The post ‘I’m going to fight:’ This pro’s days are numbered but his golfing spirit endures appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘I’m going to fight:’ This pro’s days are numbered but his golfing spirit endures appeared first on Golf.

The actor Paul Giamatti was born in 1967. So was the country singer Faith Hill and Kurt Cobain, the late Nirvana frontman. The CNN anchor Anderson Cooper was born in 1967. And the golfers Steve Stricker (517 PGA Tour starts), David Toms (617 PGA Tour starts) and Brian Morris (one PGA Tour start). Morris played last week, in the Bermuda tournament.

Maybe you saw glimpses of him there, at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Golf Channel showed him some. So did the Tour’s social-media channels. Or maybe you were one of the few dozen people following him around the gorgeous Port Royal links. We could all see the hold this game can have on a man.

Morris knows the deal. “One and done,” he told me the other day. He had played 36 holes in a PGA Tour event and he won’t be playing in another. He had to play out of a cart. That gnawed at him. But there was no way his body could tolerate two straight days of walking.

His scores — 89 and 92 — were the least of it. He got himself to the first tee on Thursday and to the 18th green on Friday. That was the most of it. He got through the one part of one and done. Like Archie “Moonlight” Graham, who is in the Baseball Encyclopedia for appearing in one game, in 1905, as a New York Giant. He never stepped into the batter’s box but he stood in right field for a half inning and that was enough. And in that vein, Morris is a note in the PGA Tour’s record-keeping. One start. Yes, one MC. But one start!

At the start of the first round, he had an odd sensation. From the time he hit his opening tee shot until he pulled his ball out of the first hole, he felt nothing. It wasn’t the accumulated weight of his 30-plus chemo treatments. It wasn’t his neuropathy. It was the adrenaline coursing through his veins. For a short spell there, he was Superman. His slight flesh-and-blood body had turned to steel. His P-for-Puma hat could not contain his head.

A month earlier, Morris, the head pro at the Ocean View Golf Club, on Bermuda’s north shore, had called his wife from work. For a moment, she heard only his sobbing. Suddenly, a thousand invisible bugs were crawling all over the inside of her skin again, spreading anxiety with ruthless efficiency. Her husband, father to their four children (blended family), has Stage IV cancer. It’s in his stomach and esophagus and brain. He has inoperable tumors in his neck. Laurie Morris has learned to fear a buzzing phone.

This time, the news was good. Butterfield, a Bermuda bank with ledgers going back to the 18th-century, was giving her husband an exemption into the PGA Tour event it sponsors.

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A fast month later, Morris was playing in the tournament with Sahith Theegala, a tall and lean 23-year-old Tour rookie from California, and Michael Sims, a former University of Rhode Island golfer and Bermudian. Morris and Sims are cousins, Bermuda-style. Only 63,000 people live on the island, and family histories are often all entwined. Each calls the other cuz.

(A quick and coincidental aside: I walked-and-talked some with Sims at Torrey Pines during a U.S. Open practice round, where he was caddying for a qualifier, Wilson Furr. Every year, the golf world expands. The game goes to new places. But it contracts, too. Someday I imagine I’ll see Tiger and Charlie at the driving range at the North Palm Beach muni.)

Sims got in the Butterfield tournament through a Bermuda qualifier, where there were two dozen locals playing for four spots. Sims (73, 77) didn’t make the cut in the tournament. Theegala, who had a superb college career at Pepperdine, did. He shot 140, even par, to make the cut on the number. “He put up with me,” Morris said. “Sahith, man — he’s got loads of game.”

Morris does, too. Ask Sims. Ask anybody who knows the intimate world of professional golf in Bermuda, where there are more than a half-dozen courses, a sizable number for a country that’s not that much bigger than Manhattan. The golf pros in Bermuda are like surfers in Santa Cruz. They hang. They move around. They do what they can to stay in the game.

My friend Mike Donald, the former Tour player and the winner of the 1995 Bermuda Open, has made more than 15 trips to Bermuda, to play in the Bermuda Open and the Goslings Invitational. Morris played often in those events, and Mike would see him, by day and by night. “He shot 29 one year on the front,” Mike told me. This was in the Goslings event. The years blend. “I saw it on a leaderboard and I’m like, ‘Holy sh*t — Brian’s having some round.” Out in 29 doesn’t mean you’ll sign for 63, of course, but you don’t just get lucky and shoot 29. Morris recalled leading after a 66 one year “and then choking in the next.” I could hear in Mike’s voice how much he loved Brian’s life-is-good vibe, to say nothing of his tell-it-straight manner. Mike painted a picture of a man who could tend bar deep into the night (Docksider’s, Front Street, Hamilton) and be on the first tee bright and early the next morn, cheerful and ready to go. Brian remembers some top-20 finishes.

He wasn’t playing for the hardware, not really, or even the check, though a check is always nice. Brian was in the game for the game. His favorite golfer is Fred Couples, though he’s never met him. His favorite tournament is the British Open, though he’s never played in one. His favorite course is the Old Course, though he’s never been on it.

His accent is chiefly British, with nods to Australia and Canada and the American South. “I believe in a body life,” he told me. He was explaining one of his many tattoos, this one on his left arm: LIVE LUCKY, the words separated by tumbling dice. “Every day you live, trust me, you live lucky, mate.” Troost me.

The Morrises, husband and wife, like Vegas. They like to gamble. They go every year with friends. Well, not every year. They didn’t go this year. Still: live lucky.

Brian has an interesting face. I mean, it’s right up there with Harvey Penick’s, who had creases on his so deep they could hold (people used to say) a seven-day rain. Brian has bright blue eyes and an impish, boyish face, save his wispy seafarer’s beard. He often has a long tee stuck behind one of his ears and there’s a black stud in his left earlobe and another in his right. He played his Friday round wearing a white shirt dotted with cartoon red-and-black monster trucks. A great shirt. It helps that Brian has the elfin physique, and matching spirit, to pull it off.

