If you’re reading this, that means that you haven’t melted during this nationwide heat wave. That’s huge, congrats!

Coffee golf commences

It’s finally time to add some golf to our morning coffee! Well, at least for those of us in North America. This week’s Irish Open, hosted at Mount Juliet Golf Course (decidedly not a links course), kicks off this year’s coffee golf schedule. Mount Juliet is a 1991 Jack Nicklaus design and a previous host of premier golf events. Back when the WGCs actually tried to be WORLD Golf Championships, Mount Juliet hosted the 2002 and 2004 editions of the WGC-American Express Championship, won by Tiger Woods and that generation’s true icon, Ernie Els. Tee Times

While the course will disappoint fans of links golf, the Irish Open field is really strong. It got a boost this year with the commitment of Rory McIlroy, who hasn’t played his national open since 2018. Other notables include Shane Lowry, the longest-reigning Open champion since Dick Burton (1939-1945); Tommy Fleetwood; and former University of Illinois national champion Thomas Pieters. Next week’s Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club will feature more American players.

If you want to get “locked in” to the tournament, enter the FREE Shotgun Start/TFE Pool for the Irish Open and get a shot at some free stuff.

A worthy cause

For those keeping track, the PGA Tour was on the West Coast two weeks ago and on the East Coast last week. Now it’s in the Midwest for the third Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club. Bryson DeChambeau—defending champion, guy who said “sorry, Mr. Ross” for smashing it past DGC’s fairway bunkers, and brand-conscious cameraman scold—returns as the favorite. Despite a lackluster week with his wedges at last year’s Rocket Mortgage, the big boy did enough damage off the tee and on the greens to win. Tee Times

We poke fun at the bright red backboards surrounding the holes and the impossible “313 Challenge” (which requires players to go eagle, hole-in-one, birdie on a three-hole stretch in order to trigger a donation), but this tournament does serve an important purpose in the Detroit community. The Rocket Mortgage Classic benefits Connect 313, an initiative to bring internet access to all of Detroit. Nearly 40% of Detroit households qualify for the program.

It’s important to remember occasionally that many PGA Tour events do great work in their local communities. In the meantime, if you’d like to bet that someone is going to win this year’s 313 Challenge, let us know. We’re always looking for new revenue streams.

Quick Hooks

Because the ladies didn’t get enough heat in Atlanta, the LPGA Tour heads to Texas this week for the Volunteers of America Classic. Tee Times

Marty Dou will certainly win the TPC Colorado Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. Certainly. Tee Times

The women’s golf field for the Tokyo Olympics is finalized. So far, Charley Hull and Georgia Hall are among the big names to withdraw. Full Field

The PGA Tour is set to end on-site Covid-19 testing at the 3M Open next month, as more than 80% of PGA Tour players are now fully vaccinated. Full Story from Tod Leonard

The Latest from The Fried Egg

Paulie’s Picks: Rocket Mortgage Classic – This week at Detroit Golf Club will be all about wedge play and putting. Check out who Paulie thinks will excel in those categories.

Shotgun Start: We forgot to hit record

It was late to begin with and then Brendan and Andy discovered at minute 43 that they had neglected to hit the record button on the first attempt at this episode. So this is a second run, and if we’re being honest, it’s not their best effort. They run through the schedule for the week, tell an amusing Bryson story from last year’s win that you may not have heard, and ponder what the Thicc Boi’s weight is down to these days. Mito Pereira having to hope for a spot off the alternate list after getting the battlefield promotion is, as you might expect, noted. Event of the week is a duel between an elite amateur event and an event where the leader got stuck in an elevator that goes up to one of the tee boxes. Last but not least, enter the first ever Coffee Pot, a pool covering the next three weeks of peak Coffee Golf season—the Irish, Scottish, and British Opens. It’s the usual pool with some amusing categories to make picks from with both weekly and cumulative winners. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

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