Emergency 9: Quicken Loans National, Round 1

For J.J. Spaun, it was a no-brainer. He had just won the 2020 Travelers Championship’s Umbrella at 15/12 Charity Challenge, getting closest to the hole from 85 yards to a floating umbrella-shaped green at TPC River Highlands. After hitting a delicate wedge to 19 inches, Spaun knew exactly what he would do with the $10,000 prize. He gave it to the JDRF, which is dedicated to finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes. The donation was particularly important to Spaun, who had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2018 after an unexplained weight loss sent him to the doctor. At the time, he was diagnosed as Type 2, but he would find out after further tests in February 2021 that he had Type 1, late onset. A day after the charity competition, Spaun was in the player dining room when Andy Bessette, EVP and Chief Administrative Officer for Travelers, introduced himself. Bessette told Spaun that his son Chris, who is now in medical school, had been diagnosed as Type 1 before heading off to college. “He gave me a big hug and was like, ‘Thank you for donating,’” Spaun said. “That was so awesome because his son is a diabetic as well. And he and his wife, they donate a lot of money to this foundation trying to give people the resources to find cures and find ways to battle this disease.” Bessette also told Spaun that he and his wife Cherrie would match Spaun’s donation. “It meant the world to me,” Bessette said. “J.J.’s a nice young man and I was very impressed. We had more of a conversation. And then I said to him, ‘J.J., if I can ever help you, let me know.’” Bessette got that chance earlier this year at THE PLAYERS Championship. He was sitting in a golf cart with Harold Varner III, waiting to film some promos for the Travelers Championship, when the amiable pro from North Carolina received a disheartening text from Spaun. “I said, ‘Well, what’s up, what’s wrong?’” Bessette said. Varner told him that Spaun wasn’t feeling great and was having some issues managing his Type 1 diabetes. “I said, ‘Harold, you tell him to call me.’” Bessette said. “So, Harold texts and he showed it to me: ‘Call Andy. He might be able to help you.’ So, I love Harold to death because you know what a big heart Harold Varner has. … And he connects me back with J.J.” A few days later, Spaun reached out to Bessette, who set up a call with Aaron Kowalski, the president and CEO of JDRF, who is also a Type I diabetic. Kowalski told Spaun about a new inhalable insulin that is absorbed quickly and could be used on the course, if necessary, rather than an injection. During their conversation, he also texted a doctor in Los Angeles who works with elite athletes on how to handle their blood sugar levels. “I’m learning all these new things through Andy and his connections,” Spaun said. “It’s been great. Definitely something that I didn’t think would happen for me, but that’s the beauty of golf. “You kind of meet all these people and next thing you’re being helped out in an extraordinary way.” Spaun is essentially a self-taught golfer, and he has taken a similar approach with researching and learning to manage his diabetes. Having the counsel of people like Bessette and Kowalski helps, and while Spaun is the first to admit he doesn’t have it 100 percent figured out, sometimes everything comes together. Take the Valero Texas Open, for example, which was played about two weeks after that conference call. The 31-year-old was rock steady as he won his first PGA TOUR event, besting Matt Jones and Matt Kuchar by two strokes and earning his first Masters invitation in the process. “I was crying,” Bessette said. On the golf course, Spaun wears a Libre blood sugar monitor that he checks with his smartphone every 30 minutes or so. “It’s part of my golf bag now,” he said. If the number is too high, he can have blurry vision and fatigue; when it gets low, he’ll feel lightheaded and shaky and reaches for something with sugar or carbs to eat. Spaun is back up to a healthy weight of 175 pounds after losing more than 50 pounds during the first three years he lived with diabetes. He has worked hard to get his strength back and together with instructor Andy Patnou has found the “magic move” in his swing from when he played his best golf. “He kind of gives me the recipe, and I kind of bake the cake my own way,” Spaun said. Bessette knows what it’s like to play sports at the highest level. He made the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team as a hammer thrower, although he did not get to compete in Moscow due to the American boycott. His experience as an athlete provides a particular appreciation for Spaun has accomplished while dealing with Type I diabetes. “I don’t know that I could have done it,” Bessette said. “I don’t think I’m that tough. It’s just amazing to me. That’s why I love J.J. I’m going to help him as much as I can. I so respect what he goes through, not just the struggle of being a world-class athlete and being competitive on the PGA TOUR, but just what he’s dealing with on all fronts of his life. He’s a young man, he’s got a young family and that has its own set of challenges, too.” Since his victory at the Valero Texas Open, Spaun said he has been contacted by diabetics around the world who tell him how much they appreciate him sharing his story. “They have made me feel like the biggest winner of all because they are saying that I was like a hero to them or inspiring to them or a great ambassador of what this disease does to them,” he said. And the communication works both ways. The unassuming Spaun made it a point to go over and talk with a young girl in his gallery at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall because she was wearing the same glucose monitor that he does. He signed a glove for her and told her not to let her diabetes hold her back.

