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Morning 9: Tiger in town to win | Box office grouping | Riviera photos

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco and Matthew Vincenzi.

For comments: [email protected]

February 15, 2023

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we inch closer to Tiger’s return.

1. Here to win

Ben Everill for PGATour.com…“Woods, who returns for his first official TOUR event since The Open Championship last July, is adamant he’s not here to make up numbers, or to play a ceremonial golfer role for the event he hosts.”

  • “If I’m playing, I play to win” Tiger Woods before Genesis
  • “I’m excited to go out there and compete and play with these guys. And I would not have put myself out here if I didn’t think I could beat these guys and win the event. That’s my mentality,” Woods said Tuesday from Riviera.
  • “If I’m playing, I play to win. I know that players have played and they are ambassadors of the game and try to grow the game… I can’t wrap my mind around that as a competitor. If I’m playing in the event I’m going to try and beat you… I don’t understand that making the cut’s a great thing. If I entered the event, it’s always to get a W.”
Full piece.

2. Woods, McIlroy, Thomas grouped together

PGATour.com staff…”Tiger Woods will tee off with two familiar faces in his return to the PGA TOUR.”

  • “The 82-time TOUR winner will play alongside Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy in the first two rounds of The Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. They will tee off at 3:04 p.m. ET Thursday and 10:24 a.m. ET in Friday’s second round.”
Full piece.

3. Former “sportwashing” critic reverses course

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…”Three years ago, Meghan MacLaren took a rare and bold stance against playing in the first women’s professional golf event ever held in Saudi Arabia, saying that competing in the Kingdom didn’t fit with her values. The 28-year-old Englishwoman withdrew over concerns that the country was “sportswashing” its human rights record.”

  • “As the presence of Saudi Arabia money continues to grow in women’s golf, however, MacLaren’s stance has evolved.”
  • …[said MacLaren]: “At some point, you have to reconcile,” said MacLaren. “This is my competitive nature and my profession versus how do I want to live my life? What do I want to stand up for?
  • “You have a voice to a certain point, but also, the better golfer I am and the more recognizable golfer I am, the louder I can use that voice.”
Full piece.

4. Scott PAC chair

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”Entering his 22nd season on the PGA Tour, Adam Scott will enjoy a first in his career this year as the newly elected chairman of the 16-member Player Advisory Council.”

  • “Scott was elected chair by the Tour’s membership over Maverick McNealy and Kevin Streelman and will join the policy board for a three-year term starting next season.”
  • “We have the ability to put the people in [charge at the Tour] who should be able to do the job. I think it’s getting to the point in our game where it’s getting maybe easy to see that there needs to be some accountability for all of this stuff all of a sudden across the game of golf,” Scott said last month at the Sony Open. “I think over my career there has probably been less of that because there hasn’t been a consequence for error, is the feeling as a player looking at the ecosystem of the game.”
Full piece.

5. LIV team rosters cometh

Golfweek’s Adam Woodard…”By the end of the week the full 2023 rosters for all 12 teams in the LIV Golf League will be revealed.”

  • “LIV officials will announce the rosters of four teams per day, Wednesday, Feb. 15 to Friday, Feb. 17, as momentum builds to the first event of the season at Mayakoba’s El Camaleón Golf Course in Mexico, Feb. 24-26.”
Full piece.

6. LIV making the Tour younger?

Garry Smits, Florida Times-Union…”Take a look at the field for the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational this week in Los Angeles.”

  • “Then glance at last year’s results at the Riviera Country Club.”
  • “More than any other tournament so far on the 2022-23 Tour schedule, the impact of more than 20 former Tour players who are now playing on the LIV Golf League and are under suspension from the PGA Tour will be felt at the Genesis. It’s an impact that has been lessened with Tiger Woods’ announcement that he will play in the event he hosts, making his first start of the season.”
Full Piece.

7. Rose, Schauffele commit to TGL

Cameron Jourdan for Golfweek…”The latest commits to the new tech-focused golf league are bringing some gold with them.”

  • “The last two Olympic gold medalists, Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose, are joining the TGL, the primetime golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour. It will begin play in 2024. Schauffele and Rose make it 11 players committed of the 18 spots, joining Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who are leading the league, and Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Adam Scott, Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa and Billy Horschel.”
Full Piece.

8. DP World Tour COO calls for LIV truce

Matt Smith for Golf Digest Middle East…”DP World Chief Communications Officer Danny van Otterdijk has called for a truce between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, as the former European Tour seeks a resolution to its drawn-out feud and seeks to block players who have signed up for the new series from competing in its events.”

  • “The PGA Tour has already banned the likes of Phil Mickelson and Brookes Koepka from teeing up in its competitions, but a UK arbitration hearing is ongoing, with LIV Golfers such as Patrick Reed and Ian Poulter continuing to contend in events such as the recent Hero Dubai Desert Classic in the UAE.”
  • “Van Otterdijk insists communication is ongoing between DP World and LIV Golf, and he is optimistic of a peaceful resolution.”
  • “Our friends at LIV Golf, we have great contact with them as the game grows in the region,” Van Otterdijk told Golf Digest Middle East at the recent Desert Classic, where world No. 1 Rory McIlroy edged out rival Reed for the crown during a stormy competition.”
Full Piece.

9. Photos from Riv

  • Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!
Full Piece.

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.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Bob

    Feb 16, 2023 at 5:23 pm

    I’m here to win? More like, I’m here to wine.

    Half way through the second round the greatest serial cheater will realize he won’t make the cut and suddenly he’ll start to limp in attempt to gain sympathy for missing the cut.

  2. Peon

    Feb 15, 2023 at 11:34 am

    Yawn to the grouping……. you wonder how those 3 got grouped together! Why doesn’t Eldrick group himself with one of his special exemption invitees ffs. He’s so pathetic

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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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