Welcome to another installment of Grind, where we think Patrick Reed might have stumbled onto something with his car flick. Throwing a tee at someone who seems lame, but when it’s someone special who’s delivering a message? This is a very aggressive way to get someone’s attention. Maybe instead of a business card, I should have made a custom tee that I could throw around the PGA Tour circuit to get the attention of players (or their agents) for interviews or collaborations. Then again, there isn’t much room to put a message on a tee. OK, never mind, it might not be worth the effort. I’ll just continue to ignore it. Until then, please bear with me as we embark on a wonderful week of golf.
Max Homa: Could this guy be better at golf than he is at Twitter? Homa now has the most PGA Tour wins (five) of anyone through the start of 2021. That’s right. Anyone. That’s quite a raise for someone who only made $18,000 his rookie year and was more famous for getting people on social media to burn his swing.
But there was certainly nothing predictable about Max’s reaction after his 6th place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open as he proved once again that he is one of the good chasers. especially — and closer — to the game. Homa won by two, and can’t look any further than his two birdies on the par 3 nineteen of Torrey Pines on Saturday.
By the way, shout out to Max (and CBS) for doing this live interview during Friday’s third round of controversy. He deserved to win after all so maybe the golf gods really do exist? Oh, and a few days later, he was out at the local resort playing — and winning — a skin game:
Max Homa is real. And a real threat to win big this year.
Rory McIlroy: You think McIlroy is the one who started all this “Jon Rahm is the REAL World No. 1 talk”? I think he is. Add in the fact that he really wants to beat Patrick Reed and you have Rory raising his biggest trophy in years. Well, literally the biggest, that is.
It’s a good thing he’s busy, because this thing is big. Also talk about the ultimate slap in the face. It’s not colder than burying a birdie on the last hole to beat someone:
As our friend Andy Lack points out, McIlroy joins the list of golfers with 30 career wins on the PGA and DP World Tours, including at least four majors:
The battle for world supremacy: At least in golf. Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm both had incredible heats. Similar warm-up and shown by Justin Ray of Twenty First Group:
It’s a war! Here’s hoping these two Ryder Cup partners battle it out in a major (or two) in 2023.
You will be: Was it more than that? Of course it is. But these are golfers, not fighters, so let us golf fans enjoy it.
The hatred and hostility on the road (or drive) that can arise when PGA Tour and LIV golfers mix? Bring it on! But what we don’t like to hear about is golfers like Rory McIlroy getting called up on Christmas Eve. From another golfer’s lawyer. Heck, today’s golfers are given a call like a pig in a blanket at a Dustin Johnson cocktail party. And suddenly I was hungry. Is it lunch time?
TREEgate: Look how stinky a golfer is when he’s stuck in a tree. And if you know the ball hits the stick because there are witnesses and video evidence, I think you should get the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it’s not like Reed got a free fall when he took the no-play. That being said, there are certainly questions after he said he was 100 percent sure he saw his ball land in the wood — when the video (courtesy of Golf Channel and Brandel Chamblee) says he probably didn’t. the good tree he looked at.
OK, we’ve said too much and don’t want to preach. Moving on…
Sam Ryder’s mother was interviewed: This is probably the worst announcer jinx ever. (Though Mom did help by saying that she was there “to see him win” before catching himself!) Amanda Brenner did a Q&A with Ryder’s mom before she quickly made that bogey. it’s two on the 15th over the last round at Farmers to get them out. the leadership. It will be good.
If I were Sam, I wouldn’t necessarily blame him for his rough end. But I can. And I might blame CBS too! To recap, mid-section interviews with struggling players? Good. An interview with the parents of a struggling player? Bad. Then again, that conclusion may have something to do with the fashion gods weighing in…
Sam Ryder’s joggers: I’ve never been a fan of these shorts, especially on the golf course, but these are shocking:
Yes, yes, I look old, but do you want to know why I look old? Because I’m old! Like this old man:
Thanks, Phil. To be clear, I’m not calling for any kind of ban. And if this look really drives kids to golf, I’m all for it. And I’m all for professionals wearing shorts. I just don’t like the look of joggers. End of the barking old man in the clouds.
The PGA Tour heads to the Monterey Peninsula for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, AKA playing in Jim Nantz’s backyard. We’re glad our Golf Digest partners got a little break after making three trips to Buffalo last month before this weekend trip to Kansas City. Of course, this also allows me to remind everyone that I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of Jim Nantz’s replica of the famous seventh hole at Pebble Beach — with Jim providing a play-by – play:
No problem. Just kidding, it’s serious. Probably the biggest of my life.
Random Contest Facts: Tom Hoge won his first PGA Tour title here last year and we know that 12 months later he is still a flying coach. Love me Tom Hoge.
BET PROP RANDOM OF THE WEEK
— Augusta National will pair Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Someone will make a hole-in-one on No. 7 this week: 10-to-1 odds
—Someone will be digging a hole in Jim Nantz’s yard this week: LOCK
Max off the top rope! OK, I think he’s even better at Twitter than golf.
CLUB PRO GUY TWEET OF THE WEEK
Likewise, CPG stands out as always in the midst of all these golf legal battles.
VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (PRO ATHLETES DIVISION)
Mike Trout is eccentric by nature:
VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (CHILDREN’S DIVISION)
Shout out to Golf Digest writer Luke Kerr-Dineen, his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Charlotte, for creating the cutest video of the year together:
Big stuff. And Charlotte, consider yourself lucky because Luke, who is also my swing coach, knows his stuff. Talking about cute kids. . .
THIS WEEK IS IN PEOPLE’S APPLICATIONS
First, Max Homa is very nice with his son, whom he calls “Chunky”:
And here are possibly the best text messages we’ve seen from Jessica Hadwin to her husband Adam:
Amazing. It could be in Apple’s next commercial because of the ability to delete text.
“It’s a great game. Sometimes you’re just one thought away from being good again.” — Max Homa sums up golf as perfectly as possible. I’ll try to keep that thought in mind as I study this year. .If winter ever ends, that is.
Scott Brown made the cut twice in four days, making it at the Bahamas Korn Ferry Tour event and then WDing and making it at the Farmers Insurance Open. Well done, Scott, although we’re not sure the $17,487 for 72nd place covered all the expenses. … Josh Allen is skipping the Pro Bowl to play in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In related news, Josh Allen is my favorite NFL football player. … Nate Bargatze’s personal video is called “Hello, World” in honor of Tiger Woods. In related news, Nate is my favorite comedian. … It took nearly a decade, but we finally got JR Smith on the podcast—and he did NOT disappoint!
And, finally, I rediscovered Ritz crackers for the kids. And they’re still amazing:
But that Costco-sized box is dangerous.
SESSION QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
How much butter is in the Ritz?
How many lawsuits revolve around the golf pro?
Can’t we all just stick together?