Vik Hovland and Scottie Scheffler are headed to a Monday morning playoff at the Travelers. We break down a busy week in golf: Haeran Ryu wins the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Eugenio Chacarra goes back-to-back and wins the DS Automobiles Open, and Blockie makes his Champions Tour debut. Plus, we get a new Fedora 5, discuss Phil Mickelson news, cover down on notes, and a bunch more.
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Attended the KPMG all four days this weekend and you got most of the vibe. Some notes if helpful for future discussion on Women’s events and the Ryder Cup in 2029:
- The threesomes and split tees and leaders teeing off in the morning was a travesty. Pace of play felt glacial with the threesomes on the weekend. Also created chaos at 9 and 18 as the crowd might cheer at 18 green while someone was putting on 9.
- No indication of a walking entrance. When it’s not free parking might want to have an option for those who live close and can walk.
- The crowd seemed good and the energy for the final groups felt mostly energetic despite Nelly being two groups ahead.
- I know TC commented on the corporate grandstands at 18. 16 was far worse. The closest an average fan could get on the only hole with any teeth was 80 - 100 yards out.
- Half of the merch tent was Ryder Cup 2029 merch or general Hazeltine merch. Would love a single T shirt for my daughter under $50.
- Only three non corporate grandstands, all on the front 9 in the sunniest parts of the course
- It doesn’t excuse the prices for food/drink and the $60 for single day tickets, but a package of four tickets that could be used same day or on different days came out to $42 per ticket so in theory a family of four could get in for $170. Of course then they were gouged to eat anything.
- Tons of water stations and restrooms
- Re-entry was free and easy
- The rain was unfortunate early in the week as holding greens seemed pretty easy all week. The wind was great forcing players to hit woods into par 4s to break up the driver/wedge combo.
- Mostly agree with the Hazeltine course criticism. 16 is the only truly memorable hole. It was immaculately maintained, but the Chaska Town Course (municipal) nearby has far more character and given the same maintenance would be a superior golf course.
- Overall, as you all mentioned KPMG clearly cares and the golf was great to watch, but it could be so much more and truly a family event with a little more effort from organizers around things outside the golf itself. The golf is obviously the main event, but a full day out there was a slog and I can’t imagine being a ten year old out there all day.
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