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GolfWRX Morning 9: The real gamble of The Match | Nicklaus-Palmer: golf’s gold standard of rivalries | Golf’s biggest turkeys

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By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

November 23, 2018

Good Friday morning, golf fans.
1. Will the gamble pay off?
Not only do we not know how successful/profitable this event will be, but that success/failure will dictate the future of the imagined Woods-Mickelson (and friends) series.
  • Golfweek’s Dan Kilbridge…”It is true that neither player risked their own money for the $9 million cash prize, but that’s almost beside the point. If this thing is a success it could generate more than 10 times that much off future installments. If it doesn’t, Woods and Mickelson have risked hyping up an event that’s never been done before and might not have mass appeal.”
  • “Beyond that, the bragging rights will be real. That might sound trivial considering all the prestigious titles and majors Woods and Mickelson have already bagged. They’ve resembled a pair a carnival barkers in the months leading up to The Match, but we’ll finally see the competitors come out when they go head to head at 3 p.m. ET Friday.”
  • “That’s what has to happen for viewers to become invested, and it almost certainly will because these guys aren’t laying it on thick when they talk about the pride factor involved in a one-on-one showdown such as this.”
2. The future…or nah?
The BBC’s Jonathan Jurejko…”An entertaining showdown between two of the game’s all-time greats to settle a score which has rumbled on for more than two decades?…Or simply a crass cash generator for two ageing millionaires which leaves the sport looking desperate for attention?”
  • “Opinion has been divided over ‘The Match’ between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in Las Vegas on Friday, a $9m (£7m) winner-takes-all showdown which is being streamed on pay-per-view across the United States on Thanksgiving weekend. One thing everybody can agree on is, for better or worse, golf will never have been seen anything like this before.”
  • Jureko looks at the questions surrounding the cash, timeliness, and the merits of exhibition golf in his piece.
3. …and how much will be wagered?
By people not named Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson, that is…
  • Golfweek’s Dan Kilbridge (again)…”That was the challenge,” Rood said. “During a fight we’ve got a lot of history on the fighters like (Floyd) Mayweather and (Manny) Pacquiao. I can anticipate what my handle is going to be and that’s going to dictate how I price the match as well. … Whereas in this case, I don’t know what my handle is going to be. Don’t know if it’s going to be embraced or more of a spectator spectacle rather than a wagering event. It falls somewhere in between right now.”
  • “So far, the interest level and amount wagered is higher than some might think. It will be by far the most ever bet on a single match for golf, already about 8-10 times the amount wagered on non-major tournaments like the Wells Fargo Championship.
  • “Rood said the final tally come Friday could even match the amount bet year-round on the Masters. The number of actual tickets won’t come close, but the bets are much larger. The largest so far came Monday, when MGM accepted a $75,000 bet on Mickelson. They’ve also had multiple people inquire about placing six-figure bets over the next 48 hours.”
  • “It’s probably approaching a really good college football game right now,” Rood said of the interest level from a betting standpoint
4. The gold standard in golf rivalries

Excellent stuff from Doug Ferguson on Palmer-Nicklaus.

  • “But unlike Woods-Mickelson, who never really squared off in a major until Woods’ fifth year on the tour, Nicklaus famously beat Palmer in a playoff to win the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont in Palmer’s backyard.”
  • ”Arnold and my rivalry became more from the two us,” Nicklaus said. ”We would play together a lot. We were paired a lot. And usually we beat each other up and we ended up giving the tournament away. That’s why they talk about the rivalry. Everyone was interested in who won that day, not who won the tournament.”
  • And this…”He said the rivalry started in 1958 when Nicklaus, an 18-year-old amateur, was invited to take part in a day honoring Dow Finsterwald.
  • ”On the first tee we had a driving contest,’‘ Nicklaus said. ”Arnold drove it on the green. I drove it 30 yards over the green. I never let Arnold forget that. I’d say, ‘Hey AP, we had one driving contest, I hit it 30 yards by you.’ He’d say, ‘Yeah, but I shot 63 that day and you shot 67.’ To me, that was the start of our rivalry. Ever since we played, we always had fun with that.
5. World Cup of Golf: Hatton-Poulter rally
Meanwhile, in actual tournament golf…after one round at the World Cup of Golf
  • Bill Speros, Golfweek.…”England, Australia and South Korea enjoy a three-way tie after the first round of the 2018 ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf in Melbourne, Australia.”
  • “The U.S. team of Kyle Stanley and Matt Kuchar were tied for 13th among 28 teams after a 66….Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton birdied six holes on the back nine of the opening fourballs for England to earn a piece of the lead at 10-under 62.”
  • “Cameron Smith sank a 10-foot putt for a birdie on 18 to ensure he and Australia teammate Marc Leishman held a share of the lead with South Korea’s Byeong Hun An and Si Woo Kim and the Englishmen.”
6. Rai!
EuropeanTour.com...”Aaron Rai produced a course-record 61 at Hong Kong Golf Club to open up a commanding four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Honma Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi.”
  • “The scoring conditions were perfect for the early starters on Friday morning and Rai took full advantage, notching six birdies in his first nine holes – including four in a row from the 12th – before finding three more on the back nine to break the course record by two strokes and move to 14 under par.”
  • “That impressive total left the Englishman four shots clear of closest challenger Hyowon Park following the South Korean’s bogey-free 62.”
7. Golf’s biggest turkeys
Alex Myers steps in it a bit with this roundup of golf’s biggest turkeys of 2018. The turkeyness of any of the inglorious included aside, Myers may find himself eating alone at future holidays. Still, credit to him for taking out his needle.
A few of the fowl…
  • “Patrick Reed…We said there was no particular order, but. . . Seriously, where do we begin this guy? Although, Reed broke through for his first major championship at the Masters, he also managed to eject a European Tour camera crew, throw most of his entire Ryder Cup team – including his idol, Tiger Woods – under the bus, and publicly complain about his complimentary tickets at a Red Sox game.”
  • “Phil Mickelson...Other than Tiger Woods, no golfer generated more headlines, but they weren’t all good. In particular, Mickelson sent the golf world into a tizzy with his hitting-a-moving-golf-ball stunt at the U.S. Open. Making matters worse was his (mis)calculated explanation that the move was done to give him some sort of advantage. A few days later, he apologized and admitted -as everyone suspected – he was just frustrated with how things were going for him that day.”
8. Pro won’t wash his hand
Mr. Meyers, again…
Tiger Woods will take on Phil Mickelson in The Match on Friday, but he had a profound effect on another Thanksgiving week round of golf on Wednesday. Woods crossed paths with fellow tour pro Maverick McNealy on the range at The Madison Club, and McNealy wound up breaking the course record.
9. Unofficial The Match drinking game
Christopher Powers at Golf Digest has some thoughts on how to liven up The Match for those of you not enthused by predictive analytics: drink…namely when any of the below occurs.
  • “If (when) Tiger shows up in red, take your first delicious sip. Same for if (when) Phil shows up in black. If Phil is rocking the long sleeve button-down, drink for five seconds
  • “Any time Tiger adds an “-ey” to the end of a word, take one sip
  • “Any time Peter Jacobsen says something blatantly obvious, like “match play is just so much different than stroke play,” drink for three seconds (we call this #JakeGold)
  • “Any time a commentator overlaughs at one of Tiger or Phil’s forced jokes, take a sip

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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