Fractured fairways
+ Wyndham Clark braves a hostile U.S. Open crowd; PGA Tour faces backlash over its proposed two-tier schedule revamp; Is it time to move on from Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods?
Editor’s note: In observance of America’s 250th birthday, The First Call | Extra will not publish on Saturday, July 4. We will resume publishing on Saturday, July 11. We hope you enjoy the holiday break.
:: Stuart Hall, Senior Editor
THE STARTER
⛳ Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills for his second Open title. Is it now time for everyone to get over Clark’s locker-smashing incident at Oakmont last year?
⛳ Clark was booed while paired with crowd favorite Scottie Scheffler in the final round of the Open. “They definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark said. Some of the more boisterous were escorted from the property. Is it now time to seriously look at alcohol sales at major championships?
⛳ Nelly Korda is attempting to win three straight majors at this week’s KPMG LPGA Championship. Only two LPGA players have won three majors in a row — Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1950 and Inbee Park in 2013. If Korda wins this weekend, where would it place her among the game’s greats?
⛳ PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced the anticipated major revamp to golf’s schedule with the introduction of the Championship Series and the Challenger Series. Is this a clear delineation between golf’s haves and have-nots?
⛳ What happens to tournaments like this week’s Travelers Championship, by all accounts one of the most successful events on Tour? Will it end up being a mistake for the PGA Tour to attempt to make inroads in the nation’s largest markets?
⛳ Rory McIlroy likened the proposed Challenger Series to the Korn Ferry Tour. Is the PGA Tour trying to tell golf fans which tournaments are most important? Shouldn’t that be up to the fans?
⛳ Will someone please tell Rolapp that despite its current popularity, golf is still a niche sport?
⛳ Major championship season concludes in just three weeks at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Doesn’t it feel like the season is just now getting started?
⛳ Oh, and by the way, Tiger Woods made his first public appearance since leaving rehab. He was at the Travelers Championship in his role as chairman of the PGA Tour Championship Committee. Are you surprised he remains in that position?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
Shinnecock’s identity crisis: A mix of fan animus and softened conditions
The 2026 U.S. Open will be remembered not for iconic shots, but for a hostile Hamptons crowd, an overly cautious course setup, and the logistical nightmares of a luxury venue.
:: Bradley S. Klein | Read
Wiffle ball and private jets: How the Travelers won over the PGA Tour
Tournament directors transformed a “quaint” stop into a player favorite through endless upgrades, proving that taking care of the entire ecosystem beats a tough calendar slot.
:: Shaun Tolson | Read
PGA Tour’s 2-tier schedule proposal faces backlash
The First Call readers criticize the tour’s proposed schedule structure, suggesting it creates another minor league and prioritizes corporate cash over historic events.
:: TFC Inbox | Read
Pizá Golf, Nicklaus Design partner to craft Mexico’s Valle de los Encinos
Tobacco Road to open a Carlton Marshall 12-hole short course; Ireland’s new Curracloe Links progresses with its Fry/Straka Design.
BOOKMARKED
Good reads that are sometimes about golf, but not always.
📖 Welcome to the post-journalism era of professional sports
Teams, leagues and athletes have more ways than ever to tell their own stories. But what do fans lose when journalists are left out?
:: Oren Weisfeld | Poynter | 06.12.2026 | Read
📖 Phil Mickelson’s long history of misconduct
Interviews with 19 sources reveal two incidents of lewd language and unwanted advances, and the behavior that led to his departure from two additional golf clubs.
:: Alan Shipnuck | Skratch | 06.28.2026 | Read
📖 Why does the PGA Tour still need Tiger Woods?
:: Barry Svrluga | The Athletic | 06.23.2026 | Read
LIFESTYLE
THE STYLE LINKS
Sold out in 6 hours. Demand + sales = there will be more.
:: 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.
Alex Loskoski, founder of Chippopotamus Golf: “I’ll do a beer like a Stella [Artois] or Corona. That and a burger and fries get the job done.”
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
BUSINESS
THE FIRST CALL
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This is all well and good! Some sponsors are not going to like their tournaments being down graded and say what’s in this for my company! The downgraded tournaments will not have the stars showing up and many fans come to see the stars in golf, so less attendance! Arnold Palmer was the negotiator for the current PGA with it breaking off from the Club Pros and this is our current system! Also trying to get into big markets and no stars, how many fans are going to show up! Only time will tell if this will work!
He is in no position to make judgment calls. Hell, the guy can’t even figure out how to hire a driver.