Golfing Agency

2023 Sony Open leaderboard, scores: Jordan Spieth misses cut after sharing Round 1 lead

detlef32 — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 04:25:12 +0000

The first-round leader in a golf tournament has a tendency to fade every now and again, but not often do they miss out on the weekend entirely. That’s exactly what happened to Jordan Spieth at the 2023 Sony Open. After sharing the lead with Chris Kirk and Taylor Montgomery in Round 1 with a 6-under 64, Spieith signed for a 5-over 75 in his second round. Missing the cut by a single stroke, Spieth essentially predicted his own demise following the first round.

“I believe I can shoot 5 or 6 under each day out here,” Spieth said on Thursday. “Not to say that that means it’ll happen, but there are other times I would be sitting there going, ‘How do I hold this sh-t together,’ to be honest. Seriously.”

He couldn’t keep it together enough on Friday, and in the process joined a short list of players to plummet from the top of the leaderboard over the course of one round. Spieth became the 10th man since 2010 (and second in the last four years) to miss the cut after holding the first-round lead. As a result, he will take his RV back to the mainland United States where he will tee it up next.

In his place, Chris Kirk has emerged as the solo leader at the 36-hole mark. Standing at 11 under, the former Georgia Bulldog holds a narrow lead over J.J. Spaun and Taylor Montgomery at 10 under. With a number of unproven players in the chasing pack, a life-changing opportunity to enter the winner’s circle has emerged at Waialae Country Club.

The leader

1. Chris Kirk (-11)

Three years ago, Kirk was fighting for his job at the Sony Open. In need of a T3 finish or better, Kirk delivered in the clutch by making birdie on the 72nd hole to secure a T2 result and retaining his PGA Tour card. With a brand new perspective on life, Kirk is now in position to snag his first Tour title in 2,791 days.

“I don’t know if it helps or not, but it definitely helps when I get done playing,” said Kirk on finding peace in his game. “I am able to not judge myself for who I am as a professional golfer. I am able to have my life as a person and my life as professional golfer are two completely independent things.

“I am able to wake up every day and know that I am doing the right things, that I’m working hard, that I love my family and I am doing the best for them and that all that really matters,” he continued. “Whether you shoot 65 or 75 — you know the 65’s are a lot more fun, I’m not going to lie — but it just puts everything into the right perspective.”

Other contenders

T2. Taylor Montgomery, J.J. Spaun (-10)

T4. Hayden Buckley, David Lipsky (-9)

T6. Ben Taylor, Austion Eckroat, S.H. Kim (-8)

T9. Denny McCarthy, Stephan Jaegar, J.T. Poston, Brendon Todd, Ben Griffin, Maverick McNealy (-7)

Through the first 10 events of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, there has only been one first-time winner: Adam Svensson at the RSM Classic. With titans like Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Tom Kim all winning thus far, the lack of big names this weekend will present a golden chance for a budding star to change the trajectory of his career.

There are 10 winless competitors currently inside the top 15, all of whom will take their crack at raising their first trophy. Winning on the PGA Tour is not easy, and Rookie of the Year front runner Taylor Montgomery put into context just how good these guys truly are in a funny, self-depreciating way after his second round.

“I would say yesterday’s round [was more enjoyable] just because, I mean, I felt like I hit my irons really good,” said Montgomery. “Then I looked at the strokes gained approach and I was like dead even. I’m like, how good are these damn guys with their irons? Like I don’t know. Just an area that I really want to improve … like I think I was 80th and I felt like I hit my irons awesome.”

South Korean stars sent packing early

While Spieth’s demise was more public and a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least, he was not the only favorite to fall short of expectations. The two men who occupied the top two spots on the odds board to begin the week will not be around for the weekend, either. Young superstars Tom Kim and Sungjae Im were unable to get the ball rolling at Waialae CC and ultimately missed the cut in their second starts of the new year.

For Kim, this is his first missed cut since the PGA Championship last May and his first missed cut as a full-time member of the PGA Tour. As for Im, this represents only his fourth missed cut in the last 25 worldwide starts. Both players will look to bounce back quickly at next week’s The American Express in Palm Springs.

2023 Sony Open updated odds and picks

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

Taylor Montgomery: 4-1
Chris Kirk: 9/2
J.J. Spaun: 11/2
Hayden Buckley: 12-1
David Lipsky: 16-1
J.T. Poston: 18-1
Maverick McNealy: 22-1
Denny McCarthy: 30-1
S.H. Kim: 35-1
Brendon Todd: 35-1
Ben Taylor: 35-1
Stephan Jaegar: 35-1

There is certainly some unknown with the names listed above. Only Kirk, Spaun, Poston and Todd have won on the PGA Tour before, two of those names pique my interest. I have been keen on Spaun from the start of the week, and if not for an errant tee shot on the par-5 9th, he would be leading this golf tournament. He remains a fair price — as does Poston, who looks to be in form to make a weekend run from four strokes back.

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Continental Europe takes 3-2 lead after opening day of Hero Cup

detlef32 — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:03:45 +0000

Continental Europe won the first two matches of the day before securing a narrow 3-2 lead over Great Britain and Ireland against after the opening session of fourballs matches at the Hero Cup, a new team matchplay tournament that is being held at Abu Dhabi Golf Club this week.

