Sleeper Picks: The American Express

Erin, Wis. – The United States Golf Association has implemented several changes to procedures to ensure another rules fiasco does not affect this week’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills. A year after eventual champion Dustin Johnson was embroiled in a final round rules drama the governing body has acted decisively. Johnson was initially cleared of causing his ball to move on the green early in his final round at Oakmont last year before being told the issue would come under further review and a penalty was likely. As such he played the final holes unsure of exactly how big his lead was but ultimately prevailed by three shots (a one-shot penalty was enforced post-round) to claim his first major championship. The uncertainty and resulting uproar prompted several changes. “After last year’s U.S. Open we made the commitment to review all of our championships and rules and related protocols and procedures and we’ve done that,â€� Senior Managing Director of Championships & Governance John Bodenhamer said. “Our focus over those months has primarily been three things. To expedite our ruling process to ensure that we’re more timely in our rulings. To be decisive in our decision making. And to more effectively communicate to the players and to all.â€� Steps to make it happen include:     • The ability to immediately mobilize their five person rules committee who will now be in close communication with each other at all times.     • The identification of Thomas Pagel, the senior director of rules, as the “white hat refereeâ€� who can make instantaneous decisions that will be deemed final.     • The enhanced use of technology with four on course video review locations and tablets in the hands of the committee to get quick access to vision if needed.     • The removal of walking rules officials for the first time since 1991, instead moving to static model whereby two officials will be stationed at each hole, giving them every opportunity to be ready for all possible occurrences in their jurisdiction.     • The adoption of the local rule introduced to golf back in December whereby a ball or ball marker that’s accidentally moved on a putting green can be replaced without penalty.     • And the adoption of the new decision from April that says the naked eye and reasonable judgment standards will be leaned on when it comes to reviewing issues. “These and other steps that we’ve implemented we think will allow us to really expedite our rule-making process and be decisive in our communications, which were two things that perhaps we fell a little bit short last year,â€� Bodenhamer continued. “But we’re committed this year to expedite it and we’re excited about it. Our main goal is for this week to be about the players and their journey to the final round. They’re the story of this championship. As such, we are very much looking forward to an exciting and great 117th U.S. Open”

Click here to read the full article…

Ready for some overseas golf? The PGA TOUR’s Asian Swing begins with this week’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia, followed by tournaments in South Korea and China. Unique venues and cultural experiences await (as do late-night viewing opportunities on the Golf Channel!). THE FLYOVER The 634-yard 18th is the most difficult par 5 on the course, playing to a stroke average of 4.763 last season. For most players, it’s a three-shot hole. Look for a back-right pin for Sunday’s final round. LANDING ZONE The 16th hole at TPC Kuala Lumpur is the easiest par 4 on the course, playing to a stroke average of 3.830 last year. That ranks in the top 10 percent of all easiest par 4s on the PGA TOUR. At 318 yards, it’s certainly drivable, although with water down the left side, it’s also potentially hazardous. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Willis Young: “A daily risk for showers and storms remain in the forecast each day through the week, although slightly drier atmospheric conditions Friday through Saturday could delay the onset of storms until the early evening hours and after play finishes. Light west to northwesterly winds are expected through the week.� For the latest weather news from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I always feel it’s important to play in the fall because you don’t want to get too far behind.Even though I won it, I’m not going to put any extra pressure on myself to win it again. BY THE NUMBERS 67 – Justin Thomas’ scoring average in 12 career rounds at the CIMB Classic. That’s the best average of any player with eight minimum rounds. 550 – Number of FedExCup points earned by Justin Rose last year during the Asian Swing. That’s the most of any player in a single year since 2013-14. 2 – Number of Malaysian players in the field – Ben Leong, who has a win and three other top 10s in his last seven starts; and Kim Leun Kwang, who qualified for the event by winning the CIMB National Championship in a playoff two weeks ago. SCATTERSHOTS TPC Kuala Lumpur has undergone a makeover since last year’s event, with TifEagle Bermuda grass now on the greens and Celebration Bermuda on the fairways and tees. That’s identical to the grass used at TPC Sawgrass, home of THE PLAYERS Championship. “I can’t even get over how good it looks,� Justin Thomas said. “It’s not that I ever had any doubt; it’s just hard to do and it’s really hard to make it look as good as they have and be in as good of shape.� It’s about a 750-mile flight from Bangkok, Thailand, where Kiradech Aphibarnrat was born, to Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps it’s fitting that his first start as an official PGA TOUR member comes so close to home. “It is such a good moment for me,� said Aphibarnat. “… It feel like home, especially the weather and people around, the golf fans.� The course should also be a comfortable one, as he won the Malaysian Open here in 2013 and also finished T-3 at the CIMB Classic that same year. There are 19 Nando’s restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. It’s likely that defending champ Pat Perez will dine out at one of them this week. “Nando’s is fantastic,� Perez said about the chain that originated in South Africa. Shubhankar Sharma leads the list of 10 players who qualified via the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He’s also one of four players from India in the field. “It just shows that we have so much depth now in golf,� Sharma said. “… It’s a limited-field event and four Indians playing, I think it’s absolutely great.�

Click here to read the full article…

The PGA TOUR is back on the mainland – specifically the Coachella Valley in Southern California. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Desert Classic. Arnold Palmer won the inaugural event in 1960, then won it for a fifth time in 1973, a victory that would be the last TOUR win of his legendary career. We’ll be thinking of Arnie this week. THE FLYOVER The 435-yard par-4 18th at the Stadium Course was ranked in the middle of the pack among all closing holes on TOUR last season (25th of 51 with a stroke average of 4.043). Water down the left side and a bunker complex on the right ratchets up the difficulty level – especially if you’re in the mix late Sunday afternoon. PGA West master instructor Bryan Lebedevich discusses the challenges of the 18th below. LANDING ZONE The 195-yard par-3 13th ranked 26th hardest among the 918 holes played on the PGA TOUR last season, playing to a stroke average of 3.302. Not only did it produce 13 double bogeys, but also eight “others.â€� The other 17 holes combined at the Stadium Course had nine others. Because of the water, you can’t miss left, and there’s not much room right of the green to bail out. So, yeah, pretty tough hole. Here’s where all recorded tee shots landed last year. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Wade Stettner: “Another storm system will impact Southern California on Thursday with mostly cloudy skies and a chance for rain showers. Most of the rain will fall west of the mountains, but there may still be a few light showers and periods of light rain. Total rainfall on Thursday is forecast under 0.10 of an inch. Dry weather is forecast from Friday through Sunday with warm afternoon temperatures. Breezy conditions are forecast on Friday with winds gusting to 25 mph.â€� For the latest weather news from La Quinta, California, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I get a good vibe in California. I like it. What can I say?   BY THE NUMBERS 5 – Players in the FedExCup era who made the Desert Classic their first career TOUR victory (Charley Hoffman in 2007, Pat Perez in 2009, Bill Haas in 2010, Jhonattan Vegas in 2011 and Hudson Swafford in 2017). 68.83 – Scoring average last season at La Quinta, making it the third easiest course on TOUR behind Aronimink (67.88) and Sedgefield (68.69). That was also the lowest scoring average at La Quinta in the ShotLink era since 1983. 7,503 – Strokes under par on the par 5s at the Desert Classic since 2012. No other tournament on TOUR has had easier par 5s than the three courses used at this event. SCATTERSHOTS 30-Birdie Club: Since the 2013-14 PGA TOUR season, there have been four TOUR winners who made 30 total birdies on their way to victory in four-round events. Two of those have come at the Desert Classic — Jason Dufner in 206 and Patrick Reed in 2014. The other two were Justin Thomas at the 2015 CIMB Classic and Michael Kim at the 2018 John Deere Classic. Charl’s Debut: Among the first-time Desert Classic participants this week is South African Charl Schwartzel, who will be making his 183rd career start on the PGA TOUR. Schwartzel’s best results in any tournament debut were solo thirds at the 2013 AT&T Byron Nelson and third (with teammate Louis Oosthuizen) at the 2018 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Fast Starter: Will 2007 Desert Classic winner Charley Hoffman gets off to another fast start this week? He’s a combined 42 under in the first round in his 11 career starts (five different courses), and his first-round stroke average of 68.18 is his third-best Round 1 scoring average at any tournament . He has 11 opening-round scores of par or better. After starting at La Quinta the last four years, Hoffman will start out at the Stadium Course on Thursday with Schwartzel as his playing partner (along with their amateur teammates). Another Big Hitter: USC freshman Charlie Reiter is considered one of the longest hitters of any 2019 freshman golfer. The Palm Desert High School grad, who is playing on a sponsor exemption this week, isn’t exactly sure how he generates all that power. “I think I was just born with it, maybe,â€� he said.

Click here to read the full article…