When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, March 17th, 2022
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Plus, Korda, Masters on Seatgeek, Corrections, Reads, Listens and Tweets.
And just a reminder that as the Masters nears there wiill be plenty more Quads as the major season heats up. So sign up. You can write it off, too. Or at least read up on the whole newsletter thing here.
Also a housekeeping note: iPhone users can now read Substack newsletters in their new free app. I’ve been enjoying it for a few days now and the reading experience is way, way better. The notifications come eerily fast. While email will always be an option, the Substack app should cut down on posts getting lost in spam filters and makes the comment experience better. As with the email edition, you can scroll text without somehow opening up an ad or trying to close out a pop-up video.
Nelly Korda Diagnosed With Blood Clot, Next Start Uncertain
/As the first women’s major of 2022 nears, Nelly Korda announced a significant setback but it sounds like things could have been worse if not for great medical care.
According to Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols, Korda was next scheduled to play the JTBC Classic in Carlsbad March 24-27.
LA Hosting Back To Back LPGA Stops With Dual Ticket, Free Admission For Healthcare And Service Heros
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It’s rare for a reason to avoid having back-to-back tournaments in a city, but the LPGA will be doing so this April when they return to Wilshire and debut an event at Palos Verdes CC. While those are two very different markets given the size of the city, it’s still fantastic to see a dual ticket offered as well as free admission for all service personnel and frontline workers. Why this hasn’t been done more at tournaments this year is beyond me, but credit Outlyr and the LPGA for doing so.
All the details…
Los Angeles Set to Host Consecutive LPGA Tour Events forFirst Time in April
with JTBC LA Open and JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes
Tickets on Sale Now for Both the JTBC LA Open on April 18-24
and the Newly Minted JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes on April 25-May 1
All Service Personnel – Military, Fire, Police, EMS and Front-Line Healthcare Workers –
to Receive Complimentary Admission to Both Tournaments
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24, 2022 – The LPGA Tour and Outlyr jointly announced today that Los Angeles will host back-to-back LPGA Tour events for the first time, taking place in April 2022. The JTBC LA Open returns for a fourth year at Wilshire Country Club on April 18-24, followed by the inaugural JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes, taking place as Palos Verdes Golf Club, April 25-May 1. Both events will feature fields of 144 of the world’s best female golfers competing over 72-holes for overall purses of $1.5 million each.
Tickets are on sale now for both the JTBC LA Open and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes. Tournament Officials also announced the “LA LPGA Dual Ticket” – a weekly grounds pass that provides access to both tournaments, marking the first time that spectators will have the opportunity to purchase one pass for back-to-back LPGA events. Tickets will be sold exclusively via the tournament’s official websites; the JTBC LA Open at www.la-open.com and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes atwww.jtbcchamp.com.
In addition, all service personnel, including military (active, retired, reserve and veteran), fire, police, and EMS and their immediate family (up to four tickets) will receive complimentary admission to both tournaments. The JTBC LA Open will once again include the Hero Outpost on the 18th green, compliments of SERVPRO. The complimentary SERVPRO Hero Outpost tickets must be downloaded in advance from www.la-open.com and proper ID is required at the main entrance. Children under 17 also will be admitted free into the tournament with a paid adult.
“We are very excited to expand our footprint in Los Angeles with back-to-back events in the area for the first time, adding to the Tour’s already prominent presence in Southern California,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “We want to thank our friends and longtime partners at JTBC for providing us the opportunity to bring the stars of the women’s game to the heart of Los Angeles, one of the largest broadcast markets in the world.”
“Los Angeles has a rich history in professional golf, and we look forward to strengthening the LPGA Tour’s presence in embarking on a new spring tradition in women’s golf with these consecutive events in Los Angeles,” said Patrick Healy, executive director for the JTBC LA Open and JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes. “We look forward to working with JTBC in showcasing Wilshire Country Club and Palos Verdes Golf Club to the LPGA Tour’s global audience.”
