GOAT of GOATs: Tiger takes on Federer

A more stable shaft at impact helps golfers hit the golf ball longer and straighter. Aldila's all-new line of Ascent golf shafts are designed to do just that. With a combination of aerospace materials and bend profiles uniquely engineered for modern driver head performance, the Ascent features what Aldila calls an Impact Stabilization Zone — a section of the shaft towards the tip with increased stiffness intended to stabilize the head at impact. A more stable head at impact means more consistent ball flight, more centered contact, and less dispersion on off-center strikes. Zane Nuttall, manager of product development and innovation for Mitsubishi Chemical and Aldila Golf, had this to say about the Ascent shafts. "Ascent gave us an opportunity to create a shaft that is extremely stable at impact, all while giving players a smoother feeling profile. With our Impact Stabilization Zone, we could move the CG (center of gravity) closer to the clubhead, which helps stabilize the face, tighten dispersion windows, and dial in spin. At high speeds, players are looking for center face contact first and foremost, and the Aldila Ascent provides a unique, innovative approach to stabilizing the clubhead through impact.” The graphic below from Aldila, obtained using the high-tech motion capture system GEARS, shows the contrast between a standard shaft and the Ascent shaft with its Impact Stabilization Zone. In terms of additional technology, the Impact Stabilization Zone is paired with a heavy tungsten prepreg material in the tip of the shaft to increase mass towards the clubhead, which adds additional force to promote better launch conditions. When these elements are combined, the new Ascent shaft helps increase ball flight apex while still offering lower spin performance and accuracy. While TOUR seeding - the process of getting the product in professionals' hands — has only just begun, TOUR player feedback during testing has been positive, said Rusty Estes, Aldila Tour Representative. "We began testing Ascent quietly at last year’s FedExCup Playoffs, and what surprised me more than anything was how many different profiles of players responded well to it. It's a TOUR-level shaft that is not only stable but seems to complement a wide range of deliveries, and as a fitter that is extremely exciting." This shaft will be available in a wide range of flexes and weights (click here to view the shaft's specs). The Ascent line also includes the Ascent Ultralight, which features Focused Mass Technology (FMTTM) and a heavier butt-end, as well as FlyDrive Technology, which is an ultralight technology borrowed from fly fishing rods. True to its name, the Ascent Ultralight line weighs between 41 and 48 grams, 20-30 grams lighter than standard shafts on the PGA TOUR. Aldila Ascent shafts have been spotted on the PGA TOUR beginning at The American Express and are now available at retail for $300 MSRP. (Note: Interested in putting Aldila Ascent shafts in your clubs? Click here for more information.)

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If you play PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, you’re either enthused or dismayed at the fact that the Waste Management Phoenix Open is a full-scoring event. That’s right. ShotLink is back. At least for one week. We’ll return to the recently familiar alternative scoring at next week’s annual stop at Pebble Beach. The most vocal gamers always enjoy debating theory, and I dig it, too, but what’s most important is understanding how to succeed under either scoring system in play. See, when ShotLink is measuring every stroke for fantasy purposes, fantasy scoring is magnified. Contrarily, because bonus points at the conclusion of the tournament are equal to only one-tenth of the FedExCup points earned for final-round starters instead of one-half in non-ShotLink events, lining up the winner or even multiple contenders isn’t necessary to have a fantastic week. The field at TPC Scottsdale is loaded. As usual, long hitters are going to be rewarded, but you still need to get four past the cut so you’re not posting any zeroes on the weekend. Put it all together and lineups that are heavy on the chalk (raising my hand) are not as likely to contend for the weekly title as gamers who blend surprise contenders with strong games off the tee. