TPC Network charitable impact felt across the country

JERSEY CITY, N.J. –  Jhonattan Vegas misses the memories. It’s been nearly three years since he last visited Venezuela because of the political instability that has rocked the country. “It feels like a decade, to be honest,â€� he says. He used to return to his homeland annually, and each visit was a chance to see family and friends and reflect on the stories that make up his improbable path to the PGA TOUR. “Even though Houston is my home right now, there’s nothing like Venezuela. It’s the place that I grew up, where I have my roots,â€� Vegas says. “That’s one of the things I miss about being home, is reliving a lot of those stories.â€� He grew up on a nine-hole course in a Venezuelan oil camp, hitting rocks with a broomstick when he started the game as a toddler. He fondly recalls the nights that his father, Carlos, drove overnight to tournaments so that Jhonattan could sleep before teeing off the next morning. Or the times their car broke down in the middle of nowhere, stranding them in a rural area until help arrived. At 17, Jhonattan left Venezuela, where Hugo Chavez’s government had declared war on the game, to move to the United States. He arrived in Houston with his clubs, a bag of clothes and 10 words of English in his vocabulary. “Not having a ton and fighting to get to where I’m at right now, … that makes the journey a lot more fun,â€� he says. Jhonattan, 33, is now a three-time PGA TOUR winner and making his Presidents Cup debut this week at Liberty National. He is the first golfer from Venezuela to play this event, though his most successful season comes during a tumultuous and tragic year for his country. More than 100 people have been killed this year in protests against the government. “To him, the painful situation of the country makes him feel a lot of pain and emotions and tarnishes a bit the fact that he is playing the Presidents Cup,â€� Carlos says through a translator. “His joy, that all the South Americans feel, has been overshadowed by this situation.â€� The country has plunged into chaos while Nicolas Maduro, Chavez’s hand-picked successor, has seized control of the government. Severe shortages of food and medicine have put Venezuela’s citizens in peril, while falling oil prices and hyperinflation have sent the economy into an abyss. A February study revealed that 75 percent of the population had lost an average of 19 pounds, while a third of citizens were eating two or fewer meals per day. Eighty-two percent of households were living in poverty and 93 percent didn’t earn enough to cover basic food needs, according to Venezuela’s Living Conditions Survey. “We’re getting to the point that the country is on such a horrible path that no matter your political views or who you are or what you do, we have to get our country moving in a whole different direction,â€� Jhonattan says.“The more we can … be outspoken and make people aware of it, that’s the only tool that we have that can hopefully have an impact on shaping our country the right way.”  Two months ago, he used his third PGA TOUR victory as an opportunity to speak out against the government. Sitting next to the trophy from the RBC Canadian Open, Jhonattan directed his phone on himself and spoke words of support to the people in his homeland (the following is an English translation of his message): “This is not a moment to be happy, personally as a Venezuelan, due to everything that is happening in our country, all the deaths that have occurred since the past few months. The truth is, my third victory on the PGA TOUR is something very beautiful and special. However, I can’t be happy, because of everything that is going on in our country, and all the suffering that our people have every day. “I feel that I should express my feelings at this moment. Thank you all for the support that I have been receiving on social media, and all the messages that you have sent me to win here.  “This is something that I would like to dedicate to my country, Venezuela, for everything that it has given me until now. Venezuela deserves the best of us. Venezuela is more than us. Venezuela had and has been here. We need to take care of it, to do everything that we can for our country. Our country deserves the best. This is for you, this is for Venezuela. Let’s fight for our country and for the end of this government that doesn’t represent anybody. I love you all and Viva Venezuela.