🏌🏻 Controversial Start To The Players

Good Morning. The result for Wednesday’s poll is in!

We asked: Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title at The Players?

The Response: 50% of us voted for a surprise winner, 37.5% are cheering for Scheffler while 12.5% feel that it’s McIlroy will prevail.

All of the three results are possible as things stand after Round 1!

FUN FACT: Ryan Fox just became the first player to score Eagles on two consecutive holes (16 & 17) at The Players.

TRIVIA: Who is the only player to score Eagles on holes 12 and 16 in the same round at TPC Sawgrass since 2003? Answer at the end of the mail.

⛳ This day in history: On this date in 1953, Patty Berg won the Titleholders for the fifth time, by nine shots over Betsy Rawls with a score of 294. And in 1959, Louise Suggs won for the fourth time, with 297, with Rawls second again, this time one behind.

ALBATROSS
Records and Controversies Headline Round 1 At TPC Sawgrass

There was no shortage of drama and controversies at The Players Championship before the opening round was suspended due to darkness.

⛳️ 3-Way Tie At The Top: 2019 winner Rory McIlroy shares the lead with Xander Schauffele and Wyndham Clark after Round 1, one shot ahead of Nick Taylor and Matt Fitzpatrick (T-4).

McIlroy's 10 birdies tied the tournament record for most in a single round at TPC Sawgrass.

🚨 Record Alert: Ryan Fox carded an eagle on hole 16 before shooting a sensational hole-in-one on the infamous No 17 at TPC Sawgrass.

He is the first player to shoot consecutive eagles on these two holes and the 15th overall to ace the treacherous par 3.

🚫 Tom Kim Withdraws: World No 18 Tom Kim withdrew from The Players Championship eight holes into his opening round with an unspecified illness following a triple-bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

🚩 McIlroy's Double Controversy: Rory McIlroy was involved in a couple of rules controversies - the first was at the 18th hole after his drive went into the lake, the second at the 7th hole after his tee shot also found water, both issues stemming from the question of where his ball last crossed land.

The second incident produced a lengthy dispute between McIlroy, Spieth and Hovland.

🤯 Hadwin Loses Composure: After a tough start, Canada's Adam Hadwin took his club and swung it like a baseball bat, releasing midway through the swing and launching it into the lake at TPC Sawgrass - definitely the most hilarious moment from the day.

Watch Round 1 Highlights

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
PGA-PIF Merger's Future Uncertain

The PGA Tour and PIF merger talks seem to have come to a standstill - here are the burning questions (and attempted answers) surrounding the deal’s potential future.

❓ Wasn’t the deal supposed to be done by now? Not necessarily. We're expecting a conclusion before the Masters in April.

❓ What is the hold up? Much of the delay can be chalked up to the notion that the tour itself is divided on what it wants especially after its recent $3 billion deal with SSG.

❓Could the merger fall apart? Very much so. Though the no-poaching clause in the framework agreement was sidelined due to antitrust regulations, there was an unspoken understanding that recruiting was off-limits.

❓How does SSG factor into this? The tour announced that the deal with SSG will allow for co-investment from PIF in the future, and SSG made the deal with the tour under the belief that PIF involvement will ultimately come to fruition.

❓ Will Monahan survive all this change? Tour pros hit out at Monahan publicly this week but his position has actually improved, as he was named the head of the new PGA Tour Enterprises and was given voting rights with the policy board.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

PGA Tour: Charlotte-based bank Truist Financial Corp is one of multiple banking and insurance sector suitors seeking to take over the title rights to the PGA Tour tournament currently known as the Wells Fargo Championship.

Olympics: NBC Universal's cross-country Olympic rings tour kicked off with a stop at The Players.

The Players: Ping pros are wearing 'Putting Lab Design' (PLD) caps and using special bags at TPC Sawgrass this week - here's why.

International Series Macau: LIV Golf’s David Puig shares the lead after the second round of the International Series Macau tournament on the Asian Tour.

TW Removed: Tommy Fleetwood was spotted at TPC Sawgrass wearing his Tiger 13 shoes without the familiar TW logo following Tiger Woods' split with Nike earlier this year.

BIRDIE
These Moments Re-Defined The PGA Tour

Here are 18 moments that still aren't quite appreciated for their role in the evolution of the biggest institution in professional golf.

📺 1962: First Color TV Broadcast Of Golf - It all started in 1962, when NBC, which had been televising US Opens and other events in black and white, brought living color to the game with the Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas.

🏌️1981: Ron Streck Wins With Metal Woods - Ron Streck became the first player to win using TaylorMade's metal woods and established a precedent for the style of clubs that would take over the game.

🚀 1986: Official World Golf Ranking Launched - The OWGR would come to play a massive role in tour history, right up to the present moment as a hot button issue in the ongoing war between the tour and LIV Golf.

📌 1990: Ben Hogan Tour Is Founded - Now known as the Korn Ferry Tour, its use as a developmental tour for the PGA Tour both extended its reach and created a reliable system for producing future stars.

⏳ 2007: FedExCup Playoffs Begin - Starting in '07, professional golf had a playoff system for the first time, a year-end championship that fans could follow over a series of events.

Read the full article.

DRIVING RANGE
How To Get Perfect Hip Rotation

In this video, we show you a simple drill that can help you better understand how to rotate your hips during your backswing.

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