Thomas Pieters gets Friday’s fourball matches under way on day one of the Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and Swede Alex Noren defeated GB&I Captain Tommy Fleetwood and Ireland’s Shane Lowry 1up in a thrilling opening clash at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

The Continental Europe pairing were 3up at the turn before Fleetwood and Lowry fought back to all square through 15 holes, but Noren – a man with a history of holing important putts on the final hole – rolled in a birdie on the 18th to secure the first point for his side.

Belgian Thomas Detry and France’s Antoine Rozner were two down against English duo Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Smith after four holes, but recovered well to secure a 2up victory, with Detry finishing in a style with an eagle at the last to celebrate his 30th birthday.

Italy’s Guido Migliozzi and Frenchman Victor Perez, representing Continental Europe, secured a half against the second all-English pairing of Callum Shinkwin and Matt Wallace in a match of high quality, while Robert MacIntyre and Séamus Power secured the largest margin of victory on day one, defeating Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Austrian Sepp Straka 4&3 to earn GB&I’s first winning point.

With the final match finishing after 15 holes, it was left to Continental Europe Captain Francesco Molinari and Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard to try and extend their team’s lead, however Richard Mansell matched Højgaard’s closing birdie to ensure the Englishman and Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson closed day one with a half.

Séamus Power and Robert MacIntyre earned a full point for Great Britain & Ireland after winning their match against Adrian Meronk and Sepp Straka

Tommy Fleetwood said: “I think it was a good team performance on the first day. I know we would loved to have finished the day and been the right side of the scoreboard and been up. Unbelievable really that four matches go down the last. Just shows how close the teams are in terms of levels.

“I think in the end, to get out of that session 3-2, we’ll definitely go back to our team rooms feeling the better, and the guys, I just said to the guys, that’s why those guys are at the back, trust them to get something out of it at the last and be very tough coming down that last hole.”

Francesco Molinari added “I’m really happy and proud of how we started today. I think obviously a lot of tight matches which is good for Luke [Donald] and his Ryder Cup vice captains to see. My guys did amazing. Obviously it’s a nice start, long way to go but it’s always nice winning a day, winning a session.”

To see all the scores and a live leaderboard from the Hero Cup, click here.

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2023 Sony Open leaderboard, scores: Jordan Spieth shares lead with Chris Kirk, Taylor Montgomery in Hawaii

detlef32 — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 05:14:55 +0000

In what could have been a letdown week for the PGA Tour, a superstar emerged on the first day of the Sony Open and shares the lead going into Friday’s second round.

Jordan Spieth shot a 64 at Honolulu’s Waialae Country Club on Thursday and is locked up with Chris Kirk and Taylor Montgomery atop the leaderboard, one ahead of a group of six other golfers after play was suspended due to darkness. Though Spieth has won in Hawaii before at the Tournament of Champions, he has never won this particular event. A win here, however, could portend a monstrous 2023 for the three-time major winner.

Let’s take a look at his round along with what to expect the rest of the week.

The leaders

T1. Jordan Spieth, Chris Kirk, Taylor Montgomery (-6): Warning: This is going to be a very Spieth-heavy article (for obvious reasons). The good news for the Golden Child is that he’s leading a golf tournament. The bad news is that he nearly needed to lead the field in putting to do so. Spieth nearly had a perfectly clean card Thursday only sullying it with a bogey on the par-4 13th hole. He said after his round that the putter is starting to feel good again.

“Half my putts today were like, ‘Wow, I knew exactly where that was going.’ Some of them went in and some of them didn’t, and the others I didn’t and I made some of them,” Spieth said. “It’s just — but I know once I get to a certain feel through the ball that I can beat the field. I can be No. 1 in strokes gained for the week because I know what that feels like.

“So I’m just trying to get that way. It’s getting there, and that’s exciting.”

The numbers agree. Spieth’s 50-round rolling average in strokes gained putting is above PGA Tour average (0.0 SG) for the first time since the Texas Open last year.

I’m not sure Spieth has anything to prove to anyone given that he’s already won three majors and 13 times before turning 30. But a win here and a little momentum rolling into a big time stretch of golf leading into the Masters would certainly elevate him in my mind back to somebody who could feasibly be the No. 1 player in the world by the end of the year. A long way to go, and he needs to hit it a bit better than he did today, but something is certainly brewing.

Other contenders

T4. Harris English, Denny McCarthy, Brendon Todd, David Lipsky, Rory Sabbatini (-5)

T11. Stewart Cink, K.J. Choi, Cam Davis (-4)

We could talk about English (which we do below), but how about Cink and Choi (combined age 101) in the mix at this event! Both shot 66s and both did it by gaining strokes in every statistical category, which is remarkable.

Also, Sabbatini’s scripting on Thursday was all-time.

Quote(s) of the day

Spieth had some gems after his 64. The first was about where his game is at compared to where it has been in recent years.

“I believe I can shoot 5 or 6 under each day out here,” Spieth said. “Not to say that that means it’ll happen, but there are other times I would be sitting there going, ‘How do I hold this shit together,’ to be honest. Seriously.”

I can’t think of a better way to sum up his entire career.

