A New Beginning

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Before we dive into today’s golf news, a quick note from us.

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A refresh!

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Now, onto the good stuff. Yes, Scottie Scheffler made the cut at the Genesis Invitational. And no, it didn’t come easy. We’ll talk about that and highlight a PGA Tour rookie’s remarkable run. We’ll also look at the latest updates from the LPGA tournament, Glover’s election to an important position, a resistance band drill to improve your game, and more.

Let’s get swinging…

The lengthening of Riviera's iconic par-3 fourth hole drew furious reactions from the pros. Add to that torrential rain in the opening round, and Riviera hasn’t been at its best. You saw Scottie’s embedded ball, but Adam Scott had it worse yesterday.

Thanks to the soggy green, Scott’s stupendous tee shot got plugged in the grass barely inches from the hole—just watch and feel the agony of a missed hole-in-one. Scott went on to shoot 63, trailing leader Marco Penge by 3 shots.

The current state of the leaderboard shows a promising sign: there might be a new winner of the event and probably a first-time winner on Tour. Penge has won three times on the DP World Tour in 300 days, and if he wins this week, it will be his first PGA Tour victory.

The Englishman had just 38 minutes between his first round, which he finished early Friday morning, and his second round. Didn’t stop him from making seven birdies en route to 7-under 64. But Penge faces a sneaky shadow. Jacob Bridgeman matched his score to share the lead. The 26-year-old is also eyeing his first PGA Tour title.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy (6-under 65) torched the course, lurking just a shot behind the leaders. Xander Schauffele fired a 6-under 65, tying Adam Scott for fourth. Neither Xander nor Rory has ever won at Riviera.

However, the one dude who's truly tripped and face-planted is Scottie Scheffler (3-under 68). The World No. 1 made the cut on the line thanks to a nervy par-save on the 18th.

Riviera is far from elegant this week. But it’s no less fun to watch the wreckage.

This Essentially Golf collection is an extension of how we think about golf. We focused on fabric first: soft-brushed interiors that feel lived-in from day one and silhouettes that sit comfortably between tailored and relaxed.

• Heavyweight fleece that drapes just right.

• Structured crewnecks that hold their shape.

• Clean-burning soy candles that set the mood post-game.

The details do the talking while the palette stays restrained, and the branding stays minimal. It’s designed for early tee times, late game nights, long debates, and quiet mornings after. The kind of staples you reach for instinctively—because they’re comfortable, dependable, and quietly refined.

Birthday: On Friday at the Honda LPGA Thailand, World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul owned R2 with a scorching 9-under 63. She hit 13 fairways, reached 15 greens, and needed just 25 putts to lead the bunch. But the real highlight? It also happened to be her 23rd birthday. And after she dropped an eagle on the 7th, the home crowd surprised Jeeno with a special gesture that brought a big smile to her face. Watch the wholesome moment below.

After the third round today, Thitikul (20-under) has a two-shot lead over Hyo Joo Kim (18-under). Allisen Corpuz, Chizzy Iwai, and Somi Lee are three shots behind.

Opportunity: After years of blasting the PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council (PAC)—he called it “useless” not too long ago—Lucas Glover has finally joined the club. Mind you, Glover rejected this position despite being voted exactly 10 times before. But on the 11th time, he said yes, and guess what? Glover is now the chairman of PAC. Sounds insignificant? It won’t when he joins the PGA Tour Policy Board once his PAC term ends. And Glover has time and again condemned their decisions publicly in the choicest words, as you will see here. Now, he can drag his gripes straight to the boardroom. Here are more details on his new role.

Farewell: Stephen Ross, Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, passed away at the age of 71. Ross is survived by his wife and four children. He devoted over 30 years to Golf Canada (once the Royal Canadian Golf Association). He sat on the Joint Rules Committee with the R&A and USGA officials, officiating three of golf's four majors. Find out more about his legacy here.

Thursday’s Results: 78.93% of you said Scottie Scheffler’s calm demeanor is actually his greatest strength.

By now, you must be familiar with Viktor Hovland’s unconventional drills (GBox and pool floaties, anybody?). At the Genesis Invitational, he wrapped a resistance band around his arms and shoulders—watch the quick and easy drill here. Here's how you can do it, too.

• Get a resistance band. Loop it around your upper back while holding the ends in each hand at shoulder width. This will mimic your normal setup without a club.

• Make half or full swings. Actively try to push your arms away from your body on the backswing and focus on keeping them extended on the downswing.

• Next, grab a club and hold it along with the resistance band. Carry over that extended-arm feel to get your arms wide in the downswing. And if you are up for a little more fun, grab two swim floaties to cover your elbows. Watch how Hovland used them on the driving range.

The Norwegian led the field in driving accuracy (21/28 fairways reached) and has gained 1.49 strokes off the tee at Riviera. So yes, the resistance band can work wonders, which is why we’ve listed more drills below.

Three Resistance Band Drills to Elevate Your Golf Game

Genesis Invitational’s Strange Cut Line Loophole Sparks Furor →

WATCH: Young Pro Sends the Gallery Into Frenzy With a Clutch Eagle →

PGA Tour Winner Rants About Riviera After 2nd Round→

After undergoing open-heart surgery, Sir Nick Faldo gave his first upbeat update back in January. The three-time Masters champ went under the knife to repair an enlarged aorta. This Thursday, his wife, Lyndsay, hit social media with another update on the six-time major winner. Here is all you need to know.

The Englishman looks poised to return to the 2026 Masters broadcast booth. There is also a special program celebrating the 30th anniversary of his 1996 Masters. It would be interesting to see what he has to say about Rory after claiming the Ulsterman’s major-winning days are probably over.

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