Golf Digest India - August 2018

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 4

AUGUST 2018 `150

THINK YOUNG | PLAY HARD

PUBLISHED BY

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how to play. what to play. where to play.

l l

Contents 8/18

ArgentinA l AustrAliA l Chile l ChinA l CzeCh republiC l FinlAnd l FrAnCe l hong Kong l IndIa l indonesiA l irelAnd KoreA l MAlAysiA l MexiCo l Middle eAst l portugAl l russiA l south AFriCA l spAin l sweden l tAiwAn l thAilAnd l usA

India Digest 12

78

58

Newsmakers Shubhankar Wins Sports Illustrated Award

Self-Portrait Legendary celebrity photographer Walter Iooss Jr. on almost being killed by Jordan Spieth. witH gUy yOcOm

16

Know Your Asian Games contingent

20

48th Annual All India Seniors Golf Championship

84

22

Tournament Preview Louis Philippe Cup

Play Your Best

24

TAKE Solutions Masters

87

26

Club Round-Up Updates From Courses Across India

30

Business Of Golf Industry Updates

36

Off The Course

38

Lifestyle

Trojan Goddess Drives It 402 Yards How long-driver Troy Mullins rips tee shots.

by ROn kASpRiSke

Grow The Game India Learn Golf week

34

major preview The PGA Turns 100

90

92

swing sequence Breaking Down Mullins’ Power Tee To Green Hit your wedges closer. by bUtcH HARmOn

110 18 Holes

93

Murali Natrajan, MD & CEO, DCB Bank Ltd.

Boost Your Trajectory Command your irons. by dAvid leAdbetteR

94

Navigation Strategy for doglegs.

by ROn kASpRiSke

40

Gaganjeet Strikes Rich On Asian Tour

42

Korean Market Consolidated

98

Jim Nantz: The View From Pebble Beach witH gUy yOcOm

by JOSH bURAck

Features 46

Tours Come Together For Jordan Mixed Masters

47

Kuchar Triumphs In Hero Challenge

49

Alex Noren Lauds Le Golf National

58

cover story Hammer It Like Hideki Learn from Hideki Matsuyama’s swing.

by ROn kASpRiSke

64

What’s In My Bag Hideki Matsuyama

66

Simple and Pure Irons Why my technique works. by bRySOn decHAmbeAU

70

Patrick Cantlay Is Ready To Talk witH mike StAcHURA

40

52

The Sniffer And The Singer

54

PGA TOUR Unveils Significantly Revamped 2018-19 Schedule

6 golf digest india | august 2018

74

Hog Heaven to Hell “400-pound rats” devastate courses.

87

by cURt SAmpSOn

Cover photograph by Finlay Mackay

Editor’s Letter Dear Readers,

M

y personal return to casual and competitive golf in the past year has helped me better relate to the trials and tribulations of all golfers.

The good news is that some of the tips that appear in our magazine have actually helped my game improve. Winning the All India Seniors Championship at Jaypee Greens was satisfying as it was a closely fought contest with the evergreen Gangesh Khaitan—a three-time winner—and cricket legend Kapil Dev. Thanks in good measure to Gangesh’s efforts, a record 120 golfers from around the country turned up to compete, up from around 40 last year in Bengaluru!

GOLF DIGEST USA EDITORIAL ChAirMAn & eDitor-in-ChieF Jerry Tarde exeCutive eDitor Mike O’Malley CreAtive DireCtor Ken DeLago MAnAGinG eDitor Alan P. Pittman Deputy eDitor Max Adler

Write to me at rishi@teamgolfdigest.com or

on Twitter @RishiNarain_ Also heartening is the constant news of our Junior/Amateur (both boys and girls) and Men’s teams doing well at international tournaments all over the world. We especially cover these performances in our pages every month. The global exposure our youngsters are getting now is better than ever which augurs well for the game and will help produce more world beaters.

To help grow the game, Golf Digest India is again supporting “India Learn Golf Week”— which will take place late-September—when over 30 clubs across India will actively seek to introduce new golfers to the sport. If the base number of golfers increases, it will help every aspect of the game including building of new courses, discovering new talent, attracting new sponsors into professional and amateur golf, and ensuring golf stays available for enthusiasts on our television screens. You can introduce colleagues, employees, family and friends to the game at clubs all over the country during the week. Last year saw 7,000 individuals take their first swing at a golf ball ever. Our goal is to reach 25,000 new golfers in September.

Tournaments are in full swing despite the monsoon and Bengaluru will see back-to-back international professional events with the Louis Philippe Cup and TAKE Solutions Masters.

We bring you previews of these events on our pages.

We hope you enjoy the issue and ask you to please write directly to me with your feedback and suggestions.

Happy Golfing!

TEAM GOLF DIGEST INDIA Editor & Publisher Rishi Narain Contributing Editor Karthik Swaminathan karthik@rnsportsmarketing.com

Sales & Marketing Nikhil Narain, +91-9999990364 nikhil@rnsportsmarketing.com

Senior Content Executive Amit Pandey amit@rnsportsmarketing.com

Krishna Kant Dubey kk@rnsportsmarketing.com

Art Director Guneet Singh Oberoi

Prateek Chaturvedi prateek@rnsportsmarketing.com Subscription Monika Chhabra, Gautam Chhabra subscribe@teamgolfdigest.com +91-9999868051

Published and Printed by Rishi Narain on behalf of Rishi Narain Golf Management Private Limited and Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18-35 Mile Stone, Delhi-Mathura Road, Faridabad-121 007, Haryana and published from 501, Sushant Tower, Sector - 56, Gurgaon - 122101, Haryana. Phone Number - 0124-2841370, 1371, 1372. Editor: Rishi Narain. Contains material reprinted by permission from Golf Digest® and Golf World®. Golf Digest India is a monthly publication of Rishi Narain Golf Management Private Limited.

8 golf digest india | august 2018

Rishi Narain

GOLF DIGEST INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS AND EDITORS-IN-CHIEF GD ArGentinA Hernán SimÓ, Jorge R. Arias AustrAliAn GD Brad Clifton GD Chile Rodrigo Soto GD ChinA Echo Ma GD CzeCh republiC Robin Drahonovsky GD FinlAnD Sami Markkanen GD FrAnCe Henry Trouillet GD honG KonG Echo Ma GD inDonesiA Irwan Hermawan GD inDiA Rishi Narain GD irelAnD Linton Walsh GD KoreA Eun Jeong “EJ” Sohn GD MAlAysiA Patrick Ho GD MexiCo Rafa Quiroz GD MiDDle eAst Robbie Greenfield GD portuGAl João Morais Leitão GD russiA Fedor Gogolev GD south AFriCA Stuart McLean GD spAin Óscar Maqueda GD sweDen Oskar Åsgård GD tAiwAn Jennifer Wei GD thAilAnD Chumphol Na Takuathung GD usA Jerry Tarde

ARTICLES eDitoriAl DevelopMent DireCtor Craig Bestrom senior eDitor Ron Kaspriske senior writers Bureau Jaime Diaz, Dave Kindred, Tim Rosaforte, Ron Sirak, Guy Yocom AssoCiAte eDitor Stephen Hennessey AssistAnt eDitor Brittany Romano eDitor-At-lArGe Nick Seitz writer-At-lArGe Dan Jenkins ContributinG eDitors Dave Anderson, Peter Andrews, Tom Callahan, Bob Carney, Marcia Chambers, David Fay, John Feinstein, Peter Finch, Thomas L. Friedman, Lisa Furlong, Matthew M. Ginella, John Huggan, Dean Knuth, David Owen, Steve Rushin, Dave Shedloski, Roger Schiffman, Geoff Shackelford INSTRUCTION senior eDitor Peter Morrice senior writer Matthew Rudy plAyinG eDitors / pGA tour Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Rickie Fowler, Justin Leonard, Phil Mickelson, Nick Price, Jordan Spieth, David Toms plAyinG eDitors / lpGA tour Paula Creamer teAChinG proFessionAls Rob Akins, Todd Anderson, Chuck Cook, Sean Foley, Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Hank Johnson, David Leadbetter, Jack Lumpkin, Jim McLean, Tom Ness, Renee Powell, Dean Reinmuth, Randy Smith, Rick Smith, Dave Stockton, Josh Zander proFessionAl ADvisors Amy Alcott, Dr. Bill Mallon, Gary McCord, Randy Myers, Judy Rankin, Lucius Riccio, Ph.D., Dr. Bob Rotella, Ben Shear, Ralph Simpson, Frank Thomas, Stan Utley EQUIPMENT senior eDitor Mike Stachura equipMent eDitor E. Michael Johnson AssistAnt eDitor Keely Levins teChniCAl pAnel John Axe, Ph.D.; Martin Brouillette, Ph.D.; Thomas E. Lacy Jr., Ph.D.; David Lee, Ph.D.; John McPhee, Ph.D.; Dick Rugge; George Springer, Ph.D. GOLF COURSES senior eDitor / ArChiteCture Ron Whitten ContributinG eDitor Topsy Siderowf GOLF DIGEST INTERNATIONAL GROUP senior DireCtor, internAtionAl Develop Ment & strAteGy Angela Byun ContributinG eDitor, internAtionAl Ju Kuang Tan

LUXURY GETS A NEW ADDRESS BIG BOY TOYZ NOW IN THE CITY OF DREAMS

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Our Contributors JACK NICKLAUS Regarded as the greatest player of all time Winner of a record 18 GRAND SLAMS

TOM WATSON World’s #1 ranked professional golfer from 1978 to 1982 8-TIME Grand Slam Champion

BUTCH HARMON Considered as the #1 rated golf instructor in the world Best known as TIGER WOODS’s coach (1993-2004)

DAVID LEADBETTER The most celebrated golf instructor in history Changed golf instruction for all future generations from guesswork to science

Golf Digest India is the exclusive official media partner to:

The World's Richest Tour 10 golf digest india | august 2018

Covers 27 countries, with approximately US$210 million in prize money

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Newsmakers

PLAYERS IN THE NEWS

2017 WAS MOST CERTAINLY A GAME CHANGING YEAR FOR ME IN A LOT OF WAYS; IT INTRODUCED ME TO THE BIG MAJOR TOURS AND I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO PUT UP A GOOD SHOW IN ALL THE TOURNAMENTS THAT I PARTICIPATED…

“

12 golf digest india | august 2018

”

Sports Illustrated India recognized 22-year-old Shubhankar Sharma’s exploits over the past year at the annual Sportsperson of the Year Awards.

The Chandigarh lad was named “Gamechanger of the Year” during a gala on June 21.

Accepting the award, Sharma said: “2017 was most certainly a game changing year for me in a lot of ways; it introduced me to the big major tours and I have been fortunate to put up a good show in all the tournaments that I participated… It just motivates me to put up a good show in the future tournaments and make my country proud.”

World No. 4 shuttler Kidambi Srikanth took home the “Sportsperson of the Year” honours, while legends from other disciplines—Balbir Singh Sr., Dhanraj Pillay and Leander Paes—were also felicitated. The India Women’s Cricket Team won “Team of the Year”.

With US$ 589,575 in earnings for the 2018 season, Sharma currently leads the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings.

PhotograPh: karthik swaminathan

Shubhankar named “Gamechanger Of The Year”

Shubhankar Sharma

L-R: Sailen Tudu, Harmanpreet Kaur, Kidambi Srikanth, Leander Paes, Robert Romawia Royte, Shubhankar Sharma, Balbir Singh Sr., Manav Vikash Thakkar and Dhanraj Pillay

Newsmakers

Strong Finishes For Lahiri

At Travelers C’ship And Quicken Loans National

GOOD TIMES

India’s No. 1-ranked women’s golfer Neha Tripathi, poses with 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer at Wimbledon Anirban Lahiri finished T-13 at the US$ 7.1 million Quicken Loan Nationals, braving a hard time in the second half of the four-day event that commenced on June 28. The Bengaluru resident, who turned 31 during on June 29, had finished T-9 the preceding week at the US$ 7 million Travelers Championship. It was his third top-10 result, and his second-best effort (he had finished T-5 at the CJ Cup in October), this season.

Lahiri is currently ranked 102 (following a T-39 finish at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier—a US$ 7.3 million event) on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and 94 on the FedExCup Ranking.

AARON RAI’S HOLE-IN-ONE AT BMW INTERNATIONAL

23-year-old Aaron Rai scored a hole-in-one at the 30th BMW International Open in Germany. The Englishman aced the par-3 16th hole on the second day of the € 2 million competition and won a swanking new BMW i8 Roadster. In so doing, he became just the fourth Hole-in-One award winner in the tournament’s history—others being compatriots Richie Ramsay (2016), James Heath (2014) and Andrew Marshall (2012). Rai would go on to finish the event, which was won by Matt Wallace, tied-fifth.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar (2L) tees off at Queenwood Golf Club in Surrey, UK with Anshu Jain, Rahul Ahuja and Ashwani Mathur

44-year-old Hosung Choi’s ‘Fisherman Swing’ went viral recently; the South Korean is a one-time winner on the Japan Tour, besides winning twice on the Korean Tour

14 golf digest india | august 2018

Newsmakers

KNOW YOUR ASIAN GAMES CONTINGENT

Compiled by Amit Pandey

ACHIEVEMENTS AT A GLANCE:

AADIL BEDI IGU RANK WORLD RANK (WAGR) AGE RESIDENCE

2 693 17 CHANDIGARH

4 1,068 24 NOIDA

DIKSHA DAGAR IGU RANK WORLD RANK (WAGR) AGE RESIDENCE

RIDHIMA DILAWARI IGU RANK WORLD RANK (WAGR) AGE RESIDENCE

4 559 17 DELHI

2 441 17 DELHI

RAYHAN THOMAS The No. 1-ranked amateur in UAE plays on the MENA Professional tour.

• Played at Junior Presidents Cup for Team International, September 2017 • Winner Dubai Creek Open, a professional event, September 2016 DIKSHA DAGAR • Runner-up at Western India Ladies and Girls Championship, June 2018 • Winner: 29th Singapore Ladies Amateur Open Championship (Individual and Team), March 2018 RIDHIMA DILAWARI Currently a student at Columbia University, USA. • Runner-up at Warren-MST Amateur Open, Singapore, July 2018 • Winner: Hero WPG Tour—Leg 7 at Prestige Golfshire, Bengaluru, June 2018 SIFAT SAGOO • Winner: MST-Warren Amateur Open, Singapore, July 2018 • Second runner-up at Faldo Series Asia India Championship, Bengaluru, January 2018

COMMENDABLE SHOWING BY KAUL AND BEDI IN SINGAPORE Indian Amateurs Aadil Bedi, Anshul Patel, Harimohan Singh, Jay Pandya and Kshitij Naveed Kaul impressed at the Singapore Amateur Open Championship. The 71st edition of the prestigious event was held at Singapore Island Country Club from July 10-13.

While the event was won by Malaysia’s Ervin Chang, Kaul secured sixth spot with an impressive three-under 277 over four days. Bedi stood 19th, Patel 21st, Singh 25th and Pandya 46th.

A total of 94 players from across the SouthEast Asia, Australia, Germany and New Zealand participated, making it one of the most sought after Amateur events.

In the team championship, the 17-year-old pairing of Aadil Bedi (of Chandigarh) and Kshitij Naveed Kaul (Delhi) finished fifth with a total score of 418 over three days, five shots behind the winning Malaysian team.

The Indians will next head to the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia later this month before flying to Ireland for the Eisenhower Cup (September 5-8).

16 golf digest india | august 2018

KSHITIJ NAVEED KAUL IGU RANK WORLD RANK (WAGR) AGE RESIDENCE

KSHITIJ NAVEED KAUL • Sixth at 71st Singapore Open Amateur Championship, July 2018 • Made the cut at Hero Indian Open (T-32), a professional event, February 2018 HARIMOHAN SINGH • Runner-up at Haryana Amateur Championship (March 2018) and Eastern India Amateur Championship (November 2017) • Winner: Northern India Championship, Noida, February 2018

HARIMOHAN SINGH IGU RANK WORLD RANK (WAGR) AGE RESIDENCE

AADIL BEDI • Won silver (partnering Kshitij Naveed Kaul) at Malaysian Amateur Championship, May 2018 • Winner: SSG-BLR International Junior Championship in 2017

9 277 17 DELHI

RAYHAN THOMAS WORLD RANK (WAGR) 25 AGE 19 RESIDENCE DUBAI

SIFAT SAGOO IGU RANK WORLD RANK (WAGR) AGE RESIDENCE

26 745 17 DELHI

IGU ARRANGES TRAINING VENUE FOR JAKARTA-BOUND TEAM

Despite the setbacks it has faced over the last few months, the Indian Golf Union (IGU) is making sure that the contingent for the Asian Games is getting adequate practice. The IGU has made arrangements with DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon and Jaypee Greens, Greater Noida to offer free practice on weekdays from June 15 to August 10, 2018.

GOING PLACES

Kshitij Naveed Kaul

Aadil Bedi

Jackson Sveen—Marketing Director, North Carolina Golf Association—poses with a copy of Golf Digest India near the 18th green of the Arnold Palmer-designed Birkdale Golf Club, N.C., USA

Newsmakers Women’s Golf

AMANDEEP DRALL SHINES IN CLOVER GREENS

Panchkula-based Amandeep Drall got off to a brilliant start and kept up her level to overturn a two-shot deficit into a four-stroke win in the eighth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at Clover Greens, Hosur on June 29. The event’s prize purse was `7,00,000.

The 25-year-old—who was second on the Hero Order of Merit in 2017—bagged her first win of what has, thus far, been an indifferent season (her previous best was T-2 in the `8,00,000-worth sixth leg held at Classic Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon).

Carding a final round of 4-under 68, she totalled 5-under 211 while overnight leader Gaurika Bishnoi (74) finished tied-second along with Trisha Sunil (73) at 1-under 215.

It was also the first time this season the top-three finishers had all aggregated under-par totals.

INJURED SHARMILA BACK HOME TO RECUPERATE

DELHI-BASED SIFAT REIGNS IN SINGAPORE 17-year-old Sifat Sagoo triumphed at the 10th edition of the Warren-MST Amateur Open. The Delhi resident won by three strokes over compatriot Ridhima Dilawari.

Sifat posted a competitive total of four-over 217 to remain on top of the board.

Ridhima followed with 220.

Diksha Dagar, who posted 233, finished eighth.

With the Asian Games just around the corner, the win will surely boost Sifat’s and the contingent’s morale.

Held at Warren Golf & Country Club, Singapore from July 4-6, 19 ladies (including 3 Indians) teed off at the annual Warren Amateur Open. The tournament—conceptualised in 2008—provides an oppor tunity for amateur golfers to gain exposure to a high level of competition.

ASIAN GAMES-HEADED RIDHIMA TOPS TVESA IN BENGALURU

Currently on her summer vacation, Ridhima Dilawari—who is studying in Columbia University in the United States—clinched the seventh leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf (WPG) Tour held at Prestige Golfshire, Bengaluru from June 19-22.

The Delhi girl—who is part of the contingent representing India at the Asian Games in Jakarta later this month—started the final day three shots behind overnight leader and pro golfer Tvesa Malik and carded a brilliant 4-under-68, with eight birdies against four bogeys, to take home the honours.

In so doing, the 20-year-old joined a select group of amateurs— Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar, Gurbani Singh, Mehar Atwal, Raksha Phadke, Tvesa Malik and Vani Kapoor—who have won on the Hero WPG Tour before turning pro.

Top Indian women’s golfer Sharmila Nicollet injured herself in the opening round of the €35,000 AXA Czech Ladies Challenge (midJune) on the Ladies European Tour (LET) Access Series, the LET’s feeder tour. She would still go on to post 68, just a shot behind the home-hope Tereza Melecka.

The 27-year-old needed medical treatment a few holes into the round and headed straight to the physiotherapist following the day’s play.

“The course is really good. I think it suits my game with the wide fairways and the short approaches to the pin. I think the putting is the tough part and if you can figure that out, it’s a good course to score,” said Sharmila, who birdied first, second, fourth, ninth, 12th and 18th but dropped shots on the 11th and 17th. She finished the event T-13 with a total score of 4-under 212. “Withdrew from the last event Lavaux Ladies Championship in Switzerland because of my ankle injury. Back home to Bangalore to recover and prepare for the two events here. Happy to come back to mama after a long time,” her Instagram update read.

HERO ORDER OF MERIT AFTER EIGHTH LEG POS

Golfer

Play

Win

Total Prize (`)

1

Neha Tripathi

8

1

6,81,200

2

Tvesa Malik

8

1

6,77,600

3

Gursimar Badwal

8

2

6,17,300

4

Smriti Mehra

8

-

4,17,400

5

Amandeep Drall

5

1

4,09,800

6

Suchitra Ramesh

7

-

3,30,100

7

Saaniya Sharma

5

-

3,14,200

8

Siddhi Kapoor

7

-

2,67,700

9

Afshan Fatima

8

-

2,60,400

10

Gaurika Bishnoi

3

-

2,44,300

ADITI COMPETES AT THORNBERRY CLASSIC Aditi Ashok, the only Indian golfer to currently play on the LPGA finished T-35 at the US$ 2,000,000 Thornberry Classic in

Wisconsin, USA from July 5-8. Earlier, she shared the opening round lead at the US$ 2,000,000 NW Arkansas Championship before faltering and finishing T-55. The 20-year-old Bengalurean had an impressive stretch between May and June this year when she recorded successive Top-10 finishes—T-6 at the US$ 1.3 million Volunteers of America LPGA Texas and T-7 at the US$ 1.5 million LPGA Mediheal Championship. august 2018 | golf digest india

17

Newsmakers Juniors

32ND ANNUAL JUNIOR TRAINING PROGRAMME CONCLUDES AT DGC The fourth and final camp of this year’s Usha Junior Training Programme (JTP) for Golf 2018 concluded at Delhi Golf Club on June 22. Ayush Baisoya, Rakshit Dahiya, Vicky Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Janya Kathuria and Riya Chaudhary took home the maximum number of prizes across categories such as Putting, Chipping, Pitching, Bunker, L ong Drive and Playing competitions.

