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 Several ticket packages available for golf’s most unique event held in Orlando, Florida
ORLANDO, FL (Oct. 17, 2018) – Diamond Resorts, a global leader in the hospitality, vacation ownership and entertainment industries, announced today that tickets are now on sale for the inaugural 2019 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Presented by Insurance Office of America. The tournament will be held Jan. 17-20, 2019 at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. New for 2019, the tournament will be one of the most unique events on the LPGA Tour, bringing together some of the world’s top women golfers to play side-by-side with a roster of world-class celebrities. Only LPGA professionals who won an official tour event in 2017 or 2018 qualify to play in the tournament, so the competition will be tough and the weekend filled with on-the-course action. The professionals will play 72 holes of stroke play with no cut for $1.2 million in official prize money, and compete alongside a roster of sports and entertainment celebrities, who will be competing for their own $500,000 purse utilizing a Modified Stableford format.
Several ticket packages are available for purchase, ranging from $12 for a single day presale pass to $400 for a four-day suite pass, which includes complimentary food and drinks in a suite overlooking the green on Hole 17. To date, 35 LPGA professionals have qualified to play in the inaugural event, including Brittany Lincicome, Brooke Henderson, In-Kyung Kim, Michelle Wie, Shanshan Feng, Inbee Park and Sung Hyun Park. For the full list of qualified LPGA players, visit DiamondLPGA.com/players. Hall of Famers Ray Allen, Brian Urlacher, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, John Smoltz and Marcus Allen; seven-time Cy Young Award Winner Roger Clemens; Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester; Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander; former NASCAR champion Michael Waltrip; NHL star Jeremy Roenick; and actors Alfonso Ribeiro and Jack Wagner will be among the celebrities competing.
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Former Georgetown College (KY) All-American Captures Inaugural Gimmie Golf Professional Invitational
In typical golf fashion, from October 13-14, 2018 the final hole was the determining factor. Christian Heavens, Chip McDaniel, and Kyle Kmiecek battled all day in the bitter cold, rain, and windy conditions. It proved to be Heavens week, as he made a 5-foot par save on the final hole at Boone’s Trace National Golf Club to secure the victory and the $5,000 first-place prize. The field included former University of Kentucky All-American Chip McDaniel, 2018 U.S. Open Participant Cole Miller, and former PGA Tour player Cliff Kresge, among others.
Heavens has been playing professional golf for 7 years upon his graduation from Georgetown College. He has competed on the Golf Channel’s Big Break, Latin America, and Florida professional tours, during his professional tenure. Christian credited his ball-striking, putting, and strong mental fortitude to allow him to win. Christian stated that he plans to try some PGA Tour Monday Qualifiers this fall, along with Asian Tour Q-School, in hopes to keep climbing golf’s professional ladder.
Gimmie Golf, Founder and Owner Todd McDaniel says, “I decided to have the tournament this September. The reason why was it was between Web.com Q-School stages and there wasn’t a whole lot of tournament going on. I’ve always wanted to host a pro event and it appears this won’t be the last after all the positive feedback and success.” McDaniel is an avid competitive, scratch golfer, who played collegiately at the University of Kentucky. Originally from Manchester, KY, 1.5 hour south of Lexington, he lives at Boone’s Trace National Golf Club, just south of Lexington where the event was held. “I would play more but I balance running Gimmie Golf with being a Civil Engineer Project Manager. ” His Gimmie Golf Facebook Group (started in 2016) has over 6300 members and is growing.
McDaniel would like to give a big thanks for support of the tournament to Boone’s Trace National Golf Club, owners Chris and Cameron Rutherford, and the following sponsors: Patrick “Heyyyyo” Hickey, TBay Golf LLC, Scott’s Service Center, Prairie Farms, Brysen Conway, Marcus Hylton, Eric King, 1-LT. Colby Davis, Russ and Jo Wolfe, Rory Gerber, Jake Hanzlik, Chris Garton, Grant Talbert with New Millennium Asset Management, Jerry Nolan with KSS Home Improvements, Zac and Jr Lujano, and Glen Dunigan.
