S. Senior Open venue to Royal Troon; ready for links-style challenge
Scottie Scheffler’s Travelers Championship triumph produces TV ratings bump for CBS Sports
Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory gives Brooks Koepka ultimate fan girl vibes
Golf Talk Today: How massive is Scottie Scheffler’s FedEx Cup lead?
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.
The PGA Tour is in Detroit, Michigan, for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where Rickie Fowler will attempt to defend his title. After an entertaining three-week stretch of golf, this tournament does not feature some top-ranked players, but it still employs a strong field of golfers looking to push their way up the FedEx Cup standings.
Detroit Golf Club, a Donald Ross design, is one of the flattest courses players face this season. It will likely be a birdie fest as scores tend to be low.
Nate Lashley won at 25-under in 2019 at the inaugural event. The last couple of years have seen similar results. Tony Finau won at 26-under in 2022, and Rickie Fowler ended his drought with a 24-under final score. Even the cut line is low, as players typically have to finish 36 holes at 5-under or lower to make the weekend. The last five cut lines of this tournament have been: 4-under, 3-under, 3-under, 5-under, and 5-under.
Get ready for a birdie barrage.
Here is the one-stop information shop for the Rocket Mortgage Classic
Rocket Mortgage Classic:
Where: Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, MI (Par-72, 7,370-yards)
When: Jun. 27-30th
Purse: $9,200,000 ($1,650,000 1st place)
FedEx Cup Points: 500
Defending Champion: Rickie Fowler
Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images
How to Watch The Rocket Mortgage Classic
Golf Channel and CBS Sports will share television coverage. Check out the full schedule below:
Thursday, June 27: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, June 28: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, June 29: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3:00-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Sunday, June 30: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3:00-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
How to Stream The Rocket Mortgage Classic
ESPN+ will exclusively air early round and featured group coverage all four days of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Peacock will have simulcasts of the Golf Channel’s broadcast.
Coverage on Peacock can be streamed here.
In addition, fans can tune into CBS Sports streaming service Paramount+ while CBS airs its third and final round broadcasts.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic Preview:
Defending champion Rickie Fowler ended his four-year-long drought last year when he defeated Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in a playoff.
However, he recorded only one top-20 finish since that victory, which came at the Travelers Championship last week. He tied for 20th, which, considering he began the championship with a 6-under 64, proved to be a rather disappointing finish—much like how his entire 2024 season has gone.
Nevertheless, Fowler looks to become the first back-to-back winner in this tournament’s history.
Cameron Young, who shot a 59 at TPC River Highlands last week, is in the field. He finished second to Finau in 2022.
Michael Thorbjornsen, who made his professional debut last week at the Travelers, will play again this week in Detroit. The former Stanford Cardinal tied for 39th, which included a second-round 6-under 64.
The headliner of this event is Tom Kim, who fell to his best friend Scottie Scheffler in a one-hole playoff at the Travelers. This week will mark Kim’s ninth straight event on tour. He is someone to watch because his game is so sharp right now. His best finish at the Rocket Mortgage is a T-7 in 2022.
The sponsor exemption list is also impressive. Miles Russell will make his PGA Tour debut at 15-years-old. He won the Junior PGA Championship and Junior Players. Russell took the world by storm by making the cut earlier this year at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Neal Shipley is also in the field, making his first non-major start. He finished as the low amateur at the Masters and the U.S. Open.
