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Morning 9: Do tour pros cheat? A caddie’s take | Monahan: I believe Patrick Reed | Brooks is back

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By Ben Alberstadt
Email me at [email protected] and find me at @benalberstadt on Instagram and golfwrxEIC on Twitter.
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January 7, 2020

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans. A hot launch week rolls on… Thanks to anyone who, despite their better judgment, elected to give me a follow on Twitter yesterday.
**Drop me a line ([email protected]if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership. Banner and native ad possibilities are, well, possible** 

 

1. “I believe Patrick”
Perhaps, you’re unhappy being served another helping of Patrick Reed stew (it has a sandy consistency). And while it’s a lukewarm dish at this point in the minds of many, it’s significant to note the PGA Tour’s commissioner has offered his line-toeing take on the Reedian fiasco and fallout.
  • Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine...”When asked whether Reed deserved further disciplinary action for what unfolded in the Bahamas, Monahan said he felt the punishment was fitting while siding with Reed.”
  • “Golf is a game of honor and integrity, and you’ve heard from Patrick,” Monahan said. “I’ve had an opportunity to talk to Patrick at length, and I believe Patrick when he says that [he] did not intentionally improve [his] lie. And so you go back to that moment, and the conversation that he had with [rules official] Slugger [White], and the fact that a violation was applied and he agreed to it, and they signed his card and he moved on.
  • “To me, that was the end of the matter.”

Full piece.

2. BK returneth
ESPN’s Bob Harig with the report…”No. 1-ranked Brooks Koepka is set to return to competitive golf next week for the first time in nearly three months after dealing with a knee injury that kept him out of the Presidents Cup.”
  • “Koepka’s agent, Blake Smith of Hambric Sports, said in an email Monday that Koepka will return at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, a European Tour event that the golfer had committed to some time ago. The tournament had announced Monday that Koepka would be taking part in a pre-tournament exhibition on Jan. 14.”
  • “Brooks’ rehab for his knee has gone great the past three months and he has met all of his physical therapy goals,” Smith said. “He feels as good as he ever has and is excited to tee it up next week.”
3. All-time captain?
Golfweek’s Adam Schupak disagrees with Paul Azinger’s suggestion that Tiger Woods ought to be the U.S. Ryder/Presidents Cup captain until deposed.
  • One of his points…”There’s no doubt that Woods deserves to be U.S. Ryder Cup captain – likely in 2022, or as soon as he wants the job. And I would pencil him in to return to the Presidents Cup in 2021. After all, both Fred Couples and Jack Nicklaus did three consecutive tours of duty, so there’s plenty of precedent for an encore performance. But I want to see Tiger manage a victorious Ryder Cup team before I hand him the keys to the kingdom in perpetuity, and, in particular, a road triumph. The U.S. hasn’t won on foreign soil since 1993. Let’s see him end that streak and then we can talk.”

Full piece.

4. Rory in for Farmers
PGA Tour report…”Rory McIlroy, 2019 PGA TOUR FedExCup champion, 2019 PGA TOUR Player of the Year and defending PLAYERS champion, has committed to the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open, set for January 22-26 at Torrey Pines Golf Course.”
  • “McIlroy, who has won 18 times on TOUR, returns to Torrey Pines after finishing T5 in his Farmers Insurance Open debut in 2019. The 30-year-old from Northern Ireland became the second player to win multiple FedExCup titles last year and won three TOUR events in 2019 – THE PLAYERS Championship, RBC Canadian Open and TOUR Championship.”

 

5. Do tour pros cheat?
Cheating is “not really” a problem on the PGA Tour, according to Golf Digest’s Anonymous Caddie
  • He (or she) says: “Yes, we all have stories. Hard not to after nearly a decade out here. But it’s not as prevalent or excessive as some might believe. Even the players who carry less-than-stellar reputations, or have been dinged before, are not as bad as they’re portrayed. In my estimation, and talking with other caddies, these guys often make unintentional mistakes that rarely happen twice.”
  • “Well, save for one international guy. Just an absolute nightmare when it comes to law-breaking.”
  • “Whatever trick you can imagine-fudging coins, liberal drops, patting behind the ball for a better lie-he does it, and does so without remorse. His big tell is carrying a driver or fairway wood from the tee to his position in the rough. Takes out more grass than a weed whacker. But, honestly, he’s the exception.”
(WHO IS THIS INTERNATIONAL GUY?)
6. Future Prez Cup sites
Via Golfweek’s Forecaddie…”…Having just returned from America’s 16-14 victory in the Land Down Under, TMOF couldn’t help wonder where will his dog-eared passport be stamped next?”
  • “We already know that the 2021 edition of the biennial competition is a USA home game at Quail Hollow in Charlotte. But The Forecaddie has gone ahead and made a down payment on an AirBnb North of the Border after hearing from multiple sources that the 2023 Presidents Cup is expected to return to Royal Montreal Golf Club, which hosted in 2007. Anyone think Mike Weir for International Team captain, eh?”
  • “International Team Captain Gary Player hugs Mike Weir during Opening Ceremonies for the 2007 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club. (Photo by Chris Condon/PGA Tour)”
  • “The bigger question is 2027, where the likes of Argentina, China and Mexico will be seeking to host for the first time while Australia and South Africa will be under consideration for an encore performance. But let’s not forget another country with Presidents Cup aspirations. New Zealand is turning into quite the golf destination and Royal Auckland is prepping for its potential close up.”

