Host of “Beyond the Clubhouse” podcast. Camera and Steadicam op for ESPN and NBC. Golf Monthly writer. Written for nearly EVERY Tour player’s hometown paper.
I asked one caddie what wk one’s been like on LIV Tour.
“If we need anything it’s taken care of. Airfare, hotels, shuttles to & from the course. Breakfast Lunch and Dinner. Looker room access at all times. Gift in our room.. invites to all the parties….they don’t miss a beat.”
If Rickie wins
@usopengolf
, how many pros will he have waiting to celebrate with him on 18? Maybe 30?
As popular as he is with everyone in pro golf and as much as he’s waited around at majors to celebrate with his buddies going back 10+ years, it might be even more.
Personal note: Our sweet little Sophie (4) had a rough day and has had 13 seizures out of the blue. At the ER now and getting tests done to see what’s causing it.
Any positive thoughts & prayers would be appreciated.
“Americans love golf as a conquest…the Scots love golf as a game. When you play golf in Scotland there will never be a single person when you walk off the course that asks your score. They’ll only ask you what did you think of their course?”
-
@SProctorGolf
on
@shanebacon
’s pod
Anyone heard of Midway Par 3 in Lewes Beach, DE?
Simple, humble spot. 18 bucks to play ALL day, just grab a cart. Bring your drinks. No hole over 150. The simple pleasures of this game.
I spoke w/Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott this week:
“When I lost my job with Paul Azinger, I thought my career was over. I didn’t know how I would pay the bills. But God provided for me and my family.”
God is not WAY in the distance. He “sticks closer than a brother.”
I asked
@WestwoodLee
if he’s going to take his wife on a real honeymoon after getting married last week.
“I told her, what place can I take you that’s better than this?”
It’s 75, sunny with a light breeze
@usopengolf
today.
#USOpen
Scheffler broke up with his former caddie Scott McGuiness last fall. Now World no 1. and won the last major.
McGuiness is caddying for leader Mito Pereira, with a chance to win the very next major.
Pretty crazy.
#pgachamp
How fun was U.S. Pres Cup celebration?
A little dancing to Blanco Brown’s “Git Up” from
@XSchauffele
’s caddie Austin Kaiser w
@PresidentsCup
.
Rookie had to 🎤 or dance. He danced.
@PhilMickelson
you aren’t the only one rocking a US onesie these days!
#PresidentsCup
As Nick Watney quarantines 1,100 miles from his family, remember he’s a dad of 4-including a 6 month old. Could you imagine?
Makes
@TommyFleetwood1
’s decision to stay home in England with his family during TOUR restart not seem like such a bad call for his ‘career’ now.
How hard did
@RosaforteGolf
work?
2018
@usopengolf
after 14 hours of golf, Rosie & I were only ones out at 9:00pm interviewing Mickey DeMorat from last group of rd 2.
Rosie told the unheralded pro “It’s an honor to be able to tell your story, Thanks Mickey.”
RIP Tim. Legend.
Talked w/
@McIlroyRory
’s dad Gerry. Commended him for working 3 jobs when Rory was a kid. He said he & his wife were like two ships passing in the night on some days w/work.
“It was worth it, look at us now. Nothing to do and all day to do it.”
Plus, his son’s leading
#PGAChamp
Sophie update: 2 wks since leaving hospital for seizures she’s on anti-seizure meds & still having some seizures in her arm, but less than before.
We’ll finally get to meet w/our assigned neurologist tomorrow. Any prayers/positive thoughts about that meeting would be appreciated
“If you don’t like Tony Finau, there’s seriously something wrong with you. He’s such a nice guy...”
-Jon Rahm in today’s presser when asked to explain why he seemed so happy for Finau to win Monday, even though it came at Rahm’s expense.
Bryson presently has a TWENTY shot lead over the rest of the PGA Tour since the Tour restart.
Bryson -67
Lucas Glover -47
Viktor Hovland -47
CC:
@shanebacon
@RiggsBarstool
I asked Dustin Johnson recently what he likes about
@livgolf_league
’s team portion w/his
@4AcesGC_
“I love being on a team and the camaraderie. It gives you something to play for sometimes when you're not in it.
