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Wednesday, August 7, 2024
124th U.S. Amateur Championship Fact Sheet
Medalist Advances, Defending Champion Falls as Top Seeds Shine in Round of 64
Two rounds of stroke play weren’t enough to decide the match-play bracket for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
The action on Wednesday teed off with a 20-for-10 playoff, the largest in U.S. Women’s Amateur history, which lasted just two holes but did extend two hours. Only one of the playoff winners – University of Southern California’s rising sophomore Bailey Shoemaker – advanced from the opening Round of 64 to Thursday’s Round 32.
3’s Expanding into Charlotte with the Purchase of Course in Indian Trail
3’s, the innovative new concept in golf entertainment that combines accessible Par-3 golf with cutting-edge hospitality, has purchased an existing par-3 course in Charlotte, North Carolina for its latest location. Pebble Creek Golf Course in Indian Trail will undergo extensive renovation, bringing the 3’s concept of fun, food and par-3 golf to one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States.
An opening of the new 3’s Charlotte location is planned for the latter half of 2025.
USGA Invests in Record Number of Internships
New PXG 0311 P and 0311 XP GEN7 Irons Tech Story and Testing
I told you last week that new PXG GEN7 irons, Black Ops irons, and Sugar Daddy III wedges are coming. And I'll have a fitting soon and give you all the details on how each of these new clubs perform.
This article however is a deep dive into the new PXG tech and testing of the GEN7 irons (I'll have similar articles for the Black Ops irons and Sugar Daddy III wedges) because these truly might be the most advanced irons PXG has designed to date. PXG is saying these are the greatest leap forward in irons technology and performance in PXG history.
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Women's Olympic Golf Competition Notes
The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics mark the third Games golf has been contested since it was reintroduced in 2016.
V1 Sports Launches Brand New V1 COACH App
V1 Sports, the pioneer in swing video analysis solutions for coaches and athletes, has introduced its latest coaching app, V1 COACH.
The brand new iOS and Android app adds new AI features to golf’s leading swing video analysis tools, which are designed to save coaches time and energy in managing their business, allowing them to focus more on developing strong player relationships and delivering world-class instruction.
Hog Heaven in Oklahoma: Arkansas Standout Marin Medalist
Tuesday marked the conclusion of stroke play at the 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur and marked the hottest day of the year in Tulsa, Okla., with temperatures hitting 104 degrees just after 4 p.m. local time. Players not only faced the challenge of a USGA setup on a course known for its difficult test and even tougher greens, but the relentless sun pushed those in the afternoon wave through an intense test of endurance and skill.
But as the championship enters the 64-player match play portion of the event at Southern Hills Country Club, it’s clear the cream has risen to the top. Twelve of the 13 top 25 players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking/WAGR® who entered the week survived the cut, with the last – Amanda Sambach – currently in the playoff for the remaining spots in match play. The top 10 after stroke play includes two USGA champions in Asterisk Talley and Kiara Romero, an Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion in Anna Davis, the highest ranked player in the field in Zoe Campos and the reigning champion of the Women’s Amateur Championship conducted by The R&A in Melanie Green.
USGA Opens U.S. National Development Program Grant Application for 2025
The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that the U.S. National Development Program (USNDP) Grant Application is now open for 2025. Launched last year, the program aims to mitigate barriers of cost to promising junior golfers who demonstrate both financial need and the potential to progress through the USNDP pathway.
“The future of competitive American golf not only depends on our ability to identify and nurture our country’s next generation of top talent, but to also invest in those athletes,” said Heather Daly-Donofrio, USGA managing director of player relations and development. “There are countless golfers with the talent and ambition to compete at the highest level but need help bridging the financial gap, and we’re thrilled to offer that support and be a resource for many exceptional young people as they pursue their dreams.
Supreme Golf Partners with Folds Of Honor For Online Round-Up Campaign
Supreme Golf (www.supremegolf.com), a leader in booking online tee times, announced today a partnership with Folds of Honor, a foundation that provides academic scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders.
The round-up campaign, which is active now, encourages anyone reserving a tee time online or via its mobile app to round up the cost of the booking. The round up will be processed at checkout. All additional money will provide a donation to Folds of Honor.
Malixi (-4) Continues USGA Heater at U.S. Women's Am in Oklahoma
It comes as no surprise that birdies were hard to find during the first round of the 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur, given Southern Hills Country Club has long been renowned for its demanding test of golf. The last major championship played at the iconic Tulsa, Okla., venue was the 2022 PGA Championship, won by Justin Thomas with a final score of 5-under par. It’s the highest winning score of a PGA Championship over the last 16 years.
