Inside the Field: The RSM Classic

Editor’s note: World Golf Hall of Fame member Davis Love III, who won THE PLAYERS Championship in 1992 and 2003, provides his thoughts on the tournament’s move next year back to March when the PGA TOUR reworks its 2018-19 playing schedule. THE PLAYERS Championship has always been close to my heart. My dad hosted the very first one in 1974 at Atlanta Country Club. I was 10 at the time and I always tell people that I sold lemonade at the first PLAYERS. So that was pretty cool. We moved to Sea Island, Georgia, a few years later and we came down to watch the tournament when it was played at Sawgrass Country Club. Then when the Stadium Course was first built at TPC Sawgrass, we got to go down and play it, which was pretty neat. It’s so amazing to come all that way from a little kid watching the first one to winning it – twice, even. I kind of count those as my majors, along with the PGA Championship, of course. I think people have realized with the buildup to THE PLAYERS and the strength of the field, that it’s a tough, tough tournament to win. Both my wins came when THE PLAYERS was played in March — just like it will be again next year. I think it’s great that our showcase event is moving back to March. I think it’s nice to be the first major of the season. It’s nice to be in its own slot. THE PLAYERS obviously belongs in that rotation as a major or the biggest non-major, if you will. So it’s nice to start with that in Florida. I liked the golf course better back in March, too. It can be blustery. It can be different weather. But I think the golf course plays better that time of year. It’ll be firm. The more you get into the heat of the summer, it seems to soften up a little bit, whether it’s the rain or humidity or whatever. For those of us who live in the area, we like the spring. March is when it starts warming up but it’s not humid, so it’s a good time of year to play golf. There’s so much buildup for the majors. It’s great for golf to have them all spread out now from March all the way to the FedExCup Playoffs. Every month has something really, really big. So I think it’s perfect. And THE PLAYERS is first, which I think is very good strategy. I also think it’s good for the PGA to get away from being jammed up with The Olympics and too close to the FedExCup Playoffs, so I think everything has its own space now. Scheduling is the hardest thing we ever had to deal with as members of the Policy Board. I think now they’ve got it kind of laid out for the future that the fans can really understand that we’re on the West Coast in January and February, and then in March the big ones, the majors, start and the FedExCup Playoffs are in their own month. We’re not up against football and so I think it’s all going to work great. We’ll have a great Florida swing leading up to THE PLAYERS. I’m happy with it being back in March. I think it’s going to be great. The players are all excited about it, too. I can tell you that without hesitation. The players are excited about THE PLAYERS moving back to March.

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The second annual NEPA Invitational charity event, hosted by PGA TOUR player Brandon Matthews, was held at the Country Club of Scranton on October 14 – 16, 2022 and raised $100,000. The NEPA Invitational is a pro-am golf tournament that brought together professionals, high-level amateurs, and golf aficionados alike. Proceeds from the 2022 NEPA Invitational will support Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital and the William Lawler Scholarship Fund through the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Matthews was born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania. A Pittston Area graduate, he established the NEPA Invitational Fund with a desire to give back to the community he grew up in. He partnered with the Scranton Area Community Foundation to help allocate the funds raised to local organizations in need. “The Scranton Area Community Foundation is honored that Brandon and the NEPA Invitational have partnered with us to carry out the charitable goals of this event,” stated Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “His desire to give back is truly making a difference right here in our communities.” “Being able to give back to the community that shaped me is something that I have always dreamed of and for that dream to currently be in the process of being realized is truly amazing. The support from the Northeastern Pennsylvania community for my career and this event is incredibly humbling and I will never forget where I came from.” stated Matthews. The 2nd Annual NEPA Invitational kicked off Friday, October 14 with a ‘Dinner with the Pros’ event at the Country Club of Scranton. Dinner, live entertainment, and a live auction were included. Forty-seven teams competed in a two-day event. “We rely on community partners to help us respond to the evolving needs of families across the region, and we’re grateful to Brandon Matthews and all the leadership and supporters of the NEPA Invitational,” stated Frank Maffei, MD, Geisinger Chair of Pediatrics. “This support helps Geisinger Pediatrics and the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital to deliver family-centered pediatric care that is driven by best practice, innovation and compassion.” To date, the NEPA Invitational Fund at the Scranton Area Community Foundation has provided $150,000 to support a variety of charities including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA, Meals on Wheels of NEPA, Inc., Outreach, and United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, in addition to Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. Additionally, the NEPA Invitational and Matthews have worked closely with the Scranton Area Community Foundation to establish to William Lawler Scholarship, awarded to an NEPA area junior golfer who is going on to play collegiate golf.

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Former Cowboys QB Tony Romo, who missed the cut last year in his only PGA Tour start, has received a sponsor’s exemption into the AT&T Byron Nelson in May.

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