RELATED ARTICLE: Christian Heavens Wins The New Year Open
Gimmie Golf is a business owned by Todd McDaniel, a former University of Kentucky golfer. They specialize in buying/trading/selling new golf equipment and apparel. The brand has grown tremendously in the past couple of years with a following of over 6300 members on Facebook.
Top 10
1. Christian Heavens 65-69= 134
T-2 Kyle Kmiecek 66-69= 135
T-2 Jeremy Martin 68-67= 135
4 Chip McDaniel 65-71= 136
5 Scott Webb 70-68= 138
6 Blake Cartwright 69-71= 140
T-7 Kenny Goodykoontz 74-67= 141
T-7 Nathan Kerns 70-71= 141
T-7 Cole Miller 73-68= 141
10 Andrew Stephens 71-71= 142
The Green’s Ladies Golf Club, Inc. was organized May 1, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lorraine Sawyer. Although women were looked upon by male golfers as someone to plan social activities, Mrs. Sawyer envisioned that black women could partake of the experiences on the golf links, including the 19th hole, instead of simply being golf widows. She saw that there was a need for black women to have a club that could nurture their interest in golf.
On May 1, 1954, she convened with seven other women at 160 N. Sanford Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they laid the foundation of the Green’s Ladies Golf Club. As the founder and first president, Mrs. Sawyer was motivated by the need for a totally governed black female golf club; which would be respected in the community and beneficial to other black women interested in sharing in the joys of golf. The Charter members were: Opal C. Shields, Alma Fay Horn, Mary Frances Simpson, Lubertha Slocum, Lillian Cherry, Ann Wilson, Gladys Gray. These women became the liberators of black women into golf in the City of Philadelphia and South Jersey. That year the mold was set with an everlasting impression that would outlast any of us as members.
Over the years the club members have traveled the eastern seaboard from Boston to Miami extensively to places such as Boston, Springfield, New Haven, Hartford, Stanford, New Bedford, Baltimore, New York, Washington, DC and of course Philadelphia.
The first tournament hosted by the Green’s Ladies Golf Club was held in 1955. With the participation of golfers from Philadelphia and the various cities to which we traveled in our first year of tournament play, the tournament was a tremendous success. We became members of the Eastern Golf Association and the United Golf Association.
To learn more visit http://www.greensladiesgolfclub.org/index.html
BY AAGD STAFF
OCTOBER 4, 2018 — ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida –PGA TOUR Champions and The First Tee announced today the 81 junior golfers selected to play in the 2018 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee. The annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, will be held September 24-30 at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California, and will be televised internationally on Golf Channel.
Among the youth selected is 16-year-old Christina Carroll of Bear, DE. Christina began playing golf at 10 and was influenced by her father. “Because in life you are always going to have challenges. It is very important to fight through them to move forward,” she says, as one of her core values. Christina is active in her community and volunteers at her church and serves as an usher. “I love golf because there is always something that you can improve upon, and there is no limit to how good you can get. Golf is not easy, and I love the challenge it brings.”
Notable is the fact that Christina was the first African American female to qualify for the High School Golf State Champs in Delaware during her freshman year. She credits her success in and out of golf to The First Tee.
The most substantial obstacle that she had to overcome is being a minority in the golf community. She recalls the many times she went to tournaments and saw no one that looked like her. She also felt she was not as fit for golf as her white counterparts. Her father also told her that it is important to pave the way for other African Americans, like herself, who want to play the game of golf. She holds her head up high, walks with poise, and speaks with intelligence because she knows there are little girls who look up to her and she wants to set an example for them, the way LPGA pro Mariah Stackhouse set an example for her. Her goal is to make it as a professional golfer so that she can encourage people to overcome personal obstacles to become who they want to be; no matter their race.
Christina just recently returned from playing in the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California. The tournament is an official PGA TOUR Champions televised internationally on Golf Channel. Christina was selected by a national panel of judges based on playing ability and application of the Nine Core Values and life skills learned through their involvement with The First Tee’s programs. She was paired with golf legend, Bernhard Langer.
When Christina is not playing golf, ” I have a love for track. I got tenth at states for the 800 in the 2017 indoor season for Delaware. My best is 2:27. I also ran cross country last year with a best time of 21:53.”
