To all of our Jacksonville readers, we’re very excited that you’re getting a different football coach. You can’t have a newcomer come in… and steal the show.

Bank shots

The PNC Championship would normally be restricted to the “quick hooks” section of this newsletter. Last year, though, it became big news. This year, the same. The presence of Tiger Woods tends to have that effect.

Held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, this year’s PNC features Nelly Korda, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, and a host of hall of famers playing alongside family members. But of course all eyes will be on Tiger and his son Charlie.

Less than 300 days after his terrifying car crash in Los Angeles, Tiger will participate in the pro-am today and compete on Saturday and Sunday. Whether you’re a fan of his or not, his return to something resembling competitive action is a big deal. You can catch the coverage on Golf Channel and NBC this weekend.

Scripted golf?

Did you catch the PXG College Golf Showcase on Wednesday? No? Well, you’re not alone. But it was actually worth watching!

The made-for-TV event paired captains Jerome Bettis (the ex-football player) and Rob Riggle (the… uh, comedian?) with collegiate golfers Logan McAllister, RJ Manke, Brooke Matthews, Gina Kim, Noah Goodwin, and Eugenio Chacarra. The purpose was to raise money for wounded veterans and PTSD research.

Because the PXG College Golf Showcase was a fundraiser first, the bulk of the telecast was devoted to non-golf segments. The two-hour program featured less than 10 minutes of golf, which admittedly was a whiff. But at least each player got some attention, portions of all 18 holes were shown, and the golf segments kept things moving. The format was fun, too. It was a mixture of scramble and three-player alternate show, and the captains were given wild cards, such as the ability to force the opposing captain to play a certain shot himself.

So the event, while far from perfect, raised some new possibilities for how alternative golf programming could be done in the future. Since it was pre-taped, there was no dead air, an issue that plagues The Match series. Also, the telecast’s commitment to introducing a set of elite amateurs was a big plus. Even the involvement of team captains was pretty fun! That said, whether we need more Rob Riggle in our lives is debatable.

The Latest from The Fried Egg

The Shotgun Start – Part 8 of the Year in Review will be released mid-morning on Friday. Everyone knows that Part 8 takes the most research. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Boards

Ladies European Tour Q-School is underway in Spain. Yvie Chaucheprat leads after 18 holes with notables Meghan MacLaren (second) and Linn Grant (T-3) close behind.

Quick Hooks

Nosferatu (@VC606 on Twitter) made a graphic showing what the Official World Golf Ranking would look like if it used a one-year rolling period instead of a two-year one.

No Laying Up finished the seventh season of its travel series Tourist Sauce with an episode featuring a showdown between Neil and Randy at Greywalls.

Pro Shop

Whether you’re avoiding your in-laws or taking a break from the kids this holiday season, Fried Egg and Shotgun Start Tervis tumblers give you a great excuse to go pour a drink!