Steady Dustin Johnson keeps focus on way to FedExCup

Ping’s new Blueprint Forged prototype irons have made waves in the golf equipment world for their sleek designs with compact profiles, thin toplines and thin soles. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Bubba Watson and Tony Finau have put them in play on the PGA TOUR, and Louis Oosthuizen recently won using the irons at the 2018 South Africa Open. Despite getting play on TOUR, however, the iron designs remained shrouded in a bit of mystery. Most golfers assumed the screw in the toe signified that the irons have a hollow body design, much like the Ping’s new i500. Most golfers were incorrect. During a recent trip to Ping Headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, company representatives informed me that the irons do not have a hollow-body design, and that the screw in the toe is to add weight. While Ping still remained mum on design details, materials, specs and a release date for the irons, company reps did allow me a sneak peek at the ultra-thin-soled 2-iron, which will remind blade users of times passed. We’ll keep you informed if or when Ping reveals more details about the Ping Blueprint Forged prototype irons.

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Tiger Woods didn’t compete at the Hero World Challenge, but the tournament host made his presence felt throughout the week. The 82-time TOUR winner conducted a State of the Union-type press conference early-week at Albany in the Bahamas, gave putting lessons to pro-am participants, walked his dogs via cart, spectated alongside son Charlie and more. Woods is scheduled to compete at The Match this Saturday, partnering Rory McIlroy against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, and at next week’s PNC Championship alongside Charlie. Here’s a rundown of five memorable Woods quotes from the week at the Hero World Challenge. “I can hit whatever shot you want. I just can’t walk.” Tiger Woods had the intent of competing in the Hero World Challenge, of which he is a five-time champion, but a bout with plantar fasciitis prevented his appearance. The condition, one of the most common causes of heel pain, is an inflammation of a thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that connects the heel bone to the toes. Woods said that his form has been sound in casual rounds at home, noting “a couple 63s and 64s,” and that he can walk nine holes but the prospect of 72 holes was likely too much at this point. He remains confident in his ability to compete in a cart the next two weeks at The Match and PNC Championship, respectively. “You don’t want to go down the surgical route. I chose to stretch and relax.” Just 5% of those with plantar fasciitis opt for surgery, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, as a number of surgical risks include infection and nerve injury. Consequently, Woods has opted for the more common recovery route, allowing the inflammation to decrease via staying off his feet as much as possible. “To get not only just one, but I’d like to get a big one too.” Woods was posed the question by Paul Azinger on Saturday’s broadcast of the Hero World Challenge: How motivating is the prospect of earning an 83rd PGA TOUR title to break a tie with Sam Snead as winningest player in TOUR history? Woods was direct. It is motivating to be sure, and he doesn’t intend on limiting his ambitions to a standard TOUR event. He’s intent on pursuing another major title. Woods built his 2022 schedule around competing at The 150th Open at St. Andrews. Not only did he achieve this goal, but he also competed at the Masters and PGA Championship, advancing to the weekend in each. He missed the cut at The Open but remains steadfast in his belief that he can go toe-to-toe with “the kids” and return to contention in TOUR starts, including majors, moving forward. “I told Charlie, ‘Don’t copy my swing. Copy Rory’s.’” The comparisons between Tiger and Charlie Woods are inevitable. As documented in a PGA TOUR compilation video by social content manager Scott Kunath, their mannerisms are uncanny. But Tiger isn’t necessarily encouraging Charlie to copy his swing move-for-move. In fact, he suggests taking notes from the action of world No. 1 Rory McIlroy. Woods notes that McIlroy is rarely off-balance on his swing, a trait that Woods finds more difficult to maintain as he works through various injuries. “Have you ever seen Rory off balance on a shot? Not ever,” Woods said on the Hero World Challenge broadcast. “That’s one of the things my dad instilled in me, is that you should be able to balance and hold your finish until the ball rolls and stops. You can swing as hard as you want, but you need to have balance.” “It’s getting to a point where I can’t get in his head and then no one else can get in there, either. That’s what my dad believed in.” Woods always felt autonomy with his own swing, and he wants Charlie to feel the same way. When it comes to the mental side, though, the elder Woods isn’t afraid to make his mark. Woods fondly remembers the mental tricks his dad would utilize to bolster his mental toughness, and he recalls certain tricks that TOUR veterans would try on younger players to keep them on their toes – “certain things with clubs and shoes and timing and trying to get into your head; the early walk.” He intends for his son to be ready for whatever might come his way. As a dad does.

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England’s Eddie Pepperell shot a second-round 68 to get on the first page of the leaderboard at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Then he had everyone in stitches talking about it. Pepperell is well-known in Europe for his candor and sense of humor, and after reaching 4 under for the day, and the tournament, he entertained at Bay Hill, as well. There were several funny moments, among them his confession that he’s just gone back to his old coach, Mike Walker, for “only the fourth time.â€� But Pepperell reached new heights when he started talking about his unfamiliarity with American customs. This is the third API without Palmer himself, and Pepperell, alluding to the week-long homage to one of the game’s all-time greats, has been impressed. He was also, at least momentarily, confused.     “I came on to the putting green yesterday,â€� he said, “and there was one flag in the putting green right in the middle and I started to putt to it, setting up a drill, and I took the flag out thinking, well I can take the flag out, which I can. But I had (putting coach) Phil Kenyon come up to me and say, ‘Eddie, that’s Arnie’s flag, that’s–that has to stay in every year in his memory.’ “And so I’m like, I think he’s winding me up,â€� Pepperell continued, “because I know what it feels like, we have that kind of relationship. … I had to ask Charles Howell, I said, ‘Charles, can you just tell me something? Should that flag be in? Is it in memory of Arnie?’ And he said, ‘No, no, he’s messing with you.’ So, yeah, that is a tradition that doesn’t exist. But I wasn’t surprised that it might have existed, which maybe goes to his legacy.â€�

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