In what is the USGA’s tenth trip to Southern Hills, and first since the 2009 U.S. Amateur, Monday’s championship play saw just eight of the 156 players in the field finish the day under par, with an average score of 76.5.
Due to Overwhelming Demand Cobra Releases Second Wave of 3D Printed LIMIT3D Irons
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Team USA’s Scottie Scheffler Wins Olympic Gold in Thrilling Finale at Le Golf National
Scottie Scheffler produced a spectacular 9-under 62 at Le Golf National on Sunday, equaling the course record and emerging from a star-studded leaderboard to win gold at the Olympic men’s golf competition.
On a thrilling final day in the outskirts of Paris, the American was flawless from start to finish, reaching 19-under 265 as he surged to victory, highlighted by an impressive back-nine 29 to underline his status as the world No. 1.
Final-Round 64 Propels Leta Lindley to U.S. Senior Women's Open Title at Fox Chapel
Leta Lindley, who had knocked on the door twice at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, finally gained entry to the winner’s circle on Sunday with a sizzling final-round, 7-under-par 64 at demanding Fox Chapel Golf Club to win the championship by two strokes over Kaori Yamamoto. Lindley’s 72-hole winning score was 9-under-par 275.
Beginning the final round five strokes behind Yamamoto, who led after each previous round, Lindley made birdies on five of the first eight holes to pull two strokes ahead. By the time play entered the treacherous back nine, Lindley was at 7 under par and Yamamoto at 6 under with no one else closer than five strokes, essentially becaming a two-woman race down the stretch.
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Kaori Yamamoto Chased by Experienced Players Heading into U.S. Senior Women's Open's Final Round
Among the things in plenty of supply at the 6th U.S. Senior Women’s Open – along with talent – is experience. These women have seen it all, and that knowledge was helpful on Saturday when dangerous weather at Fox Chapel Golf Club halted third round play for three hours. When play resumed, Kaori Yamamoto ran into some choppy water but ended 54 holes at 7-under-par 206, five strokes ahead of a ton of experience.
Yamamoto, who has played the Japan LPGA and Japan Legends Tour combined for three decades, relied on her experience to hold off a pair of World Golf Hall of Fame members: Annika Sorenstam, a four-time USGA champion, and Juli Inkster who has five USGA trophies at home, plus Leta Lindley, who has been runner-up in the last two U.S. Senior Women’s Opens and Mikino Kubo. They are all five back at 211.
Schauffele in Position to Land Back to Back Gold, Shares Lead with Rahm
Xander Schauffele holds a share of the lead alongside Spain’s Jon Rahm ahead of the final round of the Olympic men’s golf competition as he looks to win back-to-back gold medals.
The American arrived at his second appearance at the Games on the back of winning The Open Championship two weeks ago and has continued his excellent form at Le Golf National.
Kaori Yamamoto Sets 36-Hole Scoring Record at Weather-Delayed U.S. Senior Women's Open
Friday, August 2, 2024
USGA Announces Tee Times for 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship
Kaori Yamamoto Sizzles to First Round Lead at 6th U.S. Senior Women’s Open
The hot, humid air clung to the hills hovering over the Allegheny River and turned an already challenging Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh into an even hotter pressure cooker in Thursday’s first round of the 6th U.S. Senior Women’s Open. As late-day shadows crept across the course, Kaori Yamamoto, who played in the heat of the afternoon, was in at 4-under-par 67, one stroke better than Christa Johnson and Lisa Grimes, who went out in the relative cool of the morning.
At 69 is two-time runner-up Leta Lindley with Mikino Kubo and Corina Kelepouris, who made an eagle on the par-4 fifth hole, at 70. Alicia Dibos, Catrin Nilsmark, amateur Kristine Franklin and Annika Sorenstam are at even-par 71.
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Titleist Launches New GT Fairway Metals
The new Titleist GT2 and GT3 fairway metals build upon the engineering breakthroughs that created the GT driver line, delivering exceptional performance from material and construction advancements. GT fairways offer fast speeds, higher flight, optimal spin and longer carry in two unique models. The line provides total performance both off the tee and into the green.
“A line of high-performing fairway metals needs to excel in a number of different ways,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Director, Titleist Metalwood Product Development. “For most golfers, fairway metals need to be highly versatile. They need to be fast and long off the tee, and they need to fly high and hold greens. Playability and forgiveness are hugely important as well. The changes we made to GT fairways help deliver across all these performance attributes.”