He also has a blue-ink tat on the left side of his neck that depicts the map of Bermuda. It’s a showpiece. Bermuda, as it dangles down Brian’s neck, looks like an old, sea-stained fishhook. 

One of Brian’s heroes growing up was Keith Pearman, the longtime head pro at Mid Ocean, the island’s celebrated C.B. Macdonald course. Pearman, who died this year, was a revered golf pro and instructor, a beloved fishing guide and the one-man welcoming committee to thousands of Mid Ocean members and guests over the years. “As a Black man in Bermuda, in the golf industry, in his generation? Keith went through a lot,” Brian told me. “The perseverance he showed — I idolized him. One of the reasons Ocean View, my club, was built was so that Black golfers and Portuguese golfers could have a place to play.” 

Ocean View is close to downtown Hamilton. It’s a sporty nine-holer, not even 3,000 yards long. Brian Morris, Keith Pearman, Michael Sims, Mike Donald and boatloads of other pros, local and visiting, have put up all sorts of low scores there, sometimes while playing under the light of the moon. (Full moons in Bermuda are especially bright. All that reflection off the water.) Sims played Ocean View with Brian earlier this year when his cousin made six or seven birdies over the course of nine holes. Something around 30, maybe lower, had anybody been keeping a card. But who needs a card when you’re playing match play?

Brian’s father — a few years older than Pearman on an island where everyone (kind of) knows everyone — was a 2-handicap golfer who sold life insurance. He started Brian in golf, among other sports. He wanted Brian to play as a righty, because right-handed clubs were easier to find. But Brian is nothing if not stubborn and he insisted on playing from the left side of the ball. He loved the game and imagined a future in it. He played in junior events and played well but his father was his main playing partner.

One day, when Brian was 19, his father came to watch him play cricket. (Bermuda takes many of its cues from Great Britain.) It was a usual thing. The father was sitting on a wall, about 20 feet off the ground, watching the cricket, when he fell, landed unlucky and died instantly. Brian saw it. His father was 49.

Some months later, Brian’s mother, after a brief bout with cancer, died. She was 49.

Some years later, Brian’s sister, who had profound disabilities and lived with their grandmother, died. She was 49.

Their grandmother was like their second mother. In time, and in her time, she died, too.

My mom, my dad, my sis, my granny.

Brian would like a reunion.

After his father died, he took his clubs, went to the top of a cliff and threw them to the beach below.

“I didn’t know how to play golf without my dad,” Brian said. “Golf meant nothing to me without him.”

Through his 20s, Morris was on a walkabout, Bermuda-style. He buried his golf dreams with his father.

“It was probably for the best,” Brian said of his leave from the game. “I wasn’t mature enough. Had I worked in golf then, I would have burned my bridges. Now I’m grateful for it.” He tended bar. For six or seven years he worked a 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, then, as a father himself, he switched to days.

After about 10 years without any golf in his life, a childhood friend invited him to play. They had come up playing junior golf together. “I didn’t want to go but I did,” Brian said. “I made a triple bogey on the first hole and I realized how much I missed it.”

This is fuzzy but this is Bermuda: Brian’s father, as a young man, delivered candy out of truck. He hired a kid to help him. That kid grew up and landed in the golf business. He encouraged Brian to go to the Orlando campus of the Golf Academy of America and get an associate’s degree in golf management. Brian did and it changed his life. That was in 2003. He’s been working in golf ever since. He plays golf, his friends are golfers, he travels with his clubs and stays at golfy hotels. He leads a golfing life.

One of his tattoos depicts a Bentley, to honor his driving game, he said. He drives it right down the line, without any Fiat 500 wobble. His son, Brian Morris Jr., has a Bentley tat, too. Brian Jr. is 30 and loves ye olde game. Natasha is 29 and lives in England. Zachary is 27. Rico is 17. Brian’s foursome. Plus, of course, Laurie.

The family house is 70 or 80 years old, purchased from Laurie’s mother. Through a window, Brian can watch cruise ships sail on by, gulls hovering over their sterns. Those cruise ships are an important part of the Bermuda economy. There are golfers on the cruise ships, golfers who rent clubs and buy golf balls. A cash register must ring. It’s the way of the world. “With Covid,” Brian said, “we haven’t had a lot of cruise ships.” There have been lulls before.

His two days in the Butterfield event were exhilarating. Playing with Michael and Sahith, and in front of so many family members and friends. Graeme McDowell and D.A. Points, strangers, went out of their way to say hello, to send Brian their best. “They’ve been, they’ve done, they appreciate,” Brian said.

There’s a cryptic beauty to some of his remarks.

“It’s exciting to meet you,” Brian said to McDowell. McDowell won the U.S. Open at Pebble, in 2010, when Tiger, in a manner of speaking, was the defending champion.

“I’m more excited to meet you,” McDowell said.

Brian described his play on Port Royal’s 16th hole, a spectacular 200-yard par-3. The detail was glorious: “Ocean short, ocean long, ocean left, wind in your face, bailout right.”

What’d you do?!

“Nutted a 3-wood, right into the bailout area, both days,” Brian said. Smart golf. He made two 4s.

He’s had, by the way, four aces. He went 20 years looking for his first hole in one. Then he made three in three straight rounds, on a Thursday, a Sunday and a Wednesday. What are the odds of that? Completely, totally incalculable. He made another, his fourth, earlier this year, on the 2nd hole at Ocean View. Live lucky indeed.

Brian learned of his cancer diagnosis in 2019, a day before Christmas eve. The doctors told him blahblahblahblahblah. The doctors gave him six months. Well, he’s still here! When he holed out on 18 after the second round, Laurie was there, screaming and cheering and clapping and crying, along with scores of others. Sims had slipped out his phone and recorded the two-putt for posterity. “I never saw him smile like that,” Laurie told me.

In his prime, 150 would have been about the highest Brian Morris could shoot for two rounds at Port Royal. That is, in his physical prime. In other ways, he’s at his prime right now. His thinking is so clear. “I know this cancer is going to kill me,” he said. But it comes with a bright side. “Nothing pisses me off anymore,” he said. He looked around Port Royal and “saw so many of the people from my life.”