â€� There’s nothing like Venezuela. It’s the place that I grew up, where I have my roots. The same day as Jhonattan’s victory at Glen Abbey, an election was held for a Constituent Assembly that would nullify the opposition-led legislature, effectively giving Maduro unobstructed authority. Neighboring countries questioned the election’s legitimacy and rejected the result. The United States’ ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the vote a “sham election.â€� Citizens protested in the streets, and the government responded with water cannons, rubber bullets and batons; at least 10 people were killed, according to The New York Times. The unrest, and the well-being of his family in Venezuela, has dominated Jhonattan’s’ thoughts this year. “Having some success actually hurts my family there because obviously I put myself and my family in a whole different spotlight,” he says. “That attracts unwanted attention. It’s been hard to deal with that, making sure that everyone is safe. We have been fortunate enough that nothing crazy has happened, but you can’t take it for granted.” Politics and sports are often intertwined, though the golf course is rarely the site of such statements. Jhonattan feels compelled to speak about the situation, despite the fear of government retribution or crime against his family in Venezuela. “Jhonny is above all things a Venezuelan,â€� says his longtime swing instructor Kevin Kirk, who lived in Venezuela as a child. “Things in the country aren’t great now, but he’s proud to be a Venezuelan, he’s proud to be from South America. One thing about Jhonny that may be a little different from other kids, he definitely is more motivated by things outside of him, like representing his country. That stuff is more fulfilling for him than doing things for himself. “Jhonny loves his country. Historically, we’ve tried to kind of make him aware that, say what you want to, but there’s consequences to what you say. He’s historically been more guarded, but I think the state of affairs in Venezuela currently and the fact that several of his other peers had spoken out and started being more vocal — combine that with the adrenaline from winning a golf tournament — and it was probably the perfect storm, the perfect time to make a statement.â€� Kirk, who lived in Venezuela from 1968-1975, has fond memories of his years there. The Texan remembers the strong ex-pat communities that congregated around the country’s oil fields. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, according to Forbes, and the country was enriched by its exports. It was once a prosperous, relatively stable country. Venezuela is where Kirk says he fell in love with golf. He took lessons from Franci Betancourt, who represented Venezuela in the World Cup three times, and remembers American stars coming to the country to play in winter tournaments on some of the country’s classic courses. Jhonattan had a joyful childhood, as well. Each afternoon, he’d ride his bike from school to the local golf course and play with the other kids living in the camp. “It was a great life,â€� he says. That changed when Chavez was elected in 1998. Ever since, Venezuela’s politics have had an impact on Jhonattan’s family and his career. Chavez declared the game a sport for the bourgeois and began shutting down its courses, including the course where Jhonnattan learned the game, Morichal. Carlos ran the food concession at the course, but lost his business after signing a recall petition against Chavez in 2003.   Carlos is not surprised that his son has spoken out. “I think that at that moment he was thinking about our foundation for children who live in poor conditions and abandonment,â€� Carlos says. “He is saddened by the fact that he cannot continue helping because the situation in the county hasn’t allowed it. Canada was a springboard to speak out to the leaders and say, ‘It is time. Please give the country a chance to rise and allow him to do what he can as a human being.’â€� The Jhonattan Vegas Foundation was founded to help underprivileged children in Venezuela, but its efforts have been stifled by the government. Carlos says he recently received an email from a children’s hospital in their hometown of Maturin, asking for ventilators. They need to get the state’s authorization before the ventilators can reach the hospital, though. It has become increasingly difficult to get goods into the country. “We are trying,â€� Carlos says. “The children in our hospital are dying.â€� “It’s definitely frustrating seeing what’s happening and not being able to do much to help,” Jhonattan says. For now, all he can do is speak.

