Win probabilities: Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

Bagdad, Florida – the hometown of Bubba Watson – is about 225 miles south of Talladega Superspeedway and about 430 miles west of Daytona International Speedway. In some ways, it’s in the heart of NASCAR country, certainly in the middle of its two most popular racetracks. Yet Watson was well past his 30th birthday and still had never attended a race. Oh, he had interest. He remembers watching back in the days when the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. was in his prime. Watson’s father was a big Jeff Gordon fan, too. But it was approximately 10 years ago when Watson discovered that Denny Hamlin – then an emerging NASCAR star – was a golf nut. Hamlin also played left-handed, just like Watson. And Hamlin also, like Watson, was born in Florida. So Bubba reached out to the driver on social media, just to touch base, say hello. The result? A decade-long friendship that’s been built on two sports – sports, by the way, that each rely heavily on a driver – and careers that have each blossomed during that time. Watson, a 12-time PGA TOUR winner with two Masters wins. Hamlin, a 38-time NASCAR Cup winner with three Daytona 500 wins, including the most recent one in February. In that decade, the two have played countless rounds of golf together, and Hamlin has taken Watson – who famously bought the General Lee from “The Dukes of Hazardâ€� fame – to stock car races around the country. Plus, Hamlin got to caddie for Watson in the Par-3 Contest at the 2012 Masters that his good friend went on to win. “So, it’s just one of the things that reached out because of common bonds, I guess you would say,â€� Watson said this week. “We’re sports fanatics and we also both play golf left-handed, right? And we’re fun. I would consider him fun-loving and obviously loves to give back. And that’s the same thing I would consider myself. … “It’s just one of those random things on social media that we kind of connected.â€� Thus, in some ways, partnering for the ALL IN Challenge was a no-brainer, too — golf, stock car racing and two long-time buddies helping to raise money to benefit America’s food insecure during this frightening pandemic. In a matter of days, Watson and Hamlin had put together a one-of-a-kind experience to auction off. “Bubba is a good friend of mine, so when we heard about the ALL IN Challenge, we thought it would be cool to auction an experience that combines our two sports, golf and racing,â€� Hamlin said. Hamlin wanted a foursome to be part of the prize, so Watson suggested the two of them host the winner and a guest at the ultra-exclusive Grove XXIII, Michael Jordan’s private golf course in Hobe Sound, Florida. PING will fit and provide custom clubs while Watson is offering up his own Richard Mille Aviator watch, which by itself is worth over $150,000. But the two weren’t through yet. Whoever wins the auction can take three of his or her friends to the 2021 Daytona 500 where they will meet Hamlin (the reigning two-time champ) and take a ride-along with him on the track. Also included are four seats in the FedEx pit box, as well as a signed race-worn helmet or fire suit. “If you’re a race fan, that has a little bit of like in golf, it’s a great thing,â€� Watson said. “If you’re a golfer who likes racing a little bit, it’s a great thing. If you’re just a sports person in general, it’s a great thing because you’re talking about two different sports worlds. “He’s won Daytona three times. And I’ve won of the Masters twice, so you’re talking about some people that have had some great experiences that you’re going to get to spend five hours with at a course. And then you’re going to get to see my side of it, you’re going to get to see from his side of it at a historic place at Daytona, which is unbelievable in itself.â€� So far, the bidding is up to $160,000 with less than a week remaining in the auction. The proceeds of the ALL IN Challenge benefit five different organizations that service the hungry – Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, America’s Food Fund, World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. Watson remembers helping at local food banks supported by the Waste Management Phoenix Open when he lived in Arizona, so the cause hits close to home. And he knows the coronavirus pandemic has put so many people out of work, people who now must wonder where their next meal will come from. “How would you not want to bless people and try to bless them as much as you can?