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Meet the home team: SoCal golfers at LACC for U.S. Open seek elusive majors win

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The U.S. Open takes pride in being picky and delights in being daunting, traversing the country while gracing only courses that meet exacting criteria.

A selected course, according to the U.S. Golf Assn. , “should test all forms of shot making, mental tenacity, and physical endurance under conditions of extreme pressure found only at the highest levels of championship golf.”

Ahem … and furthermore: “We intend that the U.S. Open prove the most rigorous examination of golfers.”

Yet for 122 years — the U.S Open began in 1895 but was canceled for two years because of World War I and four years for World War II — an addendum could have been “… unless said course is in Los Angeles.” The closest it came was in 1948 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades and in 2008 and 2021 at Torrey Pines in La Jolla.

But behold, here it is! The U.S. Open will be held June 15-18 at the venerable, exclusive L.A. Country Club , a treat for the handful of established PGA veterans born and raised in Southern California.

Several qualified for a U.S. Open long before earning their Tour cards, missed or barely made the cut, then waited years before getting another shot as an exempt player.

L.A. Country Club is part mystery, part myth that the U.S. Open will reveal

Many golf pros and fans will get their first look at the historic, and somewhat mythical, Los Angeles Country Club this week with arrival of U.S. Open.

June 11, 2023

The U.S. Open is that egalitarian of majors, with commoners playing alongside royalty, amateurs alongside mega-millionaires, and obscure underdogs alongside household names. Nearly half of this year’s 156 competitors qualified through various means beyond earning an exemption through the PGA Tour.

The last sentence of the USGA description, then, might be designed to give the legions of interlopers a glimmer of hope: “At the same time, we try to ensure that a well-played stroke produces a positive result for an Open competitor.”

Tiger Woods is the only active SoCal product to win the U.S. Open, doing so in 2000, 2002 and 2008. He will not play this year because he’s recovering from ankle surgery. Several others have the chops to challenge the top of the leaderboard.

Let’s meet the home team:

Collin Morikawa

Birthplace: Los Angeles Current home: Las Vegas U.S. Open finishes: 2019: T35; 2020: Missed cut; 2021: T4; 2022: T5 Career Earnings: $23,264,176

Morikawa will serve as honorary host at the U.S. Open while also testing his balky back on the North Course. He withdrew from the Memorial Tournament on June 4 before the last round because of back spasms despite being two shots off the lead.

Problems with the lower left side of his back first surfaced during the Tokyo Olympics. If he is healthy, perhaps no golfer with SoCal ties has a greater expectation of winning. Morikawa has at least one peak experience at LACC, going 4-0 when the 2017 Walker Cup was held at the course and the U.S. crushed the Britain and Ireland side. Also, last year he finished second at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, like LACC designed by George Thomas.

And astonishingly, he’s the only golfer who hails from L.A. County to have won a major. He’s won two. Morikawa took the PGA Championship in 2020 when spectators weren’t allowed because of COVID, and the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in 2021. He also finished fifth at the 2022 Masters and tied for fourth and tied for fifth at the U.S. Open the last two years.

Morikawa, 26, learned the game at the nine-hole Chevy Chase Country Club in Glendale and attended La Cañada High. He went to Cal and graduated with a degree in business administration.

Birthplace: Burbank Current home: Scottsdale, Ariz. U.S. Open finishes: 2013, 2020, 2021: Missed cut; 2022: T47 Career Earnings: $21,963,399

The skinny kid, who was born in Burbank, raised in Valencia and honed his game on the plebeian double-deck range at Griffith Park, was finally going Gucci: The 2013 Pac-12 tournament would be played at the LACC.

Homa, part of a legendary Cal squad, took aim and shot a bogey-free course-record 61 in the first round.

“Sadly, the thing I remember most about the round is that I three-putted a par five and didn’t get up and down from the front bunker on the drivable par-four sixth, so I feel like I could have shot 59,” Homa told Geoff Shackelford.

Homa glided to a runaway NCAA individual title that gave him entry to the U.S. Open, played that year at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. He missed the cut, but only glory was forecast, right?

It’s been a mixed bag. Ten years later he’s recognized as one of the best on the PGA Tour, especially on home turf . Four of his six wins have come in California. Yet he’s mostly flopped at majors, including three missed cuts and a tie for 47th in four subsequent U.S. Opens.

Win or back of the pack, Homa’s SoCal sensibility extends to his accessibility to autograph seekers and to social media, where his dry wit shines. Ten years ago he told himself he wouldn’t be the golfer who breezed past fans from the green to the clubhouse.

“I went to the Riviera tournament for the first 17 to 18 years of my life,” he said as a Cal senior. “I was one of those kids [asking for autographs]. I promised myself I’d do that.”

He couldn’t have known then that in 2023 he’d connect with a cool 578,000 Twitter followers. Latest message? Sounds like he’ll be ready for the U.S. Open.

“2 weeks off for the first time in a while, and while I’m sad to be missing The Memorial, I’m gunna go watch my sister get married instead and that’s way cooler than #golf . See y’all in LA for the US Open.”

Patrick Cantlay

Birthplace: Long Beach Current home: Jupiter, Fla. U.S. Open finishes: 2011: T21; 2012: T41; 2018: T45; 2019: T21; 2020: T43; 2021: T15; 2022: T14 Career Earnings: $38,471,554

Cantlay seemed destined for Tour impact early on. He grew up playing at tony Virginia Country Club in Long Beach, starred at Anaheim Servite High and as a UCLA freshman swept the Haskins and Nicklaus awards as the best college player in the country.

He played in his first U.S. Open in 2011 as a 19-year-old amateur, finishing a respectable 21st, then shot 60 — the lowest score ever by an amateur — at the Travelers Championship. Cantlay went on to spend a record 55 consecutive weeks as the top-ranked amateur in the world.

Hardship followed. He fell to 41st at the 2012 U.S. Open and waited until 2018 for a third attempt, this time as a polished professional. Still, he stumbled to a ho-hum 45th, and in four years since hasn’t finished higher than 14th.

Cantlay was grief-stricken in 2016 when his best friend, caddie and high school teammate, Chris Roth, was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Newport Beach while Cantlay stood only a few feet away. Meanwhile, he was sidelined for an entire year because of stress fracture in his back. At times, he retreated into a private world.

“You don’t know how you’re going to react in that situation,” Cantlay said in 2017. “I’m standing there talking to the police officer and he says, ‘Do you want a towel or something to wipe yourself off?’ I was completely covered in blood. I didn’t realize it.

“Your importance level, your awareness of what is usually a big deal, was not a big deal to me. And I felt like that for months after.”

Cantlay did rebound. His career took off in 2018-19 and crested at the 2021 Tour Championship, when he won $15 million after holding off Jon Rahm by one stroke. He was PGA Tour player of the year.

Lately, though, Cantlay has been singled out for an odd reason: slow pace of play. It happened at the Masters in April, then again a week later at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C., where he finished third but was forced to fend off hecklers. His caddy, Matt Minister, flipped off a spectator who yelled, “Hurry up.”

That, of course, was captured on video and spread on Twitter.

For his part, Cantlay has handled it well. After making a hole-in-one at Harbour Town, he tweeted, “Playing faster!”

Rickie Fowler

Birthplace: Anaheim Current home: Jupiter, Fla. U.S. Open finishes: 2008: T60; 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016: Missed cut; 2012: T41; 2013: T10; 2014: T2; 2017: T5; 2018: T20; 2019: T43; 2020: T49 Career Earnings: $45,257,008

Fowler , 34, grew up in Murrieta riding motocross with his father, Rod — winner of the Baja 1,000 on a four-wheeler in 1986 — and hitting bucket after bucket on the driving range of a public course with his grandfather, Yutaka Tanaka. A blue blood he is not.

He gave up motocross at 14 when an accident left him with broken bones in his foot. It’s been all golf ever since. In Fowler’s senior year at Murrieta Valley High in 2007, he led his team to the state final and in short order won the Walker Cup.

Next stop was Oklahoma State, and that explains why to this day he usually wears orange on the last day of a tournament.

“It’s a way to be my own man out there,” he said.

Another way to forge an identity is excellence, and Fowler was the No. 1-ranked amateur for 36 consecutive weeks in 2008. He won another Walker Cup in 2009.

Fowler made the U.S. Ryder Cup team at age 21, the youngest ever. He was PGA Tour rookie of the year in 2010 and tied for fifth at the Open Championship in 2011. His first PGA Tour win came a year later when he won the Wells Fargo Championship.

In 2014 Fowler posted a top-5 finish in each of the four majors. Yet he is still seeking his first major win, the closest he’s come is a second place at the 2018 Masters.

Why? Lack of recent opportunity, for one. Fowler has played in only three majors since the 2020 Masters. He had an exemption into the 2021 and 2022 PGA Championships and played in the 2021 Open Championship. However, he missed six other majors — including the last two U.S. Opens — because he fell to nearly 200th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Now, though, he’s carrying momentum, with six top-10 and 11 top-20 finishes in the 2022-2023 season. Kick start the dirt bike, Fowler is ready to roll.

Sahith Theegala

Birthplace: Orange Current home: Houston U.S. Open finishes: 2017, 2021: Missed the cut Career Earnings: $7,991,054

It’s an indelible memory. Where were you when Kobe Bryant died Jan. 26, 2020?

Sahith Theegala was a Pepperdine senior playing a practice round ahead of the Southwestern Invitational at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village when Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash on a hill less than a mile from Theegala’s Calabasas apartment.

Two days later, Theegala donned a Bryant jersey before sinking a putt on the 18th green that won the tournament. He went on to log one of the most dominant seasons in NCAA history, becoming only the fifth golfer to win the Hogan, Nicklaus and Haskins awards in the same year.

None of those legendary golfers was Theegala’s hero growing up in Chino Hills. It was — and still is — Bryant. Basketball was his favorite sport until his prowess at golf consumed his life. The Lakers remain his favorite team.

“He was my sports idol, as well as for millions of other people,” Theegala said after the win. “To lose him was absolutely devastating and heartbreaking, and I was just really happy I could pay respects to him.

“I did it for Mamba. I absolutely did it for Mamba.”

Theegala learned to play at El Prado, a municipal course in Chino that’s most challenging feature might be the low-hanging power lines. He learned to lengthen rounds from 5,500 to 7,000 yards by hitting his driver from behind the tee boxes.

Theegala’s first U.S. Open was in 2017 when as a Pepperdine sophomore, when he qualified to play at Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wisc., but didn’t make the cut after shooting 77-75. He returned as a professional in 2021 at Torrey Pines and again missed the cut with a 76-73. His best finish in a major is ninth at the Masters in April.