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the Waste Management Phoenix Open (in alphabetical order): Tony Finau Rickie Fowler Hideki Matsuyama Jon Rahm Webb Simpson Jordan Spieth You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Zach Johnson; Marc Leishman; Phil Mickelson; Alex Noren; Cameron Smith; Brendan Steele; Justin Thomas Driving: Keegan Bradley; Emiliano Grillo; Alex Noren; Ryan Palmer; Brendan Steele; Justin Thomas; Gary Woodland Approach: Keegan Bradley; Zach Johnson; Patton Kizzire; Matt Kuchar; Alex Noren; Ryan Palmer; Brian Stuard Short: Harris English; Adam Hadwin; J.B. Holmes; Zach Johnson; Patton Kizzire; Phil Mickelson; Patrick Reed; Gary Woodland Power Rankings Wild Card Harris English … He’s poised to pay off draft leaguers invested in the rebound. After manufacturing only one top 20 since last year’s Farmers, the 28-year-old has emerged of late with a T11 at the CareerBuilder and a T8 at this year’s Farmers. He takes that newly found confidence into TPC Scottsdale where he gets to pile on a 6-for-6 record that features top-15s finishes in each of the last three even-numbered years. His scoring average in 24 rounds is 69.08. A DFS special. Draws Phil Mickelson … The native son has done it all in this tournament. From the 59-and-a-half to open the 2013 edition to his three titles to sitting atop its all-time money list, he’s the king of the Valley of the Sun. With top 20s in the last two years and the adoration of the hundreds of thousands in attendance, he gives us everything we want. Let his slow start to 2018 scare your opponents. Patton Kizzire … As much as we can admire that he remained committed to the CareerBuilder Challenge (T24) after prevailing at Waialae, we love even more the fact that he took last week off. To give you a sense of how far he’s come in a short period of time, the FedExCup points leader has two wins and another two top 10s in a 7-for-7 slate to open the season, and he’s still outside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. At 56th, he’s still chasing exemptions into the next two WGCs, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship. With a couple of years of experience at TPC Scottsdale under his belt, keep the pedal down. Austin Cook … Flashing slump-proof form all season. Currently 16th on TOUR in the all-around and 18th in both scrambling and adjusted scoring. A keeper leaguer’s dream. Patrick Reed … Tempered expectations coming off a T23 at Torrey Pines and looking to build on a 3-for-3 slate at TPC Scottsdale, including two starts post-redesign. As attractive as he is in the short-term, his value for full-season gamers remains exponentially greater. You get a lot of hit with a bit too much miss. This and his busy schedule help explain why he’s rarely among the leaders in ownership percentages in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. Cameron Smith … Don’t forget about this guy. Continue to ignore any lackluster course history and remember that he’s still a budding 24-year-old learning the ropes. After lighting the world on fire to conclude 2017, he’s opened the new year T17-T28-T20. Oh, and that course history at TPC Scottsdale (MC-T42) is still valuable experience. Keegan Bradley … All four of his cuts made in six appearances went for a top 25. His best two results occurred in years in which his beloved New England Patriots were in the Super Bowl (2012, 2015), the latter of which just down Loop 101 in Glendale, Arizona. So, as much concern as there might be with respect to a Sunday distraction, the evidence supports the opposite. With that quelled, he’s gunning to improve on last week’s fifth-place showing at Torrey Pines. Bubba Watson … Despite his criticism for TPC Scottsdale, he’s all but mastered the redesign with a T2 in 2015 and a T14 in 2016. Gamers have to be willing to all but write off 2017 due to his ball switch, but he’s back to familiar equipment in 2018. On an aside, had the announcement of his return to the Titleist ball been made before my full-membership fantasy ranking published before the season started, he wouldn’t have been as low at 71st. The lefty probably would have landed somewhere in the 40s. Brendan Steele … Perfect in seven consecutive appearances with five top 20s, including in each of the last two editions. Also 5-for-5 this season. As he continues to hum along in his prime, you already know that he’s one of my favorites in every format. He’s giving no reason why we shouldn’t remain on board. Brandt Snedeker … So many of you are itching to get him back into any lineup. I’ve been hesitant to sign off on it as he regains comfort post-injury and with a new caddie, but this is a proper time to endorse, if but with a paused nod. His record at TPC Scottsdale is impressive, albeit not as glowing as the same at Torrey Pines where he placed T45 last week. Bottom line, the