Is your Christmas tree already up? If so, did you lose that battle or win it? Always good to take stock this time of year.

Go time

There will be golf on TV over the next month and a half, but for all intents and purposes, this is the final week of pro golf in 2021. The PGA Tour and European Tour are finishing up for the year, but the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship is the most compelling event on the schedule this weekend. Sixty women on equal footing, all playing for a $1.5-million prize that could legitimately change their lives. Jeongeun Lee6 leads through 18 holes, with Sei Young Kim (T-2), Jennifer Kupcho (T-2), Yuka Saso (T-6), and Nelly Korda (T-6) chasing.

Want to guess how many LPGA Tour players have made $1.5 million in on-course earnings this season? Three: Nelly Korda, Jin Young Ko, and Yuka Saso. So the winner’s prize at the CME Group Tour Championship really means something. On the PGA Tour, even the $15-million FedEx Cup payout doesn’t strike fans as momentous because the top players already make more than they can spend. But as Brentley Romine outlines in this article for Golf Channel, $1.5 million is an exciting figure for many LPGA Tour players. So the CME Group Tour Championship may be the rare case in which big money authentically raises the stakes in a pro golf tournament.

Boards

Rory McIlroy (yes, seriously) leads the DP World Tour Championship after one round and will look to redeem his very meh performance in the 2020-21 PGA Tour season with his second win of the fall.

If you didn’t shoot 66 or better at the RSM Classic on Thursday, you might as well go home.

Quick Hooks

The 2029 U.S. Amateur is heading to Inverness Club. Recently the host of the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2021 Solheim Cup, Inverness will present a stern test for the world’s best amateurs.

Jordan Spieth and his wife Annie announced the birth of their son Sammy this week.

Rory Sabbatini was disqualified from the RSM Classic after he accidentally left a launch monitor tracking sticker on his driver.

The Latest from The Fried Egg

Andy Johnson captured some new photos of Bandon Trails this week. We have plenty more Bandon content on the way, but these photos could end up being the highlight.

The Shotgun Start may or may not come out tomorrow. We’re not sure! In the meantime, past episodes are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Pro Shop

The Fried Egg team is currently out at Bandon Dunes, and early mornings have been comfy thanks to our Fried Egg beanies. Grab one for yourself as winter approaches!