⛳️ Scottie catches fire

Plus: Your single-digit handicap awaits

Top stories:

  • Scottie’s putter catches fire, dominates at the Arnold Palmer

  • Anthony Kim goes low on Sunday, first time since his return

  • LIV passes on OWGR points

  • Padraig Harrington thinks everyone can be a single-digit handicapper

  • The Players is upon us

1. Scottie Scheffler ran away with the Arnold Palmer Invitational this weekend, thanks to a long-awaited, strong putting performance.

2. Abraham Ancer won the individual event, Crushers GC took top team honors, but Anthony Kim stole the spotlight on Sunday at LIV Hong Kong with a 5-under final round.

  • Kim’s 65 on Sunday was his first under-par round since his return and his best performance by seven shots.

  • “Coming from where I came from over the last 10, 12 years, I’m just very grateful for this opportunity,” Kim said on Sunday. “Every step I walk, I feel blessed. So [no] matter what I shoot, I feel like I’ve won.” 

  • LIV’s next tournament is at the start of April at Trump Doral in Miami.

3. More headlines 🗞️

Regarding the men’s professional game …

  • LIV Golf withdrew its efforts to obtain Official World Golf Ranking accreditation on Tuesday.

    • My take: I kinda like the move. The OWGR is already losing credibility within the golf world. And now, LIV is further forcing the majors to reconsider their eligibility criteria.

  • Rory McIlroy said this week that he wants a “more cut throat, more competitive” PGA Tour with fewer players.

    • “You should have to come out and prove yourself year after year after year,” McIlroy said.

    • Wyndham Clark agreed, saying “it would be amazing” if the Tour had 100 players and 20 were relegated each year.

  • Meanwhile, Lucas Glover called the PGA Tour’s new limited-field, higher-pursed Signature Events “selfish” and “a money grab.”

Regarding the fun stuff …

  • Full Swing executive producer Chad Mumm is launching a new golf entertainment company called “Pro Shop,” which raised nearly $20 million and will work in partnership with the PGA Tour.

  • TGL says its upgrading its virtual golf stadium with “a steel supported roof” after extensive damage to the structure late last year postponed the upstart league’s inaugural season.

  • And, Padraig Harrington said this week that his instructional videos should “be able to get every golfer in the whole wide world to a single figure handicap.”

    • He added: “I think that’s a very reasonable goal.”

    • My take: This sounds completely unreasonable. But, I love the optimism from Paddy, and I am now one of 127,000 to subscribe to his YouTube channel.

4. Good posts 💯

5. Up next: The Players Championship starts on Thursday.

  • Fun Fact: If Scottie Scheffler wins, he’ll be the first back-to-back champ ever at TPC Sawgrass.

That’s all for now! Have a wonderful week and see you back here soon. - Nick Bastone

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