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At the end of his press conference in advance of the Open Championship last Tuesday, Scottie Scheffler turned a final question about the longest celebration he’s had after a victory into what felt like a stream-of-consciousness soliloquy about finding the meaning in what he does better than anyone else.
“There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, and you get there, you get to No. 1 in the world, and they’re like what’s the point? I really do believe that because what is the point? Why do I want to win this tournament so bad?” Scheffler began.
“That’s something that I wrestle with on a daily basis. It’s like showing up at the Masters every year; it’s like why do I want to win this golf tournament so badly? Why do I want to win the Open Championship so badly?
“I don’t know because, if I win, it’s going to be awesome for two minutes. Then we’re going to get to the next week, hey, you won two majors this year; how important is it for you to win the FedEx Cup playoffs? And we’re back here again.
“So we really do; we work so hard for such little moments. I’m kind of sicko; I love putting in the work. I love getting to practice. I love getting to live out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don’t understand the point.” READ MORE
Top-ranked amateur Lottie Woad announced last Tuesday she will turn professional, two days after nearly winning an LPGA major.
The 21-year-old Englishwoman followed her six-stroke victory at the Women’s Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour by finishing third, just one stroke off the pace, at the Evian Championship. She didn’t earn any prize money at either tournament because she was an amateur, forsaking nearly $600,000.
However, her finish at Evian secured enough points to seal LPGA Tour membership through the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway. It means she will end her college career at Florida State University with one year left. Woad is set to make her pro debut at this week’s Women’s Scottish Open. READ MORE
The damage an enraged Wyndham Clark inflicted on a pair lockers at Oakmont Country Club during last month’s U.S. Open has prompted the club to bar him from its property.
In a letter obtained by Golf Digest, Oakmont president John Lynch informed members of its decision. “Reinstatement would be contingent upon Mr. Clark fulfilling a number of specific conditions, including full repayment for damages, a meaningful contribution to a charity of the Board’s choosing, and the successful completion of counseling and/or anger management sessions,” the letter read.
Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, apologized for the incident at the subsequent Travelers Championship and addressed it at the recent Genesis Scottish Open. Following news of the Oakmont ban, he declined to speak with the media at the Open Championship until Sunday, following a closing 65 that secured a top-five finish.
“Yeah, so obviously I feel terrible with what happened. I'm doing anything I can to try to remedy the situation,” he said at Royal Portrush. “We're trying to keep it private between Oakmont, myself and the USGA. I'm just happy we have a pathway moving forward, and ... I'm hoping we can get past this and move on and hope there's no ill will towards me and Oakmont.” READ MORE
Tap-Ins
The Open Championship awarded a $17 million prize fund, the first time since 2012 the R&A chose not to increase the purse. The U.S. Open also did not boost its purse this year at Oakmont. Winner Scottie Scheffler received $3.1 million, the same amount Xander Schauffele earned last year at Royal Troon. READ MORE
Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald named Francesco Molinari his fourth vice captain for September’s matches against the United States at Bethpage Black. The Italian joins his brother Edoardo, Thomas Bjørn and José María Olazábal in Donald’s backroom team. READ MORE
Compiled by Mike Cullity