Conners collects career-best in Punta Cana despite Sunday struggles
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – Although he would have liked a different finish on Sunday at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, Corey Conners has many reasons to smile.
The 26-year-old Listowel, Ont., native began the day two strokes off the pace in second, but struggled in the finale with a 4-over 76, soured by a double-bogey on par-4 18th. This marks the second consecutive tournament where Conners’ showed his ability to rise to the top of leaderboards, final-round struggles aside. He’ll leave Punta Cana with a T13 finish—his best on the PGA TOUR in his rookie campaign. It also marks the second consecutive top 20 finish for the Team Canada program graduate.
Conners was chasing champion Brice Garnett, who put the medal down in the finale to finish four strokes ahead of runner-up, completing the wire-to-wire victory for his first PGA Tour title.
Two strokes ahead after three late wind-blown bogeys Saturday, Garnett closed with a 2-under 70 in windy and rainy conditions for a four-stroke victory over Keith Mitchell.
“I slept good, actually,” Garnett said. “Surprisingly, I did. I woke up a little bit early, a little bit restless, but I was just excited for the day. We talked last night that obstacles were opportunities, so it’s fun.”
The 34-year-old Garnett, a two-time winner last year on the Web.com Tour, finished at 18-under 270. He opened with a 63 and added rounds of 69 and 70.
“I had a buddy text me this morning and said, ‘You’re the only guy in the field who’s won twice in the last year, so go get another one.’ Drew on a lot of those experiences. … It’s crazy. It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of determination and a lot of support along the way.”
Mitchell followed a third-round 75 with a 67.
“When you get close to the lead on the PGA Tour, it’s an experience, it’s tough,” Mitchell said. “I’m not beating myself up for it, but I felt like today kind of showed me that I can do it.”
Garnett birdied the par-3 11th, parred the next seven and closed with a bogey.
“I just wanted to make nine pars on the back,” Garnett said. “I got off to a great start.”
He birdied Nos. 2-4, bogeyed Nos. 5-6 and birdied No. 7 on the front nine.
Kelly Kraft was third at 13 under after a 67.
“I thought this place was supposed to be paradise,” Kraft said. “It was not today. It was tough out there for sure. The wind was brutal and it rained like pretty much every hole except for my first few.”
Denny McCarthy (70) was 12 under. Harris English (70) and K.J. Choi (66) topped the group at 11 under.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo dropped out Friday, finishing last in the 132-man field in his PGA Tour debut. He shot 77-82 playing as an amateur on a sponsor exemption.
Henderson leaning on length for ANA Inspiration
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Major championship golf returns to the California desert this week at the famed Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Country Club for the 47th staging of the ANA Inspiration. The 117-player field includes 43 of the top 50 players in the world and all six winners from this season, competing for a $2.8 million purse and the chance to hoist the Dinah Shore Trophy and make the leap into Poppie’s Pond at week’s end. The ANA Inspiration marks the third week in the LPGA’s six-tournament West-Coast swing, which Golf Channel is airing LIVE in primetime.
At the dramatic 2017 ANA Inspiration, Lexi Thompson was leading on the final day before she was assessed a four-stroke penalty for a rules violation. Thompson fought back to force a playoff with So Yeon Ryu, where Ryu came out on top with a birdie on the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th, to win her second major championship and capture her first victory on Tour since 2014.
Smiths Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson hopes to use her power off the tee (she ranks 13th on Tour with a driving average of 268.39 yards) as an advantage this week at Mission Hills, a venue that has been historically kind to longer hitters.
“Brittany Lincicome, Lexi (Thompson), they hit it a really long way, and they’ve won here or been close the last ten years very often, so there is something to that,” Henderson said. “I think it’s so they can reach the par 5s a little bit easier. I think if you can birdie all the par 5s every single day, you’re going to put yourself in a good position.”
At age 20, the five-time LPGA champion has already competed in the ANA Inspiration three times in her career, with her best finish coming in 2016 (T10).
“Coming down the stretch in a major championship, whether it’s on Friday trying to make the putt or Sunday on the back nine, that’s really where major championships are won,” added Henderson. “So try to keep the patience. If things aren’t going to go perfect, because at some point during the four days there’s going to be a rough patch, especially in a major championship. So just trying to persevere through that, stay patient, and when good things happen, hopefully take it on the run.”
