We know Tiger Woods will not be enjoying a lot golf going ahead, however it’s nonetheless jarring to think about anybody however Joe LaCava caddying for him.
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Welcome again to the Monday Finish, which we’re writing on Tuesday this week. Why? We’ll get to that. For now, think about this the column of the long run. Let’s get to it!
FIRST OFF THE TEE
Tiger and Joe.
Interesting information broke on Tuesday from on web site on the Wells Fargo Championship when Dan Rapaport reported that Patrick Cantlay had enlisted Tiger Woods‘ longtime caddie Joe LaCava as his looper for the week. This was a very intriguing revelation given Cantlay had parted methods with looper Matt Minister after the Zurich Classic two weeks in the past. Sure sufficient, Todd Lewis confirmed on Golf Channel that LaCava could be working with Cantlay on a “full-time basis.”
Gulp.
Look, I’m excited for what’s subsequent for Cantlay and LaCava. I’m! I believe they’re a pure match, Cantlay’s top-of-the-line gamers within the recreation and I discover him one of many extra intriguing, too. Maybe LaCava would be the ingredient that will get him into rivalry at extra main championships. But there will likely be time for LaCantlay speak starting this Thursday. In the meantime, what this appears to recommend is that the Tiger-Joe period is…over. Or, if not over, no less than indefinitely suspended. After all, Woods is dealing with a prolonged restoration from his most up-to-date surgical procedure and, assuming he returns, it is going to be in a particularly restricted capability. And it’s not like LaCava might all of the sudden simply ditch Cantlay, his full-time boss, if Woods determined he was able to play subsequent yr’s Masters. Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg informed Lewis that he would “kinda see that not happening” given his new employment standing.
LaCava informed on-site reporters that he wasn’t actively wanting however when Cantlay requested, he checked along with his longtime employer.
“When this opportunity arose, I checked with Tiger,” LaCava told PGATour.com. “And he said, ‘You’re crazy not to take the job, go forward, go win some tournaments, go have a great time.’”
The trade instantly introduced me again to 2018, when Woods lastly returned after simply 19 occasions within the earlier 4 years. LaCava had been there within the meantime, patiently ready. Asked about that loyalty for ESPN’s documentary Return of the Roar, he delivered a very poignant line.
“He basically said to me, look, if you wanna go find another guy to work for, I’m okay with that,” LaCava stated. “If I could live another hundred years, I’d wait another hundred years. I was never not going to work for Tiger as long as he was going to have me. I just wanted to work for him and no one else. And I think that helped a little bit, knowing that he had a friend that thought that much of him, as a person and with his game.”
WINNERS
Who received the week?
Tony Finau went viral after his Mexico Open victory because of a particularly dad video of the PGA Tour winner seemingly caddying for his sons on the adjoining par-3 course later that evening. It was a cute shot and a reminder that Finau is a household man first and an expert golfer second.
But in media availability Tuesday he set the document straight: He wasn’t simply caddying. He was enjoying alongside his sons simply as he had each evening that week.
“Hopefully my boys are enjoying it like I was when I was a kid, just being with my dad and my brother,” he stated. “It’s just special to be with them no matter what. If I would have finished second I would have been with them still. My boys were counting on me and that’s something that I take pride in just as a father.”
More importantly, although: he was successful there, too.
“Man, I cleaned house last week,” he stated. “I beat up on my boy fortunately all week on the par 3 and then was able to take the trophy at the Mexico Open. It was a good all-around week in golf for me.”
The LPGA headed to Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, in the meantime, the place Hannah Green delivered the putt of the week to earn her approach right into a playoff — one which she’d ultimately win, snapping a four-year drought.
Delivering with a fist pump in Sunday pink and black! It doesn’t get a lot better than that.
ROLL CALL
Checking in on the World Top 3.
All eyes are on the World No. 3 this week not solely as a result of he received the final time the Wells Fargo Championship was held at Quail Hollow however as a result of he’s gone lacking from the general public eye since an early exit from the Masters.
Rory McIlroy completed out his second spherical simply earlier than play was suspended at Augusta National, mercifully spared a post-round press convention by the incoming climate. His absence drew loads of consideration on the following week’s RBC Heritage, the place he skipped his second designated occasion of the yr and took some warmth within the course of; he’d been a vocal proponent on one of the best gamers exhibiting up for the highest occasions and this absence appeared to undercut that message.
Lewis caught up with McIlroy throughout Tuesday’s observe spherical, who gave a comparatively easy rationalization: the run-up to the Masters and the frustration of a missed minimize overwhelmed him post-tournament.
“I needed a break for me,” he stated on Golf Today. “Obviously after the disappointment of Augusta and then — it’s been a pretty taxing 12 months mentally. So it was nice to just try to disconnect for a little bit, get away from it. It’s nice to come back refreshed and we’re on a pretty busy run here now until after the playoffs, so I’m excited to get going.”
