What’s next for Morgan Hoffmann after his medical extension expires?

TONY FINAU WINS 3M OPEN FOR THIRD PGA TOUR TITLE Wednesday afternoon, Tony Finau read an article that listed him as the betting favorite for the 3M Open, also noting he was the world’s highest ranked player in the field at TPC Twin Cities. Finau channeled that pressure into a sparkling performance, carding a four-round total of 17-under for a three-stroke victory over Sungjae Im and Emiliano Grillo, his third career PGA TOUR title. The 32-year-old father of five trailed 54-hole leader Scott Piercy by five strokes heading into Sunday in Minnesota but caught fire with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 14-16 Sunday, as Piercy stumbled to a back-nine 41 that included a triple bogey on No. 14. Ever the sportsman, Piercy made a beeline for Finau post-round to provide congratulations – the two go back to the Ultimate Game in 2007, a high-stakes competition in Las Vegas where Piercy won $2 million; Finau was just 17 years old at the time. “He was genuinely happy for me,” Finau said, “which I think makes our game so great.” Also on hand in Minnesota were Finau’s wife and five kids, marking the first time the entire family was able to celebrate a TOUR title together in real-time. Finau accrues 500 FedExCup points for his victory and moves to No. 17 on the season-long standings. He also moves to No. 7 on the United States President Cup standings, as he strives to secure a spot at Quail Hollow in September. BLASTING OFF TO ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC The Rocket Mortgage Classic is the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s Regular Season before the FedExCup Playoffs begin. The field is full of stars and those looking to either get into the Playoffs or improve their standings. Reigning FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay leads the field in Detroit as the PGA TOUR inches closer to crowning the champion of this season’s FedExCup. Rookie of the Year frontrunner Cameron Young, who’s 13th in the FedExCup, returns to action after his runner-up at The Open. Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala are also among the up-and-coming stars in the field who have been knocking on the door as they seek their first PGA TOUR victory. Tony Finau, Max Homa, Kevin Kisner, Harris English and Rickie Fowler are also in the field; the latter two are looking to lock up FedExCup Playoffs berths. There are 11 major champions in the field, and the winner receives 500 FedExCup points. VIDEO OF THE WEEK MIC CHECK “I knew it was going to be an honor if I had the chance of playing in it.” – Jake Olson, 25, who competed in the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open last week at Pinehurst No. 6. Olson was the only completely blind golfer in the field. Check out Olson’s story of resilience here, and about the time he got to spend with Tiger Woods. BY THE NUMBERS 28 – Under-par total for David Kocher on the week at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper on the Korn Ferry Tour. The 26-year-old Maryland graduate won by six shots. 69 – Final-round score for Darren Clarke in the final round of The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex, good enough for a one-shot victory over Padraig Harrington at Gleneagles in Scotland. 87 – Length in feet that C.T. Pan made on a putt on the par-5 18th hole on Sunday at the 3M Open. It was the second-longest putt made by anyone on the PGA TOUR this season. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.

Click here to read the full article…

It didn’t take Dustin Johnson long to break in his new TaylorMade equipment on the course. Using a new M4 driver for the very first time, Johnson hit the defining shot of the tournament with the club on the par-4 12th hole at Kapalua’s Plantation Course during the final round.  Coming off a frustrating bogey, Johnson rocketed his tee shot over 430 yards and watched as it raced down the hill to within a couple inches of the cup for a tap-in eagle. The improbable shot started a torrid stretch that saw Johnson go five under over the next five holes to pull away from the field en route to an eight-shot victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.  Johnson hit two drives over 400 yards on Sunday with the new driver that debuted in Maui. The club (along with M3) features the company’s new Twist Face design that improves accuracy on off-center hits by curving the face more open in the toe portion of the face and more closed toward the heel.  Johnson tested both M3 and M4 in practice early in the week and felt M4 produced a flatter ball flight that would be better suited for the wind at Kapalua. The loft sleeve was adjusted one click open, to the standard setting, to produce Johnson’s go-to fade shot shape. Here’s a look at the rest of the TaylorMade equipment in Johnson’s bag.  Driver: TaylorMade M4 (Fujikura Speeder 661 Evolution 2.0 Tour Spec X shaft), 9.5 degrees 3-wood: TaylorMade M4 3HL (Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5 95X shaft), 16.5 degrees) Irons: TaylorMade P-790 (3-iron; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft), TaylorMade P-730 DJ Proto (4-PW; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts) Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind (52 and 60 degrees; KBS Tour Black 130X shafts), TaylorMade Hi-Toe (64 degrees; KBS Tour Black 130X shaft) Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Black Ball: TaylorMade TP5x PGA TOUR Superstore: Buy equipment here

