Tiger Woods has remained silent on when his next begin will happen.
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Check in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked subjects within the sport, and be a part of the dialog by tweeting us @golf_com. This week, we focus on Tiger Woods next aggressive begin, LIV Golf’s failed try at incomes OWGR factors, underrated golf cities and extra.
One day after LIV Golf introduced a strategic alliance with the MENA Tour within the hopes of incomes rapid world ranking factors, the OWGR mentioned it paused the league’s bid for them. A evaluate of the modifications is now underway. “I don’t think it really was much of a response,” Brooks Koepka mentioned. “I just hate when you sit on the fence. Just pick a side. If it’s yes or no, just pick one.” Are you shocked by the choice, and the way a lot of a setback is that this for LIV?
Josh Sens, senior author (@joshsens): This was like my patented heel-slice off the first tee: you could possibly see it coming. I can’t think about LIV was shocked. This felt extra like an try by LIV to check across the edges and get a response out of the tight-lipped OWGR. Also fairly presumably a part of a longer-term authorized technique — proof they could level to later to make a case that they’ve been handled unfairly. I don’t assume LIV anticipated this end-around to work within the quick run.
James Colgan, assistant editor (@jamescolgan26): Doesn’t matter how good the swimsuit is when you weren’t invited to the marriage within the first place. This felt a bit like switching your tie on the final second within the hopes the bouncer will allow you to by means of the door.
OWGR halts LIV Golf’s sudden effort to earn world ranking factors
James Colgan
Jack Hirsh, assistant editor (@JR_HIRSHey): Not shocked at this in any respect. I’ve to agree with Josh right here, if LIV Golf thought this was going to work … I don’t even know what to assume. I assume why didn’t they fight to do that earlier with their affiliation with the Asian Tour?
Dylan Dethier, senior author (@dylan_dethier): I don’t assume it’s an enormous setback, however I feel it’s nonetheless laborious to get a full learn on LIV’s try right here. Was this aggression? Desperation? Laying the groundwork for future authorized strikes? I feel LIV’s solely threat here’s a shot to its legitimacy — however maybe they received an accelerated OWGR ruling in return.
Speaking of world ranking factors, are they even wanted? Some have argued you could possibly do away with them completely. Is it believable the skilled golf world might scrap them and performance simply the identical or higher? Why or why not?
Sens: As a lot as an entire free-for-all of qualifying could be good, mad enjoyable, I feel there must be some sort of system for the majors. But there’s no cause that the system must be the OWGR. I’ve heard ideas for a extra fluid level system throughout the Tours (PGA / Korn Ferry, and so forth. ) the place guys might/would transfer up or down from week to week to fill out fields. Someone smarter than I’m must work out the mathematics however that appears promising, presumably fairer as a mirrored image of present kind and undoubtedly entertaining, permitting younger stars to maneuver up sooner and so forth. The current modifications OWGR made to base factors on complete discipline power appears sensible however the group itself is opaque, which solely creates skepticism about the way it operates. Whatever occurs, issues ought to be extra clear.
Hirsh: Is the OWGR changing into the next BCS? Is there going to be knowledgeable golf playoff? Oh wait! We have already got that. As a snakebitten Penn State soccer fan, I’d like to see what would occur if the BCS components was used to pick the CFB Playoff. When it involves formulation to find out rankings, I don’t assume there’s actually a approach to make everybody completely happy, however I do assume there does have to be a way of evaluating execs from throughout completely different excursions. I don’t assume that may very well be finished with a panel, there must be some components, and it was my understanding there could be no math, so I’ll differ within the creation and critiques of mentioned formulation.
Colgan: Fortunately, golf isn’t cliquey, exclusionary or gradual to acknowledge its stars, as a result of these issues would make abolishing the OWGR brutally unhealthy for the game. (Oh, golf is these items? Well then, maybe we should always keep it up!)
Dethier: No. This is an attention-grabbing thought experiment however in the end a nasty concept. One of golf’s chief crowns is the World No. 1 ranking. And there’s a reliable worth to evaluating all high execs. The LIV concern will attain some imperfect decision ultimately. The World Ranking must endure.
Tiger Woods introduced the star-studded discipline for the 2022 Hero World Challenge going down on Dec. 1-4, however Woods was suspiciously absent. Seventeen gamers are presently dedicated, however the host, per regular for this occasion, left three spots open for exemptions. What are the probabilities Tiger will use one on himself?
