Top 30 Players to Watch in 2019: No. 16 Tony Finau

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Action Network and the PGA TOUR today announced the launch of GolfBet, a first-of-its-kind, golf-focused betting content platform. GolfBet will be powered by The Action Network and hosted at www.actionnetwork.com/golf, and also will be available within The Action Network app. Through the strategic partnership, the PGA TOUR will provide GolfBet content distribution via TOUR digital platforms, footage rights to support GolfBet video content, and official TOUR data to ensure that GolfBet and The Action Network offer golf fans and golf bettors the most accurate data and compelling content available. “We believe that golf fans and sports bettors alike are in search of a deeper level of information that has not existed until the launch of GolfBet,� said Norb Gambuzza, PGA TOUR’s SVP Media & Gaming. “The Action Network is the perfect partner to create this type of content platform to educate and entertain fans about responsible betting on golf while bolstering the overall gaming ecosystem. We are bullish that GolfBet content and the growth of sports betting will drive fan engagement and expand our overall audience.� “The PGA TOUR is one of the most forward-thinking leagues and rightsholders around the massive growing legal sports betting business,� said Patrick Keane, CEO of The Action Network. “Our consumers are passionate golf fans, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance our coverage via the launch of the GolfBet platform.� The PGA TOUR has been very active recently in the betting space, including a 2018 announcement of an integrity program, partnering with Genius Sports to protect its competitions from potential outside influences related to gambling. Later that year, the TOUR announced a global partnership with IMG ARENA to license its official, live scoring data to betting operators all over the world, which will revolutionize in-play betting on golf and will be available to the market later this year. In August, the TOUR partnered with DraftKings to relaunch “PGA TOUR DraftKings Fantasy Golf,� with exclusive intellectual property to differentiate DraftKings in the daily fantasy space. Now, with the launch of GolfBet, the PGA TOUR is developing a robust betting content ecosystem that supports both sports betting and daily fantasy. “In a typical PGA TOUR season, there are approximately 1.2 million golf shots taken across our schedule,� Gambuzza said. “This represents a massive opportunity for in-play betting, new types of markets for operators who have access to official PGA TOUR data, and tremendous opportunities for content generation. We think that The Action Network has the unique expertise to develop a diverse array of tools, analysis, and other content which will help fans and bettors understand, access, and enjoy these new betting opportunities as the market evolves.�  In 2019, The Action Network produced more than 800 individual pieces of golf-related content and offered robust bet tracking and analysis tools focused on golf. “Action Network users tracked over 50 million picks on our platform last year, and golf was our fastest-growing segment at nearly 300 percent year over year,� Keane said.   In addition to The Action Network producing the majority of the weekly content for GolfBet with well-known experts like Jason Sobel, Josh Perry and Peter Jennings, GolfBet will also strike partnerships with other media companies to power the platform. “We envision GolfBet as a one-stop platform where fans can get all of the most relevant and up-to-date betting information,� Keane added. Max Wright, Senior Vice President of IMG ARENA, said, “Golf was one of the few major sports that had not yet offered consistent in-play betting markets. We see a massive opportunity for growth through ‘in-play’ betting once our official PGA TOUR betting data hits the market later this year. This partnership between PGA TOUR and The Action Network is hugely complementary. We believe that an information hub like GolfBet which delivers high quality content to help to inform and educate users about golf and golf betting will be a net positive for the growing golf betting market.� GolfBet content is planned to be largely subscription free for the foreseeable future. The PGA TOUR and Action Network plan to work with TOUR’s domestic media partners, as well as Discovery on ex-U.S. collaboration opportunities, as GolfBet continues to grow on a global basis.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jim Herman was being coy on Friday when he talked about “someone from pretty high upâ€� giving him a putting tip recently. The Ohio native, who had only cashed a check in three of his previous 19 starts this year, had just shot his second straight 65 to seize a one-stroke lead over Bill Haas at the midway point of the Barbasol Championship. The matching rounds of 7 under are Herman’s best of the year by two strokes. And now for the rest of the story. Herman changed his grip and his style of putter on the advice of President Donald Trump, his friend and former employer at Trump National in Bedminster, N.J. The two played golf together several weeks ago, and the chief executive had some pointed words for the struggling pro. “He gave me a good talking to and told me to use a different style if it’s not working,â€� Herman said. “…. He gave me a little quick tip and get some conventional putting going and see what happens.â€� So, Herman, who says he’s used nearly every kind of grip, went back to as “conventional a grip as you can haveâ€� with a standard Bettinardi BB1 putter. He didn’t make the changes until this week, though, prompted by a “terribleâ€� week on the greens at the John Deere Classic. “I had nothing else to lose,â€� Herman said. “I had to change something up.  That was his main advice:  If it’s not working, change it. Put a lot of time in on the putting green this last week with the new style and new grip.  It’s just rolling the ball nicely.â€� This week, Herman has made 15 birdies and just one bogey – which was caused by an errant drive and second shot, not a three-putt. He has made 219 feet of putts, including 139 on Friday and ranks 11th in Strokes Gained: Putting, compared with his yearly average of 177th. “Everything seems to be working this week,â€� Herman said. “Nice change‑up.  I haven’t been playing very well or had the best results lately. … Hitting a lot of greens and making some putts and that’s always a good combination.â€� Herman played with Trump, who was seven months away from winning the 2016 presidential election, shortly before he picked up his only PGA TOUR victory at the Shell Houston Open. “Seems like I played pretty well after I played with him,â€� Herman said. “… So maybe that’s a sign to come, hopefully.â€� Herman marks his ball with Presidential dollar gold coins selected each week by Steven Wyder, his roommate from his days working as an assistant pro. Wyder, who teaches U.S. history in high school, makes the picks based on the tournament’s location and interesting dates. This week’s ball marker features Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, who was born in 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky. The coins even have their own Twitter handle — @POTUSBallMarker – which has taken due notice of Herman’s position at the top of the leaderboard. The 41-year-old Herman came to Kentucky ranked 232nd in the FedExCup and in real danger of losing his PGA TOUR card for the second straight year. After the Barbasol Championship, only two events remain to move into the top-125 to secure playing privileges and make the FedExCup Playoffs. A win on Sunday at Keene Trace is worth 300 points, which wouldn’t quite move Herman inside the magic number, but it would be a huge step closer. He’s hoping that his play over the first two rounds will help break the cycle of futility that this season has become. “I haven’t been in this spot in a while,â€� Herman said. “I know I can do it. I’ve won, been in the hunt a couple times as well. It’s just nice to be playing the weekend, having a chance. “It’s not a lot of fun when you’re missing cuts and going week to week on a negative vibe.  So, a lot of positive energy going forward and just kind of keep going.â€�

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Tiger Woods is embarking on his latest comeback without a swing coach, opting to move on after three years of work with Dallas-based Chris Como.

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