Her future goals: “My future goals are to get a scholarship for golf to a Division I school. My major will be electrical engineering,” says the animal lover who has two cats, two guinea pigs and a fish. She also plays the piano, bass clarinet and guitar. Quite a list of accomplishments for the busy youngster.
In her life, the most significant time, thus far, has been “The first one is when I broke my school record for the lowest 9 hole score as a sophomore. The second is when my family and I went on a vacation to Florida. Going somewhere that Ihave never been before meant so much to me. It was a special time, and we all had fun together.”
The PURE Insurance Championship is the only event of its kind in which 81 junior golfers are teamed with 81 PGA TOUR Champions players and 162 amateurs during an official PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The juniors, ages 14 to 18, compete for the pro-junior title. Representing 22 states, the juniors were selected by a national panel of judges based on playing ability and application of the Nine Core Values and life skills learned through The First Tee’s programs.
The junior field was announced this morning on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive. The show included PGA TOUR winner Jason Gore, Web.com Tour member Cameron Champ, Arizona State University football coach Herm Edwards, Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais and Golf Channel host Charlie Rymer, with 11 junior golfers receiving surprises informing them of their selection.
“We are proud to be a part of such a prestigious event that supports so many deserving young men and women from The First Tee throughout the country,” said Katherine Frattarola, Chief Marketing Officer of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “They are what make this tournament so special, and it’s humbling to be a part of something that has such a profound impact on their lives both on and off the course.”
As of July 11, players committed to compete in the PURE Insurance Championship include defending champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer, as well as fellow World Golf Hall of Fame members Colin Montgomerie, Mark O’Meara and Sandy Lyle. Players have until Friday, September 21 to commit, with additional commitments to be announced in the coming months.
“We are proud of the junior golfers selected to play at this year’s PURE Insurance Championship,” said Keith Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer of The First Tee. “These 81 teens, and the event, embody The First Tee’s beliefs around the importance of fan engagement, diversity and inclusion and having a sense of civic responsibility that is expressed through our Nine Core Values.”
In this 15th tournament year, more than 870kids from The First Tee have played in the tournament, meeting and learning from PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs in the field while showcasing the Nine Core Values and the leadership and life skills they have acquired at The First Tee chapters.
“My most significant achievement is when I broke the school’s record this year as a 10th grader,when I shot a two under par,34.,” said Christina.
Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the sport of golf and The First Tee’s Nine Core Values to more than 15 million kids, positively impacting their lives along the way. The First Tee’s Nine Core Values are: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of 10 national opportunities provided by The First Tee headquarters to encourage and motivate kidsas they progress through the program and toward high school graduation.
Clint Eastwood is chairman of the event. Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course on Friday and Saturday, with the final round contested solely at Pebble Beach on Sunday.
For more information on the tournament, please visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com.
To learn more about The First Tee, please visit TheFirstTee.org.
The First Tee participants selected to play in the 2018 PURE Insurance Championship:
Alphabetical by state
| Participant First Name: | Participant Last Name: | Chapter: | City: | State: |
| Ethan | Loafman | The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas | Rogers | AR |
| Jack | Breidenbach | The First Tee of Phoenix | Phoenix | AZ |
| Taylor | Harvey | The First Tee of Phoenix | Cave Creek | AZ |
| Michelle | Koo | The First Tee of Phoenix | Scottsdale | AZ |
| Mika | Miyata | The First Tee of Phoenix | Chandler | AZ |
| Roberto | Aguayo | The First Tee of Monterey County | Salinas | CA |
| Olivia | Alcoran | The First Tee of Greater Sacramento | Folsom | CA |
| Angelica | Antonio | The First Tee of Contra Costa | Benicia | CA |
| Owen | Avrit | The First Tee of Central Coast | Arroyo Grande | CA |
| William | Bensch | The First Tee of San Joaquin | Stockton | CA |
| Courtney | Cervellin | The First Tee of Greater Sacramento | Elk Grove | CA |
| Stephanie | Heimler | The First Tee of San Diego | San Diego | CA |
By Pete McDaniel
Freelance Writer
They said he was washed up. They said he would never win again—not even a regular PGA Tour event; forget about a major championship.
They said he should retire, put away his Nike swoosh and terminate his quest to surpass Sam Snead’s record 82 Tour wins and Jack Nicklaus’ 18 major championships.