Let’s bring in the lads.

“In My Life,” from Rubber Soul, The Beatles, 1966:

Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more.     

Music ran through our conversation. Lately, I’ve been on a kick of listening to Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line” and various covers of it. The song came to mind for me again when Brian was talking about his driving prowess and his Bentley tattoo. Golfers used to say, after splitting the fairway, “Right down the sprinkler line.” (From the era of a single mid-fairway irrigation pipe.) There’s a Bonnie Raitt cover of “Right Down the Line” that brings a reggae vibe to the song. Brian loves reggae. He loves Jamaica. (Jamaica and Bermuda are opposite sides of the same coin.) He’s been to Jamaica about 10 times. Bob Marley, Jamaican rasta king, lives on, in ink, on Brian Morris’s right forearm. It was his first tattoo.

“I believe you’ve got to travel, bro,” Brian told me. “I love Vegas. I love Jamaica, Australia, England. I love being anywhere, man. Even Canada. I love traveling, seeing the different cultures. It’s healthy to see.”

Brian said the illness made him appreciate life’s smaller moments. Man, does that hit home. Sometimes, just kicking in the edges of a divot hole after a good shot gives me so much pleasure I can hardly stand it. Brian talked about the pleasure of a warm bath in a big hotel tub, so big you can get your knees and your shoulders under the water at the same time. Talk about your post-round elixir.

I asked Brian if he considered his time playing golf time well-spent.

“One-hundred percent,” he said. “Absolutely, it’s time well-spent. Golf has kept me grounded, kept me humble. It’s given me the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. It gets you outside, with your peers, your friends, maybe your spouse. I would never apologize for how much time I’ve spent playing golf.”

I thought about that for a moment and said, “I’ve come to realize that golf is some teacher.”

“That’s well said,” Brian said. “It is. Golf is some teacher. Golf teaches you to adapt.”

There’s the game, in five words.

He plans on playing as much golf as he can, as much as his body will allow him, here on out. I asked: If you could play only one course for the rest of his life, which would it be?

“I would have loved to play St. Andrews,” he said. “That’s not going to happen. One course, for the rest of my life? Hmmm. To be honest about it, under these circumstances? I’m totally content playing my home course. Ocean View. I love where I am.”

I love where I am.

I asked Brian if he believed in life after death.

“I haven’t really thought much about it, but I believe I’m going to see my mom and dad and sister again, and my granny,” Brian said.

His parents shared a birthday, July 14. Brian was born July 15, 1967. It was a Saturday. The Open concluded that day. Roberto De Vicenzo won, at Hoylake, by two shots over Jack Nicklaus. A keeper.

“My birthday is on the second round of the next Open,” Brian told me. It’s at the Old Course. His favorite course. His favorite tournament. 

Birthday candles typically come 60 to a box. He’ll have four to spare: 55 candles to mark his 55 years, plus one for good luck.

“I’m going to fight to stay alive so I can watch it on TV, but I can’t plan too far ahead,” he said. We made a deal: If I’m at the Open, and he can get to a phone, I’ll FaceTime him from the course. He laughed.

“I don’t want to die, I don’t want to leave those who are in this journey with me,” Brian said.

He prays, in his way. “You reach out to God when you can, where you can, whether it’s a church or a bathtub,” Brian said. He’s a bathtub guy, Bob Marley playing through the steam, literally. I asked if he had a go-to song.

“‘One Love,'” he said.

He half-sang the song’s famous refrain:

One love. One heart. Let’s get together and feel all right.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com.

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The post The ’12 minute’ driver that led Lucas Herbert to victory in Bermuda appeared first on Golf.

The post The ’12 minute’ driver that led Lucas Herbert to victory in Bermuda appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to Spotted on Tour, where we’ll highlight buzzy apparel, gear, gadgets and more that caught our eye over the weekend. Better yet, we’ll help you get your hands on your own.

In 15 minutes, you can save 15 percent or more on your car insurance, or so the saying goes. But in 12 minutes? On the PGA Tour, that’s enough time to save your entire week.

Lucas Herbert grabbed the first win of his PGA Tour career on Sunday at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, battling through vicious winds and an active Sunday leaderboard en route to a one-stroke victory over Patrick Reed. Herbert, a 25-year-old with two wins on the European Tour, has earned a fast reputation as a battler in his professional career. Particularly, it turns out, in the face of unique challenges.

On Saturday in Bermuda, Herbert found himself in an unfortunate crossroads. Midway through his warmup, he noticed an issue with the face of his driver. By the time he realized he’d need to replace the entire head of the club, he had 12 minutes remaining before his tee time.

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What did Herbert do? He changed driver heads, hustled out to the golf course, and promptly shot a third-round 65 to vault himself within two strokes of the 54-hole lead. On Sunday, with the new driver in his bag for all of a day, he tallied a final-round 69 and won the tournament.

His driver is the TaylorMade SIM2, the newest in the “Shape in Motion” family. TaylorMade touts its SIM2 as featuring many of the best technologies of years’ past (TwistFace and Inertia Generator technology, in addition to a speed-injected face and carbon crown) while still adding a bevy of new features.

The highlight of the SIM2’s new tech is its weighting — a change created by a carbon sole plate and aluminum back ring — which drives the club center of gravity further back, making it more forgiving for mishits. For those of us hoping to ditch our bout with the hooks, that’s good news. For those of us needing to replace a driver face in 12 minutes without seeing our scores skyrocket? Well, that’s also good news.

To learn more about the SIM2 family, including the SIM2 Max and Max D, check out the link below.

The post The ’12 minute’ driver that led Lucas Herbert to victory in Bermuda appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Is pro golf about to change in a big way? appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Is pro golf about to change in a big way? appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com. This week, we discuss the new Saudi-backed golf league, big rules changes for amateurs and playing golf in heinous weather.