In its 32nd edition, the JTP was divided into four 10-day camps commencing May 14, May 24, June 3 and June 13 respectively. Under the guidance of well-known Category-A coaches, Vikram Sethi, Nonita Lall Qureshi and Jasjit Singh, every participating

child was trained on different aspects of the game. Children were segregated by their level of ability—Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced.

A daily session of two-hours covered different aspects of the game—Long Drive, Putting, Chipping, Bunker, and Pitching, as well as the basic rules and etiquettes of the game. Each camp concluded with a prize distribution ceremony where participants were awarded according to age and ability across all disciplines.

Delighted at the skilful p e r f o r m a n c e o f t a l e n te d youngsters, Jasjit Singh (Class ‘A’ Professional from National Golf Academy of India & PGA of India; and former National

INDIANS SHINE IN SINGAPORE JGC

Selator Golf Club played host to the Singapore Junior Golf Championship from June 10-12. 132 youngsters, including 12 Indians, participated across four categories, Boys A and B, and Girls A and B. Sunhit Bishnoi, brother of Indian pro Gaurika Bishnoi, finished third among Boys Category A, having carded 2-under 140, while Eshika Arora finished fourth in Girls category A.

18 golf digest india | august 2018

Coach & High-Performance Manager, IGU) said, “ We witnessed amazing response from kids for the Usha Junior Training Programme 2018...

We have tremendous talent in India and need to take Golf to the grassroots level of the country. We hope to continue this wonderful journey to

identify and train the future golfers of India.”

In an effort to inculcate a healthy lifestyle, the JTP trains over 200 youngsters on several aspects of the game and has—in the past—discovered and nurtured talents such as Rashid Khan, Ashok Kumar and Gauri Monga.

HUNAR MITTAL IMPRESSES AT JUNIOR WORLD C’SHIPS India’s Hunar Mittal secured 16th place in the Girls 13-14 division at the Junior World Championships which concluded on July 13. Over three rounds, the 13-year-old carded a total of five-over 221 at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, California.

Founded in 1968, and conducted by the San Diego Junior Golf Association, the IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships are held annually in San Diego, California, United States. They include tournaments for six age groups ranging from under-6 to 15–17, for both boys and girls.

Each age group plays at a separate course, ranging from a par-3 course for the youngest to Torrey Pines—which is also the venue for the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour and the site of the 2008 U.S. Open—for the 15–17s.

Newsmakers

KARMA LAKELANDS HOSTS FIRST VANI KAPOOR INVITATIONAL FOR GIRLS

Little Master Junior Golf Tour organised the inaugural Vani Kapoor Invitational— an all-girls event—at the picturesque Karma Lakelands on July 13. The invitation for this event was extended to 40 players between the ages of 6 and 19.

The buzz was around a “Beat the Pro” competition on Hole 6, where contestants tried to hit the ball close to the flag and better Vani’s attempt. The 24-year-old was understandably in great touch as all her shots finished within 8 to 10 feet of the hole and no one could beat her, but Vani did give an autographed Callaway golf ball to each girl who hit the green.

The age divisions in the 9-hole Invitational championship were 16-

22, 13-15, 10-12, 8-9 and 6-7. There was a playoff for the best score of the day between Rhea Jha (13-15 age group) and Zara Anand (8-9 age group) as both played 2-under-par. The play-off was won by Rhea Jha. Following the tournament, Vani Kapoor was awarded an honorary Karma Lakelands membership by Ashwani Khurana. The junior membership card was also launched, with Prarthana Khanna being the first recipient.

Vani then held a Q&A with the girls in attendance and later distributed awards to the various prize winners.

The 3 youngest competitors presented Vani a poster of hers that was signed by all the girls participating in the event.

RESULTS 16-22 years

13-15 years

10-12 years

08-09 years

06-07 years

1st

Tanisha Kalyan

Rhea Jha

Ragini Navet

Zara Anand

Shelin Raj

2nd

Samika Sharma

Khushi Hooda

Preitisha K. Gill

Samaira Tomar

Avya Rathee

3rd

-n/a-

Manya Katyal

Simar Bal

Prarthana Khanna

Naina Kapoor

INDO-AMERICAN BHATIA RISES TO NO. 1 IN ROLEX JUNIOR RANKINGS

16-year-old Akshay Bhatia’s recent wire-to-wire victory at the Polo Golf Junior Classic on June 29 saw him record a 17-under 267 overall—a jaw-dropping ten strokes ahead of runner-up Ryan Hall. In so doing, the Indo-American rose to World No. 1 in the Rolex Junior Rankings.

The North Carolina-resident has been making waves in the America’s junior circuit—the highlight being a recordbreaking 61 at the Boys Junior PGA Championship in 2017, usurping the 62 set by now-PGA-pros Jordan Spieth, Miguel Cabrera-Bello, Chris Couch, Gordon Neale and Pat Perez.

Bhatia has four wins besides two Top-5 finishes and a lone Top-10 from 12 events in the 2018 season thus far. august 2018 | golf digest india

19

Tournament Report

RISHI NARAIN CLINCHES SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP IN PLAY-OFF Former Asian Games gold medalist Rishi Narain won the Indian Golf Union’s 48th annual All India Seniors Golf Championship at Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida on July 13. Playing a three-day stroke play format, Narain prevailed in a sudden death shootout against three-time senior winner Gangesh Khaitan. Cricket legend Kapil Dev finished third.

The tournament saw a record entry of 120 senior golfers (aged 50 years and above) from across the country.

The All India Mid-Amateur Championship (for players b etween 35 and 50 years of age) was played simultaneously with the Seniors. Simarjeet Singh from Noida Golf Course emerged winner with a total of even par 288 (Rounds of 70,76,71,71).

Meanwhile, the four-member Delhi team— comprising Kapil Dev, Gangesh Khaitan, Dowlat Shah and Sanjiv Kalra—won (overall gross) the inaugural All India Inter City Seniors Golf Tournament.

They beat the team from Gurgaon, represented by Rishi Narain, Anil Jule, Kanwaljit Singh Cheema and Kulvinder Singh.

Rishi Narain (Senior) and Simarjeet Singh (Mid-Amateur) with their respective winner’s trophy

RISHI NARAIN IS THE SECOND GOLFER TO WIN ALL THREE IGU TITLES (AMONG MEN): ALL INDIA JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP, AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP OF INDIA AND ALL INDIA SENIORS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. AMIT LUTHRA WAS THE FIRST TO COMPLETE THE TRIFECTA. NARAIN HAD WON THE JUNIORS IN 1979 AND AMATEURS IN 1984 BEFORE TRIUMPHING AT THE SENIORS THIS YEAR. L-R: Gangesh Khaitan, Sanjiv Kalra and Dowlat Shahi were part of the winning Delhi team (Inter City Seniors)

L-R: Kanwaljit Singh Cheema, Rishi Narain and Kulvinder Singh were part of the Gurgaon team that finished runner-up (Inter City Seniors)

20 golf digest india | august 2018

Gangesh Khaitan receives the trophy—for winning the 60-65 Years category—from Maj. Gen. Bibhuti Bhushan (Retd.), Director General, IGU

Tournament Report

WINNERS: ALL INDIA SENIORS Year

Winner

1971

H.S. Chewla

1972

G.A. Arathoon

1973

B.S. Bhagat

1974

H.C. Mishra

1975

Md. Ismail

1976

B.S. Bhagat

1977

H.S. Chewla

1978

D.S. Randhawa

1979

B.L. Goenka

1980

E.W.H. Seaife

1981

D.S. Mazda

1982

Ken Pedder

1983

Bharat Ram

1984

P.C. Narwaria

1985

G.P. Edekar

1986

Purshotam Seth

1987

J.G. Fryer

1988

A.S. Malik

1989

J.S. Rao

1990

A.S. Malik

1991

J.S. Rao

1992

A.S. Malik

1993

J.S. Rao

1994

A.S. Malik

1995

A.S. Malik

1996

S.J. Chaudhuri

1997

V.P. Mahendra

1998

No Tournament

1999

A.S. Malik

2000

R.S. Brar

2001

Lakshman Singh

2002

K.S. Manjunathaiah

2003

Vikramjit Singh

2004

Vikramjit Singh

2005

Lakshman Singh

2006

Lt. Gen. H S Kanwar

2007

Dr. V. Date

2008

Dr. V. Date

2009

Lakshman Singh

2010

Lakshman Singh

2011

Lakshman Singh

2012

Vijay Kumar

2013

Gangesh Khaitan

2014

Gangesh Khaitan

2015

Amit Luthra

2016

Amit Luthra

2017

Gangesh Khaitan

2018

Rishi Narain

“IT FEELS NICE TO WIN THIS PRESTIGIOUS EVENT AND PUT MY NAME ON THE TROPHY ALONGSIDE SEVERAL INDIAN GOLF LEGENDS LIKE ARJUNA AWARDEES 6-TIME WINNER ASHOK MALIK, 2-TIME WINNER VIKRAMJIT SINGH, AND 5-TIME WINNER AND DOUBLE ASIAN GAMES GOLD MEDALIST LAKSHMAN SINGH. SENIOR AMATEUR GOLF IS A MAJOR SPORT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND ITS GOOD TO SEE THIS GROWING IN INDIA NOW. THE TOP 6 FINISHERS IN THIS EVENT NOW WILL REPRESENT INDIA AT THE ANNUAL ASIA PACIFIC SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN AND THE TOP FOUR WILL PLAY THE TEST MATCH AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA,” — RISHI NARAIN “I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED COMPETING IN SPORT AND GOLF IS A GREAT TEST OF SKILL, PATIENCE, CLEAR THINKING AND SELECTING AND JUDGING THE CORRECT STROKE TO PLAY... GOLF IS A SPORT FOR A LIFETIME AS IF YOU ARE IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION, YOU CAN BE COMPETITIVE EVEN IN YOUR 60’S. I INTEND TO ENJOY COMPETITIVE GOLF FOR MANY MORE YEARS” — KAPIL DEV KEY RESULTS

Mid-Amateurs (Age 35-50) 288 – Simarjeet Singh (70-76-71-71) 290 – H. S. Kang (69-76-73-72) 302 – Gagan Verma (76-75-74-77) 306 – Lakhan Singh (76-76-76-78)

60-65 Years 223 – Gangesh Khaitan (73-75-75) 230 – Vijay Kumar Bhadana (77-76-77) 240 – Col. G.C. Sharma (81-78-81) 243 – Sanjiv Kalra (82-81-83)

51-54 Years 233 – Kulvinder Singh (78-79-76) 234 – Arun Murugappan (78-81-75) 235 – Sandeep Sandhu (82-77-76) 236 – Jehangir Tankariwala (79-80-77)

65 Years and Above 243 – Sanjay Kolhatkar (80-85-78) 243 – Lakshman Singh (83-79-81) conceded 243 – Navneet Singh (82-77-84)

55-60 Years 223 – Rishi Narain (75-74-74) Won the overall championship in a play-off 227 – Kapil Dev (73-77-77) 233 – Dowlat Shahi (82-76-75) 234 – Amit Luthra (79-77-78)

Combined 50 Years and Above 223 – Rishi Narain (75-74-74) won in a play-off Gangesh Khaitan (73-75-75) 230 – Vijay Kumar Bhadana (77-76-77) 240 – Col. G.C. Sharma (81-78-81) 243 – Sanjiv Kalra (82-81-83)

august 2018 | golf digest india

21

Tournament Preview Shaun Pollock

Rahil Gangjee

Pros and Celebs Converge At

Kapil Dev

Louis Philippe Cup 2018

C

o-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and Asian Development Tour (ADT), the US$75,000 Louis Philippe Cup will take place at Prestige Golfshire, Bengaluru from July 31 to August 3.

The field will feature nearly 130 golfers, including 60 top-ranked professionals from the Indian circuit as well as about 50 golfers from across 15 nationalities that are regular on the ADT. Current PGTI Order of Merit leader Honey Baisoya of Delhi and Asian Tour regulars Chikkarangappa S., Rashid Khan, Shamim Khan and Udayan Mane will be part of the line-up. Other leading names include Sri Lanka’s N Thangaraja, Thailand’s Nittithorn Thippong and Johnson Poh of Singapore.

Unlike past editions, this year’s tournament showcases international flavour. Prize money will count towards the season-end PGTI and ADT rankings while players also stand to earn Official World Ranking Points (OWGR).

The main tournament will be immediately followed by a Celebrity Pro-Am (on August 4) which will see around 25 pros, 80 high-net-worth individuals and six to eight celebrities take part.

L-R: Sujith Somasunder, Venkatapathy Raju and Venkatesh Prasad

Ashwini Nachappa

It’s a special moment for all of us to launch the Louis Philippe Cup this season as a con-sanctioned event by PGTI & ADT, taking the staure of this event to an international level… Golf as a sport connotes poise, panache and style and these qualities blend perfectly with brand Louis Philippe.

The Louis Philippe “Crest” is known for its craftsmanship and attention to detail, some values that are reflected in the game of golf.

— Farida Kaliyadan, Chief Marketing Officer (Lifestyle Brands), ABFRL 22 golf digest india | august 2018

Tournament Preview We are delighted to be able to bring a full field event to both the tours and expose the international field to one of India’s top courses which is rarely used for pro competition.

The course is windy and demands exact ball placement and will prove to be a fair but stern test for the players.

— RISHI NARAIN, MD, RN SPORTS MARKETING

Chikkarangappa S.

Ajit Agarkar Murali Kartik

Rashid Khan

The Asian Development Tour is looking forward to the acceptance of Louis Philippe Cup onto their schedule. The PGTI has always been a strong supporter of the Asian Tour and the ADT — CHO MIN THANT, CEO, ASIAN TOUR Udayan Mane

At the time of going to press, the following celebrities had confirmed their participation: Actor and former athlete Ashwini Nachappa; Olympian and former India hockey star Ashish Ballal; reputed commentator Charu Sharma; and former cricketers Shaun Pollock, Kapil Dev, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Sujith Somasunder, Syed Kirmani and Venkatapathy Raju.

Indian amateurs Aadil Bedi (L) and Harimohan Singh received a special invitation to take part in Louis Philippe Cup 2018 Shamim Khan

Golf in India has been on a rapid rise in recent years, with the likes of Shubhankar Sharma, Anirban Lahiri, Rahil Gangjee, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shiv Kapur and S.S.P. Chawrasia making waves on the world stage. We hope to inspire other young talent to follow in their footsteps through events such as these.

— UTTAM SINGH MUNDY, CEO, PGTI Charu Sharma

Schedule: Louis Philippe Cup 2018 July 30

Practice Round at Prestige Golfshire

July 31

Round 1

August 1 August 2 August 3

August 4

Round 2 Round 3

Final Round and prize ceremony; followed by dinner at ITC Windsor Celebrity Pro-Am at Prestige Golfshire

august 2018 | golf digest india

23

Tournament Preview

Starry Ensemble At 2018 TAKE Solutions Masters

F

ollowing the success of the inaugural event last year, TAKE Solutions Masters returns to Karnataka Golf Association (KGA), Bengaluru from August 9-12. With an increased prize fund of US$ 350,000 the region’s talented Asian Tour stars and India’s formidable line-up will complete the elite field.

Defending champion Poom Saksansin of Thailand— whose victory broke four years of Indian dominance in international tournaments played on home soil—will be back. SSP Chawrasia, the 6-time Asian Tour and 4-time European Tour winner, will feature along with Khalin Joshi, last year’s runner-up.

They will be joined by Chiragh Kumar, a 4-time Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) winner and the 2015 Panasonic Open India winner (Asian Tour), as well as Chikkarangappa S., a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour and an 8-time winner on the PGTI. Asian Tour co-sanctions the tournament with the PGTI, with the money earned in the tournament counted on the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings and the PGTI Order of Merit. The tournament also carries Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

The tournament is offering free entry for fans; they can look forward to 72 holes of high-quality stroke play. 18 holes will be played each round, including a cut after two rounds.

Chikkarangappa S.

Poom Saksansin receives the trophy from Srinivasan H R, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, TAKE Solutions

US$ 350,000 PRIZE FUND

Around 150 Golfers

FROM ASIAN TOUR AND PGTI

SSP Chawrasia Khalin Joshi, last year’s runner-up

24 golf digest india | august 2018

Across The Country

CLUB ROUND-UP

To share news on your club or updates from across the country, please email karthik@rnsportsmarketing.com

Kolkata

RBI Team Building at Eco Park

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is trying to introduce golf as a learning tool in team building and in the field of HR. Organised at Kolkata’s Eco Park Golf Arena, participants get a hands- on experience of the sport by learning the basics—technique, discipline and adaptability. Learning to play also helps them change their attitude as it teaches them that a lot of patience and perseverance are required to master something as simple as hitting a stationary ball correctly.

Bengaluru

Golfshire Hosts Third Leg Of Prestige Masters

Prestige Golfshire, venue of Louis Philippe Cup 2018, hosted the third leg of Prestige Masters Series 2018 on July 14. The format of the series is six qualifying rounds followed by a grand finale featuring the Top-10 from each qualifier. The tournament was conceived three years ago—as an effort to encourage competitive amateur golf in the region—and has now become a fixture in the Indian golfing calendar, attracting participation from across the country and internationally as well.

Naveen Wahi won the event last year and, in so doing, earned a spot in the Dubai Corporate Golf World Cup. The inaugural event in 2015 was won by Sonam Chugh.

26 golf digest india | august 2018

Across The Country

Pune

Oxford’s Green Initiative

Almost 120 saplings were planted during a Tree Plantation Drive at Oxford Golf Resort on July 7. More than 75 members and 38 staff members took part in this ‘Go Green’ endeavour.

Delhi Ashwani Khurana—Owner, Karma Lakelands Golf Resort—aced the par 3 third hole at Qutab Golf Course, Delhi, on July 9

Pune

Amalraj Wins Captain’s Cup Captain’s Cup Golf Tournament was held at Southern Star Training Area & Sports Complex (SSTA&SC), Pune on June 9-10. There were 200 participants in all, including nine ladies and two children.

At 85 years of age, Capt. KS Bhandarkar was the oldest golfer in the field while 12-year-old Giridhar Gera was the youngest. Great enthusiasm and competitive spirit were displayed over two days, in spite of the monsoons. Lt. Col. S Amalraj won the event with a gross score of 71.

Lt. Col. S Amalraj (L) receives the trophy from Lt. Gen. DR Soni, Patron-in-Chief of SSTA&SC (R)

Bengaluru

Karnataka Dy CM Wants BGC to be Shifted

An IPS Officer who had parked his car at Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s official residence ‘Krishna’ found the windscreen shattered by a golf ball launched from the nearby Bangalore Golf Club (BGC). Citing security reasons, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara later said the government would explore options to relocate the golf course.

“I was leaning on the vehicle and suddenly heard a thud.

When I looked around, I saw the windscreen cracked and the golf ball near the vehicle. The ball could have caused a serious injury. The staff at ‘Krishna’ told us it was a golf ball from the course opposite the CM’s residence,” a driver who witnessed the incident told The Times Of India.

Similar incidents have occurred in the past as well.

Incidentally, there was one during Kumaraswamy’s last tenure in 2006 when a ball hit a visitor.

Shiv Pradeep, captain of BGC, has resolved to take more security measures, besides reimbursing damages done to the vehicle.

august 2018 | golf digest india

27

TO THE

TAKING GOLF

Promoting Golf

T

he inaugural edition of India Learn Golf Week (ILGW) was a resounding success—the enthusiasm that was witnessed across the country was one of its kind and participants, especially the non-golfers, included officials from schools, universities and corporates, besides doctors. The youngest to partake in the drive was a 4-year-old while the oldest was 67.

The initiative received support from various corners starting with the ex-Chairman of BCCI’s Selection Committee, Kiran More. The former India cricketer, who was present at Panchkula Golf Club, encouraged everyone to learn the sport.

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) arranged clinics for students at Golden Swan Country Club, Mumbai. Furthermore, participation from the world-renowned David Leadbetter Academy at Oxford Golf Resort made the event a success in Pune.

ILGW received wide coverage in the media, from local and national dailies to digital and social media platforms.

The second edition of ILGW will take place from September 24-30, 2018. With 30 Clubs (and counting) already confirmed, over 20,000 beginners are expected to take to the fairways.

An initiative of Golf Industry Association (GIA), in partnership with Indian Golf Union (IGU), Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI), National Golf Association of India (NGAI), Golf Course Superintendents and Managers Association of India (GCS&MAI), as well as the Professional Golf Association (PGA) of America, ILGW aims to nurture the next 100,000 Indian golfers, besides generating `1,500 crore in revenue for the golf industry over the next five years.