Of course, they were talking about Tiger Woods, who this past Sunday captured the season-ending Tour Championship by two strokes over a field that included most of the highly-ranked Europeans and Americans competing in the Ryder Cup in Paris this week.
The victory, Tiger’s 80th on the Tour, was his first in five years. During much of that time, he struggled not only with health issues (four back surgeries, including a successful spinal fusion) that facilitated the use of potent painkillers but also with a perceived dependency on the pain meds.
In addition, there were the ever-present demons that dogged Tiger’s life inside and outside the ropes; among them a sex scandal that tarnished his reputation and precipitated a costly divorce.
In the interim, they (talking heads, writers, swing coaches, golf legends and social media pundits) piled on. Shamefully, some of them were formerly on Tiger’s payroll.
Et tu, Brute?
It’s one thing to base your criticism on knowledge and insight. It’s another to use it to settle a score. It’s called pettiness. Believe me, a lot of Tiger’s most ardent critics secretly applauded his fall from grace and the potential end of his career, viewing them as a comeuppance for his arrogance and inaccessibility.
Ironically, some of these same folk benefitted financially from Tiger’s success. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
Ever wonder why, through all of Tiger’s various adversities, you rarely if ever heard a fellow player currently lining his pockets with the Brinks truck of cash that Tiger’s success has brought to the Tour, criticize Tiger? Because Tiger is not only the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) he’s the goose that laid the golden egg. And the other players know it.
As I walked inside the ropes with Tiger this past week at East Lake Golf Club, I was reminded of our first meeting. It was in 1994, a little more than a year after I had left the Hendersonville (NC) Times-News for Golf World Magazine. Tiger had won the first of three consecutive U.S. Amateur Championships and taken his talents to Stanford University.
Tiger was being named the magazine’s “Man of the Year,’’ and I had been dispatched to Stanford to interview the golf phenomenon.
We met at Stanford’s golf course. Tiger greeted me with a huge smile and a firm handshake. Reluctant to provide detailed answers to my questions, he simply replied “yes’’, “no’’ or “what do you mean by that?’’ After reading me like a putt and deciding he had the correct breakdown, Tiger began to give me very insightful answers.
From that interview and subsequent cover story, I landed a gig as the co-author of Earl Woods’ bestselling book “Training A Tiger.’’ As we celebrated the book’s success, Earl said with a smile, “Young blood you’ll forever be connected to the Woods.’’
He was right.
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for Tiger Woods at Tour Championship
I am blessed to have traveled the world following Tiger and recording his history-making career. I’ve been there through his successes and failures; his rise and fall and rise again. I’ve held my tongue when colleagues criticized him. I’ve also battled them verbally in his defense.
Through it all, I’ve learned never to be amazed at Tiger’s ability to amaze. He is that exception to the rule.
His comeback from the depths of depression, humiliation and fear of finality is not surprising to those of us who know the depths of his resolve.
I’ve also learned about “them.’’ Most critics never take into account the measure of the man or woman.
The moral of this story? Never take what “they’’ say as the gospel, for “they’’ know not of what they speak.
ABOUT PETE McDANIEL
Pete McDaniel is a veteran golf writer and best-selling author. His blogs and books are available at petemcdaniel.com
Comments on this topic may be emailed directly to Pete at: [email protected] or visit his Facebook page.
By Randi Payton
Decisive Media Network
Toyota continues its reign as the worldwide leader in vehicle sales. The Japanese automaker, which sold more than 2.4 million in the U.S. in 2017, was slightly down in cars sales in August, while its light duty trucks were up. Industry-wide sedan sales are down in the U.S.
Despite several major recalls this year, the resale value and stelar image of Toyota cars remain in tact. And the 2018 Toyota Prius, Corolla and Camry remain the top selling vehicles in their class.
Although the RAV4, Toyota’s top selling model in the U.S. launches an all-new generation for 2019, these noteworthy 2018 models were remodeled recently and make a good end of year buy. Since few changes are expected in 2019, buyers can get a good deal on the 2018 sporty family-size Toyota Camry XSE, the affordable Corolla and the Prius c Hybrid.
