PGA

Phil Mickelson is unhappy with the PGA Tour's governing bodies.

After the USGA and R&A announced a rule change that reduces the maximum length of a driver shaft from 48 inches to 46 inches, Lefty turned to a quote from Forrest Gump to voice his displeasure:

“Stupid is as stupid does.”Mrs Gump

Really though, are the amateurs trying their best to govern the professional game the stupid ones? Or the professionals for letting them? https://t.co/3zt4LyH3UW

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) October 12, 2021

Per Mike Stachura of Golf Digest, spokespeople for the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour said the rule will go into effect for the 2022 season. 

Thomas Pagel, USGA senior managing director of governance, told Stachura the driver limit will apply to all 14 USGA championship events in 2022. 

Mickelson certainly isn't alone in being unhappy about the news. 

He has railed against the rule change since rumors of it began circulating:

Word is USGA is soon rolling back driver length to 46inches.This is PATHETIC.1st it promotes a shorter more violent swing (injury prone,) doesn’t allow for length of arc to create speed,and during our 1st golf boom in 40 years,our amateur gov body keeps trying to make it less fun

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 27, 2021

Mickelson has a very vested interest in the new parameters. The 51-year-old won the 2021 PGA Championship in May using a 47.9-inch driver on the ocean course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. 

Tiger Woods is still recovering from his car crash in February, but he is reportedly making some progress.

According to TMZ Sports, Woods was seen walking without crutches or a limp Sunday while he attended a junior golf tournament in Port St. Lucie, Florida, to watch his son, Charlie, play. Woods wore a sleeve on his right leg.

Tiger Woods is off crutches and walking without a limp ... new video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows. https://t.co/1hoXKmR2sC

— TMZ (@TMZ) October 11, 2021

Woods was involved in a single-car crash on Feb. 23 outside of Los Angeles. The 45-year-old golfer was hospitalized with severe injuries to his right leg and foot, and a rod had to be placed in his leg.

There has been no official word from Woods regarding a potential return to the PGA Tour.

Tiger Woods, who largely has remained out of the spotlight while he recovers from foot and leg injuries after a February car crash, was seen watching his son Charlie compete at a junior golf event in Florida over the weekend, per William E. Ricks of ESPN.

According to Ricks, Woods was seen "wearing golf gear and had a sleeve on his right leg."

Notably, it was the first time Woods was seen publicly without crutches.

pic.twitter.com/vZitnFV0YA

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 24, 2021

It remains unclear when or if Woods will return from his injuries and resume his golfing career.

The 45-year-old hasn't been completely removed from the game of golf as he recovers from the injuries sustained in his single-car crash over the winter, however.

ESPN's Bob Harig reported in late September that Woods sent an inspirational text message to members of the United States Ryder Cup team before the tournament.

"We knew he was fist-pumping from the couch," Xander Schauffele told Harig. "Whether he was on crutches or not, he's as fired up as any back at home so it's nice to have his support."

"No better role model, no better leader, just somebody you can always learn from," Patrick Cantlay added. "I saw him last week at home and just picked his brain on Ryder Cup and applied some of that here today."

Woods' 12-year-old son, Charlie, has also been competing at various tournaments. While Woods regularly attends those tournaments, he told Jada Pinkett Smith in July that he doesn't want to pressure Charlie into golfing or see him lose his love of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r0sAo1vwoI?start=277s

"I just don't want him to hate the game," Woods said (4:40 mark). "I don't want him to fall onto that trap. I get emotional about it. Some of my best memories are being out there with my dad."

Sam Burns earned his second PGA Tour win Sunday at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi, shooting a five-under 67 in the final round to finish 22 under par for the tournament. 

Twice as nice for @SamBurns66.

The 25-year-old LSU alum is a 2-time winner on TOUR. pic.twitter.com/505WbKhKwB

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 3, 2021

Sam Burns earns his second PGA TOUR victory (2021 Valspar Championship) in his 87th start at the age of 25 years, 2 months, 10 days.

Entered the final round of a TOUR event inside the top 3 on the leaderboard for the 6th time since the start of last season (ties: Jordan Spieth).

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) October 3, 2021

The win didn't come easy, though, with six players within two strokes of the lead, including Nick Watney (-21) and Cameron Young (-21). 

Burns separated himself from the pack with a brilliant stretch on Nos. 11-15, finishing with four birdies and a par. His back nine in general was phenomenal, with only a bogey on No. 18 sullying his finish. 