1. Greg Norman has been named CEO of LIV Golf Investments, a Saudi-backed group that promises to “holistically improve the health of professional golf on a truly global scale,” beginning with a 10-year commitment of at least $200 million to underwrite 10 new full-field Asian Tour events. What was your biggest takeaway from Friday’s announcement?  

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): After years of rumors and speculation about various rival super leagues, I guess I was expecting/hoping for more juice than what was in this initial announcement. LIV’s investment in the Asian Tour is significant but what’s coming next — seemingly some kind of star-powered breakout tour — would send shockwaves should it come to fruition. Norman said it himself in the Friday release: “This is just the beginning.” My attention is piqued!

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Right. That was the elephant in the press release. The prospect of this super league, which is far more threatening to the PGA Tour than a 10-year, $200 million commitment to the Asian Tour. Alan’s phrase is apt: “Should it come to pass.” We’ve been down this road before. Will it end differently this time? How is the Tour going to respond? Will it be as successful as squelching a challenge from a rival circuit as it has been in the past? All related questions.

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Sean Zak, senior editor (@Sean_Zak): My biggest takeaway is how soft these commitments from top 10 players really seem to be. Rumors about players interested keep floating around, but no one is ready to publicly take a stand yet. It’s a weird look to announce a league with all this hype…in waves without the names coming first. 

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): This press release was an answer that mostly led to more questions. (I listed 10 of ‘em here.) Until you have players, golf courses, something tangible…it doesn’t feel quite real. So it still doesn’t feel real. The only sure thing secured seems to be the money. But sometimes the money is the toughest part to secure, so maybe that’s enough.

2. As referenced above (and as reported by various media outlets), LIV Golf is also aiming to launch a global golf league this spring, likely to be co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, which would mean World Ranking points would be available to participants. Among the key details that are still unknown: which, if any, players have signed on and where the events would be conducted. For this upstart league to be successful, what element do you think is most essential for Norman and Co. to get right?

Bastable: Everything starts with the players. Some big names have been rumored to have been courted by LIV — and star power will, of course, be essential for this thing to succeed. Beyond that, who will broadcast the events and how will they be presented? Whichever TV/streaming partner steps in, there are all kinds of ways to outperform golf’s current broadcast models — beginning with simply showing more shots. I’d expect to see all kinds of fun bells and whistles and no doubt an emphasis on betting. I’m also intrigued to see the host sites. PGA Tour venues largely lack much sizzle. If this new tour is smart, it’ll make its host courses part of the show.

Sens: Right. First things first, it needs the buy-in of the players. Back in 1994, when Norman first proposed a world tour, it seemed like he had the stars lined up. But when it came time to act, the players backed off. This rival league will need big names fully on board to gain momentum. Beyond that, as Alan says, how it’s packaged/presented will be key. Even if fans turn a blind eye to the ethical concerns, will they find the events themselves compelling? Or simply another iteration of big-money exhibition golf?

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Zak: Players matter! But a broadcast might be just as important. The rumored differences between this league and the PGA Tour are only different if people see them. 

Dethier: Right. Is there as much demand for this product as this Tour’s organizers think? I think “legitimacy” is the most important and most elusive element. The PGA Tour is a known quantity with an established structure, and that’s comforting for players and viewers alike, despite various complaints about the product. Legitimacy is tough to create. Can LIV + Co. do so?

3. LIV Golf is bankrolled by the deep pockets of Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian government — or, more specifically, by the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, which is chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, who has been linked to the 2018 murder of Saudi critic and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. (Norman said in a statement to reporters that he is “happy to partner with this group of investors to bring the significant resources to bear that are necessary for the fundamental changes required for the greater good of the sport.”) How much, if at all, do you suppose the source of the would-be league’s financing could impede its ability to attract players, fans and sponsors? 

Bastable: If the purses are as a rich as rumored, hard to imagine LIV will have much trouble lining up players. Look no further than the Saudi International, which annually attracts a host of big names. But, yes, LIV’s funding, of course, presents an inconvenient truth. When the Saudis bought the Premier League team Newcastle United earlier this year, human-rights advocates were aghast, with Amnesty International calling the deal a “clear attempt by the Saudi authorities to sportswash their appalling human rights record.” Presumably as this new league ramps up, it will face similar charges.  

Zak: A handful of players will not be involved, no matter what. Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are just a couple with no interest. But if there’s one thing I know about Tour pros, it’s that they follow the money ALL the time. 

Sens: They will follow it, for sure. But they’ll also have to consider whether that paycheck is worth the potential financial blow of losing a sponsor or two? What happens when Company A, facing public outrage, decides it would rather not have its name on Player B’s hat? That’s going to happen at some point along the line. But Sean is probably right. The bigger paycheck will ultimately win out.

Dethier: It’s going to be extremely difficult to be the FIRST player to commit to this new league. This is one of those times that it’s unwise to be a trailblazer. But if several players announce their commitments at the same time, it’s going to be confusing for golf fans who feel some trepidation at the entire purpose of this new league. Some fans won’t watch for either reasons of morality or indifference. Others might shrug, say, “It’s hard to keep track of all this stuff, but I want to watch golf,” and tune in. 

4. Lucas Herbert beat the field (and the conditions!) in Bermuda this weekend to earn his first PGA Tour victory. Herbert — like 54-hole leader Taylor Pendrith — is a Korn Ferry Tour graduate making his mark on Tour already. Is there an under-the-radar Tour rookie you have your eye on?

Zak: Cameron Young has played some extremely good golf in waves this year. It comes and goes for every pro at that level, but when it comes for him, it’s really good. I’d expect him to contend for a win sometime in 2022. 

Bastable: There are no sure things in golf but it’s hard to not to buy stock in Sahith Theegala, who won virtually every significant college award during his days at Pepperdine and top-tenned is just his second start of his rookie season, at the Sanderson Farms. Kid looks groomed for greatness.

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Sens: Mito Pereira first caught my eye at the Tokyo Olympics, where he nearly medaled. I’ll be looking out for the Chilean this year.

