Hello friends and happy Open week! If youāre like me, your sleep schedule is about to get all messed up in the best way possible. Itās for the sake of great golf, though, so Iām not complaining.
The last week has been a whirlwind of golf fun for me. My best pal made an ace at Wannamoisett Country Club (which I got to celebrate!), I headed to the American Century Championship in Tahoe and then spent the weekend in San Francisco with some college friends who showed me around the par-3 course at The Olympic Club (which is nothing short of amazing).
Between last weekās ACC and the Icons Series the week before, Iāve spent a ton of time watching celebrity golf and not so much of it watching the pro game. Itās been a blast, but Iāve missed my first love: Tour life. Luckily, thatās what this column is for. Hereās what weāve missed!
The funniest golf couple?
Honestly, Jessica Hadwin deserves a permanent spot in this write-up. I want to declare the Hadwins the most hilarious golf couple out there, but Iām not sure itās a 50-50 split. It might just be that Jessica is hilarious and Adam is along for the ride. (Adam, if youāre reading this, I believe in you! I just need to be absolutely sure that youāre funny before you join Jessica at the top of my list.) Anyway, Jessica absolutely roasted her husband on social media over the weekend and I am here for it.
Thank you for getting the dishwasher reorganized. Now could you get the laundry done too while Iām busy at work providing for our family? š
ā Jessica Hadwin (@jessicahadwin) July 10, 2022
Itās important to note that Jessica is a Nurse Practitioner, so sheās not wrong. The lesson here is that if youāre going to mess with Jess online, sheās going to give it right back. Max Homa would be proud.
Greg Norman gets uninvited
Iāve been uninvited to a few things in my day ā ice cream with siblings after an argument and a college formal after my date found a better option, to name a few ā but neither of those measure up to the āactually, you canāt comeā treatment Greg Norman received publicly on Saturday.
The R&A chooses not to include Greg Norman in the Celebration of Champions at the 150th Open
ā Flagstick.com Golf šØš¦ā³ļø (@Flagstick) July 9, 2022
Norman was The Open Champion in 1986 and 1993 pic.twitter.com/ROxmU7445A
Norman potentially taking away from the heritage of the Open? How so?
Totally kidding. I am curious to know how he reacted to this, though. I can tell you firsthand that getting uninvited doesnāt feel great. Now that I think of it, though, itās kinda an honor to get uninvited from anything major-related, because it means you were once on the invite list at all.
LIVing it up
To know me is to know that I am a bad traveler. I mess up scheduling flights, I can never navigate airports and it always takes me about 40 extra minutes to find the rental car center. And I donāt enjoy flights. I get simultaneously nervous and extremely bored. Sitting still for six hours? No thank you. I did, however, come across a flight that I think even I would enjoy.
The @LIVGolfInv private jet party š¤Æ
ā Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) July 7, 2022
(š„: @michaelfarleyza) pic.twitter.com/ZxhG19jXJo
BTS of the @LIVGolfInv private jet from the viral party video š
ā Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) July 9, 2022
(š„: @michaelfarleyza) pic.twitter.com/sKr3MLGXXj
With space like that, I would never have to pay for extra leg room again. This looks like the best hang in town, or should I say at 35,000 feet. The music going, Perez dancing, Brooks Koepka and Paulina Gretzky deep in conversation. Oh, what Iād give to be a fly on the wall on that plane.
While weāre on the topic of LIV, Iād like to share the following photo that I canāt quite figure out.
omg pic.twitter.com/ZeVhdsNV50
ā claire rogers (@kclairerogers) July 6, 2022
Weāve got Pat Perez, Paulina Gretzky, Trevor Gretzky and Dustin Johnson. Between the backdrop, the poses, the outfits and the props, I am not sure what on earth is happening, but it has definitely sparked my interest. Were they being paid for this? I canāt imagine any other world in which DJ and Perez would be up for this photo-op. Then again, it all couldāve been in the name of good fun. Only they can say.
And finally, we have LIVās water bottle of choice. I grew up on lukewarm tap water, so anything above that feels extravagant. Dasani? Nestle Pure Life? Sign me up! But Fiji is a whole different ball game. When I think of Fiji water, I think of Bill Gates. I think of the finest country clubs in the world and I think of Queen Elizabeth. Fiji water is not just for anyone.
Players signing for millions was one thing, but the fact that LIV Golf serves Fiji water is what really convinced me that thereās a lot of money behind it pic.twitter.com/eDVMzjSx19
ā claire rogers (@kclairerogers) July 8, 2022
But guess what, folks? It is for the LIV players, and that right there is how I know that this tour means business. To invest in something like Fiji water means you are 100% positive youāre going to succeed, or that you have already succeeded because why else would someone ever spend $300 (okay, maybe not that much, but a lot) on a simple bottle of water when you could put the cash toward literally anything else?
Jon Rahmās purchase ⦠and laundry
Okay, friends. I have a few updates on Jon Rahm that donāt include his profanity-laced reaction on Friday, and the first surrounds the Rolex he bought for his caddie.
While Rahmās caddieās watch isnāt new, itās news to the rest of us. An engraved Rolex? Not a bad gift! For my 25th birthday, I got a book and what I thought was a chocolate bar, but it turns out my dad ate a chocolate bar on the way home and didnāt realize he put the wrapper in my gift bag.