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Rory McIlroy apparently has put last week’s struggles at the Open Championship behind him, as he will carry a one-shot lead into the final round of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

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It’s time to lace up. The race is on. While it’s cliché, it’s not wrong to define the latest version of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO as a marathon, not a sprint. Similar to what golfers themselves experience in pursuit of the FedExCup, the long game applies to gamers. Total fantasy points scored has mirrored overall tournament finish, but the variance between the best and the rest is slight if not nominal. As a result, making cuts is the priority and easily at that. Swallowing even one zero will apply pressure in future events. Because the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is the second tournament of the season with a 36-hole cut, expect separation in your ranks by the time your standings are tabulated. With that in mind, I’m advising that you remain patient in case you’re the one who is dealt a blow. Even if you’re chasing only Segment prizes, you can’t afford one zero when you consider how many thousands of others who play regularly will be scoring. In that context, league play has never been of more value to retain the most discerning level of fun. Meanwhile, if you already haven’t been paying attention, when ShotLink is utilized as it is at the Shriners, you’re going to learn that golfers who contend are going to score approximately 10-15 percent of their fantasy points via the bonuses for shot levels and rounds. The key word is “bonus.” They can’t be targeted specifically with reasonable expectations. For example, drives over 300 yards and longer aren’t rare, but they award just 1 point per. If you’re going after bonuses, anyway, saving starts on notables in shootouts should yield a handful bogey-free rounds (5 points apiece) and scores of 65 or lower (3 points each). Because of its ease, TPC Summerlin is the kind of fast track on which fantasy scoring projects to land higher than at other par 71s such as Riviera, Copperhead and Quail Hollow. At those sites, you might be inclined not to burn starts on golfers expected to contend if there are other spots in the same Segment at which they can do more damage. Slow and steady wins. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (in alphabetical order): Patrick Cantlay Tony Finau Rickie Fowler Jordan Spieth Kevin Streelman Gary Woodland You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Cameron Champ; Bryson DeChambeau; Beau Hossler; Si Woo Kim; Martin Laird; Ryan Palmer; J.J. Spaun; Aaron Wise Driving: Bronson Burgoon; Bryson DeChambeau; Scott Piercy; Patrick Rodgers; J.J. Spaun; Brendan Steele; Kevin Streelman; Aaron Wise Power Rankings Wild Card Martin Laird … Slots as an extension of the Power Rankings proper this week. He’s connected with his horse-for-a-course profile all year, so it stands to reason that investors won’t wait to latch on at TPC Summerlin when he prevailed in 2009 and owns an overall record of 7-for-9 with a scoring average of 68.25. If last year’s missed cut worries you, remember that there was a governor on scoring due to gusty winds. Draws Kevin Tway … Now that he’s had a week to rest after opening the season with his breakthrough victory at Silverado and sticking with his commitments in Malaysia (T27) and South Korea (T52), our expectations are elevated again. His win didn’t come out of nowhere – he was targeting it for months – so he’s presented no reason why he won’t cash more chips in Vegas where he’s making his fourth start. Joaquin Niemann … Surely there’s a sense that the honeymoon is over for the 19-year-old – no one escapes the learning curve – but he’s still connected eight cuts made over the last four months and he won’t see a host course that he’s played before on TOUR until the Masters, and that’s only if he qualifies. Continue to enjoy his ascent. Brendan Steele … This close to returning to the circle of trust thanks to a strong back half of a T14 in South Korea. The recent freefall in form is uncharacteristic, but TPC Summerlin has been a reliable track for him to shine. He’s 5-for-6 with a pair of top 20s, albeit in 2011 and 2012. Patrick Rodgers … As well as he rolls it, he should be a short-lister in a shootout, but he’s connected for only one cut made at TPC Summerlin (T13, 2015). Instead, his form upon arrival is the impetus for this endorsement. After sitting out the Playoffs to attend a wedding in Europe, which followed a T25 at the Wyndham Championship, he’s gone T25-T14. It’s the first time in three years that he’s strung together a trio of top 25s. Anders Albertson Si Woo Kim Ryan Palmer                                              Nick Watney Fades Kevin Na … I could open every analysis of him with the disclaimer that he’s been my Kryptonite throughout his career. He’s cooperated with his projection in recent months, so we’ll see how he shakes out at the Shriners where he captured his first PGA TOUR title in 2011 and shared runner-up honors three years ago. That T2 is his only