Dethier: The secret is out on Taylor Pendrith — sort of. I’m not sure how many people were dialed into the 54-hole leader in Bermuda, but he’s got big-time game and has massively improved his putting in recent years. He’s 30 years old but still a potential rising star, and I’m excited to see if he can use Sunday’s disappointing round as a springboard.

5. The governing bodies are rolling out new rules around amateur status beginning Jan. 1 that will loosen restrictions around elite amateurs’ ability to profit from their skills. To wit: All so-called “NIL” (name, image and likeness) rules have been lifted, allowing players to sign with sponsors without forfeiting their amateur status. Sensible move? 

Bastable: Sure, I’m OK with the move. In the upper reaches of the game, there is money to be made off the best amateurs so why not let them get a share, especially given there are no payout guarantees — far from it — in the pro game. Also, competitive golf is costly, what with gear, travel and double presses. The best amateurs would benefit from a few bucks to help cover their costs.  

Zak: Safe move! The NCAA has been derided for decades for not allowing athletes to use their NIL for profit. The USGA was able to skate by that by just following the NCAA rules. Now, they’re doing the same thing. It’s an obvious move. 

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Sens: Not only has it been derided, the NCAA lost a recent Supreme Court case 9-0 around collegiate players’ rights to be compensated. You don’t see that kind of unanimity of opinion in this country much anymore. The move is in step with the times.

Dethier: Yep. This one hits home for me (though not because of my golf skill). Next issue!

6. In the opening round in Bermuda, the players faced brutally tough conditions in the form of heavy rain spells and wind gusts of up to 40 mph. “You see winds like this, but normally you don’t play in them,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “This was the hardest wind I’ve ever played in.” What’s the most challenging weather you’ve experienced on a golf course?

Bastable: Years ago, I played the great Dublin links, Portmarnock, in what most sensible golfers would deem to be unplayable conditions. Driving rain, impenetrable winds, the works. I was clad head to toe in rain gear, but I may as well not have been. Every inch of my clothes beneath were soaked, as was my double- and triple-bogey-heavy scorecard. 

Sens: 2004 British Senior Open pro-am at Royal Portrush. Slanting rain. Blow-you-over winds. Cold. I think I picked up on 15 of the 18 holes. Even so, Don Pooley was saintly in his patience as our pro partner. 

Zak: Bermuda, 2018 Goslings Invitational, same course as the pros. Thankfully I was just caddying, but the 30mph winds and sudden downpour was a horrible way to start our round. About 20 minutes later, we had bogeyed the 1st and the day’s round was canceled. It was time for a warm shower. 

Dethier: …caddying for me! As we tried to hide behind a bush by the first tee, Sean and I were cackling at the idea that we were going to somehow play a complete round in what felt like a hurricane. It’s a mini-tour event, and I’m not sure what would have been a good score that day — 80? 90? Any version of survival? (You can watch our full attempt below.)

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The post Winner’s Bag: Lucas Herbert at the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship appeared first on Golf.

The post Winner’s Bag: Lucas Herbert at the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship appeared first on Golf.

Lucas Herbert, a 25-year-old from Australia, claimed his first ever PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He held off second-place finishers Patrick Reed and Danny Lee to win by one stroke.

Herbert is a TaylorMade staffer, and he used a bag full of TaylorMade equipment this week in Bermuda. A particular point of note: Herbert does not use a 5-iron in his setup. We’ll update you with more information on exactly why he doesn’t carry a 5-iron in a future story, but for now, we detail Herbert’s winning setup below.

Driver: TaylorMade SIM2 (Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green shaft), 9 degrees

3-Wood: TaylorMade SIM (Mitsubishi Diamana DF shaft), 15 degrees

Driving Iron: TaylorMade P790 UDI (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft)

Irons: TaylorMade P7TW (3-4 iron, 6-PW; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts)

Wedges: TaylorMade MG3 (50, 56 and 60 degrees: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx X100 in his 50-degree wedge, and KBS Hi-Rev 135X Black shafts in his 56 and 60-degree wedges)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Tour

Golf Ball: TaylorMade TP5

Want to overhaul your bag for 2021? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below!

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The post ‘I just enjoyed the struggle’: Lucas Herbert earns first Tour win in wild conditions appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘I just enjoyed the struggle’: Lucas Herbert earns first Tour win in wild conditions appeared first on Golf.

There were stretches at this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship where the golf looked every bit the subtropical paradise shown in its tourism commercials.

But there were other times when it looked distinctly different — when the golf gods put the world’s best through their toughest possible test, turning the shortest golf course on Tour into a rainy, windy sufferfest.

It was only fitting, then, that Lucas Herbert missed a four-footer for birdie at No. 18, leading to an anticlimactic tap-in for par and a one-shot victory. This was a survival test, after all, and Herbert had done just enough to win.

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“I love playing when it’s really hard,” Herbert told Golf Channel immediately after finishing up. “I think it makes you be that little bit better and it eliminates the guys who maybe aren’t as good who are hitting shots that don’t get affected by wind or rain as much. I just enjoyed the struggle out there today. There were times where we were nearly sitting on the ground behind an umbrella — and just embracing that was so much fun.”

Other contenders got eliminated, one by one, while several furious charges up the leaderboard fell just short. Scott Stallings shot the round of the day, posting a preposterous nine-under 62 that was nearly 10 shots lower than the field average. For a moment it looked as though he might contend for the win despite starting the day 14 shots back.

“You were hitting good shots that ended up in bad places and bad shots ended up in good places, that’s just kind of the way the day was. Keep moving forward,” he said. That was an understatement.

Patrick Reed had the day’s second-best round and he finished it off in style with birdies at 13, 14, 17 and 18. He signed for a six-under 65 that left him as leader in the clubhouse at 14 under. He said that he felt like he could play particularly creative golf on a day that “you could pretty much throw out the yardage book.” Reed added that the result — by far his best since missing time with illness at the end of last season — was a big confidence boost going forward.