Henderson will tee-it-up at 8:06 a.m. alongside fellow major winner In-Kyung Kim.
Click here for featured pairings.
New Local Rule and video review protocols introduced for broadcasted golf events in 2018
In advance of the modernization initiative to the Rules of Golf which will take effect in 2019, Golf Canada, in conjunction with the R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), recently announced a new Local Rule effective January 1, 2018. The new Local Rule will eliminate the additional two-stroke penalty for failing to include a penalty on the score card when the player was unaware of the penalty.
In addition to this Local Rule, new protocols have been put in place to review video when applying the Rules of Golf at broadcasted events. For Golf Canada specifically, this will only impact our two professional opens and not have any impact on our amateur competitions.
For some time, it has been a point of contention with many enthusiasts of the game that viewer call-ins should not be permitted in our sport. Advances in technology and the use of high definition television and slow motion replay have added a level of complexity that has caused undesirable outcomes to many competitions in recent years.
Golf’s governing bodies felt this needed to be closely looked at and a group of experts from the PGA Tour, LPGA, PGA European Tour, Ladies European Tour and The PGA of America, as well as the governing bodies, was tasked with discussing the role video footage when applying the Rules.
As a result of these discussions over the last year, the protocol moving forward will be to assign one or more officials to monitor the video broadcast of a competition to help identify and resolve Rules issues as they arise. Committees will also discontinue any steps to facilitate or consider viewer call-ins as part of the Rules decision process.
All of the organizations represented on the working group will introduce the Local Rule for 2018, and this score card penalty will be permanently removed when the modernized Rules of Golf take effect on January 1, 2019.
As golf’s governing body, Golf Canada will be implementing this new Local Rule as part of their Standard Local Rules and Conditions of Competition for competitions in 2018.
If a committee wishes to introduce this Local Rule to modify the score card penalty, the following wording for the exception to Rule 6-6d is modified as follows:
“Exception: if a competitor returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken due to failure to include one or more penalty strokes that, before returning his score card, he did not know he had incurred, he is not disqualified. In such circumstances, the competitor incurs the penalty prescribed by the applicable rule, but there is no additional penalty for a breach of rule 6-6d. This exception does not apply when the applicable penalty is disqualification from the competition.”
Click here for more information on the Rules of Golf, or to send a rules question to our ‘Ask an Expert’ tool.
This article was originally published in the 2018 March edition of the Alberta Golfer magazine.
New Rules of Golf decision limits use of video review
The two organizations have also established a working group of LPGA, PGA Tour, PGA European Tour, Ladies European Tour and PGA of America representatives to immediately begin a comprehensive review of broader video issues, including viewer call-ins, which arise in televised competitions.
New Decision 34-3/10 implements two standards for Rules committees to limit the use of video: 1) when video reveals evidence that could not reasonably be seen with the “naked eye,” and 2) when players use their “reasonable judgment” to determine a specific location when applying the Rules. The full language of the Decision can be found here.
The first standard states, “the use of video technology can make it possible to identify things that could not be seen with the naked eye.” An example includes a player who unknowingly touches a few grains of sand in taking a backswing with a club in a bunker when making a stroke.
If the committee concludes that such facts could not reasonably have been seen with the naked eye and the player was not otherwise aware of the potential breach, the player will be deemed not to have breached the Rules, even when video technology shows otherwise. This is an extension of the provision on ball-at-rest-moved cases, which was introduced in 2014.
The second standard applies when a player determines a spot, point, position, line, area, distance or other location in applying the Rules, and recognizes that a player should not be held to the degree of precision that can sometimes be provided by video technology. Examples include determining the nearest point of relief or replacing a lifted ball.
So long as the player does what can reasonably be expected under the circumstances to make an accurate determination, the player’s reasonable judgment will be accepted, even if later shown to be inaccurate by the use of video evidence.
Both of these standards have been extensively discussed as part of the Rules modernization initiative. The USGA and The R&A have decided to enact this Decision immediately because of the many difficult issues arising from video review in televised golf.
The standards in the Decision do not change any of the current requirements in the Rules, as the player must still act with care, report all known breaches of the Rules and try to do what is reasonably expected in making an accurate determination when applying the Rules.
Video-related topics that require a deeper evaluation by the working group include the use of information from sources other than participants such as phone calls, email or social media, and the application of penalties after a score card has been returned.