All-time move by @JonRahmpga š
ā Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) July 7, 2022
(šø: @aclgolf / Instagram) pic.twitter.com/2B2mAPnhw3
Anyways, back to Rahm. It looks like whatever house Rahm is renting for The Open this week is full of condiments but lacking a dryer. Hopefully his shirts air dry before he has to wear them on the course. Damp shirts and windy Scottish weather sound like they donāt mix well.
looks like Jon Rahm is slumming it this week ā HATE to see it ///: š pic.twitter.com/dgvtLvYzDa
ā Samantha Marks (@SamanthaSMarks) July 11, 2022
Wedding weekend!
Thereās nothing I love more (sorry, family and friends) than a PGA Tour wedding. DJ and Paulina, Brooks and Jena, you name it. Tom Watson got hitched to Leslie Anne Wade over the weekend, and while we werenāt treated to videos of Kid Rock or Ludacris performing like we were at previous golf weddings, we did get this lovely picture. Congrats to the happy couple!
Just married ā¤ļø ā @LeslieAnneWade ā¦@TomWatsonPGAā© pic.twitter.com/UX2Z70PzPj
ā LeslieAnne Wade (@LeslieAnneWade) July 9, 2022
Also, Watson was in St. Andrews on Monday, which sounds like a lovely way to celebrate.
Tigerās jokes
I have a theory that Eldrick Tont Woods is his happiest, most authentic self when in the United Kingdom. I will present my evidence below.
First, we have Woods arriving at Adare Manor for the highly exclusive JP McManus Pro-Am.
The shades. The coffee. The backwards hat! He seems calm, cool and collected. And better yet, heās joking around with someone in the distance.
Me to anyone more than a day older than me
ā claire rogers (@kclairerogers) July 3, 2022
(@DPWorldTour) pic.twitter.com/42WEkpmthZ
Thatās Exhibit A. On to my next piece of evidence, which is Tiger owning Justin Thomas by the putting green at St. Andrews.
A Tiger jab that JT laughs off or motivates him all week to victory? š¤ pic.twitter.com/GIXWHEMrpE
ā Tim Reilly (@LifeOfTimReilly) July 11, 2022
āSee you tomorrow for the past winners event. Oh, no. I forgot youāve never won here.ā Savage. It must be nice to be Tiger Woods because you can make jokes like that and have the talent to back them up.
And then thereās this video of Tiger messing with Rory on the putting green at St. Andrews. What I appreciate about Woodsā jokes is that they arenāt loud. Heās quick and witty with his actions, and definitely catches McIlroy by surprise.
Wait for it⦠š¤£#The150thOpen pic.twitter.com/eRsRr9sAc7
ā The Open (@TheOpen) July 11, 2022
Next up we have Tiger stepping on Jack Nicklausā foot on the Swilcan Bridge, which isnāt particularly funny, but definitely notable. I know, I know ā it probably wasnāt on purpose. If it were, though, I like to picture Tiger whispering something to Jack about how heās gonna get one major closer to his major record this week and getting his point across via his FootJoy spikes.
Only man in the world who can step on Jackās shoe https://t.co/7YL41ChIGd pic.twitter.com/wgu9yfrpWL
ā claire rogers (@kclairerogers) July 11, 2022
And finally, we have Tiger messing around with Lee Trevino.
Iām telling you, this man is in his absolute element this week. Heās more comfortable at St. Andrews than most of us are in our own living rooms.
And finally, although not a joke, I thoroughly enjoyed this image of Tiger in the wild, in the Mysteries and Thrillers section of a book store, no less!
What book is Tiger buying? Wrong answers only š (šø: Reddit) pic.twitter.com/9NtlHPiRiO
ā Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) July 5, 2022
I did my best to find which books he picked up, but couldnāt quite find an answer.
Thanks for NOTHING, Ralph pic.twitter.com/8666dpI2W6
ā claire rogers (@kclairerogers) July 5, 2022
Thanks to a few of my Twitter followers who are clearly much more avid readers than I am, I later learned he picked up āStrangersā by Dean Koontz. Enjoy the book, Tiger.
Morikawaās big return
2021 Open Champion Collin Morikawa had to give back the Claret Jug on Monday. And according to him, āit sucked.ā Fair enough!
He was given a replica of the trophy, but Iām willing to guess it just doesnāt feel the same. I hate returning my sisterās clothes once Iāve borrowed them, so I can totally relate to how Morikawa mustāve felt here.
The 2021 Champion Golfer of the Year returns the Claret Jug to The R&A š Can @Collin_Morikawa win it again this week?#The150thOpen @MercedesBenz #PerfectDrive #MBGolf #MercedesBenz pic.twitter.com/ZQIvhtUEvB
ā The Open (@TheOpen) July 11, 2022
General updates from across the pond
And now for some general, miscellaneous content from the United Kingdom. First up, Brooks Koepka and Jena Sims rang in their one-month marriage anniversary in Ireland.
Next up we have Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns, who despite looking chilly, appear to be living their best lives across the pond. Make sure to scroll over to the below Instagram post for some WAG content as well.
Also, Scottie Scheffler just chilling at the beach is an aspirational vibe.
And finally, we have Mr. Max Homa who is so deeply committed to the game that he went out for another 18 holes after making the cut at the Scottish Open. Talk about a love for the game!
Max Homa š¤ @NorthBerwick_GC
ā Harvey Jamison (@HarveyJamison) July 8, 2022
So good, @MaxHoma23 makes the Scottish Open cut and then plays another 18 holes at the West Links late Friday evening. pic.twitter.com/aMX1UGAJXT
Alright, folks. Thatās all Iāve got for this week. Hereās to an awesome week of The Open, and more importantly, some great content from The Open.