key is investing in his upswing. As he competes for the third straight week and on a track he knows well, it’s now. Gary Woodland … The contrarian’s delight presents similarly as Ryan Palmer last week. I faded the Texan at Torrey Pines, but with this caveat: “The thing is, as proficient as he can be tee to green, this is exactly the kind of test he could ace and surprise no one.” Palmer hadn’t made any noise on that course in the past. Woodland hasn’t factored in earnest at TPC Scottsdale since a T5 in 2011. He finished outside the top 30 in each of the last four editions. His twist from our standpoint is that he strides in having hung up a T7 at the Sony and a T12 at the Farmers. Ryan Moore … Like clockwork, he’s back at TPC Scottsdale for his usual return to competition post-holidays (when not eligible for the Sentry TOC). With a sparkling record here and inspiring form to polish off 2017, you have the green light in all formats. James Hahn (DFS) Anirban Lahiri (DFS) Kyle Stanley (DFS) Fades Kevin Chappell … Surprised at the CareerBuilder with a T6. That doesn’t align with his profile as one to shy away from shootouts. So, for the moment, it’s a bonus. The WMPO isn’t necessarily in the same category, but he’s signed for too many big numbers at TPC Scottsdale to expect a continuation of the blistering 19-under aggregate two weeks ago. Chez Reavie … If there’s going to come a time when you’re going to lay off in DFS, it’s this week. He’s missed the cut in all three tries on the redesign and has no better than a T41 (2011) in just three paydays in nine appearances. Scott Piercy … He’ll be a popular selection due to recent form with a T25 at the Sony and a T6 at the CareerBuilder, and as much as we know he loves himself desert golf, the Las Vegas native and resident hasn’t taken to the redesign at TPC Scottsdale. In his 10 rounds, he’s authored a pair of 6-under 65, but didn’t break par in another round. The sample size settles in stark contrast against a phenomenal record through 2014. At least you understand the origin of this risk. Hunter Mahan … Not quite yet. Surely, you’ve taken notice by now that he’s churning. He’s just not closing. Opting for Past Champions status this season (instead of burning a career earnings exemption in his mid-30s), the 2010 WMPO champ is 97th in the FedExCup standings, but he ranks a respective T131 and T181 in third- and fourth-round scoring average. At best, he’s a flier in DFS. Kevin Na … The slide continues. He’s 4-for-5 on the season, but hasn’t finished inside the top 35 since the Dell Technologies Championship on Labor Day. If he’s going to find his game, you wouldn’t rule it occurring at TPC Scottsdale where he’s perfect in his last six trips, but we could’ve waged a similar narrative prior to other recent commitments. Just wait until he rights the ship with his putter. Steve Stricker … Making his season debut. Remember, he’s fully exempt but required to make only 12 starts to meet the membership minimum since he’s at least 45 years of age with at least 150 career cuts made. He’s one month from turning 51 and has cashed 361 times, but let’s face it, he’s ageless. It’s just that his game hasn’t translated at TPC Scottsdale where he’s gone MC-T42 in two tries on the redesign. Scott Brown Bill Haas Russell Henley Luke List Returning to Competition None. Notables WDs Charles Howell III … One of the more surprising early withdrawals in recent memory given he competed in 15 consecutive WM Phoenix Opens through 2016, but it’s a repeat of last year’s decision. Hey, even workhorses need a breather. J.J. Henry … After making headlines by eclipsing 500 career PGA TOUR starts, the placed T23 alongside another 42-year-old, Tiger Woods, at the Farmers Insurance Open. Henry is fully exempt this season by virtue of the last spot via the FedExCup points list in 2016-17. He’s been a fixture at TPC Scottsdale but hasn’t cracked the top 40 since 2009. Power Rankings Recap – Farmers Insurance Open Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Jon Rahm  T29 2  Justin Rose  T8 3  Tony Finau  T6 4  Rickie Fowler  MC 5  Marc Leishman  T8 6  Hideki Matsuyama  T12 7  Jason Day  Win 8  Gary Woodland  T12 9  Francesco Molinari  T45 10  Brian Harman  MC 11  Shane Lowry  MC 12  Cameron Smith  T20 13  Patrick Cantlay  T51 14  Charles Howell III  T6 15  Kyle Stanley  T51 Wild Card  Tiger Woods  T23 Sleepers – Farmers Insurance Open Golfer  Result Corey Conners  T29 Harris English  T8 Ollie Schniederjans  MC Julian Suri  T63 Michael Thompson  MC Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR January 30 … none January 31 … none February 1 … none February 2 … Bob Estes (52) February 3 … Retief Goosen (49); Heath Slocum (44); Chris Stroud (36); Roberto Díaz (31) February 4 … none February 5 … Kevin Stadler (38)

