Davis Love III and his call for the wild

FootJoy Fury FootJoy announced its new Fury shoe will arrive on store shelves February 1st. Designed from the inside out, the Fury features a stretchy, one-piece Inner Fit Sleeve lasted underneath the insole board to provide a secure fit. On the upper, the external FlexGrid MLC cage system adds structure and helps to lock the foot into place. The combination of leather and mesh provides breathability while being waterproof. The Fury also brings a new D3 outsole to the mix. Inspired by dripping liquid metal, the outsole offers a rigid platform for lateral stability and flexibility for comfort. Puma Golf Puma and Rickie Fowler will celebrate the 10th year of their partnership in 2019. Over the years, Rickie’s style has matured. As a result, we will see him in more refined looks and elevated fabrics. Two of the showcase pieces in the collection are a hybrid jacket and a quilted pullover. The jacket is stuffed with a thin layer of PrimaLoft Gold insulation and stretchy sleeves. PrimaLoft Gold has a high warmth-to-weight ratio, which means it locks in the heat without the bulk. Ralph Lauren Over the years, Billy Horschel has rocked Ralph Lauren’s high tech RLX line while Justin Thomas has sported more traditional looks from the brand’s Polo Golf collection. This year, both players will mix and match pieces from both lines, giving them added versatility and variety. Both players will also wear Ralph Lauren’s new slim-fit pant with an elastic waistband. The brand’s collections for 2019 find themselves on-trend with stylish micro prints, hoodies, and a crossover athleisure capsule. With ‘90s retro dominating the fashion landscape, Ralph Lauren has dipped into its archives and revived its old-school Polo Golf logo. Original Penguin One trend that stands above the rest at this year’s PGA Show is micro prints. Original Penguin is making a strong statement with micro prints that are fun and whimsical. In addition to prints, Original Penguin is also offering updated takes on iconic designs, including plaid bottoms, contrasting plackets, and rope hats. Royal Albartross Royal Albartross takes an adventure in the wild with its crocodile-inspired Croco shoe. The luxurious leather shoe blends sophisticated style with comfort and performance in a trendy silhouette. In addition to the four base colorways, Royal Albartross will release special editions of the Croco leading up to the majors, starting with a deep green Croco Masters. Joining the Croco is the Driver Collection. The sneaker-style shoe can easily find itself on the feet of the most stylish golfers, on or off the course. ECCO BIOM G3 Comfort. Performance. Style. ECCO hits the golf shoe trifecta with the ECCO BIOM G3. Building on its predecessor, the BIOM G3 offers increased stability thanks he soft and supple Yak leather upper provides flexibility and comfort. The outsole features a mix of ZARMA-TOUR cleats and molded lugs for the traction. Notice the lack of a front spike. ECCO removed it in favor of a rotation system that allows the foot to rotate through the swing. Galvin Green GORE-TEX ShakeDry After 15 years in the making, the revolutionary GORE-TEX ShakeDry technology used on Galvin Green’s Ashton Jacket is said to be the lightest GORE-TEX Jacket on the market. A simple shake of the jacket disperses water from the outer shell. J.Lindeberg Engineered Intarsia Polo One of the more unique pieces on the show floor was the Engineered Intarsia Polo from J.Lindeberg. Intarsia is a complex knitting technique that involves knitting different blocks of color. In addition to the bold green stripes on this shirt, check out the specs of green peeking through the navy blue. Greyson Clothiers Greyson continues to take golf fashion to new levels. The brand’s Fall 2019 Collection combines a healthy dose of bold, yet refined prints with a cool palette of rich blues and purples. A Nordic-inspired theme sees a sweater with a silhouette of mountains and a polo with a Northern Lights print. Cut-away collars add an element of sophistication while a new tech pique fabric offers breathability for warm days. Linksoul Dry-Tek Known of its super soft cotton polos, Linksoul is introducing a new performance fabric called Dry-Tek. The poly rich material is blended with a touch of cotton. The result is a fabric that wicks moisture while offering a soft hand feel. Find the latest styles online at the PGA TOUR Superstore.