This field may not feature any of the world’s Top 10 players, but it will be a fascinating week with plenty of talented players to watch.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic Round 1 Tee Times (ET):
*indicates starts on 10th tee 6:45 a.m. — Martin Laird, Lanto Griffin, Doug Ghim
6:45 a.m.* — Garrick Higgo, Kelly Kraft, Carl Yuan
6:56 a.m. — Aaron Baddeley, Sam Ryder, Max Greyserman
6:56 a.m.* — Tyler Duncan, Ryan Moore, Brandon Wu
7:07 a.m. — Matt NeSmith, Hayden Buckley, Kevin Yu
7:07 a.m.* — Nate Lashley, Kevin Tway, Jason Dufner
7:18 a.m. — Taylor Moore, Adam Svensson, Brandt Snedeker
7:18 a.m.* — Davis Riley, Peter Malnati, Brendon Todd
7:29 a.m. — Luke List, Chad Ramey, Adam Schenk
7:29 a.m.* — Nick Dunlap, Chris Kirk, Erik van Rooyen
7:40 a.m. — Brice Garnett, Vincent Norrman, Ryan Brehm
7:40 a.m.* — Robert MacIntyre, Tom Kim, Cameron Young
7:51 a.m. — Martin Trainer, Tim Wilkinson, Andrew Novak
1:38 p.m. — Chesson Hadley, Tyson Alexander, Sami Valimaki
1:38 p.m. * — Kevin Streelman, Bud Cauley, Scott Gutschewski
1:49 p.m. — Davis Thompson, Callum Tarren, Ryo Hisatsune
1:49 p.m.* — Ben Kohles, Chandler Phillips, David Skinns
2:00 p.m. — Jacob Bridgeman, Jorge Campillo, Danny Guise
2:00 p.m.* — Alejandro Tosti, Patrick Fishburn, Jackson Koivun (a)
2:11 p.m. — Nicholas Lindheim, Erik Barnes, Brandon Berry
2:11 p.m.* — Chan Kim, Trace Crow, Luke Clanton (a)
2:22 p.m. — Ryan McCormick, Kevin Dougherty, Angelo Giantsopoulos
2:22 p.m. — Ben Silverman, Wilson Furr, Ben James (a)
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.
Charley Hull and Georgia Hall are best friends who grew up playing golf together and are both LPGA veterans.
This week, they paired up for the LPGA Dow Championship, a multi-format stroke-play team event at Midland Country Club in Midland, Michigan.
In rounds one and three, the ladies will play foursomes or alternate shot. For the second and final rounds, it will be four-ball or best ball—much like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour.
They have known each other since they were 11 years old, and they are celebrating 17 years of friendship. Hull calls Hall ‘George,’ while the former AIG Women’s Open champion calls her best friend ‘Charles.’
“We live three minutes away from each other now, and there’s not a day that goes by we don’t speak,” Hall said.
The duo will also represent Team Great Britain in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Becoming an Olympian is a big deal and even more special for this duo because they get to do it together.
“Just spending time with George because we love playing golf together,” Hull said. “That week is going to be a bit of a busy week, but it’s just nice to share it with your best friend, especially in a moment like that.”
Even though they will have plenty of Olympic duties, the pair has made plans to go shopping and enjoy the experience. Hall has never been to the city of love, while Hull has only visited Paris once.
“You get to share the experience with me the first time,” Hull said, smiling. “But honestly, I actually really want to go to Paris one day.”
“Yeah, let’s go shopping,” Hall said.
Shopping at the Olympics? Neither athlete is a huge sports fan, but they each have a separate event they want to watch. Hull wants to watch boxing, while Hall wants to check out gymnastics.
The best part was the compromise between the two so they could spend as much time together as possible.
“You’ll go to gymnastics, and I’ll go to boxing, and we’ll have to go to each other’s one,” Hull said.
This week, their team name is the Rose and Thorn because a good friend, Ryan Evans, gave it to them. They also have a walk-up song, “Best Friend,” by rapper Saweetie.
“Georgia goes to him, ‘Describe me and Charley,’ and Ryan goes, ‘Georgia, you’re like the lovely English rose, and Charley, you’re like the thorn.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, thanks, Ryan,’” Hull explained.
Hall acknowledged it was stark, but she quickly made her best friend feel better about it.
“There’s lots of thorns around the rose, so you protect me, don’t you,” Hall said.
“Yeah, I protect her,” Hull responded with a saucy grin.
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
This week in Michigan, they will tap into their connection to find success.
“I know when Charley is upset before she does, and she’s the same with me,” Hall said. “We know each other well, and I think that’s so important. This type of event, we go out there and have fun.”
“100 percent,” Hull chimed in. “George knows me better than I know myself.”
These two are among the 60 women who will compete in the Paris Olympics at Le Golf National, the 2018 Ryder Cup venue.
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 Lee Westwood is fed up with the current schism surrounding professional golf, as the PGA Tour tries to strike a deal with LIV Golf’s beneficiary, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Westwood wants the best players to play side-by-side in every tournament, not just in the majors.
“No matter what the level of golf is, I think if the best players at every level don’t come together and play, there’s only one loser, and that’s the fans watching,” Westwood said Tuesday ahead of his U.S. Senior Open debut.