Historic Wilshire Country Club returns as the host venue for the JTBC LAOpen for a fourth year and will welcome fans back to the championship forthe first time since 2019. The tournament made its debut in 2018, marking the LPGA Tour’s return to Los Angeles in more than a decade. Brooke Henderson captured her 10th LPGA Tour win at 16-under par at the 2021edition of the championship, contested without fans in attendance. The 2020 edition was canceled due to the pandemic. Wilshire Country Club, which opened in 1919, is one of a select few venues to host events on the LPGA,PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, as well as the PGA Championship.
“Wilshire Country Club has been a strong proponent of women’s golf and our members are excited about the return of the game’s best players – and the return of fans – to the JTBC LA Open,” said Mark Beccaria, President of Wilshire Country Club.
Palos Verdes Golf Club, often referred to as a “hidden gem” in Southern California, has a rich history hosting women’s golf events. Palos Verdes has hosted the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge women’s collegiate championship for the past 25 years. Past individual winners include Carlota Ciganda, Natalie Gulbis, Brittany Lang, Bronte Law, Andrea Lee, Leona Maguire, Lorena Ochoa and Annie Park. The JTBC Championship at PalosVerdes will mark the first professional tournament taking place at Palos Verdes Golf Club.
“We are privileged to welcome the LPGA Tour for this year’s JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes,” said David Klein, President of Palos Verdes Golf Club. “Our membership is excited to welcome back many familiar faces who competed at Palos Verdes during their collegiate careers, and we look forward to working with the LPGA Tour, JTBC and Outlyr in conducting a first-class event.”
Volunteer registration for both the JTBC LA Open and JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes is now open. Registration for both tournaments is $55, which includes a polo, hat or visor, food, and beverage, and two daily tickets. Forthose who register to volunteer at the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes, $5 will be donated to the Race to End Alzheimer’s Association. For moreinformation on how to volunteer, visit JTBC LA Open at www.la-open.com; and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes at www.jtbcchamp.com.
The JTBC LA Open and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes are ownedand operated by Outlyr, a global event management, sponsorship consulting and activation agency.
SiriusXM Moves Quickly To Can Mark Lye
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Former player and longtime Golf Channel analyst-turned-PGA Tour Radio commentator Mark Lye was fired by SiriusXM after a strange characterization of the WNBA. In an apparent defense of how much better he finds the LPGA than he did a decade ago, Lye trashed the WNBA while talking to co-host Kraig Kann, former LPGA Communications head.
Nick Piastowski of Golf.com reports that Lye apologized in the following segment for his comments but was fired by SiriusXM the next day.
“You know, the LPGA Tour to me is a completely different tour than it was 10 years ago,” Lye said. “… You couldn’t pay me to watch. You really couldn’t. Because I just, I couldn’t relate at all. It’s kind of like, you know, if you’re a basketball player — and I’m not trashing anybody; please, don’t take it the wrong way — but I saw some highlights of ladies’ basketball. Man, is there a gun in the house? I’ll shoot myself than watch that.
At this point, a co-host interjected: “Good luck getting some WNBA stars to come play for you.”
“Yeah, I know, I know,” Lye said. “I’m off their list. I’m sorry about that.”
The clip caught by a listener and shared on Twitter:
LPGA All-Access Episode 2 From The CME Group Tour
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Episode 2 of the LPGA’s all-access docuseries is now live on YouTube and embedded below. The stories of Gaby Lopez and Amy Olson continue, including a pickleball primer from Olson.
Check it out.
This gives me an idea too: imagine a channel devoted to the game that would share these stories. Like, just spitballing here, an all-inclusive place that really is devoted to the sport? You just leave it on all day, they care about the sport we love that has an $84 billion economic impact in America but it also beloved around the world. Too crazy?
