🏌🏻 Pros Exploit Loophole

Good morning. The field for this week’s US Open has been finalized - 156 players will tee off at Pinehurst No 2 on Thursday!

Former major champions Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia will both continue their lengthy streaks of US Open appearances after being confirmed as late additions.

Check out the complete preview.

Today’s Trivia: What's the largest margin of victory in the history of the US Open?  Answer at the end of the email.

⛳ This day in history: On June 11, 1938, Ralph Guldahl became the fourth person to win back-to-back US Opens, following Willie Anderson, John McDermott and Bobby Jones to that point.

NEXT ON THE TEE
Tournaments This Week

Major: The US Open 

📍 When and Where: June 13-16, Pinehurst No 2 Course
💰 Purse: $20 million
🏌🏻 Headliners: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Xander Schauffele

LPGA Tour: Meijer LPGA Classic

📍When and Where: June 13-16, Blythefield Country Club
💰 Purse: $3 million
🏌🏻 Headliners: Nelly Korda, Celine Boutier, Leona Maguire

ALBATROSS
Tiger Makes Big Changes Ahead Of US Open

Tiger Woods has made three significant changes to his equipment setup, including two new TaylorMade MG4 “Proto” wedges, and a TaylorMade P770 2021 2-iron. Tiger has won three US Open titles (2000, 2002, 2008) and arrived at Pinehurst on Sunday in a bid to win his fourth.

📌 In recent years, Woods has almost always used a 5-wood but this week, he has replaced it with a 2-iron.

📌 Pinehurst No 2 creates a unique short game challenge for the players and Woods appears to be preparing for that challenge by equipping himself with two new TaylorMade MG4 “Proto” wedges, which have different grinds on their soles than he typically uses.

🤝 Tiger Prepares With Son Charlie: Charlie Woods failed to qualify for the US Open, but he's at Pinehurst in his now regular role helping dad Tiger prepare for another Major. Charlie was spotted helping Tiger with his swing on the range, watching him chip and putt and also around the course during practice rounds.

The youngster was also seen joking around and in some in-depth golfing chats with the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler along the way. Charlie earlier failed in his bid to reach the 2024 US Open back in April after he shot a nine-over-par 81 at local qualifying.

As for Tiger, he missed the cut at the PGA Championship at Valhalla but is back again to take on his third Major of the year after getting a special exemption into the US Open.

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
Pros Are Using This Loophole To Read Greens

Many pros use a green-reading system called AimPoint, which involves feeling the slope with your feet to determine the putt's break.

Pros often practice this by using a level on the practice putting green, comparing flat spots to various slopes to develop their feel. Though they can't use the level on the course, it helps them dial-in their senses during practice.

Recently, some pros have modified this method. Instead of just feeling the slope, they measure it. Joel Dahmen and Tom Hoge, guided by instructor Ralph Bauer and his Tour Read app, are early adopters of this approach which is a loophole of sorts but legal.

⛳️ How To Do It?

📍Use a leveling device to find level ground
📍Place a ruler on the ground
📍Take your stance
📍Dangle your putter between your legs
📍Note where the leading edge of your putter falls on the ruler
📍Repeat the same process on one, two, three percent slopes

⛳️ How Does It Help? On the golf course, you dangle your putter, pick a spot on the ground, and see how much your putterhead moves. You need to maintain the same stance width and hold your putter in the same spot each time while eyeballing the putterhead's movement.

This method still requires judgment, but it's easier to gauge an inch or two rather than feeling a half-percent slope. It also clarifies the direction: if unsure about the break, dangle your putter. The direction it moves indicates the slope.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news 

Olympics: NBC Sports finalizes its golf broadcast teams for the Paris Games - check it out here.

Investment: Golf operations software provider Whoosh raised $10.3M in Series A funding. The company intends to use the funds to continue its expansion into public/daily-fee clubs, alternative golf facilities and more.

Hall of Fame: Padraig Harrington, Sandra Palmer lead Class of '24 inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame.

 LPGA Tour: The 10th edition of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give gets underway Thursday at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont - here are five things you need to know.

BIRDIE
Nike and TaylorMade Drop US Open-Themed Merchandise

Nike has released a limited-edition Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 NRG, Air Pegasus ’89 G NRG and Air Zoom Infinity Tour NRG to celebrate the third men’s major of 2024 and pay homage to Pinehurst No 2 and North Carolina.

TaylorMade has released a limited-edition series of golf balls, headcovers and bags that have a US Open theme on the eve of competition.

👟 Nike Merchandise 

🎯 The Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 NRG has a breathable textile on the upper to help golfers’ feet stay cool and comfortable, a Tour Flex Pro Softspikes under the forefoot and Silver Tornado spikes in the lateral and heel to increase stability and traction.

🎯 The sky blue, waterproof Air Pegasus ’89 G has a hidden air unit in the heel for extra cushioning, a soft terry cloth tongue and collar lining and a grippy rubber outside.

🎯 The Air Zoom Infinity Tour NRG offers a breathable textile in the upper to your feet stay cool while also providing plenty of lateral support.

Click here to check them out.

🎽 TaylorMade Merchandise

🎯 The newly launched Staff Bag ($599.99) has several symbols on it, including the number 1895 on the handle, which is an homage to the year Pinehurst opened.

🎯 The collection also includes a short-course carry bag ($249.99), as well as head covers for drivers ($79.99), fairway woods ($69.99), rescue clubs ($69.99) and putters (79.99)

🎯 Commemorative TP5 and TP5x balls adorned with Adirondack chairs are also available for $59.99.

Click here to check them out.

DRIVING RANGE
Best Short Game Tips

In today's video, Tommy Fleetwood shares tips and tricks to improve your short game.

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