2018 Toyota Camry XSE
2018 Toyota Camry XSE
The new 2018 Toyota Camry XSE, aggressively styled and fun to drive, is powered by a 3.5 liter DOHC duel injection engine that generates 301 horsepower. It’s paired with a sport-tuned 6-speed transmission with sequential shift mode.
The Camry XSE is loaded with technology and safety features. They include the Toyota Safety Sense system that consists of a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, ten airbags, blind spot monitoring, backup camera, 7 inch display, 9 speaker JBL audio, and leather sport seats
It stands on 19-inch black machine finished alloy wheels. The base MSRP is $34,950. price as tested was $38,335.
2018 Toyota Corolla XLE
Toyota Corolla entered its 52nd year as the best selling model worldwide of all time. Its popularity is due to the wide array of models, options and prices that it offers to consumers. Trim level includes the Corolla L, LE, LE Eco, XLE, SE, and XSE.
Toyota Corolla XLE
Redesigned in the 2018 model year, the Corolla XLE is powered by a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder DOHC engine. Safety features includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, radar cruise control, and automatic high beams, Entune premium audio with 8 speakers AM/FM CD player, iPod connection, bluetooth phone and music streaming, HD Radio, integrated navigation, suite of apps, 7-inch touch screen display, and voice recognition.
2018 Toyota Prius c
The 2018 Toyota Prius c is also equipped with the latest in pre-collision technology to help prevent frontal collisions, an integrated backup camera, lane departure alert, and automatic high beams.
The 2018 Toyota Prius c is Toyota’s most affordable hybrid. The “c” in Prius stands for city and according to EPA estimates, it gets better fuel economy in the city than it does on highway driving. The Prius c averages 48 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.
The 2018 Prius c, which is designed to look like a small crossover, has an MSRP of $22,855 with an $895 destination charge.
Randi Peyton is Founder at Decisive Media Network, Washington D.C. Metro Area.
ATLANTA (AP) September 24, 2018— The Latest on the Tour Championship (all times local):
5:55 p.m.
Tiger Woods is a winner again, capping off one of the most remarkable comebacks in golf history.
More than five years after his last win, after four surgeries on his lower back that left him wonder if he could ever play again, Woods ended his comeback season with a dominant victory at the Tour Championship.
He nearly won the FedEx Cup, too, until Justin Rose survived a late meltdown with a birdie on the final hole.
But this day was all about Woods, who sent thousands of fans into delirium at East Lake watching the return of golf’s biggest star.
______
5:30 p.m.
Tiger Woods has a three-shot lead with three holes to play, and now the Tour Championship has a few other developments.
Justin Rose, four shots behind Woods as he stood on the ninth tee, has made four bogeys in eight holes and is tied for sixth. If he finishes that way, Woods will win the $10 million prize for the FedEx Cup by winning the Tour Championship.
Dustin Johnson finished with a 67 and is in third place. That might be enough to return him to No. 1 in the world.
So far, it’s been a great day for Woods. Not so much for Rose.
Read more at AssociatedPress.com
Atlanta, GA (September 24, 2018) —Traversing the hills of East Lake GC made my squeaky body parts cry for mercy. I never minded uphill climbs in my youth. Old age is a mixed bag filled with pain meds, rubs and muscle relaxers.
Yet for all of my whining, it only took one glance at the leaderboard on the eighth hole in the third round of the Tour Championship to remind me that some uphill climbs are still worth the trouble.
There in a bold declaration was proof positive that Tiger Woods was taking another giant step up from the pit of forced irrelevance to the pinnacle of greatness he once so proudly occupied. The electronic scoreboard read: Woods -13. The nearest challenger, World No. 1 Justin Rose, was at -8.
As if on cue, raindrops sprinkled the throng of cheering fans lining the right side of the fairway from tee to green on a nearly cloudless, steamy afternoon. Perhaps it was a misty-eyed golf god overcome with emotion at the scene of Tiger back to being Tiger.
In many ways, it was just like old times. Tiger charging up the leaderboard with precision driving, iron play and work on the greens. He reeled off six birdies in seven holes, including five straight that left the huge galleries searching for words to describe what they were witnessing and Rose shell-shocked.