Xander Schauffele

Birthplace: La Jolla Current home: Las Vegas U.S. Open finishes: 2017: T5; 2018: T6; 2019: T3; 2020: 5; 2021: T7; 2022: T14 Career Earnings: $37,027,854

Xander Schauffele ’s first U.S. Open round was a 6-under-par 66 in 2017 at Erin Hills. He’s remained near the top of leaderboards since then, finishing in a tie for fifth as a largely unknown 23-year-old fresh out of San Diego State. Still, he hasn’t won.

He logged top-10 U.S. Open finishes the next four years as well before finishing tied for 14th last year at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Meanwhile, he tied for second at the 2018 Open Championship and the 2019 Masters, and at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 became the first U.S. golfer since 1900 to win gold.

Schauffele has been a force since capturing the state championship as a senior at Scripps Ranch High in 2011. When he doesn’t win, he’s hanging around the leaders.

Or hanging around his dad. Stefan Schauffele was an Olympic hopeful in Germany in the decathlon whose athletic dreams were crushed when he was struck by a drunk driver and a shard of glass became lodged in one eye.

Schauffele’s dad has been his only swing coach. Sometimes the relationship is rocky — Stefan is notoriously blunt with his son and vice versa.

“I went through this rebel phase where I would argue with him for no reason,” Schauffele said. “I was aggressively against anything he would say. We’d have these huge arguments. We fought all the time.

“Now that I’m older, I realize how patient he was with me. I realized that I was combating him for no reason. He was a lot better to me than I was to him.”

Schauffele has long relished the role of underdog. Yet after he finished one shot behind Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters — his third top-three finish at Augusta — he felt affirmation.

“I told my caddie on the last hole that we just proved to ourselves that we can win on this property,” he said.

Phil Mickelson

Birthplace: San Diego Current home: Rancho Sante Fe U.S. Open finishes: 1990: T29; 1991: T55; 1992, 2007, 2016, 2020 2022: Missed cut; 1994: T47; 1995: T4; 1996: T94; 1997: T43; 1998: T10; 1999: 2; 2001: T7; 2002: 2; 2003: T55; 2004: 2; 2005: T33; 2006: T2; 2008: T18; 2009: T2; 2010: T4; 2011: T54; 2012: T65; 2013: T2; 20014: T28, 2015: T64; 2018: T48, 2019: T52; 2021: T62. Career Earnings: $105,669,201

Mickelson is synonymous with LIV . He’s also an indisputable PGA great, a U.S. Open win from becoming the sixth golfer to record a career Grand Slam — winning the Masters, PGA Championship and Open Championship in addition to the U.S. Open. Only Gene Sarazan, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have accomplished the feat.

Oddly, Mickelson has finished second in the U.S. Open a record six times. Four golfers finished second four times. Their names? Brace for more legends: Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Nicklaus.

Jones and Nicklaus also each won the U.S. Open four times and Palmer won once. Snead, like Mickelson, never won it. Although Mickelson hasn’t finished second since 2013, he proved that at age 52 he can still play at an elite level when he finished second at the Masters two months ago.

These days, of course, Mickelson is the defiant face of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series. Or at least he was until last week when the PGA announced it reached a merger agreement with LIV. It will be interesting how everyone gets along at the LACC.

And it will be interesting to see if Mickelson makes a serious bid at completing that Grand Slam.

Go beyond the scoreboard

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Steve Henson is a breaking news and enterprise reporter at the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as an editor and reporter in the Sports department. Henson was a leader in digital-only newsrooms from 2007-19 as a senior editor and columnist at Yahoo Sports and as senior editor at the USA Today Sports Media Group. This is his second stint at The Times, having covered the Dodgers and UCLA as well as doing enterprise, investigative and features writing from 1985-2007. Henson was awarded first place in sports features in 2023 and in 2021 by the L.A. Press Club. He has been honored several times by APSE — most recently in 2023 and 2021 — and also by the California News Publishers Assn., the Football Writers Assn. of America and U.S. Basketball Writers Assn.

Aida Ylanan is a former data and graphics journalist at the Los Angeles Times. She first joined the paper as a Data Desk intern in 2018 and completed the Metpro program in 2021. She was born and raised in Long Beach and studied statistics and English at UCLA.

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2023 U.S. Open: Five keys to Los Angeles Country Club as event returns to L.A. for first time in 75 years

Everything to know about the historic course playing host to the third major of the year.

Los Angeles Country Club may be making its mainstream debut this week as host of the 123rd U.S. Open, but its roots run as deep as any elite golf course in the country.

George Thomas designed the North Course at LACC some 100 years ago, and while it has been redesigned since then (most recently by Gil Hanse beginning 15 years ago), the bones of LACC have been around for a long time. Now, all of its beauty will be exposed to a national audience while it serves as the stage for the third major championship event of the year. 

The West Coast vibe at LACC is obvious from watching videos such as the one constructed by Fried Egg that you can view below. Its nuance perhaps less so. Regardless, this is a major championship hosted at a venue that may be possible for everyone -- players, fans, officials and architectural geeks -- to get behind. This never happens, of course, but LACC is a good candidate to make it a possibility. 

Here are five things you need to know about LACC North and what to expect as the third major of the year touches down in Los Angeles.

1. The property:  This is well explained in the video above. The LACC property, as well as the sense of place, are both spectacular. Set just west of Hollywood and east of Santa Monica, California, it's an incredible spot for one of the best golf courses in the country; it's almost as if the city was built around the course instead of the other way around. It's not the type of course you could just drop into a city like this in 2023. The acreage itself is lovely and a golf architect's dream given the undulation created by natural landforms. I'll let Hanse take it from here.

"The property for LA North is a couple of ridges bisected by a barranca,"  said Hanse . "It's a great way to meander through the property. You get enough variety that you don't feel like you're constantly going in one direction."

While it won't be the rolling hills of Augusta National or the sometimes shockingly steep elevation changes of a Chambers Bay, LACC will change your eye level in such a way that players will never be completely comfortable but viewers will get incredible visuals throughout. It's going to be amazing.

2. Half-pars: Maybe my favorite part of the way this U.S. Open will be set up and play is the half-par nature of many holes. You have the easy par-5 first hole buttressed by the difficult par-4 2nd. You have the short, 330-yard par-4 6th buttressed by the long 284-yard par-3 7th. It's like this throughout the entire course, which creates a roller coaster of emotions for players despite only the final score mattering. This is actually the beauty of par, a mostly worthless metric that is more or less simply used to let players and fans know where everybody stands relative to the tournament. It creates unnecessary emotional distraction for players who already have a thousand thoughts running through their minds. That's always true at U.S. Opens, and it may be more true than ever at this particular U.S. Open.

This @usopengolf more than any other before it will show people what “par” means. Absolutely nothing. It’s a way to keep score with integers. Half par holes everywhere. Throw 18 yardages out there and low TOTAL score wins at the end of the week. This will be a phenomenal US Open! — Arron Oberholser (@ArronOberholser) June 12, 2023

3. Love from players? There's nothing pro golfers love more than to torch the USGA and its courses. There's been some early indication, however, that this year may be different.

"I think it's going to be one of the best U.S. Opens there's been for awhile," said world No. 4 Rory McIlroy. "I think West Coast U.S. Opens always deliver, for some reason. I think Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach, even going back to like Chambers Bay. West Coast U.S. Opens I really like.

"Golf course-wise, yeah, the golf course is high quality," said world No. 2 Jon Rahm. "The golf course could host any event you want. It's just logistically. To me, it was the hardest part to understand."

4. A brief history of Los Angeles, majors and LACC: While LACC has never hosted a U.S. Open, it has hosted a lot of other tournaments, most before World War II. The Los Angeles Open was played there four times (1934-1936, 1940) as well as the U.S. Women's Amateur (1930) and U.S. Junior Amateur (1954). Since Hanse's renovation, the only big event played there was the 2017 Walker Cup, which included a powerhouse U.S. team of Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Will Zalatoris.

In terms of Los Angeles hosting majors, it hasn't had one since the 1995 PGA Championship (Riviera) and has not had a U.S. Open since 1948 (Riviera). In other words, the last time Los Angeles got one of the four big ones, the Paris Peace Treaties ending World War II were 1 year old.

5. All kinds of shots: The majority of tournaments played on the PGA Tour feature identical shot-making. Point and shoot, rinse and repeat. Many major courses (especially this one), however, deliver a much different test of golf. I'm not sure that's better exemplified than with this nugget from Jeff Hall of the USGA, who is part of the USGA setup team , regarding the tiny par-3 15th.

One of the more intriguing holes immediately precedes the daunting trio of closing par 4s. The par-3 15th is listed at 124 yards, but it played a mere 78 yards during one round of the 2017 Walker Cup Match, which featured players such as Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Will Zalatoris on the USA side. "If we play it at a similar yardage, it's not a full shot for any of these guys," said Hall. "But they've still got to factor in the wind and the firmness and hit a golf shot. I could see somebody having an 80-yard shot and playing it away from the hole, which seems crazy in this day and age, but maybe they're not on top of their game or it's the right play in a certain situation."

An 80-yard shot that you have to play away from the hole. This is one of many shots that could be emblematic of the high risk/reward nature of LACC, which normally means we're in for a treat of a major and the highest level of championship golf that exists.

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LA Country Club's mystery extends to U.S. Open players too

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- If you're not flying in a Boeing or manning a drone, the only glimpses Los Angeles can get of its namesake golf club are through a tree-lined fence on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Across the street from the city's most posh shopping mall in nearby Century City, a closer look yields a glance at a fairway or a peek at a green. Squint hard enough and you might see a bunker. The irony, of course, is that what lies just on the other side of the boulevard's daily vehicle bottleneck is Los Angeles Country Club's South Course, not the North where this year's U.S. Open is held.

If it feels like this year's tournament carries with it a certain level of secrecy, it's because it does. LACC's exclusivity and privacy is a feature, not a bug. In fact, people can go their entire lives in Los Angeles without knowing or even realizing that the course sits in a canyon surrounded by a forest of mansions and skyscrapers.

This week, the ultra-exclusive private club that is known to test prospective members' patience as well as shy away from celebrity additions is opening its doors to the golf world. In the process, LACC is showcasing that its real luxury, its real showstopper, isn't some fancy clubhouse (though they have that) or a celebrity house (see: Lionel Richie's on the fourth hole) or some magnificent view that spans from Hollywood to Downtown LA (you'll see it plenty on TV). No, the real jewel is a golf course that is as natural as its surroundings are man-made.

