Sunday surge sends Francesco Molinari soaring at Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard

CHICAGO – RSM US LLP (“RSM”) – the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market and title sponsor of The RSM Classic – is pleased to announce that Taylor Montgomery has won $300,000 through the RSM Birdies Fore Love on-course competition for recording the most birdies (or better) over the first nine events of the 2022-2023 PGA TOUR Season. As part of the program, the money will be donated to Montgomery’s charity of choice. The $1 million dollars given through RSM’s Birdies Fore Love on-course competition is combined with the donations made through The Power of Love, which combines two of RSM’s marquee stewardship programs, Birdies Fore Love and Volunteer Day, under a common banner. The top three players who accumulated the most birdies (or better), beginning with the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California, and concluding with The RSM Classic at Sea Island, Georgia, were awarded with $300,000, $150,000 and $50,000 respectively for charitable donations to the players’ choice of children- and/or family-focused charitable organizations that are building tomorrow’s middle market leaders. Patrick Rodgers finished second and will donate $150,000 to his charity of choice, while Will Gordon finished third in the RSM Birdies Fore Love competition and will donate $50,000. “The RSM Classic and our relationship with the PGA TOUR and the Davis Love Foundation provide an incredible opportunity to enhance RSM’s commitment to stewardship,” said Brian Becker, managing partner & CEO with RSM US LLP. “We are honored to have donated more than $6.7 million to support children- and family-focused nonprofits across the United States, Canada, India and El Salvador through this year’s Power of Love efforts, including the on-course RSM Birdies Fore Love program.” In alignment with the RSM US Foundation, winning players designated funds to charitable organizations dedicated to building tomorrow’s middle-market leaders through programs that support education, as well as organizations committed to improving the lives of youth through a focus on hunger, housing and health. “We had an incredibly successful week, with an exciting tournament won by Adam Svensson, and the Power of Love program raising more than $6.7 million,” said PGA TOUR Professional, Team RSM Member and RSM Classic Tournament Host Davis Love III. “I am proud of how The RSM Classic has evolved over the years and enhanced its support of the community. Congratulations to our RSM Birdies Fore Love competition winners. I am excited their winnings will positively impact deserving charitable organizations benefiting children and their families.” Since the inception of The RSM Classic in 2010, RSM and the Davis Love Foundation have donated nearly $35 million to nonprofit organizations that support children and families in the areas of hunger, housing, health and education. More than 80 organizations across the U.S. have benefited from these donations, including the Boys and Girls Club and Special Olympics.

Click here to read the full article…

Click here to read the full article…

Collin Morikawa’s superb play over the opening two days of The 149th Open Championship has come after the American made some equipment adjustments heading into this week. The 24-year-old, who shot 67-64 in the opening two rounds at Royal St. George’s, swapped out three key irons before Thursday’s opening round. Morikawa switched from his TaylorMade P730 irons to the brand’s P7MC model in his 7-iron through 9-iron, a decision made after finding the P7MCs aided his turf interaction and provided a more centered ball strike, as well as a touch more forgiveness. “I changed my irons, my 9- through 7-iron that I normally have blades in. I changed to the MCs strictly because I couldn’t find the center of the face,” said Morikawa following his second round. “Those are three crucial clubs that are some of my favorite clubs. My 8-iron is my favorite club in the bag, and when I wasn’t able to hit it (well) last week well, I knew I had to try something different.” Last week’s Scottish Open was Morikawa’s first experience on the links. He finished T71. The Californian also added a new TaylorMade MG2 Hi-Toe (60 degree) wedge while also making a weight adjustment to his TP Juno putter. As is often the case on the slower greens across the pond, Morikawa was finding it difficult to get the ball to the hole at last week’s Scottish Open. To help his speed on the slow greens at Royal St. George’s, Morikawa decided to remove the two 2.5-gram weights and replace them with two 7.5-gram weights, providing him with 10 grams more weight in his putter. As well as the weight adjustment to his putter, Morikawa has even altered his stroke on certain putts this week. A proponent of the saw grip, Morikawa was struggling with his speed on lengthier putts on the links greens last week, so he is now putting with a conventional style on longer putts while using his saw grip for the shorter efforts. “It’s a feel thing, but it’s more I couldn’t get the tempo on the saw grip. I think the saw grip is amazing for me. But from outside 25, 30 feet, I just couldn’t get that hit. I couldn’t get that tempo that you see like a Brandt Snedeker puts on his putts,” said Morikawa. “That is something you need out here because the greens are slower than what we’re used to playing. “Just switching to conventional, I didn’t have to change anything mentally. I just kind of went at it like I normally felt, and kind of matched the speeds.” It’s a strategy that has worked wonders for Morikawa this week, who has looked dialled in on the greens as he goes in search of his second major victory.

Click here to read the full article…