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Denny McCarthy had one of the more eventful even-par rounds of his career Saturday, when the chatter centered around whether or not he and his caddie had violated one of the new Rules of Golf by lining him up the day before. He hadn’t, as it turned out, but it was a long road in getting there. After incurring a two-stroke penalty for an alleged violation of Rule 10.2b(4) in round two, McCarthy was in the middle of his third round at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale when everything changed. The penalty, he was told, had been rescinded. “In no way, shape or form did I think what I did yesterday was a penalty,â€� he said. Without the penalty, McCarthy’s second round became a 65 instead of a 67, and he shot up the leaderboard. He shot an even-par 71 Saturday and was at 8-under overall. “We were not trying to break that rule,â€� said Derek Smith, McCarthy’s caddie. “I’ve never lined him up, I never would have, even if it was still legal. There was never any intent regardless of where I was standing. I was strictly there talking about the shot he was about to play.â€� McCarthy had hit his second shot in the water at the par-5 15th hole when he dropped at the edge of the water hazard fronting the green. Smith got behind the shot, as many caddies routinely do, in order to evaluate the shot from the player’s perspective. A rules official informed them as they came off the green that the moment would be under video review and could result in a penalty. McCarthy was told he would in fact be penalized after he hit his tee shot at the second hole. (He had begun his round on the back nine.) Players came to his support on Twitter, and after copious replays, McCarthy and Smith were on the 11th hole Saturday when the PGA TOUR’s Vice President of Rules and Competition Slugger White informed them that the penalty was being rescinded. “Bottom line, we want it right,” White said. “We want it correct. These guys, it’s their livelihood and we want it to be rock solid that we were correct in what we did.” “I wonder what the scoring looked like at home,â€� said Smith, a former Division I golfer who met McCarthy after trying to Monday-qualify for a Web.com Tour event in Wichita, Kansas. “Caddies want to see what the players see,â€� McCarthy said. “It’s not so much about alignment. They’re trying to assess the shot with the player; I just happened to be in there next to the ball, with him, on the angle that my shot was on, trying to assess the shot. In my opinion and many others, I think, also, that’s not a penalty. “If he was in there deliberately looking at where I’m lining up,â€� McCarthy added, “and I’m setting up to the ball, and I don’t back away, yeah, I could see how that’s a two-shot penalty.â€� The TOUR issued the following statement: “Since the situation during Round 2 of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which resulted in PGA TOUR player Denny McCarthy receiving a two-stroke penalty under Rule 10.2b(4), the PGA TOUR has been in constant contact with the USGA about how the new rule should be interpreted.  During the course of these discussions, this morning a similar situation from yesterday’s round involving Justin Thomas was also brought to our attention. “It is clear that there is a great deal of confusion among players and caddies on the practical application of the new rule during competition, as well as questions surrounding the language of the rule itself and how it should be interpreted.  As a result, with the full support of the USGA and The R&A, the rule will be interpreted whereby the two aforementioned situations as well as future similar situations will not result in a penalty. McCarthy’s score has been updated accordingly. “We will be working vigorously with the USGA and The R&A over the coming days to further analyze and improve the situation with this rule.  The USGA and The R&A will be making an announcement shortly.” The USGA released the following statement: “Following an ongoing dialogue with players and in cooperation with the PGA TOUR rules team, the USGA and The R&A revisited the penalty assessed to Denny McCarthy during Round 2 of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. After an additional review of available video this morning, it was determined that the penalty would not apply in this instance nor in a similar instance involving Justin Thomas. In each of these cases, when the caddie was standing behind the player, the player had not yet begun taking the stance for the stroke, nor could useful guidance on aiming be given because the player was still in the process of determining how to play the stroke. The same would be true for any similar situation that might occur. “The USGA and The R&A recognize that further clarity on how to appropriately apply this Rule is needed. We are committed to assessing its impact and will provide the necessary clarifications in the coming days.”