Built mostly into a low-lying canyon, the course -- designed by George Thomas in 1927 and restored by Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Geoff Shackelford in 2010 -- is not your prototypical U.S. Open golf course. And it's not just because the lines off the tee can vary from "aim at the left palm tree in the distance" to "aim at the Beverly Hilton."

Here, the deceptively wide fairways may be foreign to a U.S. Open setup but mask how much angles can play a factor into being able to score. With the barrancas, blind shots, bermuda, tricky rough and movable tees, the variety in architectural style should spark a variety in playing style too. Still, though LACC may welcome a plethora of playing approaches, figuring out which shots and approaches work -- and which don't -- presents a unique challenge to the best players in the world, most of whom don't have the very thing that this course asks for: familiarity.

"Oh, No. 15 can play 90 yards?" an incredulous Cam Smith asked Monday when told during his press conference that the 15th hole, a short par-3, has the ability to move tees and hole locations to have it play shorter than 100 yards.

"I think that's amazing," reigning U.S. Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick said Monday when asked about the same hole. Fitzpatrick paid a visit to LACC during the week of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, but looking back on it, he said the course has already evolved plenty since. It made Fitzpatrick wonder aloud if one day he could learn a course virtually without having to step foot on it.

"I guess in this day and age you'd like to think there might be some artificial intelligence you could use to kind of plot your way around," Fitzpatrick said with a grin. "But that's probably something I'll have to look into."

Through a sea of thick clouds, the Monday afternoon sun was giving away its last rays of the day as the mowers on the 18th green were already rolling in preparation for Tuesday at the U.S. Open. Few fans and fewer players remained out at LACC's North Course.

One of those was Rory McIlroy . His potent driver nowhere in sight, McIlroy had all he needed as he walked up and down and around the course's back nine. His shirt untucked, yardage book in hand and caddie Harry Diamond carrying only a couple wedges and his putter, McIlroy was playing the role of observing student on his first day on site.

On the 15th green, he listened as a LACC member pointed out certain slopes and tendencies the surface had. As he walked down the 16th, 17th and 18th fairways, he intently received the history lesson that Shackelford, who walked alongside him and Brad Faxon , delivered on the course's most prominent features.

Like many of the people who admire the course or don't even know it exists, McIlroy has never teed it up at LACC. Before that changes Thursday, the third-ranked player in the world seems to understand he has to be a pupil this week before being a golfer. He's watched videos on the course, he said recently -- flyovers and deep dives on its history from places like The Fried Egg -- as well as read about it. But he would be the first to tell you nothing beats what he did late Monday afternoon.

"You don't get a real grasp of it until you're actually out there and your feet are on the ground," McIlroy said this past week at the RBC Heritage. During Riviera week, McIlroy actually opted out of playing the nearby course, citing that its conditions at the time would not resemble those of U.S. Open week.

In a sport that prides itself on being frustratingly unconquerable for amateurs and pros alike, the best players in the world succeed, in part, by controlling every variable they can. This course, however, throws some of that thinking out the window. It asks players to be more artists than mechanics, and it begs for a combination of shot-making and creativity, which can only be born out of trust -- not just in players' talents, but their knowledge too.

Earlier Monday, when the sun still basked the course in plenty of light, fellow Spaniards Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia started a practice round on the first tee. Their partner was Isaac Simmons -- a college player from Liberty University -- who had made a unique but telling choice for his practice round. The man carrying his bag was an LACC caddie.

As they walked down the first fairway, the caddie was giving knowledge not only to Simmons but his playing partners too, calling out approach lines and green slopes.

In speaking to a few people familiar with the caddie system at LACC, it appears that only a handful of players (mostly young) are opting to use a local caddie for a practice round, some even for their tournament play. At least one player played a round with a local caddie this past weekend, while others have taken some time to make a stop at the course in recent months. Shackelford, who is intimately familiar with the course and its history, has said in recent months that he suggested to some players to take a local caddie. It seems not many heeded his advice.

Still, as McIlroy could attest, this week is different, and almost everyone is learning on the fly. For him, that feels like an advantage.

"I like reacting to what I'm seeing out there and targets," McIlroy said last week. "I'm not a great player at playing a course by memory. I'm not saying I'm better at playing a course blind, but sometimes it's nice not to know where the trouble is. You just sort of react to your targets out there and you really get into your shots. So sometimes I don't feel like it's that much of a disadvantage."

Even for players who have played the course before, the course presents a different challenge this time around. Rahm remembers a much younger version of himself playing LACC during the 2013 Pac-12 championship. Rahm, then at Arizona State, finished tied for 7th in the individual competition.

"It's not like I can draw a lot of what I did that week into this week," Rahm said Tuesday, mentioning the thicker rough and longer holes as some of the differences. "The only thing I can say is that I have really good memories about it, and again, I enjoyed the design and I enjoyed the challenge back then. I think I'm going to as well this week."

During that same college tournament, it was Max Homa who finished in first place and shot a course record 61. Homa, who still holds the official course record after that week, has called LACC a masterpiece and said he looks at courses such as this one like a story, its 18 holes unfolding in a manner that produces the right amount of build-up, climax and resolution.

"This venue is awesome for a U.S. Open," said Homa, who has played the course twice since that Pac-12 event and attended the 2017 Walker Cup. "It feels kind of like the same place. They added some tees, but nothing crazy. It's just a really great golf course in my favorite city in the world."

Post-restoration, two of the only players who have played a competitive round on the course are Homa's two playing partners for the first two days of this year's tournament: Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa . Both Scheffler and Morikawa were members of the 2017 Walker Cup team that played and won at LACC.

"I remembered most of the holes before we showed up this week, so that's kind of unusual for me," Scheffler said. "Usually I don't remember too much. I remember it being pretty challenging. You're hitting a lot of different clubs into greens and it gives you a lot of options. It's a really good test."

Though Morikawa acknowledged Tuesday how different the course is playing since that Walker Cup, he also feels that having any sense of familiarity with a course like LACC brings at the very least a mental advantage.

"I think it helps me just knowing that I can go out and just play it how I've been used to," Morikawa said. "I think when you play it as an amateur golfer, when you play it for fun, you learn courses and you learn it based on how you like to see courses, fitting that shot shape, doing what you do best and playing to your strengths."

For Patrick Cantlay , who attended nearby UCLA, LACC was his de facto home golf course for a while, playing it dozens of times. Much like Thomas intended for the course to play differently on any given day with its movable tees and half par holes, Cantlay said Tuesday he feels like the course has been different every time he's played it.

All across the property during the first two days of tournament week, players were chasing those feelings of certainty, trying to soak up any knowledge they could -- from members, caddies, other players -- while also taking extra time on the greens, chipping, putting and even throwing balls in different directions to gauge how they would slide, run or stop on the course's peculiar greens. On some holes like the short par-4 sixth hole, which has sparked plenty of dissection, there's not enough data to indicate whether laying up or going for it is the move, so even the first round Thursday will be a testing ground. In other words, no matter the preparation, come Thursday, there's an unpredictability to LACC that players will have to adjust to.

"I hit a 3-wood into No. 6, a driveable par-4 and then hit driver on 7 which is a par-3," Joel Dahmen said Monday after playing nine holes. "I think it's fair, it's just different. We don't see anything like this [on tour]."

Dahmen is one of the few players who has played the course since its restoration. But that round was five years ago and he doesn't think his memory of that day will yield much of an advantage. In fact, Dahmen remembers more of the course's unique sense of place more than he does the actual holes. As he stood on the ninth tee Monday afternoon and fired several balls toward the perched green that's framed by the sterling white clubhouse, he noticed a building in the background.

"That's a new building, right?" he asked someone nearby. The person said it was a recent build, within the last five years. The ninth being a par-3, there was no need to use the building as a line, but it was nonetheless another reminder of the peculiar setting and nature of a course that's about to be presented for the first time to the rest of the world.

"It's not every day you are looking at office buildings and apartment buildings while on the golf course," Dahmen said. "This place is unique."

Familiarity may have more weight this week than it has at other U.S. Opens. And yet, LACC is less a formula that has one answer and more like an essay prompt that could produce different kinds of elaborate responses. The player who can understand, accept, adapt and execute to the course's nuances in the span of a week may be the one raising the trophy Sunday.

What Tournaments Has Los Angeles Country Club Hosted Before?

The historic Beverly Hills course will be the site of the 123rd US Open this week

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With the third men’s Major of the year fast approaching , Los Angeles Country Club (LACC) prepares to open its doors to the world’s best players. The historic Beverly Hills private club was founded over 126 years ago in 1897 and, despite maintaining its position as one of America’s premier golf courses, has largely remained cut off from the outside world.

The 123rd US Open this week will be the first time that the club has hosted a Major championship, having first opened discussions with the USGA to do so in 2014.  However, LACC does have a storied history of hosting several other famous golf tournaments. It was, after all, the site for the very first Los Angeles Open, now known as the Genesis Invitational. 

Hosting the first edition in 1926, the tournament returned to the club on four other occasions: 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1940. Then, 14 years later, the club hosted the US Junior Amateur Golf Championship in 1954, but it would be over 60 years before LACC would host another major golf tournament. 

That ended in 2017 when the club was the site of the 2017 Walker Cup, contested between the top amateurs from America against Great Britain and Ireland. On that occasion, America ran out comprehensive 19-7 victors, with the US team at the time made up of current stars including World No.1 Scottie Scheffler , two-time Major champion Collin Morikawa , as well as high ranking PGA Tour stars like Will Zalatoris and Maverick McNealy. 

The European team also featured notable names such as 2022 Italian Open champion Robert MacIntyre and DP World Tour regulars Connor Syme, Matthew Jordan and Jack Singh Brar. 

Alongside these events, the club has also hosted a number of college golf tournaments, perhaps most notably the Pac-12 Championship in 2013. It was at that tournament that current World No. 7 and six-time PGA Tour winner, Max Homa , set the LACC course record. 

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The former University of California golfer and Los Angeles native shot a nine-under-par 61 to set a course record that remains to this day. Given the current conditions of the course this week, the American will do well to match such a feat in what promises to be an intriguing affair on America’s west coast.

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England’s Matt Fitzpatrick will be tasked with defending the title that he won at the Country Club in Brookline last year, but will face a tall order against a stacked 156-man field. 

Ben joined Golf Monthly having completed his NCTJ in multimedia sports journalism at News Associates, London. He is now a freelance journalist who also works for The Independent, Metro, UEFA and Stats Perform.

