Schauffele with 2 clutch putts gives U.S. golf gold

"Next week I’m going to be trying a 48-inch driver. We’re going to be messing with some head designs and do some amazing with things with Cobra to make it feasible to hit these drives maybe 360, 370, maybe even farther. I don’t know.” That was said by none other than Bryson Dechambeau after his six-stroke victory at the U.S. Open. It was validation to many that hitting it six miles is the way of the future. Oddly enough, the player at the complete opposite side of that spectrum is also a player who has had monumental success in 2020 — and to take it even further just a short time ago, Brendon Todd was "short" and couldn't hit the ball straight. Talk about digging yourself into a hole. This is where his story gets downright amazing. While players like DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, and the likes were getting faster and stronger, Brendon was finding his game—and ultimately his joy again. Keep in mind, at a certain point not so long ago he was having trouble keeping even a 4-iron on the map. There was a stretch during the dark times when he missed 37 of 40 cuts. “A year ago, I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep playing. So it’s really special to get this win this soon.” – Brendon Todd after his 2019 Bermuda Championship Like any great story, somehow, someway, grit and perseverance won the day. Last November, Todd won twice (Mayakova, Bermuda) in three weeks. His bag setup may look complex but it's not, he seeks help where he needs it (4 and 5 irons for example) and the bag is dialed in perfectly for precision. If you compare him to the bigger hitters on the PGA TOUR, Brendon Todd's launch data is very much closer to earth. With the driver, he's at 12 degrees of launch (not high or low), 2300-2400 RPM spin, and 160 MPH ball speed with the driver. If you're curious, Rory gets 165-plus MPH out of his 5-wood … So what does Todd's success say? Good accurate golf still has a place amongst the 320-plus gladiators, if you stay in your lane. Golf is still chess not checkers. And players like Brendon Todd, Ryan Moore, Kevin Na and even Colin Morikawa hope to keep it that way. Take a look at the clubs Brendon Todd will have in his bag this week. Driver: Ping G410 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Blue 60 TX 3-wood: Ping G425 Max (14.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Blue 80TX 43 Inches 5-wood: Ping G425 Max (17.5 degrees) Shaft: UST VTS Black 8 X Irons: Titleist 718 T-MB (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6) Titleist 718 CB (7-PW) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT S400 Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (50/12F) SM8 (54/08M @55), Fourteen Golf RM-Proto (60-10T) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (50, 54), KBS Tour S+ (60) Putter: Sik Pro C-Series Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

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Jordan Spieth put on a show in the first round. But what does history suggest will happen next? Also, can Tiger figure out No. 11? Can anybody figure out No. 7? And is Sergio Garcia headed for company he’d rather not be keeping?

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TULSA, Okla. – Count Rory McIlroy among the interested consumers of the copious preview content that precedes every major championship. McIlroy had never played Southern Hills before this week, not that a previous appearance would have helped much. The course underwent a dramatic renovation by Gil Hanse since it last hosted a professional tournament. To get ready for this week, McIlroy watched flyover videos from online outlets like Golf Digest and The Fried Egg to get a feel for the course. He went so far as seeking highlights from last year’s Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills. “Just did a little bit of digging online, and it sort of seemed pretty apparent that this is an approach shot and short game — like iron play and chipping is going to be really important this week,” said McIlroy, who also shared the videos with his caddie, Harry Diamond. What once was a traditional major test, with thick Bermudagrass rough lining narrow fairways and greens, has been reimagined. The fairways have been widened and short grass is more prevalent around the greens. The new design fits modern trends while also harkening back to the Golden Age of course architecture. After playing practice rounds, McIlroy did say that the course seems wider than it appeared on video and that, despite the plethora of short grass around the greens, putting from off the green is often not an option, requiring players to execute touchy chip shots from tight lies to a putting surface that sits above them. “I think he’s done a wonderful job with it,” McIlroy said about Hanse. “Love the green complexes. I love that he gives you options off the tee. “I think you’re going to see a lot of different strategies this week, guys hitting driver where maybe other guys aren’t and vice versa. It’s a really good track. I really enjoyed playing it yesterday, and I think it’s going to be a wonderful test this week.”

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