Monday, March 11th, 2024 Edition
Scottie Scheffler rolls hot putter to 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational win
– by Adam Schupak / Golfweek
Per Adam: “Scottie Scheffler punched a short-iron from 150 yards that climbed over the water and to the back of the 18th green and stopped 16 feet past the flag….”
B&B POV: We saw Scottie Scheffler pump his fist a couple of times yesterday on the back nine, and even broke out a smile on 18. You know what that means, right? Chipotle!
He won the Arnold Palmer for the 2nd straight year – finishing up yesterday with a bogey-free 66 and a 5-shot victory. Stars Wyndham Clark, Shane Lowry, and Will Zalatoris battled for 2nd with Clark coming out on top at 10-under. Look out world, Scheffler switched out his putter and his mentality for this tourney and rolled the rock like a world beater at Bay Hill. The majors season kicks off next month in Augusta. And Scheff is back in the winner’s circle. Woot!
Full Swing Season 2 review: Ranking all 8 episodes of the Netflix golf show
– Adam Woodard / Golfweek
Per Adam: “Sit back and relax, golf fans. Season two of Full Swing is now live. After a successful first season covering professional golf, the Netflix cameras kept rolling in 2023 but took a different angle the second time around…”
B&B POV: After a slow start in the first episode of Season 2 of Full Swing on Netflix, we feel the 2nd season of the docuseries triumphed over Season 1. Here are our three favorite storylines:
- The relationship between Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick, and Alex’s efforts to play golf at the highest level like his superstar older brother. This episode hit home and will likely for many who have a sibling who is far greater in the sport or activity they are passionate about.
- Keegan Bradley’s desire to make the Ryder Cup juxtaposed with how close friends Justin Thomas and Captain Zach Johnson are. Did that friendship play into the Captain’s selection of JT? We’ll never know.
- Every second of Ryder Cup BTS action. The entire show could have just focused on the most prestigious team event outside of the Super Bowl.
WITB Winner’s Bag: Scottie Scheffler, 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
– Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys
Per Thomas: Fancy feet Scheffler is a TaylorMade staffer. But not a full bag staffer. Three manufacturers were featured in his gear set-up at Arnie’s Inv. – TaylorMade (who pays him handsomely), Titleist (whose ball he also plays), and Srixon.
Righty Scheffler, arguably the best ball striker in the world, could use my lefty Nike irons and probably still finish top half in total Strokes Gained. He plays with a set of TaylorMade Tiger grind blades. Only the best of the best TaylorMade staffers put those into their bags. There are two outcomes when playing those knives: center of the face or death.
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PAYDAY! 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational & LIV Golf Hong Kong Prize Money Payout
– by Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys
Per Thomas: This past weekend the best male pros in the world were all playing for Boo Koo bucks, but like how we have come to accept, the best of the best were split up on two different tours. And on two different continents. With millions of eyeballs watching the PGA TOUR.
Scheffler flexed and won $3.6M for winning Arnie’s event at Bay Hill. Journeyman Abraham Ancer took home $4M+ for winning LIV Hong Kong in a playoff with Paul Casey and Cam Smith. T4 and above cleared more than $900k at Bay Hill, as did those on LIV that finished T4.
Tour Confidential: Players Championship week and LIV Golf’s world-ranking fight
– 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 the Players Championship, PGA Tour cards, Full Swing, LIV Golf’s world-ranking fight and more.
What does B&B think?
- Thanks to LIV defections, will The Players Championship still carry any weight in the discussion of being the “5th Major?” Until LIV players can play once again in The Players, the event will only be a showcase of the PGA TOUR’s finest playing a super fun course to watch on TV. No LIV, no 5th major talk warranted.
- Do you agree with Rory that fewer players should have full status (tour cards) on the PGA TOUR? This is a tough one. Older players who don’t finish top 125 but are playing under special status (e.g. career earnings) shouldn’t have the same status as the new blood who rightly and recently earned their card and spot. But they shouldn’t be booted too.
- Best Full Swing 2 moment? And what wasn’t in the series that you wish would have been covered? Best – The relationship between the Fitzpatrick brothers and Alex’s push to become a legitimate top-flight pro. Missed – All things Sahith!
- Should Norman have dropped his fight with the OWGR? Whether LIV bailed on the fight or not, we don’t think they would have ever received the points recognition it wanted (and probably deserved). Now the majors need to step up and at least grant entry into their events for the Top 5 players on LIV who haven’t earned a spot in their events.
- Anthony Kim: Is he back after shooting a 65 on Sunday in Hong Kong? No. Let’s see him do it in a tourney that matters with some skin in the game.
- What’s your favorite golf tradition now that St. Andrews will no longer allow people to camp out overnight to gain a vaunted tee-time? How in the hell was that ever considered a favorite, classic tradition? A serious answer: anyone can play in the US Open if they’re good enough to make it through qualifying.
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WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE…
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