It's like college or any team sport. I love being with the guys.”
Can confirm that Greg Norman was on site at LIV Golf DC on Sunday.
Credit to him for staying under the radar. I’m told by LIV media that he’s cut down on interviews because he wants the league to be about the players, not him.
Sophie update: Slept well and she’s in good spirits. She called “Mr Rogers” on the phone to tell him she’s ok & watching cartoons. Going to take MRI, EEG today before we hopefully leave tonight.
Thanks for all your wonderful thoughts & prayers so far!
A good 25 caddies waited for Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie Shota Hayafuji tonight in the caddie house on Augusta’s property.
Beers were waiting for Shota. But it sounds like he got invites to a dinner on property.
Stay tuned.
#themasters
Reacting to the Jon Rahm to LIV news, Rich Lerner asks this of Johnson Wagner on Golf Today:
“Is it fair to say (The Tour’s) a mess right now?”
Wagner: “It’s an absolute mess right now…”
Tired of being overlooked for staff jobs in golf media.
I’ve self-financed trips to over 100 Tour events the last 12 yrs. Been the guy who left media centers at 4am after majors writing 8 stories each rd.
But it means nothing if you don’t land the job. Esp w/a fam to support.
My wife went to Princeton. After 10 years of marriage my wife has almost never talked sports. Of course today she has a Princeton Tigers beanie for our daughter to wear for the game today.
She texted me that our daughter Charlotte is “representing.”
Gotta love March Madness.
Rickie invited me to walk a bit with him in practice…and I got lucky to capture this moment with the entire
@RickieFowler
family. Of course, daughter Maya couldn’t help but try to get dad’s attention, just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Spoke w/Patrick Reed about why he’s played so well in this year’s majors (T4, T18) and what the vibe has been like for him as a LIV golfer competing in the majors this year.
Full pod w/Reed on his views on social media, his chances of making US Ryder Cup.
In 2008 I volunteered in merch tent
@usopengolf
. All my co workers at the local muni laughed at me for volunteering, no pay. Was best week of my life. Told myself I needed to cover golf.
This year
@GolfTorrey
I’m back as media & shopping that merch tent.
#USOpen
#persistence
So
@HV3_Golf
is such a people person he spent a good hour+ signing for kids and talking with folks after his final practice prep on Wednesday.
Even one of the nicest guys in
@PGATOUR
golf needs a seat after a long day.
#wehere
#TheOpen
Brooks Koepka’s caddie Ricky Elliott confirms to me that he took a second test of today, after testing positive this morning, and the 2nd came back negative.
At the moment, he says they are still not playing this week.
Spoke w/
@SRTheegala
about LACC and what he likes about it as a
@usopengolf
venue.
Tells me he’s played it 30+ times.
Full short pod w/Sahith from the spring.
Talor Gooch just now on his LIV atmosphere compared to a Ryder Cup comment:
“We had just won, I was pumped…I was in the moment, maybe a little too aggressive a comment. Rightfully so I took a little heat for it…”
“He’s one of my best buddies out here. It’s long overdue. I had to stay there and see it (on 18) and spray him at the finish, it’s really cool that he won. So happy for my guy.”
@TalorGooch
told me of celebrating for his friend Harold Varner’s first LIV Golf win today in DC.
US Open Sectionals tomorrow is my favorite day in golf.
I asked 50 golf/news outlets if they wanted stories from the MD one.
I got 48 no’s.
But today got 2 that said yes. Persistence pays off.
Expect a TON of content from me tomorrow at Woodmont.
#usopen
“My dad worked 80-90 hour weeks and took on 3 jobs at times. My mom took on a 2nd job at night at one point. In some ways my parents embody selflessness.”
-
@McIlroyRory
told me this summer on the selfless lessons he learned from his parents.
Photo: Getty
Sophie got released last night & slept in her own bed. MRI & EEG showed no brain issue thankfully. No answer for what caused seizures. She is having very light ones now.
We’ll give her medication & follow up w/neurologists.
Thank you all for your support & prayers!