â€� Watson said. “And this is a no-brainer that the charity organization that the money would go to in this time.â€� Including all auctions, the ALL IN Challenge has raised more than $15 million. But you don’t have to be a high-roller to participate. There are more than 80 sweepstakes where as little as a $10 donation puts you in a drawing to be a co-host on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,â€� or have a walk-on role in a Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DeCaprio and Robert DeNiro, or have a speaking role in an episode of “This is Usâ€� next year or sign a one-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks – among many other things. “So, when you think about $15 million, that was, as of a week ago, nobody was even thinking about putting this money towards something like this,â€� Watson said. “… I think these auctions will go up a little bit in time, and the more people understand them, and the more people know that you could put in $10 to have a chance to be on the Ellen show, have a chance to be in a movie. “That’s small peanuts, but $10 goes a long way when you’re talking about providing a couple dinners or lunches for kids, or for anybody in need at this moment.â€� Interestingly, while Watson and Hamlin – who’s quite the trash-talker, his TOUR-playing buddy is quick to point out — have played many rounds of golf together, they’ve never ventured out on the racetrack like the winner of the auction is going to get to do. Surprisingly, Watson isn’t exactly a thrill-seeker … at least when it comes to stock cars doing close to 200 mph. “I’ve joked about this before,â€� Watson said. “I live here in Pensacola, Florida where the Blue Angels are. And the Blue Angels, they always ask, ‘Hey, you want to go up in the plane?’ And I’m like, ‘No, y’all are crazy.’ “And with Denny, it’s the same way. He goes, ‘Oh man, we’ll come off the railing, or the wall, we’ll be two inches off the wall. You won’t have anything to worry about.’ I was like, ‘Two inches off the wall at a hundred-and-something miles an hour? No. I will not do it.’â€� Lately, Watson has been content staying at home with his wife Angie and their two young children, Caleb and Dakota. He says it’s brought them closer together as a family and that he and his wife have grown as a couple, as parents and in their faith. In addition to getting into a routine with schoolwork, there’s been time to take the boat out and fish or ride the jet skis and those kayak-paddleboard hybrids they have. “And I jumped on the trampoline more than I’ve ever jumped in my life,â€� Watson said with a chuckle. A week or so ago, Watson and Caleb, who’s 8 years old, went out and played golf together. Watson also owns a driving range, but it’s closed – although he’s hit balls for a total of perhaps 40 minutes during the three times he’s been there to check that it’s still being mowed and maintained correctly. “The golf course is doing all their precautions as much as they can, with the cups upside down so the ball doesn’t go in the hole,â€� Watson said. “But we walked, he actually got a pull cart out and he put his bag on the pull cart and he pushed, and it was the first time me and him played nine holes without any complaints. “Normally kids at that age, they’re tired, they want a snack, they want water. But he never complained, and he played every shot. I think he had a blast. Maybe it was just because we’d been in the house locked up for over 20 days at that point.â€� Watson has been treating this time away from the PGA TOUR as he would his winter break. He been able to recharge his batteries and he’s starting to miss the game. More serious sessions in the gym and the practice range will begin in the next few weeks with a potential start date looming for the Charles Schwab Challenge in June. “I’m starting to get the itch, missing all sports, but I’m starting to get the itch of wanting to play and get back out there,â€� Watson said. “And we have to gear up. And as an athlete, you have to gear up like you’re going to play June 8th. Now obviously different things can develop and cause a delay again, but I have to prepare like we’re definitely going June 8th.â€� In other words, he hopes to put the pedal to the metal, as his good friend might say. To participate in the ALL IN Challenge auction for the Watson-Hamlin experience, click here, or to view all ALL IN Challenge auction items, click here.

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Tiger Woods’ season is underway at the Farmers Insurance Open. Follow his progress.

