by If any of you are planning to hang-glide at Torrey Pines this week, please don’t invite us. We’re afraid of smashing into the cliffs.
More like Slowcountry
A late addition to the PGA Tour schedule after the RBC Canadian Open was canceled, the Palmetto Championship finished up at Congaree Golf Club this weekend. The event seemed headed for an exciting finish before everyone and his brother decided to start making bogeys. Well, everyone but Garrick Higgo. The 22-year-old South African made an eagle and a birdie en route to a back-nine 33 and a one-shot victory. Results
Over the past two months, Garrick Higgo has established himself as a rising star. Since April 18th, he has had three wins (two on the European Tour, one on the PGA Tour) and five top 10s in six starts. He’s now No. 59 in the Official World Golf Ranking and in majors through the 2022 Masters. Higgo has played only two events in the U.S. in his pro career, so you may not have heard of him until now, but get ready to see a lot more of the young lefty.
While Higgo played well, he also got plenty of help on Sunday at Congaree. Chesson Hadley (+3), Bo Van Pelt (+2), Dustin Johnson (+2), Harris English (+4), and Hudson Swafford (+1) all played their final six holes over par. (Higgo was two under over that stretch.) The South African was waiting on the range when Hadley bogeyed the 72nd hole to drop into a six-way tie for second. Let’s hope we get a more of a battle at Torrey Pines, eh?
U.S. Open Victory Club
Folks, it’s U.S. Open week. The world’s best are in San Diego, preparing to take on the South Course at Torrey Pines. And how are we preparing? With the U.S. Open Victory Club!
The Victory Club offers fans access to virtual experiences, limited-edition merchandise, and exclusive content about the U.S. Open. It’s the only place where you can go behind the scenes and get complete coverage of this year’s national open. Learn about the qualifiers, the contenders, the venue, the setup, and more by joining the U.S. Open Victory Club for free!
You’re hired
For the first time since 2016, a Korn Ferry Tour player has earned a battlefield promotion to the PGA Tour. Three strokes back at the start of the final round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am, Mito Pereira fired a 64 to leapfrog 54-hole leader Justin Lower. It was Pereira’s second consecutive victory and his third of the 2020-21 KFT season. Results
While the current KFT season is technically two seasons in one, winning three times and getting the 12th-ever battlefield promotion is still very impressive. A native Chilean and a Texas Tech product, Pereira now has PGA Tour status through the end of the 2021-22 season. He will be a welcome addition to the big show, especially compared to the slop of alternates that filled this week’s Palmetto Championship field.
Quick Hooks
Matilda Castren outlasted Min Lee at the LPGA Mediheal Championship at Lake Merced Golf Club to become the first Finnish player ever to win on the LPGA Tour. Results
The inaugural Scandinavian Mixed, which featured 78 men and 78 women competing on the same course for the same prize money, concluded on Sunday with Jonathan Caldwell holding the trophy. It was the 37-year-old Northern Irishman’s first European Tour victory. Alice Hewson was the top female finisher in solo third. Results
After a positive Covid-19 test and a forced withdrawal from the Memorial Tournament, world No. 2 Jon Rahm has been cleared for action and will play in the U.S. Open.
Team USA won the Arnold Palmer Cup at Rich Harvest Farms this past weekend. Scoring
Most players got to San Diego early to prepare for the U.S. Open. Lee Westwood took the scenic route, stopping in Las Vegas to marry his caddie and longtime girlfriend Helen Storey. The island is jubilant!
The Latest from The Fried Egg
Our Fried Egg events schedule is picking up as summer begins. A few spots remain at our events at Rolling Green (6/28), Blue Mound (7/19), and Davenport (7/26). Register today!
Superintendent Series: Rich McIntosh on Torrey Pines, the U.S. Open, and Funny Farmers Insurance Open Incidents
Torrey Pines South superintendent Rich McIntosh joined the podcast to talk about what we should expect this week at the U.S. Open. Rich and Andy discuss the differences between preparing for the Farmers vs. setting up a U.S. Open, what it’s like to manage a course that gets 70,000+ rounds a year, and more. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.
Shotgun Start: Lee Trevino Spotlight and Palmetto Championship Recap
It’s double trouble in SGS Land today. Andy and Brendan released part one of their U.S. Open spotlight on Sunday and will have their normal show out on Monday. Brought to you by the U.S. Open Victory Club, the spotlight episode highlights Lee Trevino’s career: his incredible path to the Tour, his unique swing, and his career-establishing performances in U.S. Open qualifiers. The Monday episode hits on Garrick Higgo’s breakthrough, Mito Pereira’s promotion, and more. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.