“We need to somehow figure a way to get the best players playing against each other more often.”
One consequence of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf divide is that the four majors have become even more prominent. Unlike regular tour events, LIV Golf players can tee it up at The Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. That means fans get to see the top players compete side-by-side only four times per year.
LIV has also seen success in recent majors, as four of the last eight major champions currently play on the Saudi-backed circuit. Look no further than Bryson DeChambeau, who won the most recent major at Pinehurst No. 2.
“When you look at the U.S. Open two weeks ago or the Masters or the PGA Championship, people are happy to see Bryson [DeChambeau] or Cam [Smith] or Jon Rahm coming and playing in those big events,” Westwood said.
Lee Westwood at LIV Golf Nashville.Photo by Bryan Lynn/Getty Images
“It’s basically getting all the best players together in one tournament to compete against each other, and that’s what you want at the highest level. You want all the best players there.”
This week’s Senior U.S. Open features two LIV Golf players: Richard Bland, who won last month’s Senior PGA Championship, and Westwood.
Westwood earned a place in this week’s U.S. Senior Open because he has played on a recent Ryder Cup team. He represented Team Europe at Whistling Straits in 2021, earning a single point. The Americans trounced the Europeans that year, 19-to-9.
Less than one year later, Westwood joined LIV Golf, where he has not had much success. Yet, Westwood will tee it up with plenty of confidence at Newport Country Club this week, thanks to his recent performance at LIV Golf Nashville, where he tied for third—the best result of his LIV Golf career.
“I started to swing well, and my whole game was coming together when I played at LIV Houston three weeks ago. Then I went home and did a little bit of work on it. I probably haven’t been working as hard on my game as I would have liked to, but I put in a bit more work in the week off,” Westwood explained.
“Putted well last week. I sharpened my short game up because I’ve been playing more, and my game is in a really good place. Played well on the final day, which was good. I haven’t been finishing tournaments off, so having fun for the last four holes, and finishing that tournament off strongly has given me a lot of confidence going into this week.”
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.
Ernie Els has won the U.S. Open twice and a pair of Claret Jugs, so this week’s U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club should suit his game nicely.
Els compared Newport to Royal Troon, the site of this year’s Open Championship, as Newport, like Troon, sits right on the coast, meaning the elements have a great impact on the course. The wind will gust off the Atlantic, creating havoc at times. But that will also require players to keep the ball low and run it into the greens, much like what golf fans see in Scotland every summer for The Open.
“The way you’re going to have to play the course is very much links style, and the course is designed that way,” Els assessed on Tuesday.
“It’s a golf course where you can play the ball on the ground, unlike last year and normal U.S. Opens, where we play the ball in the air. It’s going to be a different taste this week. The wind is going to play a huge factor. Greens are very up, and there’s a lot of slope on them. So that wind, when it comes, it’s going to be difficult around the greens.
“There’s a bit of room for us off the tee, which is nice. As somebody that’s played in the wind, somebody that’s used to British Open type of golf, you’re going to have to hit those little 4-iron shots that will run 20, 30, 40 yards. Those who are comfortable playing in the wind will probably do well this week.”
Ernie Els plays his tee shot on the 13th hole during a practice round ahead of the 2024 U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club.Photo by Kathryn Riley/USGA
Of the five senior majors, the only one Els has not recorded a top-10 finish in is the U.S. Senior Open. Yet, he has posted top 20 finishes in the last three iterations, with his best finish being a T-12 at SentryWorld Golf Course in Wisconsin last year.
He has not yet triumphed in a senior major but has come close. Earlier this year, Els tied for third at the Regions Tradition. The South African then finished six strokes back of Richard Bland at the Senior PGA Championship, tying for sixth.
But he has picked up a pair of victories on the PGA Tour Champions since then, winning the Principal Charity Classic and the American Family Insurance Championship in back-to-back weeks in early June.
“I’ve been playing decent golf. Just started driving the golf ball better, so giving myself more opportunity out of the short grass to attack some of the flags,” Els said of his recent stretch.
“I made some good putts in the wins, and even when I didn’t win, I’ve been putting quite steadily. Just things are a little bit more in shape. My overall game is in better shape.”