Click here to read the full article…

The most exciting holes on the PGA TOUR require players to factor the potential benefit of a birdie or eagle against the chances of finding trouble and make decisions at key moments in competition. The Aon Risk Reward Challenge has highlighted such holes all season, rewarding the strategic decision makers whose deft analysis and execution have resulted in on-course success. Joaquin Niemann currently leads the season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge standings. He has racked up 28 birdies-or-better on Challenge holes already this season, going for the green 76% of the time. It’s a calculated strategy that has paid off handsomely. “I tend to be a little more aggressive on these holes if I feel like I can find the right miss,” said Niemann. “If I know I can either get on, or near the green… or if I miss the green I can be in a bunker or have a chip that makes birdie still possible, I’ll go for it. I feel pretty confident in my short game that I can take the risk and still get up and down.” The numbers bear out Niemann’s philosophy: 78% of his strokes gained against the field on Challenge holes this season have come on shots around the green or on putts. Numerous players have seen their success on Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes springboard them to victory. In the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Brooks Koepka hit a strong tee shot in front of the green of the drivable par-4 17th. He pitched in for eagle, propelling him to a one-shot win. Daniel Berger put an exclamation point on his victory at the following week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, attacking the final green in two and making a 30-foot eagle putt for a two-stroke win. Both players are currently in the top 10 of the season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge standings. Also in the top 10 of the Aon leaderboard is Louis Oosthuizen, whose tee shots on Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes have been the source of more than half of his strokes gained on the field. “A lot has to do on the day with the way you feel,” said Oosthuizen. “Are you comfortable? Where is the pin? … If you feel comfortable, then you can take it on.” The smooth-swinging South African has felt comfortable more often than not, going for the green more than 80% of the time this season on Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes. Having a winning strategy can be worth handfuls of shots every week on the PGA TOUR. A well-informed and prepared team surrounding a player is paramount, something that has aided Niemann’s decision making throughout the Challenge this year. “I have a new caddie this year with Gary Matthews and we work really well together,” said Niemann. “Obviously, things change day-to-day that may impact our strategy with pin placement or wind or just how my swing is that day. Gary has helped a lot and having our process in place has been helpful to put me in the lead of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge.” The myriad ways players can attack a golf course are often best revealed on risk-reward holes. Last season, despite ranking 187th on the TOUR in driving distance, Brendon Todd ranked sixth in total birdies made. Knowing when to maximize scoring opportunities can bridge the gap between shorter hitters and their longer competitors. “If it’s a situation where going for it can put me in a bunker or a hazard that brings par or bogey into play, then I’ll lay up to a comfortable wedge distance because my wedge play is one of the strengths of my game,” said Todd. “Understanding my strengths goes into the decisions on those holes.” For the players currently in the top 10 of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, deft decision-making and execution off the tee has led to lower scores. More than 45% of the strokes gained against the field by the players in the top 10 have come off the tee. This week’s Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole, the 14th at Quail Hollow Club, is a short par-4 that will undoubtedly continue that statistical trend as it tempts players to drive the green. In the last two Wells Fargo Championships, about 60% of the field tried to drive the 14th green. Even with water protecting the left side, and bunkers guarding the front, those who were aggressive gained one-third of a stroke on the field. Leaving the tee shot in the front-right bunker on this hole is an excellent play, with players who do so averaging half-a-stroke under par since 2018. But what about the other 40%, who have elected to lay up at the 14th? Overall, players who lay up off the tee have averaged right around even par. The riskier lay up to the left side of the hole brings the water hazard into play, but has yielded lower scoring averages than laying up to the right. The multitude of choices and potential outcomes make the 14th one of the most intriguing holes this week at Quail Hollow Club. The Aon Risk Reward Challenge continues to highlight these exciting holes, and the players with the best preparation and decision making on them, all season long. To learn more about the season-long competition, click here.

Click here to read the full article…