Cut prediction: Rocket Mortgage Classic

A statement from Matt Kuchar: “This week, I made comments that were out of touch and insensitive, making a bad situation worse. They made it seem like I was marginalizing David Ortiz and his financial situation, which was not my intention. I read them again and cringed. That is not who I am and not what I want to represent. My entire Tour career, I have tried to show respect and positivity. In this situation, I have not lived up to those values or to the expectations I’ve set for myself. I let myself, my family, my partners and those close to me down, but I also let David down. I plan to call David tonight, something that is long overdue, to apologize for the situation he has been put in, and I have made sure he has received the full total that he has requested. I never wanted to bring any negativity to the Mayakoba Golf Classic. I feel it is my duty to represent the tournament well, so I am making a donation back to the event, to be distributed to the many philanthropic causes working to positively impact the communities of Playa del Carmen and Cancún. For my fans, as well as fans of the game, I want to apologize to you for not representing the values instilled in this incredible sport. Golf is a game where we call penalties on ourselves. I should have done that long ago and not let this situation escalate.”

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When we last saw Bryson DeChambeau, he was making an impressive run through the Professional Long Drivers’ World Championship. He hasn’t teed it up in a traditional event since the Ryder Cup, and isn’t scheduled to return to competitive golf until his match with Brooks Koepka on the day after Thanksgiving, followed by next month’s Hero World Challenge. DeChambeau has been busy during his “down” time. He said after leaving the long-drive championship that he intended to use his time away from tournament golf to get even longer. Then, earlier this week, he posted a video to his YouTube channel titled “My New Prototype Cobra Irons.” Naturally, we at the Equipment Report were intrigued. For as much adjusting as DeChambeau has done at the top (driver, woods) and bottom of his bag (wedges), he has been using since 2016 the Cobra King Forged One Length irons he helped design. Accordingly, we were even more intrigued when DeChambeau said these new clubs — a 3D-printed version of the Cobra MiM Tour One Length that has been tweaked specifically for DeChambeau — could go straight into the bag. On one of his first recorded strikes with a pitching wedge, DeChambeau’s ball speed was 138 mph. For reference, the average PGA TOUR pro’s ball speed with a 4-iron is only 137 mph. For a pitching wedge, it’s a little over 100 mph, according to TrackMan. Later in the video, DeChambeau carried a 6-iron 245 yards. So, he has no problem flushing the new irons. During testing, DeChambeau made note of how impressed he was with the ball speed and spin rate he was generating. While Cobra is mum on the specifics of the technology and the appearance of the clubs – the clubheads were blurred out in the YouTube video — Cobra’s Ben Schomin described them as having a “better player shape with a thin, rounded topline, small-to-medium sole width, and rounded sole camber.” DeChambeau prefers a simple shape in his irons with plenty of leading-edge bounce and some offset at the hosel, Schomin said. Interestingly, according to DeChambeau and Cobra, the prototype irons are 3D-printed (rather than cast or forged, the two traditional methods of making irons). Schomin told us DeChambeau’s 4- and 5-irons have always been 3D printed, but not so for the rest of his set. While offering similar performance to cast clubs, Schomin said 3D printing allows for more rapid and consistent prototyping than other methods of club creation. It also allows greater ease of “feel replication.” The fully 3D printed clubs are the latest iteration of a multi-year process that has seen multiple models printed, tweaked, and tested to adjust shapes, sole widths, face thickness, and bounce. It’s been a long process to find DeChambeau a successor in the iron department. According to Schomin, Cobra engineers have “made at least a dozen sets with various modifications over the last five years.” DeChambeau has had mixed results with the irons he has used for the past five years. He has ranked as one of the best players on TOUR in proximity from 200-plus yards, but has struggled mightily from 125 yards and in. DeChambeau wrapped the YouTube video by saying of the irons: “Going to be putting ‘em right in the bag. Little bit of loft adjustments for spin rates,” before describing the prototype irons as “baller.” We’ll be keenly awaiting further details on the prototype technology and whether we can expect a retail offering.

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The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands is the first event on the revised PGA TOUR schedule that will take place in its original spot on the calendar. The longtime TOUR event will feature a stout field that includes the top five golfers in the world and defending champion Chez Reavie. FIELD NOTES: Sungjae Im looks to extend his FedExCup lead while all of the top 10 in the FedExCup standings are set to play at TPC River Highlands… Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, and Dustin Johnson, the top five players in the Official World Golf Ranking, will be in a PGA TOUR field for the third straight week… Phil Mickelson, who won back-to-back Travelers in 2001 and 2002, will play his first event as a 50-year-old… TOUR winners Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff return to the site of their professional debuts in 2019… Sahith Theegala, the winner of this year’s Haskins Award as the top player in college golf, was given an exemption and will play his first PGA TOUR event as a pro. He previously finished T49 in the 2017 Genesis Invitational and missed the cut in the 2017 U.S. Open… Fellow collegiate star Peter Kuest of BYU will also debut as a pro… Recent Travelers champions Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Russell Knox, Kevin Streelman, and Marc Leishman join Reavie in the field. FEDEXCUP: Winner gets 500 FedExCup points. COURSE: TPC River Highlands, 6,841 yards, par 70. This year marks the 37th for River Highlands as a PGA TOUR host. Pete Dye redesigned the course to TPC standards in the early 1980’s. It was renamed ‘TPC River Highlands’ after further remodeling in 1989, completed by Bobby Weed and in consultation with TOUR pros Roger Maltbie and Howard Twitty. STORYLINES: Bubba Watson looks to join Billy Casper as the only four-time winner of the Travelers. Watson won in 2010, 2015, and 2018… Phil Mickelson took the RBC Heritage off as he turned 50 on June 16th but will play his first event since becoming eligible for PGA TOUR Champions. Mickelson returned to TPC River Highlands in 2019 after a 15-year absence… TPC River Highlands has been home to some low scoring in the past including Jim Furyk’s 58 (in 2016) and Patrick Cantlay’s 60 (in 2011, the low score in PGA TOUR history by an amateur). 72-HOLE RECORD: 258, Kenny Perry (2009). 18-HOLE RECORD: 58, Jim Furyk (4th round, 2016). LAST TIME: Chez Reavie won by four shots over Zack Sucher and Keegan Bradley to end an 11-year winless drought on TOUR. Sucher was the feel-good story all week after gaining entry into the event via the alternate list. He was on the path to recovery after a near career-ending injury and nearly doubled his career earnings after he tied for second. After a 5-under 65 Sunday, Vaughn Taylor moved into solo fourth, while Paul Casey, Kevin Tway, and Joaquin Niemann finished T5. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured groups), Saturday-Sunday 7:45 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups). Saturday-Sunday 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (featured holes). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio).

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