“Ever since I got back from being sick it just seemed like the offense wasn’t quite there, I wasn’t making enough birdies and when that happens one little swing here or there turns a round you want to salvage into a mediocre round,” he said. “This week I had plenty of offense, just needed to take away a few careless errors.”

PGA Tour rookie Taylor Pendrith began the day with a three-shot advantage but yielded that lead with bogeys at 6, 7 and 8. But the Canadian bomber was still within a shot of the lead on the 17th tee, where he chose driver on the short par-5 — but then pulled it into the water. After taking a drop, he chunked his approach into the water, too, leading to a double-bogey 7. He finished the day without a birdie and signed for five-over 76 and a T5 finish.

“Lots of positives,” Pendrith said afterwards. “Obviously it’s my best finish out here [on the PGA Tour]. It was a tough Sunday, which I guess I’ll learn a lot from that, but to have a good week was great.”

Danny Lee began the day three shots back in solo second place, started hot with birdies at 2 and 3 and held the outright lead at the turn, one shot ahead of Pendrith and Herbert. But things spiraled out of control at No. 12, where he made a series of short game miscues and walked off with a double-bogey 6. He followed that with bogeys at 13 and 14 to fall well off the pace.

“A lot of good and a lot of bad. I fought really hard for it, just 12 through 14 was a very, very tough stretch for me,” Lee said post-round.

Lee then played his way back into contention with impressive birdies at 15, 16 and 17 — but fell one shot short with a closing par at 18. He finished T2 alongside Reed.

That left Herbert as the last man standing. He, like Lee, began the day with birdies at 2 and 3. But his two biggest game-changers were birdie putts on 12 and 14, bombs he dropped in the worst of the weather as the rest of his competition was grinding for par.

“That was funny, like, we’ve holed an obscene amount of putts from outside 25 feet this week and got over that one on 14, and just went like, ‘This is my range, I’ve holed so many, this is my range,'” Herbert said. “It was just like, the whole way, that’s not missing.”

Herbert sealed the deal with a combination of steady short game and relentless ball-striking. He got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at No. 16 for a crucial par, just missed a short birdie try at 17 and then striped his approach to four feet at 18 — leaving him with two putts for the win. To the victor go the spoils, and this was a life-changer for the Korn Ferry Tour graduate. He earned a $1.17 million winner’s check, an invitation to the Tournament of Champions in January, a trip to Augusta for the Masters in April and exempt status through the rest of the season — and two more seasons beyond.

It was a lot to soak up in the moment.

“I’ve only had two minutes to think about it because I’ve been trying to push it so far out of my mind, but it just opens up so many doors for me and it’s just so exciting, being able to play out here now and pick a schedule,” Herbert said. “It’s been tough for the guys out of the Korn Ferry Finals, we haven’t gotten a lot of starts, so to be out of that battle and get into some of these really big events, I’m looking forward to it so much.”

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Jim Knous entered this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship with a special kind of pressure: The pressure of keeping his job.

This week at Port Royal marked the final start on Knous’ Minor Medical Extension, a class of PGA Tour status that allows injured players a fair chance at retaining their cards based on play. Knous had nearly earned enough points in his previous start at the Fortinet Championship, but faded to T11 with a Sunday 74.

As a result, he came to Bermuda with a simple assignment. Well, not that simple: He had to earn 3.516 FedEx Cup points. But that translates to something far more tangible: Finish 67th or better and he’d have enough points to earn conditional PGA Tour status and full Korn Ferry Tour status. Anything worse than that? No status.

“Yeah, the pressure’s immense,” he said. “I’ve just dealt with it for two years now. It’s just been weighing on me. It’s tough for my family. An injury, it was hard. I’m just proud to be fighting on and have my family’s support. It means a lot to me.”

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Knous’ week got off to a less-than-ideal start, however. He drew the worst of Thursday’s brutal weather, bogeyed seven of his first eight holes and opened with a round of five-over 76. Not great.

But on Friday, facing favorable conditions, he staged a furious rally, carding five birdies in his first 10 holes to get to even par — the exact number of the eventual cut line. He made bogey at 13 but got that back with a birdie at 14. Four holes left. But then Knous made bogey at 15 and 16 — two of Port Royal’s toughest holes — to fall outside the cut line once again.

No problem: He flagged his approach at the par-5 17th and made eagle to get back to even par.

When he tapped in for par at No. 18, he still wasn’t sure the number would be enough. But when it was, he was thrilled.

“Today, just knowing that I needed to probably shoot 5 under or better going in, it was kind of like a Korn Ferry Tour event where you know you’ve got to shoot 5 under before the day even starts to make the cut,” he said.

“I’ve been there before, I’ve done it obviously, but you know you need a good round going in. And it’s a tough mindset to have, but I knew if I just took one shot at a time, tried to do my best on every shot, you know, the results would come. Luckily, they did.”

They did indeed. But Knous’ week wasn’t over. He still had to secure a finish of 67th or better. He entered Sunday in a share of 56th — but then he got off to a rough start again, making bogey on three of his first four holes and going out in four-over 39.

That’s when Knous conjured his second rally of the week. He made birdie at No. 2 (his 11th hole of the day). Birdie at 4. Birdie at 7. And birdie at 9, just for good measure.

He signed for a round of one-over 72, no doubt the most satisfying T57 of his entire life.

“Yeah, the emotions were going crazy today,” he said after the round. “I was running through all the scenarios in my head, which is exactly what you don’t want to do, but it’s hard to block those out. Once that first tee ball was in the air, it was game time, everything kind of pushed to the back in my mind, so I was just able to focus on golf.

“But it’s emotional now. I’m happy to be done with the round, I’m happy to have played well on that back nine.”

Knous said he’ll take a moment to celebrate his newfound status — but then will come the hard work of keeping it.

“Yeah, greatest top-60 of all time. I’m going to celebrate with my caddie and my friends tonight and then my family when I get home. Then it’s back to work, job’s not done. Obviously with conditional status, the [events] I get into I have to be ready. And I plan to be ready and go low and have chances.”