Oh well, at least we have The YouTube to pick up the slack:
Netflix, Schnetflix: LPGA Debuts "All Access" Doc On YouTube
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With all of the euphoria over Netflix’s investment into a documentary series that’s at least a year away, nice to see the LPGA taking on such project on a more manageable scale. Even better, it’s almost here to view for free on YouTube.
The press release and YouTube page where you can see a behind-the-scenes look at LPGA life:
“LPGA All Access: CME Group Tour Championship”
Behind-the-Scenes Documentary to Debut on LPGA Platforms
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 31, 2022 – The LPGA today announced the premiere of “LPGA All Access: CME Group Tour Championship,” a behind-the-scenes documentary detailing the excitement, competition and glamour of the Tour’s 2021 crowning event. The series will air on YouTube and LPGA.com, with three 15-minute episodes debuting at 8 p.m. EST on Jan. 31, Feb. 1 and Feb. 2.
Filmed on location in Naples, Fla., at the 2021 CME Group Tour Championship, “LPGA All Access” will share exclusive moments with players, caddies, sponsors and staff, both on and off the course. Featured moments include:
An in-depth look into the season-long competitive battle between Jin Young Ko and Nelly Korda, who fought all week for the titles of Rolex Player of the Year and Race to the CME Globe Champion
2021 Chevron Championship winner Patty Tavatanakit’s preparations for the red carpet for the Rolex Awards, where she received the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award and the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award
Workout sessions and pickleball matches with Gaby Lopez and Amy Olson, who also shared a house for the week and made a relaxing meal of Mexican food from Lopez’s recipe book
Early-morning golf-course scouting with LPGA Tour Rules Official Annie Giangrosso and caddie Will Davidson, who looped for past CME winner Lexi Thompson
Interviews with LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan and CME Group Chairman/CEO Terry Duffy
“This documentary helps show the accessibility and personality of our players, along with the drama and intrigue of the CME Group Tour Championship,” said Brian Carroll, senior vice president of global media distribution for the LPGA. “Hopefully this is just the beginning of our storytelling in this format.”
The documentary was produced in partnership with toldright and Executive Producer Adam Hertzog.
Women Better Then Men Files: Hilton Grand Vacations TOC Results
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Check out Matt Vincenzi’s item at GolfWRX looking at the difference between the LPGA’s best and male amateurs playing from the same Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions tees. In particular, he notes the play of winner Derek Lowe and very good (+2.8) golfer Mardy Fish.
Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott pointed out that the amateurs and LPGA pro’s played under the same circumstances: “They played in the same groups, from the same tees, in the same conditions. The celebs had the advantage of playing a stableford format, which is slightly more freeing than straight stroke play, but as far as head-to-head tournament play goes, this was a pretty good comparison.”
Much to the dismay of the “A” player in the local men’s league, the professionals unsurprisingly came out on top. While the tournament’s champion, Danielle Kang, shot four consecutive rounds in the 60s, the amateurs in the event combined for a grand total of zero.
Additionally, former Red Sox pitcher and 0.2 handicap Derek Lowe, posted rounds of 76-72-75-72, the best of any celeb. It was an impressive performance from Lowe and resulted in a final score of +7, which was still 23 shots worse than Kang.
Author Resurrects Golf Legend's Life And Mysterious Death
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Over at LPGA.com Sarah Kellam has filed a sensational read on The Murder of Marion Miley and author Beverly Bell. The story is true but Bell has fictionalized dialogue to bring this unbelievable story to life for a modern audience.
“I tried to write it non-fiction. I had gotten like a hundred pages in and it was the most boring thing that you've ever read,” Bell said. “I finally decided I had to have dialogue. The flexibility of using fiction and dialogue (made it) a lot easier. I don't know if you can say writing a book in three-and-a-half years is easy, but that's what I had to do because I had a full-time job and I was writing from about 4:30 to 6:30 every morning.
Miley was one of America’s great female amateurs who was murdered at Lexington Country Club in a sadistic plot.
Major(s) News & Notes December 9th, 2021
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This week’s edition looks at how USGA Presidency history was made this week, twice.
