Monday, December 16th, 2024 Balls & Bogeys Golf News Edition
American players to be paid for 2025 Ryder Cup
– by Joel Beall / Golf Digest
Per Joel: “The PGA of America announced it will pay American players for their participation in the 2025 Ryder Cup. In a statement released Monday morning, the association spelled out its plan for the matches next September at Bethpage Black, which includes a mix of money to be directed toward charities and, for the first time, money for players to do with what they want…”
B&B POV: Rumors had been swirling for weeks that the US Ryder Cup team members were going to be paid a fee for participating in the 2025 matches at Bethpage in NY. Now, they are each going to receive $500k – $300k for charity and $200k to cover their chef, putting coach, swing coach, hypnotherapist, rub downs, and the Airbnb in the Hamptons. What about the Euros? No word yet.
Tiger Woods, Charlie Woods commit to PNC Championship
– by Joel Beall / Golf Digeset
Per Joel: “Tiger Woods has committed to play in the PNC Championship with his son Charlie…”
B&B POV: This upcoming Friday & Saturday (Dec. 21-22), Tiger and his sophomore-aged son Charlie will be teeing it up in the PNC Father/Son event in Orlando. (Note: Any combo of family members can tee it up now which makes for a cool side story.)
This will be the 5th time this duo has played in the event, including narrowly losing to Big and Lil’ John Daly a few years ago.
We have one goal for Tiger this week: play all 36 holes that count and give your fans something fun to watch this weekend on TV.
PAYDAY! 2024 Hero World Challenge Prize Money Payouts
– by Iain Carter / BBC Sports
Per Iain: “A supposed peace deadline had just passed and men’s professional golf was mired in more uncertainty, when the idea to create a match between PGA Tour players and those from the breakaway LIV circuit was first pitched…”
B&B POV: Scheffler and McIlroy versus besties DeChambeau and Koepka in Vegas coming up Tuesday afternoon (PT). $10M crypto-currency purse. Las Vegas baby. On the fabled and ridiculously overpriced public track Shadow Creek. The PGA TOUR’s best vs. LIV’s best.
We’re excited to watch. Even when the event bombs ratings and entertainment-wise, we are going to want more. Because the PGA TOUR/LIV split sucks for golf. And these guys need to play as much golf as they can against one another, for us. Who really cares what they want? We want it. PLEASE!
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WITB Winner’s Bag: Team Tavatanakit/Knapp, 2024 Grant Thornton Invitational
– by Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys
Per Thomas: Patty Tavatanakit and Jake Knapp were victorious this weekend in the Grant Thornton. Their victory will never count as an official tour win for either, but that doesn’t change that they balled out and beat some great teams. With the PGA TOUR starting up the first week of January, and the LPGA following suit a few weeks later, this win should springboard both players into a solid start for the ’25 season.
How about the equipment they teed it up with this past week? What did we see? What did we learn? First off, Patty is one of Titleist’s most popular female endorsers. She’s playing a full bag of Titleist beauties. Jake, well, his bag is a bit more smorgasbord. Even though he’s a PXG guy, he tees it up with four different manufacturers and an obscure Titleist golf ball model. What’s consistent with the winning pair’s set ups? They both play with Vokey wedges. Shocked!
Jake Knapp, Patty Tavatanakit win 2024 Grant Thornton Invitational
– by Beth Ann Nichols / Golfweek
Per Beth: “Patty Tavatanakit and Jake Knapp were the only team in the Grant Thornton Invitational to have both players win this year on their respective tours. What’s more, they won on the same day – Feb. 25….”
B&B POV: UCLA Bruin alums Patty Tavatanakit (World #26) and Jake Knapp (World #87) won the PGA/LPGA Tours’ mixed event this weekend – The Grant Thornton Invitational. They split the $1M winning team prize and together lifted a beautiful Big A Trophy on the 18th green Sunday. Even though they played college golf at the same school, they had never met before they teed it up together in Naples. We’re guessing they are friends for life now.
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F*ck this, I’m going home…
Things you just can’t make up. Don’t miss these random nuggets of gold we found on the interwebs. You’re welcome.