Scottie Scheffler eased to victory at the Tour Championship to earn $25m, but there were some handsome payouts for the others in the field for the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale

By Mike Hall Published 1 September 24

Scheffler had his march towards the title checked by an uncharacteristic error from a bunker in the final round of the East Lake tournament

Scottie Scheffler's looper is on track to receive a huge bump in his earnings for 2024 if the World No.1 can close out victory at East Lake

By Jonny Leighfield Published 30 August 24

The World No.1 opened up a healthy lead after round one of the Tour Championship - creating a little slice of history along the way

Scheffler - who is the World No.1 but does not technically have a Handicap Index - revealed how tough his friends make it for him when playing casual golf together

By Jonny Leighfield Published 28 August 24

The World No.1 was discussing potential changes to the PGA Tour season and shared what really drives him to compete

Scottie Scheffler was keen to play down the extent of his back injury but admitted it was a struggle to get though the first round of the BMW Championship

By Paul Higham Published 23 August 24

PGA Tour players have been casting their votes on who has had the better season between Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele

By Paul Higham Published 22 August 24

Schauffele won two Majors compared to Scheffler's one in 2024, but the best player in the world has far more total victories this season

By Jonny Leighfield Published 21 August 24

The final regular event of the PGA Tour season is taking place this week, resulting in the Comcast Business Top-10 order being set on Sunday night

By Jonny Leighfield Published 8 August 24

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Player Roster

Collin morikawa.

Collin Morikawa has arrived as golf's next superstar. Already a two-time major champion and Olympian at just 27, Collin has matched historical performances with one of the most genuine and relatable personalities in professional sports.

After putting the golf world on notice in 2020, Collin cemented his place in the history books in 2021. With his win at the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession, Collin joined Tiger Woods as the only players to have won a major and a WGC title before the age of 25.

After top-10 performances at both the 2021 PGA Championship and U.S. Open, Collin joined the exclusive club entitled Champion Golfer of the Year with his commanding performance at the 2021 Open Championship. This again linked Collin with Tiger as they are now the only two players to have won both the PGA Championship and Open Championship before the age of 25.

Collin's win at the Open Championship carries further significance. He is the only player in history to win a major in his first attempt twice (his starts at the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open Championship were his first ever in each respective tournament).

Moreover, he reached multiple major victories in the fewest starts in the modern era, winning two major titles in just eight major championship starts. With two wins and four top-10s in his first eight starts, Collin's performance on golf's biggest stages is unparalleled.

Collin became the first American to win the European Tour's Race to Dubai in commanding fashion as he came from 3 strokes back to win by 3 at the 2021 DP World Tour Championship and further established his international credentials by picking up his 6th PGA TOUR win at the ZOZO Championship in Japan.

At the 2020 PGA Championship, Collin hit one of the most iconic shots in major championship history en route to victory with his sensational drive at the par-4 16th hole, which set up an eagle that cemented his place as a major winner.

His two-shot win at Harding Park also carried historic significance, as he joined Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as the only 23-year-olds to win the Wanamaker Trophy.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD

Tommy Fleetwood is one of Europe's leading golfers, having achieved success internationally as a four-time European Tour winner and a Ryder Cup player.

Born on January 19, 1991, in Southport, a coastal town in the north west of England renowned as a popular golfing area, Tommy first took up the game at his local municipal course before showing promise as a junior at Formby Hall under the tutelage of Norman Marshall.

He went on to enjoy a decorated amateur career, finishing runner-up in the 2008 Amateur Championship and representing Great Britain & Ireland in the 2009 Walker Cup before turning professional the following year.

In 2011, he became the youngest player to win the European Challenge Tour Rankings at the age of 20 years and 290 days after earlier winning the Kazakhstan Open.

He claimed his first European Tour title in 2013 at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, and finished inside the top 50 on the Race to Dubai for four consecutive seasons before landing his second title in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2017, finishing a shot clear of Dustin Johnson and Pablo Larrazábal.

That victory was the catalyst for a superb 2017 season as he finished runner up in the WGC-Mexico Championship, fourth at the U.S. Open and won a maiden Rolex Series title in the Open de France, breaking into the top ten on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Tommy went on to finish the year as Europe's Number One player, winning the European Tour's Race to Dubai crown ahead of fellow Englishman Justin Rose, receiving the prestigious Seve Ballesteros Award as Player's Player of the Year.

He successfully defended his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title in 2018 and he came agonisingly close to a first major championship when he finished runner up in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, posting a final round 63 - the equal lowest in a U.S. Open and the lowest final round in any major championship - to finish one shot behind Brooks Koepka.

Tommy made a record-breaking Ryder Cup debut at Le Golf National in France that September, winning four points out of four alongside his friend Francesco Molinari en route to a memorable 17½-10½ victory for Team Europe.

A husband and a father, Tommy launched the Tommy Fleetwood Golf Academy in May 2019 to give kids the opportunity to take up golf and to widen the sport's appeal. His first Academy opened at Formby Hall.

In November 2019 Tommy beat Marcus Kinhult in a playoff to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City in South Africa. Featuring three eagles in one round and starting the final round six shots off the lead, he carded a seven-under 65 to finish on 12-under-par.

Tommy made his second appearance in Team Europe for the 2021 Ryder Cup in Wisconsin and in November 2022 he defended his title at the Nedbank Challenge again winning ahead of Ryan Fox.

TFA Dubai opened in November 2022 and is partnered by DP World as part of their performance centre at Jumeirah Golf Estates. It's success in the region has been huge and members have loved having Tommy as their local resident in Dubai.

In January 2023 Tommy was chosen by Luke Donald and Ryder Cup Team Europe to Captain the GB&I Team for the Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi, they lost unfortunately to Francesco Molinari's Team Europe but Tommy loved the experience and the team bonding that grew from the week.

Just eight months later, Tommy was part of the victorious Team Europe in the 2023 Ryder Cup and has started the 2024 season in style with victory at the Dubai Invitational.

JUSTIN ROSE

From humble beginnings, Justin Rose has ascended to the peaks of professional golf. As a 17-year-old amateur, Justin burst onto the global golf scene with a T4 finish at the Open Championship. However, after 21 consecutive missed cuts to start his professional career, many doubted his resilience. Over the past 20 years, Justin has written one of the most complete resumes the world of golf has ever seen.

A winner of over 20 tournaments worldwide, Justin's accolades include winning the 2013 U.S. Open; winning the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games; being a six-time Ryder Cup member; becoming the 2018 FedExCup Champion; winning the 2007 European Tour Order of Merit, and most recently being named 2021 Recipient of the Payne Stewart Award.

Justin's consistent play saw him rise to #1 in the Official World Golf Ranking in 2018, joining an elite fraternity of only 24 players to have climbed to the top of golf's ranking system. Justin's warm and authentic personality makes him one of the game's greatest ambassadors and a true favourite of his peers and fans alike.

Born in South Africa, raised in England, and having lived much of his professional life in America and the Bahamas, Justin is a true global statesman. Justin and his wife, Kate, have two children, Leo and Charlotte, and are committed philanthropists. The Kate and Justin Rose Foundation, which was founded in 2009, promotes education, nutrition, and experiences for underprivileged youth. To date, they have provided more than 500,000 hunger free weekends, and more than 300,000 books to over 29,000 children in need in America.

Kate and Justin have also been immense advocates for Junior and Women's Professional Golf. In 2020 when Covid-19 closed sporting opportunities for women, they created the Rose Ladies Series with their own money, which has enabled LET Pros and leading amateurs to continue their golfing careers during the pandemic and has continued into this year. With the vision of encouraging and growing golf at grassroots levels, they have also been running and personally sponsoring the largest Junior Series across the UK.

SAHITH THEEGALA

Sahith Theegala is playing with the world's greatest golfers on the PGA TOUR, and every week the golf world is getting better acquainted with the friendly personality and nonstop work ethic that is winning him new fans every time he plays.

In September 2023, Sahith earned his first individual PGA TOUR win at the Fortinet Championship, a two-shot victory over the field. In the fall of 2022, he earned his first win at the QBE Shootout with Tom Hoge. In the 2021/2022 PGA TOUR season, Sahith's best finish was T2 at the Travelers Championship. He also finished T3 at the WM Phoenix Open, where he held the lead for the first three days, T5 at the Memorial, T7 at the Valspar Championship and T8 at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He finished in the top 30 on the FedExCup points list for the season, giving him entry to the majors and other elite events in 2023.

During the 2020/2021 season, Sahith played on both the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours, making the cut in 18 of a total of 24 events played. He finished high enough on the Korn Ferry Tour points list to earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2021/2022 season

Sahith was the leading college golfer in the United States in 2020, and only the fifth player to receive all three of the top golfer awards in one season: the Fred Haskins Award, the Ben Hogan Award and the Jack Nicklaus Award. This recognition made him a player to watch as he began his professional career in 2020 after graduation from Pepperdine University.

A four-year member of the Pepperdine golf team, Sahith gathered four individual tournament titles, including the Alister MacKenzie and Southwestern Invitational events in 2020. He was selected three times as an All-American, and he also had many impressive accomplishments in the highest levels of amateur competition. In 2020 he was the wire-to-wire winner of the Australian Master of the Amateurs tournament at Victoria Golf Club. He also was the champion of the 2019 Southern California Golf Association Amateur Championship, and had top ten finishes at the Western Amateur and Sahalee Players Championship. In 2017 Sahith played in the U. S. Open and PGA TOUR's Genesis Open as an amateur and was selected as a member of the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup U.S. team.

Sahith is from Chino Hills, California, and now lives in Houston. He began his golf career early, exhibiting great skill and early abilities on the course. He was the champion of the prestigious international Junior World Golf Championship at ages 6, 8 and 10, and had numerous victories on the AJGA Junior circuits. By the end of high school he had played in three U.S. Junior Amateur Championships, and also won the 2010 Junior Masters.

Founding Investors

Serena williams.

As the world knows, Serena is more than a record-smashing, boundary-breaking tennis champion. Her achievements, on and off the court, make her one of the most recognizable names and faces in the world - the G.O.A.T.

Serena's lifelong passion for design led her to fashion school, which she attended in between winning Grand Slams. In 2018, she launched her own clothing line, S by Serena, designed to empower people to look and feel their absolute best.

Focused on investing in companies that embrace diverse leadership and opportunity, Serena is effecting change in the financial investments sector with her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures.

Multifaceted. Creative. Iconic. Serena is mama to Olympia, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, designer, daughter, sister, friend. She thrives in all of these roles and more.

Venus Williams

With 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships and 4 Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is arguably one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports.

In addition to her accolades on the court, Venus parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen with her healthy competitive spirit to launch several successful businesses. Throughout her career, Venus has been a steadfast advocate for equality.