payday of his last four appearances. However, it’s a home game and he’s missed only one cut in his last 13 starts worldwide, so consider him a contrarian. Matt Kuchar … Given his low, boring ball flight, it would have been intriguing to see how he would have performed in last year’s wind, but even though it’s been nine years since his last appearance, he’s fared well at TPC Summerlin when red numbers were available in boatloads. In his last two trips, he finished second in 2008 and T7 in 2009. What gives, then? Well, a year ago at this time, he was 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Today, he’s 38th with only two top 25s in his last nine starts worldwide. The inconsistency and surprisingly pedestrian form can be chalked up to a mild regression across the board. It’s to be expected at age 40. So, while hopes are for an improvement this week, use it as a gauge for what we do with him at The RSM Classic where he’s been a regular in his backyard. Corey Conners … I remain fascinated by the analytical 26-year-old, and he’s coming off a close call at the Sanderson Farms Championship where he did work tee to green and around the targets, but the pressure will remain on to perform every time out due to his conditional status. He’s in the field at TPC Summerlin because of last week’s top 10, but he’ll be fortunate to nab 20 starts this season. For now, consider him only fractionally in DFS. Chesson Hadley … Easy to see a T5 in his debut here in 2013 and last year’s T4 in breezy conditions during a torrid stretch of form, but he’s hung up only one top-40 finish in his last 10 starts (T2, CIMB). For a guy who’s proven to be streaky, that’s not the trend we desire. Jason Dufner … Since The Open Championship, he’s 3-for-8 without a top 40. His appearance at TPC Summerlin is just his second in the last 11 editions (MC, 2016). Chris Kirk Troy Merritt Ollie Schniederjans Peter Uihlein Jhonattan Vegas Returning to Competition Grayson Murray … Walked off the Country Club of Jackson during last week’s second round. An explanation wasn’t released, but he’s been battling back and shoulder discomfort for months. It was his third mid-tournament withdrawal since May. Freddie Jacobson … First PGA TOUR start since May of 2017. Sat out 15 months due to hand surgery, and then went 1-for-3 while rehabbing on the European Tour. Has 18 starts on a Major Medical Extension, so he’s a no-brainer throw-in for deeper salary gamers if you already haven’t nibbled on that line. Notable WDs Andrew Putnam … In his World Golf Championships debut last week, he tied for fourth at Sheshan International. He led the field in greens hit and ranked fifth in par-5 scoring. While obviously impressive, it’s merely an extension of the breakout form that he’s illustrated throughout 2018. Would have been gunning to become the first to win both of the PGA TOUR starts in Nevada in the same calendar year. With wins in Vegas in 1992 and in Reno in 2001, John Cook is the only golfer to prevail in each at least once in any year. Vijay Singh … First time in seven years he’s skipping the Shriners, but the week off will allow him to rest and prep for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. After he won the Toshiba Classic this past March, the 55-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer stated that he was going to throttle back on PGA TOUR action. To wit, he played only six more times to total just 10 starts on the season. His best finish was but a solo 49th at the Masters. Ernie Els … Turned 49 years of age on October 17 and finished T36 at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES the following weekend. He hasn’t recorded a top 25 on the PGA TOUR since a solo fifth at the Quicken Loans National in June 2016. Didn’t make his debut at TPC Summerlin until later that fall. Power Rankings Recap – World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Brooks Koepka  T16 2  Justin Rose  3rd 3  Rory McIlroy  T54 4  Dustin Johnson  T30 5  Francesco Molinari  T43 6  Jason Day  T11 7  Tommy Fleetwood  T7 8  Rafa Cabrera Bello  T14 9  Tony Finau  P2 10  Tyrrell Hatton  T22 11  Ian Poulter  21st 12  Paul Casey  T16 13  Cameron Smith  T54 14  Hideki Matsuyama  T30 15  Matthew Fitzpatrick  T54 16  Adam Scott  T18 17  Eddie Pepperell  DNP 18  Jon Rahm  T22 19  Kyle Stanley  T22 20  Patrick Cantlay  T7 Wild Card  Xander Schauffele  Win Sleepers Recap – World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions Golfer  Result Lucas Bjerregaard  T69 Yuki Inamori  T73 Hao Tong Li  T11 Andrea Pavan  T22 Matt Wallace  T50 Power Rankings Recap – Sanderson Farms Championship Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Lucas Glover  T14 2  Bill Haas  T14 3  Chris Kirk  MC 4  Hunter Mahan  T61 5  Harold Varner III  MC 6  Ryan Armour  T54 7  Nick Taylor  T26 8  Dylan Frittelli  T54 9  Cameron Davis  MC 10  Patrick Rodgers  T14 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR October 30 … none October 31 … Mark Wilson (44) November 1 … none November 2 … James Hahn (37); Adam Hadwin (31) November 3 … Kris Blanks (46) November 4 … Kevin Streelman (40) November 5 … Jim Herman (41); Bubba Watson (40)

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