| By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.
For feedback: [email protected]
Good Friday morning, golf followers, as winds wreaked havoc in a single day on the ZOZO Championship.
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1. Hossler leads in blustery circumstances
ESPN report…”Beau Hossler shot a 5-under 65 to seize a one-shot lead after Friday’s second spherical of the Zozo Championship, beating wind gusts that reached 37 mph and drying circumstances on the Narashino Nation Membership on the outskirts of Tokyo.
- “Hossler, on the lookout for his first PGA Tour victory, stunned himself and the remainder of the 78-player, no-cut discipline the place solely 13 broke par. Half did in Thursday’s opening spherical underneath calmer circumstances.”
- “I’d say something underneath par was a very high quality rating,” Hossler mentioned. “So to shoot 5-under par was unimaginable.”
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2. Mickelson: There’s so much happening behind the scenes of OWGR level battle
Golfweek’s Adam Woodard…“The current information that the Official World Golf Rating had rejected LIV Golf’s utility for factors has solely stoked the flames of his fiery character, and the 53-year-old opened up about his ideas on the ruling forward of the 2023 LIV Golf Crew Championship on Wednesday at Trump Nationwide Doral.”
- “I believe that the majors want to guard their product, and there’s in all probability different ways in which they’ll try this by creating slots,” mentioned Mickelson, becoming a member of the refrain of gamers like Bryson DeChambeau who need majors to create LIV exemptions. “In the event that they wish to make sure that they’ve the most effective fields in golf, they might create automobiles for gamers on LIV to play in majors the place they don’t have to make use of the OWGR, which might undermine the TV contract and income of the PGA Tour in the event that they gave factors to LIV.”
- “However I do wish to deliver to gentle as to why precisely they’re doing what they’re doing. It’s not what they’re placing on the market on the entrance web page,” Mickelson mentioned of the OWGR. “There’s much more happening behind the scenes as to the significance of us to the getting factors to the PGA Tour.”
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3. Mickelson’s tackle LIV qualifying
Our Matt Vincenzi…”Gamers who’re eligible to take part in spherical one embody: Gamers who ranked #6-#32 on the Asian Tour’s Worldwide Sequence’ Order of Advantage, the U.S. Beginner Champion, the British Beginner Champion, the Latin-American Beginner Champion, the Asia-Pacific Beginner Champion, the European Beginner Champion, the High-200 from the OWGR and the High-20 from the WAGR.”
- “Nonetheless, in keeping with Phil Mickelson, loads of LIV spots could also be taken earlier than the occasion even takes place.”
- “Whereas at his pre-tournament press convention for LIV Miami, which is a workforce occasion and the ultimate match of the season, Phil was requested about changing the gamers who’ve been relegated, together with his teammate, James Piot.”
- “However the actuality is, I’ve been fielding calls, as all of us have, from gamers which might be free brokers to PGA TOUR gamers to DP World Tour gamers that wish to come over. You understand, the spot’s in all probability going to be stuffed by the point the qualifying match is right here.”
- “So, if I’m simply being truthful, that’s a really actual chance. And even whether it is stuffed, there’s at all times the potential of a commerce to get him again. There are methods this might work out. However I believe there’s a very good probability based mostly on the variety of calls that we’ve had that the spot might be stuffed pretty quickly.”
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4. Morikawa’s sushi goals come true
Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Collin Morikawa is of Japanese heritage and has traveled to the homeland of his ancestors earlier than, however his journey to compete within the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in Chiba, Japan, started with a particular deal with – dinner at Sukiyabashi Jiro, the primary sushi restaurant on this planet to obtain three stars from the Michelin Information, the place the omakase tasting menu is served on the counter with simply 10 seats and is set within the morning every day by famed chef Jiro Ono, whose story was made well-known within the documentary “Jiro Desires of Sushi.”