30 golf digest india | august 2018

» SIRI FORT GOLF DRIVING RANGE, DELHI » CLASSIC GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, GURGAON » DLF GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, GURGAON » GOLDEN GREENS GOLF COURSE, GURGAON » HAMONI GOLF CAMP, GURGAON » KARMA LAKELANDS, GURGAON » JAYPEE GREENS GOLF RESORT, NOIDA » NOIDA STADIUM GOLF RANGE, NOIDA

DI E GAM

E• G ITIATIV ROW THE

DELHI NCR

• GOLF DIGEST IN DI

• GOLF DIGEST IN

E•G ITIATIV ROW THE

A IN

A IN

E GAM

MASSES

Promoting Golf

PUNJAB » CGA GOLF RANGE, CHANDIGARH » IMPERIAL GOLF ESTATE, LUDHIANA » PANCHKULA GOLF CLUB, PANCHKULA

UTTAR PRADESH » LUCKNOW GOLF CLUB, LUCKNOW » THE PALMS GCR, LUCKNOW

RAJASTHAN » RAMBAGH GOLF CLUB, JAIPUR » ROYAL JAIPUR GOLF CLUB, JAIPUR

GUJARAT » GULMOHAR GREENS GCC, AHMEDABAD » KALHAAR BLUES & GREENS, AHMEDABAD » KENSVILLE GCC, AHMEDABAD

WEST BENGAL » ECO PARK DRIVING RANGE, KOLKATA » TOLLYGUNGE CLUB, KOLKATA

MAHARASHTRA

ODISHA

» THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY GC, MUMBAI » GOLDEN SWAN COUNTRY CLUB, MUMBAI » RIVERSIDE GOLF COURSE, NASHIK » OXFORD GOLF RESORT, PUNE » POONA GOLF CLUB, PUNE » RSI CLUB, PUNE

KARNATAKA » EAGLETON GOLF RESORT, BENGALURU » PRESTIGE GOLFSHIRE, BENGALURU » TEETIME VENTURES, BENGALURU » ZION HILLS GOLF COUNTY, BENGALURU

» BHUBANESWAR GC, BHUBANESWAR

31

CLUBS CONFIRMED AND COUNTING

How it will play out

Participating clubs will assign coaches for each of the seven days to deliver introductory golfing lessons from curricula approved by the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) of America. Each coach will have five students in a session and will conduct five sessions in a day. The ILGW will be open to all interested.

Registration process For online registration, please visit: www.totalgolfhub.com/events/ilgw august 2018 | golf digest india

31

Promoting Golf

PERFORMANCE BOOT CAMP FOR U-18 The Leadbetter Golf Academy at Oxford Golf Resort, Pune is conducting a performance boot camp for juniors (under 18 years of age).

Planned for four days—August 4, 11, 18 and 25—each session will last an hour and a half and training will focus on swing analysis, drills, practice plans and course strategies besides advanced short game secrets.

Academy Director and Head Coach Laurence Brotheridge will personally oversee the camp.

32 golf digest india | august 2018

DI

• GOLF DIGEST IN E GAM

E• G ITIATIV ROW THE

Pune

Laurence Brotheridge guides a student

• GOLF DIGEST IN DI

Depar tment of Spor ts— Government of Maharashtra, Riverside Golf Course (Nashik) and the District Golf Association came together to create an awareness programme for school children.

‘Golf in the Olympics’ week celebrations were observed on June 28. Close to 250 children— from private and public/government schools alike—took part. They were enthusiastic, willing to learn and disciplined. Those present, including teachers and officials, were given a short introduction to the game. They were then divided into groups for lessons and to get an opportunity to experience the sport themselves.

According to Wg Cdr Arun K Singh (Retd.), former Director General of the Indian Golf Union (IGU), and Wg Cdr PK Bagmar (Retd.), Riverside Golf Course’s Chief Promoter, an initiative to teach the state’s Physical Education teachers the nuances of golf, followed by similar initiatives for college students, is currently being planned.

E GAM

SPORTS MINISTRY GETS INVOLVED IN GROWING THE GAME

E•G ITIATIV ROW THE N I A

A IN

Nashik

Business of Golf

Burack Stands Down as Asian Tour’s Chief Executive Officer FALDO BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH SIGNATURE COURSE IN PAKISTAN

J

osh Burack has resigned from his post as Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Tour.

“It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to leave the Tour when reaching the two-year mark. My two children have been urging me to travel less and spend more time with our family, so I want to respect their wishes and not have any regrets of my own later,” said Burack.

“With the Asian Tour in a much stronger position now than when I joined, I know our talented team will be able to continue the progress... It has been a great honour and I will always remain a huge supporter of the Asian Tour.”

Since taking over the helm as CEO in October 2016, the Asian Tour enjoyed a period of rapid growth with the number of events having increased from 24 in the 2016

season to more than 30 in 2018—including tournaments in Fiji, India, Korea, Pakistan and Vietnam among others.

During Burack’s tenure, the Asian Tour added a host of media partnerships to increase the promotion of the Tour with key publications in the region, including Bloomberg, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal, Golf Asia, Golf Digest India and Golf Journal Korea.

Most significantly, in 2017, the Asian Tour became the first Tour outside Europe to become an affiliate of The R&A. Jimmy Masrin, Chairman of the Board of the Asian Tour, said: “The Tour is very appreciative to Josh for his passion and leadership over the last two years he has led the organisation. The Tour has achieved much and wishes Josh the best of luck in his future endeavours.”

WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME UNVEILS NEW EXHIBITION The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum in Florida has unveiled its newest exhibition— ‘Tales from the Collection’.

The exhibition features unique items, some of which have never been on display in the museum, as it celebrates the global nature of the game of golf.

Artefacts can be seen from Washington, DC, where one of the most dramatic U.S. Opens of all time took place, to the shores of Vietnam where the war shaped the career of one of our Hall of Fame golfers.

“This new exhibition shares incredible stories about our Hall of Famers, with many of them told first-hand from the Hall of Famers themselves,” said Peter. “… Now, we’ve put a spotlight on these artefacts

34 golf digest india | august 2018

Andy Warhol’s painting of Jack Nicklaus (1978)

Sir Nick Faldo signed an agreement with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Multan to deliver a signature golf course on the property of a high-end residential community. Situated in the province of Punjab, Multan is Pakistan’s seventh most populous city.

The Sir Nick Faldo Signature Golf Course will be the first signature design in Pakistan—marking the 25th country to host a project by Faldo Design.

“There is a real energy and inspiration when you design a course in a new golf market as the layers of opportunity are plenty,” said six-time Major champion Faldo, Britain’s most successful golfer.

Brigadier Nadeem Aslam, DHA Multan’s Project Director, visited the Faldo Design office in Windsor, England for a signing ceremony.

He said: “Golf is a game of passion and a fast-growing sport in Pakistan. We have talent but it needs to be nurtured to compete at international level and my objective is to see Pakistani golfers participating on the Asian and European Tours. Being Pakistan’s first signature course, complemented by a ‘performance academy’ and managed and operated by an internationally reputed company, this golf course will become Golf’s Centre of Excellence.”

Course construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2018 while inauguration is expected by the end of 2019.

which represent key moments in the lives and careers of our Hall of Fame Members.”

A highlight of the collection is an original Andy Warhol painting of the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus.

The painting was created by Warhol in 1978 when he was commissioned to work on a project deemed ‘The Athlete Series’, featuring 10 of the greatest star-athletes of that time. The subjects included NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, famed professional boxer Muhammad Ali, and of course, golf legend Nicklaus.

Additional artefacts include a samurai sword, an Emmy award, a signed letter from President Ronald Reagan and a pair of chopsticks.

Business of Golf

Laguna National Golf & Country Club, Singapore

Laguna National Welcomes Leadbetter Golf Academy Trailblazing instructor David Leadbetter will bring his unique brand of teaching to Singapore’s Laguna National Golf & Country Club.

The Leadbetter Golf Academy (LGA), which celebrated its soft opening on June 22, will be housed at Laguna National’s stateof-the-art Teaching and Practice Facility. It is expected to commence full operation by August 2018.

A joint venture between Laguna National and Leadbetter, the Academy will be staffed by a full complement of accredited LGA professionals.

During an illustrious career spanning

David Leadbetter

more than four decades, Leadbetter—winner of the 2017 Teacher of the Year Award from the PGA of America—has coached many of golf’s best-known professionals, including

Major champions Nick Faldo, Nick Price, Ernie Els, Danielle Kang and Michelle Wie. Leadbetter students have, amongst themselves, accumulated a total of 24 Major championship victories while no fewer than seven Leadbetter disciples have made it to number one in the world rankings.

The new practice facility at Laguna National will have 50 hitting bays on two levels, a dedicated zone for the LGA, a classroom, short game practice zone, high-tech equipment, grass tees and a Members lounge.

Leadbetter Golf Academy has a home in India too, at Pune’s Oxford Golf Resort.

“PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS CAN COUNT ON HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL OFFERINGS WITH A FOCUS ON PURPOSEFULLY DESIGNED, LONG-TERM ACADEMY TRAINING WHERE SERIOUS GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE REGION CAN ENROL AND RECEIVE A DEDICATED DAILY CURRICULUM…” — MARK BATES, DIRECTOR OF GOLF AT LAGUNA NATIONAL

PGA Tour Partners Facebook To Stream Exclusive Live Coverage

Rickie Fowler talks with PGA TOUR LIVE during the 2016 Phoenix Open Pro-Am

The PGA Tour has announced an agreement with Facebook to distribute exclusive Saturday and Sunday live competition coverage, on a free basis, from eight tournaments leading into the FedEx Cup Play-offs for the 2017-18 season.

Airing on Facebook Watch in the United States, the coverage will be produced under the PGA Tour Live brand and will follow two featured groups that tee off in the morning of the third and final rounds. The PGA Tour will uniquely produce this coverage for Facebook’s social video platform, with interactive elements aimed to engage fans. For example, the coverage will incorporate fan questions and comments. “… The PGA Tour has put a premium on distributing exclusive content on emerging media platforms with a goal of reaching new and diverse audiences.”, said Chris Wandell, VP Media Business Development of the PGA Tour.

The Facebook Watch coverage began at the Travelers Championship this weekend. The remaining events in 2018 include: Quicken Loans National; A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier; John Deere Classic; RBC Canadian Open; World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational; Wyndham Championship; and The Northern Trust.

august 2018 | golf digest india

35

Achievers

OFF THE COURSE corporate golfers and aficionados of the sport who have been in the news lately...

Anju Khosla Finishes Strong At Ironman Triathlon

The Ironman Triathlon in Austria saw Delhi Golf Club regular Anju Khosla finish 38th in the ‘Women over 50’ category. The event had around 3,000 participants from more than 40 countries.

The 52-year-old Delhi-based golfer, who is Director of Capital Trusts (a financial services company), became the oldest Indian woman to complete the triathlon— 3.86km swimming, 180.25km bike ride and a 42.2km marathon without a break—doing so in 15 hours, 54 minutes and 54 seconds.

“My family is very fitness oriented; it is a vital part of our lives. It has been a gradual process through the last 10 years that has brought me to this point... I guess I always had that athletic streak in me since childhood,” Khosla was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times

Sandeep Singh hopeful of Construction Industry’s growth Tata Hitachi saw a robust 19% upswing in sales during the last fiscal and a 30% growth in the year earlier on a low base of the previous year. In a recent interview with ETAuto, Sandeep Singh—Managing Director, Tata Hitachi—explained why he sees a lot of potential in the construction industry despite the slump it went through between 2013-16.

An avid golfer, Singh—who took to the sport in 1996—recently competed at the World Corporate Golf Challenge. He lists Jaypee Greens (Greater Noida), DLF Golf & Country Club (Gurgaon), and Karnataka Golf Association (Bengaluru) as some of his favourite courses.

36 golf digest india | august 2018

Anil Valluri’s Inspiring Reading List

A keen golfer, Anil Valluri—President-India and SAARC Operations, NetApp—is a bibliophile too.

Talking to The Economic Times last month, he disclosed that he is currently revisiting Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’. He also admits the profound effect Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘My Experiments with Truth’ had on his life.

Valluri, an 18 handicapper, is a regular at corporate golf events such as Volvo World Golf Challenge and World Corporate Golf Challenge.

He has also been under the tutelage of India’s premier golf coach, Vijay Divecha.

Bulgaria Challenge October 5-10, 2018

5 nights’ stay at a 5-star property in Varna

3

tournament rounds {Lighthouse, BlackSeaRama & Thracian Cliffs}

Giveaways and Prizes

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WEARABLE CLASS. SIGNIFIED.

Rolex has introduced a new generation of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36, in either Everose Rolesor (combining Oystersteel and 18ct Everose gold) or yellow Rolesor (combining Oystersteel and 18ct yellow gold) versions, each available with a large selection of dials. The new Datejust 36 watches are equipped with a 36mm case featuring redesigned lugs and sides, and calibre 3235, at the forefront of watchmaking technology. Many different combinations are available. An Everose Rolesor version features a white dial with 18ct pink gold Roman numerals and a fluted bezel. One yellow Rolesor version is presented with a champagne-colour dial, diamond-set hour markers, and a fluted bezel.

Another yellow Rolesor version is offered with a white mother-of-pearl dial and a diamond-set bezel. Like all Rolex watches, the newgeneration Datejust 36 also carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, which ensures excellent performance on the wrist.

38 golf digest india | august 2018

Lifestyle WEARABLE OF WHEELS AND WATCHES

The leading Swiss luxury watchmaker Baume et Mercier has partnered Indian Motorcycle to produce timepieces that capture the spirit of the two brands, and the feeling of the open road. The newly launched self-winding chronograph edition features a number of special details designed to honour the historic achievement of famed land-speed record holder Burt Munro.

The Indian Scout model, which inspired Clifton Club Burt Munro Tribute Limited Edition (one of the Baume & Mercier limited edition wristwatches), delivers a consistently outstanding riding experience, whether you are having an epic and adventurous journey, or an urban cruise. The tribute timepiece, meawhile, celebrates its namesake and his unwavering commitment to hand craftsmanship, precision and speed.

A little over half a century ago, Munro took his Indian Scout Streamliner to push the limits of speed and entered history books as “The World’s Fasted Indian”. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Munro’s iconic record, Lee Munro, Burt Munro’s great nephew, recreated the historic run at Bonneville last August.

WEARABLE AN ALLIANCE OF VALUES

Victorinox Swiss Army has been producing precision instruments for over 25 years. These timepieces, manufactured in the new Victorinox watchmaking competence center in Delémont, in the Swiss Jura, combine timelessness, reliability and functionality.

The Alliance collection is a perfect example of sophisticated balance. A dynamic alternative that expresses itself delicately but decisively.

The highlights of this year’s Alliance collection bring back the timeless class of a marvellous round case.

Monochrome variation with a brushed dial finish and sleek arrow pointed makers define the personality and the character while it highlights its contours. Subtle details that adorn the wrist with elegance, ageless aesthetic but with a definitive attitude. A fusion of Victorinox own’s values; design, comfort and quality. august 2018 | golf digest india

39

On the Asian Tour

GAGANJEET

STRIKES RICH ON ASIAN TOUR

I

ndia’s Gaganjeet Bhullar came tantalisingly close to a ninth Asian Tour win following a couple of close runs in recent tournaments. The Kapurthalanative finished fifth, three strokes behind Justin Harding, at the US$ 500,000 Bank BRI Indonesia Open on July 15—a fortnight after his runner-up showing at the US$ 300,000 Queen’s Cup. Udayan Mane, Bhullar’scompatriot,finished tied-sixth(withThailand’sNatipong Srithong).

Bhullar wasn’t too disheartened and, instead, chose to see the positives from his outing at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, “My swing is on the way to being fixed. I see plenty of progressions and the goal is to be really consistent and get to my peak really soon. I’m working really hard to get my ninth Asian Tour title.”

Mane, 27, echoed, “A top-five finish is always great… There is so much I can take back home from the way I played this week.

I’m close to the winner. I have a blueprint of my scoring capabilities on this Tour.”

32-year-old Harding of South Africa, meanwhile, will be taking up Asian Tour membership after his win. The current Sunshine Tour Order of Merit leader was playing in the tournament on an invite and sure made the most of it!

The 30-year-old Bhullar had come even closer a fortnight prior, finishing runner-up at the

Queen’s Cup in Pattaya.

Young Thai talent Jazz Janewattananond took advantage of a hot streak to close with a four-under-par 67, sealing a solid four-shot victory for his second Asian Tour title—and first on home soil—on July 1. “… It means a lot to win the Queen’s Cup. It feels very good to win at home and with my parents watching me win as well,” Jazz was quoted as saying.

The sweet sound of success will resonate very well with the 22-year-old. After all, it was little over a year ago that he was staring at limited playing opportunities on the Asian Tour after finishing outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit. The Thai had also missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School, but relief would come at the 2017 Bangladesh Open when he won his Asian Tour title by four shots.

As fate would have it, Jazz’s patient approach would once again see him lift his second

40 golf digest india | august 2018

title on the Asian Tour by four shots at the Phoenix Gold Golf & Country Club, as Bhullar battled to a 71 to take second place.

“It wasn’t easy out there. It was definitely one of the toughest days this week. I didn’t get off to a good start. I made a few silly mistakes as well. But I finished strong, had two good par-saves on 16 and 17 and a good up and down for birdie on the last to finish solo second,” said Bhullar.

The Indian, who had endured heartbreak in a play-off at the Maekyung Open in May, remained upbeat.

“It’s still a good result for me. I am happy to be able to earn some world ranking points this week. It could have been better, but Jazz played really well today. His five birdies in-a-row pretty much changed the whole scenario.

“Congratulations to him. I played well but it just didn’t click today. I am looking forward to playing well in the next few tournaments...”

“MY SWING IS ON THE WAY TO BEING FIXED. I SEE PLENTY OF PROGRESSIONS AND THE GOAL IS TO BE REALLY CONSISTENT AND GET TO MY PEAK REALLY SOON. I’M WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET MY NINTH ASIAN TOUR TITLE.”

On the Asian Tour

august 2018 | golf digest india

41

On the Asian Tour

KOREAN MARKET CONSOLIDATED Minchel Choi of South Korea

Josh Burack (R) with Minchel Choi (2R) and Sanghyun Park (2L)

BY JOSH BURACK Asian Tour CEO

T

he past two months saw the Asian Tour make significant inroads into East Asia with our successful return to the GS Caltex Maekyung Open and the Kolon Korea Open following a long nine-year gap! This came as a result of our long-term agreement with the Korean Golf Association (KGA). These high-profile events, together with another one of the aptly named “Korean Majors” the Shinhan Donghae Open that is coming up in September, have consolidated the Asian Tour’s strong position in the golf hotbed of Korea. Keeping close relations with the KGA and Korean Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA) is vital going forward.

Last week at the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship there were many memorable moments. In particular, we saw first-hand how the champion, Minchel Choi, held off compatriot Sanghyun Park’s late challenge on the final day to win the tournament by two shots. It was a superb display of skill and tenacity. Since the tournament was part of The Open Qualifying Series, Choi—who took up Asian Tour membership after his win—and runner-up Park earned spots at The Open this July in Carnoustie, Scotland.

We wish them both success at their first major championship.

Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand

a refreshing champion & the tour’s important work for habitat for humanity

Looking back at the Thailand Open, Panuphol Pittayarat, also known as “Coconut”, claimed his second Asian Tour title at his National Open. Coconut has one of the best all-round games on Tour, so it came as no surprise to see him earn the coveted trophy. That week

Asian Tour and Thai Country Club donated 250,000 Baht to Habitat for Humanity Thailand

BY SELLING PRO-AM SPOTS, MERCHANDISE AND SOLICITING DONATIONS, WE DONATED 250,000 BAHT TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY THAILAND. THIS AMOUNT WILL BE USED TO BUILD A NEW HOUSE FOR A FAMILY IN NEED OF A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE. 42 golf digest india | august 2018

On the Asian Tour also saw the Asian Tour and Thai Country Club raising funds for our sustainable development partner, Habitat for Humanity. By selling pro-am spots, merchandise and soliciting donations, together we raised enough to donate 250,000 Baht to Habitat for Humanity Thailand. This amount will be used to build a new house for a family in need of a safe place to live. It is fantastic to have the Tour is serving such a worthy cause.

Chock-a-block

The Kolon Korea Open and the Queen’s Cup marked the start of another busy stretch of back-to-back tournaments. Next, we had the inaugural Sarawak Championship and the Indonesia Open, which has boosted its prize money from US$300,000 to US$500,000 thanks to increased sponsorship from Bank BRI. It’s a hectic schedule, but that is what keeps us going.

THE GS CALTEX MAEKYUNG OPEN, THE KOLON KOREA OPEN AND THE SHINHAN DONGHAE OPEN HAVE CONSOLIDATED THE ASIAN TOUR’S STRONG POSITION IN THE GOLF HOTBED OF KOREA

Phoenix Gold Golf & Country Club, Pattaya

Habitat for Humanity Standings After Bank BRI Indonesia Open POS

PLAYER

EARNINGS (US$)

1.

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA (IND)

589,575

2.

MATT WALLACE (UK)

446,660

3.

KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT (THA)

360,737

4.

SANGHYUN PARK (KOR)

295,660

5.

RAHIL GANGJEE (IND)

290,426

6.

SIHWAN KIM (USA)

279,624

7.

MICHEL KOI (KOR)

271,341

8.

PAUL PETERSON (USA)

241,149

9.

SCOTT VINCENT (ZIM)

231,289

10.

JAZZ JANEWATTANANOND (THA)

199,324

11.

GAGANJEET BHULLAR (IND)

194,272

12.

JOHN CATLIN (USA)

187,054

13.

BERRY HENSON (USA)

159,359

14.

DANIEL NISBET (AUS)

151,884

15.

PANUPHOL PITTARAYAT (THA)

135,949

16.

KHALIN JOSHI (IND)

131,174

17.

PROM MEESAWAT (THA)

126,752

18.

HIDETO TANIHARA (JPN)

123,306

19.

DANTHAI BOONMA (THA)

122,022

20.

SHAUN NORRIS (RSA)

118,285

Pondok Indah Golf Course, Jakarta

august 2018 | golf digest india

43

On the Asian Tour John Catlin of United States

Journeyman Catlin Finds Right Direction On Tour

A

merican John Catlin first set foot on the Asian Tour in 2015, armed only with copious amount of talent and a dream.

