Round 2 leaderboard: Charles Schwab Challenge

How do you produce live golf in the age of COVID-19? It’s complicated. Sean McManus, Chairman of CBS Sports, said the network will use roughly half its normal on-site personnel, including Jim Nantz with a robotic camera instead of Nick Faldo, who will be in Orlando with Frank Nobillo. Staff in New York and Los Angeles will also be contributing. “It’s one of the great challenges that I’ve ever seen in my 35 years,� Nantz said. “This is the most complicated production plan I’ve ever been involved in,� McManus added. Golf was already the hardest sport to produce. Now it’s exponentially harder, but the network is embarking on an 11-week run of coverage in which they’re figuring it out on the fly. This week’s show has been more than two months in the making, McManus said. Among the never-before-attempted features will be a mid-round confession cam, in a tent, featuring a robotic camera and a single question on a cue card for players to (hopefully) answer as they play through. Necessity is the mother of invention, McManus said, and with no fans and no roars, it was time to explore new audio sources. The broadcast will acknowledge current events – the pandemic, the ongoing protests for racial justice – but provide much-needed counterprogramming. “I think our nation maybe needs a bit of a distraction,� McManus said. Nantz called this week “an opportunity for the TOUR to create a wider fan base than it’s ever had before.� FedExCup No. 2 Justin Thomas echoed that sentiment. Ryan Palmer, a member at Colonial Country Club, said, “We need live golf. America needs it. We need live sports. I think this week is going to be a very special, huge week for the sporting world.� We need it because we have had almost nothing but sports rebroadcasts and “The Great British Baking Show� and far too much terrible news to watch for nearly three months. The Schwab will pull in golf fans, yes, but also sports fans and anyone just looking for something different. “I think we’ve all exhausted every one of our favorite shows,� said Brandel Chamblee, the Golf Channel analyst, who will also ramp back up this week. “By now, we’ve done everything there is to do around the house. I think everybody’s honey-do lists are checked off and completed. “Sporting events bring us together in a way nothing else does,� he added. “It gives us something somewhat trivial to talk about, but entertaining nonetheless, and allows all of us to have loyalty. It’s not life or death. It’s raw entertainment, but in it, you know, there’s inspiration. So it just galvanizes us. … I expect the ratings to be colossally high.� Indeed, it’s almost hard to overstate the importance of this Return to Golf. We’ve missed the percussive thwap and eye-popping parabola of a Rory McIlroy drive. We’ve missed the terrible tension of a jam-packed leaderboard on a late Sunday afternoon. Heck, we’ve even missed the “mashed potatoes� guy. (OK, maybe not so much him.) Scientifically, what we’ve been missing is mirror neurons, which are what happen when we watch golf, listen to a concert, or even read a novel. To the extent that we’re familiar with an activity, some percentage of our premotor cortex kicks in even as we observe it. Simply put, as Rory sizes up a putt to win on a steamy day in Texas, our palms, too, are sweating. Sports bring us together? Oh, yeah, they do – on an empathic level. “There’s the empathy of almost being in the mind of the athlete,� said UCLA neuroscientist Marco Iacoboni, an expert on mirror neurons, “and then there’s sharing that empathy with other people watching that athlete – we’ve been missing that big-time. It will be nice to get that back.� We’ve also been missing the element of surprise; fans like watching talent, yes, but also want to be surprised by luck – a crazy bounce, for example, to give the underdogs and/or less skilled a chance. Iacoboni calls it the you-never-know-what-is-going-to-happen factor. Meanwhile, real life goes on, and continues to surprise us all. “I’m 61 years old,� Nantz said, when asked about current events, “and I consider this to be perhaps the most important time in history in my lifetime. We just have to get this opportunity right. We can’t let this moment pass without real and meaningful progress when it comes to equality, diversity, justice, love and empathy, and I hope to express that at the top. “… I think the golf TOUR being back in action,� he added, “it comes at a very important time in our nation’s history. It’s a chance to get people to actually watch something together, root together, unify together, and I hope that that can be achieved.�

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Tiger Woods did something he’s never done before in his career by hitting two balls in the water at TPC Sawgrass’ famous No. 17 island green.