Tiger was finally back. Order was restored. Babies and gray beards could sleep safely in their cribs. Even a couple of missteps—bogeys on nine and 16—didn’t put a damper on a sterling 65 for a three-shot lead over Rose and Rory McIlroy after 54 holes.
And we all know what a frontrunner Tiger has been throughout his illustrious career. For those who have forgotten, here are the stats: 42-2 when holding the outright lead after 54 holes; marks the 58th time Tiger has held the third-round lead or co-lead on Tour, going on to win 53 times; when leading through 54 holes, he’s gone on to win the Tour Championship twice, in 1999 at the Champions Golf Club in Houston and in 2007 at East Lake GC.
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BEAMING WITH CONFIDENCE
The stats aren’t the only thing Tiger has going for him. He’s also beaming with confidence.
“I was still trying to figure out how to play (this past spring),’’ he said. “My body is so different than it was then, and my equipment is so different than it was then, too. I’ve gone through a lot this year to get myself to this point, and understanding and fighting my way through it. I’m certainly more equipped than I was because of what I’ve gone through.’’
In his prime, Tiger would apply so much pressure on his challengers that they would back off, and he would hoist the trophy nearly by default. The 42-year-old version is facing a group of players eager to show the world they’re the equal of the great one.
RELATED ARTICLE: Tiger Woods wins Tour Championship for 80th PGA Tour Victory, first in more than five years
With that in mind, don’t expect Rose and McIlroy to hand an 80th Tour victory to Tiger. He’s going to have to earn it, a fact he acknowledged.
“I would love to be able to win this event,’’ he said. “I’ve got a three-shot lead. I’ve got a bunch of guys behind me that have been playing well, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.’’
The bet here is that Tiger’s view will be from atop the hill after a very long and rewarding climb.
ABOUT PETE McDANIEL
Pete McDaniel is a veteran golf writer and best-selling author. His blogs and books are available at petemcdaniel.com
Comments on this topic may be emailed directly to Pete at: [email protected] or visit his Facebook page.
Atlanta, GA (September 21, 2018) —When Tiger Woods’ 28-footer curled into the cup for an earth-shaking eagle on the 18th hole, it enabled the two-time Tour Championship winner to grab the headlines with a five-under-par 65 and share the first-round lead of the season-ending event at East Lake GC.
It also provided the big noise during an event more known for its big yawns caused by football-both college and professional—which usually swallows all the potential exuberance of even the most faithful followers of the PGA tourists. Often the 30 players who advanced through the FedEx Cup Playoffs to the finale have made reservations for their post-season escapes to parts unknown.
This year, however, there is ample incentive for some of the players to continue making noise and put vacation plans on hold. Most importantly, those in the field hoping to maintain momentum heading into the Ryder Cup should be among the group of noisemakers.
Tony Finau, who along with Woods is Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk’s pick on the U.S. Team, is one of them. Overshadowed by Woods’ crowd-pleasing first round, Finau quietly shot 67 for a T-5, continuing his impressive season.
“It’s been a great year for me,’’ Finau said, “a solid year, a year where I’ve learned a lot about myself. Just playing events and competing and playing at a high level and just being consistent throughout the year is something that I’m pretty proud of. It’s been a great year. And whenever you’re back here at East Lake, one of 30 guys, you know you’re doing the right things, and you’re playing good golf throughout the season and playing good golf when it counts.’’
Lost in Finau’s model of consistency is perhaps his most embarrassing moment during a celebration-turned-nightmare. You might remember that he was so pumped after making a hole-in-one during the Masters Par-3 Tournament that he severely injured an ankle. Popping it back in place on the spot, Finau played on and, instead of withdrawing from the Masters, the gamer competed admirably (T-10).
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Playing through pain contributed to his toughness displayed both physically and mentally this season.
“I’ve learned I’m pretty tough ,’’ Finau said. “I feel like my threshold for pain is pretty high, and I learned that during the Masters. My ankle was bothering me quite a bit, but I was able to play through that pain and still prove to myself, just inside, that I had it more than physically. I was able to allow myself to continue to play and ended up having a good week because of that.’’
The Masters finish proved a springboard to several other near-misses this season but no break-through win. In the meantime, he’ll continue to ride the wave, including playing a practice round this week with his idol, one Tiger Woods.