"The main thing for us was we knew what our game plan was and we knew that we had a purpose for each shot, and we were just going to stick to it and whatever happened at the end," Burns told reporters after his round.

"I saw the leaderboard when I was on 17 green, and I kind of thought the guys behind us weren't quite close enough to catch us, and I think that's when it kind of hit me that if I could just get it up there around the green and make a 4 or 5, we could do it," he added.

In total, he finished Sunday with seven birdies, two bogeys, an average driving distance of 314.1 yards and a driving accuracy of 57.1 percent. He hit 83.3 percent of greens in regulation, per PGATour.com, helping to mitigate his 0.571 strokes lost putting. 

Sam Burns:

Strokes gained off the tee: 1st
Strokes gained approach: 1st

You can putt it however you want to and still win if you do that.

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) October 3, 2021

Chalk one up for the pre-tourney favorite: Sam Burns was atop most boards at +1400 entering this week. He wins the Sanderson Farms for his second career victory. Already a rising star, he could be primed for a monster season.

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGolf) October 3, 2021

Billy Horschel, Max Homa and Sam Burns all winners since not making the Ryder Cup team. American pool of talent just comically deep right now.

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) October 3, 2021

Sahith Theegala opened the day atop the leaderboard but struggled during the final round, shooting a one-under 71. He slipped into a tie for eighth. Where Burns dominated the back nine, Theegala posted three bogeys between Nos. 10 and 13.

It was a tough stretch for a player who was otherwise excellent in Jackson:

Didn’t like it. Should’ve loved it.@SRTheegala birdies to take the solo lead at -21. pic.twitter.com/Z8CyoGgC2C

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 3, 2021

Still, not too shabby for his second PGA start. Theegala's potential is evident. 

"I played some really good golf and just a little unfortunate how that sort of that back nine is, but it's my first one and first time really being in that position, so I'm obviously going to learn a lot and just take so many positives away," he told reporters. "And even the last few holes there I was proud of myself how I held it in there making a couple pars after I was already kind of out of contention."

Down the stretch, Theegala couldn't quite keep the pace. Burns was simply too good on his back nine. 

Longtime caddie Jim Mackay, who paired with Phil Mickelson for 25 years, will be back on the course full-time working alongside Justin Thomas. 

Mackay told Rex Hoggard of the Golf Channel the opportunity to work with Thomas came together quickly. 

“It came out of left field very recently. I have just tremendous respect for [Thomas]  as a person and a player,” Mackay said. “It was an incredible phone call to get and I said yes.”

Mackay was with Mickelson when Lefty made his PGA Tour debut in 1992. The pair were together for 41 of Mickelson's victories, including each of his first five major championships. 

They announced a mutual parting of ways in June 2017. 

"Our decision is not based on a single incident," Mickelson said in a statement. "We just feel it’s the right time for change. Bones is one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated caddies in the world."

After leaving Mickelson's bag, Mackay was hired to work as a golf commentator for NBC Sports and the Golf Channel. 

Mackay filled in as Thomas' caddie twice in recent years. He first took over the bag at the 2018 Sony Open when his regular caddie, Jimmy Johnson, was unavailable with plantar fasciitis. 

When Johnson was unavailable last year for the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and PGA Championship, Thomas called on Mackay once again to work with him. 

Thomas was a member of Team USA for its victory over Europe last weekend at the Ryder Cup. He wrapped up the 2020-21 PGA Tour season with seven top-10 finishes and one victory in 23 tournaments.    

Something Tiger Woods said must have clicked.

Team USA jumped out to a 6-2 lead on the first day of competition in front of the home fans at the Ryder Cup in Wisconsin, and multiple players acknowledged the 15-time major champion sent them a message of encouragement going into the competition.

"We knew he was fist-pumping from the couch,'' Xander Schauffele said, per Bob Harig of ESPN. "Whether he was on crutches or not, he's as fired up as any back at home so it's nice to have his support.''

Schauffele won both his matches Friday and was an integral part of the quick start.

Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau and Harris English also mentioned Woods said something, although they did not reveal what exactly was said.

Harig noted Team USA captain Steve Stricker has consulted with Woods, which makes sense considering the all-time great was captain of the winning U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2019 and helped Stricker's 2017 Presidents Cup team.

Woods is recovering from a serious car accident that happened in February.

United States Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker is calling on the same four teams he used Friday morning to pick up points Saturday at Whistling Straits.

The Americans earned three of their six points from the Friday morning foursomes competition. The only change made by Stricker is the order in which the pairings hit the course.