Considering his game is rounding into form at the right time and that Els loves the layout of this course, do not be surprised if ‘The Big Easy’ prevails for his first senior major title at Newport Country Club this week.
At the very least, he should contend as long as he can control his golf ball in the wind. But he has proven to have done so before, so there’s no reason to believe he will not again this week.
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.
Scottie Scheffler’s historic sixth win of the season at the Travelers Championship produced a nice ratings bump for CBS Sports and the PGA Tour.
The network delivered its most-watched Travelers Championship final round since 2021, up seven percent from the 2023 edition, which saw New England native Keegan Bradley triumph in front of his hometown crowd.
Sunday’s coverage averaged 2.607 million viewers and peaked with 4.330 million viewers between the 4:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. ET quarter hour—impressive metrics considering the PGA Tour bumped tee times up an entire hour due to pending weather. The 2.607 million viewers is in reference to the 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET window. It is also worth noting that the playoff between Scheffler and Tom Kim concluded before 5:00 p.m. ET, a full hour before CBS typically concludes its final-round coverage.
In addition, CBS Sports announced that Sunday’s final round was the most-streamed Travelers Championship round ever on its streaming platform, Paramount+. The network did not provide specific numbers related to its streaming service.
Nevertheless, these numbers come on at the end of a thrilling three-week stretch.
Before the Travelers Championship, Scheffler fended off Collin Morikawa at the Memorial, and Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open in one of the best major championships in recent years.
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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Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, in which the crew will discuss various elements of the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and other professional golf tournaments.
Yesterday’s discussion on Scottie Scheffler and how much money he has won this year was mind-blowing, but let’s look into how massive his FedEx Cup lead is.
How much does the former Texas Longhorn lead his fellow PGA Tour players by? Scheffler already has $27,696,858, but if he were to win the FedEx Cup, jaws would drop at the amount of money he would take home.
The man already has six wins, two runner-up finishes, 13 top-10s, and 14 top-25s in 15 starts. One time in his 15 starts, he finished outside the Top 20, which came at Pinehurst No. 2 and the U.S. Open.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Scheffler has fallen short the last two years in Atlanta to take home the FedEx Cup crown as Viktor Hovland won it in 2023, and Rory McIlroy took it home in 2022.
The 28-year-old contented in Atlanta but has not been able to finish the drill and hoist that TOUR Championship trophy.
Could 2024 be that year for him? With a major championship and at least three FedEx Cup playoff events, how big will that lead be?
Last year, the PGA Tour shortened the playoff field in the first event. No longer is it the top 125, but the Top 70. They will take on TPC Southwind for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis.
The Top 50 will play for the BMW Championship and then the Top 30 play in Atlanta.
Since 2019, the PGA Tour has implemented a stroke-based system for the Tour Championship. The FedEx Cup points leader begins the tournament at 10-under and the strokes decrease from there.
Scheffler will likely head into Atlanta with a 10-under start, as he has the previous two years.
This year, the FedEx Cup winner will take home $25 million, which is a massive increase from last year’s $18 million.
2024 FedEx Cup standings (top 30)
*as of June 24, 2024
1: Scottie Scheffler: 5,768 2: Xander Schauffele: 3,257 3: Rory McIlroy: 2,445 4: Collin Morikawa: 2,241 5: Wyndham Clark: 2,088 6: Ludvig Åberg: 1,992 7: Hideki Matsuyama: 1,893 8: Sahith Theegala: 1,845 9: Patrick Cantlay: 1,717 10: Byeong Hun An: 1,620 11: Shane Lowry: 1,592 12: Tony Finau: 1,579 13: Matthieu Pavon: 1,558 14: Sungjae Im: 1,500 15: Akshay Bhatia: 1,422 16: Justin Thomas: 1,412 17: Sepp Straka: 1,410 18: Tom Hoge: 1,406 19: Russell Henley: 1,371 20: Christiaan Bezuidenhout: 1,370 21: Brian Harman: 1,362 22: Chris Kirk: 1,280 23: Stephan Jaeger: 1,207 24: Tommy Fleetwood: 1,203 25: Sam Burns: 1,181 26: Max Homa: 1,175 27: Thomas Detry: 1,173 28: Jason Day: 1,173 29: J.T. Poston: 1,165 30: Taylor Pendrith:
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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.
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