Tiger Woods’ New Career Low

Good morning. Did you know that on this day, November 15, 1969, the first Wendy's restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio? November 15 is known as Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day and I Love to Write Day.

For us, the latter much easier than the former!

And now on to Golf…

ALBATROS
Tiger Woods’ New Career Low

Tiger Woods reached a new career low in the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday.

Woods, who hasn’t competed since withdrawing during the third round of this year’s Masters, fell from No. 1,291 to No. 1,307. His previous OWGR worst had been No. 1,294, which he stood at this past February before making the cut and tying for 45th at the Genesis Invitational.

The only other significant OWGR plunge Woods experienced was in November 2017 when he bottomed out at No. 1,199. He’d later win the 2019 Masters and ascend back to as high as No. 5.

Current world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has been atop the world rankings for 26 weeks straight and 61 weeks total.

Meanwhile, rumors continue to swirl that Woods could return to action at next month’s Hero World Challenge, which features guaranteed world-ranking points.

EAGLE
No Saudi Deal For PGA Tour

More than five months after announcing a controversial alliance with LIV Golf’s deep-pocketed benefactors, the PGA Tour still hasn’t agreed to final terms with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Backstory: After months of acrimony between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, the three organizations (including the European DP World Tour), were to combine to create a new for-profit commercial entity and continue operating distinct tours. The PGA Tour will continue operating as a nonprofit organization, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund would become a major tour sponsor.

What’s Next: The presumed leader among the potential investors is Fenway Sports Group. The Boston-based private holding company owns the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, Liverpool Football Club and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it recently invested in Boston Common Golf, one of six teams in the TGL indoor golf league, a new venture backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy slated to begin play in January.

Woods and McIlroy are on the PGA Tour’s policy board and are expected to have a lot of say in the tour’s next steps.

BIRDIE
Top 10: Official World Golf Rankings 2023

Head over to Official World Golf Rankings website if you want to see the ranking for the rest of 8,656 players.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

• Netflix Cup: Collin Morikawa is out with a back injury and will be replaced by Tony Finau for Tuesday's live golf event in Las Vegas that features both PGA Tour players and F1 drivers, who are in town for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

• Gary Woodland appears to be making incredible progress after undergoing brain surgery earlier this fall. Woodland shared a video of him swinging a club on a driving range on social media on Monday, just about two months after he underwent surgery to remove a lesion on his brain.

• The PGA Tour named Chris Kirk as the recipient of the 2023 Courage Award. Kirk, 38, took a leave of absence in 2019 to address alcohol abuse and depression. After being gone more than six months, Kirk returned, regained exempt status in 2021 through a major medical extension, and then this year won his first PGA Tour title since 2015 at the Honda Classic.

• The LPGA’s development tour keeps getting bigger and better. The Epson Tour announced the elevation of the purse at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic to $400,000, making it the largest on the circuit. The first-place check will be $60,000. The event will also have a new home, as it has pulled up stakes from Longbow Golf Club in Mesa and will head to the TPC Scottsdale Champions Course.

• The Asian Tour has admitted a mistake was made when dealing with a heated rules controversy during the final round of last week's Hong Kong Open. Tournament leader Phachara Khongwatmai found himself in the bushes after a wayward tee shot on the 16th. A 15-minute debate ensued as the Thai golfer tried to find his ball and figure out if he could play a shot. Khongwatmai began moving branches and bushes which both his playing partners felt were still connected to the tree, a clear infraction of Rule 8.1.

• Ukrainian junior, Misha Golod, a 17-year-old senior at Windermere Prep and residing full-time in Florida, who came to US last year signs to play college golf at UNC.

• Former Masters champion Patrick Reed visits Indonesia this week for the first time in his career to compete in the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, and clearly means business after saying today: “The biggest thing is to get a ‘W’, a win."

DRIVING RANGE
How To Hit It Longer

Kyle Berkshire, the speed maestro, offers tips on how he set the world record of 579 yards. He reveals his secret weapon – the pre-swing trigger! Learn how a simple but powerful trigger can set the stage for an explosive and consistent swing. Discover the mental and physical cues that Kyle employs to unlock his legendary speed and precision. Meanwhile, Justin James shares insights on how to optimize your weight transfer for maximum power.

PAR FOR THE COURSE
This Day In History

On November 15, 2004, Charles Sifford became the first African American to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Sifford broke barriers as the first golfer of color to win an open event, shooting a final-round 64 to win the 1957 Long Beach Open. In 1961, he became the first African American to join the PGA Tour.

And on November 15, 1964, Mickey Wright shot a 62, lowest golf score for a woman pro at the Tall City Open, Midland, Texas.