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The post Pro makes driver change 12 minutes before his tee time, shoots 65 appeared first on Golf.

Above all, this week’s Bermuda Championship will likely be remembered for being difficult. Difficult to reach, particularly for the dozens of PGA Tour pros who pulled out of the event due either to travel difficulties or to the island’s stringent Covid protocols, which mandated strict testing-and-vaccination rules. Difficult to compete in, particularly during the gale-force winds earlier in the week that were unlike anything most players had ever seen. And for Lucas Herbert, difficult to believe altogether, when his third-round Saturday was nearly derailed by a driver change was necessitated a little more than 10 minutes prior to his tee time.

The story begins on the range for Herbert, who was teeing off near the top of the leadboard for Saturday’s third round. With winds still gusting, flighting the ball was at a premium, and Herbert got to work on the range practicing his low-flighted drives.

“I was just kind of hitting a couple low ones, obviously sort of get ready for playing on a windy day,” Herbert said. “Hit one that felt weird and I hit another one that felt weird. I looked at the driver and it sort of looked a bit suspicious.”

A quick inspection revealed something wrong with the face of the club — a surprisingly common issue for PGA Tour players, who swing at such high speeds, they’re prone to mangling their equipment. Quickly, Herbert and co. scrambled into action to find a new head, but there was just one problem: it was 10:51 a.m. Herbert was due to tee off at 11:03.

“With probably 12 minutes until we teed off, it was back to the locker,” Herbert said with a laugh. “Get a new driver head.”

A few seconds later, Herbert recovered a replacement head, and hustled to get it attached and into his bag. Almost immediately, it was off to the first tee to begin his round.

“Luckily, we had spares in the locker room,” Herbert said. “Yeah, had to run with that on the fly, but it turned out all right.”

Actually, it turned out more than alright. The 25-year-old Australian shot 65 with the brand-new driver in his bag, capping off a brilliant third round to enter Sunday’s final round just two strokes off the lead.

For Herbert, 12 minutes were all he needed to get his new driver in shape to compete in one of the biggest tournament rounds of his life (a win on Sunday at the Bermuda Championship would be the first PGA Tour win of his career, and only the third professional victory). Which raises the question: how long would it take you to adjust to a new driver?

The pros … just like us!

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The post 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship purse: Payout information, winner’s share appeared first on Golf.

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After three wind-swept rounds of play at the 2021 Bermuda Championship, we’ve finally reached the final round of action. Below, find out everything you need to know about the tournament money, including payout information and purse.

2021 Bermuda Championship preview

Three rounds of play at the 2021 Bermuda Championship have netted us a leaderboard led by three international names heading into Sunday’s final round. Of course, the tournament field is lean due to travel difficulties and Covid restrictions, but the stage is still set for another thrilling finish.

At the top of the heap is Taylor Pendrith, a 30-year-old PGA Tour rookie, who holds a two-stroke advantage at 17 under par. Pendrith, who is Canadian born, has only two wins to his name — both in his home country. A victory on Sunday in Bermuda would be not only the first of his PGA Tour career, but the first top-10 finish of his PGA Tour career, as well.

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Behind him are a pair of Australians, Danny Lee and Lucas Herbert, who sit tied for second at 15 under. The two journeyman are looking for strong performances Sunday to vault themselves up the leaderboard and back into the lead.

Further back, Patrick Reed and Garrick Higgo are in need of strong Sunday performances to re-enter contention. Below, find everything you need to know about the Bermuda Championship’s $6.5 million purse; you can catch the action all morning on Golf Channel.

2021 Bermuda Championship payout information, winner’s share

1. $1,170,000

2. $708,500

3. $448,500

4. $318,500

5. $266,500

6. $235,625

7. $219,375

8. $203,125

9. $190,125

10. $177,125

11. $164,125

12. $151,125

13. $138,125

14. $125,125

15. $118,625

16. $112,125

17. $105,625

18. $99,125

19. $92,625

20. $86,125

21. $79,625

22. $73,125

23. $67,925

24. $62,725

25. $57,525

26. $52,325

27. $50,375

28. $48,425

29. $46,475

30. $44,525

31. $42,575

32. $40,625

33. $38,675

34. $37,050

35. $35,425

36. $33,800

37. $32,175

38. $30,875

39. $29,575

40. $28,275

41. $26,975

42. $25,675

43. $24,375

44. $23,075

45. $21,775

46. $20,475

47. $19,175

48. $18,135

49. $17,225

50. $16,705

51. $16,315

52. $15,925

53. $15,665

54. $15,405

55. $15,275

56. $15,145

57. $15,015

58. $14,885

59. $14,755

60. $14,625

61. $14,495

62. $14,365

63. $14,235

64. $14,105

65. $13,975

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The post 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship live coverage: How to watch the final round on Sunday appeared first on Golf.

Players have battled brutal conditions for three days at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, and on Sunday they will return for the final round. Here’s a rundown of how we got here and what to expect on Sunday.

Previewing the Butterfield Bermuda Championship final round

In a field that featured tons of WDs before the tournament began, this week set up well for a relative unknown to break out. Heading into Sunday, that stage has been set.

PGA Tour rookie Taylor Pendrith holds the 54-hole lead at 17-under, and on Sunday he’ll chase his first victory. He’s three strokes ahead of his next-nearest competitors after a seven-under 65 in Round 3.

“It’s nice to have a couple-shot lead, but anything can happen,” Pendrith said. “It’s going to be crazy out there, so just try to make some pars I think will be good tomorrow.”

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Giving chase is Danny Lee, who after a Saturday 65 of his own will look to chase down the long-bombing Canadian to secure his second Tour victory. Lee has not won since 2015, and tomorrow represents a great opportunity to add to his trophy room.

Another shot back is Lucas Herbert who is looking for his first victory on American soil. Patrick Rodgers and Vincent Whaley are 12-under through 54 holes and will start the day five back on Pendrith’s lead.