Joe LaCava reached out to Rory McIlroy’s camp via text on the car ride home last night. Said:
“‘I love you guys and I respect all of you..would it be possible to have a face to face with McIlroy?’ That took place this am and now everything’s diffused.”
-Steve Sands says on NBC
The promos for the Memorial say “The House that Jack built, welcomes back the best.”
Yep, the best (except for 2 of the last 3 major winners).
Both the Tour and LIV should be told they can’t use the term “best.” It’s never accurate anymore.
That moment when your dad, who at age 70 just caddied for you in your first successful qualifier for
@usopengolf
, hands you a congratulations call from your sister.
So it was for
@chrisbakergolf
in Maryland.
#USOpen
#FromManyOne
Sophie update; Meeting w/neurologist went well. The Dr is hopeful with the anti-seizure medicine she’s taking that Sophie will outgrow the seizures over the next year. We will keep testing to look for the root cause as well.
Thanks so much for all your prayers and well wishes!
During 2019
@PGAChampionship
I left Fri to take care of my newborn son (health scare). Rosie called me on Sunday AM & asked what I knew about Jazz Janewattananond. Meant a lot to me.
I told him I left early. He said “I’m proud of you, family 1st”
Our last chat. He just got life.
.
@RickieFowler
getting criticized for recent play, but
@ColtKnost
&
@thesleezyman
remind us what he gives back to fans.
“Rickie is doing as much for fans as anyone in the legacy of Palmer” Colt says.
I was at
@APinv
last yr. Rickie signed for 45+ mins
Ever worked really hard at something only to get a bunch of no’s?
I emailed 50 story pitches on Dustin Johnson to his hometown paper in Columbia the past 10 years.
Always got a “no thanks.”
Finally this week, I have a story coming on DJ and his brother AJ for that paper.
Love the player nicknames on caddie bibs tradition at
@ValsparChamp
.
This from 2019 when
@Joel_Dahmen
’s old nickname from youth summer camp “Leaping Cougar” was worn proudly by
@GenoBonnalie
.
Were you aware of this epic nickname
@benrector
?
USGA announces that Annika Sorenstam accepts a special exemption to play in this year’s US Women’s Open, her 17th.
Pebble hosting for 1st time must have been a big pull. She played the multi-tour Pebble Beach Invitational many times when Callaway used to sponsor it in November.
The golf gods say that when your tempo is perfect-like Rose Zhang here-you don’t have to pick up your tee. It just naturally flies into your back pocket.
So proud of
@Graeme_McDowell
.
He told me this week
@APinv
is ALMOST more of a home event than the Irish Open.
He led early thurs, fell off the map, and is now in the top 7.
Not a better man in our sport. Take that straight to the bank.
#bayhill
I asked every major TX paper related to Scottie Scheffler if they wanted a story on his 59 with unique sources...they all declined.
If you can’t get a lead story when Scottie shoots 59...what the heck else does he have to do?
Win the Masters?
Ever thought of emulating how a no. 1-ranked player in the world practices before their rounds? I spoke w/
@NellyKorda
about this & the
@lpga
star shares what we can do to improve in the time we have before that 1st nervy tee shot.
For
@GolfMonthly
.
#lpga
Topeka native Andrew Beckler just got through to his first
@usopengolf
here at MD site.
His fellow Topeka native & 2019 US Open champ Gary Woodland is fired up for him to say the least.
Here’s Gary’s text just now to Andrew.
#golfslongestday
#USOpen
If you believed everything Tiger said this week about his limited playing future, you’re as gullible as he wants you to be. He’s setting expectations brilliantly.
Jack of all trades, master of some;)
Been a blast learning Steadicam the last 5 months and finally getting to run it for SVP’s SportsCenter the last two nights.
Back is SORE, golf game may suffer (lol).
Sam Woods will present her dad
@TigerWoods
into the World Golf Hall of Fame this Wednesday.
What a cool moment in sports history.
Girl Dad Goals.
#girldad
I’ve had some special moments at many courses in my life.
Augusta, Oakmont, Pebble, St. Andrews.
This moment today, my daughter Sophie’s 1st time on a course & at a tournament (
@usga
Girls’ Junior in DC) takes the cake.
Hope it’s the first of many.
Photo:
@KayCockerill