The second was a big-time flex following that quote about his game and the revelation that he and his family recently purchased an RV to travel around to PGA Tour events.

Q: When was the last time you flew coach?

Spieth: “The 27th — oh, coach, sorry, no. … I thought you said commercial.”

Sure, sure, sure.

Harris English resurfaces

Harris English was out for much of 2022 with an injury, and it’s clear that he’s had a difficult time bouncing back. In 15 starts since returning last June, English has just one top 10 finish (the Fortinet Championship in September). His 65 in Round 1 marked just the third time he’d gained at least 4.4 strokes on the field in a single round since the summer of 2021. English said after his round that this is as close to 100% as he’s felt in a long time so hopefully this is the start of a nice run for him in 2023.

2023 Sony Open updated odds and picks

Jordan Spieth: 4-1
Taylor Montgomery: 8-1
Harris English: 14-1
Chris Kirk: 18-1
Denny McCarthy: 20-1
Cam Davis: 20-1

This is a tough board. I don’t particularly love anybody on it, but if you made me choose, I think Davis at 20-1 is really interesting. He’s just two back and led the field from tee to green on Thursday. A big time year from him wouldn’t be a surprise at all, and it’s very easy to envision — even if his game doesn’t seemingly fit Waialae perfectly — to envision him starting to roll this weekend.

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PING launches new i230 irons and iCrossover

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:47:30 +0000

With a focus on golfers in search of technology engineered to deliver precise control and consistency, PING has introduced the i230 irons and iCrossover, both of which are now available for custom fittings at authorised retailers globally.

“The new i230 irons and iCrossovers are for avid players who want to get better,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President. “In the i230 iron, we’ve engineered a lot of performance into one design. It has the precise control and consistency of a players iron with an amazing feel while offering the forgiveness of a game improvement iron. It reminds me a lot of the iconic Ping Eye2 iron in that it will appeal to so many player types, from the tour pros to everyday golfers. It’s really packed with performance.”

Solheim added: “We’ve re-branded our Crossover category into the ‘i’ family to target golfers who most likely play one of our blade-style irons. The tour-inspired head size and sole design along with higher ball speeds help it to transition more seamlessly as a long-iron alternative. We’ve also added hosel adjustability, a highly beneficial innovation allowing golfers to dial in their trajectories for the first time in an iron-style design. We believe this re-design will greatly improve its appeal and find its way into a lot more bags on tour and other competitive settings.”

i230 Irons

Advancements to the activated elastomer technology in the i230 iron allowed PING engineers to save significant weight, which is re-allocated within the clubhead to position the centre of gravity low for more distance and control while increasing the moment of inertia for added forgiveness.

The low CG combines with greater face bending to deliver more higher ball speeds. The elastomer reinforces the face, providing more consistent bending and energy transfer across the entire face, resulting in approximately three more yards of distance in player testing. Its higher MOI is largely due to tungsten toe and tip weights, which help make it the most forgiving i iron to date.

“The i230 iron sits in the middle of our iron offerings, so it requires us to balance a variety of performance attributes,” Solheim said. “It needs the precision and solid feel of a players iron while offering the forgiveness a lot of golfers expect from a Ping iron. We also want to provide more distance in a way that is predictable and repeatable to ensure it meets the precise gapping needs of the best players in the world. I’m excited to report our research and early tour feedback confirms we’ve achieved all that and more. It has a little bit of everything to deliver a lot of performance.”Through extensive modal analysis, PING researchers isolated undesirable frequencies within the clubhead and precisely positioned a re-engineered cavity badge to damp their effect to ensure a pleasing feel and sound. The four-piece badge combines a thin 304 stainless steel cap with an injection-moulded thermoplastic that is secured to the cavity with high-strength adhesive. The activated elastomer supports the face and sits in a toaster-style pocket, which is concealed behind the multi-material badge, creating a clean and appealing cavity design.“Feel is one of the most important attributes in a players iron,” said Solheim. “Golfers who rely on precise iron play require exceptional feel to control their ball flight. The i230 iron is engineered to provide consistent feel from every club in the set. The soft elastomer and the cavity badge work in concert to ensure they not only feel great, but they sound even better.”The long irons (3-5) are slightly more compact than the tour-proven i210, producing more consistent clubface delivery and accuracy, while the rest of the set is designed with similar blade lengths. The sole design is also similar, with a more rounded lead edge and ample bounce to promote smooth turf interaction for clean and solid strikes. The precision-milled MicroMax grooves deliver consistent launch and spin results for more accuracy in the long irons and greater control in the short irons and wedges, especially in wet or grassy conditions where the grooves and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish help ensure lower launch angles with high spin rates.