In 2007 it was her unwavering fight which led Wimbledon to award women players the same pay as their male counterparts and in 2021, she launched an awareness initiative called the #PrivilegeTax in conjunction with EleVen to bring attention to the wage inequality and unveiled a platform of resources for young women to get inspired and address the issue on a grassroots level.

Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian is a tech founder and venture capitalist. He co-founded Reddit, one of the largest websites in the U.S. currently valued at more than $10B.

In 2020 he founded Seven Seven Six, a new firm built like a technology company that deploys venture capital with over $780M assets under management. In 2022 he launched the 776 Foundation to support marginalized individuals and announced a $20M commitment to climate action through his new 776 Fellowship Program.

Ohanian is also an advocate for paid family leave and the lead founding investor in Angel City Football Club.

Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

Olympia is the youngest owner in professional sports (Angel City FC) and now the youngest 2-team owner in professional sports. She'll be joined by her future sibling.

Alex Antetokounmpo

Alex Antetokounmpo is more than just a rising basketball star. As the youngest brother in the Antetokounmpo family, tying his Greek and American heritage are deeply important to him.

Using his platform to promote positive change, Alex is a role model for younger players and is dedicated to giving back. In addition to his basketball career, Antetokounmpo produces content for his YouTube channel where he features some of the top influencers in basketball in family friendly entertainment.

Combining a unique blend of talent, drive and passion, Alex has the potential to make a significant impact not only in the basketball world but also his community.

Alex serves on the Board of the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation with his brothers, as they focus on sustainable social change that invests in local nonprofits and change-makers in Greece, Nigeria and the United States.

Alex is the Co-Founder of Ante, Inc., with investments in the Nashville Soccer Club, Candy Funhouse, Flexpopwer and more.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known to the world as The Greek Freak, is one of the most decorated players in NBA history. Winning consecutive MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, along with his MVP award, he was also named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, becoming only the third player after Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon to win both awards in the same season.

In 2021, he led the Bucks to their first NBA Championship in 50 years and was named Finals MVP. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards, a member of the NBA 75 list and one of the greatest European players of all-time.

Antetokounmpo and his Family founded the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation in July of 2022 focused on sustainable social change that invests in local non-profits and change-makers in Greece, Nigeria and the United States.

Giannis is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Ante, Inc., as well as owner and investor in Nashville Soccer Club, Milwaukee Brewers, Candy Funhouse, Flexpower and more.

Kostas Antetokounmpo

Kostas, the third Antetokounmpo brother to be selected in the NBA draft, won an NBA Championship with the Lakers in 2020 and French LNB Pro A Championship with ASVEL in 2022.

Known for his defensive prowess and shot blocking abilities, Antetokounmpo currently plays for Panthanakios in Athens, Greece.

Kostas serves on the Board of the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation with his brothers, as they focus on sustainable social change that invests in local nonprofits and change-makers in Greece, Nigeria and the United States.

Kostas is the Co-Founder of Ante, Inc., with investments in the Nashville Soccer Club, Candy Funhouse, Hellenic Winery and more.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo

An NBA Champion (2021) and Greek Basketball League Champion (2018, 2019), the eldest Antetokounmpo brother, Thanasis has inspired fans across the globe with his skill, hard work, determination and energy.

Through his ‘Thanalysis’ Podcast, Thanasis speaks with business leaders, artists, actors, musicians, and athletes about their journey, what motivates them and career advice for those looking to get ahead.

Along with his brothers Alex, Kostas and Giannis, the Family founded the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation in July of 2022 focused on sustainable social change that invests in local non-profits and change-makers in Greece, Nigeria and the United States.

Thanasis is the Co-Founder of Ante, Inc., with investments in the Nashville Soccer Club, Flexpower, Candy Funhouse and more.

Alex Morgan

2x World Cup Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist & Entrepreneur. A blur on the pitch, Alex Morgan overwhelms defenders with her graceful yet attacking style, bringing defenses to their knees and fans to their feet.

Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, UEFA Women’s Champions League Champion, and NWSL Champion, Alex is a proven winner at all levels. Businesswoman, author, social media phenom, marketing icon – she is all this and more, proof that Alex’s ability to inspire and excite fans stretches far beyond the pitch.

Alex is the leading founder of TOGETHXR, a lifestyle and media company with a focus on storytelling in sport, culture, fashion and activism. In 2023, Alex launched the Alex Morgan Foundation to help girls and women find confident paths forward in sport and in life.

As a mom to Charlie, Alex is tackling motherhood and continues to be a force on the pitch. This soccer mom is an inspiration to so many on how to embody strength, leadership, and grace.

Servando Carrasco

Servando Carrasco is a Mexican-American businessman and former professional soccer player. After being drafted by the Seattle Sounders in 2011 Servando went on to play 10 years in Major Leagues Soccer and served as a player representative for the MLSPA from 2016-2017.

Prior to his MLS years Servando obtained an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a focus in International Economics from UC Berkeley and has since graduated with an MS in Sports Management.

Servando and his wife, Alex Morgan have joined forces as angel investors in sports tech, SaaS, healthcare, and consumer brands for the past five years. Some of their most recent Trybe Ventures investments include Equip Health, Wildtype, TMRW, Rebelstork, and Brightwheel.

Michelle Wie West

Michelle Wie West is an LPGA icon and one of the biggest names in the sport. A five-time winner on the LPGA including the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, Michelle has been a force on the LPGA since turning professional as a teen-phenom in 2005.

In 2023, Wie West became the tournament host of the Mizuho Americas Open, a first of its kind event format that combined LPGA and AJGA players in the same field creating an unprecedented week of education and access to inspire the next generation of LPGA Tour players.

As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, a philanthropist, entrepreneur and mother, Michelle is one of the most impactful females in the sport.

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Tucked away in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, Elmhurst Country Club is best known for its meticulously maintained 18-hole championship golf course that has hosted multiple PGA tour events as well as regional tournaments and weekly leagues. With our recent million-dollar course improvements, Elmhurst is groomed for the professional golfer but is also inviting to the novice. 

Elmhurst Country Club Tournaments

Elmhurst hosts multiple single and multi-day tournaments throughout the year that are designed for golfers of all abilities. Playing in an Elmhurst hosted tournament is exciting, challenging, and always fun.

So Much More Than Exceptional Golf

In addition to exceptional golf, we offer some of the most beautiful and delicious dining options in the region. Depending on your preference, you can choose from multiple indoor and outdoor dining options that allow you to relax with friends for everything from a fine dining celebration to a casual burger on the patio. Best of all, every seat in the clubhouse has a beautiful view of the 18th fairway and the stunning mountainous backdrop that transforms with vibrant colors during the fall.

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How to watch the Tour Championship, the final event of 2024 FedExCup Playoffs

Thirty golfers will compete for the largest prize on the pga tour, by max molski • published august 27, 2024 • updated on august 27, 2024 at 9:34 am.

It all comes down to this for the PGA Tour .

A season's worth of play will culminate with the Tour Championship. Not only does the tournament come with a prestigious Tour title, but also a record-breaking payday.

📺 Los Angeles news 24/7: Watch NBC4 free wherever you are

Scottie Scheffler has been the man to beat all season, and he leads the pack entering the Tour Championship. The 2024 Masters and Olympics champion lapped the field in FedExCup points during the regular season, and he has held onto his lead through the first two events of the FedExCup Playoffs.

Xander Schauffele is hot on Scheffler's heels, though. Schauffele is second in FedExCup points heading into this year's championship event after winning the PGA Championship and the British Open .

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Hideki Matsuyama and Keegan Bradley are next in the standings after winning the first two FedExCup Playoff events, respectively. Matsuyama started the playoffs by winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and Bradley followed that up by winning the BMW Championship after being the last golfer to qualify for the event.

Who will take home the PGA Tour's top prize? Here's everything to know for the 2024 Tour Championship:

When is the Tour Championship?

The Tour Championship will go from Thursday, Aug. 29, to Sunday, Sept. 1.

Where is the Tour Championship?

The Tour Championship will be held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

The course hosted the tournament for the first time in 1998 and has been the annual home of the event since 2004.

Keegan Bradley goes from last man in to BMW Championship winner

Hideki Matsuyama avoids collapse and rallies to win St. Jude Championship

How to watch the 2024 tour championship.

Here is the full TV and streaming schedule for the Tour Championship:

Thursday, Aug. 29

• 1-6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel/ Peacock

Friday, Aug. 30

Saturday, Aug. 31

• 1-2:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel/ Peacock
• 2:30-7 p.m. ET, NBC/ Peacock

Sunday, Sept. 1

• 12-1:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel/ Peacock
• 1:30-6 p.m. ET, NBC/ Peacock

2024 Tour Championship field and starting strokes

Thirty golfers are left standing for the Tour Championship.

The tournament features starting strokes, which convert FedExCup points into handicaps for the start of the event. The players at the top of the FedExCup standings have a greater advantage, while those lower in the standings will start from behind.

Here is where all 30 golfers stand entering the Tour Championship:

• 1. Scottie Scheffler: 10-under
• 2. Xander Schauffele: 8-under
• 3. Hideki Matsuyama: 7-under
• 4. Keegan Bradley: 6-under
• 5. Ludvig Aberg: 5-under
• T-6. Rory McIlroy: 4-under
• T-6. Collin Morikawa: 4-under
• T-6. Wyndham Clark: 4-under
• T-6. Sam Burns: 4-under
• T-6. Patrick Cantlay: 4-under
• T-11. Sungjae Im: 3-under
• T-11. Sahith Theegala: 3-under
• T-11. Shane Lowry: 3-under
• T-11. Adam Scott: 3-under
• T-11. Tony Finau: 3-under
• T-16. Byeong Hun An: 2-under
• T-16. Viktor Hovland: 2-under
• T-16. Russell Henley: 2-under
• T-16. Akshay Bhatia: 2-under
• T-16. Robert MacIntyre: 2-under
• T-21. Billy Horschel: 1-under
• T-21. Tommy Fleetwood: 1-under
• T-21. Sepp Straka: 1-under
• T-21. Matthieu Pavon: 1-under
• T-21. Taylor Pendrith: 1-under
• T-26. Chris Kirk: Even
• T-26. Tom Hoge: Even
• T-26. Aaron Rai: Even
• T-26. Christiaan Bezuidenhout: Even
• T-26. Justin Thomas: Even

Tour Championship prize money

All 30 golfers are set to make at least $550,000 for the Tour Championship. Here is a look at the full tournament prize pool:

• $25 million
• $12.5 million
• $7.5 million
• $3.5 million
• $2.75 million
• $2.225 million
• $1.75 million
• $1.075 million
• $1.025 million

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Junior Golf Tour

The Isaly’s Junior Golf Tour schedule includes 20 events, followed by the Player of the Year Championship. The field for each of the 20 pre-qualifying tournaments will be limited to the first 100 applicants. The Tri-State PGA Point System will be used to determine finishers in each event, and points will be cumulative. The top 10 finishers in each age category will qualify for the Player of the Year Championship and are included in the top 10 finishers. The Isaly’s Junior Player of the Year will be determined in each age division by the total number of points accumulated by participants during the 20 pre-qualifying rounds and the final championship. The Isaly’s Player of the Year Championship event will award double points (POY Championship details below).