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If it ain't broke don't fix it. This is not the motto above the Ping headquarters - but it could be - given their penchant to only bring out something new when they are certain of improvement across all performance areas. Building on the successful G410 platform, Ping engineers now offer golfers enhanced distance, stability, and a full complement of custom fitting options to dial in performance with its new G425 line. The Ping G425 family features three driver models (G425 MAX, G425 LST, G425 SFT), three fairway wood models (MAX, LST, SFT), and the G425 hybrid, Crossover, and irons). "As is our engineering philosophy, we don't introduce a new product unless it's measurably better than its predecessor. The G425 family exceeds that standard in both performance and appearance," Ping president John K. Solheim says. "The Tour response to the G425 driver has been exceptional. It started with a win its first week on the European Tour in the hands of Tyrrell Hatton at the BMW PGA Championship and has continued with wins around the world ever since. Viktor Hovland claimed the Mayakoba Golf Classic in early December with the G425 LST and one week later the U.S. Women's Open champion also relied on the new driver." To keep the likes of 12-time PGA TOUR winner Bubba Watson and Hatton, the reigning Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard champion, happy they'd need to allow their specific set of gifts shine. "This driver in particular is definitely easier to turn over than some of our previous models, and I think that’s good for a guy like Hatton who likes to move it left to right and his misses to the right are minimized," Ping Director of Tournament Players Christian Pena said. "Viktor Hovland switched to it. He’s gained all kinds of yardage, and I think that’s a testament to the head also and then the fitting. We’ve increased his shaft length a little bit knowing that he hits it so straight, and he still hits it just as straight with a little more length with a driver that has been more forgiving and lower spin to help him gain distance." "Tony Finau is in it. Joaquin Neimann. Bubba Watson is in the G425 LST because he can maneuver it." With respect to the drivers themselves, the primary G425 model is the MAX, so named for its elevation of MOI (moment of inertia) - and thus forgiveness - to the highest level in Ping history. The G425 lineup also features the G425 LST (Low Spin Technology) and SFT (Straight Flight Technology) to cover all swing profiles. The crowns of Ping G425 drivers feature an improved version of the company's turbulators, which improve airflow and increase aerodynamic efficiency. The lightweight, framed lattice titanium structure both saves weight from the crown and increases its rigidity, which lowers the center of gravity and gives engineers the ability to reposition mass around the clubhead for greater MOI (which equals more forgiveness). In using the proven forged T9S+ face of previous generations, the thin, variable thickness design provides a high COR (more springiness) around the face for more distance. Weight savings - in large part to the technologies discussed above - allowed Ping engineers to move weight low and back in the driver heads for lower spin coupled with greater forgiveness and stability. The Ping G425 MAX boasts the most successful elements of the G400 Max and G410 Plus drivers. A 26-gram moveable tungsten weight positions more mass in the rear of the club for greater stability and forgiveness. Indeed, MOI is 14 percent higher compared to the G410 Plus, according to Ping. As with previous models, the weight can be adjusted to neutral, draw, or fade settings. The Ping G425 LST features a slightly smaller (445cc) pear-shaped head, and is designed to reduce spin. Compared to the G425 MAX, the LST model spins 500-700 rpm less—and it spins 200 rpm less than the previous generation G410 LST. In keeping with the smaller head, the adjustable weight is lighter in the LST as well at 17 grams. The Ping G425 SFT (straight flight technology) is designed to help golfers who push and/or slice their tee shots. The 460cc, draw-biased club has a 23-gram tungsten weight in the heel to promote a right-to-left ball flight (an additional 25 yards of correction beyond the G425 MAX). The new G425 Fairway woods and hybrids bring with them two innovations Ping engineers hang their golf caps on – Facewrap Technology and Spinsistency. The Facewrap refers to a high-strength, thin maraging steel face that extends over the top of the face to the crown of the club. This produces greater face flexing, increasing the trampoline effect of the face for faster ball speed. As for Spinsistency, Ping calls it "a complex face curvature that modifies the roll profile, mainly low on the face where the loft decreases to normalize spin and increase ball speed for more distance." Both Ping Man robot testing and player testing with the new G425 fairway woods and hybrids showed greater distance on shots struck low in the face, thanks to this. "Drivers have the advantage that you can tee them