🏌🏻PGA's $10 Billion Boost

Good morning! Round 1 of the the men’s event at the Olympics is in progress - you can watch all the action live on Golf Channel and Peacock.

For all tournament updates and the latest news, check out our Youtube channel.

Today’s Trivia: Who won the first ever Gold in Golf at the Olympics?  Answer at the end of the email.

⛳ This day in history: On this date in 2004, Peter Jacobson won the US Senior Open at Bellerive Golf Club, west of St. Louis, by one shot over Hale Irwin, a Missouri native.

19th Hole
Clubhouse Conversations

ALBATROSS
Major vs Olympic Gold: What's More Important For Players?

Most of the world's best golfers spent the past four months playing in the four most famous tournaments in the world - the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open.

In August, many of them will compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs on the PGA Tour, which awards a $25 million bonus to the winner.

So where does an Olympic gold medal rank against a coveted green jacket or a Claret Jug? It differs from player to player.

📌Rory McIlroy: McIlroy believes a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games could well be the biggest achievement in his career since 2014.

He made it clear though that an Olympic gold ranks right up there alongside the Majors.

📌Xander Schauffele: Xander's father, Stefan, was on the German decathlon team and an Olympic hopeful before a drunk driver struck his car, causing him a multitude of injuries and to lose sight in his left eye.

And while Stefan never got his chance to don a medal, Xander did, winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

He puts his Gold medal win on top of the pile as being able to share the medal with Stefan was one of the more intimate moments of his life in Tokyo. Being held with strict COVID-19 protocols, there were no fans and hardly any family members present, but Stefan was there to watch his son’s biggest victory to date.

📌Scottie Scheffler: Scheffler, who has won six times on the PGA Tour this season, including a second victory at the Masters in April, is once again the favorite to win in Paris. Although Scheffler says he tries to put equal emphasis on every tournament he plays, he knows winning a gold medal for the US would be different.

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TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
PGA Tour Lands Sponsor Worth $10 Billion

The PGA Tour event, formerly known as the Fortinet Championship, now has a new title sponsor. Fortinet will be replaced by technology giant Procore, which has a net worth of $9.87 billion.

Cybersecurity company Fortinet withdrew its name from the event two weeks ago due to financial problems. Procore's investment in the event would be between $11 million and $13 million annually.

Fortinet has been the title sponsor of the PGA Tour event in Napa Valley since 2021. During that time, the event's purse increased from $7 million to $8.4 million.

The event, now officially called the Procore Championship, debuted in 2007. Players who have won the event title include major champions Mike Weir, Jimmy Walker and Stewart Cink; Max Homa has also won the title.

⛳️ LPGA's New Sponsor: ISPS HANDA, one of the most prolific supporters of golf in the world, has announced its sponsorship of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, August 15-18, 2024.

The tournament consistently boasts one of the strongest fields outside of the majors, with this year's lineup including 17 major winners who hold a combined 24 major titles.

Additionally, this year's field features 35 players set to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics next week, including New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who has won both silver and bronze medals in the last two Olympics; British stars Georgia Hall and Charley Hull; and World No 2 Lilia Vu and No 9 Rose Zhang representing the United States in their first Olympics; and Sweden’s Maja stark and Linn Grant also making their Olympic debut for Sweden.

This year’s event will be held at Dundonald Links for the third consecutive year, following its return in 2022 after a £25 million makeover.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

Presidents Cup: Keegan Bradley has been named the fourth assistant captain for the US team at the upcoming Presidents Cup. Bradley’s new role places him alongside seasoned leaders like Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard, and Kevin Kisner, all working under the guidance of Captain Jim Furyk.

Olympics: Caddie-turned-TV analyst John Wood returns to the Olympics in Paris. Eight years ago, Wood was on the bag for US golfer Matt Kuchar as he captured the bronze medal in golf’s return the Games in 2016.

LIV Golf: The latest event of the Asian Tour’s International Series takes place at Foxhills in Surrey, England, with the action getting underway on 8 August - 18 LIV Golfers are set to participate.

LPGA Tour: The $1.75 million Portland Classic tees off today - click here to check out the groups and tee times.

BIRDIE
Pro Worth $50 Million Battles Debt Controversy

PGA Tour star Tony Finau, whose net worth is estimated at around $50 million, recently found himself at the center of a heated confrontation with an angry mob. As Finau arrived to host his annual charity tournament in Utah, he was greeted by a group of protesters demanding he pay off alleged debts.

The protesters were reportedly a group of business associates claiming Finau had outstanding debts related to failed business ventures. Additionally, there are claims of personal loans provided by close friends and associates that have yet to be repaid.

In response to the allegations, Finau has maintained a dignified silence, focusing instead on the positive impact of his foundation’s work. The Tony Finau Foundation aims to inspire and empower youth through access to golf, education, and community support.

💰What Is Finau's Net Worth? Tony Finau is ranked 29th in the Official Career Earnings list with a whopping $42,411,360 that he was able to rake in after turning professional in 2007.

Finau also boasts long-standing sponsorship deals with the likes of Aptive Environmental, Nike, Ping, and Qualtrics. All of it contributes to his overall estimated net worth of $50 million.

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DRIVING RANGE
Stop Slicing Your Driver

In today's video, we discuss how to eliminate the annoying right spin and slice from your driver.

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