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Steven Bowditch has never liked making excuses. And to be fair, the scans and tests he’d had weren’t providing any. And so even when deep down he knew something was wrong with his body as his game was deserting him the former Valero Texas Open and AT&T Byron Nelson champion just figured he could work his way out of it. As an old school Australian he’d half scold himself … toughen up princess. Work harder. Find it in the dirt. Play through it. He did keep playing and the result was missing 25 of 27 cuts in 2016-17 and then missing the weekend in all eight tournaments he played in 2017-18. But the lower back pain, sciatic pain, numbness in the legs, tingling in his toes and then a loss of control in his right side just couldn’t be in his head. Finally, after two years of the battle with his body, Bowditch took a new test. A moving x-ray. Hallelujah. Well in a way. You see the good news was there finally was a result that made sense. Pars Defect and Spondylolysis. The bad news … time for spinal fusion of the L5 and S1. Just like Tiger Woods. “There was a sigh of relief, I guess. To know what was going on with my body and to know there was a reason my game left me … it wasn’t just a complete mental breakdown,â€� Bowditch says from his Dallas home. The 35-year-old underwent the surgery late last year and is now in the midst of recovery. After near two months laying predominantly in bed, he’s now hitting maybe 20-30 balls every few days at about 60 or 70 percent. Just a few 9-irons or wedges and the occasional putt. Related: Power Rankings | Monday Qualifiers | Diaz: ‘Just a normal problem’ | Expert Picks The former International Presidents Cup team member says the toughest part is actually having to have the limits. “I miss the grind to be honest. I miss the practice and the grind to get better,â€� he says. But he knows not to push things too hard. He continues rehab four times a week and at this stage he hopes to be making a comeback in his home country late in the year. He will attempt to procure some sponsors invites and play in late November and through December. Bowditch lost his PGA TOUR card before the injury revelation and as such doesn’t fit under a medical exemption. As a result he will hit the 2020 Web.com Tour season from where he is hoping to find his way back to the TOUR. “It might sound silly but coming back via the Web is even better in my eyes,â€� Bowditch – who also boast two Web.com Tour title – says. “It’s where my PGA TOUR career began and the best avenue to climbing my way back.â€� “It really is going back to the start with my golf. As much as I want to be on TOUR the Web should be a great spot to recalibrate my game and get my swing in order. There are also so many mental barriers that I’ll need to pass coming back off an injury.â€� Seeing 80-time PGA TOUR winner Woods make a successful return from the surgery is also a bonus for Bowditch. “His swing has changed a fair bit post-surgery so seeing that is a good thing in my eyes – knowing that it won’t be the same, but that it can be done,â€� he says “I guess for all athletes in any sport coming off an injury … whether it’s an ankle, a knee or whatever it is … you might be having doubts your speed and power is still going to be there under the gun … It is all part of the process I am going through now.â€� While recovery is never easy Bowditch has found a serious silver lining in his time out of the game … the ability to be at the coalface of fatherhood. Bowditch and his wife Amanda have a young daughter Kelly Anne and the now two-year-old has given him plenty of happiness amongst the recuperation process. “Even when I was stuck in bed for six to eight weeks and only up and about for an hour or so each day … just to see her daily growth, her mannerisms change … it was a neat experience,â€� Bowditch beams. “Most people with families know how tough it can be when you’re working nine to five, particularly if you have travel. It always takes a team effort, and I’m lucky to have a great team around me, but you want to be around for the little things. The talking and the first walking and that kind of stuff. It has definitely worked out great to be around to watch her grow.   “If this was ever going to happen, I’m lucky that it happened at this time, in this way, so I can be part of these years.â€�

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