A dream to become the best golfer that he can be and win on the Asian Tour.

It was an arduous journey but a fulfilling one which would see Catlin win not once but twice on the Asian Tour this season, most recently at the US$300,000 Sarawak Championship in Malaysia.

“I always wanted to do great things ever since I was a little kid. Both my victories are equally awesome. You can’t really put one above the other,” said Catlin, who earned his maiden breakthrough at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China in May. Life as an aspiring professional looking for his big break meant tightening the purse strings as he only made three cuts in eight starts on the

Asian Tour in 2016 and had to switch his focus to the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

Catlin found success on the ADT at the Combiphar Golf Invitational in Indonesia in November 2016. But having missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School, he would soldier on and eventually found his way back onto the main Tour with a second win and five other top-10s to finish third on the ADT money list.

The American’s sojourn on the Asian Tour has taken him to the length and breadth of the continent, each with a fascinating tale to tell.

“I’ve been to Dhaka, I never thought I would go and play four tournaments there. Going to India was pretty awesome and eye opening. I’ve also been to Pakistan, never did I think I would ever go to Pakistan but I had to for the ADT to finish inside the top-five on the Order of Merit and get my Asian Tour

44 golf digest india | august 2018

“I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO GREAT THINGS EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID. BOTH MY VICTORIES ARE EQUALLY AWESOME. YOU CAN’T REALLY PUT ONE ABOVE THE OTHER” — JOHN CATLIN card,” said Catlin.

“In Pakistan I was a bit nervous. Coming out of the airport I was scared. I got through customs and everything fine. Then we saw 20 people and they were the nicest people we’ve ever met and I see this convoy with

four or five armed vehicles.

“It was like the president is coming to town and we were in a bus and these vehicles escorted us to the hotel. That was pretty amazing, I’ve never been treated like that before in my life,” recalled Catlin.

Poom Saksansin Micah Shin

Gavin Green

Daisuke Kataoka Gaganjeet Bhullar

Jeunghun Wang

2018 IN NUMBERS:

TOP PLAYERS FROM MORE THAN 35 NATIONS OVER 30 TOURNAMENTS PLAYED ACROSS 21 COUNTRIES Miguel Tabuena

Bowen Xiao

Hung Chien-yao

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On the European Tour

Three Tours Come Together For GroundBreaking Jordan Mixed Masters Philip Golding and Georgia Hall

E

uropean legends, female stars and the next generation of golfers will all gather at Ayla Golf Club—a premier golf destination in Jordan—in 2019 for a ground-breaking new tournament: the Jordan Mixed Masters, presented

by Ayla.

In a first-of-its-kind event, the European Challenge Tour, Ladies European Tour and Staysure Tour will co-sanction the new individual strokeplay competition which will take place from April 4-6, 2019.

The field will consist of 123 players—40 from each Tour and one leading amateur from the men’s, ladies’ and over-50’s games—who will compete against each other in a single, mixed field.

Members from the three Tours will tee off from different yardages but will compete in a single competition. The three-day event will see the field cut to 60 for the final day’s play,

46 golf digest india | august 2018

THE FIELD WILL CONSIST OF 123 PLAYERS—40 FROM EACH TOUR AND ONE LEADING AMATEUR FROM THE MEN’S, LADIES’ AND OVER-50’S GAMES—WHO WILL COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER IN A SINGLE, MIXED FIELD. competing for the grand prize. The leading players from the other two tours will also receive a special accolade.

The concept—which recognises the importance of equality and equal opportunity—was the vision of Ayla’s ownership, who have created a premier golf and leisure development close to the Red Sea City of Aqaba and on the shores of Jordan’s southern coastline.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “The Jordan Mixed Masters, presented by Ayla, is a

fantastic development for the Staysure Tour, the Challenge Tour and the Ladies European Tour.

“This unique event goes a step further, bringing together the stars of three Tours for a truly innovative tournament. There seems to be an appetite in golf for mixed events right now, and this is another opportunity to deliver another entertaining yet credible format.”

“The European Tour is leading the transformation of global golf and I commend Ayla’s vision and their determination to

On the European Tour

spearhead the concept of hosting the three Tours.”

Chris White, Director of Operations at Ayla, said: “… Golf is one of the only sports whereby competitors, regardless of age or gender, can compete fairly together.

To see our vision come to life and have the support and collaboration of all three Tours gives us great confidence that our event will be recognised as unique in the world of golf...”

Mark Lichtenhein, Chairman, Ladies European Tour, said: “The popularity of recent collaborative events such as the Oates Vic Open, Lalla Meryem Cup and GolfSixes have demonstrated that there is a huge public appetite to see men and women playing alongside each other in different formats.

“This unique tournament will be the first of its kind, where men and women will compete individually, for the same trophy. The event will give our players a tremendous opportunity to showcase their talents in a level playing field for both genders.”

David MacLaren, Head of the Staysure Tour, said: “Following on from the spectacular success of Dame Laura Davies’ trailblazing appearance at the Shipco Masters earlier last month, we are absolutely thrilled to be part of a unique tournament that will bring together players from different parts of the golfing spectrum, but who share in common great achievements within their individual Tours.

“On behalf of the Staysure Tour, this tournament provides a fantastic platform for our members, including former Ryder Cup Captains and players, Senior Major Champions and European Tour winners, to demonstrate their enduring quality, talents and unique personalities.”

The announcement of the event builds on the success of the European Tour’s innovative GolfSixes tournament, a 16-team, six-hole event, which included some of Europe’s top female stars and a mixed pairing of Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn and his Solheim Cup counterpart Catriona Matthew.

In May, Dame Laura Davies made history as the first female competitor at a Staysure Tour event at the inaugural Shipco Masters promoted by Simon’s Golf in Denmark.

Georgia Hall, who progressed to the quarter-finals in the GolfSixes, welcomed the latest development: “GolfSixes was such a successful event and it was so nice to connect with so many fans. The format was popular with everyone and it was great to see so many women and juniors there.

“The Jordan Mixed Masters, presented by Ayla, is the next step to show that golf is a game for all. The women are looking forward to joining together to make this another fantastic week and the future is looking good with more events like this on the calendar.”

Phil Golding, a four-time Staysure Tour winner and two-time victor on the Challenge Tour, said: “This is such a unique tournament. It’s fantastic that we have brought the three Tours together and it’s an event in a new country for us, which is another bonus.

“It’s great that we’re doing things a little bit different, and this is another step after playing on a nine-hole golf course in Sharjah over the last two seasons and also having Dame Laura play with us in Denmark. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Male and female players will also tee it up in August in the new European Golf Team Championships, part of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, which will include a mixed foursome strokeplay event.

Kuchar Triumphs In Spectacular Hero Challenge

Matt Kuchar of the USA poses with the trophy after winning The Hero Challenge at the 2018 ASI Scottish Open

America’s Matt Kuchar claimed the first Hero Challenge title of 2018 against the striking backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

A vocal crowd of more than 4,000 fans created an electric atmosphere at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s extraordinary amphitheatre in front of Edinburgh Castle—a key part of the Edinburgh World Heritage Site—as Kuchar defeated countryman Charley Hoffman in the final.

The unique event—which attracted over 500,000 viewers to the official live stream on Twitter— kicked off with two groups of three players taking aim from a specially built platform at a target 80 metres away on the castle esplanade.

Defending Scottish Open champion Rafa Cabrera Bello and English Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter saw off the challenge of rising Indian star Shubhankar Sharma, and despite the backing of the passionate home support, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay also exited at the group stage as Hoffman and Kuchar set up semifinal clashes with Cabrera Bello

and Poulter respectively.

There were signs of what was to come as Kuchar defeated Poulter with the help of the first bullseye of the night in the second semifinal. He then repeated the feat in the final in an impressive display of accuracy—even having enough of a points cushion to hand his final ball of the night to host Vernon Kay and take to the mic as the two swapped roles!

Kuchar said: “It is just an amazing venue, what a cool backdrop. The amount of fans and the energy that was here just made it really exciting to be part of this event.

“I think there was some luck involved in the bullseyes. I’m surprised it went my way as much as it did. It was the luck of the bounce a little bit but I certainly had the distance and direction looking good.

“Getting a bit of the luck of the bounce was awfully nice to end it with a bullseye there at the end.

I’m looking forward to taking this Hero Challenge trophy home—my kids will love it!”

THE OFFICIAL LIVE STREAM ON TWITTER ATTRACTED OVER 500,000 VIEWERS AND A VOCAL CROWD OF MORE THAN 4,000 CREATED AN ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE IN FRONT OF EDINBURGH CASTLE AS KUCHAR DEFEATED HOFFMAN... august 2018 | golf digest india

47

On the European Tour

Knox Downs Fox For Irish Glory

R

ussell Knox holed two incredible putts on the 18th green as he beat New Zealand’s Ryan Fox in a play-off to win his second European Tour title at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation.

The Scotsman now has a Rolex Series win to add to his WGC-HSBC Champions crown from 2015 and continues his fine form after finishing in a tie for second at the HNA Open de France.

He started the final round six shots off the lead and completing the biggest comeback in Irish Open history presents some redemption for a player who finished second in this event in 2016.

“To make a putt like that, it's a dream come true,” he said. “It's so hard to win tournaments. The way I managed to do it, holing those two long putts, it was just my time.

“I'm just lucky to win one of these massive events, so thank you very much to Rolex.”

For Fox, it is a fifth top ten in Rolex Series events and he has the consolation of securing a place at the Open Championship, 12 months on from achieving the same feat at this event.

Russell Knox of Scotland celebrates after a birdie on the first play-off hole against Ryan Fox of New Zealand during the final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

KNOX NOW HAS A ROLEX SERIES WIN TO ADD TO HIS 2015 WGC-HSBC CHAMPIONS CROWN AND CONTINUES HIS FINE FORM AFTER FINISHING T-2 AT THE OPEN DE FRANCE “I hit two great putts on 18, one grazed the edge and one came back at me,” he said. “I'm happy, I hit the shots I wanted to

down the stretch, felt comfortable out there and it was close.

“Had one putt been an inch either way I'd still be out there

now or even with the trophy in my hand but well done to Russ, he played some great golf today.”

Noren Wins Second Rolex Series Title In France

Alex Noren of Sweden poses with the trophy after winning the HNA Open de France

48 golf digest india | august 2018

Alex Noren birdied two of his last three holes at Le Golf National to claim his second Rolex Series title on a dramatic final afternoon at the HNA Open de France.

The Swede's last win had come in similar fashion at the 2017 BMW Championship—the inaugural Rolex Series event—when he posted a stunning 62 during the final round from seven back and was left to wait and see if he had done enough at Wentworth Club.

“When you're out there you really want this win and it felt unbelievable to get it,” he said. “It's what I was putting and practising for, maybe a play-off, it was unreal how it went and I didn't expect that.”

The victory takes his total to ten on the European Tour and extends his run of winning seasons to four—in which time he has won seven times.

It also serves as perfect preparation for September when the Ryder Cup will come to Le Golf National, with Noren hopeful of making his debut in the biennial spectacular.

“If I would be on the team it would mean a lot,” he added. “You get good memories from here. The first two years I came here I thought I could never win around here and the last three years I've had good results. It helps a lot.”

On the European Tour Alex Noren of Sweden plays his tee shot on the 6th hole during day four of the HNA Open de France

Alex Noren Lauds Le Golf National

A

fter his impressive victory at the 2018 HNA Open de France, Alex Noren was full of praise for Le Golf National’s testing layout and believes it sets up perfectly for match play.

The Swede picked up his tenth European Tour title, his second Rolex Series event victory, thanks to an impressive ten under par weekend around the French links. With the final groups struggling during the testing four hole close, Noren finished one ahead of the field to become the first Swede to win the Open de France.

And following his memorable victory, the 36-year-old was glowing with praise for Le Golf National—admitting it will be a fantastic Ryder Cup venue.

Noren said: “I think for us, it's almost a better match play course because with all this rough.

“I think when you play here, you lose a lot of shots if you just hit one bad in the rough. It's not always possible to get out of it.

“So it is just maybe even better for match play.”

And how to play well here?

“I think ball striking (is important),” Noren added.

“Just hit the fairways. Hit enough fairways or just into the rough. You need to be quite straight off the tee.

“It helped this week when the fairways were very firm. They were rolling, so you could hit a little bit less club off the tee, and you get a 20 or 30-yard roll sometimes and you don't have to hit that many drivers, which helps, because the fairways are narrow.”

Winning here for Noren most certainly breeds confidence for himself and, should he make the team, he may be tough to beat around this course.

“Well, it boosts your confidence a lot,” Noren said.

“If I make the team, it would mean a lot. You get good memories from here. The first two years I came here, I thought I could never win around here. The last three years, I've had good results and that helps a lot.”

It is sure to be an exciting match up at The 2018 Ryder Cup and the super Swede’s victory will hopefully work in Team Europe’s favour.

“I THINK WHEN YOU PLAY HERE, YOU LOSE A LOT OF SHOTS IF YOU JUST HIT ONE BAD IN THE ROUGH. IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF IT... BALL STRIKING IS IMPORTANT; JUST HIT THE FAIRWAYS. HIT ENOUGH FAIRWAYS OR JUST INTO THE ROUGH. YOU NEED TO BE QUITE STRAIGHT OFF THE TEE."

august 2018 | golf digest india

49

On the European Tour

Wonderful Wallace Wins In Germany

M

Matt Wallace of England celebrates with the trophy after winning the BMW International Open

“I BELIEVE I CAN DO IT. I WANT TO GO FURTHER. OBVIOUSLY THIS GIVES ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE TO GO ON AND PLAY WELL IN — MATT WALLACE THE BIGGER EVENTS FROM NOW ON..."

a t t Wa l l a c e won his second European Tour title of the season as he held off a brilliant charge from Thorbjørn Olesen to claim the BMW International Open.

The Englishman started the day at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof just two shots off the lead but spent much of it looking up the leaderboard at Olesen, who signed for a record-breaking 61 to open up a three-shot lead before the final group had even teed off.

Wallace turned in 34 but made five birdies in seven holes from the turn to sign for a bogey-free 65 and edge a shot past the Dane at ten under.

It was then a waiting game as home hero Martin Kaymer and Finn Mikko Korhonen got within a shot of the leader but they both finished at nine under alongside Olesen, handing Wallace the third win of his European Tour career.

Olesen's 61 was the lowest

round in BMW International Open history, the joint-lowest round of the season and the lowest round of the campaign so far to par as he piled the pressure on the later starters right from the off.

Wallace was the man who handled it best and he added to last season's victory at the Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort and his triumph at the Hero Indian Open in March.

“Brilliant to win here in Germany,” he said. “The BMW is such a great event and to play against the likes of Martin Kaymer and the guys at the top there, it's great.

“I work hard for this. I believe I can do it. I want to go further, I want to keep building on this. Obviously this gives me a lot of confidence to go on and play well and I want to kick on and hopefully do this in the bigger events from now on.

“This is great, this is a step in the right direction. We'll keep working hard to bigger and better things.”

Toms Denies Jiménez To Claim Maiden Senior Major Championship

D

avid Toms secured his first Senior Major Championship victory as he finished one stroke ahead of Miguel Angel Jiménez, Tim Petrovic and Jerr y Kelly at the U.S. Senior Open.

The 2001 US PGA Championship winner carded a final round of 70, level par, which included a crucial birdie on the 16th hole to deny Jiménez a chance of a second Senior Major title.

"Today was a really tough day," said Toms. "The wind made it very difficult for us to pull a club. I kept hitting it over the greens and having to get up-and-down. I never felt like I was in total control. Even from the fairway, I wasn't able to get the ball close to the pin.

"I was getting frustrated with that, but at the same time

my short game felt good and I just hung in there. I wanted to be there at the end to have a chance."

Jiménez, who won his maiden Senior Major Championship at the Regions Tradition earlier this season, said: "I have to congratulate David because in golf you have 14 clubs in the bag, you have to be yourself and you have to be focused. He's the one who did it better than anyone. My game was not the way it should be."

Paul Broadhurst, winner of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in May, finished in a share of fifth place on one under par.

Staysure Tour members Bernhard Langer and Vijay Singh finished tied 16th, South Africa's David Frost shared 24th place, Philip Golding finished tied 28th and Chris Williams shared 31st place.

50 golf digest india | august 2018

David Toms kisses the winner's trophy after winning the U.S. Senior Open Championship

Photographs Courtesy European Tour/Getty Images

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EUROTOUR10 at the checkout. shop.europeantour.com

On the PGA Tour

The Sniffer and the Singer: Introducing the PGA TOUR’s Next Korean Stars

Sungjae Im, Kyoung-Hoon Lee have sights set on the future after successful Web.com Tour run Kyoung-Hoon K.H. Lee of Korea hits his approach shot during the final round of Web.com Tour Q-School in Florida

O

ne makes it a point to smell each and every fresh new golf ball the moment he pulls it from its sleeve. The other is a karaoke aficionado who would probably be an artist in a different life, if only he weren’t such a darn wizard with the golf club in his hands.

No matter how unassuming they may appear at first glance, together they form a young, curious, thrilling duo ready to assume the mantle of the next great South Korean golfers.

And, perhaps more importantly, they appear primed to become household names around the globe as they inch closer toward receiving their first PGA TOUR cards later this season.

“As a Korean player myself, it’s great to see so many Koreans out there,” two-time TOUR winner Si Woo Kim said. “I’m incredibly proud of all of their accomplishments, and I hope more Korean players can win and make a name for themselves around the world.”

52 golf digest india | august 2018

So, who are these unknowns, these masters of accuracy and precision, these sniffers and singers? Sungjae Im and Kyounghoon Lee. Start learning the names now—you’ll be hearing them often in the years to come.

“We’ve been close ever since we met,” Lee said. “Since it’s my third year here, I want to give him advice about the course and such if he has questions, but he’s been doing so well I don’t know if he really needs it.”

Of course, the same could be said of Lee, who, after a string of solid performances, finds himself third on the Web.com Tour money list, just two spots back of the wunderkind Im. This particular friendship traces its roots to the Japan Tour, where the pair played a handful of events together during both the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

And while they’re teaming up once more now on the Web.com Tour, and soon again on the PGA TOUR, their paths to this point couldn’t have been any different.

NO MATTER HOW UNASSUMING THEY MAY APPEAR AT FIRST GLANCE, TOGETHER THEY FORM A YOUNG, CURIOUS, THRILLING DUO READY TO ASSUME THE MANTLE OF THE NEXT GREAT SOUTH KOREAN GOLFERS.

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m established himself as a true golf prodigy early on, separating himself from the other children around him long before his adolescent years began. He found himself following his parents onto the range by the time he was 4 and received his first full set of clubs just three years later.

“I started to love competing and playing in

On the PGA Tour Sungjae Im of Korea hits his tee shot during the Rust-Oleum Championship in Illinois

Sungjae Im (C) is sprayed with water by friends and fellow competitor Kyoung-Hoon Lee (L) following Im’s victory at the Web.com Tour’s The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic

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tournaments (after that),” he said.

“And within a year and a half, I started playing in more tournaments and thought they were so much fun.”

Lee’s pathway to professional golf didn’t begin so much with discipline and training as it did good intentions.

A husky boy looking to shed some unwanted pounds before his teenage years set in, Lee took to the course believing the walking of 18 holes— and the quirky twists and turns of a typical golf swing—could help round him into better form. It was only then he discovered his uncanny knack for the sport.

As his golf ball soared, so, too, did his skill level. What began as short shots traveling just 10 meters eventually developed into full swings that rapidly helped distance him from peers and ultimately set him on his current direction.

“I loved how far the ball was going,” he said. “It was so cool. As I kept playing, I experienced both good shots and bad shots, and that always motivated me to practice even more.”

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hile the differences in what brought them here may be vast, the two nevertheless share one key thread tying them together.

“Every time you see both of them, they have big fat smiles on their faces,” American Scott Langley said. “And that was even before they played this well. So, it’s just a testament to how kind they both are.”

“I had the pleasure of playing with Sungjae a couple of weeks ago, and playing with him was kind of… his swing is so rhythmic and smooth,” Australian Brett Drewitt said. “It’s the same every time. It’s kind of hard not to play good (around him), to be honest.”

Natural-born talent aside, it’s their tireless work ethic which have their peers so impressed.

“They’re so driven,” Drewitt, who currently plays on the Web.com Tour, added. “I don’t know how they do it, but they’re out here for 15 hours a day.

It’s ridiculous.”

ee is the singer. A bit less reserved than his friend Im and a few more years matured, he’s not as shy about announcing his unique skill. Though he remains just as humble with that as he is his supreme golf talents—“I was a better singer in the past,” he said, “but not that great now.”

But he still maintains he’d likely be a singer today if he weren’t playing golf. He likes both American music— Michael Jackson, most notably—and the Korean tunes he’s grown accustomed to over the years, like the Girls Generation tracks that draw their share of inspiration from the King of Pop. He’s proud to list on his Web.com Tour bio that Psy is the most famous person he’s ever met (the two connected at a concert in Seoul), and the artist’s “Gangnam Style” would no doubt be his first-tee entrance song.

That, of course, makes Im the sniffer.

“I have a keen sense of smell,” he said. “Especially with things that are new, like golf balls, I always smell it first. I think that’s an interesting fact about myself.”

This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Perhaps the Jeju native has hyperosmia (a heightened sense of smell) or maybe even benign masochism, which is an unpleasant activity that a person actually enjoys.

Or it could be that he’s just naturally drawn to the rubber-like thermoplastic cover of the ball, his deep connection to the sport playing out in more ways than one. After all, it would make total sense Im would have a personal attachment to the thing that’s carried him so far in his life.