Sens: If he’s feeling good — as in, he feels he has an opportunity of being aggressive — he’ll play. I count on that would be the case.
One BIG identify is lacking from Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge discipline
Kevin Cunningham
Hirsh: I’d discover it stunning he’d tee it up within the PNC Father/Son with Charlie two weeks after the Hero, however not play the Hero. He’s mentioned he doesn’t need to use a cart on Tour, however this isn’t a Tour occasion. It’s a flat golf course, he might undoubtedly use a cart and it advantages his charity for him to play. All indicators level to him teeing it up, if his physique is up for it.
Colgan: The chances are high … fairly good! I feel the larger query is whether or not we’ll see Tiger make the most of a cart (one thing he as soon as stood unequivocally in opposition to) if he indicators as much as play.
Dethier: Yeah, he’ll play. Why not?
Despite a current string of dominant play from Team USA, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson mentioned he doesn’t imagine they need to be favored in Rome in 2023. The U.S., in any case, hasn’t received an away match since The Belfry in 1993. But regardless of the Americans’ struggles abroad and with the European squad rebuilding, is there any cause to imagine the U.S. received’t be the heavy favorites come next fall?
Sens: The Americans will likely be favorites and rightly so. But they received’t win. I mentioned the identical earlier than the Cup in Paris, which i point out in a gloating kinda method, solely as a result of I’m so not often proper.
Hirsh: The Americans have by no means received over there in my lifetime, I didn’t know that was an choice.
Why Zach Johnson does NOT imagine the U.S. will likely be Ryder Cup favorites
Zephyr Melton
Colgan: History apart, we hardly know who’s going to be eligible to compete on this factor as soon as the occasion occurs next fall. I’d be shocked if the Euros have been the betting favorites (they kinda by no means are), however I don’t assume we’re signing up for a blowout in Rome.
Dethier: The U.S. group will likely be favorites based mostly off sheer expertise plus the lead to Whistling Straits. This European group’s make-up remains to be very a lot in query, however we will be positive Vegas will favor the Stars and Stripes. That was the case in France too, although…
A current examine used 22 key indicators of “golfer-friendliness” to rank the perfect and worst cities for golfers within the U.S., with Scottsdale edging Orlando for the No. 1 spot. We received’t argue the perfect and worst right here, however we are going to ask you on your most underrated metropolis for golfers.
Sens: Cleveland. Great assortment of well-priced public-access, Manikiki and Fowler’s Mill amongst them. And when you can in some way pull a string or two, the privates (together with Canterbury, The Country Club) are musts. But .. about these Browns.
These cities are the perfect and worst for golfers, in line with a brand new examine
Jessica Marksbury
Hirsh: My former hometown of Bend, Oregon. A hidden gem on the opposite aspect of the Oregon Cascades from Portland, Salem and Eugene, there’s just a few high resorts akin to Tetherow, Pronghorn, Brasada Ranch, and Sunriver. A pair standout non-public golf equipment akin to Bend Golf Club (a former house of mine) and Crosswater Club. There’s additionally a few standout day by day price programs like Juniper Golf Course in close by Redmond. Drive about 90 minutes into the mountains and also you’ll discover Tokatee, a course with breathtaking mountain views at each flip. Not to say, it’s an ideal appetizer for a Bandon Dunes journey, which is essentially the most stunning five-hour drive you’ll ever take away.
Colgan: Jacksonville has a sneaky variety of nice publicly accessible golf programs (each a budget, enjoyable variety and the costly, flashy variety), however I really like Pinehurst deeply. The resort programs rock. Tobacco Road rocks. Mid-Pines and Pine Needles could be the perfect programs in a thousand cities within the U.S. They’re possibly within the high 5 in Pinehurst. And Country Club of North Carolina — one of many lone non-public programs within the space — is an insanely enjoyable slice of Southern royalty. On a per-capita foundation, Pinehurst is the middle of the golf world.
Dethier: Underrated? How about Traverse City, Mich.? You have Arcadia Bluffs and Forest Dunes for straightforward entry, high-character island programs like historic Wawashkamo, plus a great deal of golf at affordable costs at resorts like Crystal Mountain and Grand Traverse — northern Michigan has sneaky-good golf.
