Good morning. This is the last newsletter for the month of April. Isn’t that something?

News and updates

  • Believe it or not, there is golf with a live scoreboard this week! FedEx Cup No. 19 Scottie Scheffler leads the Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational after Tuesday’s first round. Fellow young stud Viktor Hovland struggled to an opening 75. Leaderboard
  • Adam Scott is a good egg.

Newsletter Notes

1988 All-PGA Tour Team

For today’s All-PGA Tour Team, we rewind to 1988, a year of career-defining seasons for many players on our list.

Joey Sindelar (two wins, 10 top10s) – Sindelar’s two wins in 1988 were supposed to be just the beginning of his prime, not the peak of his career. The son of a mailman from rural Horseheads, New York, Sindelar worked his ass off to get to the PGA Tour. “You don’t start a golf career in Horseheads unless you’re on a mission,” he said in 1988. The bulk of his success came between February and April, when he reeled off seven top 10s in nine starts. He won seven times in his career—but just twice after 1988.

Ken Green (two wins, 10 top 10s) – According to his coach Peter Kostis, there was a clear reason that Green succeeded in 1988. “To make it on the Tour,” Kostis said, “you need three things. You have to have talent and confidence in that talent; you have to have one and only one teacher; and you have to have a personal rock. Kenny survived for a while on the first two. He broke through in ’88 because he had the third. Ellen, his new wife, is his rock.” In addition to his two wins, Green finished runner-up in two playoffs. It was by far his best season as a pro.

Chip Beck (two wins, 11 top 10s, Vardon Trophy) – It took Chip Beck 10 years to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. It took him just six weeks to win his second event. His maiden victory came at the 1988 L.A. Open, and he returned to the winner’s circle a month later at the USF&G Classic in Louisiana. Like Sindelar and Green, Beck would eventually look back on ’88 as the apex of his career. He got in contention in the 1993 Masters, but a timid layup on the 15th hole fed into his reputation as a talented player who shied away from greatness. To quote Rick Reilly, “If Arnold Palmer had thought like Chip Beck on the golf course, we would all be bowling today.” Oof.

Sandy Lyle (three wins, five top 10s) – Standing on the 10th tee at Augusta National with a three-shot lead, Lyle had a chance to turn a great 1988 season into a life-changing one. The Scot already had two early-season wins under his belt, and another nine solid holes could get him a green jacket. Then came Amen Corner. He played 11-13 in three over par. Somehow, though, Lyle gathered himself and birdied 16, tying the lead. On the 72nd hole, he made a miraculous birdie from the fairway bunker. The victory cemented the greatest—and last great—season of Lyle’s career.

Curtis Strange, MVP (four wins, six top 10s) – Strange had only six top 10s in 1988, but he made the most of them. Of his four wins, the biggest was his playoff victory over Nick Faldo at the U.S. Open. Strange hit just eight greens in the playoff, but he putted well enough to win his first major championship. “This is the greatest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had.”

The Latest from The Fried Egg

Shotgun Start: Shane Bacon joins for an SGS Spotlight on Davis Love III—Part I

This Wednesday episode begins with some brief discussion on MJ vs. LeBron to stir the pot in Chicago, as well as some brief comments on the Ryder Cup unlikely transitioning to an “all captain’s picks” format for this year. Then we turn to an SGS Spotlight on Davis Love III and we have the absolute privilege to be joined by Shane Bacon, broadcaster for Fox Sports and of multiple podcasts, including Get A Grip with Max Homa. We cover DL3’s rise to becoming a Tour Pro, his early struggles to even compete at the majors, then his struggles to close at the majors. A focus of this Part I is also on how Dru got his name. DL3’s prodigious length off the tee as he burst on to the Tour drew comparisons to Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, and John Elway, which we review. We also spotlight his propensity to openly discuss his nerves and anxieties after big rounds. The personal tragedies in his life are discussed in the context of how it shaped his career. The hype and faded hope of a grand Love v. Couples era is also highlighted, as well as DL3’s first big win at the 1992 Players. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Pro Shop

We’ve added a few photos of Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, and the Sheep Ranch to our pro shop. All profits from the sales of these prints will go toward the Bandon Dunes Caddie Relief Fund. Shop here!