“Meeting the needs of our tour pros, who have already won with it, is an important element of the i230 iron,” Solheim said. “Their validation of this design goes a long way in giving golfers the confidence that they can also benefit from its technology. The changes to the blade lengths and shaping are very subtle but are designed to improve the playability and the accuracy of the entire set, especially the long irons. They inspire a lot of confidence when you look at them in the address position.”

i230 specifications
AVAILABLE: 3-9, PW, UW in 10 colour codes (lie angle). Black colour code is standard. LOFT OPTIONS: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec
STOCK SHAFTS: Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300) & PING Alta CB Black (SR, R, S) STOCK GRIP: Lamkin Crossline Black
RRP: £180/£190 per club (steel/graphite)

iCrossover

The iCrossover is engineered for high-swing-speed players looking for long-iron alternatives that fit seamlessly into their set while delivering increased ball speeds for more distance with higher launch. The sources of the high ball speed are the thin, maraging steel face and lower CG position, which is closer to the impact location to produce more energy transfer. The face is robotically welded to the 17-4 stainless steel body with a lower-hinged bend point to provide higher launch for better stopping power. A smaller internal cavity with targeted EVA polymer on the back of the face ensures a pleasing feel and sound.

Tour-Inspired
With similar sole shaping, including the rounded lead edge and ample bounce, the iCrossover seamlessly fits into an i230 iron set in place of long irons. The blade lengths are slightly shorter with less offset than previous crossover generations, making it more compact while providing a tour-style appearance. The standard shaft length builds also are approximately one-quarter inch shorter than the previous models to transition into a set more easily, providing more control and tighter dispersion patterns with similar distance. The precision-milled MicroMax grooves and matte-black hydropearl 2.0 finish deliver consistent launch and spin results for more accuracy.

New Trajectory Tuning 2.0
A first in an iron-style design, the adjustable hosel provides eight settings for loft and lie to help dial in a golfer’s desired ball flight. The lightweight hosel is clearly marked to allow for quick and easy adjustments, with a range of ±1.5° loft and lie in various combinations. The standard setting is the stated loft of the club at 1.5° upright.

“We looked closely at our fitting and Arccos data and discovered the vast majority of our crossover users were better players who use one of our blade irons,” Solheim said. “So, we shifted our focus to engineering a crossover that better fit the needs of that type of player. The iCrossover performance results have been exceptional. Its shape looks great, the ball speeds are higher, and it sounds very powerful. The addition of the adjustable hosel is a huge benefit to help players at that level dial in their ball flight.”

iCrossover specifications
AVAILABLE: 2 (18°), 3 (20°), 4 (22.5°)
TRAJECTORY TUNING 2.0 HOSEL: 8 loft/lie settings
STOCK SHAFT: PING Tour 2.0 Chrome 85 (R, S, X) STOCK GRIP: Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet (six sizes)
RRP: £275 per club with graphite shafts

To find your nearest stockist or custom fitting centre, visit www.eu.ping.com

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Legends Tour to break new ground in 2023

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:47:47 +0000

The Legends Tour‘s 2023 schedule will feature debuts for two stunning links venues, in Scotland and in Ireland, and increased prize funds across the board.

The 2023 season for Europe’s over-50s circuit will feature at least 18 tournaments with a record-breaking prize fund – with final numbers set to be released shortly – which will be a significant increase on the 2022 campaign.

Among the exciting developments for 2023 is the news that the spectacular Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen will host the Tour for the first time when the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship is played from August 24-27.

The Scottish venue is joined on the schedule by another breathtaking links newcomer, with Seapoint Golf Links – a rising star in the ranks of Irish links courses and located on the East coast, just an hour north of Dublin – set to host a major international professional event for the first time when the Irish Legends comes to town from June 23-25.

The JCB Championship will return from August 3-5 after a glorious debut in 2022, when a host of superstars including Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Darren Clarke and Paul Lawrie descended upon the spectacular Uttoxeter venue, with Germany’s Alex Cejka finishing two shots clear of Ireland’s Paul McGinley to lift the title.

Among the other returning highlights on the new-look schedule are July’s Swiss Seniors Open at Golf Club Bad Ragaz, the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in Germany in September, the Italian Senior Open in October and November’s Farmfoods European Senior Masters in Spain.

A new English event, the Legends Players Championship, will be held for the first time in 2023, joining the JCB Championship and the Jersey Legends in a triumvirate of confirmed England-based tournaments.

Major glory may be on the cards for the biggest stars of the Legends Tour, with the Senior Open Championship visiting Royal Porthcawl in 2023, while the US PGA Senior Championship will be played at PGA Frisco, Texas and the US Senior Open will take place at Wisconsin’s SentryWorld Golf Course.

The Tour will once again close with the MCB Tour Championship Mauritius, which has provided a fitting finale to the popular competition for more than a decade. At the 2022 edition of the event, staged in December, South African James Kingston lifted the John Jacobs Trophy as the Order of Merit leader despite an impressive display by tournament winner Thomas Bjørn.

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The benefits of 9 hole golf

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:17:36 +0000

The
pandemic was disastrous for sport, golf included—there’s no doubt about that.

Courses
were closed, social mixing banned, and professional tournaments postponed left,
right and centre. However, now that all of this is behind us for good (touch
wood), the uptake in 9 hole golf is arguably one of the industry’s most notable
trends—and it’s growing quickly.

For many people, life is a lot different now to how it was pre-Covid. Be it daily routines, how and where we work, or the time we spend with family—our priorities have changed. This means golf has also changed, and we golfers have had to adapt in order to keep on playing the game we love.

The benefits of 9 hole golf

There are many benefits to 9 hole golf, some of which you may not have necessarily considered before now. Well, that’s why you’re here, right?