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HOUSTON — Last week, the Equipment Report revealed the company that made Justin Rose’s unique irons that were stamped not with a brand’s logo, but his own personal “JR” mark. This week, GolfWRX.com caught up with the 2018 FedExCup champ at the Cadence Bank Houston Open to go more in-depth on those custom-made Miura irons and why he made a drastic change to his putting style at last week’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba. More on Rose’s Miura irons At this year’s U.S. Open, GolfWRX spoke to Rose about the Titleist 620 MB irons he had recently put into play (link: ). Rose liked the shape of the 620 MB’s, but he found he was catching too many fliers out of the rough. That led him to task Miura with building him a set of custom irons, just as it had done for Adam Scott. “I was just catching a couple fliers with the Titleists, as you probably saw in Canada (where Rose shot a final-round 60 after a bogey on 18 when his approach flew the green),” Rose said. “It’s funny, you test clubs, but before you play them in competition, you don’t really know. In competition, you get all sorts of different lies and situations, and pressure, and adrenaline, and things like that. I loved the look of those Titleist irons, I just felt like the groove was not close to my TaylorMade groove, which I never catch a flier with. “I felt like there was maybe a best of both worlds. So I tasked … the guys at Miura there to make me something. I saw they did something cool for Adam Scott. They came, and I thought they had a touch more offset than I had anticipated. Testing that was really interesting. I felt like I hit them straighter because of that. “I’d go back to my TaylorMade, the P730, and I’d miss it a little right, straight away. So I’ve gone with (the Miuras). They’re still a little new on me, almost like half shaft offset.” The claw has disappeared For years, Rose has been using an Axis1 Rose Proto putter, and he’d been gripping the putter using a “claw” style grip. At last week’s event in Mayakoba, however, Rose switched it up into a more conventional style. “Left hand is still the same, but the claw has disappeared,” Rose said. “I felt like with the claw I was just struggling with the shape of my backswing. I was getting a little too linear in the backswing, a little too straight back. I just felt like the way my right hand was it was guiding me straight down the line. And I felt like when I put my right hand in just close to my left hand, I felt like it makes me symmetrical in the forearms, and the sweetspot works up the plane a bit easier in the backswing. First time in competition last week, I felt like I putted pretty good. “It still doesn’t feel conventional to me. Conventional to me is the reverse overlap. I put the left finger down the side of the shaft, so it’s almost a two-thumbs style where my thumbs are very close together. So I don’t regard that as a traditional putting grip. I’m still quite a traditionalist in where the straight up reverse overlap, thin grip, Scotty Cameron style putter; that for me is traditional… but yeah, a slight modification. You know, a lot of guys are gripping it like that. Danny Willet has the exact same putting grip. Matt Wallace is quite similar. Matt Fitzpatrick has the exact same grip. It must be an English thing.”

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CROMWELL, Conn. – Notes and observations from Saturday’s third round of the Travelers Championship, where Jordan Spieth birdied three of his last four holes to shoot 66 and keep the lead. Boo Weekley had a 5-under 65 to reach 11 under, a shot back, while Daniel Berger (66) came in at 9 under, in solo third as he aims for his second win in the last three weeks. For more coverage from TPC River Highlands, click here for the Daily Wrap-up. SPIETH LEANS ON PAR SAVES Jordan Spieth made three birdies in the last four holes to maintain the solo lead for the third straight day in this, his first career start at the Travelers Championship. Still, what stood out to him were two par saves. He missed the green right at the 490-yard, par-4 fourth hole, but got up and down with a chip and a tap-in par. At the 227-yard, par-3 fifth, Spieth splashed out of the right greenside bunker and made a 16-foot putt. He didn’t even need to putt at the sixth hole, chipping in for birdie from 28 feet. “I thought those two up-and-downs along with obviously the chip in on 6 were massive,â€� Spieth said. “I very well should have been 2-over through six holes and I was 1-under. “So, I stole some there around the greens, which is what I’ve been looking to do when something gets a little bit off elsewhere. It was really nice to see, through there, to gather that momentum and kind of calm down and get into the round.