If you’re not signed up for free or as a paid subscriber, you can do so here.
Rankin Winding Down Her 2022 Schedule, Golf Channel Producer Hutter Stepping Down
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The LPGA will see two huge changes to their broadcast presentation in 2022, with Judy Rankin confirming plans to only do four events in 2022 before retiring. If there were a broadcast wing to the World Golf Hall of Fame she’d re-enter the Hall for her incredible tenure at ABC/ESPN/Golf Channel. While she’s often lauded for breaking gender barriers, golf fans just know her as a steady, smart and reliable broadcasting presence. She’s been ABC/ESPN’s lead on-course reporter and easily transitioned to lead analyst duties when needed, the primary role Rankin played covering the LPGA in recent years.
GolfDigest.com’s Kent Paisley on Rankin confirming the news while accepting the Commissioner’s Award at the Rolex Awards.
"I'm coming to the end of my time," said Rankin, who turns 77 next February. "I'm not going to do a Brett Favre and retire about four times. I am seriously slowing down. I don't know how much their will be after this, at some point I will see you next year."
Rankin received tributes from many of her broadcasting and golf colleagues prior to speaking.
You can see it all starting at the 1:09 mark in this broadcast of the awards.
More surprising was the tribute paid by emcee Tom Abbott to Golf Channel’s LPGA producer Beth Hutter, who he announced was finishing her run with this weekend’s CME Group Tour Championship to spend more time with her family. The Abbott tribute can be viewed at the 9:22 mark.
Hutter received much attention in 2021 as the first woman to lead a major championship production and more recently was the subject of coverage when Golf Channel featured an all-female broadcast team at October’s Shop-Rite event. Multiple stories noted the moment but did not mention any plans to step aside at year’s end to spend more time with family. I’ve asked Golf Channel for comment on what is a shame for viewers, as Hutter got the most out of shrinking resources and brought fresh perspectives to audiences that helped differentiate LPGA coverage.
The USGA highlighted Hutter’s groundbreaking role in this pieced helmed by Bailey Chamblee:
This was the on-air tribute Sunday:
LPGA Up To 34 Events, $90 Million In Prize Money And Plenty Of Time In SoCal
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Doug Ferguson reports on the 2021 LPGA schedule featuring $90 million and surrounding the final playing of the Dinah in Rancho Mirage, four tournaments in greater southern California.
South Korean television network JTBC has become the title sponsor of three tournaments, all of them in California. It takes over for Kia at the March 24-27 tournament at Aviara north of San Diego, and then has back-to-back tournaments in late April in Los Angeles at Palos Verdes Estates and Wilshire Country Club.
The other SoCal stop will be at Saticoy CC in October. The MediHeal moves from Lake Merced to Ventura County for an October 6-9 playing.
Dress Code Not Helping At Saudi Laudies International
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Remember ladies, you can eat at restaurants now according to Greg Norman so whatever discomfort you suffer adhering to the Saudi dress code is a small price to pay for the privilege of eating out.
“We have to cover our legs so we don’t show too much skin so it just feels like we’re in like body suits in really hot heat.
“(Dress) below the knees for women. No sleeveless (tops), no shoulders showing.
“It’s just a respect thing but it does feel hot.”
Competing by the Red Sea in King Abdullah Economic City, Lee suspects the unique challenge will be as much psychological as physical.
“Mentally, because you’re always sweating and you never really cool down, that will be the main challenge,” the world No. 5 said.
“I just played nine holes and I was cooked. But 18 holes, I mean, it’s going to take, what, five hours to go around this golf course?
“So it will be testing all parts of your mental strength, I think.”
State Of The Game 116: So-Yeon Ryu
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Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and yours truly enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation with 21-time international winner and two-time major winner So-Yeon Ryu. We cover a lot, including what this former Chevron (gulp) champion thinks of the event move to an unnamed course in Houston. Warning: very little rollback talk. Apologies to those drinking and listening.