Time

This is an
obvious one. Playing a 9 hole round is much quicker than a full 18, and that’s
arguably why it’s become so popular so quickly.

The time
factor is one of the biggest benefits of playing 9 hole golf. With flexible,
remote working now the norm for lots of us, a 9 hole round can be easily squeezed
into a lunch break or before the work day even starts if you’re lucky enough to
live near a course.

A full 18
is serious business and can take five hours plus to complete, even on a good
day, once you’ve also factored in all the walking between holes. The sad reality
is that most of us probably don’t have this much time spare each day.

Instead, however, a shorter round gives you your precious time back, making golf a much more feasible day-to-day option rather than just at the weekend or on special occasions.

Money

Playing 9
holes works out much cheaper than a full 18.

For a start, having new and expensive clubs and other equipment is less important on shorter rounds, especially if you’re using them for practice. Second-hand clubs will do the job here.

Also, some clubs
won’t require you to be a fully paid member to play 9 holes, and there are many
pay-as-you-play options out there. As we all know, yearly membership fees can
be expensive, but it’s important to remember they aren’t always necessary.

Related: 15 ways to play golf on the cheap

Game improvements

Golfers
tend to be less bothered by their score when playing 9 holes instead of 18, which
makes it a perfect opportunity to practice and work on your weak points.

For
example, let’s say you’ve been trying to perfect a tricky lob shot for a while but
feel too pressured to give it a go in a full 18 setting when you’re up against
it. A shorter, more relaxed round is the ideal time to bring it out.

Many golfers use a 9 hole game merely as practice, especially if squeezed into a lunchtime or even a quick after-work round—so it’s perfect for experimenting. Put in the hours on the 9 hole course, and you’ll reap the rewards the next time you play a full 18—trust us.

Beginners

A full 18
can be pretty intimidating if you’re new to golf and just starting out. If you
haven’t quite caught ‘the bug’ yet either (you’ll know when you have), you
might find you get bored after a while, too. However, shorter rounds are a
great way to ease yourself in and stay motivated.

After all, 18
holes can be a struggle if you’re a novice.

On the
other hand, 9 holes are great if you’re an experienced golfer looking to get
your family more involved. Young children, for example, are far more likely to
stay engaged for longer when not being dragged around a larger course.

Put it this way—you’ll probably have better luck pitching golf to the kids as a one to two-hour activity as opposed to five or six!

Scoring

We touched
on this a little earlier on, but your score is less of a focus in 9 hole golf. While
this is indeed true, playing 9 holes can still be highly satisfying for those
who like to score well regardless.

With fewer
shots and holes, the greater the opportunity to accumulate a competitive score.
The average score for a typical adult playing 9 holes is around 45—or bogey
golf. But, of course, scores depend on various factors, such as weather
conditions and the difficulty of the course.

However,
decent amateur-level golfers can expect to record scores in the 30s if they’re
playing 9 hole rounds regularly, so it can be a good confidence booster.

Related: What is a good golf score for 9 holes?

Less pressure

It’s easy
to feel the ‘heat’ on a full 18, especially if you’re playing in a competition,
but much of this stress is eased on a 9 hole round.

Not having to constantly overthink your score on every hole allows you to feel cool, calm and collected out on the course.

How long do 9 holes of golf take?

The time it
takes to complete a round of golf ultimately depends on you and your game. Some
golfers like to take things slow and steady, while others will race around the
course lightning quick.

You’ll know
which one of those categories you fall into yourself. However, those already
acquainted with 9 hole golf say completing a round in less than two hours is
more than doable.

Related: How long should it take to play a 9-hole round of golf?

9 hole golf courses

In a world where
a full 18 is often the norm, a 9 hole round might seem hard to find, but that’s
not the case. Many full-service golf clubs and ranges now offer the option to
play shorter rounds—and the choice will only grow as the trend continues.

It’s arguably never been easier to get into 9 hole golf. Check out our interactive map of some of the UK’s best 9 hole golf courses and find your nearest one.

Specialist golf insurance with Golf Care

Although you might associate shorter rounds with less risk, accidents can, of course, still occur if you’re only playing 9 holes instead of a full 18. So, regardless of the golf you play, you may want to consider protecting yourself with specialist golf insurance.

With Golf Care, policies include Equipment cover up to £7,500, Public Liability of up to £10m and more. What’s more—thanks to the ‘Ripe Guarantee’, you won’t find the same level of cover for a better price elsewhere either.

Click on the banner below to learn more about specialist golf insurance and get a quote today.

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2023 Sony Open odds, picks, field: Surprising PGA predictions from computer model that’s nailed 8 majors

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 14:30:11 +0000

The first full-field PGA event of the year will tee off on Thursday as the 2023 Sony Open takes place in Hawaii. It’s the second consecutive PGA tournament to take place in the Aloha State, with Waialae Country Club playing host. Hideki Matsuyama will look to defend his title, while Tom Kim is both the highest-ranked golfer in the Official World Ranking and FedEx Cup standings in the Sony Open 2023 field.

