Friday, September 15, 2023

Stewart Hagestad in Rarified Air with Third U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, Earns 2024 U.S. Open Exemption

Look up the players who have won the same USGA championship three or more times and it is a veritable who’s who of luminaries. Names such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Bob Jones, Mickey Wright, Annika Sorenstam, Hollis Stacy, Juli Inkster, JoAnne Carner and Carol Semple Thompson are among the game’s most legendary players. Even lesser-known amateurs such as Ellen Port, Lewis Oehmig, Meghan Stasi, Sarah Lebrun Ingram, Carolyn Cudone, Carl Kauffmann, Alexa Stirling and Glenna Collett Vare have all duplicated that remarkable feat.

Add Stewart Hagestad to that list.

Kimberly Dinh Wins U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and Earns 2024 U.S. Women's Open Exemption

It was a tale of two nines at Stonewall for the championship match of the 36th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, as Kimberly Dinh, of Midland, Mich., overcame a 3-down deficit to stun 2017 champion Kelsey Chugg and earn her first USGA title.

"In college, I never really played in any USGA events, mostly because by the time the summer came around, I was burned out and I didn't want to travel. So having an opportunity to compete in a USGA championship after grad school, after college, has been awesome, and to win it, just incredible.”

Club Champion Opens New Vancouver Studio

Custom golf club fitter Club Champion announces the opening of its new fitting studio, located at Ace Performance Center, 5660 Cedarbridge Way, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. This studio marks the first fully Club Champion-branded store in Canada after their acquisition of Tour Experience Golf (TXG) in 2022. The studio is open and accepting fitting appointments.

Club Champion fits, sells, and builds custom golf clubs using brands like Callaway, TaylorMade, PING, Titleist, Cobra, Fujikura, Golf Pride, and many more. The company delivers a Tour-level fitting that produces longer, more accurate shots with a nearly 100% satisfaction rate for golfers of any ability level.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship - Meet the Semifinalists

The 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship two semifinal matches begin on Thursday will at 7 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. EDT, followed by the first 18 of the 36-hole championship match, which is scheduled for noon.

Here's a deeper look at the four semi-finalist who remain.

Stewart Hagestad Advances to U.S. Mid-Amateur ​​​​​​​Semifinals for a Fifth Time

Just when it looked like the 42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur had rolled a bunch of 7s and was on a heater in terms of no weather suspensions, Mother Nature stepped in and delivered snake-eyes.

At least the morning Round-of-16 matches at water-logged Sleepy Hollow Country Club managed to get completed before an unexpected afternoon storm popped up, dumping nearly a half-inch of rain to a course that received nearly the same amount from an early morning system that threatened to alter an already heavily adjusted schedule.

Dinh, Chugg set for final battle at Stonewall

Round of 16. Quarterfinals. Finalist.

That’s been Kimberly Dinh’s progressive journey in her three U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship appearances, and this time, she hopes she’s not quite done yet.

ECCO Golf Unveils All-New BIOM TOUR and Innovative Updates as Part of AW23 Collection

ECCO Golf, leaders in golf footwear innovation, has released the all-new ECCO BIOM® TOUR in addition to a variety of striking updates to its mainstay products as part of its latest lineup for the fall and winter seasons.

An eye-catching addition to the new range, ECCO BIOM® TOUR features ECCO GOLF’s pioneering BIOM® NATURAL MOTION® technology with ECCO’s spiked sole design. The Pivix spikes incorporated into ECCO BIOM® TOUR are combined with additional grooves on the outsole, ensuring excellent traction and stability throughout the swing, while the waterproof membrane keeps feet dry and comfortable in wet weather. In addition, the soft, ultra-light PHORENE™ midsole delivers bounce and energy return.

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Tour Edge Announces New Forged Exotics Wingman Wedge Series with Inspiration from Bernhard Langer

Tour Edge has announced their all-new Exotics Wingman Wedge Series featuring three different grinds available in five total bounces.

The design goals behind the milled Wingman Wedge were to produce one of the most performance-based forged wedges in the game and Tour Edge’s most advanced wedge to date.

Stewart Hagestad Wins Epic Match with Mark Costanza to Advance to Round of 16 at U.S. Mid-Amateur

It was a quiet Tuesday at the 42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Sleepy Hollow Country Club. While there was plenty of noise on the classic C.B. Macdonald design – the usual chatter among players, caddies, officials and spectators – there wasn’t any crackling of thunder or loud blasts from airhorns. Nobody from the USGA mentioned the words delay, suspension or dangerous situation, and the on-site meteorologist didn’t need minute-by-minute consultations with officials for the first time since the championship commenced on Saturday.

Translated: the story was golf, not precipitation, squeegees or electricity.

36th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur – Meet the Quarterfinalists

The U.S. Women's Mid-Am quarterfinals begins tomorrow morning and will be followed immediately by the two semifinal matches.

Here's a closer look at the eight players who remain.

Lauren Greenlief Secures Fifth Trip to U.S. Women’s Mid-Am Quarterfinals

 And then there were two.

In a week that started with ten U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champions in the 132-player field, all of whom made it to match play, there are two remaining as the 36th iteration of the championship heads into its quarterfinals.

Chris Zambri Named Head Coach of U.S. National Development Program

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that Pepperdine Associate Head Coach Chris Zambri has been named the first head coach in the history of the United States National Development Program (USNDP). He will begin Nov. 1.

Zambri will be tasked with leading the overall direction of the USNDP’s National Team program as well as providing support and guidance to the elite golfers selected to represent their country in international competition and as part of the national teams. In his role, Zambri will oversee and lead the day-to-day coaching operations, including playing a key role in developing a network of qualified coaches at the regional and state levels to support the USNDP’s mission of identifying and developing American golf talent. Zambri will also work closely with Senior Player Development Advisor Dr. Beth Brown to create an elite golf program designed to expose athletes to the physical, technical and mental loads required to compete successfully at the highest levels of the sport.

