Jordan Spieth and wife welcome first child

Rory McIlroy calls Seminole Golf Club the greatest course that famed designer Donald Ross ever created – and Ross designed a lot, nearly 430 courses. Dustin Johnson says he feels like he can tear it up every time he plays — only to be constantly put in his place. History and intrigue drips from the place. This is where Ben Hogan would unwind and also tune up for the Masters every year in his prime. “Seminoleâ€� is one of those words in the wider golf community that pricks up every ear. Those who have been and played have great stories and those who haven’t want to go. RELATED: Fans at home will be able to contribute to TaylorMade Driving Relief’s COVID-19 relief efforts thanks to PGA TOUR Charities’ online and Text-To-Give donation platforms powered by GoFundMe Charity. Click here to donate. MORE: How it works | Power Rankings | Expert Picks | Similarities run deep for Fowler, Wolff | Rory, DJ at the forefront of golf’s paradigm shift While other courses such as Augusta National and Cypress Point have a similar aura, people have at least been able to see those on television in the past. Meanwhile, Florida’s Seminole Golf Club has been hidden away from view and the legend grows with each tidbit of a story you hear. So while there is no doubt that anticipation for any live sport is about as high as possible thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fact that Seminole is going on display in Sunday’s TaylorMade Driving Relief charity skins match has taken it to even greater heights. McIlroy and Johnson are preparing to take on Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in support of COVID-19 relief efforts with all four combatants knowing the course itself brings as much intrigue as the competition. Fowler likens Seminole to another Ross gem – Pinehurst No. 2 – and knows that while the other pairing might have a power advantage, this course is more about precision on approach and a sharp short game. Each hole finds a way to work into a different wind, which given the close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, can be a daunting prospect “I love Seminole. It’s just a fun golf course to play,â€� Fowler beams. “You’re going to see us having some fun off the tee and then from there is where things will get separated on approach shots and putting. “It’s very much a second-shot or approach-shot golf course. I’d say it’s fairly forgiving off the tee but how the greens are kind of designed, they’re pretty good-sized. But as far as where you can land the ball and keep the ball on the green … it’s kind of similar to a Pinehurst No. 2 in a way. “A lot of balls will roll and feed off, whether it’s back down through the fairway into bunkers, and that’s where it can get tough, especially if the wind is up.â€� Fowler’s partner, PGA TOUR young gun Wolff, has played the course just a handful times. But he saw enough to know he better bring his best short game. “The greens are extremely difficult. They’re very sloped, a lot of subtle breaks, and I’ve even heard that people putt the ball often off the green and into bunkers,â€� Wolff says. “I don’t think you’re going to see that from us, but it’s definitely something that I think putting is a huge advantage there.â€� In fact, McIlroy admits to putting off the green in a recent practice round. “I putted off the fifth green from about 30 feet,â€� the FedExCup champion says, proving even the best can be tamed by Seminole. “If the wind gets up and the greens are as fast as they were last Friday … birdies might be hard to come by, but there are going to be some chances. “Seminole is going to be a treat for everyone to see on TV. I think it’s Donald Ross’s greatest course he ever designed. He had a wonderful piece of land beside the Atlantic Ocean, and it has some of the best green complexes in the world in terms of the thought that needs to go into playing your second shots and then just how thoughtful you need to be on the greens and around the greens.â€� PGA TOUR senior tournament referee Stephen Cox says the setup on Sunday will be true to Seminole’s best features. While social distancing and other protocols will be in full effect to ensure the safest possible scenarios, Cox is confident the viewers will see Seminole in a great light. “We’re very, very lucky to have the likes of [head pro] Bob Ford on-site. He and I are going to work very closely to set up the golf course in a way befitting an event of this style and showcase some of the fun hole locations that Seminole has to offer,â€� Cox says. “There’s a genuine excitement about seeing Seminole. It’s not been broadcast to the worldwide audience before, so this is a new unique opportunity for people around the world to get a glimpse and to see such an American treasure.â€� Johnson is hoping he can finally get one over the course he says keeps enticing him back before finding ways to shut him down. “Seminole is a special place, and fortunately for us we live right down the street from it. I’ve gotten to play it quite a few times, and it’s a course you always enjoy playing. It’s got tons of history,â€� the 20-time PGA TOUR winner says. “When you first get there and you look at it, you think, OK, I should tear this place up, but then when you get done playing, you add your score up and it’s never very good, especially because the greens are always so fast, it’s a little windy … I always struggle there. “Obviously with no live sports really on right now, I think the world needs something to watch, so hopefully we can go out and put on a good show. We’re raising a lot of money for people who really need it, so it’s great to be a part of that, and I think we’re all really looking forward to it.â€�

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When Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, John Rahm, and other adidas Golf athletes tee it up on TOUR in 2019, they will do so in new models of the brand’s iconic TOUR360 shoe. The new TOUR360 XT line gives players three high-performance options including a redesigned cleated model, the first-ever spikeless version of the TOUR360, and a spikeless model with the BOA closure system. Much like a powerful golf swing, the TOUR360 XT family of shoes is built from the ground up. In fact, the XT name comes from the new traction system with X-shaped lugs, which is found on all three models. The advantage of the X-shaped lugs is their eight-sided touch points with the ground, which provide a multi-directional grip and increased stability throughout the swing. As a result, players feel more secure in any conditions, including uneven lies. Nowhere are these X-shaped lugs more important than on the two spikeless models. The TOUR360 XT SL is the first TOUR-quality spikeless shoe adidas has ever made. The entire outsole of the SL model features strategically placed X-Traxion lugs to provide the comfort of a spikeless shoe with the gripping power world-class players demand. Not only does the shape of the lugs help to provide traction, but their varying heights allow some of the lugs to dig deeper into the ground. adidas found that this pattern of varying heights further helped to increase traction. “We wanted to make the highest performing spikeless shoe in the industry,� said Masun Denison, global footwear director, adidas Golf. “We tested all shapes and configurations and found that the X-shape, along with a rubberized TPU outsole, provided unmatched grip, stability, flexibility, and performance. The X-shape also increases ground contact and provides more comfort on all surfaces.� The X-shaped features aren’t limited to just the lugs, either. A new X-Torsion system in the midfoot area of the outsole connecting the heel and forefoot helps to provide even more stability and control throughout the swing. Adding to the comfort of the TOUR360 XT SL is the full-length, heel-to-toe BOOST midsole. adidas has turned to the BOOST technology in the last few generations of the TOUR360. BOOST is those popcorn-like TPU beads that are steam molded and pressed together to form the midsole. The biggest advantages BOOST has over traditional EVA midsoles is its energy return and durability, which translates to more comfort over a longer period of time. Joining the TOUR360 XT SL is a BOA model. The micro-adjustability of the L6 BOA® closure system on the tongue allows for an easy, customizable fit. A new INSITE® sockliner (featured in all three models) also improves stability and balance by cupping the heel, which helps promote better posture. You’ll find the SL in four colorways while the SL BOA is available in two. Both come with a one-year waterproof warranty. For those players preferring a cleated traction system, adidas has introduced the completely redesigned TOUR360 XT with a combination of eight cleats and secondary X-Traxion lugs for additional grip and stability. By removing two spikes from the previous model, adidas increased flexibility and comfort while decreasing the overall weight of the shoe. Designers also reworked the BOOST pieces in the heel and forefoot. Both are slightly wider and have larger expansion holes on the bottom to improve stability and comfort. The new BOOST cushioning now has a lower profile, which improves the aesthetics and gives players an improved connection to the ground. With the TOUR360 XT, adidas has implemented a new forging technique underneath the three stripes. By heating that portion of the upper, the stability in the midfoot was increased and the overall weight of the shoe was decreased. The TOUR360 XT features a rich premium leather upper, comes with a two-year waterproof warranty, and is available in four colorways. The TOUR360 XT and TOUR360 XT SL are available in both medium and wide options while the TOUR360 XT BOA features a medium-wide fit. All three models are offered on a brand new last which has improved aesthetics, more forefoot width and a slightly lower ceiling. BUY EQUIPMENT HERE: PGA TOUR Superstore

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the dozen times Kevin Kisner has played in majors, he has learned they are not much fun unless he’s playing well. He’s having a blast so far in the PGA Championship. Sticking to a simple plan on a challenging course at Quail Hollow, Kisner holed a 50-foot eagle putt from off the green that carried him to another 4-under 67. That gave him a five-shot lead among those who played in the Friday morning side of the draw. Kisner was at 8-under 134 as Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and others headed out in the afternoon just as a light rain began to fall. That might be the worst thing that happened all day to Kisner. The notorious greens of Quail Hollow were slick as ever, keeping low scores at a minimum. “These guys going out in the afternoon, they break 70 they’ve done a hell of a job,” Rory McIlroy said after he suffered another bad stretch and shot 72. Kisner doesn’t have the length for this 7,600-yard course, but he has golf smarts, a reliable swing and a good putting stroke for the greens. He saw the changes to the course earlier this year on a soft, damp day and wondered how he would manage. The plan was to make birdie on the par 5s and the two short par 4s, and play for par everywhere else. It has worked to near perfection through two rounds, particularly on the par 5s: a wedge to 10 feet on No. 10; a wedge to 5 feet on No. 15; and the eagle putt on No. 7 that rolled against the pin and disappeared. Rickie Fowler tried to do his part. Playing conservative at times to be in the fairway, he avoided a big number early in his round when a 60-foot chip didn’t quite get up a ridge and rolled all the way back to his feet. He lagged the next shot up to 5 feet and escaped with bogey. Fowler picked up two birdies and then had to settle for pars the rest of the way for a 70 that put him at 3-under 139. No one else was closer to Kisner among the early starters, particularly not Phil Mickelson. He finally made a birdie on his 31st hole of the tournament, but by then it was much too late. Mickelson shot 74 and missed the cut for the first time in the PGA Championship since 1992. Ryan Fox of New Zealand posted the low round of the tournament at 66 to reach 1 under overall. McIlroy, meanwhile, made an amazing escape of his own with a shot that bounced so far down a cart path on the par-5 10th that it was pin-high, 100 yards away. He bounced a 6-iron from 110 yards up the cart path, through the bunker and onto the fringe about 40 feet away, and got up-and-down for par. That was the biggest excitement he had all day. Still lurking in range, McIlroy fell apart early on the front nine with four bogeys in five holes and had to rally with birdie on the two easiest holes on that side. “Obviously, Kiz is on fire right now,” McIlroy said. “But take him out of the equation, I feel like I’m still right there in the tournament.” That’s a practical way of thinking whenever most anyone has a big lead, and the fact it’s Kisner adds to the intrigue. He is tough to beat when he’s hitting it where he’s aiming because of his short game and his fortitude. Traveling the mini-tours toughened him, and he has won twice on the PGA TOUR. But he didn’t play his first major until the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, and his finishes have largely been in the middle of the pack. “I’ve been upset with how I’ve played in the majors so far in my career,” Kisner said. “I feel like I have the game to compete in majors, and tons of 30th to 40th, 50th-place finishes. That’s kind of been our goal for the year. We haven’t played well in them yet this year, but every year you learn more about the majors.” The biggest lesson? “They are really hard,” he said. “And they are not a whole lot of fun unless everything is working out for you.”

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