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Good Monday morning, golf fans.

1. Fitzpatrick: Keep Heritage designated

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”But as far as field depth goes, nothing compares to this year. The Heritage’s designated status and $20 million purse – more than the Masters – ensured that all but one eligible (and non-injured) top-20 player showed up, with Rory McIlroy being the lone exception. Fitzpatrick outdueled Jordan Spieth in a playoff while Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler all were in contention at some point. Even Masters champ Jon Rahm fought fatigue and gutted out a T-15 finish at Harbour Town.”

• “Fitzpatrick is obviously a tad biased, considering his affection for Harbour Town, but with the Tour likely not holding designated events the week after majors moving forward, the Englishman argues the Heritage should by whatever means necessary maintain its elevated status.”

• “I think it deserves a good field,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think the fact that Jon Rahm came after winning the Masters, I think, is probably a testament to the tournament as well as a testament to himself for doing that. Yeah, really hope it is an elevated event next year, and I think it’s a great place to have one.”

2. OWGR movers

Brentley Romine, again…”Fitzpatrick climbed from No. 16 following his first non-major PGA Tour title while Spieth also cracked the top 10, moving from No. 15 to No. 9. Sam Burns and Viktor Hovland were both bumped, to Nos. 12 and 11, respectively.”

• Some other notable moves…Will Zalatoris, out for the season because of back surgery, slipped two spots to No. 10…Justin Thomas’ T-25 at Heritage didn’t keep him from dropping to No. 14, his worst world rank since the week before his PGA Championship win, in 2017…Sahith Theegala is inside the top 25 for the first time in his career, now at No. 23, after his T-5 a Harbour Town.”

3. LPGA major preview

Kent Paisley for Golf Digest…”Change is in the air at this week’s Chevron Championship as the traditional first major of the LPGA season moves to its new home in Houston and Carlton Woods after 51 years in California’s Coachella Valley. How much of the tournament’s rich history makes the trip? And what kind of impact will the new venue have on the event’s legacy moving forward? Those are questions waiting for answers.”

“What isn’t changing about this year’s event is the quality of the field—and the intriguing storylines that it brings. A rare LPGA Hall of Fame berth is on the line for Lydia Ko, as a victory would allow the No. 1 player in the Rolex World Rankings to become the fifth woman to qualify since 2000, joining Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak, Inbee Park and Lorena Ochoa. Only a year ago, Nelly Korda’s future in golf seemed uncertain as she was being treated for a blood clot. Now, she’s back as one of the game’s dominant forces. Jin Young Ko’s surprisingly out-of-character 2022 campaign started when she was a heavy favorite to win the Chevron, only to finish T-53. But after an extended break entering the 2023 season, she returned the winner’s circle for the first time in 17 starts in February and now looks poised to make another major run.”

4. ICYMI: McIlroy to be docked $3 million

AP report…”Rory McIlroy withdrawing from the RBC Heritage this week means he will forfeit $3 million from his Player Impact Program bonus.”

• “The PGA Tour confirmed Friday that McIlroy, who received $9 million of his potential $12 million bonus in January, will not be getting the balance.”

• “The PIP, which began two years ago, rewards players based on various metrics of their popularity. McIlroy finished second to Tiger Woods and stood to gain $12 million — 75% paid after the first week of the year, the remainder when they fulfilled obligations such as playing in all the designated events on the schedule.”

5. Nantz: We weren’t hiding Phil

Matt Cradock for Golf Monthly…”In the build-up to The Masters, it had been confirmed by CBS, that LIV golfers would receive fair broadcast coverage. However, within Mickelson’s vault up the leaderboard, it was perhaps slightly bizarre that not much was shown of it until the final few holes.”

• “However, Jim Nantz, who has anchored CBS’s coverage of The Masters since the 80s, has now denied rumours that the broadcasting giant deliberately limited coverage of LIV players, with the 63-year-old stating: “If you went back and looked at the full coverage on Sunday, including Sunday morning, the finishing up of the third round, our guys were really on Phil.”

• “Nantz went on to add: “Part of it is optics, when you look at the leaderboard at the end and you see that Phil’s tied for second, you think, ‘Well, my gosh, they must have been on him all day.’”

6. Linn Grant still can’t compete in the U.S.

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…”Linn Grant has played all over the world in 2023 – from Morocco to South Korea to Thailand to Singapore to Saudi Arabia. But because she is not vaccinated against COVID-19, Grant has not yet competed in the United States.”

• “In January, the U.S. government extended its existing COVID-19 restrictions, which require international visitors to be fully vaccinated against the virus. The national public health emergency will expire on May 11, and the hope for Grant is that she’d be eligible to compete in the Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play event in Las Vegas, May 24-28.”

7. LIV golfer: Schedule frustrating

Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig…”While largely derided amid criticism after LIV Golf sued so its players could continue to compete on the PGA Tour—and not necessarily true anyway given the schedule and the desire to play major championships—it nonetheless remains a talking point.”

• “Then there is Jed Morgan. The Australian golfer, who has played 10 LIV events over its two seasons and is part of a LIV team of Australians called Ripper GC, wishes LIV had more events.”

• “There’s obviously quite a bit of time off with the LIV stuff at the moment, which is a little bit frustrating,’’ Morgan, 23, told News Corp Australia. “Part of being a good golfer is playing a few tournaments in a row and getting some form that way.’’

8. Smoltz on the Champions Tour?

TMZ Sports report…”The MLB legend is hoping to hear that a whole lot at PGA TOUR Champions events in the very near future … telling TMZ Sports he wants to compete on the senior golf circuit as soon as he gets his ailing hip surgically repaired.”

• “The 55-year-old didn’t mince words when talking about his golf goals with us earlier this year … explaining that the first time he tried to find success on the PGA Tour Champions, he was just simply too hurt to make a real run.”

• “Now, though, he says he’s already got one of his hips redone — and he’s hoping when he gets the other one fixed … it could lead to serious success.”

• “I’ve got a new hip, I’ve got one more hip to do, and then after that,” he said, “I want to see what my competitive juices take me to.

9. Photos from the Zurich Classic

Check out all our photos from New Orleans in the GolfWRX forums!