Did it have to be this way for LIV, PGA Tour?
+ Is Nelly Korda on the brink of more history? Mike Purkey has nine questions for you; and a weekend's worth of good reads.
THE STARTER
🏌️ Scottie Scheffler, ranked No. 1 in the world, has more than twice as many points as No. 2 Rory McIlroy. The last player to do that was Tiger Woods. No one is making any comparison’s, are they?
🏌️ Justin Thomas thinks it’s “weird” that Scheffler uses high numbered golf balls. Shouldn’t Thomas be using all of his energy to focus on his game? Or should he order some high-numbered balls?
🏌️ Frankie Capan shot 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour at the Veritex Bank Championship. It’s only the second lowest score in tour history. What numbered balls was he using?
🏌️ Nelly Korda withdrew from the JM Eagle LA Championship on the LPGA Tour after winning a major, the Chevron Championship, for her record-tying fifth consecutive victory. You can’t blame her for withdrawing, can you?
🏌️ Fifteen-year-old Miles Russell tied for 20th at the Lecom Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour last week, thus earning a spot in this week’s KFT event. Is he the biggest 15-year-old headline maker in golf?
🏌️ Another 15-year-old, Charlie Woods, shot 81 in a U.S. Open pre-qualifier. Nothing more needs to be said, does it?
🏌️ After making a big deal of leaving the PGA Tour Policy Board, Rory McIlroy is mulling a return to the board after a suggestion that he replace Webb Simpson, who is stepping down. Doesn’t McIlroy have enough to worry about?
🏌️ Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas will be assistants to captain Mike Weir for the President’s Cup in September. Wouldn’t you really rather see a match between LIV and the PGA Tour?
🏌️ Are we just marking time until the PGA Championship?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
Who is to blame for LIV, PGA Tour divide?
The First Call readers respond to Sergio Garcia's assertion that the media is the root of the divisiveness.
:: TFC Inbox | Read
BOOKMARKED
Good reads that are mainly about golf, but not always.
📖 Riding the baddest bulls made him a legend. Then one broke his neck.
Rodeo stars find purpose in navigating primal forces. None of them ever went harder than J.B. Mauney.
:: Sally Jenkins | Washington Post | 04.20.2024
📖 Tom Doak isn’t your typical golf-course designer. Ask Tom Doak
:: Michael Bamberger | Golf.com | 04.25.2024
📖 How F1’s Red Bull mastered the art of the 2-second pit stop
:: Madeline Coleman | The Athletic | 04.26.2024
SUBSTACKED
10 thoughts to improve the mind.
:: Gurwinder | The Prism | 04.26.2024
BUSINESS
WEEK IN REVIEW
1️⃣8️⃣ The industry’s names, news and notables that are making the headlines. | Read
PERFECT PUTT
A global outlook in golf
Publisher Jared Doerfler looks at the industry from an international perspective.
:: Jared Doerfler | Read
Each Monday, Jared Doerfler breaks down the business of golf. Subscribe to Perfect Putt here.
ICYMI
This week’s editions of The First Call:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
TRAVEL
The First Call has partnered with SportGo Travel, an online booking service, to give you up to 50% off or more on hotel accommodations worldwide.
Whether you’re planning your next trip to a tournament, a buddies or girls golf getaway, or a family vacation, book your stay through SportGo Travel and save. Simply create your account and start planning.
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
Just a friendly reminder, in case you haven’t already got your Mother’s Day gifting idea secured … it’s rapidly approaching on May 12.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
19TH HOLE
Each episode of the “Course of Life” podcast closes with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole experience.
Malia Nam, a rookie on the LPGA Tour: “I won't lie. I like to treat myself to a good steak. A nice ribeye and a lemon drop martini to go with it."
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
HOME FRONT
Juniper Preserve | Bend, Oregon
Listing: Juniper Lodge Collection Pied-a-terre Residence.
Stats: 1,163 square feet | 2 bedrooms | 3 baths.
Price: Starting at $980,000.
About: The allure of this collection extends far beyond its accessible pricing. Homeowners not only gain access to the prestigious Juniper Preserve golf membership at a special 78% discount, but also to a wealth of amenities that define the resort lifestyle. From on-site dining to pools and unique wellness offerings like breathwork sessions and ecstatic dance, residents are immersed in a world of unparalleled leisure and relaxation. At the heart of the collection lies the Juniper Lodge Collection Pied-a-terre Residence, a sanctuary where modern comfort meets rustic elegance. These meticulously crafted residences offer a turnkey experience unlike any other. Designed by the renowned Malia Mathis of Skye Design Bend, each residence reflects the natural beauty of its surroundings, blending contemporary architecture with warm wood furnishings. As part of the newly rebranded Juniper Preserve umbrella, residents gain access to the acclaimed Pronghorn Club, home to Jack Nicklaus Signature and Tom Fazio Championship golf courses.
Gallery photo credits: Lauren Jensen, Eamonn Walker, Katy Nevinsky
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN NOTES
Tom Fazio, Beau Welling to renovate Augusta Municipal
On the eve of the 2024 Masters, Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley shared some big news about design updates — not to Augusta National, but to Augusta Municipal Golf Course.
Nicknamed the "Cabbage Patch" — or "The Patch" — for short, Augusta’s muni dates to 1928, sits adjacent to Daniel Field Airport and is situated 15 minutes (five miles) from Augusta National.
"The collaboration announced last year with the City of Augusta, Augusta Technical College and the First Tee of Augusta aims to create affordable pathways to discover the game of golf as well as to develop tomorrow’s leaders within the business and workforce of the game," Ridley said.
Augusta National is leasing the facility from the City of Augusta, and representatives have already held community input sessions with frequent stakeholders of The Patch.
"In that regard, we have retained two of golf’s most respected designers, Tom Fazio and Beau Welling, to lead the renovation of this historic municipal course," Ridley said. "Along with our partners, we are excited to get started next January with the goal of an April 2026 opening."
> RELATED: How an early Pete Dye moment shapes Beau Welling
Both Fazio and Welling, a former longtime associate of Fazio Design, have worked with Augusta National in the past, so the collaboration expects to be smooth, even if design details are scant at this point. Augusta National is indelibly linked to the city’s muni because many of the club’s caddies grew up playing The Patch.
"The planning is still in the process," Ridley said. "I think it has almost unlimited potential. It has a lot of history. We’re going to honor that history. For example, we’re not going to build a new clubhouse. There’s been a lot of history in that clubhouse, and we’re going to hopefully make it nicer and freshen it up. The main thing we’re going to try to do is to really provide a great golf course and practice area and possibly a short course.
"We hired Tom and Beau to help us with that. It’s really going to be a hub for junior and high school golf. Also, one aspect that I’m really excited about is the Golf Management Program that Augusta Tech has.
"It’s really a confluence of a lot of different elements of the game that can really be a great thing for Augusta. So, while planning is still in process, we’ll have more details next year. I think it’s going to be fantastic."
READ: This week’s complete Design Notes
RELATED: Design Notes archive
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