“Yesterday was pretty special for me because it’s the first time I ever played with him in a practice round, tournament, whatever the case may be,” Finau said. “I’ve been on Tour four years now, and that’s the first time I ever had the chance to play with him—again, my golfing idol. That was a special day for me yesterday to play with him, pick his brain a little bit, and just get to know him a little bit better. It’s going to be cool for us to get to know each other throughout this week, throughout next week and in the (Ryder Cup) team room.’’
Finau would be surprised if he and Woods were paired together during the Ryder Cup, but wouldn’t rule it out either. As for now, the focus is on a break-through win and the big bank that would come with a FedEx Cup Playoffs championship.
“I know that I’m trending in the right direction, if you will, and I feel like the wins will follow,’’ he said. “So I just continue to do what we’re doing.’’
Hopefully, that includes making some noise of his own this week.
ABOUT PETE McDANIEL
Pete McDaniel is a veteran golf writer and best-selling author. His blogs and books are available at petemcdaniel.com
Comments on this topic may be emailed directly to Pete at: [email protected] or visit his Facebook page.
By AAGD STAFF
(September 19, 2018) –Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Powell Hall at the University of St. Andrews marks an unprecedented privilege for the school as it welcomes Renee Powell as the first American, and the first golfer, to ever receive this designation. A true pioneer in the game, Powell is a 2017 PGA Hall of Famer Member and a member of the R&A.
Powell learned of the honor just before winter began when administrators of the University contacted her. “This is really an honor for my entire family, because, without them, I never would have played this game of golf,” she told The Golf Channel through a telephone interview. “This is something that is shared by all of us, and it’s great.”Powell has made a tremendous impact on the game and was the second African American to play on the LPGA Tour.
The Powell family has a long legacy in the game and built their historically designated Clearview Golf Course in 1949 in East Canton, Ohio. Powell’s late father, William Powell, a PGA Life Member, seeded the first 9 holes by hand. The course is a staunch promoter of diversity and inclusion and has welcomed players from across the world to its beautiful 18 holes.
The acknowledgment of Ms. Powell for the new hall naming rings true for the University of St Andrews, as the school is not only the home of golf, but it also has staff and student body from over 140 countries, and hundreds attend for a Study Abroad experience. The British public research university, located in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, was founded in 1413.  It is Scotland’s first university, the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland, and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world.  It is the 100th-largest university in the United Kingdom by enrollment (10,330 total students (2016/17).
University of St. Andrews Powell Hall
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When asked about diversity in golf today, Powell said, “I think that we have come a long way, but that we also have a long way to go and we’re not quite there yet, but there are so many good people around who are trying to open those doors wider. In order for the game to stay healthy, we really need to be very inclusive and very diverse, because it brings so much more to our game,” said Powell.
Powell, age 72, played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and is currently head professional at her family’s Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio. Powell has received a plethora of awards during her career and was named 2003 PGA First Lady of Golf and recognized as an “Outstanding Leader in Golf” by African American Golfer’s Digest (2009).
The University is known worldwide as a unique place to study and live. The campus is situated on the east coast of Scotland, where many students cross over beautiful golf courses and pristine beaches while making their way to class. Contemporaries who attended the University include Prince William and Kate Middleton. William graduated with a master of arts degree in geography, Middleton with a master of arts degree in art history (circa 2003).
James J. Massaro (Photo courtesy New York State Police.)
By AAGD STAFF
(September 18, 2018) –A Patchogue (NY) man was arrested Tuesday after stealing credit cards at the Southampton’s Sebonack Golf Club during the U.S. Open Golf Championship that was held this past June in the Hamptons at neighboring Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, said New York State Police.
According to the police report, James J. Massaro, 53, stole credit cards that were used at the golf championship and attempted to use them to make purchases at retail stores in several counties. He was arrested and charged with one count of third-degree burglary, a felony, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony, one count of criminal possession of stolen property, a felony, and one count of unlawful use of a credit card, a misdemeanor, police said.
Massaro was arraigned at Southampton Justice Court, remanded to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility, and is due back in court on Thursday, said police.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that credit card fraud affects over 9 million Americans annually.