USGA Executive Director/CEO Mike Davis said, “This important first step provides officials with tools that can have a direct and positive impact on the game. We recognize there is more work to be done. Advancements in video technology are enhancing the viewing experience for fans, but can also significantly affect the competition. We need to balance those advances with what is fair for all players when applying the Rules.”
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We have been considering the impact of video review on the game and feel it is important to introduce a Decision to give greater clarity in this area. Golf has always been a game of integrity and we want to ensure that the emphasis remains as much as possible on the reasonable judgment of the player rather than on what video technology can show.”
The USGA and The R&A will consider additional modifications recommended by the working group for implementation in advance of Jan. 1, 2019, when the new code resulting from the collaborative work to modernize golf’s Rules takes effect.
Finding the time to play
Golf takes to much time! We have all heard this statement. Well under the time saver, spending time with your children and also playing golf, this person has taken multi-tasking to the next level.
Supplies, 14 old style tubes, some multi-purpose duct tape and you have a baby stroller/golf bag.
Why not play more golf. Where there is a will, there is a way.
9 tips for your first time golfing
Interested in trying golf?
Here’s the best piece of advice ever: Don’t be intimidated. The object of the game is to have fun. Golf isn’t nearly as complicated as, say, quidditch, and just a little harder than dodge ball.
In fact, you can get going right now by keeping these hints in mind.
1. Go online. There are lots of sites that offer helpful tips for beginners on every topic from the basic rules to the fundamentals of the swing.
2. Go to a course. Even before you head to the tee for the very first time, do a little online research about the courses in your area. You will want to find a public or “semi-private” course (one that has members but also welcomes the public golfer). Drop into the golf shop, introduce yourself as a new golfer, and have a look around. Ask if they have a program to introduce new golfers to the game. If they do, sign up!
3. Go to a pro. Just about every course has a PGA of Canada professional. They’re helpful and knowledgeable. Even a half-hour lesson with a pro will get you started on the right path. Many courses offer lesson packages and some include playing a few holes as well. Taking a lesson is the best investment you can make if you want to enjoy the game and improve your skills.
4. Go get some clubs. Although most courses have clubs you can rent, you may want to have your own set. Pro shops at your local facility are a great place to start. Chain stores such as Costco, Giant Tiger, Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire also have inexpensive sets that include irons, woods, putter and a carry bag. They also sell inexpensive balls and tees. As long as you follow the course’s dress code (often published on their web site), you don’t even need golf shoes at this point. Running shoes will suffice.
5. Go to the driving range. If you’re taking lessons at a course, you no doubt have taken advantage of the practice facility, also called the driving range. If not, head for a local public driving range with a friend and hit some balls. Many facilities also have a practice putting green. As you will find out, putting is a very important part of the game!
6. Go to the first tee. You’ve hooked up with some friends or new acquaintances from your introductory program. You’ve asked the folks in the golf shop from which tees you should play as a beginner (generally, the most forward set of tees is appropriate).
7. Go hit the ball. Assuming you’ve followed these first few tips, you should be hitting the ball in the right general direction. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not as proficient as your more experienced companions. Just relax, swing, and don’t forget to breathe! From a safety perspective, make sure you are aware of where your friends are and when they are hitting. From a “pace of play” viewpoint, always be ready to hit your next shot when it’s your turn.
8. Go to the clubhouse. Much of the appeal of golf is the social aspect following a round. Reliving the game, good shots and not-so-good, with friends and family is an integral part of the game.
9. Go back. Golf has been called “the game for a lifetime.” You can play this game at whatever level you wish, from recreational to competitive, for years and years. It’s healthy, fun and a great way to meet new friends.
So there you go. Nine tips, just like the nine holes you will likely play the first few times you’re at the course.
But there is so much more!
Although you can learn the fundamentals of the swing, course etiquette and rules online, GolfCanada.ca is the best resource for anyone who enjoys the game at any level.
A Bronze Level Golf Canada membership is absolutely free! You get complimentary access to Level 1 online rules training, rewards for just playing the game, a Score Centre game and score tracking account, and other benefits.
As you play more golf, you’ll want an official handicap factor and the other benefits that come with a Golf Canada Gold Level membership.
But you have to start somewhere. So start now!
Many courses across Canada are offering special enticements and activities for new golfers on May 28, Canada’s Get Out and Golf Day. Check out golfcanada.ca/golfday for more details.