Daniel Berger and Brooks Koepka will lead off the set of four morning matches against Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia, who picked up the lone point in the Friday foursomes for Europe.

Europe captain Padraig Harrington will use one other pairing from his Friday morning selections. He is going with two new teams in an attempt to halt the American momentum.

Harrington delivered the biggest shock of the lineup selection, as he opted to keep Rory McIlroy off the course Saturday morning. McIlroy has never sat during a single session in his Ryder Cup career.

The foursomes competition begins at 8 a.m. ET on Golf Channel. The coverage moves to NBC at 9 a.m. ET for the rest of the day.

              

Saturday Tee Times and Pairings

Day ✌️ Foursomes Pairings@ROLEX | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/yh21ptHqKu

— Ryder Cup (@rydercup) September 25, 2021

          

Predictions

Justin Thomas Banks Off Momentum Gained from Friday Afternoon

Justin Thomas did not play well in the Friday morning foursomes session alongside Jordan Spieth, and they were the only American pair to drop a match in the opening round of contests.

Thomas appeared to be headed for a similar result in the afternoon alongside Patrick Cantlay, but he turned around that match on the ninth hole.

After that, Thomas nailed a few massive putts on the back nine to rally from a three-shot deficit to earn a tie against Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland.

Thomas displayed a ton of emotion throughout the comeback. Part of that appeared to be a release of the frustration from his first 26 holes. If he banks off that momentum, he and Spieth could get off to a fast start in their match against Hovland and Bernd Wiesberger.

Spieth turned in the better round in the alternate-shot format Friday. He could ride the wave of emotion created by Thomas on Friday afternoon. In 2018, Spieth and Thomas were the United States' best duo. They went 3-1, with their only loss coming in the Friday foursomes.

Hovland and Wiesberger will be playing together for the first time in the Ryder Cup on Saturday. Neither player won his first Ryder Cup match Friday afternoon.

Spieth and Thomas carry a significant edge in experience, and that should provide yet another boost to the duo's chase of a Saturday morning point.

                  

Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele Continue Strong Ryder Cup

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele turned in the best foursomes performance Friday.

The American rookies rolled off five consecutive hole victories to begin their match against McIlroy and Ian Poulter.

Cantlay and Schauffele only lost two holes in that match, and they closed with wins on the 14th and 15th holes.

Schauffele extended his strong play into Friday afternoon alongside Dustin Johnson, while Cantlay thrived alongside Thomas to come back in the four-balls anchor match.

The American duo sits in the anchor position again Saturday morning, and it should roll versus the English duo of Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Westwood and Fitzpatrick lost their Friday foursomes match to Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger. They did not win a hole on the back nine even though the match made it to the 17th hole.

The English pair was not effective enough Friday and could run into a buzz saw Saturday.

It is hard to see Cantlay and Schauffele losing any match in their form, and they may finish the day as the United States pairing with the best record.

The 2021 Ryder Cup is starting with some heavyweight battles between some of the best golfers in the world. 

The opening match of the event on Friday morning pits Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia up against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. 

Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger and Brooks Koepka and Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele form the other three American pairings for foursome play on Friday morning. 

Europe will counter with Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland, Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. 

The Friday morning pairings.

Let the games begin.@Rolex | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/w5ozZSxzIh

— Ryder Cup (@rydercup) September 23, 2021

The rest of the weekend pairings will be determined by the day. Friday afternoon's fourball teams will be announced toward the end of the foursome, or alternate shot, matches in the morning. 

      

Predictions

Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa Pairing Finds Success

Dustin Johnson helped the United States get off to a fast start three years ago, as he and Rickie Fowler picked up a win over Justin Rose and Jon Rahm.

Friday's opener differs a bit from that situation because the Americans chose to start off in the foursome format in which the golfers alternate shots. The fourball format takes the lowest score from the two golfers on one team at each hole. 

Johnson's partnership with Collin Morikawa has the potential to be the most successful American team this year. 

Morikawa finished on top of the Ryder Cup standings and inside the top 20 at each of the season's four majors. He had a top-10 finish in every major except for the Masters. 

Johnson and Morikawa are also two of the most level-headed players on the PGA Tour, so they will not show much emotion no matter which direction the match goes in.

That is a plus for United States captain Steve Stricker as he tries to earn an early point from one of the first two matches. 

Casey and Hovland could be viewed as the weakest of the four European pairings. Hovland is a Ryder Cup rookie and Casey holds a 4-3-5 career record at the Ryder Cup.