McIlroy added that he was in a “better headspace” than within the days following the Masters.
“That run-up to Augusta is always a stressful enough couple weeks just trying to make sure everything’s in the right order and making sure your game’s in shape,” he defined. “I think for me it was a nice reset because I still had to realize there’s still three majors this year, there’s a ton left to play for. I guess it was like, not a new beginning in a way but it was like, okay, I’ve played great golf up until then. I need to leave the last 12 months in the rearview and focus on what’s ahead of me and I think the last three weeks has helped me gain that perspective and put me back on the right track.”
As for the World Nos. 1 and a pair of? Jon Rahm performed final week’s Mexico Open (ending second to Finau), whereas Scottie Scheffler‘s been off since Hilton Head. But neither is showing up for this week’s Wells Fargo; they’re selecting to make the most of their single skip for the yr.
Next yr there are not any one-off occasions; the designateds will likely be clumped collectively. There will likely be limitless skips allowed, too, if gamers select to take them. Those within the know have talked about this as a bridge yr; the weirdness round Rory’s absence illustrates that and the names lacking this week does, too.
Rahm and Scheffler aren’t the one top-50 Tour execs skipping this week: Will Zalatoris and Hideki Matsuyama are out with harm whereas Billy Horschel, Tom Hoge, Russell Henley, Justin Rose, Lucas Herbert and Aaron Wise are absent, too. There’s loads of golf left this season, in spite of everything.
Bonus Roll Call: Bronte Law and fellow Brit Jodi Ewart Shadoff had been none too happy when their would-be teammates Georgia Hall (battling a foot harm) and Charley Hull (coping with an sickness) had pulled out from this week’s Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown, leaving Team England scrambling for 2 extra execs within the four-player occasion.
“Didn’t get any sort of message from the two that decided to not play,” Law stated. “Was disappointed about that. But it’s beside the point now. We’re here, and this is our team, and this is Team England.” She added that anybody “with some level of decency” would message teammates to inform them of their absence.
“Not find out from other players on tour who have heard things from them saying things at the tournament last week. I don’t think that that’s a lot to ask for.”
Ewart Shadoff added that her schedule this yr has been “all based around being here this week because it means that much to me to play for England.”
So, yeah. Not positive they’ll all be splitting a trip rental in Cornwall this summer season.
MONEY MONEY MONEY
Who’s making financial institution?
Forbes launched its list of highest-paid athletes for 2023, which they outlined because the interval between May 1, 2022 and May 1, 2023. Well, gang, guess what else occurred in that point interval?! There’s a motive there weren’t any golfers on final yr’s listing (sure, Woods is lastly off) however two on this yr’s.
While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi rank first and second, every raking in additional than $130 million, new LIV signees Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson got here in neck-and-neck at Nos. 6 and seven. Johnson’s “on-field” earnings got here within the type of an enormous signing bonus plus a preposterous $35.6 million in prize cash (together with an $18 million season-long prize). Sure, his off-field earnings shrank from $29 million to $5 million, however his complete of $107 million suggests he made up for that after which some.
As for Mickelson? The 52-year-old had a turbulent 2022 however it included him crossing the $1 billion mark in pre-tax earnings. Forbes had him at No. 7 with $104 million in “on-field” earnings plus one other $2 million off the course. There’s no query certainly one of his most satisfying paychecks got here at Augusta National, in fact.
Forbes estimated that Mickelson acquired $200 in assured cash from the Saudis whereas Johnson acquired $125 million — with half of that paid up entrance.
WHAT’S NEXT?
3 issues to look at this week.
1. RORY’S PUTTER
There will likely be sufficient consideration on McIlroy this week that you just’ll see loads of his putter, and his driver, and his irons, too. But he’s gone again to the Spider, the weapon that he says guided him to an all-time placing season in 2022.
Oh yeah, regulate his wedges, too: Jonathan Wall has a scoop on McIlroy’s new lob wedge and the explanation he was testing 4 of them on Tuesday.
2. TEAM CHAMP
It’s the primary Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown since 2018, and the format sounds actually enjoyable. So what’s the deal? Eight international locations break into groups, 4 gamers every, they usually compete Thursday-Sunday at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. There are 4 groups in Group A and the opposite 4 in Group B, and the highest two groups from every group advance to the semifinals on Sunday, the place the format switches from all better-ball to 2 singles matches plus one alternate-shot (foursomes) match. Spicy!
3. FATHER-SON U.S. OPEN?
Cameron Kuchar is finest generally known as his father Matt’s PNC Championship companion. But it seems the 15-year-old can maintain his personal in stroke-play, too, after taking pictures three-under 69 to bust his approach via Local Qualifying. Given Matt has to make his approach via Final Qualifying, too, I can’t assist however surprise if the 2 signed up for a similar web site — and if they might each make it via for an uncommon household summer season trip to L.A. Country Club.
We’ll see you subsequent week!