Their talents both on and off the course are ready to rise to the next level. The PGA TOUR stage will be bigger and brighter for Lee, the performer, and the thick, distinct aromas that surround the biggest golf tournaments in the world are sure to make Im happy.

Or maybe it’s just the smell of all the wins soon headed their way. “I like (K.H.) a lot,” Im said. “It’s a great feeling to know we’re both playing well, and I really hope we both earn our TOUR cards together.” august 2018 | golf digest india

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On the PGA Tour

PGA TOUR unveils significantly revamped 2018-19 Season schedule 46-tournament schedule concludes in August with 3 FedExCup Playoffs events

Fans celebrate with Tiger Woods after his chip in for birdie on the 18th hole during the second round of the Quicken Loans National at TPC Potomac in June 2018

P GA TOUR has unveiled a revamped tournament schedule for next season, providing an exciting change for players and fans as they are able to engage in—and better follow—a cadence of events highlighted by significant championships every month and culminating with the FedExCup Playoffs in August.

“We are extremely pleased with the way the schedule has come together, particularly with the number of changes that were involved and the strength of the partnerships required to achieve this new look,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “It’s been our stated objective for several years to create better sequencing of our tournaments that golf fans around the world can engage in from start to finish. And by concluding at the end of August, the FedExCup Playoffs no longer have the challenge of sharing the stage with college and professional football. This will enhance the visibility of the FedExCup Playoffs and overall fan engagement with the PGA TOUR and the game as a whole.”

Monahan credited FedEx, umbrella sponsor of the FedExCup, title sponsors and host organizations for their crucial role with the revamped schedule.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NEW 46-TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: • The FedExCup Playoffs will feature three events, instead of four: THE NORTHERN TRUST, August 5-11 (125-player field); the BMW Championship, August 12-18 (70 players); and the TOUR Championship August 19-25 (30 players). TPC Boston will continue as a Playoffs site every other year, rotating with the New York City area as host of THE NORTHERN TRUST starting in 2020.

• As previously announced, two new tournaments have been added, though now the dates have been confirmed: the Rocket Mortgage Classic June 24-30, the first PGA TOUR tournament to be held in the city of Detroit; and the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities July 1-7, which becomes the first PGA TOUR Champions tournament to transition to the PGA TOUR. • Per last week’s announcement, the RBC Canadian Open is moving from its traditional spot in late July to June 3-9, leading into the U.S. Open. Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario, will host the event for the first time since 2012.

• The Puerto Rico Open returns to the schedule following its cancellation this year due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico is slotted for February 18-24, the same week as the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.

• As previously announced, THE PLAYERS Championship moves from May to March (11-17) and the PGA Championship moves from August to May (13-19).

• Also announced previously is the final World Golf Championships event of the season, until now staged in Akron, Ohio, will be held July 22-28 at TPC Southwind in Memphis as the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (replacing the FedEx St. Jude Classic).

• The Houston Open and A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier are moving to the fall and will be played next as part of the 2019-20 schedule.

On the PGA Tour

TOUR SNIPPETS

Volunteers check ball distance on the ninth hole using a ShotLink laser during THE PLAYERS Championship

PGA TOUR DELVES INTO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Following successful technology launches over the last three years in augmented reality and virtual reality, the PGA TOUR has unveiled Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms to enhance broadcast and digital storytelling. Among the TOUR’s primary areas of focus in AI are a Microsoft-developed Content Relevancy Engine (CRE), a smart video clipping tool and an automated story creator that all utilize data captured by ShotLink powered by CDW. CONTENT RELEVANCY ENGINE Microsoft has collaborated with the TOUR to develop an application built on Microsoft’s Azure cloud that can sift through nearly 20 years of statistical data collected by the TOUR’s proprietary scoring system, ShotLink powered by CDW, as well as 80,000-plus hours of video in the TOUR’s digital library to provide real-time statistical trends and storylines relevant to the current action. The CRE provides contextual content for television broadcasts and digital properties to enhance fan understanding of competitive situations as they occur.

SMART VIDEO GENERATION Working with WSC Sports, the TOUR is now using their AI driven smart video generation platform to analyze TOUR broadcast video along with data from ShotLink to generate content for all PGA TOUR digital platforms. Within minutes, the video generation platform creates a variety of highlights including a fiveminute video package of a player’s round, a task that previously took hours to produce and post to digital platforms. The TOUR will continue to work with WSC to grow this service to provide a wide variety of video content including specific highlight packages of players from selected countries for distribution to partners around the world.

AUTOMATED STORIES The TOUR leveraged Narrative Science’s NLG platform, Quill, to automatically write round recaps customized for every player in the field following every round of a tournament. Quill transforms the player’s most recent and pertinent performance stats into insightful recaps available on PGATOUR.COM or for fans using a search engine.

OMNI HOTELS & RESORTS INKS DEAL TO BECOME PGA TOUR OFFICIAL MARKETING PARTNER THROUGH 2022 The PGA TOUR and Omni Hotels & Resorts have reached a sponsorship agreement through 2022 designating Omni as the official hotel partner of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions. The deal represents Omni’s first major league-wide sponsorship.

In celebration of the two-year anniversary of Omni’s Say Goodnight to Hunger program, the company will help provide four meals for a family in need for every birdie-or-better made during each PGA TOUR event.

The meals will be donated through the local Feeding America food bank in each tournament’s home city in the United States. For international TOUR stops, donations will be made to food banks in those regions.

On average, more than 60,000 birdies and eagles are recorded annually on TOUR. “This partnership elevates our long-standing commitment to golf and highlights one of our core values of local market leadership,” said Peter Strebel, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “We wanted to include the TOUR cities in our Say Goodnight to Hunger program, so we can give back and help more families.”

As an Official Marketing Partner of the PGA TOUR, Omni will provide a variety of benefits to players, including the highest-level membership in Omni’s Select Guest® loyalty program and a designated number of room nights for members of the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Web.com Tour.

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On the PGA Tour

ASTROS, PGA ANNOUNCE HOUSTON OPEN PARTNERSHIP

Fans celebrate with Jason Day of Australia after his chip in for birdie during the Travelers Championship

AON ANNOUNCES SEASON-LONG GOLF COMPETITION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PGA TOUR, LPGA Aon plc, a professional services firm providing risk, retirement and health solutions, has announced a multi-year partnership with the PGA TOUR and LPGA in the firstof-its-kind Aon Risk Reward Challenge.

The season-long challenge will highlight the world’s best professional golfers as they tackle the most strategically challenging holes across the PGA TOUR and LPGA schedules. The player from each Tour on top of the Aon leaderboard at the end of the regular season will each receive US$ 1 million in prize money.

“At Aon, we use proprietary data and analytics to advise our clients and provide the insights they need to stay a step ahead of the competition,” said Aon CEO Greg Case. “The same is true in golf, where

players must take calculated risks that improve their performance.”

P GA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said, “The Aon Risk Reward Challenge is an authentic fit for our sport that will resonate with players and fans while providing Aon an intuitive way to reinforce how their firm creates value for its clients.”

The Aon Risk Reward Challenge will be brought to life through a multi-platform strategy that includes broadcast integration with CBS and Golf Channel, the use of PGA TOUR and LPGA digital platforms, and the opportunity for Aon to bring clients and colleagues inside the ropes with exclusive experiences and business networking events around the world.

PGA TOUR and the Astros Foundation announced a five-year partnership— commencing 2019—for the Houston Open, a US$ 7.5 million event.

The Astros Foundation will operate the event and serve as the host organization.

“The PGA TOUR has a rich history in Houston dating back to 1946, and we’re thrilled to share this great news today regarding the Houston Open,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The event has always made a significant charitable impact by virtue of tremendous partners and outstanding community support...”

The commitment to the Houston Open from the Astros Foundation, with support of a consortium of local sponsors, is in place through 2023. The 2019 tournament will be conducted at the Golf Club of Houston during the fall portion of the PGA TOUR’s 2019-20 FedExCup Season.

500 FedExCup points will be awarded to the winner.

“Our team is committed to the continued growth of the Houston Open and making a positive impact in the city of Houston,” said Astros owner and chairman Jim Crane. “... The funds raised through this tournament will allow us to continue our commitment to serving the people within our county and city and help improve our parks.”

OFFICIAL PGA TOUR EVENT SPONSORED BY 3M COMING TO MINNESOTA IN 2019 The nonprofit 3M Open Fund and the PGA TOUR have announced a seven-year agreement to bring an official event to the Twin Cities.

The inaugural 3M Open, set for July 1-7, 2019 at TPC Twin Cities, will build off the success and momentum of the 3M Championship, the current PGA TOUR Champions event. The 3M Championship, which dates back to 1993, will be contested for the last time on August 3-5, 2018.

“We are delighted to partner with 3M for this new PGA TOUR event in the Twin Cities, a community that has shown

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tremendous support for professional golf over the years with PGA TOUR Champions, the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, and has deservedly played host to the biggest events in sports – Super Bowls, Final Fours, among them,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The 3M Open will also continue 3M’s commitment to charity and positively impacting lives.”

The 2019 3M Open will mark the first official TOUR event in Minnesota since the 2009 PGA Championship, won in thrilling fashion by Y.E. Yang over Tiger Woods at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

FOLLOW THE RACE FOR THE FEDEXCUP ALL SEASON LONG

COVERAGE AVAILABLE ON

© 2017 PGA TOUR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Player appearance subject to change.

HIT IT LIKE HIDEKI by ron k aspr isk e

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STOP. 58 golf digest india | august 2018

Photograph by First Lastname

&GO! Photographs by Finlay Mackay

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ubba watson lets both feet shift toward the target as he smashes the ball, and Jim Furyk loops his club from a nearly upright orientation at the top of the swing to one of the best impact positions in golf. Jordan Spieth’s left elbow juts toward the target through impact, and Dustin Johnson bows his left wrist as he takes the club back.

If you’re learning how to swing or just taking a lesson to improve, the idiosyncracies of many of the game’s best players probably wouldn’t be things an instructor would try to get you to copy. They’re too individualistic.

But that’s not the case when it comes to the signature feature of Hideki Matsuyama’s swing—it just might be the thing you need to hit better shots.

“There’s a distinct pause between his backswing and downswing. Everything stops for a split second,” says Jim McLean, one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers. “It allows him to get in the same great position at the top and sync up his downswing beautifully.

The pause makes it special.” ▶ ▶ ▶ Photograph by First Lastname

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how the pause came to be

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▶ As noticeable as the interlude is, and as much as it has helped Matsuyama’s swing—the 26-yearold has been 10th or better in the World Golf Ranking since the fall of 2016—would you believe he’s not doing it on purpose? ▶ “I’m not trying to stop,” Matsuyama says through a Japanese interpreter. “When I first came to the PGA Tour in 2013, everyone was hitting it a long way, so subconsciously my takeaway was getting faster, because I wanted to hit it farther. I wanted to slow down my backswing, and I think that’s when I really noticed the pause.” ▶ Just like some good players of yesteryear who paused, such as Bob Murphy and Cary Middlecoff, Matsuyama has improved his timing—and thus his ball-striking—because he isn’t starting toward the target prematurely. He was a top-seven performer on the PGA Tour in 2017 using the strokes gained/ tee-to-green and strokes gained/approach-thegreen statistics. And he won three times.

should you be pausing, too?

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▶ Although McLean cautions that stalling can hurt the fluidity of a swing—most athletic tasks are performed better if the person is in motion— he does think the benefits are numerous. If you’re able to complete a full backswing and pause ever so briefly before starting the downswing, you’ll likely find your ball-striking improves, he says. ▶ “When you pause, it gives you a greater awareness of your position at the top,” McLean says.

“Do you feel loaded into your right side? Is your upper body coiled? Is the clubface open or closed?

That’s the first benefit, because if your backswing isn’t good, your downswing probably won’t be, either.” ▶ The pause also can trigger a better downswing sequence. “You want to start the downswing with the lower body, feeling pressure build under the ball of your front foot,” McLean says. “The pause gives you time to think about how to start down until you’re able to do it subconsciously.” ▶ Another benefit of the pause is that it allows the golfer to make a through-swing where speed builds, culminating as the club moves through the impact zone, McLean says. Too often amateurs are swinging their fastest at the start of the downswing, which is a power drain. ▶ Says McLean: “Pausing can improve timing, cure clubface issues, give you a better sense of footwork, balance and help you accelerate the club into the ball.” ▶ If you want to try it, McLean says experiment on the range before taking it to the course. One note of caution: “Fight the urge to start down super fast with the club. Let speed ramp up toward the ball, not sooner,” he says.

“And if you can’t fully commit to the pause, even a slight hesitation will help you make a better backswing before starting the downswing. It’s the key to swinging in sync.” Just like Hideki.

on the range with hideki Ever wonder how the best players prepare for a round? You can join Hideki Matsuyama as he goes through his preround warm-up by checking out our new video series: undercover lessons. Go to golfdigest.com/allacess to check out Hideki’s range session and the full Golf Digest Schools program, including 250-plus video lessons and the chance to get your swing and equipment analyzed by Golf Digest-certified experts.

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‘I’M NOT TRYING TO STOP. I JUST DON’T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO HIT IT MY BEST.’

Photograph by First Lastname

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What’s In My Bag

HIDEKI MATSUYAMA age 26 lives Ehime, Japan

value added I keep my watch and other valuables in this pouch I received at the 2017 Presidents Cup. luck of the draw Whatever ball marker I pull out of the bag is what I’ll use.

The No. 3 one was given to me by my high school teacher.

DRIVER specs Srixon Z785, 9.5˚, 45.25 inches, Graphite Design DI-8 TX shaft, D-5 swingweight

story Five-time winner on PGA Tour, including two WGC events up for the cup I’ve been fortunate to play in three Presidents Cup matches.

The first time, in 2013, I was overwhelmed. I felt it was a little too much, too fast. I finished 1-3-1, but I’m proud of it. unpredictable I’ll go through periods where I change equipment a lot. Other times, I just can’t find anything to replace my favorite clubs and will stick with them for a long time.

—with ron kaspriske

club

yards*

driver

285

3-wood

260

2-iron

240

4-iron

225

5-iron

215

6-iron

205

7-iron

190

8-iron

175

9-iron

160

pw

145

52˚

130

56˚

110

60˚ 95 * carry distance

I’ve been using a TaylorMade driver, but this one is promising.

The shape fits my eye, and the flight is more my preference. keeping it simple Distractions on the green aren’t good. That’s why I use only a single black line on my Srixon Z-Star XV to help with alignment.

FAIRWAY WOOD specs Srixon Z F85, 15˚, 42.5 inches, Graphite Design DI-9 TX shaft, D-4.5 swingweight Like the driver, this one is new for me.

I’m always looking at fairway woods, but this one works off the tee and the fairway.

The shaft is heavy at 95 grams.

IRONS specs Srixon Z U85 (2-iron); Srixon Z965 (4-iron through pitching wedge), True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts, Iomic X grips What I like about these is how the sole moves through the ground. I put half a gram of lead tape on the back.

It makes impact feel better.

PUTTER specs Scotty Cameron by Titleist GSS Timeless, 35 inches, 4˚ loft

WEDGES specs Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Precision Forged (52˚, 56˚, 60˚), True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts These spin the ball so well and are versatile for all types of grasses. The lofts are bent slightly weaker to hit my yardage gaps.

I like to try different putters, but I always seem to come back to this one. I’ve used it for most of the past five or six years. I just like the shape when I look down at it.

Mr. X The Golf Life

“It’s absurd, but I legitimately start to feel nerves and pressure.”

Undercover Tour Pro

Golfer: oSTIll/ISTock/GeTTy ImaGeS • key: Zone creaTIve/ISTock/GeTTy ImaGeS PluS

There are good pro-ams, and there are bad pro-ams n the past I’ve used this column to criticize PGA Tour policy, but sometimes you have to give credit where it’s due. Quite simply, the tour has made Wednesdays great again. The new pro-am format hasn’t been conducted at every tournament this season, but where it has, the vibe in the locker room has been better.

The guys are happier because they love having to play only nine holes. Amateurs still go 18 and get to team with two pros instead of one.

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It’s a smart change for several reasons. From the veterans’ perspective, most of us don’t want to play a full round on the eve of a 72-hole tournament. If I draw the afternoon wave on Wednesday and an early tee time on Thursday, chances are I’ll leave the course at dark and return before dawn. But nine holes to see the course conditions, hit a bag of balls afterward if the swing needs some work, then have a relaxing dinner—that’s perfect.

For young pros, twice as many get the benefit of the proam experience. The old format maxed out at 52 pros, but now it’s 104, or about two-thirds of the field. I tell rookies, you won’t always meet potential business contacts, but always work on sharpening your interpersonal skills for when you do.

Obviously the ams who get paired with Tiger, Jordan, Rory and the other big stars are bummed to get only half the time. But the ams with the connections to land in those groups are generally doing more than OK in life anyway.

If there’s one pro-am format I detest, it’s playing the same par 3 all day. When a sponsor wants maximum value and is looking to expose you to all 22 groups booked for an outing, this is what they’ll ask for. But a 185-yard walk is not enough time for meaningful human interaction. I’m like a parrot: “Hey, how’s your day going?

Where you from? Kind of windy today, isn’t it?”

The first thing I always do the morning of one of these torture sessions is adjust the tee markers. If I have to hit the same tee shot 22 times, you bet I’m making it a stock yardage.

My performance will follow a consistent curve. It takes a few attempts until I get the hang of the shot, and then I get hot, and it’s actually kind of fun for a while seeing how close I can hit it. Then, by about the 14th hole, I get bored and start spraying the ball. It’s an odd mental space. It’s absurd, but I legiti-

mately start to feel nerves and pressure. This is the one hole these people get to see me play, and I know a poor shot from me will partly ruin their day. Yet at the same time, I don’t care.

Just when I think I’m drifting into insanity, the cart comes to rescue me.

When a sponsor is going for bulk, I tell them I’d prefer to play three holes each with say, six foursomes. This is enough time to learn a little about each person and offer a tip. But if a sponsor is dead set on doing the par-3 “wind-up doll” dance, I’ll give ’em what they pay for.

I’ve played in lots of pro-am groups where I’ve been the least accomplished person by a mile.

I’ve met generals, actors, CEOs, stars from other sports, philanthropists and interesting people from all walks of life. Quite often, the honor is truly mine.

But a word of advice if you ever play in a PGA Tour pro-am: Don’t be the jerk sticking his chest out trying to outdrive me or beat me on a hole. Every week there are always a few. Good news is, we don’t have to put up with you for more than nine holes now. — with max adler

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simple & pure

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WHY MY TECHNIQUE WORKS—EVEN WITHOUT SAME-LENGTH CLUBS

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b y b ry s on de c h a m b e au

’ve always been interested in the how and why of the golf swing. I want to understand my motion and what I need to do to make adjustments when necessary. I studied physics at SMU, but you don’t need a science degree to grasp that mastering one swing is easier than mastering a variety of them. So with the help of my coach, Mike Schy, I set out to build a single swing that would work no matter what club I was using. I try to make every swing on the same plane, and I have my irons set up so that they’re all the same length, lie angle and swingweight, with the lofts stepped in 4-degree increments. With two wins in less than two seasons on the PGA Tour, including the Memorial Tournament in May, I guess you could say it works for me. But I also think you might find it to be an easier way to play golf. Even if you don’t switch to one-length clubs, you can take a lot of what makes it work and improve your game. I’ll show you how here. —with matthew rudy Photographs by J.D. Cuban

‘NO MATTER WHAT IRON I’M HOLDING, MY SETUP SHOULD LOOK NEARLY IDENTICAL.’

. . . instead of a big shift ▶ Some players use a big weight shift to get more leverage from the ground so they can swing the club faster. But when it comes to accuracy, my pivot makes it a lot easier to hit it in the center of the face.

Here’s a drill to make you more sensitive to the correct motion. Rotate around each hip joint like I am (below) and then with your weight centered. Feeling the differences will help you pivot better when you swing.

hit it straight with rotation . . . ▶ Before you grab a club, learn how to move your body better. Rotating it around a single axis gives you the best chance of repeatedly making good contact with the ball. My thought is to pivot around my left hip joint as that axis (above). When I swing down into the ball, I rotate as quickly as I can. The most precise wedge players use the same concept, keeping their weight on their front side and rotating without any shift.

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improve your ball-striking at address ▶ Once you can understand and feel a good impact position, you’ll have a better chance to re-create it. For me, that means returning to where I started. When I address the ball, I closely mimic the position I want to be in at impact. My hands are higher, holding the grip more upright and leaning slightly more toward the target (below) than you’re probably used to seeing from other pros. This helps me hit it straighter.

add some width to hit it your best

making a case for my approach to golf ▶ In the photos for this article, I’m demonstrating with a pitching wedge and a 4-iron. But no matter what iron I’m using, the shaft is 37.5 inches long—about the same as a typical 6-iron. All my irons have the same lie angle, too, about 10 degrees more upright than standard. Because they’re all the same length and lie, I find it easier to consistently set up the same way and swing on one plane (above). It’s how I’ve been playing since 2011, when I turned 18. The large grips I use also help. They discourage a lot of extra hand action when I swing. Fewer variables mean there are fewer things to investigate when I’m off. The proof my set makeup and swing style really work can be seen in my progression of improvement. It started in 2015, when I won the NCAA in-

▶ Extension is a concept you hear often in golf instruction. The idea is to swing into the ball with the arms fully extended to hit it great. To get good width, I focus on what my right arm should be doing. Here I’m practicing where I want it to be at this point in the backswing (below). By establishing this width, I put myself in better position to be extended as I swing through impact. It’s a simple drill that will help you pure it, too.

dividual championship and the U.S. Amateur. Then I won the DAP Championship on the Web.com Tour and got a PGA Tour card for 2017. In my rookie year, I earned my first PGA Tour title at the John Deere Classic and followed up with another win this year. Although my game can get even better, I’m also interested in growing the game and making it possible for more golfers to play well. That’s where I think my approach has real potential. If you can remove some of the variables that make consistently good ball-striking difficult, we should be able to get more people into the sport and keep them playing. I get some funny looks from time to time because my clubs and swing are different than almost every other pro, but I’m happy to be a trailblazer. august 2018 | golf digest india

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A COMEBACK FROM NOWHERE

fir st person

Photograph by First Lastname

PATRICK CANTLAY WAS THE

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NO. 1 AMATEUR IN THE WORLD BEFORE A FRACTURED SPINE AND THE DEATH OF HIS BEST FRIEND LEFT HIM IN LIMBO. HE PERSEVERED. WITH MIKE STACHURA PHOTOGRAPHS BY SPENCER HEYFRON

Photograph by First Lastname

▶ editor’s note Patrick Cantlay doesn’t automatically come to mind for a list of today’s top-five 20-something tour players, which would have been inconceivable five years ago. Time was when he was rising faster than Jordan Spieth or Justin Thomas or Jon Rahm.