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Anirban Lahiri was dirty on himself. Sang-Moon Bae was near inconsolable. Jason Day had had a week to forget in a year he’d otherwise bottle for life. Adam Scott was cut deep, emotionally wallowing in the pain of a sixth consecutive defeat. But in those first few moments after the heartbreaking loss in the 2015 Presidents Cup in Korea the International Team captain Nick Price proved – for the 1000th time – why he is the man for the job again this week at Liberty National in New Jersey. Price told Lahiri, who had missed a four-foot putt that could have clinched at worst a tie, and Bae, who had chunked a chip trying to win the now tying point, that they would never face pressure like that again in their lives. He lifted the world off their shoulders and tried to place it on his own. He shifted the focus and told the pair it was their first crack at the event and they would get another chance and be better for it. It wasn’t lip service. While Bae was not in the mix this year thanks to leaving the game for military service, Lahiri was one of Price’s captains picks. There were five players ahead of him on the points list but Lahiri got the nod. Price believes in his man. And in return, Lahiri and the rest of the team believe in him. “He’s a player’s captain. The boys usually rally around him. When he talks, everyone shuts up and listens,â€� Day says.  Showing the brave face in Korea can’t have been easy. After taking over from Greg Norman for the 2013 Presidents Cup, the former world No. 1 Price came into the job ready to rumble. He’d played on five International teams, including the only two successful ones. A win in 1998 and draw in 2003. But what he found was a sense of defeat before the competition had even begun. The players liked to represent their countries but just felt like they were on a hiding to nothing given the 34 points they played for. With nowhere to hide the depth of the International Team was being severely tested. For context – Lahiri is the 68th ranked player in the world this week, the lowest mark of all 24 players involved. Phil Mickelson sits at 30th in the world, the “worstâ€� of the Americans. All up, there are currently 34 American players ranked higher than Lahiri in the world. So, the disparity had made life hard on the International Team and the mounting losses had affected morale. Price had already begun campaigning for a points reduction prior to 2013. When his team fell 18.5-15.5 at Muirfield Village despite a rousing effort in singles where they began six points in arrears, he really ramped it up. He called for it publically in the post mortem press conference. He then spent every effort he could pleading his case with the powers that be before having success. In 2015 they played for a total of 30 points and bar those late mistakes an “upsetâ€� would have transpired. Not only had he worked his butt off to get the change, but he had learned from his first trip out and focused heavily on team unity and comradery in the lead up. Price affected more change also. Now there are four Captains Assistants on the books of both teams allowing someone to cover each match during team sessions. “Americans play every year under their own flag. We don’t have that, but Pricey has made everyone feel like we are under the same banner,â€� Day adds. “He has us together. He has us wanting to fight for the guy next to us as well as for ourselves. And that’s huge.â€� In the reception after the loss in Korea, Adam Scott stood up to thank their captain. It was expected to be his last go around at the top and gratitude was in order. It wasn’t a prepared speech. It wasn’t fully polished. But it was emotional and powerful. “Adam was incredibly kind to both my wife and I, because I think they appreciated the amount of time that we put in,â€� Price recalled of the night. “This wasn’t something that we took lightly. We put in a lot of time and effort into this, and so that was what made me feel so good was I think the boys recognized that. “It’s a time‑consuming thing, but I think the guys understand the passion that I have for the Presidents Cup, and I want to pass that passion on to the other guys.â€� By the time Scott was winding up the speech he made a point to say he wanted Price back again in 2017. The players hadn’t planned it or really spoken of it but to a man they started to bang their fists on the tables in agreement. Their cheers grew more raucous. Glasses were raised in toast. It was clear, Price was their man. “Nick is such an incredible guy. It’s been documented his entire career. An amazing champion, an amazing competitor,â€� Scott says. “He’s a very relaxed guy. He can make anyone feel comfortable around him, and that’s important for all players on the team.â€� Scott was also extremely impressed in the no stone unturned strategy improvement from Price from 2013 to 2015. It was evident Price had spent many late nights planning from the moment they left Ohio in 2013. “He learned so much from doing it the first time on how to manage his team, have a strategy, get the team to embrace it,â€� Scott adds. “It just was a different level for me when he was in Korea than the time before and the captains before that. “He really had a great plan and executed it. When we didn’t execute on the course, he had a backup plan for us. He was really prepared, and I think he led so well.â€� And so, Price left Korea finding positivity in his efforts. He thought about the Ryder Cup in the early 1980s when Europe came close to winning and the late Seve Ballesteros called it a victory because they were finally competitive. Perhaps Price is overseeing the changing of the guard. With the 2019 Presidents Cup heading to Royal Melbourne in Australia, the International team is quietly confident the trend could continue to shift towards them. There is a real hunger to get the Cup now. A hunger that had dwindled with each drubbing they’d taken. But this International Team is inspired to not only win for themselves, but also for Price. “He will be the first guy who should get to touch the Cup if we win it,â€� Day says. “He’s earned it.â€�

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