up however you want. So based on where you’re hitting on the face and how you’re doing that day, you can tee a little higher or a little lower. You can’t do that when you have a tight lie on the fairway," Ping VP of Engineering Paul Wood says. "You’re going to catch that roll on the face or you’re going to chunk it. You don’t have that luxury. Sometimes it sits up a little, sometimes sitting down, sometimes it’s a tight lie. You’re going to hit low on the face fairly regularly with a fairway wood. So really, what (Spinsitency) is doing is keeping that spin down a little, stopping the ball ballooning too much, but still giving you optimal results when you do hit one out of the middle or high on the face." The G425 irons feature a first for Ping: metal-wood style, variable face thickness (VFT) design. This allows the iron faces to flex more, producing higher ball speeds and higher-launching, faster-stopping shots. A compact iron, the G425 is shorter heel-to-toe than the G410. Even with the smaller package, however, the G425 still boasts higher MOI than its predecessor thanks to toe and hosel weights and the enhanced perimeter weighting they provide. "Normally, a smaller package means less forgiveness. You have less room to spread the mass to make the moment of inertia around the center of the head higher. What we’ve been able to do with the G425 iron is move the shaft in a little bit make it look visually a little smaller heel to toe and actually play a little smaller heel to toe," Wood says. "It's easier to manipulate the face…and it's a tiny bit more draw biased, which is good for the game improvement market…It’s more forgiving, while at the same time looking a little smaller…Best of both worlds." In terms of cosmetics, G425 irons feature a performance-improving, water-repelling hydropearl chrome finish. G425 irons are available in 4-9, PW, UW, SW, and LW in Standard, Power Spec, and Retro Spec lofts. The grooves in the PW, UW, SW, and LW are precision-milled for additional control. Lastly, as a gap-filling long iron-replacement, Ping's G425 Crossover features a thinner face and larger, more forgiving shape than a traditional long iron. The G425 features toe and hosel weights to increase the perimeter weighting - and thus MOI - of the club. For additional specs on all products see below. Additional specs Ping G425 drivers: Additional specs Ping G425 MAX: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Ping G425 LST: 9°, 10.5° Ping G425 SFT: 10.5° Head weights: 208g (LST), 206g (MAX), 202g (SFT) Swingweight: D3 (MAX), D4 (LST), D1 (SFT) Std. length: 45 3/4″ (Alta CB Slate 55); 45 1/4″ (Ping Tour and optional stock) Stock shaft: Ping Alta CB (counter-balanced) Slate (SR, R, S, X) Optional stock shafts: Ping Tour 65, 75 (R, S, X), Alta Distanza Red (SR), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 (R, S) and 65 (R, S, X), Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70 (R, S, X) Ping G425 fairway woods, hybrids: Additional specs G425 MAX 3W: (14.5°), 5W (17.5°), 7W (20.5°), 9W (23.5°) G425 LST: 3W (14.5°) G425 SFT: 3W (16°), 5W (19°), and 7W (22°) G425 Hybrids: 2 (17°), 3 (19°), 4 (22°), 5 (26°), 6 (30°) and 7 (34°). Fairway woods and hybrids feature a lightweight, 8-position hosel for loft (+-1.5°) and lie (up to 3° flatter) adjustments. Fairway wood stock shaft: Ping Alta CB Slate 65 (SR, R, S, X) Fairway wood no-upcharge shaft options: Ping Tour 65, 75 (R, S, X), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 75 (R, S, X), Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70 (R), Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 80 (S, X Hybrid stock shaft: Ping Alta CB Slate 70 (SR, R, S, X) Hybrid optional stock shafts: Ping Tour 85 (R, S, X); Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro 80 Orange (R, S, X), Aldila Rogue Black Hybrid 95 (TS, TX) Ping G425 irons: Additional specs Stock shaft options: Ping AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), Alta CB Slate powered by AWT (SR, R, S) Optional stock shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), True Temper Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), Project X LZ (5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5), True Temper Elevate 95 (R, S), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (R, S, X), KBS Tour (R, S, X) Ping G425 Crossovers: Additional specs Available in 2 (18°), 3 (20°) and 4 (22.5°) Stock shaft: Ping Alta CB 70 Slate (SR, R, S, X) Optional stock shafts: Ping Tour 85 (R, S, X), Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro 80 Orange (R, S, X), Aldila Rogue Black Hybrid 95 (TS, TX) Arccos Caddie Smart Grip Program The Arccos Caddie Smart Grip (Golf Pride Lite 360 Tour Velvet) is the standard grip on all G425 clubs. Golfers who purchase one or more G425 driver, fairway wood, hybrid, iron (up to five), or Crossover are eligible for 14 free Arccos Screw-In sensors and a free trial of the app. The annual subscription is $99.99. Note: Interested in adding the Ping G425 family to your bag? Click here for driver and here for irons.

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