202FORE Isaly’s Junior Golf Tour Member Registration Link       REGISTER HERE

Member registration & individual tournament registration are now open.

For any questions or issues, please call 724-774-2224 ext.63304

Fees Online Membership Fee : $100.00 Online Registration (per event): $75.00

Eligibility by age division.

• Boys 11 – 14
• Boys 15 – 16
• Boys 17 – 18
• Girls 11 – 15
• Girls 16 – 18

Your division will be determined by your age on August 1, 2024

Please Note

1. Click the link Jr. Golf Tournament Registration & Results 2. You will receive an email when you are accepted into an event. 3. Once a player is accepted into any of the tournaments, NO REFUNDS will be issued! 4. Cell phones will be allowed on the golf course for MOBILE SCORING, RULES QUESTIONS, and EMERGENCIES. 5. Spectator carts will be allowed IF PERMITTED BY THE HOST FACILITY (Fees may apply)! 6. JUNIORS MUST WALK AND CARRY THEIR OWN BAGS OR MAY USE A PULL CART IF PERMITTED BY THE HOST FACILITY! 7. Computation of scores/finishes is the responsibility of each contestant. The TSPGA does not provide this information on an individual basis. 8. Tee times will be available on the website at least one week prior to each event or you may call the section office or the tournament site for your tee time. 9. The Junior Tour is open to boys and girls ages 11 - 18. Your division will be determined by your age on the date of the player's championship (August 1, 2024). All tournaments will be governed under United States Golf Association rules. 10. Distance measuring devices are permitted in any junior level event conducted by the Tri-State Section PGA. (SLOPE MODE is not permitted)

2024 Confirmed Events

Events are 18 Hole Individual Stroke Play *Schedule subject to change

2024 Isaly’s Player of the Year Championship

Thursday, august 1, 2024 nemacolin resort 1001 lafayette drive farmington, pa 15437, isaly’s player of the year point system.

**Double Points will be awarded at the Player of the Year Championship (i.e. 1st Place = 100 Points)

Juniors will be invited to compete in the Player of the Year Championship if they possess one of the following:

• Take 1st place in any tournament
• Rank within the Top 10 in cumulative point total in their respective age division at the conclusion of the season.

CANCELLATION / SUSPENSION OF PLAY POLICY

Due to inclement weather or unsafe playing conditions, the TSPGA Jr. Tournament Director has the authority to declare suspended or incomplete rounds (with 9 Hole minimum completed) as an official and complete tournament. No refunds will be made!

COMPUTATION OF SCORES / FINISHES IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTESTANT. THE TSPGA DOES NOT PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

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2024 Solheim Cup: Meet the U.S. Team

Jin young ko comes up just short of 16th tour title at fm championship.

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The U.S. Solheim Cup team has been finalized with the addition of Jennifer Kupcho, Sarah Schmelzel and Lexi Thompson as 2024 captain’s picks. Meet the entire 12-person team who will play for U.S. Captain Stacy Lewis and represent the Red, White and Blue at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Allisen Corpuz

Hometown: Kapolei, Hawaii

Qualified: U.S. Solheim Cup Points

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: 2023

Career Solheim Cup Record: 2-1-1

2024 LPGA Tour Performance:

• Two top-10 finishes
• $525,103 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: 1

Major Championship Victories: 1 (2023 U.S. Women’s Open)

Lauren Coughlin

Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: Rookie

Career Solheim Cup Record: N/A

• Two victories (CPKC Women’s Open, ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open)
• Five additional top-10 finishes
• $1,876,282 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: 2

Major Championship Victories: N/A

Hometown: Fulton, Mississippi

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: 2019, 2021, 2023

Career Solheim Cup Record: 3-8-1

• Six top-10 finishes
• $1,844,846 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: 3

Megan Khang

Hometown: Rockland, Massachusetts

Career Solheim Cup Record: 4-3-3

• Three top-10 finishes
• $560,600 earned

Nelly Korda

Hometown: Bradenton, Florida

Career Solheim Cup Record: 7-4-1

• 6 victories (LPGA Drive On Championship, FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, Ford Championship presented by KCC, T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards, The Chevron Championship, Mizuho Americas Open)
• Two additional top-10 finishes
• $3,601,630 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: 14

Major Championship Victories: 2 (2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 2024 Chevron Championship)

Jennifer Kupcho

Hometown: Westminster, Colorado

Qualified: Captain’s Pick

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: 2021, 2023

Career Solheim Cup Record: 2-3-2

• Four top-10 finishes
• $842,428 earned

Major Championship Victories: 1 (2022 Chevron Championship)

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Qualified: Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: 2015

Career Solheim Cup Record: 1-3-0

• $532,909 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: N/A

Hometown: Hermosa Beach, California

Career Solheim Cup Record: 1-2-1

• Five top-10 finishes
• $1,165,613 earned

Sarah Schmelzel

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: N/A

• $749,116 earned

Lexi Thompson

Hometown: Delray Beach, Florida

Previous Solheim Cup Appearances: 2013, 2015 (winners), 2017 (winners), 2019, 2021, 2023

Career Solheim Cup Record: 9-7-7

• $646,467 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: 11

Major Championship Victories: 1 (2014 Chevron Championship)

Hometown: Fountain Valley, California

• One victory (Meijer LPGA for Simply Give )
• Three additional top-10 finishes
• $1,985,489 earned

Career LPGA Tour Victories: 5

Major Championship Victories: 2 (2023 Chevron Championship, 2023 AIG Women’s Open)

Hometown: Irvine, California

Career Solheim Cup Record: 0-2-1

• One victory (Cognizant Founders Cup)
• $887,020 earned

Related Articles

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ESPN+ will stream live featured group coverage of the LPGA Tour’s FM Championship, an event in its inaugural year on the LPGA Tour. Featured Groups coverage starts at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET, from TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. Click Here to Watch on ESPN+

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Lapwai, ID (83501)

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 92F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Updated: September 2, 2024 @ 2:45 am

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Joel Dahmen holds his Whing Ding championship trophy.

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Geon Bonnalie tries to use some body english to coax the ball into the hole.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: This story was originally published in the Tribune on Sept. 8, 2009. Joel Dahmen has since gone on to be a PGA Tour professional and is making an appearance in the valley this week on the occasion of this year's Whing Ding tournament.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Dahmen wins three-way clash of champions

Clarkston high grad repeats 2006 title in sole survivor.

• By A.L. Alford Jr. Of The Tribune
• Sep 2, 2024
• Sep 2, 2024 Updated 1 hr ago

It was a golf fan's fantasy, having three top amateur golfers in the conclusion Monday of the 57th annual Lewiston Golf and Country Club's Whing Ding sole survivor championship.

Clarkston's Joel Dahmen, a veteran amateur at 21 and a sole survivor qualifier since he was a 14-year-old freshman at Clarkston High School in 2002, won his second title with a par on the final hole.

He defeated the 2008 sole survivor champion, Moscow's Jason Huff, who had tree trouble and three-putted the final hole. Eliminated on the prior hole was Moscow's Chris Williams, the 2007 Sole Survivor champion who will be a freshman on the nationally ranked University of Washington golf team.

The 10 qualifying sole survivor golfers had a record low tournament handicap aggregate, a combined plus-10, surpassing the 2006 record of a total plus-four. The three finalists were a combined plus-13, with Dahmen a plus-four, Huff a plus-three and Williams a plus-six.

"Yes, No. 2," a smiling Dahmen said after the win. "There's so much pressure, so much adrenaline. It's an experience." Dahmen's first sole survivor title was in 2006 at age 18, following his Clarkston High graduation and weeks before heading to the University of Washington on a golf scholarship.

But the freshman year went awry for Dahmen, who failed academically and wasn't able to play UW golf. It was personally a difficult time after the 2005 death of his mother, Jolyn Riggs Dahmen, who died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 46.

Dahmen moved back to Clarkston two weeks ago and will be a student at the Clarkston branch of Walla Walla Community College in the fall quarter. He has college credits, he said, to qualify him as a junior. After the academic quarter, "Then, I'm looking at any options. Possibly, it will be college in Arizona. Possibly anywhere. I definitely want to finish my degree and play golf after that, hopefully (professionally) for money."

Dahmen had orally committed this fall to enroll at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston and be a golf team member. "But it didn't work out the way I wanted," he said, having commitments to play golf tournaments elsewhere in the West. "I feel bad about it."

In the last year, "I've played a lot, including Arizona and Mexico." His best finish was tying for 13th in the Pacific Coast Amateur at The Gallery in Tucson, Ariz. His Labor Day title adds to Washington state high school championships and an abundance of western and national tournament play.

On the final hole, Lewiston's 512-yard par 5, Dahmen hit a drive an estimated 332 yards and Huff's was in excess of 300. Huff's ball, however, was in a second cut of grass just feet from the lake and he had a difficult deep lie. His 6-iron "caught the whole tree" in front of him, leaving a 100-yard wedge to the green. Dahmen, 180 yards from the green and 192 yards from the pin, also hit a 6-iron. His shot hit the green but eased off to the right, leaving him a lob wedge 10 yards uphill to the pin. Dahmen two-putted from 15 feet. Huff's 16-foot putt rolled 51/2 feet away down a slippery slope and his par putt lipped the left side of the hole.

On the second-to-last hole, par-4 No. 17, Williams was in a chip-off with Huff after pars, with Dahmen safe after his birdie. Williams' chip was just inches farther away than Huff's, causing elimination.

Huff, a business teacher at Moscow High School, has been golfing friends with Williams and Dahmen for years.

Afterwards, Dahmen kidded: "At least I beat that little punk," Williams. More seriously, he said, "he'll (Williams) do better than I did at the University of Washington."

Dahmen holds the Lewiston course's club record with a 9-under-par 63 and also the competitive record at Spokane's Indian Canyon Golf Course with a 61.

