Monday, January 20th, 2025 Balls & Bogeys Golf News Edition
Sepp Straka outlasts field, slow pace to collect third tour victory at the American Express
– by Joel Beall / Golf Digest
Per Joel: “Sepp Straka did what he needed to do, which was not great for those watching at home…”
B&B POV: Sepp Straka maintained his 54-hole lead boss status Sunday in the desert, though it wasn’t exactly riveting for the home viewers. No disrespect to the congenial, smooth-swinging Austrian-turned-Alabamian, but fans tune in for drama, for suspense, for the possibility that the outcome could still be up in the air. As Lee Corso likes to say, “Not so fast.”
Tiger’s TGL: 5 Things We Love, 5 Things We Hate
– by Chris Lohman / Balls & Bogeys
Per Chris: “Tuesday night marked the 2nd iteration of Tiger and Rory’s TGL Golf League on ESPN. Candidly, we were longstanding skeptics as to whether the league was ever going to launch. Heck, 14 months ago, the quasi-roof on their arena was shredded by high winds and had to be rebuilt, delaying the formal launch by 12 months, and at least two initial contestants, Rahmbo and the Mad Hatton, fled the PGA TOUR for LIV, thus derailing their participation in the PGA TOUR-sanctioned enterprise…”
The 2025 Genesis Invitational likely headed to Torrey Pines due to Los Angeles fires
– by Adam Schupak / Golfweek
Per Adam: “A frontrunner has emerged to host the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational next month and fans won’t have to drive too far to get there — though good luck with the traffic…”
B&B POV: Once the catastrophic Pacific Palisades fire entered its second day, it became obvious that Tiger’s Genesis Invitational, scheduled to be played at The Riviera CC, was going to have to move locations. Now, it looks like the event will be held at one of the Goat’s favorite tracks, Torrey Pines South Course in La Jolla, CC.
It’s not a 100% done deal that the tourney will be played on the fabled public course adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, but the decision does make a ton of sense, considering Torrey is hosting a PGA TOUR stop this week. The tour would be able to repurpose everything from grandstands to porta potties, maybe even keep the kegs tapped.
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PAYDAY! 2025 American Express Winners & Losers
– by Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys
Per Thomas: What a week for Sepp Straka in the desert!
The Austrian snagged his third PGA Tour win on Sunday, holding off Justin Thomas by two shots to take home the 2025 American Express title. Sepp’s reward? A cool $1.584 million. As for JT, he left the desert with his own big bag of cash, and he’s now in the exclusive club of golfers who’ve earned over $60 million in their careers. No biggie, just a casual milestone.
Here’s a quick rundown of how much cash each player made at the 2025 American Express. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot!
‘Money comes from the sewer’: Brandel Chamblee sounds off on LIV-Fox TV deal
– by Kevin Cunningham / GOLF
Per Kevin: “Among the few certainties golf fans have been able to count on over the last two years are these:
1. There’s no end in sight for the PGA Tour-PIF negotiations….”
B&B POV: Brandel Chamblee loves to pick fights with anyone or anything supportive of LIV. This week his vitriol for PIF’s golf playground was tied to the recent announcement that the circuit will be broadcast on FOX versus the CW like last year. Congrats to LIV for getting an adequate TV deal done. We just hope the need for a media deal is short-lived.
The LIV/PGA TOUR split will be reconciled at some point, right? Can’t the world’s best just get along and continue to get rich together?
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