Monday, April 1st, 2024 Edition
Stephan Jaeger denies Scottie Scheffler’s third straight victory in Houston
– by Jack Hirsh / GOLF
Per Jack: “Sunday was supposed to be Scottie Scheffler’s day.
The winner of his last two starts on the PGA Tour came to Texas Children’s Houston Open, in his home state, seeking to win three straight events for the first time in seven years on the PGA Tour…”
B&B POV: Which one was it?: The German Stephan Jaeger won the Houston Open Easter Sunday afternoon? Or, golf superstar Scottie Scheffler let a victory slip away with a balky putter display on his 17th and 18th holes yesterday on Memorial Park’s perfectly rolling greens? We’re going with a little of both. Jaeger deserved to win, playing the best golf of his career; and, Scottie hit the ball well enough tee-to-green to warrant lifting his 3rd straight Big-A Trophy with the cameras rolling. But Jaegar prevailed looking like a player who has the moxie to rack up a handful of more trophies before his fine form falters.
Nelly Korda wins third straight LPGA start at 2024 Ford Championship but there won’t be In-N-Out celebration this time
– by Todd Kelly / Golfweek
Per Todd: “Nelly Korda’s last win was seven days ago. Lexi Thompson’s winless streak spanned 1,696 days. Korda was looking for a third win in her last three starts. Thompson was seeking to snap a winless streak of 77 tournaments, dating back to June 2019…”
B&B POV: Just how good is World #1 Nelly Korda? Good enough that her victory in the Ford Championship was her 3rd LPGA tourney triumph in a row, the first on tour to do so since 2012, and the first American to do so since 1980. She’s on a heater, and in two-weeks she’ll be teeing it up in the season’s first major, the Chevron Championship. Look out ladies: Nelly’s white hot. You’re gonna need to bring your A+ game to knock her off her perch.
WITB Winner’s Bag: Stephan Jaeger, 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
– Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys
Per Thomas: We heard on the TV broadcast this weekend that journeyman and Houston Open champion Stephan Jaegar as recently as a couple of seasons ago ranked 100+ in driving distance on tour. Now, the minion maestro from Germany sits in 8th position in driving distance and 6th in total driving. And this past week he drove the heck out of the ball on Memorial Park’s tight and firm track.
His driver of choice: the vaunted Ping G430 LST. One of the most popular drivers for equipment free agents on tour. And that’s just what Jaegar is — not beholden to any one manufacturer. Whether by choice or by popularity (couldn’t earn an OWM contract), he plays with what he wants to play with, and in Houston, his driver was a Ping, his 3-wood a Callaway, his 5-wood a Ping, irons Ping, wedges Vokey (oh, hell yeah!), and he stroked it with an Odyssey (Callaway). Just for fun and to make his share of greenbacks, he rolled Titleist pellets.
Jaeger’s Golf Gear:
DRIVER: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Black 6 TX shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft, Ping G425 Max (21 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Yellow 83 TX shaft
IRONS: Ping S55 (4-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Golf X100 shafts
WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50 degrees bent to 49, 54, 56 degrees bent to 57), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts
PUTTER: Odyssey Ai ONE 2-Ball
BALL: Titleist Pro V1
GRIPS: Golf Pride Z Grip (full swing) / SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 1.0 (putter)
Check out our Best Golf Drivers 2024 edition.
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PAYDAY! 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Prize Money Payout
– by Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys
Per Thomas: We have no idea if Jaegar ate the obligatory ham and scalloped potatoes Easter meal served to millions yesterday across the US. What we do know is that he was the only person on the planet who pocketed $1.64M for winning the hotly contested PGA TOUR Houston Open. His gaze all day, steely. His nerves all day, unfaltering. His wallet walking off of the 18th green, fat with cash.
What a way to celebrate Easter with his young family — with his first PGA TOUR victory. Staring down World #1 Scottie Scheffler along the way. This was one holiday he’ll never forget and for good reason.
Tour Confidential: Tiger Woods’ Masters prep, Nelly’s winning streak, Scottie’s epic month
– by GOLF Editors
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week we discuss Tiger Woods’ trip to Augusta National, Scottie Scheffler’s epic month of March, Nelly Korda’s winning streak, PGA Tour courses you can play and more.
What does B&B think?
- What did we learn about Scheffler over the past month? When he putts well, no one can beat him. When he puts just average, the only person who can beat him is himself and maybe a player on a serious heater. He’s that good.
- How good is Nelly Korda’s 3-straight wins streak? Like Scottie, when Nellie is putting well, she’s nearly impossible to beat. And like Scheffler, they wake up with ice in their veins and it just never seems to melt.
- Expectation of Tiger at Augusta in two weeks? Break the internet. And hopefully putt out on all 72 available holes.
- At Doral this weekend, Anthony Kim is going to tee-it-up. What outcome do we expect? Honestly, we didn’t remember that LIV has an event this week. Our projection for Kim: he’ll play all 54.
- Which PGA TOUR public course venue would you most like to tee-it-up at? Royal Troon. Easy choice. It comes with a buddies golf vacation.
FEATURED CURATED LESSON
‘The Galleri Classic victor Retief Goosen shares chipping tips’
Retief Goosen won the PGA TOUR Champions Galleri Classic this weekend at Mission Hils in Rancho Mirage, CA.
Seasoned vet Retief shares a simple tip to improve your chipping in this 13-year-old video we found in YouTube’s golf lesson vault.
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WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE…
Things you just can’t make up. Don’t miss these random nuggets of gold we found on the interwebs. You’re welcome.