John Deere Classic & LIV Portland, 2022
Wolff's gone, Xander's a champ again, and Sahith is the Will Z of non-majors
Gotta feel for Sahith Theegala after another extremely close chance at victory this past weekend. In the big moment, Sahith unfortunately did what is all too familiar for us common golfers by hitting a fairway bunker shot… directly into the lip of the fairway bunker. At least you and I (hopefully) don’t lose hundreds of thousands of dollars when we do it.
In other news, the LIV tour is becoming more undeniable; more golfers are heading to it and it’s led to some pretty serious changes on the PGA tour as well - including more events with higher purses next season and a clearer path for more Korn Ferry Tour players to get their PGA Tour cards starting next season too.
Bucket List Course of the Week: Marquette (Greywalls)
Location: Marquette, Michigan
Yardage From The Tips: 6,828 yards; Par 72
In Their Words: “The Greywalls course opened to rave reviews in 2005. Designed by Mike DeVries, the entire course is a natural wonder and a testament to the rugged beauty of the Marquette area. The course takes players through a wild ride and over a diverse but flowing variety of terrain: tumbling fairways, boldly contoured slopes, dramatic elevation changes, rolling and bunkered links land, and breathtaking panoramic views of Lake Superior. It’s a truly unique golf experience that has caught the attention of all the golfing world. GolfWeek named it the #2 course you can play in Michigan, and upon its opening, it was included in the Top Ten Best New Course listings of all the major golf publications. If you’re looking for a truly inspiring and unforgettable golf experience, Greywalls must be on your list.”
The Latest on Tour
Official World Golf Rankings - Top 10 Movers & Shakers
Scheffler still at number 1
Rahm from 3 to 2
McIlroy from 2 to 3
Cam Smith from 7 to 6
Cantlay from 6 to 7
This Week
PGA Tour
Event: John Deere Classic
Course: TPC Deere Run
Purse: $7.1M
Favorite to Win: Adam Hadwin (+1000)
LIV Tour
Event: LIV Portland
Course: Pumpkin Ridge
Purse: $25.0M
Favorite to Win: Dustin Johnson (+650)
Last Week
PGA Tour
Event: Travelers Championship
Course: TPC River Highlands
Purse: $8.3M
Winner: Xander Schauffele (-19)
PGA Bets of the Week
John Deere Classic
Steve Stricker to Win
Michael Thompson to Top 10
Webb Simpson to Miss the Cut
Chasing 9.9 (single digit handicap)
In this section, I'm documenting my journey to becoming a better golfer. Hoping that one day I can share my journey and learnings in a longer format to help other once below average golfers become respectable players.
Current Handicap: 11.7 (-0.5 week-over-week)
Best Rounds Ever
Best Score in 2022: 81 at Lost Marsh in Hammond, IN
Best Score Ever: 79 at Erin Hills (Erin, WI)
Best Handicap Differential in '22: 8.4 at Lost Marsh
Last Week's Rounds
Shot an 83 at Cantigny in Wheaton, IL on what had to be the rainiest playable day of golf in my life. And “playable” should be used loosely. Hit some great iron and short game shots though so came away feeling good about the game!
Practice This Past Week
Last sessions at the indoor facility where I purchased a practice membership for the cold weather months in Chicago; time to start focusing on strictly short game — I’ve heard the Robert Black course is the place to do this for fellow golfers in Chicago
Upcoming Rounds
Ruffled Feathers - Lemont, IL
If you’re playing this week, shoot me a note to let me know where!
Until next week,
Coyote Golf