Nordqvist claims Evian Championship in playoff

The PGA TOUR is focused on improving the golf experience, and we’re putting direct fan feedback at the heart of this effort. The Fan Council is a community of real fans from all over the world helping the TOUR make key decisions by being the voice that represents what fans really want. Once in the council, members serve as a sounding board for new ideas, and they collaborate with the TOUR to test-drive new products before they’re available to anyone else. The Fan Council is an avenue for fans to provide feedback directly to the TOUR and have their voice heard. It’s where the TOUR not only looks for feedback, but also encourages fans to share their ideas that can make golf better. To take advantage of this unique opportunity to get involved, click the link below: Join the PGA TOUR Fan Council A note from the Commissioner At the PGA TOUR, no voice has more weight and value than that of our fans. That’s why the PGA TOUR Fan Council – each of you – is so important. We know there’s room to improve, and we’re ready to listen.   Every employee, player, partner and fan is thankful for your passion and dedication to the game. I hope you enjoy your experience, and I look forward to hearing your recommendations on how we can make good on our mission to put Fans First.     – PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan FAQ Q. What kind of activities will I be participating in? A. You’ll be able to interact with the PGA TOUR through the Fan Council website by participating in digital surveys, online forums, polls and other online experiences. We’ll also have several opportunities throughout the year to meet the team at PGA TOUR events and participate in focus groups and other activities at live events. Q. How much does it cost to join the PGA TOUR Fan Council? A. Nothing; it is free to join. We just ask that you actively participate in the council by providing your feedback when requested. Q. What do members receive for participating? A. Official PGA TOUR Fan Council members have the unique opportunity to speak directly to the PGA TOUR. Members also get the chance to see new products and experiences before they’re available to golf fans everywhere. In addition, the Fan Council runs sweepstakes and featured member giveaways periodically. Q. How long can you be a member of the PGA TOUR Fan Council? A. Members can always remain on the council, as long as they actively participate by providing feedback when requested. Q. Who is eligible to join the PGA TOUR Fan Council? A. For consideration, any new members should be at least 18 years of age and be interested in improving the golf experience. Q. My friend/family member should be a member; how do I recommend them for the PGA TOUR Fan Council? A. Anyone who is interested in becoming a member can submit a request here (www.pgatourfancouncil.com) by clicking the “Interested in joining?â€� button. Q. How often can I expect to provide feedback? A. While not every member receives every survey, members can expect to participate in roughly two activities per month.

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Sure, no golfers are competing right now. But that means no caddies are working, either. So one decided to start a movement to help the others. See the work of Tommy Fleetwood’s guy, Ian Finnis.

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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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