Casey has not won his opening match in each of his last three Ryder Cup appearances. He and Tyrrell Hatton fell to the American superstar team of Spieth and Thomas three years ago. 

If Johnson and Morikawa turn in a strong 18 holes, they should pick up a point and contribute to a potential American advantage out of the first session. 

Prediction: Johnson & Morikawa def. Casey & Hovland, 3-and-2. 

      

Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter Produce Biggest Win Of Morning Session

Europe captain Padraig Harrington turned to one of his superstar pairings to close out the first session.

Ian Poulter has tortured American Ryder Cup squads throughout the years. He owns a 14-6-2 record in six previous appearances. 

Rory McIlroy has an equally impressive 11-9-4 mark through five Ryder Cup appearances. 

McIlroy and Poulter are going up against a pair of in-form Ryder Cup rookies in Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. 

Cantlay and Schauffele turned in fantastic seasons, but it may be tough for them to find their footing at this stage against one of Europe's powerhouse duos. 

McIlroy and Poulter went 1-1 in their foursomes matches as a duo in 2018. The pairing also halved a fourball contest in 2014. Poulter did not play in the 2016 event. 

Harrington made the smart decision by putting two of his most experienced players at the back end of Friday morning's lineup to ensure that a point will be there for the taking.

Cantlay and Schauffele are capable of producing a surprise, but they will be viewed as heavy underdogs against two of the four European players who have played in five or more Ryder Cups.

Prediction: McIlroy & Poulter def. Cantlay & Schauffele, 5-and-4. 

The first day of action at the Ryder Cup is typically vital for the victor of the event.

Three years ago, Europe used a Friday-afternoon sweep to take hold of the lead and eventually win by seven points.

The United States' last victory was propelled by a Friday-morning sweep at Hazeltine in Minnesota. The Americans did not relinquish the lead at any stage of the 2016 event.

We do not know the Friday pairings and tee times for the fourball and foursome formats yet, but we have an idea of which golfers may be paired together based on the two practice sessions that have happened so far at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Europe is the underdog in the cross-continental matchup, and it could be the squad to take advantage of from an odds perspective to start the competition.

            

Ryder Cup Odds

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Winner: United States (-190; bet $190 to win $100); Europe (+210; bet $100 to win $210); Draw (+1200)

Foursomes Day 1 Winner: USA (+115); Europe (+185); Draw (+275)

Fourballs Day 1 Winner: USA (+100); Europe (+200); Draw (+275)

    

Uniforms

The United States will go with a predominantly blue uniform for most of the week. The looks for each day can be found here.

Team Europe will wear a mostly white outfit for the three days of competition in Wisconsin. That look can be found here.

          

Predictions

Europe Wins Friday Foursomes

Europe typically controls the foursome format in the Ryder Cup.

In 2018, Europe swept the Americans on Friday in the alternate-shot format and went on to win two more matches Saturday.

Unfortunately, Europe can't deploy the Francesco Molinari-Tommy Fleetwood partnership again that won four points in France. The Italian did not qualify for the squad this time around.

Fleetwood is still on the roster, and he could use his success from three years ago as a good base on which to build with a new partner.

Expect Fleetwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy to be included in the Friday-morning foursomes matches. They are the most experienced European players.

McIlroy has been paired with Garcia and Poulter on multiple occasions over the years, so we should expect to see one variation of that pairing. If Europe calls on Jon Rahm, he could go off with Garcia to earn a point Friday morning.

McIlroy and Poulter as well as Rahm and Garcia were partnered together in Wednesday's practice groups, per Europe's official team Twitter account.

The Americans can't call on the same familiarity because they have six rookies in the squad. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas went 3-1 together in 2018, and they could be paired up again by captain Steve Stricker. Spieth and Thomas were paired in Wednesday's practice group along with Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, per Team USA's official team Twitter account.

Spieth and Thomas are only one experienced pairing, and that may not be enough to counter five players with four or more Ryder Cup appearances and multiple partnerships that worked for years.

Look for Europe to continue its dominance in the foursome format. Putting that format first up on the schedule could hurt the Americans.

     

Europe Wins Ryder Cup

The last three Ryder Cups have been won by the team with the advantage after Friday.

Europe led by a 5-3 margin in 2014 and 2018, while the Americans carried the same advantage into the second day of the 2016 event.

The key difference between the 2016 squad that captured the last win for the Americans and this one is experience.

The United States only had two rookies on a squad that included Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson.

