A year of great majors ... so far
+ The 125th U.S. Open took quite the toll; Weekend reading that includes ABBA and Tip O'Neill; A dream retreat in Mexico for only $15.5 mil.
THE STARTER
🏌️ Brian Rolapp was named CEO of the PGA Tour and, at the same time, the Tour said that Jay Monahan will step down as commissioner at the end of the 2026 season. Which announcement was better news?
🏌️ On Rolapp’s to-do list is undoubtedly, “negotiate with Yasir Al-Rumayyan” of LIV Golf. Does Rolapp have any idea who he is up against?
🏌️ At the end of the day, do the positives outweigh the negatives in Monahan’s career?
🏌️ J.J. Spaun’s 64-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club made instant major championship history. How about Spaun as an early candidate for Player of the Year?
🏌️ Sam Burns was denied relief for “temporary water” at the 16th hole in the final round, despite evidence of water splashing all around his ball when he took practice swings. He wound up making double bogey after a cascade of water came up when he hit his shot. Did Burns get hosed?
🏌️ Wyndham Clark’s tantrum resulted in a damaged locker in Oakmont’s venerable locker room. Some are outraged, while Graeme McDowell says he’s seen worse. Is this as big a deal as some people are making it?
🏌️ Both Spaun and Adam Scott used L.A.B. putters at the Open. How difficult will it be for the rest of us to get one?
🏌️ The grouping that included Lexi Thompson and Yealimi Noh played in six hours in the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — and it wasn’t their fault. Do we even care anymore about pace of play?
🏌️ Despite oversized clubheads that promote straight ball flight and balls that players say are difficult to curve, why do modern elite players have such a hard time hitting a straight ball off the tee that hits the fairway?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
U.S. Open at Oakmont was equal parts brutal, pure delight
Readers of The First Call did not hold back their criticism or praise for the 125th championship that was ultimately won by J.J. Spaun.
:: The First Call Inbox | Read
BOOKMARKED
Good reads — and listens — that are sometimes about golf, but not always.
📖 Who really invented basketball? The ‘Human Calculator’ thinks he knows
The official story is that Dr. James Naismith invented basketball in Springfield, Mass., in 1891. But what about the teenager tossing cabbages in upstate New York a year earlier?
:: Dan Barry | New York Times | 06.17.25 | Read
📖 The world that ABBA made
It once seemed unlikely that four Swedes in sequins would become global pop icons. A new biography describes how the band became ubiquitous.
:: Mitch Therieau | New Yorker | 06.18.25 | Read
📖 How Ted Kennedy and Tip O’Neill got boxing legend Marvin Hagler a title shot
Brockton’s “Marvelous Marvin” battled the sport’s gatekeepers with unexpected allies by his side.
:: Dave Wedge | Boston Magazine | 06.18.25 | Read
THE LIBRARY
Recent drops to The First Call’s video and podcast section.
🎧 Daniel Saloner: Becoming the 'Short Game King'
The golf content creator has taken a rather scientific approach to molding his brand and separating it from others within the industry.
:: Content Clubhosue | 06.18.25 | Listen
ARCHIVES: 🎧 Podcasts | ▶️ Videos
BUSINESS
THE FIRST CALL
Week in Review: The industry’s names, news and notables making headlines. | Read
This week’s editions: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
Industry press releases | Industry press release videos | TFC / PR Newswire feed
Golf Industry Job / Internship Board
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
Look cool and protect your eyes. It’s time to update your shades for the summer.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
19TH HOLE
“Course of Life” podcast co-host Alex Lauzon closes each episode with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole food and beverage experience.
Will Lowery, broadcaster and golf content creator: “Something with salmon, maybe a salad … and right now the drink I like is a mezcal old fashioned."
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
HOME FRONT
Four Seasons Private Residences Tamarindo | Jalisco, México
Listing: Las Arenas Beachfront Estates Casa 18.
Stats: 10,000-plus square feet | 6 bedrooms | 4 bathrooms | staff quarters.
Price: $15,500,000.
About: Set along Mexico’s untouched coastline, Las Arenas Beachfront Estates Casa 18 seamlessly blends modern design with natural beauty, offering over 200 feet of ocean frontage steps from the swimmable and scenic Tamarindo Beach. The property comprises three separate buildings, offering the ideal balance of privacy and togetherness — perfect for families who want space to unwind while staying connected. Fully finished and integrated to Four Seasons standards, this property is a short golf cart ride from the Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, with access to three distinct chef-inspired dining experiences, a David Fleming-designed golf course and club, full-service spa and wellness center and private tennis courts. Poised within Tamarindo’s sprawling 3,000-acre natural reserve, this home offers a rare opportunity to live in harmony with nature while enjoying unmatched luxury and comfort. The home features ocean-facing pools, floor-to-ceiling windows, a chef’s kitchen and access to a personal chef for in-villa dining, and multiple open-air living and dining spaces.
Home Front Archive | Read
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN NOTES
Rees Jones refreshes Arizona’s Quintero
Quintero Golf Club, the top 100 public course in Peoria, Arizona, recently began a multimillion-dollar, four-month golf course renovation project that is expected to be completed by the end of September. The fully-overseeded course will then reopen for play in October.
Rees Jones, Quintero’s original course architect, is overseeing the course renovation and Total Turf is the contractor.
This summer’s course renovation marks the first major changes to the award-winning course since it opened in 2000. During the renovation, crews will rebuild all 18 green complexes and resurface them with 007XL Bentgrass. All tee boxes will be laser-leveled and resurfaced with a new 419 Bermudagrass. All 65 bunkers will be renovated — receiving new drainage and bunker liners, and filled with new Augusta white sand.
“We are so excited to have RJI and Total Turf involved in this project with the primary focus on making Quintero Golf Club even better than before,” said club general manager Mike Poe.
Quintero’s expansive practice facility will also be renovated during this summer’s closure. The practice tee will be leveled and resurfaced, and the practice green rebuilt and resurfaced.
Currently No. 93 on Golf Digest’s ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses and #1 Public Course in Arizona, Quintero was carved out of a secluded stretch of Sonoran Desert by architect Rees Jones. Since opening for play in 2000, the 7.249-yard, par-72 layout has received numerous accolades including multiple best-in-state and most-scenic course rankings. With elevated tee boxes perched on mountain tops—with the 219-yard, par-3 sixth providing the most precipitous plunge at 110 feet--and fairways ribboning through giant saguaro cacti, Quintero provides a unique Arizona golf experience for guests.
Design Notes Archive | Read