â€� Much as he was throughout his Player of the Year season in 2015, Spieth was lethal around the greens Saturday. He hit just 10 greens in regulation, his lowest total of the week, but was 3-for-3 in sand saves, and took 24 putts. Not surprisingly, he’s leading the field in strokes gained: around the green for the week, but he’s also first in strokes gained: tee-to-green. That’s a tough combination to beat. Should he win Sunday, it would mark his first wire-to-wire victory since the 2015 Masters, and his 10th title on the PGA TOUR at just 23 years old. CALL OF THE DAY WEEKLEY BACK IN THE SWING Jordan Spieth hadn’t met with the media in 24 hours. Boo Weekley hadn’t met with the media in — well, he couldn’t remember how long. “A lot of faces in here I ain’t seen in a while,â€� he said as he sat down after his round, in which he fired a back-nine 30 to play his way into the final twosome with Spieth on Sunday. Weekley has three TOUR victories, but hasn’t won since the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. At 43, he could have been excused if he thought his best golf was behind him, especially since he came into this week at 193rd in the FedExCup standings. His best finish all season? Well, that would have been his thrilling tie for 37th place at the Puerto Rico Open. But one good tournament can change everything, and Weekley has been back to his old self at TPC River Highlands thanks in part to a relatively new putter and left-hand-low stroke. The putter is an Odyssey that Matt Every had given up on at Colonial earlier this season, and that Weekley’s coach wound up with only to give it to Weekley. It’s working. Weekley made 128feet, 4’inches of putts Saturday, and was third in strokes gained: putting (3.261). Like Spieth, Weekley finished strong with birdies on three of the last four holes. “I change putters like I change underwear, man,â€� Weekley said before estimating he’s gone through about 20 different makes and models this season alone. Spieth smiled at the prospect of playing with Weekley on Sunday. “I hope I’m having as much fun each day as Boo’s having,â€� Spieth said. “I mean, he lives it up. It’s fun to be around Boo. He’s always very nice to everybody he sees, has some kind of a joke. If he’s had a couple pops, you barely understand him with his country accent. “He’s a guy everybody very much respects and really likes being around, and that’s fun, that’s fun to play with. He’s a really good ball striker who, a couple events that I’ve been involved in, in the heat of things, he shot very low numbers on Sundays. He’s not afraid to do so.â€� CASEY THRIVES WITH CADDIE SUB Paul Casey’s usual caddie, John McLaren, asked for this week off and Casey granted it. He also let McLaren pick who would caddie for Casey in his place, and the veteran McLaren, who is known for his long socks and high-top sneakers, picked Shannon Wallace. So far, so good. Casey, who lost to Bubba Watson in a playoff at the 2015 Travelers, shot 66 to get to 8 under, just four off Spieth’s lead. “Shannon’s perfect,â€� said Casey, who came into this week 27th in the FedExCup race.  “He’s been on the bag for Faldo and some guys. Maybe he hasn’t had the results he’s wanted as a caddie. And I love the fact that he’s channeled his inner Johnny Longsocks this week and turned up with long socks to try to make me feel better. “We failed to get him high tops,â€� Casey added. “That’s the only thing I’ve failed, on my behalf. I’ve known Shannon for a long time since we’ve been on TOUR. So, a good blend. We actually, worryingly for Johnny, we are working very well together.â€� WIND KEEPS PLAYERS ON THEIR TOES The wind gusted from 8-16 mph when it blew, but sometimes it stopped entirely. Paul Casey said Saturday was the toughest day so far. Keegan Bradley (66) called TPC River Highlands “a tricky little courseâ€� in the gusts. Boo Weekley admitted he was posing over approach shots only to watch them come up 10 yards short. “First time I’ve ever played here with the wind blowing this hard,â€� Weekley said. And those were the guys who played well.   “It’s tricky today—we have a north wind, which we haven’t seen all week here,â€� said Canadian David Hearn, who shot 66 to get to 7 under, five off the lead. “So it just makes — especially on the back nine, you get into those chutes and around those water hazards, and it just makes it a little tricky to pick your lines when you’re not used to this wind.â€� Players went off both tees in threesomes to accommodate a storm that dumped a modest amount of rain on TPC River Highlands overnight and Saturday morning. ODDS AND ENDS C.T. Pan, who played for Chinese Taipei in the Rio Olympics (T30) last summer but lives in Bellevue, Washington, took advantage of calm morning conditions for a bogey-free 64. He tied for second at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year, but is 88th in the FedExCup after missing 12 cuts in his last 17 starts. “This is my first year,â€� said Pan, who leads the field in scrambling (11/11). “I keep telling myself if you just keep knocking on the door, one day will be your day.â€� … Keegan Bradley (7 under), who is going for his first TOUR win since the 2012 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, made a 40-foot birdie putt at the fourth hole to kick-start his round. “That was a big putt,â€� said Bradley, who hit 16 greens in regulation for the second straight day. “Then I made a really good [12-foot] birdie putt on 13, a hole I needed to birdie. So a lot of good putts I holed today.â€� Bradley is 56th in the FedExCup standings, with his best result this season a T4 at the Farmers Insurance Open. … Daniel Berger, 12th in the FedExCup, erased a three-shot deficit as he successfully defended his FedEx St. Jude Classic title two weeks ago. His deficit going into Sunday? Three shots. “Couple weeks ago I was in the same position and got it done,â€� Berger said. “So obviously trying to run down Jordan’s going to be tough, but if I play well, I’ve got a chance.â€� …  Charley Hoffman, who took the outright lead after going eagle, birdie, birdie, went 4 over for his last three holes in a 68. He’s at 6 under, six shots behind. BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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