How to watch the Butterfield Bermuda Championship

You can watch the final round of the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. p.m. ET on Sunday on Golf Channel. For streaming, visit golfchannel.com/watch or nbcsports.com/live.

How to bet on the Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Looking to make a (legal!) wager yourself? We teamed up with BetMGM, and the online sportsbook is offering a “Risk-Free Bet” up to $1000 promotion. Sign up for an account to get into the action today.

Butterfield Bermuda Championship final-round tee times (ET)

No. 1 tee

6:45 a.m. – Adam Hadwin, Sangmoon Bae, Austin Eckroat
6:56 a.m. – Thomas Detry, Brett Drewitt, Seamus Power
7:07 a.m. – Alex Smalley, Johnson Wagner, Russell Knox
7:18 a.m. – Mark Hubbard, Guido Migliozzi, Davis Riley
7:29 a.m. – Brandon Wu, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Luke Donald
7:40 a.m. – Ben Kohles, Brian Gay, Mito Pereira
7:51 a.m. – Stephan Jaeger, J.J. Spaun, Patrick Reed
8:02 a.m. – David Skinns, Jonathan Byrd, Greyson Sigg
8:13 a.m. – Adam Svensson, Peter Uihlein, Chad Ramey
8:24 a.m. – Garrick Higgo, Dylan Wu, Graeme McDowell
8:35 a.m. – Peter Malnati, Curtis Thompson, Patrick Flavin
8:46 a.m. – Patrick Ridgers, Vincent Whaley, Justin Lower
8:57 a.m. – Taylor Pendrith, Danny Lee, Lucas Herbert

No. 10 tee

6:45 a.m. – Scott Gutschewski, Dylan Frittelli, Chase Seiffert
6:56 a.m. – Seung-Yul Noh, Scott Brown, Christian Bezuidenhout
7:07 a.m. – Kramer Hickok, D.A. Points, Matthias Schwab
7:18 a.m. – Ludvig Aberg, Scott Stallings, David Hearn
7:29 a.m. – Ben Crane, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Sean O’Hair
7:40 a.m. – Brandon Hagy, Jim Knous, Camilo Villegas
7:51 a.m. – David Lingmerth, Seth Reeves, Aaron Rai
8:02 a.m. – Denny McCarthy, Robert Garrigus, Max McGreevy
8:13 a.m. – Lee Hodges, Kurt Kitayama, Sepp Straka
8:24 a.m. – Kyle Wilshire, Sahith Theegala, Nick Watney
8:35 a.m. – Ben Martin, Ryan Armour, John Senden
8:46 a.m. – Hayden Buckley, John Merrick, Arjun Atwal

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The post 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship tee times: Final-round groupings for Sunday appeared first on Golf.

Conditions have been tough in Bermuda throughout the week, and on Sunday players will once again battle the elements during the final round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Check out tee times for the final round at the bottom of this post.

Notable groupings for Butterfield Bermuda Championship final round

After three rounds at Port Royal Golf Course, a surprise name sits atop the leaderboard — Taylor Pendrith. The big-hitting Canadian is making just his fourth start of his rookie season on Tour, but already he has a chance to lock up a victory. After a seven-under 65 in Round 3, he will take a three-shot lead into the final round as he plays in the final grouping.

Joining Pendrith will be Danny Lee, who is seeking his second Tour victory, and two-time European Tour winner Lucas Herbert, who is looking for his first win on American soil. That grouping will tee off at 8:56 a.m. ET.

In the penultimate grouping, Vincent Whaley, Patrick Rodgers and Justin Lower will also seek their maiden Tour victories. That grouping will tee off at 8:57 a.m. ET.

Check out the rest of the tee times for Sunday’s final round below.

2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship tee times: Final round (ET)

No. 1 tee

6:45 a.m. – Adam Hadwin, Sangmoon Bae, Austin Eckroat
6:56 a.m. – Thomas Detry, Brett Drewitt, Seamus Power
7:07 a.m. – Alex Smalley, Johnson Wagner, Russell Knox
7:18 a.m. – Mark Hubbard, Guido Migliozzi, Davis Riley
7:29 a.m. – Brandon Wu, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Luke Donald
7:40 a.m. – Ben Kohles, Brian Gay, Mito Pereira
7:51 a.m. – Stephan Jaeger, J.J. Spaun, Patrick Reed
8:02 a.m. – David Skinns, Jonathan Byrd, Greyson Sigg
8:13 a.m. – Adam Svensson, Peter Uihlein, Chad Ramey
8:24 a.m. – Garrick Higgo, Dylan Wu, Graeme McDowell
8:35 a.m. – Peter Malnati, Curtis Thompson, Patrick Flavin
8:46 a.m. – Patrick Ridgers, Vincent Whaley, Justin Lower
8:57 a.m. – Taylor Pendrith, Danny Lee, Lucas Herbert

No. 10 tee

6:45 a.m. – Scott Gutschewski, Dylan Frittelli, Chase Seiffert
6:56 a.m. – Seung-Yul Noh, Scott Brown, Christian Bezuidenhout
7:07 a.m. – Kramer Hickok, D.A. Points, Matthias Schwab
7:18 a.m. – Ludvig Aberg, Scott Stallings, David Hearn
7:29 a.m. – Ben Crane, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Sean O’Hair
7:40 a.m. – Brandon Hagy, Jim Knous, Camilo Villegas
7:51 a.m. – David Lingmerth, Seth Reeves, Aaron Rai
8:02 a.m. – Denny McCarthy, Robert Garrigus, Max McGreevy
8:13 a.m. – Lee Hodges, Kurt Kitayama, Sepp Straka
8:24 a.m. – Kyle Wilshire, Sahith Theegala, Nick Watney
8:35 a.m. – Ben Martin, Ryan Armour, John Senden
8:46 a.m. – Hayden Buckley, John Merrick, Arjun Atwal

How to bet on the Butterfield Bermuda Championship

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