It should come as no surprise that Kim is the 11-1 favorite this week. The latest 2023 Sony Open odds have Sungjae Im at 14-1, with Matsuyama (15-1) and Jordan Spieth (15-1) next in line. Before locking in your 2023 Sony Open picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up over $9,500 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure’s model predicted Jon Rahm (+800) to finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions. The model also included J.T. Poston in its best bets to win the 2022 John Deere Classic. That bet hit at +5500, and for the entire tournament, McClure’s best bets returned almost $1,100. At the 2022 Masters, McClure’s model was all over Scottie Scheffler’s first career major championship victory heading into the weekend.

In addition, McClure’s best bets included Collin Morikawa winning outright at the 2021 Open Championship, even though he was listed as a massive 40-1 long shot. The model was also all over Jon Rahm’s (10-1) first career major championship victory at the 2021 U.S. Open. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the weekend, but the model still projected him as the winner.

This same model has also nailed a whopping eight majors entering the weekend. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the 2023 Sony Open field is locked, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.

Top 2023 Sony Open predictions

One major surprise the model is calling for at the 2023 Sony Open: Matsuyama, the defending champion and one of the favorites at 15-1, stumbles this week and barely cracks the top 10. Matsuyama faced a five-shot deficit with just nine holes to play last year but fired a 31 on the back nine to finish at 23-under for the week.

However, Matsuyama has been extremely inconsistent this season, finishing T-21 or worse in each of his last five starts on the PGA Tour. Plus, Matsuyama has struggled mightily with his accuracy this season, ranking 136th on tour in greens in regulation percentage (66.98%). He’s not a strong pick to win it all and there are far better values in the 2023 Sony Open field.

Another surprise: K.H. Lee, a 34-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. Lee, who turned pro in 2010 and joined the PGA Tour in 2018, is off to the best start of his career. He’s notched three top-10 finishes over his last four events, and every round across those four tournaments saw him shoot under par. Additionally, Lee’s three top-10 finishes have already tied a career-high.

Lee has also broken par in each of his last eight rounds at Waialae Country Club, so he’s clearly comfortable on the course. Lee is one of the best ball-strikers in the world, with top-25 marks in driving accuracy percentage (66.79%), greens in regulation percentage (77.22%) and strokes gained: tee-to-green (1.523). Also, his current streak of 160 holes without a 3-putt is the third-longest on tour, so his all-around game should make him highly coveted in 2023 Sony Open bets. See who else to pick here.

How to make 2023 Sony Open picks

The model is also targeting five other golfers with odds of 22-1 or longer who will make surprising runs. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model’s PGA picks here.

So who will win the Sony Open 2023? And which longshots stun the golfing world? Check out the 2023 Sony Open odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected 2023 Sony Open leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed eight golf majors, including last year’s Masters.

2023 Sony Open odds, field

See full Sony Open 2023 picks, best bets, and predictions here.

Tom Kim +1100
Sungjae Im +1400
Hideki Matsuyama +1500
Jordan Spieth +1500
Russell Henley +2100
Tom Hoge +2200
Corey Conners +2200
Brian Harman +2600
Adam Scott +3100
Taylor Montgomery +3100
Billy Horschel +3200
Cameron Davis +3300
Kyoung-Hoon Lee +3400
Keegan Bradley +3400
Keith Mitchell +3700
Si Woo Kim +3700
Maverick Mcnealy +3700
J.J. Spaun +4000
Alex Smalley +4500
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +4500
MacKenzie Hughes +5000
Emiliano Grillo +5000
Harris English +5000
J.T. Poston +5000
Denny McCarthy +5000
Matt Kuchar +5000
Webb Simpson +5000
Gary Woodland +5000
Kurt Kitayama +5500
Adam Svensson +5500
Will Gordon +5500
Andrew Putnam +5500
Chris Kirk +6000
Brendan Steele +6500
Hayden Buckley +6500
Brendon Todd +7500
Nick Hardy +8000
Aaron Rai +8500
Davis Thompson +9000
Chun-an Yu +9000
Russell Knox +9500
Greyson Sigg +9500
Patton Kizzire +9500
Ryan Palmer +10000
Robby Shelton +10000
Stephan Jaeger +10000
Justin Suh +11000
Ryan Armour +11000
Troy Merritt +11000
Brandon Wu +11000
Ben Griffin +11000
David Lipsky +12000
Chez Reavie +12000
David Lingmerth +13000
Kevin Streelman +13000
Sam Ryder +13000
Kazuki Higa +14000
Michael Thompson +14000
Lucas Glover +14000
James Hahn +14000
Mark Hubbard +14000
Stewart Cink +14000
Taiga Semikawa +14000
Seonghyeon Kim +14000
Joseph Bramlett +15000
Carl Yuan +15000
Nick Taylor +16000
Brian Stuard +16000
Harry Higgs +16000
Adam Long +16000
Keita Nakajima +16000
Tyson Alexander +16000
MJ Daffue +16000
John Huh +16000
Adam Schenk +17000
Scott Piercy +17000
Cole Hammer +17000
Zac Blair +19000
Ben Taylor +19000
Austin Eckroat +21000
Danny Lee +21000
Peter Malnati +21000
Byeong Hun An +21000
Yuto Katsuragawa +21000

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PowaKaddy rolls out updated winter accessories range

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 10:23:32 +0000

PowaKaddy’s winter wheels will help keep your out on the course over the wetter months

The newest addition to PowaKaddy’s winter accessories range are the electronically-heated ThermaMitts. Heated by microwire technology, the ThermaMitts warm up quickly and offer the ideal combination of comfort and warmth for those chilly winter rounds. The heating layer is evenly spread throughout the mitts to distribute warmth onto the hands, while the simple control button offers three different heating levels, allowing the user to choose a temperature that suits.