Johnson, Spieth and Brooks Koepka are the only holdovers from five years ago. The European team returns seven golfers from the group that won in 2018.

Europe captain Padraig Harrington does not have to worry much about his team chemistry, and he has some built-in pairings that he can call on to win points early.

Stricker is in a much more difficult situation, and he put himself in a tough spot by choosing to play the foursomes right off the bat.

The Americans could discover some magic Friday morning, as they did in 2016, but history suggests Europe will prevail Friday and keep the advantage for the rest of the competition.

       

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Team Europe has been the dominant side in the Ryder Cup for the last decade. 

Europe won the last Ryder Cup three years ago in France, and it relinquished the trophy once since 2010. 

Despite Europe's dominance and the experience it carries on the 2021 roster, it is the underdog to hoist the trophy at Whistling Straits.

Europe captain Padraig Harrington assembled a strong mix of veteran Ryder Cup players and some of the world's top golfers for the event that begins on Friday.

United States captain Steve Stricker is running with a 12-man squad that consists of six rookies and only three players who participated in multiple Ryder Cups. 

Stricker is taking a calculated risk with his squad, and it needs a near-perfect performance over three days in Wisconsin to win on home soil. 

        

Ryder Cup Info

Dates: September 24-26

TV: Friday (8 a.m. ET-7 p.m. ET; Golf Channel), Saturday (9 a.m.-7 p.m. ET, NBC), Sunday (12-6 p.m. ET, NBC)

Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): USA (-190; bet $190 to win $100); Europe (+160; bet $100 to win $160)

     

Format

The two squads will compete in paired events on Friday and Saturday.

The four-ball format will have every player in the matchup play their own ball. The lowest score from the American and European pairs will be recorded. 

In foursomes, the players alternate shots. One player will take the tee shot on odd-numbered holes and the other will do so on even-number holes. 

The format is simple to follow on Sunday, as all 12 golfers from each team will compete in singles matches to determine the Ryder Cup champion.

       

Odds

Europe To Win Ryder Cup (+160)

Europe is listed at a price that is favorable to bettors. 

The Europeans have had a hold on the event in the last decade, with the exception of the American triumph at Hazeltine, Minnesota, in 2016. 

Europe has a chance to run away with the competition if its experience shines through on the opening few days. 

Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter have played in a combined 25 Ryder Cups, and each carries a winning record in the event.

Poulter is the most prolific Ryder Cup player on either roster. He is 14-6-2 in 22 matches over six Ryder Cup appearances. Westwood is 20-18-6 and Garcia is 22-12-7. 

There is a good chance all three players are on the course for each of the four sessions on Friday and Saturday. Two of them could even be paired together. 

Europe only brought three rookies to Whistling Straits, and one of them is a major champion in Shane Lowry. 

Conversely, the Americans have three players (Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka) who have played in multiple Ryder Cups and have six rookies within the squad. 

Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Collin Morikawa all achieved career-defining victories in 2021, but entering the Ryder Cup for the first time is a completely different animal than winning the Olympics, FedEx Cup or a major championship. 

Europe is the more known commodity in this matchup, and the winning experience of its older players should shine through over three days. 

          

Justin Thomas To Win Most Points (+800)

Justin Thomas is one of the few American players who have a winning record in the event. 

In 2018, Thomas earned four points for the Americans in their failed attempt to retain the trophy at Le Grand National in France. 

Thomas went 3-1 in the foursome and four-ball events with Jordan Spieth, and then he beat Rory McIlroy in the first singles match. 

Thomas was responsible for four of the 10.5 points earned by the Americans three years ago and will be called upon again to do some heavy lifting. 

Stricker could call on the Thomas-Spieth pairing again to pick up a handful of points on Friday and Saturday, or he could pair Thomas with one of the six Ryder Cup rookies. 

In that scenario, Stricker would put Thomas and Spieth in different pairing with the hope that their Ryder Cup experience will help along their new partners. 

Thomas should have the edge over other golfers to earn the most points because he was consistent all season long on the PGA Tour. 

Thomas finished inside the top 40 in eight of his last nine PGA Tour events, and he picked up a pair of fourth-place finishes on the FedEx Cup circuit at the Northern Trust and Tour Championship.

Jon Rahm is the only other golfer with better odds to win the most points in Wisconsin, but he went 1-2 in his Ryder Cup debut in 2018. 

Expect Thomas to be one of the strongest individuals over three days, and he should be in a good position to clinch the most points during his individual match on Sunday.