- “I virtually don’t wish to have sushi once more as a result of it was that particular,” Morikawa mentioned throughout a pre-tournament press convention Wednesday. “Chef Jiro was truly making the sushi for us, which made it even that rather more particular. Simply having the ability to get that reservation, going there, sitting down. … you’ve got about half-hour to eat the meals. Man, I don’t know learn how to clarify it aside from it simply being an unimaginable expertise and an honor to be there sitting in entrance of him and witnessing simply expertise, proper? It’s paintings.”
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5. Brooks goes at Wolff once more
Our Matt Vincenzi…”Earlier this week, Brooks Koepka took a shot at his Smash GC teammate Matthew Wolff, saying there may be solely three gamers on the workforce.”
- “There’s solely three of us on our workforce. I imply, clearly, I’m fairly tight with my brother, and I’ve been fairly shut with Jay for possibly the final three years.
- “I’ve loved being round him. He’s a very good participant, tremendous gifted. It’s been enjoyable to be round him, and [Kokrak] performed fairly solidly this 12 months. Yeah, I can’t say something unhealthy about him.”
- “On Wednesday at his pre-tournament press convention, Koepka was requested if he’s had a lot interplay with Wolff not too long ago.”
- “No, I don’t. We don’t have a lot interplay, no,” the five-time main winner replied.
- Brooks was then requested, “Don’t you assume it is best to?”
- “I’ve tried. I’ve spent majority of the start of the 12 months attempting to assist and attempting to determine that out. However I believe it’s previous its level. I’ve tried. I’ve been very open on it — with it, and typically you possibly can’t assist those that don’t need assist.”
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6. Norman speaks on claims he could possibly be ousted
Adam Woodard for Golfweek…”Greg Norman hasn’t spoken publicly because the stunning announcement of the framework settlement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund again in June.”
- “It was becoming for the Nice White Shark to resurface at this week’s LIV Golf Crew Championship, held at Trump Nationwide Doral the place Norman was a three-time winner in 1990, 1993 and 1996 (he lights up speaking about his playoff win in 1990). In a small session with reporters, Norman talked about the way forward for LIV Golf and addressed the swirling rumors of his long-term place as CEO and commissioner of the upstart circuit.”
- “I knew it wasn’t true,” Norman mentioned of claims he wouldn’t have a place within the wake of the congressional hearings relating to the framework settlement. “There’s a lot white noise operating round on the market, I paid very, very, I truly paid zero consideration to it. I do know sitting on this seat right this moment, I do know each step I’ve made has been for the best causes, proper causes for the sport of golf … So I used to be by no means in any worry of anyone saying something or any animus towards me or something like that. As a result of the enterprise mannequin works.”
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7. Latest TGL workforce
GolfWRX employees…Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala, who performed key roles within the Golden State Warriors’ success over the previous decade, have joined Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL league with their workforce, TGL San Francisco.
The possession group of TGL San Francisco consists of Marc Lasry, former Milwaukee Bucks proprietor and chair of Avenue Sports activities Group. Marc Lasry and Steph Curry are the first homeowners, whereas Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala are further buyers within the TGL San Francisco workforce.
The indoor golf league, TGL, is ready to start on January 9, 2024, and might be broadcast on ESPN. TGL options 24 gamers throughout six groups, and matches might be held on the SoFi Middle in South Florida.
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8. Brooks: I signed for the dough
Ben Parsons for Bunkered… “The five-time main champion advised the BS w/ Jake Paul Podcast that the actual cause he defected from the PGA Tour for the profitable Saudi-backed league was “for the dough.”
- “Look, I’ll be trustworthy with you – I signed for the dough,” he revealed. “I’m 100% behind that. I don’t know if tomorrow I’ll get in a automotive accident and by no means play golf once more however my household is taken care of.
- “That was an enormous factor for me, not doing it for anything. All people else, they go to their 9-5, most of them don’t like their 9-5 however they’re doing it cos they get the paycheck. That’s the identical factor as us. I take pleasure in taking part in golf, I take pleasure in successful – I’d say I’d do it free of charge as a result of I find it irresistible that a lot, however on the identical time you’ve bought to handle one another.”
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9. Gap-in-one…and an etiquette violation?
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