PowaKaddy’s Winter Mitts have been designed to keep your hands warm and snug in the coldest of winter conditions. The Winter Mitts have been ergonomically designed, allowing for easy left-and-right-handed use, and attach quickly and easily onto your trolley handle.

AOne of the perennial best sellers in Powakaddy’s winter accessories are its Winter Wheels. Easy to switch on to any of the brand’s trolleys. they boast a patented design that minimises their impact on the grass and offers golfers a way to keep playing throughout winter while keeping the greenkeepers and course managers happy.

Keeping your golf bag and clubs dry during rainy rounds can be a challenge during the winter, but Powakaddy also have an accessory to help with that – the Rain Cover. The waterproof bag cover has been crafted to keep your golf bag and equipment dry, and even features a handy external storage pocket.

For more details, and to find your nearest stockist, visit www.powakaddy.com.

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2023 Sony Open one and done picks, sleepers, expert golf predictions, PGA betting advice from top fantasy pro

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 06:39:10 +0000

After a thrilling elevated event at the Sentry Tournament of Champions last week, the PGA Tour heads to Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii for the 2023 Sony Open, which tees off on Thursday. The Sony Open field features 19 of the players from last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions field and seven of the top 25 players in the world. Sungjae Im is listed as the 10-1 favorite in the latest 2023 Sony Open odds from Caesars Sportsbook. He is followed by Tom Kim (11-1), and major winners Jordan Spieth (14-1), and Hideki Matsuyama (15-1). Other top contenders in the Sony Open field include Brian Harman (16-1), Russell Henley (18-1), Tom Hoge (22-1) Corey Conners (22-1), and Adam Scott (31-1). The total tournament purse is $7.9 million, with $1.422 million going to the winner, making it imperative that you nail your one and done picks this week at Kapalua.

As a three-time major champion, Spieth will likely be a very popular PGA one and done pick this week at Waialae. Is the 2021 Masters champion a must-play? Or would it make more sense to go with another high upside option like Tom Hoge (22-1), Si Woo Kim (37-1), or MacKenzie Hughes (50-1)? Before locking in your 2023 Sony Open one and done picks, you need to see what SportsLine DFS pro and PGA expert Mike McClure has to say.

The One and Done format is growing in popularity. It has several noticeable similarities to NFL Survivor pools, with the main difference being entries are not eliminated with a bad week. Players pick one golfer per week and earn points based on their selected golfer’s prize money for that tournament. Golfers can only be used once per season, and the point format makes nailing majors and big money tournaments critical.

McClure is a DFS legend with over $2 million in career winnings, and he’s been red-hot on his PGA picks dating back to the PGA Tour restart in June of 2020. McClure uses his proprietary simulation model to analyze the field and crush his golf picks. In fact, the model is up over $9,500 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure’s model included J.T. Poston in its best bets to win the 2022 John Deere Classic. That bet hit at +5500, and for the entire tournament, McClure’s best bets returned almost $1,100. At the 2022 Masters, McClure’s model was all over Scottie Scheffler’s first career major championship victory heading into the weekend. McClure was dialed in on his One and Done picks throughout the 2022 PGA Tour season, calling Hideki Matsuyama’s outright win at the Sony Open and hitting on several under the radar picks that finished in the top-5 or higher.

Last week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, McClure listed 75-1 long shot Luke List as his top One and Done pick. The result: List shot 20 under to finish in 11th place, taking home $292,500.

Now, McClure has dialed in on the 2023 Sony Open golf tournament, and just locked in his one and done picks and PGA predictions. You can only see McClure’s Sony Open one and done picks at SportsLine.

2023 Sony Open One and Done picks

One of McClure’s top one and done picks this week at the Sony Open is 31-year-old Corey Conners. The No. 34 player in the world comes in at 22-1 to win the tournament, but McClure believes he has been undervalued and should be considered one of the top contenders to win this week in Honolulu. Conners has long been one of the PGA Tour’s best players off the tee and he can be elite with his irons when he’s dialed in. If he plays well on and around the greens this week, Conners could add another win to his career resume. He captured his first and only PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open in 2019.

Conners notched back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Hero World Challenge and the QBE Shootout before the December break, and finished in 18th place against an elite field at the Sentry Tournament of Champions last week. If he can get his putter dialed in this week, McClure believe Conners has what it takes to win at Waialae. With the intriguing mix of talent in the Sony Open field, it’s very possible that Conners will fly under the radar in one and done pools this week offering huge value. You can see who else to back this week at SportsLine.

How to make 2023 Sony Open One and Done picks

McClure is also targeting another golfer for his 2023 Sony Open one and done picks that is listed at 34-1 in the latest PGA golf odds. This player has been red-hot dating back to 2022, but consistently flies under the radar and has the ability to win any tournament he enters. You can find out who it is, and check out all of McClure’s Sentry Tournament of Champions One and Done picks, at SportsLine.