Prairie Dunes Country Club to Host 2029 U.S. Senior Open and 2032 U.S. Senior Women’s Open

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that Prairie Dunes Country Club, in Hutchinson, Kan., will be the host site for the 2029 U.S. Senior Open and 2032 U.S. Senior Women’s Open. They will be the ninth and 10th USGA championships held at the club and the first since 2006.

“The USGA is pleased to reunite with Prairie Dunes Country Club and continue what has been a long and mutually beneficial partnership that began nearly 60 years ago,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “We know that Prairie Dunes, its surrounding community and the entire state of Kansas will be thoroughly engaged in hosting the best senior players from around the world. In addition, Prairie Dunes remains committed in its support of both amateur and professional competition.”

Monday, September 11, 2023

Minjee Lee Wins Kroger Queen City Championship for Ninth LPGA Title

Earning her first victory of the season in a thrilling playoff, Minjee Lee was able to close out the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati for her ninth LPGA Tour title playing a full bag of Srixon/Cleveland golf clubs and Z-STAR golf ball.

Holding the 54 hole lead by two strokes after a scorching 7-under 65 in round three, Lee carded a final round 1-under par 71 to force her way into a playoff. After two pars on the first playoff hole, the competitors headed to the 18th for a second time where Lee capitalized on her approach shot, hitting it to three feet and securing the birdie. After the round, she spoke about her resilience in key moments and the ability to close tournaments.

Jeronimo Esteve Earns Medalist, Round of 64 Matches Begin at Weather-Plagued U.S. Mid-Amateur

An airhorn blast went off at exactly 8:46 a.m. EDT on Monday morning at Sleepy Hollow Country Club and stroke-play co-host Fenway Golf Club in nearby Scarsdale, N.Y. For once this week, it wasn’t to stop play for weather, a common theme at the 42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, where multiple suspensions pushed the stroke-play portion of the competition into Monday, creating havoc with the schedule.

With the 22nd anniversary of one of the worst days in American history – the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon as well as the crash of United Flight 93 in rural western Pennsylvania – the USGA honored the thousands who lost their lives that day with a one-minute moment of silence. Airhorns were used to stop and restart play.

Six U.S. Women's Mid-Am Champions Win Monday at Stonewall

There’s a certain change in the air when a USGA competition moves from stroke play to match play. Sure, the facility empties a bit, moving from 132 players with their caddies and entourages to just 64 competitors and those they have with them. But even at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, where competition is met with equal parts camaraderie, the tension thickens. It all becomes more important, more within reach.

Monday at Stonewall was no different. In a match that felt too soon for Match Play Day 1, past champions Shannon Johnson and Julia Potter-Bobb faced off in the Round of 64 at the 36th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. It was just one of several marquee matchups that highlighted Monday’s action.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Titleist TSR3 Driver Review - Play With Pete Invitational from Scioto Country Club (Jeff)

This guest review is from Jeff (@Jeff17Black on twitter) on his new Titleist TSR3 driver.  Jeff and all the players at Play With Pete Invitational from Scioto Country Club got fit for and received new Titleist drivers for their day at Scioto.

You guys know all about my Play With Pete Invitationals, and the entire day at Scioto was absolutely crazy and wildly fun for all the players and everyone watching along.  And along the way it sounds like Jeff found himself a driver to take his game to the next level, calling his TSR3 "the best driver I have ever used."

Scott Harvey Leader for Medalist at Weather-Delayed ​​​​​​​U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship

Weather continued to dominate the 42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship on Sunday at Sleepy Hollow Country Club and stroke-play co-host Fenway Golf Club in nearby Scarsdale, N.Y. Just like the day before, a mid-day storm system caused a suspension in play – 72 minutes at Sleepy Hollow and two hours at Fenway – and brought nearly a quarter inch of rain to Sleepy Hollow and .63 inches to Fenway, creating adjustments in starting times and forcing the maintenance staffs and volunteers, especially at Fenway, to do yeoman’s work to get the courses ready for play.

The one silver lining was the stifling heat and humidity that were omnipresent for the two practice rounds on Thursday and Friday, and Saturday’s first round disappeared and replaced by comfortable conditions, albeit a bit soggier.

Three Players Tied for U.S. Women's Mid-Am Lead as Darkness Suspends Play

Jackie Rogowicz lives just about an hour from Stonewall. The former Penn State golfer grew up in Yardley, a small town bordering the Delaware River, and currently works in Horsham, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, as an investment analyst. The 26-year-old, playing in her second Mid-Am after reaching the Round of 16 last year in her championship debut, has so far made the most of her home game.

One of 11 players from Pennsylvania in the 132-player field, Rogowicz will likely move into the match play portion of the championship as a co-medalist, putting together rounds of 71-68 on the North Course to finish at 3-under par, tied with Round 1 leader Courtney Dow and Jessica Spicer when play was suspended for the day due to darkness.

Major Domination and Multiple Wins on PGA Tour for Fujikura Golf in 2023

Fujikura, the leader in performance golf shafts, was honored to be the #1 driver, wood and hybrid shaft on the PGA Tour this season. With multiple tour wins throughout the season, along with the #1 driver shaft ranking at three out of the four Major championships, it’s been another successful year on the PGA Tour for Fujikura shafts.

At the final event of the PGA Tour season, it was further success for Fujikura with another Tour Championship victory. Once again, Fujikura secured the #1 driver and wood spot for the event, with a total of 40.0% of the field at East Lake Golf Club using a Fujikura driver shaft during the week, along with another 35.3% in the wood shaft count.