Full piece.

7. “Gusted”
A new word enters the golfing lexicon: gusted.
  • Via Golfweek’s Todd Kelly…”We heard it a couple times on TV and later in the interview room from the tournament’s playoff runners-up, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed.”
  • “Reed talked about the wind on the 18th hole, which he birdied in regulation and on the first playoff hole.”
  • “Unfortunately I had two putts really to close it, and one of them I got gusted on, and then this last one with the wind and the break, just got me again,” he said.”

Full piece.

8. The meditations of Harry Higgs
Excellent reflections from the SMU alum for Golf Digest, and an impressive devotion to capital letters.
“MY DAD TAUGHT MY YOUNGER BROTHER AND ME HOW TO PLAY GOLF. We mimicked him hitting Wiffle balls in the back yard. We’d draw golf courses on the kids’ paper tablecloths at restaurants. Our parents realized we were obsessed, so they got us junior sets.”
“IT WAS COMPETITIVE BETWEEN MY BROTHER AND ME ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. We pushed each other and tried our best to beat each other. We lived on a golf course, so I could ride my bike to the golf shop. I remember playing in summers, sunup to sundown.”

Full piece.

9. Australia on their minds
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…“Several professional golfers are doing their part to raise money for those affected by the Australian bushfires.”
  • “Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda are among those who have pledged donations based on the number of birdies and eagles they make at upcoming tournaments.”
  • “Smith, who is from Brisbane, plans to donate $500 for every birdie and $1,000 for every eagle he cards at this week’s Sony Open.”

 

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is wondering how many birdies other players have had in a round while still failing to break par. @Lalan45, unfortunately, asked the question after a unique experience of their own.

They wrote:

“Today I managed 8 birdies but still shot even par, could have been a round to remember! What’s the most birdies you’ve made in a round and still didn’t break par?”

Our members in the forum shared their own experiences with successful rounds that still resulted in a score over par. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • kwcsports: “I’ve had 5 a few times, still shot 80+ haha.”
  • jda: “I played a course for the first time, had 8 birdies, 9 doubles and an eagle. The infamous no-par round. I kept the scorecard. Every shot had a creek that I did not know about, or I was within 8-10 feet for a birdie look. To this day, I have no idea if I should be really jacked up or mad about that performance.”
  • jvincent: “I think my record is either 5 or 6. Probably shot 75.”
  • Instron4204: “3 birdies and shot a 92…man I suck!”

Entire Thread: “Most Birdies Without Breaking Par.”

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Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is asking for thoughts on the best stock shafts offered in 2026. Stock shafts are the shafts included with a club when it’s purchased from retailers or OEMs.

@DTorres asked:

The last couple years has seen a lot of updates and additions to no upcharge stock shafts, which do you think is the best offering in 2026?

Im a bit of a shaft nerd and recently during my Members Testing with the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond I found the updated Project X Denali Frost Black to be a fantastic stock shaft. I absolutely did not mesh well with the original Denali. Just curious what other people think are the current best Stock shaft offerings out with new models and stock Ventus options and LinQ options popping up here and there.

We were given the option for any stock shafts for our members review. I went with the 70g Black Frost 6.5 because it’s a shaft I don’t have, it’s an updated version of the original Denali and hear little about. I typically use a Diamana WB, GD VF or a HOF Raptor. I’m not saying it was neck and neck with any of those but it was a pleasant surprise I’m not accustomed to in stock shaft offerings.

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own thoughts on the best stock shafts available in 2026. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • rsballer10: “IMO – MCA Ka’ili White Darkwave, Tensei 1k Black/white, UST Lin-Q White. People are free to spend their money however they see fit, but for me personally the shaft catalogs these days have enough options that I don’t see the value of a $400 upcharge. I have never had a problem finding a no upcharge shaft that fits the bend profile and weight that I need. Whether the paint job is good enough or not is above my pay scale.”
  • bcflyguy1: “Project X Titan Black. I’ve had one in 60TX in my Quantum TD Max for several weeks now. Have to give Titlieist their flowers for finding a way to make it available as a featured option; very shrewd bit of business and one that I suspect will be duplicated by the other companies. TT/PX have a certified banger on their hands with Titan.”
  • CTG77: “Undoubtedly, it’s the Tensei 1K RIP shafts from Titleist. The Tensei line gives about 98% of the performance of a Ventus VeloCore+ shaft at a tiny fraction of the cost if you’re looking for a blue or red profile. The white is not an exact match for Ventus Black, but it’s closer to it than the non-VeloCore+ Ventus shafts that come from Callaway or formerly came from TaylorMade.”

Entire Thread: “Best current stock shaft 2026.”

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GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

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A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down. 

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

 

  • GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

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