Who wins the 2023 Sony Open? And which golfers should you target for your PGA one and done picks this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Mike McClure’s Sony Open 2023 one and done picks, all from the DFS pro with over $2 million in career winnings, and find out.

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Sony Open 2023 Fantasy golf picks, advice, rankings: Top golf expert says fade Hideki Matsuyama at Waialae CC

detlef32 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 04:31:10 +0000

Just four days after the PGA Tour’s stars wrapped up a thrilling event in Maui, a slightly less-impressive full field will tee off at the 2023 Sony Open on Thursday. The 144-player Sony Open 2023 field includes seven of the world’s top 25, including Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama and Tom Kim. They will face a much different test on the shorter Waialae Country Club course in Honolulu, but scoring low hasn’t been a problem there. It should be another picture-perfect week in the Hawaiian islands, so a score of 20 under or more is in the cards. Matsuyama won last year, tying Russell Henley at 23 under with a furious comeback before making eagle on the first playoff hole.

Kim (10-1) and Sungjae Im (12-1) are the favorites in Caesars Sportsbook’s latest 2023 Sony Open odds. They are followed by Matsuyama (15-1), Spieth (16-1) and Brian Harman (16-1). Henley (22-1) also is among the eight players shorter than 30-1 in the Sony Open 2023 field. Kim is priced at $10,500 in the DraftKings Fantasy rankings, and Im, Matsuyama and Spieth are all at least $10,000.

Spieth is one of the biggest names in the field, but is he worth his $10,000 price tag to anchor your 2023 Sony Open Fantasy golf picks? Would a player like Corey Conners ($9,600) or Keegan Bradley ($9,300) give you similar results and more flexibility to set your team up to win? Before you make any Fantasy golf rankings or place any bets on the 2023 Sony Open, you need to see the Fantasy golf projections and lineup advice from SportsLine fantasy expert Jim Holliman.

Holliman has been a writer and editor for nearly 25 years and has been playing and following the game closely for more than three decades. The Florida-based writer knows what it takes to win on the PGA Tour and how the players’ games fit the courses.

The golf expert nailed the Tour Championship, saying Rory McIlroy was the only player capable of making up a six-stroke deficit to get past Scottie Scheffler. “He has a lot of ground to make up,” Holliman said, “but he is the most well-rounded player in this field, so if anyone can do it, he can.” The Northern Irishman was actually down by 10 through two holes Sunday but stormed back to claim the title.

Holliman also had Patrick Cantlay (14-1) among his best bets at the BMW Championship, was behind Will Zalatoris (28-1) at the St. Jude and nailed the Wyndham Championship, with Kim (35-1) among his selections. “It’s a matter of when (not if) he gets his first on the PGA Tour,” Holliman said of Kim. It turned out to be at Sedgefield, where Kim won by five strokes.

The expert also has had a knack for finding the longshots. At the St. Jude, as many top stars went home early, 200-1 longshot Chez Reavie made the weekend. At the 3M Open, the expert tabbed Emiliano Grillo (50-1) as a contender before the Argentinian finished T-2. And before the PGA, he touted Cameron Young (65-1) before his T-3 finish. Anyone who has followed Holliman’s predictions is way up on their golf picks.

Now, Holliman has ranked his top golfers for the 2023 Sony Open, and you’ll really want to see what he has to say. You can only see his Fantasy golf rankings and Sony Open picks at SportsLine.

2023 Sony Open Fantasy golf expert picks

One thing Holliman is certain about this week is that Kim will put up a good result. “There’s good reason for the high price,” the expert says, “but he’ll be worth it.” Two victories in his first 15 PGA Tour events is just a continuation of a dominant career that includes 11 in various tours around the world. “The kid knows how to win,” Holliman says, and he is one of the most accurate ball-strikers on tour. Kim ranks sixth on tour in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation. Waialae rewards precision and ball placement, so it should be a perfect match.

On the flip side, Holliman doesn’t see much chance that Matsuyama repeats his feat, so he is fading the defending champ. The Japanese star had by far his best putting week of the season – and his third-best in driving accuracy – but still needed a huge comeback to win. It was his first top-10 finish in nine tries at Waialae. He generally doesn’t hit it straight consistently enough to regularly contend on a course like this. The 2021 Masters champ is 142nd in strokes gained off the tee and 110th on approach this season, and his putting has never been a strength. You can see who else to back this week at SportsLine.

How to set your 2023 Sony Open Fantasy golf rankings

For the 2023 Sony Open, Holliman is touting a sleeper for fantasy rosters who is priced at less than $7,500 at DraftKings and has odds higher than 70-1 to win at Caesars. This golfer hasn’t missed a cut all season and is due for a breakthrough victory that could come this week. You can find out who it is and see the rest of Holliman’s Sony Open fantasy golf picks at SportsLine.

Who wins the 2023 Sony Open, and who are the top players to target for your Fantasy picks? Which overlooked players can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Jim Holliman’s Fantasy golf rankings for the 2023 Sony Open, all from the fantasy expert who has been on fire with his picks, and find out.

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