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John Cook was a Minneapolis club pro who also played a handful of PGA TOUR events per year, mostly in the winter months when the weather back home left snow was on the ground and kept the courses closed. He played nearly 100 TOUR events, his best finish a tie for fourth at the 1967 Azalea Open. But that wasn’t the tournament that his grandson Austin heard the most about. The highlight of John Cook’s career was his brush with greatness in the 1965 Memphis Open, when he played with Jack Nicklaus in the final round at Colonial Country Club. Nicklaus was just 25 years old, but already had won four majors, including that spring’s Masters Tournament. He’d also won the 1964 money list (by a mere $81.13 over Arnold Palmer), an accomplishment that meant Nicklaus’ entry fees were waived for the 1965 season. Not, of course, that he needed the financial assistance. He already was chasing greatness, and he displayed his other-worldly talent again on that Sunday in Memphis. He started the final round five shots off the lead, while Cook was six back. They met on the first tee Sunday, but their paths quickly diverged. Nicklaus fired 65 to collect the 14th victory of his career. Cook shot 76 to fall to the middle of the pack. Austin Cook did Sunday what his grandfather could not, earning a PGA TOUR title in just his fourth start as a member. He birdied three of his final four holes at Sea Island’s Seaside Course to shoot 67 and finish four shots ahead of J.J. Spaun. Cook’s quest to the winner’s circle was reminiscent of the PGA TOUR during the days when his grandfather was competing. A large portion of the field had to qualify each week back in John Cook’s day. There are only four spots available in the Monday qualifier now, but Austin Cook first gained the golf world’s notice by qualifying for several TOUR events before ever earning his card. Cook finished in the top 25 in six of 10 PGA TOUR starts before becoming a PGA TOUR member. Those finishes proved something that his earlier resume may not have: he was built for the PGA TOUR. “When conditions are hardest, that’s when I play my best,â€� he said. He was always the type whose emphasis of accuracy over distance led to consistent scores, but not the flashy results that would make him one of those can’t-miss prospects coming out of college. Cook never won at Arkansas and only once was an All-American (honorable mention). His devotion to academics was another reason his collegiate achievements didn’t look those of a player who’d so quickly find success on the PGA TOUR. Cook earned a biology degree from Arkansas with a 3.9 grade-point average. “Biology was his major and golf was his minor,â€� said his college coach at Arkansas, Brad McMakin. “I always wondered what he could’ve done if he could have work on his game like everybody else and not been in labs five hours a day, three days a week.” McMakin said that Cook was the type of player who’d shoot 70 no matter where they played. The coach compares Cook’s swing to David Duval’s because of the way he would swing back with a closed clubface, then rotate aggressively through impact. “His distance control with his irons is off the charts,â€� McMakin said. “When you hit it out of the center of the face 90 percent of the time, that’s why he has good distance control. “He was the kind of guy you could give one golf ball to … and on the 54th hole he’d be able to give it back to you.â€� Cook displayed that repetitive ballstriking at The RSM Classic, missing just eight fairways and 12 greens all week. Cook finished his degree in December 2013 and shortly turned pro with medical school as a back-up plan. His father, Bill, is an anesthesiologist. Austin set out for the Adams Tour that January with money that Bill had saved for the past few years to help his son get his pro career off the ground. It didn’t take long for Austin to get his first taste of the PGA TOUR. That June, he qualified for the FedEx St. Jude Classic, the same event where his grandfather had played with Nicklaus, and finished T13. The $54,085 he earned there allowed him to pay his parents back and fund his career. Cook made it to final stage in the 2014 Q-School to earn conditional status on the Web.com Tour. He’d make more starts on the PGA TOUR in 2015, though, thanks to his propensity to get through those open qualifiers. It started in Houston, where Cook played alongside Phil Mickelson in the final group of the third round. Cook, whose brother Kyle was carrying Austin’s stand bag, beat the World Golf Hall of Famer by five shots, 70-75. Cook finished 11th. He finished in the top 25 in five of seven PGA TOUR starts that season, including two top-10s. He Monday qualified two more times, earned two more starts with his top-10s and only needed to rely on two sponsor exemptions. “Once I get out here, I’m going to have a bright future ahead of me,â€� Cook said after his play in Houston. He didn’t know how right he’d be.

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