In 2011-’12, Cantlay had been the No. 1-ranked amateur golfer in the world for 54 consecutive weeks, a record that still stands. His amateur career included low-am finishes at the U.S. Open and the Masters and being named winner of the Fred Haskins Award, the Phil Mickelson Award, the Ben Hogan Award, the Mark McCormack Medal and the Jack Nicklaus Award—all by the end of his sophomore year at UCLA. Cantlay turned pro that June and won the Colombia Championship in 2013, his second tournament on the Web.com Tour, before suffering a back injury while warming up on the range.

During the next three years, he played a total of nine tournaments while trying to resolve what eventually was diagnosed as a stress fracture in his L5 vertebrae.

Cantlay’s road back became even more torturous in February 2016 when his best friend, high school teammate and caddie, Chris Roth, was killed in a hit-and-run accident while the two were crossing a street in Newport Beach, Calif.

Almost a year later, Cantlay made the cut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and earned fully exempt status on a medical extension in just his second event back with a runner-up finish at the Valspar Championship. By the end of the year, he became the first player since Tiger Woods to reach the Tour Championship in 12 or fewer events.

When Cantlay won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last fall in a playoff, it completed a comeback that seemed remarkable to nearly everyone but him. Here’s his story, in his words. ▶

IT

happened in an instant. When I made a swing on the range at Colonial in May 2013, it felt like a knife had been stuck in my back. Completely out of nowhere. I hadn’t known pain like that before, not even when I broke my wrist in eighth grade. This was a stress fracture in my spine, and the only cure was a whole lot of rest. I had no idea one moment could have such a lasting effect. Until then, my life—and especially my golf life—had been pretty charmed. Maybe “charmed” isn’t really the right word, because I had worked really hard to put myself in that perfect position. Everything was playing out just about as it should have. I’m not that cocky.

I just expected it to be that way because that’s what I had been preparing for. You do the work, you get the results.

But sometimes you don’t see everything as clearly as you thought you did. I had to learn how those changes— sudden, unexpected, small or large, happy or sad—were opportunities to give my life momentum and energy and direction.

You’ve got to imagine every experience you’ve ever had, no matter how big or small, is literally changing you all the time. You have to learn to be objective about your experiences. If I’ve learned anything over the past five years—and I’ve learned a lot— it’s that everything you think you know for sure, you really don’t. But what I could know for sure is who I am, and what I had to do is commit to the process of understanding all the things I needed to do to excel, to grow, to get better. I call it “the 24/7 game.” To be successful, to overcome the hurdles in front of me, I had to commit to the best possible process 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That process interests me.

But process doesn’t always immediately have an answer for pain. My back hurt, and other than knowing it hurt, I didn’t know anything. Nothing was certain. Every doctor said

O

A BEST FRIEND, AND A TRAGEDY

something different, including that I’d never play golf again, and as I hung on through 2013, watching my Web.com position drop every week while I sat on the sidelines, it started to screw with my expectations.

So to hear from the doctor after a couple months off that summer that I might need to skip the rest of the year, it was a shock. I did play a few events to finish high enough in the Web.com playoffs to get my PGA Tour card, but I knew I wasn’t healthy. And it wasn’t at all clear how I was going to get healthy.

I would wake up every day, do a couple hours of physical therapy and then . . . rest.

That’s it. Every day you want to be doing something active to make yourself feel better.

Accepting that doing nothing was mandatory, that was the hardest part.

Fortunately I had a great support system. In addition to my family, I had the group at Virginia Country Club, where I work with my teacher, Jamie Mulligan. Growing up at Virginia with some of the players Jamie works with— John Cook, Paul Goydos, John Merrick, John Mallinger and Peter Tomasulo—I felt comfortable being around adults even from a young age.

I was learning from those guys, learning how to get good

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enough to be on the PGA Tour.

It made it easier for me to see then that my goal of playing on the PGA Tour was possible, maybe even probable.

But now with my back the way it was, it began to seem less clear how I would return to that level. And it would have been easy to get consumed by my frustration, but these guys really helped me stay focused on getting back on tour and playing the way I dreamed about as a kid.

There were other guys at Virginia, too, older members who helped me without even knowing that’s what they were doing. We’d play cards or just talk, and those friendships with men who were 70, 80, 90 years old gave me a powerful perspective about taking the long view. I really came to trust their advice, and had I never gotten hurt, I probably would have missed that opportunity.

What I really learned from them is that there’s a lot you don’t know, especially when you’re 22.

ne of those guys who made a big difference in balancing my perspective was my best friend, Chris Roth.

If I was sometimes introverted to a fault, Chris easily made up for it. We’d been friends forever, and he started caddieing for me when I was an amateur. We even joked in high school that we were going to be one of those great caddie-player teams like Bones and Phil.

Chris wouldn’t let me feel sorry for myself while I was trying to figure out how to get myself physically better in 2014. And 2015. And 2016.

In February 2016, having not really played golf in more than a year and having just decided I couldn’t play at the CareerBuilder Challenge, I was not in the best place mentally.

There wasn’t a real clear path.

That month, I met with my doctor, and his report was worse than I had expected: Don’t even pick up a club for the rest of the year. Another lost season on the PGA Tour.

Devastating. It just seemed like the vision I had for myself kept getting farther and farther away, maybe even disappearing completely. I just felt like I kept getting kicked in the teeth over and over and over again.

Being as discouraged as I was, it took someone as positive as Chris to get me up off the couch.

That’s just what happened that Friday night of the accident.

We were walking down the street in Newport Beach on what had been a really great night.

And then in an instant, it wasn’t.

A car came out of nowhere and hit Chris so hard, it threw his body all the way across the intersection. He couldn’t have been walking more than 10 feet in front of me. I knew it was awful immediately, even as I was dialing 911. And I knew Chris wasn’t really there anymore by the time I got to him. It was that quick.

Nothing made sense for a while after that. I was with Chris’ family, and I felt giving the eulogy was the thing I was supposed to do. I remember

telling them, “If you need somebody to say something, I can do it.” I just wanted to do a good job, to illuminate a little part of what he was like to everybody. It was easy to paint him in a good light because you just had to paint him in the light that he was.

The pain I had been in for those past three years was nothing like this. I know other people tie my injury and Chris’ death together, but one is temporary, and the other is permanent.

As tough as it was to see a future in golf before Chris was killed, it was even tougher to see anything after he was gone.

And not having golf to turn to made it 10 times worse.

I’d even considered going

another nine months go by, and it was hard for me not to go see a different guy who says he can make me better in a week or two. The simple fact is this: Not knowing spent a lot of my mental energy.

Eventually, with help from the people in my inner circle and the right physical therapy, I decided I wasn’t going to let it bother me mentally even if it was bothering me physically.

My attitude was going to be, if it hurts, it hurts, and I don’t attach any emotion to it. It just “is,” and when it hurts, I do “this,” and when it doesn’t hurt, I do “this.” And I’m not going to wallow in not feeling great.

Still, my progression back was very slow. I might hit 30 balls and then skip a day or

I really started to believe again that every time I teed it up, I was playing to win. And the byproduct of that attitude was playing my way into the Tour Championship.

A

WINNING A PLAYOFF month and a half after the Tour Championship, it’s Sunday, and I’m in a playoff with Alex Cejka and Whee Kim at the Shriners to win my first PGA Tour event, something at one point I was sure was going to happen four years earlier.

I’ve come this far, and all of a sudden, there’s this scraggly tree in my way. It’s not that I didn’t see the tree. I just didn’t see it as an obstacle. Not from where I had been. When it came

that winning putt. Tournament wins are just markers of the work I had been doing. So when I won the tournament, it didn’t feel like there needed to be any big exhale or sigh of relief. Instead, I thought, What do I do now to play the game as good as I possibly can the next time? That’s the 24/7 game I talk about playing: learning and growing from each moment.

What did the last five years teach me? When something really bad or lifealtering happens, you want to acknowledge that it has affected you. You don’t want to shy away from it or pretend like it never happened. You want to realize the great impact it has had on you, but at the same time, even if it’s massive,

‘I JUST FELT LIKE I KEPT GETTING KICKED IN THE TEETH OVER AND OVER AND OVER.’ back to school, but I wasn’t finished with golf. I can’t imagine doing anything halfway. I thought, If I go back to school, I want to go back to school and only do school and get all A’s and spend my time making business connections so I can set up what I’m going to do after school. So I didn’t feel like I could do the physical therapy and get the kind of rest I needed to compete if I also had school going. Sure, there are 24 hours in a day, and yes, you can do multiple things. But not to do everything 100 percent.

But 100 percent is what rehab really required. And that’s hard to do, especially when I had seen so many doctors. I was getting various opinions on what’s the right thing to do, so picking one and sticking to it, even when I was having doubts, was difficult. It was hard for me to believe I was picking the right treatment strategy, and it was easy to worry that I might be going backward without even realizing it. I found myself wondering if 75 percent was the best I would ever be, and what would that mean? Then

two, but I had to be content to make small improvements and not go too fast. Being patient about my career wasn’t what I was thinking when I turned pro at 20, for sure. And it certainly didn’t get any easier when I was 23 or 24.

When I finally got to the point where I was ready to play the PGA Tour again, I wasn’t going to let those 10 tournaments on my medical extension fade away. Playing that first week at Pebble Beach in 2017 without pain was a huge accomplishment. Finishing second a few weeks later at Valspar, I felt great about accomplishing my goal of having a regular tour schedule.

And still, I walked off the 72nd hole really disappointed that I had bogeyed the last hole to miss a chance at winning. My mind-set hadn’t changed. If I’m playing a tournament, then I was going to prep as best I could to win that tournament.

Winning is just a result of the process. I might not have been back all the way physically, but at that instant, when I knew I was playing tournaments to win, I knew I was back mentally.

It wasn’t about earning money or top 10s or exemptions.

Once I got a taste of competing,

down to the moment, it was simple: I thought, I want to give myself the best shot at making par. I really had only one shot: low, cut 4-iron, keeping it out of the water. I knew I could hit the shot. I decided I was going to do it, and I hit it. That’s really all there was to it.

Yeah, it was a great shot, but there was no big surprise in my mind that I was here, holing

you don’t want to have it consume you so you become jaded or apathetic or negative, and you don’t like the person you become. Walking the fine line of having something bad happen to you, taking your time to mourn and letting it affect you without letting it beat you down so hard that it takes you away from what you want to accomplish is very difficult.

Accepting it and realizing it happened and dealing with it as best you can—that’s kind of the art of life.

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‘4 0 0 - P O U N D R AT S ’ L E AV E C O U R S E S WA L L O W I N G I N D E VA S TAT I O N

illustration by tavis coburn

HOG

BY CURT SAMPSON

HOG

heaven to hell

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Entranced by the delicious mingled aroma of pecans on the ground and beetle larvae (grubs) beneath it, and sensing no danger from their chief predator (men with guns), a score or so of feral hogs trotted on comically short legs out of the Trinity River bottom and onto lush, delicious Waterchase Golf Club in Fort Worth. The hungry porkers plunged their spade-like snouts into the soft turf; they can go three feet deep if the digging is good. Within moments, a swath of green had been ripped to pieces, as if by a drunk with a rototiller. When the pigs wallow, it’s even worse. ▶ Waterchase superintendent Hud Haas, a frequent victim of the nocturnal army, struck back. He filled a five-gallon plastic bucket almost to the brim with corn, then poured in a pint or so of milk, and then a 40-ounce bottle of Olde English 800, a high-alcohol beer. Haas allowed the ghastly mixture to ferment in the maintenance barn for a few days, then he spread it on the floor of his three-by-15-foot trap. One lucky night the super’s trap filled up like a Tokyo subway car, with 10 anxious oinkers, but much more often, the cautious pigs take a whiff and take a pass; prey who observe the capture of fellow pigs seldom make the same mistake. ▶ Turns out that Sus scrofa are in the top four in animal intelligence, up there with chimps, dolphins and elephants. Feral hogs scrape up against telephone poles because, it is thought, they’re trying to transfer insect-repelling creosote onto their hides. They don’t see well, but they can smell odors seven miles away and 25 feet underground.

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Haas has worked at Waterchase for 20 years.

He has trapped hundreds of hogs, and he’s shot more than a few, but he sounds discouraged. “I guess they’ve destroyed four or five acres of my course in total. Thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars of damage. It’s Mother Nature at her worst.

I’ve got to deal with it. But it gets old. Real old.”

And it’s getting really expensive. As many as eight million wild pigs in America do $1 billion to $2 billion in damage a year to farms, lawns, cemeteries and golf courses.

One Dallas-area club spent more than $500,000 on hog defense and repair in 2017. Feral hogs haunt the night in 40 of our 50 states and are a particular problem in Florida, Oklahoma, California and, most of all, in Texas.

Contributed photograph

THE PIGS ATTACKED AT MIDNIGHT.

Half a world away, a wellknown golf club in Hong Kong admitted it has a pig problem but didn’t want to acknowledge it for this article. Says John Walker, the South Central representative of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America: “I could give you the names of 100 superintendents having trouble with hogs.”

Ron Wright, the GCSAA Southeast rep, says the situation is far less dire in his region, but he has seen some damage. “I don’t know if they’re smart or just very adaptive,” he says. “They’re crafty critters. They eat everything.

But to me they’re nothing but 400-pound rats.”

Four-hundred pounders roam the land, for sure, although most of the adult pigs in a sounder—the collective noun—weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. (The Internet provides photographic evidence of an Alabama boar as big as a Chrysler Town & Country.)

But do they really resemble rats? Well, feral hogs do not put you in mind of a porcelain Porky Pig piggy bank or of Wilbur, the radiantly pink pig in Charlotte’s Web. They’re not cute: No one knows how many calves and lambs they devour each year—because they eat

every molecule of the newborns. They befoul water and destroy habitat. They’re not supposed to be aggressive, but when a 132-pound boar wandered out of a park and onto a city street—last year, again, in Hong Kong—he put two humans in the hospital and the rescue van in the body shop.

What with their terrifying tusks and bristle-brush hair, and the brucellosis, trichinosis and other osis-es they can carry, the rat reference doesn’t seem so far off.

Pigs were introduced to North America by European explorers 500 years ago—a nation of bacon mavens thanks you, Hernando de Soto—but things went south when Eurasian wild boars were brought here in the 1930s for hunting purposes. The new pigs bred with free-range or escaped domestic pigs, creating a hybrid that is amazingly prolific and amounts to an invasive foreign species, like kudzu or zebra mussels. Feral hogs are the fastest breeding large mammal on earth. Eat, breed, repeat. . . .

Eat, breed, repeat. . . . A single sow can re-create herself 24 times by the time she’s 2 years old, and the babies are as durable as little footballs. “If a pig has a dozen piglets,” they say, “13 survive.” victims strain to adapt

D

uring the floods in Houston last August, wild pigs rose out of the overflowing streams and bayous like a bad dream.

They’ve dined at—or on— many nice area country clubs, including BlackHorse, Shadow

the big dig the author surveys t h e a f t e r m at h o f a h o g at ta c k at a g o l f fac i l i t y b o r d e r i n g a branch of the trinity river.

Hawk, Willow Fork and the Golf Club of Houston, which has hosted the PGA Tour’s Houston Open.

During dry conditions, any irrigated ground becomes a buffet, and golf courses lose again.

As Superintendent Haas said, the big pig problem has gotten very old. Eradication is impossible. Containment is barely working. Bullets, fences and traps have hardly made a dent.

Poisoning and edible contraceptives, with their uncertain effects on the food chain, are truly bad ideas.

In Texas, and in spots throughout the South, one can see the coming aporkalypse.

But if swine can adapt, so can we. Guided hunting companies are proliferating (check out Hogswat.com). Ben Wheeler, a little town in northeast Texas, stages an annual Fall Feral Hog Festival. There’s a hog cook-off, a hog call-off, a parade and I hope never a Miss Pig competition. In Texas, the hog-hunting season is 365 days a year, thermal imaging and night-vision goggles are perfectly fine, and it’s legal to use a machine gun—or a chopper. Type Helibacon.com into your search engine.

On a brightly lit day last October, at a fancy new club in north Texas, golfers on the first and ninth fairways stood open-mouthed as three pigs played through. Two were black, one was a sporty black and white. The normally nocturnal animals cantered across the greensward and into the thick woods on the perimeter.

They didn’t look like they were in any big hurry.

THERE’S AN OLD SAYING: “IF A PIG HAS A DOZEN PIGLETS, 13 SURVIVE.” august 2018 | golf digest india

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M Y S H OT • 7 4 • M O N TAU K • N E W YO R K

legendary photographer walter iooss jr. on almost being killed by jordan spieth, running security for

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Photograph by First Lastname

with guy yocom

SELF: PORT :RAIT

michael jordan, breaking down tiger, and going face to face with jimi hendrix & supermodels.

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i’m photographing jordan spieth in Dallas. We’re in a hitting bay at Trinity Forest, and I need him to aim a 6-iron shot at a camera stationed directly up the line of play. For the moment, the camera is right by my head. I’m controlling it remotely, and I plan to move, because I value my life. I toss Jordan a synthetic ball that is soft, but not that soft, and tell him what to do. Within three seconds, before I can move away, he lets it rip.

The ball misses my head by an inch and slams into a wall behind me. It plugs for a second, then falls to the ground. I gave him a look that said, You just came this close to killing me.

Jordan had a look of his own that said, Hey, I did what you told me to do. All he saw was the target. I’ve never seen a golfer with that kind of confidence.

Photograph by First Lastname

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the thing i’m expert at—the thing I really

IOOSS CALLS THIS CASUAL 1965 SHOT OF ARNOLD

take pride in—is breaking people down to who they really are. Athletes sometimes project something superficial or not really genuine, something other than who they really are, and I want to get past that. Johnny Manziel, when he came to Cleveland, showed up for a Golf Digest shoot completely disinterested. I overheard him say to someone in his posse, “We might be out of here in a minute.” I’d planned for that. I’d brought a group of pictures I’d taken. “Johnny, do you know who this guy is?” I said, and showed him a portrait I’d taken of Johnny Unitas. He shrugged, but after I showed him more of Joe Montana, Joe Namath, LeBron James and a few other greats, his demeanor changed. In 30 seconds, he went from wanting to get out of there to taking it seriously. We did a great shoot.

PALMER AND JACK NICKLAUS “BY FAR THE MOST

●●●

there was a day in 2008 when we had 15

minutes to photograph Tiger Woods. I was one of two photographers, and we decided we’d get exactly 7½ minutes apiece. The last thing I want is pictures that suggest Tiger was rushed, which can happen because the camera doesn’t lie. So when Tiger came in and we said hello, I spoke very slowly, like there was all the time in the world. I said, “Tiger, here are a couple of examples of what we’re going to do.” In the group of pictures were a few shots of swimsuit models. “Oh, Photographs by Walter Iooss Jr.

WELL-KNOWN” OF HIS GOLF PHOTOGRAPHS.

man, that’s Marisa Miller!” Tiger said. It totally took his mind off the clock. That’s what I mean by breaking someone down. The photos turned out great. ●●●

i didn’t need the full 7½ minutes, by the way. I have two rules of the road for photo shoots that happen to apply to everyday life. One, always finish in less time than you agreed on. If you finish early, it will increase exponentially the chances of the subject working with you again. Two, leave the location better than you found it. No empty water bottles, no chairs out of place. People remember these things. ●●●

the shot of marisa miller that wound up on the cover of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue happened late on the afternoon of the fourth and final day of shooting.

The good stuff usually happens at the end.

So if you’re deciding which of the 100 photos you just shot at the beach should go on Facebook, start at the last one and go backward. ●●●

in 1984, we were in Jamaica, driving to the

location on the coast, me in the front seat

and Paulina Porizkova, who is as gorgeous a model who ever lived, sitting behind me. Another swimsuit-issue shoot is minutes away, and I wanted to study her face. Tough job, I know. But when I turned to look at her, I had a hard time because she was reading a book pressed close, almost to her nose. I said, “Paulina, have you thought of getting glasses?” She lowered the book and said, “I don’t want to see everything.” I thought that was telling. ●●●

in 2015, i shot lexi thompson for a Golf Digest cover. We draped a towel over her shoulders, to suggest she’d just come from a workout. It was only mildly provocative, but still, I admired her tremendously for kind of creeping up to the edge. Golf is the most conservative of all major sports, and pushing the limits takes courage. Lexi is not a professional model, but she sure posed like one, expressing herself with an ease far greater than I anticipated. ●●●

michael jordan taught me how fame can

close in on a person. We did two books and a lot of other photography together, so I was around him a lot. When he was with the Bulls, he needed his own dressing room.

Every famous person that came through Chicago wanted to meet him. When he went out, he always built in 40 extra minutes to handle the autographs and requests to have

pictures taken with him. People shouting his name, crowding in on him and wanting to touch him . . . terrible. You could see why Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and so many others wound up with problems.

world. Everything I’ve seen since, I automatically put a photographic composition to it. ●●●

DURING A COVER SHOOT FOR THE JANUARY

my parents divorced when I was 4, and it was hard because I idolized my father. Last year my wife and I were out to dinner in Montauk. The restaurant was playing old and obscure music. This song comes on, which I recognize immediately as “Rose Room.” I recognize the recording, too—it was from a Benny Goodman concert at Madison Square Garden in 1941. I also recognized my dad’s stand-up bass playing on that song. I jump to my feet and exclaim, “My father!” My wife, Eva, gave me a look of understanding. She knows how much I loved him.

2015 ISSUE OF GOLF DIGEST.

●●●

●●●

michael became acutely aware of his envi-

ronment at all times, like his whole head was a set of eyeballs. When we did the book Rare Air in 1993, there was a night in Miami we were supposed to go out to dinner. Michael was exhausted, lying in the hotel room in his sweats, leaning toward calling it off. Then he said, “OK, we’re going, but here’s the deal: no cameras, and you’re running point.” He meant he wanted me to run interference, keep the people off. It was no easy job. I spent the night with Michael, Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, shouting at people, “Not tonight!” It was exhausting. I was in awe of how Michael controlled his day-today life, the unspoken rules he put in place to survive. One of them was, you never lied to him. Anyone in his circle who b.s.’d him was cut out immediately and was gone forever, because he didn’t have time for it. ●●●

still, i’d rather be michael than Tiger Woods. The level of fame is similar, but the difference is, the adoration for Michael made the loss of privacy more tolerable to him. He found a way to embrace the attention, while Tiger hates it, which only makes it worse.

But I sympathize with Tiger because his personality is different. Not everyone is wired like Michael, or Arnold Palmer. Do you think Bubba Watson or Dustin Johnson could handle being closed in on like they were?

No way—they aren’t cut out for it. ●●●

in 2000, Tiger was at his zenith, playing-wise.

I had the idea I’d follow him at the WGCMatch Play at La Costa and try to re-create the famous Hy Peskin shot of Ben Hogan hitting a 1-iron to the 72nd green at Merion at the 1950 U.S. Open. I had to close to within several feet of Tiger, which did not go over very well with his caddie, Steve Williams.

They didn’t know me at that point. Williams is glaring at me and pointing, uttering some very choice swear words as kind of a warning not to get too close or to snap my shutter at the wrong time. Finally he walks up to me.

“Hey, mate, you ever shot a golf tournament before?” he asks.

“Yes, many,” I say.

With that, he strides away, the warning very much in place. A month later, I went to Isleworth in Florida to shoot an SI cover of Tiger. I introduce myself to Tiger and say, “If I look familiar, it’s because I shot you at La Costa a while back. Did you notice me?”

“Every hole,” he says. He said nothing more about it, which meant, he more or less trusted me. We’ve gotten along ever since.

RICKIE FOWLER HAMS IT UP FOR IOOSS

my father was a jazz musician who for a time played with Benny Goodman. He associated everything to sound. We’d be walking down the street, and he’d stop and say, “Listen to that,” and sure enough, there would be an unusual sound coming from somewhere.

One time we passed a shoeshine stand, and we paused for a couple of minutes, listening to the rhythmic snap the attendant made with the towel. He passed that gift of observation to me, except it was with images rather than sound. He gave it to me by accident. In 1959, he took me to a New York Giants football game at Yankee Stadium.

He’d given me a Pentax camera with a telephoto lens. The images I saw through the viewfinder were different from what I could see through my eyes. I could control that

the other thing my father did was insist, when I was 16, to go to a public high school in East Orange, N.J. My grandparents pushed to send me to St. Thomas Choir School in Manhattan, to get me out of what they called “the jungle.” My dad, who was a very street smart and wise man, put his foot down. “Private schools in Manhattan aren’t the real world,” he said. He wanted me to grow up in an integrated, more raw environment. It probably was his greatest gift, because from an early age I could go anywhere and relate to almost everyone. ●●●

felt forum, new york, 1968. I was doing

freelance work for Atlantic Records at the time, photographing musicians in concert: Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and so on. That night I was shooting Jimi Hendrix, who clearly was

FOR THE DECEMBER 2012 GOLF DIGEST, IOOSS SHOT COVER PHOTOS OF MICHAEL J. FOX, BILL CLINTON, MORGAN FREEMAN AND MICHAEL PHELPS.

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I preferred doing it with a normal 500-millimeter lens, pre-focused to 10 feet. That way you can get something close to you.

Don’t ask me why I was in that corner of the end zone. That part was luck. But the rest of it—the ball nestled perfectly in Clark’s outstretched hands at the apex of his jump, the picture being in focus and nicely in frame—I was prepared for. I’d also practiced that shot and had gotten one similar with a receiver for the Browns named Dave Logan. It’s what I was trained to do. ●●●

wasted but was playing like you wouldn’t believe. Suddenly he stopped in mid-song.

Looking right at me, he slurred, “Everyone needs to turn off their flashbulbs, or else I can’t continue to sing.” At that moment, I can’t say the fans were very enamored with my art. ●●●

even with famous people , there’s almost

always an in. There was a time when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was getting a lot of hate mail and death threats after a home he’d owned in Washington, D.C., was the site of murders committed by a Muslim group. I was assigned to go down and photograph Kareem for SI but knew he wasn’t looking for publicity and wasn’t going to let me in. Les McCann, a well-known jazz-musician friend of mine, knew that Kareem loved jazz and suggested I buy a few rare records and offer them to Kareem. Les also told me to tell Kareem that he’d sent me. I did that, and sure enough, Kareem let me in. Music is a great connection to athletes. ●●●

in 1965, I was 22 years old and knew hardly anything about shooting golf. But I get a call anyway to go to Laurel Valley Country Club in Ligonier, Pa. My assignment there is to shoot Arnold Palmer with President Dwight Eisenhower. I’m standing around with Arnold waiting for Ike, and there’s a delay. Arnold says, “Come with me.” I follow him into a room off the locker room where Arnold, needing to kill some time, casually sits at a table with Jack Nicklaus. The two of them begin talking. Arnold kind of forgets I’m there. Almost as an afterthought, I start shooting. The light is bad and nothing is set up, but I snap a couple of rolls of film anyway. Today, one of those pictures is by far the most well-known of the tens of thousands of golf photographs I’ve shot over the past 60

82 golf digest india | august 2018

JASON DUFNER WAS THE REIGNING PGA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER WHEN HE DID THIS SHOOT WITH IOOSS FOR THE AUGUST 2014 ISSUE.

years. I wouldn’t call that photograph an accident, but certainly it came out of nowhere.

Sometimes it happens like that. ●●●

arnold was the perfect embodiment of what a human being should be. He treated every person exactly the same: with dignity.

Every person wants to feel like they matter, that they have worth. Arnold sensed how important it was, and he gave you that. He also wanted it for himself. When you saw Arnold in photographs and on TV, you saw a man fighting not just to win, but to earn his dignity, like we all do. That was his charisma. ●●●

jack nicklaus was a killer. Covering so

many sports for so long, I recognized a few athletes who truly understood the importance of winning. Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wayne Gretzky—winning was much more than a punch line. Their skills were awesome, but they supplemented them with their reputations for being merciless. They wanted to intimidate and use fear to their advantage. Jack was expert at that. His competitiveness was masked by the niceties of golf—the handshakes, waves to the gallery and so on. He played within those parameters, but at heart he was a killer. You ever see video of Jack screwing around, hitting trick shots and goofing off? No, because it doesn’t exist. He played to win—period. ●●●

chance favors the prepared man. Take

The Catch, the shot I got of Dwight Clark catching the winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana at the NFC Championship game in 1982. I liked shooting receivers, and

joe montana will beat you, or learn to beat you, no matter the game. Very few athletes are like that. In 1999, we were on Necker Island [Virgin Islands], waiting to shoot Joe and his wife, Jennifer, for a couples edition of the SI swimsuit issue. My assistant, Welch Golightly, and I are shooting baskets on a court there. Joe arrives, and before we say anything, Welch flips him the ball as sort of a challenge. Joe gave us a look like, Oh, really? and from 20 feet, hit nothing but net.

His form and the release were perfect—he’d been an all-state basketball player—and the look in his eye was a little defiant. Welch and I looked at each other and said the same word at the same time: “Player.” You could just tell he’s a guy who will end up beating you at anything. ●●●

i saw things in NFL training rooms dur-

ing the 1970s that were tough to take. Guys routinely would get their knees drained with these long, thick needles that made you sick just to watch. Or they’d get injections of local painkillers I could tell were agony. The harrowing part was how routine it was. Sonny Jurgensen told me his knee was killing him during a game once, and that the doctor didn’t bother to take his pants off, just sunk in the needle straight through his uniform.

I liked the training rooms because all the players came through there, the conversation was good and they were the site of some gritty, real images. But damn, there was a lot of suffering in there. ●●●

photography is incredibly competitive.

Take someone like Neil Leifer, one of the great sports photographers who ever lived and for a long time one of my colleagues at Sports Illustrated. I always felt like I was competing with Neil, because we wanted the same things: covers, important assignments, opening spreads. We had different working styles, Neil always highly prepared, me much looser. He’d arrive for a football game several hours before kickoff, while I might arrive only an hour early. But the quality of Neil’s work—his photograph of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston after knocking him out is the greatest sports photograph of all time—made me work harder

and pushed me to improve. Just as the Rolling Stones drove the Beatles to be better and vice versa, Neil brought out the best in me.

It wasn’t bad for Sports Illustrated, either.

end of his streak of playing in 2,632 consecutive games, we were working on the photography portion of his book, Cal on Cal. The timing was such that it had to be done at the end of a twilight doubleheader in August. It was nasty hot and humid, and by the end of the second game, he was whipped. But he’d given his word he’d do the shoot, and to this guy, a deal was a deal. Shortly after I sat him down, I watched him begin to nod off. I actually felt guilty about waking him up.

●●●

in 1980, I was assigned to work at a party at

Lake Placid on the eve of the Winter Olympics. I noticed Bill Eppridge, who is best known for taking the incredible photograph of the Robert Kennedy assassination in 1968, was also there. He was dressed in Army camouflage, which made no sense to me. When I asked him why, he said, “Because no one will look at me.” Since then, when shooting publicly I’ve made a point of trying to be the most nondescript person in the room. ●●●

●●●

when i look at the pace kept by Jordan KATE AND ARNIE: MODEL KATE UPTON JOINS ARNOLD PALMER FOR A COVER SHOOT FOR THE DECEMBER 2013 ISSUE OF GOLF DIGEST.

on saturday at the 1968 U.S. Open at Oak

Hill, I made the mistake of stepping into a bunker to get a photograph. To Joe Dey, the USGA’s executive director and my nemesis already for sins such as venturing too far inside the ropes, this was the last straw. He took away my credential and had me thrown off the grounds. It was traumatic for me, like a soldier having the epaulets torn from his uniform. It was a huge problem because I needed to be there on Sunday, and now I can’t work. My bosses intervened, and the next morning I was ordered to Joe Dey’s office in the clubhouse to issue an apology. He was a scary guy, the ultimate authority figure known for wearing a dark wool blazer in even the hottest weather. He’d had a health episode that caused one of his eyes to droop, which gave him a demonic look as he lectured me in the strongest possible terms.

I apologized, but it wasn’t the last time I pushed the boundaries. My feeling was, to get the best photograph, you sometimes have to risk getting thrown out. ●●●

from 1986 to 1990 , I did a lot of work for Camel cigarettes, through McCann Erickson, the famous ad agency you saw on “Mad Men.” I made a lot of money there. One of the projects could only be shot in the remote jungles of the Philippines, for the broadleaf banana and cocoa palms they wanted to show. I thought it was going to be a tropical paradise, but it turned out to be hell. Six weeks of heat, rain, snakes, boredom and biting insects. When I got home, I felt like I’d been repatriated.

long-haired photographer,” he’d say. “I’ll bet he smoked a pound of marijuana last night.”

The gallery would roar, then Lee would look at me and wink. We both understood it was all about entertainment. ●●●

lee was a hard worker. It seemed like he

never took a week off. At the end of that big 1971 season, SI named him Sportsman of the Year and sent me to Dallas to shoot him for the cover. Lee invited me over to Thanksgiving dinner at his house. We ate a huge dinner, then went to his screened-in porch to shoot the portrait. Shortly after we started, I looked through the viewfinder and saw that Lee was nodding off. He was that exhausted.

He’s one of two guys who fell asleep on me.

The other was Cal Ripken Jr. Toward the

Spieth, Rickie Fowler and the rest, I don’t see how they can last 10 years. The pressures are so much more intense than in the old days. Sponsors and media never let up.

The practice and training are so grueling.

The recovery periods, the time needed to rest the brain, are too short. I’m not an expert at golf, but I’ve witnessed the lives of athletes up close for six decades now. One thing I can say for sure is, Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 professional majors will never be broken and probably won’t even be approached. ●●●

so who’s still out there? Tiger Woods, obviously. As many times as I’ve photographed him, something has always gone missing. The walls he created out of necessity, the complexity of being him, have always come across in the photographs. One day I hope to look through my viewfinder and see in Tiger’s eyes a man who finally is at ease about trying to connect with us. There’s so much more beauty in there. But it’s a tough get.

‘THE WALLS [TIGER] CREATED OUT OF NECESSITY, THE COMPLEXITY OF BEING HIM, HAVE ALWAYS COME ACROSS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS.’

●●●

lee trevino , you couldn’t take a bad pic-

ture of him. The photograph of him wearing a pith helmet, holding a snake in one hand and a hatchet in the other shortly before he won the 1971 U.S. Open at Merion, I shot that. More than 40 years later, I shot him posing with a snake for Golf Digest. Over the years, Lee always recognized me in the gallery, used me as his straight man as he wisecracked with the galleries. “Look at the august 2018 | golf digest india

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84 golf digest india | 2018 pga championship

PGA of AmericA

▶ The PGA has been played in every month but January, March and April, but when the 100th championship is played Aug. 9-12 at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, it will end the traditional late-summer finish to the major-championship season. Golf returning to the Olympics kick-started a shake-up in the sport’s calendar—the 2016 Rio Games moved the PGA out of August for the first time in almost half a century—and prompted the PGA’s long-term move to May beginning next year at Bethpage. ▶ It has been 26 years since Nick Price won in the PGA’s last visit to Bellerive, born as The Field Club nine-holer in 1897. Just five years after a Robert Trent Jones 18 was opened in 1960, Gary Player completed his career Grand Slam by winning the first U.S. Open that scheduled an 18-hole Sunday final round instead of the traditional 36-hole Saturday finish that Ken

Venturi endured the year before at Congressional. It was also the first U.S. Open televised in color. NBC televised an hour of Player’s playoff win over Kel Nagle on Monday, and Player donated all of his winnings to charity. ▶ The biggest difference in the course from Price’s win in 1992? The PGA of America’s Kerry Haigh says it’s the short-cut zoysia grasses around the greens. “That cut has been forged in and around many greens and into many of the bunkers, which obviously brings them more into play,” says Haigh, who adds that Bellerive features “some of the largest greens in championship golf, some 10,000 square feet, and certainly large bunkers.” ▶ One other potential change from 1992: The average high temperature for August in St. Louis is 88 degrees, but Haigh recalls showing up for work at that PGA wearing a jacket because of the cool temps. ▶ Almost like it was May. ▶ opening hole bellerive starts with a 425-yard par 4 and plays at 7,317 yards and par 70.

SCORECARD

all times eastern

hole

yards

par

Aug. 9-10, 2-8 p.m., TNT Aug. 11-12, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., TNT; 2-7 p.m., CBS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

425 410 148 521 471 213 394 610 433

4 4 3 4 4 3 4 5 4

out

3,625

35

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

508 355 452 180 410 495 237 597 458

4 4 4 3 4 4 3 5 4

in

3,692

35

total

7,317

70

FUTURE PGA SITES 2019 Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, N.Y. 2020 Harding Park, San Francisco 2021 Kiawah Island (Ocean), S.C. 2022 Trump National, Bedminster, N.J. 2023 Oak Hill, Pittsford, N.Y. 2024 Valhalla, Louisville 2025-2026 To be announced 2027 Aronimink, Newtown Square, Pa. 2028 Olympic Club, San Francisco No later than 2030 Southern Hills, Tulsa

beautiful parkland bellerive’s 12th hole (above) is a 452-yard, dogleg-left par 4.

86 golf digest india | 2018 pga championship

100 YEARS OF PGA SITES visits per state, including this year 12 New York 11 Ohio 9 Pennsylvania 6 Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma 5 Minnesota 4 California, Kentucky, Wisconsin 3 Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas 2 Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Washington 1 Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia

BELLERIVE CHAMPIONS year 1965 1992 2001 2004 2008 2013

winner U.S. Open PGA Ch. AmEx Ch. U.S. Sr. Open BMW Ch. Sr. PGA Ch.

Gary Player Nick Price Canceled (September 11) Peter Jacobsen Camilo Villegas Kohki Idoki

Gary Kellner/Getty ImaGes

TELEVISION

Play Flying Out of the Blocks How former track athlete Troy Mullins rips her driver by ron kaspriske

Photographs by Shadi Perez

august 2018 | golf digest india

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Play Your Best Driving

hen golf instructor Trillium Rose was asked to take a look at Troy Mullins’ driver swing for an analysis (see pages 18-19), her reaction was “she has the torque of a teenage boy.” That’s not something every woman would probably want to hear, but if you’re a long-drive champion like Mullins, you take that as a compliment. ▶ With an average swing speed of 117 miles per hour, which would rank her in the top 50 on the PGA Tour, Mullins routinely hits drives in the 320- to 350-yard range. She won a competition in Denver last year with a ball that went 4-0-2. ▶ “She has a humongous range of motion and generates a tremendous amount of swing speed by using the great strength she has in her abs, glutes, quadriceps, her entire lower body really,” says Rose, one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers. “You can tell she’s a great athlete.” ▶ Mullins, 31, credits her background as a sprinter, shot-putter and heptathlete as giving her the strength, speed and athletic coordination to launch golf balls. She participated in track and field from age 8 until she graduated from Cornell University. Amazingly, it was shortly after leaving college that Mullins took up golf. ▶“I had just come back from Beijing after majoring in China, Asia and Pacific studies at Cornell, and was wondering if I should go to law school,” Mullins says. “I needed to take some time off, so I decided to start going to the driving range for fun.” ▶ Armed with only a set of used irons—“I couldn’t hit the woods at first,” Mullins says—she smacked hundreds of balls at Westchester Golf Course near her home in Los Angeles and began to hone a swing that would help her become a perennial contender in the women’s division of the World Long Drive Championship. In her first competition in 2012, Mullins made it to the finals before losing to current champion Sandra Carlborg. ▶ “I was so nervous,” says Mullins, who also qualified for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. “But what I learned was that I could compete. Now when I stand over the ball in competitions, I usually just blank out and swing hard. I don’t care how strong you are. Without speed, you can’t send it.” ▶ Here are her other thoughts on how to drive it longer.

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▶ “Practice winding up like a pitcher to feel how much you should load into your right side before swinging down.”

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“Without speed, you can’t send it.”

address grip it strong but light ▶ “My setup is fairly standard for a long driver,” Mullins says. “My feet are wide enough apart that I know I can swing hard without losing my balance, but they’re not too wide. I also keep my left shoulder higher than my right to help hit up on the ball. Grip is super important. My grip is really strong, but light. What I mean is, my right hand is set on the club in a strong position, but I’m not holding it tightly with that hand. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being super tight, I’d say it’s about a 4 or 5. That allows me to really release the club hard through impact. My left hand holds the club a little tighter to help control the face, but if you squeeze too hard with the right, you can’t whip it through.”

▶ “The club wraps around your body like this from moving its fastest through impact—not before.”

backswing load like you mean it ▶ “I turn back as far as I can, really trying to load up on my right side. I guess there’s a point where you can overturn, and then you can’t get back to the ball. For me, that’s probably the point in the backswing where I feel like my left foot is starting to lift off the ground. When I reach that point, I know it’s time to swing down.

A great way to practice loading into your trail leg is something I call the pitcher drill. On the range, I’ll sometimes take the club back and then lift my left leg off the ground like pitchers do in their windup. You can even hit balls this way. Just plant that left leg and fire through with the club.” downswing get those hips through ▶ “Sometimes my hips slide too much toward the target as I start down, which leaves the club too far behind, and I end up hitting blocks or hooks. That being said, your hips really need to be active if you want to hit it farther. If your upper body and arms lead the way in the downswing, you’re in trouble. When you reach the top of the swing, push hard into the ground to get your hips rotating toward the target. If your hips go, everything else will, too, and you’ll smash it.” august 2018 | golf digest india

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Play Your Best Swing Sequence roy Mullins has worked with several golf instructors, but when the long-drive champion thinks about how she developed her swing, she says intuition deserves most of the credit.

“Learning the driver was difficult for me at first, because

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I only swung irons for the first few years when I began playing,” Mullins says. “But I pick up things quickly, and coming from a track background [she competed in the heptathlon at Cornell University], I started doing what felt right for my body to do when I was throw-

Troy Mullins Drives so pure, it’s hard to believe her swing is mostly self-taught

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ing the shot put. It was similar.”

Specifically, she discovered that generating power with a driver comes from a blend of lateral, rotational and vertical forces—just like it does when throwing an eight-pound shot.

“You can tell that she understands how the body should

move,” says instructor Trillium Rose of Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers. “Her positions, her angles at various points in the swing, she doesn’t look awkward. She’s doing it by the book. Her swing looks classically taught.”

GETTING BEHIND IT

GREAT RANGE

FREDDIE-ESQUE

Troy Mullins starts her swing like someone who competes in longdrive competitions, says instructor Trillium Rose.

“She knows that she can create power with a big move off the ball. She even lets her left knee kick in and heel come off the ground to get all her weight on the right side of the body.”

“She has great shoulder turn, but her hips turn a lot, too,” Rose says.

“Many golfers try to prevent that much hip rotation, because that resistance against the upper body helps generate torque. But she gets power by making as big a turn as she can.

There’s more than one way to do it.”

As Mullins reaches the top, Rose says she has the look of Fred Couples. “That lead elbow is really straight.

If that arm collapses, you lose the width you need to power through the ball. Also, most people who swing past parallel bend their body toward the target. But she’s nice and tall.”

“She loads up, pushes up and then hits up.

That’s what you want for distance.” —Trillium Rose

LAG IT LIKE SERGIO

PUSH AND GO

UPSWINGER

MOMENTUM SHIFT

PRO-FILE

“It’s pretty unusual with women to see the clubhead lagging so far behind the hands in the downswing, but she’s got lag like Sergio,” Rose says. “The combination of soft grip pressure and unwinding really fast with her pelvis encourages the type of lag you see in power hitters.

Mullins plants her left heel and pushes straight up with that leg to increase hip speed, Rose says. “At the same time, she’s pushing toward the target with her trail leg, like a sprinter off the blocks.

That combination gives you so much speed. It’s a great move to copy if you can.”

As she strikes the ball, her swing is being supported entirely by her left foot. “Some long drivers still have a lot of weight on the back foot, because they’re trying to launch it up,” Rose says. “But she’s able to hit up on the ball because of a significant amount of right-side bend in her torso.”

Her right arm rotates over the left in the through-swing as a result of momentum.

“If the club is coming from the inside through impact, the clubhead will turn over if your grip pressure is light,” Rose says. “When instructors talk about fully releasing the golf club, this is a great example.”

troy mullins 31 / 5-8 Los Angeles driver Ping G400 (9 degrees, 48 inches) ball Volvik Vivid XT

Photographs by Shadi Perez

Play Your Best Tee to Green by Butch Harmon

“Here’s a great downswing trigger: Kick in your back knee.”

Don’t Baby Your Wedge Shots How to stay aggressive from short distances he best thing you can do for your swing is to let it be an athletic motion.

What I mean is, let your body and the club flow back and through so the swing is smooth and natural. One area I see a lot of golfers losing this flow is on short wedge shots, say, 40 to 60 yards. Because it’s not a full swing, the instinct is to overcontrol the motion. Trust me, that doesn’t work.

The key on those short wedges is to get into a good setup and make a backswing that allows you to accelerate through the ball. Play the ball in the middle of your stance, and set extra weight on your front foot. From there, swing the club back nice and wide, keeping your hands

T

stretched away from your body (above, left). The backswing should be short enough—no more than chest high—so you don’t have to ease off the shot coming down. You always want your swing to be accelerating through impact.

A good downswing trigger is to kick your back knee toward the target. That’ll shift your weight to your front side and get your body turning forward. A lot of amateurs freeze the lower body and try to steer the club into the ball with their arms.

But it’s critical to get your lower body and weight moving toward

92 golf digest india | august 2018

the target so the low point of the swing comes in front of the ball.

That’s how you make ball-thenturf contact, which is super important on wedge shots that don’t require a full swing.

Last thing: Keep up your speed all the way to the finish (above, right). Avoid the instinct to baby the shot. With a short enough backswing, you can make a firm strike on the ball and not worry about it going too far.

Commit to this great swing thought: Wide back, accelerate through. You’ll maintain an athletic flow and have a lot more success on those half-wedges. butch harmon is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional.

always hit to real targets on the range ▶ At my school in Vegas, we installed big metal plates out on the range, not only for targets but for the clang players hear when they hit them. Determine the yardage to wedge targets on your range, and develop feel for how much swing equals how much distance.

Remember, keep the swing short, and give the ball a good hit. Great wedge players don’t guide the club into the ball. Stay aggressive.

Photographs by Dom Furore

Step by Step by David Leadbetter Play Your Best

“Wider swings produce higher shots.”

Irons High and Soft Adjust your backswing to raise your trajectory lthough they might serve you well on a golf trip to Ireland or Scotland, where a lot of times you can chase the ball onto the green, those low, and often thin, iron shots are probably costing you strokes in the United States.

There are just too many holes on American courses where you’re asked to carry the ball all the way onto the green and then get it to stop on a firm putting surface.

To get the ball to fly higher and land softer, you need to hit your iron shots more in the center of the face, not a groove or two—or five!—lower.

One reason amateurs tend to hit irons too low is that they narrow their swing radius, taking the club back by letting the lead arm (left arm for right-handers)

A

bend too much. It doesn’t have to be locked, but it should maintain a fairly straight appearance all the way to the top. When it bends significantly, you’ll have to make a super-fast adjustment in the downswing to get the swing radius back to the length it was at address. Maintaining the width from address to impact is the easiest and most con-

sistent way to hit the ball in the middle of the clubface and get it to launch higher.

A great way to keep the left arm from collapsing is by actually focusing on the right arm as you take the club back. Push the lifeline of your right hand into the thumb of the left hand, and keep pushing away from your body as you swing all the way

to the top. Essentially, you’re straightening your right arm to prevent the left arm from bending. Doing this will keep the club moving on a wide arc and put it in position to approach the ball on a shallower path, which increases your chance of hitting the ball in the sweet spot and letting the club’s actual loft give you a high-and-soft shot.

— with ron kaspriske david leadbetter, a Golf Digest Teaching Professional, runs 32 academies worldwide.

compression matters, too ▶ Another reason you hit it low is that your club bottoms out too soon. You’re probably trying to pick the ball off the turf. The bottom of your swing might be an inch or so behind the ball, but a tour pro’s club is still moving downward a few inches past impact. To get the bottom of your swing ahead of the ball like they do, empty a sleeve of balls and collapse the box they came in so it’s relatively flat. Place the box behind each ball you address and then try to hit the ball but not the box. You’ll notice right away that your successful attempts produce a nice feel and sound to your iron shots.

Photographs by J.D. Cuban at the Concession Golf Club, Bradenton, Fla.

illustration: rami niemi

“Pullquote goesher had to hit a drive with Bobby Jones watching.”

Pine Valley Golf Club’s par-4 sixth hole.

Navigation

Play Your Best

About to Turn a Corner?

First, give that dogleg some thought by ron kaspriske

ou say you can drive it 300 yards, but the last time you did it the hole was downhill, downwind and the ball caromed off the cartpath. You say you shoot in the low 80s, but you haven’t carded an 85 or better without two mulligans and a few generous gimme putts in about four years. When the question about what tees to play is asked, you’re already walking back to the blues or blacks. See where this is going? When it comes to this game, many golfers aren’t exactly honest about their current abilities—especially when assessing their next shot.

A common mental block is how best to play a dogleg hole with real trouble on either side of the fairway, says instructor Sean Foley.

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gutter credit tk

“The ball tails off to the right for most of the golfers I see, so does it make any sense for them to stand on the tee box of a dogleg-left hole and try to curve their drive in that direction? No, but a lot of times they still try,” says Foley, a Golf Digest 50 Best Teacher. “What they should be doing is thinking of how to play the hole to the best of their abilities. In many cases, that means taking a shorter club, one that doesn’t peel off to the right as much, and just getting something out in the fairway.

“The reality is, sometimes the best you can do is give yourself a chance at a one-putt par.

You have to accept that your game isn’t designed for certain holes, so your planning should change from How do I get home in regulation? to How do I avoid making double bogey?”

That’s good advice, says sport psychologist Bob Rotella.

Too often a visually intimidating hole, one that looks like it necessitates a specific type of drive, can cause golfers to divert from their strengths. Bad move.

Photograph by First Lastname

Photograph by Dom Furore

“Mentally, you’ve got to stick with your game. Don’t let the shape of a hole solely dictate your strategy,” he says.

“I wouldn’t try to hit a shot I didn’t know or usually play. If a driver doesn’t fit the hole, hit a 3-wood. If a 3-wood doesn’t fit, hit a hybrid, and so on. Do whatever it takes to put the ball in play. But be clear and commit to whatever shot you decide.”

If you can’t curve the ball to match the hole’s shape, another option is to use driver, but play for the “best miss,” says Hall of Fame golfer Tom Watson. If you analyze a hole carefully, that miss should be evident.

“When curving the ball away from the dogleg, the fairway becomes a smaller target,” Watson says. “The golfer must then think about where it’s best to miss the fairway, and this involves a lot of criteria such as length of the rough, where the flagstick is located, etc. For example, shortening the hole by missing in the interior rough sometimes can be a good option when planning your tee shot, but not on Pine Valley’s par-4 sixth, the hole you see here.”

If you’re skilled enough to be able to shape your tee shot with the dogleg, then consider

how much of it you want to take on, Watson says. An accurate distance measurement to the part of the fairway you want to hit is key, but so is that whole thing about being honest with yourself.

“Knowing how far you have to carry the ball to clear a dogleg’s interior rough or interior bunker is not usually thought about by most golfers, but it’s critical,” Watson says. “That being said, most golfers don’t know how far they carry the ball with a driver, which is important in deciding the line to take when cutting the corner on a dogleg.”

That’s why it’s best to be generous with your target line, Foley says.

“If it’s a 200-yard carry and your best drives carry about 210 yards, you probably want to take a less risky route,” Foley says. “Better to be farther back in the fairway than trying to recover from being too aggressive with your line. The penalty for not making it on a dogleg is usually pretty severe.”

august 2018 | golf digest india

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Play Your Best GD Schools

5-Minute Clinic: Avoiding Blowup Holes

How to defuse tense situations by matt wilson

hether you find your ball in a difficult lie or you’re playing a hole with a design feature that makes you anxious, these are the moments in any given round that often determine if you stroll or trudge back to the parking lot. To avoid taking big numbers, go with the play that has a higher chance of success—like finding the quickest route back into the fairway from the trees (above). To punch out, play the ball back in your stance and make an easy swing with your 7-iron, focusing on solid contact. Here are four other typically nervewracking situations and how to deal with them. —with ron kaspriske

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matt wilson, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher, is based at Golf Canada in Oakville, Ontario.

“PHIL MIGHT GO FOR BROKE, BUT NOT ALL OF US LEFTIES ARE RISKTAKERS. FROM JAIL, I’M USUALLY TAKING THE SAFE OUT.”

narrow fairways

Thread the Hula Hoop ▶ You’ve got trees pinching in on both sides of the tee box, and the landing area looks narrower than a row house’s back yard. How in the world are you going to put this one in play? Start with a reality check. Don’t try to hit your first dead-straight drive since the New Kids on the Block were actually kids. Commit to your natural shot shape and aim accordingly. That means seeing where the ball should finish and where it needs to start. Now here comes the Jedi Mind Trick: Once you’ve set up to play your shot shape and are ready to swing, take one last look down the fairway and visualize you’re about to park one on a driving range (left). Erase the trouble from your internal vision. That will help you alleviate tension and make a confident swing.

96 golf digest india | august 2018

“It’s OK to be nervous. Just slow down your pre-shot process to keep calm.” nasty bunker lies

Forget the flag and aim for the fat part of the green ▶ When you find your ball in a bad lie in a greenside bunker—especially this downhill beaut I’m dealing with (left)— ratchet down your goal. My advice is to aim for the fattest part of the green, even if it’s away from the flag. Don’t try to be a hero. This downhill lie means the ball will come out lower and with less backspin unless you adjust your stance and swing to compensate.

Get into as stable a stance as you can with your shoulders aligned down the slope.

Open the face of your wedge and then swing down the slope with as much energy as you can muster without losing your balance. You need the open face to get the ball up and the speed to impart more spin to stop the ball.

forced carries

Be realistic about how far you hit it ▶ You’re capable of hitting that 5-iron 190 yards; I believe you.

But honestly? If I gave you 10 tries, how many would end up 10 to 20 yards shorter? That’s what I thought. When you’ve got to carry a hazard or some other obstacle to reach the green, it’s smart to pad the distance you need to hit your next shot.

Maybe go with the yardage to the back of the green instead of the middle. If you don’t hit it perfect, you’ll still likely land the ball somewhere safe. Another way to make sure you get it there is by hitting the ball solidly. Do that by making a smooth—not slow—swing while keeping the clubhead traveling low through impact. A good swing thought is to pretend you’re hitting another ball in front of the one you’re addressing (above). This will help override the impulse to rise out of your posture during the downswing in the hopes of hoisting the ball onto the green.

If you stay down through impact, you’ll compress it.

tight lies around the green

Take a little off the top ▶ Too often I see amateurs try to chip off a tight lie using their most lofted club with the handle leaning too far forward. Bad choice. The club doesn’t interact with hard turf very well if you go that route. You’ll likely chunk or thin the shot.

Instead, take your sand wedge, lean the handle slightly forward at address, and play a medium-trajectory shot. It helps if you keep your lead arm (left for righties) soft and your shoulders level with the ground (left). Narrowing your stance also will help you from overswinging. Speaking of the swing, a great thought to get the club to slide under the ball and pop it up is to focus on giving the grass a little flattop buzz cut through impact.

Photographs by J.D. Cuban

The Golf Life

The View from Pebble Beach

A century of PGAs, with a few more milestones to come.

don’t like hot takes any more than I like hot cakes.

I’m more likely to quote the golfer George Burns than the legendary late comedian by the same name who lived to be 100. But it was Burns the latter who once said, “I would rather fail at something I love than succeed at something I hate.” ▶ So here I am writing my first column for my all-time favorite publication—Golf Digest—hoping not to fail, because as most of you know, I love golf like I love oxygen. We’ll cover a lot of ground in the coming months. Insights into Pebble Beach and the PGA Tour, my experiences calling golf for CBS Sports, and my associations with the many remarkable people I’ve gotten to know over the years. Some history, some views on contemporary subjects and some looks into the future.

I

For some reason the number 100 is in the air these days. Maybe it’s because I’m living at Pebble Beach, where we’ll mark the 100th year of our historic golf course in 2019. Birthdays, anniversaries and milestones always receive special treatment in my nostalgic broadcast universe. As a storyteller, dates and time equal context. So this is the right time to pay homage to an organization that is on the move and one whose membership is close to my heart. More than likely it has to do with the world gathering at Bellerive Aug. 9-12 for the 100th playing of the PGA Championship.

In my mind, the PGA of America has never been given its full due as a guardian of the game. Sometimes we paid observers in media mislead the public into thinking this group of golf professionals is all about conducting the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup—its two prized events. But as I can attest firsthand, the PGA of America’s reservoir of responsibilities runs far wider and deeper than that.

98 golf digest india | august 2018

As I begin my latest endeavor around golf, I can’t help but remember with deep appreciation my first employer. From 1975-’79, I worked for PGA professional Tony Bruno.

For five years I watched, lost in admiration, as Tony ran the golf shop at Battleground Country Club in Manalapan, N.J. Tony put in 80-hour weeks doing what nearly 29,000 men and women club pros do every day: Keeping the game alive with a smile.

You learn pretty quickly that golf pros never have a bad day, at least not in front of their audience. They laugh along with the members’ bad jokes, they remember everyone by their name (plus their children’s names), listen intently as each player takes you shot by shot through their round, be it a 79 or a 97.

They give lessons, manage tournaments, run the junior program, make sure the golf carts are operational, sell a shirt, custom-fit folks for their equipment. Trust me, there are countless nuances to being a golf professional.

Above all, Tony taught me how to be a pro—to always have my attitude in the “on” position and to never overlook the little details that are important. Back then, I kept the carts charged, cleaned clubs, greeted golfers in the parking lot, ferried them from their cars to the golf shop, and picked up balls on the range. Sometimes I would get a dollar tip from a generous member. I loved every

minute of the job. What’s more, with it came early-evening playing privileges, which took away the cost burden for my parents.

My primary role was keeping the range ready for a fresh start the following day.

Though the word “fresh” doesn’t exactly describe the scent of the range back then at Battleground. On many a scorching summer afternoon, while daydreaming, I would pick the range by hand, armed with two scoopers as I wandered around an eight-acre field that doubled as the underground home for the club’s leaking septic tank.

It wasn’t pleasant, but it didn’t matter.

I had Augusta on the brain. From age 11 on, my days were often spent mapping out how one day I would get noticed by CBS Sports.

After all, it was the network that broadcast the Masters. That was the dream.

This past April, I broadcast the Masters for the 33rd time. At my first, in 1986, Ken Venturi for some inexplicable reason predicted I would be able to claim 50 Masters telecasts by the end of my career. I was 26 at the time.

Jack Nicklaus had just won his sixth green jacket in epic fashion, and Venturi was giddy with excitement at what we had just witnessed. “It will be an unbelievable ride for you, Jimmy, but it will never get better than this,” Venturi said as he drove us back to the compound in his golf cart.

Many years later, I was speaking at the BelAir Country Club and recounting Kenny’s outrageous forecast. The legendary Jack Whitaker was in attendance and had introduced me that night. Jack said, “I heard what you said up there about wanting to broadcast 50 Masters. One problem: You need to make it 51.” I asked Jack why. He answered, “Because your 50th Masters will be in 2035. That will be only the 99th playing of the tournament. You need to be there for the 100th.”

There’s that number again.

In the meantime, I’ll be honored to be in St. Louis to broadcast the 100th PGA while remembering a mentor in Tony Bruno, and all the thousands of men and women like him who are stewards of the game. George Burns at a ripe old age would have marveled at them. After all, they’re succeeding at something they love.

Bettmann/Getty ImaGes • GLUeKIt

Jim Nantz My first column for Golf Digest, and why 100 is in the air

the first of 99 Jim Barnes won the first two PGA Championships, in 1916 and 1919, interrupted by World War I.

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august 2018 | golfdigest.com

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Kapil Kapoor Tollygunge Club Kolkata June 7, 2018 Shyamal Baksi Willingdon Sports Club Mumbai August 4, 2016

18 Holes with Murali Natrajan

‘An unexpected, scary hazard guarded the green during a round...!’

“Intense” is how Murali Natrajan—Managing Director & CEO, DCB Bank Ltd.—would describe himself on the fairways.

The finance veteran cherishes the lessons he learned from Sir Nick Faldo’s book ‘A Swing for Life’ and fondly recalls meeting the great man a few years ago. The self-taught acrylic painter—with a penchant for painting abstracts, landscapes and flowers— thoroughly enjoys travelling. Natrajan has set foot on more than 30 countries and prefers the serenity of the mountains to the sun and sand. Here he is in conversation with Karthik Swaminathan.

GDI: What is your home club?

1 Willingdon Sports Club

GDI: When did you start 2 playing golf?

1998, when I was living in Chennai.

I have been a regular since 2002.

GDI: What do you love about

3 the game?

I love sports (cricket, table tennis, badminton etc). Golf helps me relax and takes away some of the day-to-day stress.

GDI: Who have you played golf

4 with the most?

In Mumbai, we have a group of 20-odd golfers called “Fairway Friends” and we have been playing together for over a decade.

GDI: How about your dream

5 four ball?

I think playing with top golfers may be stressful! However, I’d certainly like to play with any combination of Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, SSP Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri.

GDI: Favourite golf course, 6 both in India and abroad.

Karnataka Golf Association (KGA), Bengaluru. It has a beautiful club house and practice facilities are very useful. Abroad… I played in Scotland once I have looked forward to going back someday for my next round ever since!

GDI: How often do you get to 7 play?

I play almost ever y Sunday morning. In summers, it is too hot to play; I take a break from golf and focus on other hobbies.

GDI: Your thoughts on doing 8 business on the golf course…

I don’t actively look to do business while golfing. However, golf has helped me make many friends and associations. Some of the relationships formed during golf have helped me in business as well.

GDI: Favourite male and 9 female golfers.

Tiger Woods & Annika Sorenstam

110 golf digest india | august 2018

GDI: Please describe your

10 most memorable golfing

experience.

I was playing with friends at Black Bear Golf Club, New Jersey and we had been warned about bears.

Near the green on a par-4, I saw a big, dark brown creature coming down fast and I soon found myself close to a big bear and her two cubs. It was an “unexpected hazard guarding the green”. And scary!

Needless to say, we escaped in our respective carts.

GDI: Do you use any golf apps

11 on your phone?

I use a Garmin watch. It is very good and has helped my game.

GDI: Your current handicap.

12 Usually, I play between 18

and 20 over.

GDI: Your lowest handicap.

13 In Willingdon a few years ago,

I played to 9-over. I have laminated and preserved the scorecard.

GDI: On an average, how long

14 do you drive the ball?

I use my driver very rarely, but when I do I can hit up to 220 yards.

My favourite club for teeing off is 3-wood; I can hit anywhere from 180 to 200 yards.

GDI: Your favourite holiday

15 destination.

For golf, my preferred destination is always Thailand. It has so many good courses. I love the Thai cuisine as well.

GDI: Favourite dish on your

16 home course.

Kejriwal

GDI: Mid-round power snack.

17 I generally eat two slices of

brown bread at the half-way hut. Of course, I cannot do without sugarless, strong cold coffee. It seems to help my game!

GDI: Favourite 19th hole drink.

18 Once I finish, I usually rush

home to catch up with family. I can drink hot or cold coffee any time!

Total Number of pages (including cover pages) is 112 Monthly Magazine, RNI N0. HARENG/2016/66983