Although Dahmen's future college plans aren't tied down, he's hoping to return in 2010 to qualify for the sole survivor again. "Plan on it," he said.

In the sole survivor, the golfer with the highest score on each of nine holes is eliminated. In case of a tie, the player farthest from the hole after the chip shots is eliminated, as on four holes in 2009. The sole survivor's 10 low gross players from Saturday and Sunday qualify for the finals. The survivor was played on the front nine's first four holes and 14 through 18 on the back side. Williams was the 2009 Whing Ding gross champion with an 8-under-par 136, winning by five strokes.

The gallery was estimated at 350.

Earlier eliminations were: No. 16, Chris Meyer of Moscow, a University of Idaho professional golf management major from St. Regis, Mont., after two chip-offs; No. 15, Geno Bonnalie of Lewiston in his fourth sole survivor, in a chip-off; No. 14, Tyler Carlson, a Clarkston High School sophomore; No. 4, Tony Azzara of Lewiston, an LCSC golf team member from Anchorage; No. 3, Lewiston's Chad Laird; No. 2, Greg Tatham of Lewiston, and No. 1, Chris Jarrett of Lewiston, a senior on the LCSC golf team from Bend.

Carlson, 16, as a freshman was a Clarkston letterman and is winner of numerous junior events. He was the youngest in the field of 10. The oldest qualifier was Tatham, 56, who had the group's longest drive on No. 1 but fell to bad luck on the second hole. He drove his golf cart over his own ball, by mistake, embedding the ball and causing a one-stroke penalty, resulting in the only bogey on the hole. Second in years was Laird, 39 years old and playing in his third consecutive sole survivor.

The Diamond Shop of Lewiston and Lewiston Golf Shop provided $900 in "skins" for the sole survivor players with the lowest unduplicated scores hole by hole. Bonnalie won $300 on No. 3 for the first three holes. The remaining $600 was won by Dahmen.

Mixed Chapman Tournament

Low overall gross

Championship flight -1. Greg Tatham, Lewiston, and Monica Epler, Clarkston, 72. 2. David Jasper, Dallas, and Penny Jacks, Lewiston, 73. 3. Gary and Marcy Holt, Spokane, 75. 4. Tim Gleason and Krichell Reidel, Lewiston, and Doug Litchfield and Jamie Esh, Lewiston, 79.

First flight - 1. Jeff and Lori Wright, Orofino, 86. 2. Cliff Nanninga and Lindsey Reynolds, Lewiston, 87. 3. Lanne Seifert, Lewiston, and Rita Garland, Clarkston, 92. 4. Steve and Barb Cox, Clarkston, 93.

Championship flight - 1. Jim and Shaleen Holstein, Spokane, 66. 2. Ron and Judith Wetmore, Lewiston, 67. 3. Ross Button and Stephanie Huff, Lewiston, 70. 4. Jim Haaland and Nicola Witty, Clarkston, 71.

First flight - 1. Tom and Anne Flowers, Lewiston, 67. 2. Bill and Brook Anne Beutler, Clarkston, John and Marilyn Black, Lewiston, and Dick and Janice Medley, Lewiston, 72.

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The First Look: U.S. Open

The First Look

Los Angeles Country Club plays host to season's third major

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The U.S. Open is going Hollywood.

The season's third major championship is heading to The Los Angeles Country Club (North Course), the first time LA has hosted the U.S. Open in 75 years. The club underwent a five-year restoration project to bring the design back to its roots and is now ready to welcome a major-championship field.

“I think it’s going to be one of the best U.S. Opens there’s been for a while,” past winner Rory McIlroy said earlier in June.

“I think West Coast U.S. Opens always deliver, for some reason.”

Torrey Pines hosted the last U.S. Open in California, and Jon Rahm captured his first major after making birdie on the final two holes Sunday. In the process he became the first player since Tom Watson in 1982 to win the U.S. Open with birdies on his final two holes. The leaderboard Sunday saw 10 players within a shot of the lead at one point.

“West Coast U.S. Opens,” McIlroy said, “I really like.”

While McIlroy is looking for his first major triumph since 2014, plenty of the game’s best are looking for their own “Hollywood ending” come Sunday night in Los Angeles.

FIELD NOTES: Matt Fitzpatrick will head from coast-to-coast to try to successfully defend his U.S. Open title at LACC. The last player to go back-to-back at the U.S. Open was Brooks Koepka (2017-18), breaking a near 30-year drought of repeat champions (Curtis Strange, 1988-89)… World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is looking for his second major triumph. Scheffler won THE PLAYERS earlier this year and has two TOUR titles so far this season. Scheffler is in the midst of an all-time ball-striking season, sitting first in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, Off-the-Tee, and Approach the Green… World No. 2 Jon Rahm, is looking to win his second major of the season, after taking the Masters in April. Rahm has four victories already in 2023 and a runner-up at the Mexico Open at Vidanta… Rory McIlroy hasn’t won a major in almost a decade but he’s seemingly done everything else on the PGA TOUR since then. The reigning FedExCup champion missed the cut at the Masters but finished tied for seventh at the PGA Championship… The final six spots in the field will be determined Monday after the RBC Canadian Open via the Official World Golf Ranking. If there are still open spots, the USGA will determine entry via alternate lists across Final Qualifying sites… Four of the world's top 10-ranked players are all looking for their first major win in Patrick Cantlay (No. 4), Viktor Hovland (No. 5), and a pair of California kids in Xander Schauffele (No. 6) and Max Homa (No. 7)… Another Californian with some ties to the host venue is Collin Morikawa, who has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last 12 majors and was part of the winning U.S. squad (with Scheffler) at the 2017 Walker Cup at LACC.

NOTABLE QUALIFIERS: Four members of Stanford’s 2022-23 team got in via Final Qualifying at four different sites on June 4: Barclay Brown, Michael Thorbjornsen, Karl Vilips and Alexander Yang… Omar Morales, a sophomore at UCLA, will tee it up at LACC after earning medalist honors at the LA qualifier… Olin Browne Jr. will follow in his father’s footsteps. Browne Jr. will play his first major championship – and first PGA TOUR event – after earning the medalist spot in Columbus. Browne Sr. was the 36-hole co-leader at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2005… Gordon Sargent, the 2022 NCAA champion, will tee it up at his second major championship of the year after earning a special invite to play the Masters. He was medalist at Georgia's Final Qualifying site… TOUR Special Temporary Member Ryan Gerard was medalist in Toronto, thanks to making an ace in his first round of the day en route to shooting the course record at Lambton Golf and Country Club… Ryo Ishikawa was one of the qualifiers from Japan… There were 13 PGA TOUR winners in the Dallas qualifier, and it was TOUR rookie Carson Young who topped them all.

Olin Browne, Jr. shares his excitement and mindset after qualifying for the U.S. Open

STORYLINES:

1) Could Jon Rahm be Lucky No. 7?

Six players have previously won the Masters and the U.S. Open in the same season, and given Jon Rahm’s body of work so far in 2023, it’s a fair estimation he’s a favorite to become the seventh. Rahm, a four-time winner this year, won his previous U.S. Open in California at Torrey Pines and his game is as complete as any as he looks to contend at LACC. The last player to win both the green jacket and the U.S. Open in the same year was Jordan Spieth in 2015. Tiger Woods did it in 2002, but that was 30 years after Jack Nicklaus did it in 1972.

2) What will this first-time venue bring?

Prior to Los Angeles Country Club, the most recent first-time U.S. Open venue was Erin Hills in 2017. LACC also opens with a par 5 (the first time since Erin Hills that’s happened at a U.S. Open) but there are plenty of unknowns about how the host club will play. Some have speculated a plethora of low scores, which would deviate from the traditional U.S. Open ethos, considering soft conditions into the week. Then again, U.S. Open tracks have been known to get firmer and faster as the week progresses. After a five-year restoration project, while there are questions – only a small number of the players have actually played the course – there is also lots of excitement. The club is just 15 minutes from Hollywood, so while the best of the PGA TOUR will shine bright, the course itself may be the brightest star of the week.

3) California love

No player with California ties has won the U.S. Open since Tiger Woods in 2008 (Woods was born in Cypress) but there’s a hearty handful looking to raise the U.S. Open trophy in their home state this time around. Max Homa is perhaps the most likely candidate to have some home-state success, given the precedent set by his previous TOUR efforts in the Golden State. Four of Homa’s six TOUR titles have come in California, including both of his wins this season (Fortinet Championship and Farmers Insurance Open). He also finished runner-up to Jon Rahm at The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club – about 15 miles from LACC.

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 600 FedExCup points.

COURSE: The Los Angeles Country Club (North Course), 7,421 yards, par 70. George C. Thomas Jr. designed the current North Course at LACC, which opened in 1928. Gil Hanse – along with Jim Wagner and Geoff Shackelford – restored the original Thomas design in 2010. The club has hosted three USGA championships in the past, including the 2017 Walker Cup. The course is set to be much wider than most U.S. Open venues (with fairways up to 60 yards across) and the collection of par-3s are unique – set to play from as little as 80 yards to over 300 yards. This marks the first U.S. Open with Bermuda grass since 2005 at Pinehurst No. 2.

72-HOLE RECORD: 268, Rory McIlroy (2011 at Congressional CC).

18-HOLE RECORD: 63, Johnny Miller (4th round, 1973 at Oakmont), Tom Weiskopf (1st round, 1980 at Baltusrol), Jack Nicklaus (1st round, 1980 at Baltusrol), Vijay Singh (2nd round, 2003 at Olympia Fields), Justin Thomas (3rd round, 2017 at Erin Hills), Tommy Fleetwood (4th round, 2018 at Shinnecock Hills).

LAST TIME: Matt Fitzpatrick captured his second big title at The Country Club, winning the U.S. Open nine years after he won the U.S. Amateur at the same course. Fitzpatrick captured his maiden major championship by one shot after hitting one of the shots of the year – his approach on No. 18 from the fairway bunker – to help him put a bow on a closing 2-under 68. Will Zalatoris had a chance to tie Fitzpatrick, but his birdie try from 15 feet slid by on the left. It was Zalatoris’ second straight runner-up finish at a major. Zalatoris finished tied with 2022 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler at 5 under, one back of Fitzpatrick – who won on the PGA TOUR for the first time after seven wins on the DP World Tour. Hideki Matsuyama finished fourth alone at 3 under, while Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa finished tied for fifth.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Television: Thursday-Friday, 9:40 a.m.-1 p.m. ET (Peacock), 1 p.m.-8 p.m. (USA), 8 p.m.-11 p.m. (NBC). Saturday, 1 p.m.-11 p.m. ET. Sunday, 12 p.m.-1 p.m. (Peacock), 1 p.m.-11 p.m. (NBC).

Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-11 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-11 p.m. (SiriusXM 92/U.S. Open radio)

Streaming: Various via USOpen.com. Featured Holes and Featured Groups to be announced.

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Creator Classic 2024 lineup: Who's playing in the tournament of golf influencers, from Paige Spiranac to Bryan Bros

Hey, this is pretty neat: The PGA Tour decided to give some golf influencers from around social media and YouTube to play on Wednesday at the East Lake Golf Club, specifically 16 of them, before the Tour Championship at the Atlanta course begins.

They're calling it the Creator Classic , a nine-hole challenge that is sure to bring in some eyeballs with fans tuning in on YouTube and elsewhere to watch.

The participants range from a dude from Dude Perfect, the famed Bryan Bros and a few Good Good creators.

Here's a roundup of the who's who of players teeing it up on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET:

1. Paige Spiranac

2. tyler toney (dude perfect), 3. garrett clark (good good).

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garrett Clark (@gm__golf)

4. Brad Dalke (Good Good)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Callaway Golf (@callawaygolf)

5. Sean Walsh (Good Good)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sean Walsh (@sean_walsh14)

6. Fat Perez (Bob Does Sports)

🎯 🎯 🎯 https://t.co/tGZ9MS7JIt — Fat Perez (@FatPerez33) July 27, 2024

7. Aimee Cho

8. roger steele.

Golf Maturity is realizing that keeping your head down and listening for the putt to go in gives you way more control than trying to see if you’re making it or not. Gotta learn how to let go and trust to play better golf. pic.twitter.com/WOBcIYdpO7 — Roger Steele (@RogerSteeleJr) August 27, 2024

9. Wesley Bryan

10. george bryan, 11. micah morris.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Micah Morris (@micahmorrisgolf)

12. Peter Finch

Last little tune up before heading to Atlanta 💪 https://t.co/2sTu05T5UK pic.twitter.com/4Cuqwmlqgu — Peter Finch (@PeterFinchGolf) August 26, 2024

13. Luke Kwon

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Luke Kwon (@luke.kwon)

14. Mac Boucher

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mac (@macbouchergolf)

15. Gabby "Golf Girl" DeGasperis

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ɢᴀʙʙʏ / ɢᴏʟғ / ɢɪʀʟ (@gabbygolfgirl)

16. Mason Nutt

New one for ya, live now! 👇🏻 https://t.co/6MMa65iAPY pic.twitter.com/4PDOlIrLMh — BustaJack Golf (@BustaJackGolf) August 18, 2024

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Creator Classic 2024 lineup: Who's playing in the tournament of golf influencers, from Paige Spiranac to Bryan Bros

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The Players Championship and PGA Tour have joined with Florida State College at Jacksonville to honor AJ Laguerre Jr., the youngest victim of the Dollar General shooting last year.

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More than 200 students were in attendance the rally, where FSCJ President John Avendano posthumously presented Laguerre with an honorary Association in Science degree in Cybersecurity. He gave the diploma and a school jersey to the Laguerre family.

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“As members of this community, we strive to ensure that the contributions our tournament and the PGA TOUR make are meaningful," he said "We are honored to play a small part in ensuring AJ’s legacy reflects and supports the dreams of future FSCJ students with similar goals.”

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PGA Tour will launch World Feed at 2025 Players

The PGA Tour announced earlier this week that it will launch the PGA Tour World Feed during the week of the 2025 Players Championship, which will originate from the Tour’s new content facility, PGA Tour Studios, which opens in January.

According to a release, the World Feed "will allow the Tour and its international media partners to provide fans with more customized coverage and storytelling of the Tour’s international players, complemented by a customized graphics package and a dedicated international commentary team."

Rick Anderson, PGA Tour Chief Commercial Officer, said the launch, "is an important step — the first of many — as PGA Tour Studios comes online and we create more opportunities to showcase our world-class athletes and championships to an ever-growing audience.”

The World Feed will be produced exclusively for international media partners and their viewers with a customized graphics package and specific cameras focused on international golfers.

The new, live telecast will feature weekly on-site reporters and include up to six dedicated cameras at select FedExCup events, allowing for greater coverage of international players. Following its debut at The Players, the World Feed will be produced for all remaining events on the 2025 schedule.

The Tour been delivering an Enhanced International Feed (EIF) for more than 20 years. But the current EIF production model only supplements the United States feed. The World Feed will be a separate dedicated feed that will serve international media partners while also following the leaders and the overall competition.

Launching the World Feed is the first step toward producing localized live feeds specific to certain countries, with native language announcers and graphics, in the coming years and a major step toward improving the international fan experience.

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2024 PGA Tour Championship odds, expert picks, DFS: Scottie Scheffler starts in front, but Xander Schauffele has course history

The Tour Championship returns to Atlanta for the conclusion of the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs at East Lake Golf Club. Scottie Scheffler is the No. 1 seed entering the Tour Championship for the third consecutive year and will start the tournament at 10-under.

Scheffler has yet to close the deal and capture a FedEx Cup title. East Lake Golf Club, and its greens in particular, have caused him a lot of problems. Xander Schauffele is the second seed and will be starting at 8-under. Schauffele has an excellent course history here, winning the tournament in 2017 and finishing tied with Viktor Hovland in total shots last year while firing a 62 in the final round.

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Rory McIlroy will be seeking his fourth FedEx Cup title and will be starting at 4-under, which is the same number that he was sitting at when he had the largest comeback in FedEx Cup history. The starting score of 4-under is just about the furthest we can look when it comes to betting on a winner of the FedEx Cup. Giving Scheffler a six-stroke head start isn’t an ideal situation for anyone, even if he doesn’t love this golf course.

East Lake Golf Club underwent a large-scale renovation prior to this tournament. With all of the changes to the course, there is some optimism for Scheffler, as well as some doubt for golfers who have dominated here over the years.

For this week’s projections, I’m bumping up the percentage for strokes gained on approach and using a smaller sample of the last 24 rounds while throwing out the BMW Championship. The water ball situation at Castle Pines Golf Club threw the statistics completely out of balance. Scheffler and Schauffele both ended up losing strokes on approach, thanks to the altitude and the unfamiliarity of the golf course. No one suffered from this bias more than Akshay Bhatia, who lost over 11 strokes on approach last week. The addition of another Par 5 has me factoring in Par 5 scoring as well as birdie or better a little more this week. Keegan Bradley jumped up into fourth place in the FedEx Cup Playoffs from 50th with his win on Sunday, and yet I don’t see a scenario where he won’t fall at least a few places when the week is over.

Pick up The Athletic 2024 Fantasy Football Guide to read expert evaluations & everything you need to know to win your fantasy football league.

Pick up The Athletic 2024 Fantasy Football Guide to read expert evaluations.

Course information

Course: East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta

Designer: Tom Bendelow (1908), redesign by Donald Ross in 1913, redesign by Rees Jones in 1993, redesign by Andrew Green in 2023

Yardage: 7,490 yards

Average green size: 6,238 square feet

Features: East Lake Golf Club has undergone a massive redesign by Andrew Green since the 2023 Tour Championship. The greens were all redesigned to stop the repetitiveness of the circular greens that sloped back to front since Rees Jones’ redesign in 1993. The bunkering was changed back to some of the original designs. The eighth hole was shortened to make it a driveable Par 4. East Lake had become too predictable, with little to no memorable holes, before the new redesign. The Par-3 15th and the closing Par-5 18th were probably the only two holes that the average PGA Tour fan could remember from past events. The 14th hole has been changed to a Par 5 at 580 yards, which means there is more opportunity to score on the back nine.

Past champions: 2023 Viktor Hovland, 2022 Rory McIlroy, 2021 Patrick Cantlay, 2020 Dustin Johnson, 2019 Rory McIlroy, 2018 Tiger Woods, 2017 Xander Schauffele, 2016 Rory McIlroy, 2015 Jordan Spieth, 2014 Billy Horschel

2024 Tour Championship odds

Betting slip.

Xander Schauffele (+225) has the best recent course history here, but a lot of that can be thrown out the window with all of the changes to the golf course. We can’t throw out his current form off the tee or on the greens. He is firing on all cylinders heading into the final week of the PGA Tour season. He struggled on approach at the BMW Championship and still finished T5 thanks to his superior driving and putting.

Ludvig Åberg (+1800) hasn’t won yet this year but starts the tournament at 5-under with a real chance to surprise this week. He led the BMW Championship in Par-5 scoring and looks fully healthy to end the season. I love what I saw from him last week, and I’m not scared that he is making his debut at East Lake Golf Club because of all of the changes.

Scottie Scheffler ($12,200) is priced so low this year compared to others that it feels like a trap. The leader of the FedEx Cup has traditionally been in the $14K-$15K range, which made them almost unplayable if you didn’t think they could perform. This price will bring Scottie into a lot of teams. The changes to the golf course, and especially the greens, may be just what Scottie needs to feel reenergized here at the end of the season. He looked frustrated at the BMW Championship and has answered a ton of questions about why he doesn’t like the current format of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Xander Schauffele ($11,000) See above.

Ludvig Åberg ($9,900) See above.

Sam Burns ($8,500) is starting the golf tournament at 4-under after a T2 at the BMW Championship saw him leap up the FedEx Cup standings. Burns has gained over two strokes on approach in four straight tournaments, and he has gained over 13 strokes with his putter in his last two tournaments. He possesses the firepower needed to make up ground in this type of format.

Wyndham Clark ($8,100) finished a distant third to Schauffele and Hovland last year at the Tour Championship but still showed he can play this course with precision. He is scorching off the tee right now, gaining over 11.5 strokes off the tee in his last three tournaments. His approach numbers look off after he struggled with water ball issues on day one of the BMW Championship.

Tony Finau ($7,700) will benefit from the addition of the Par-5 14th hole. His putter went cold in Colorado after sustaining a strong streak of gaining strokes on the green. He had gained strokes on approach in eight straight tournaments before the BMW Championship and he finally got back to crushing it off the tee as he gained over 3.9 strokes off the tee.

Tommy Fleetwood ($7,600) has gained over 14 strokes combined on approach over his last three tournaments while gaining over 4.8 strokes off the tee in his last two outings.

Billy Horschel ($7,100) has gained over 16.5 strokes on approach combined over his last four tournaments. He has gotten hot at the right time and may play his way onto the United States Presidents Cup team. The 37-year-old has three top-nine finishes, including a win in 2014 at East Lake, in five tries.

Taylor Pendrith ($6,500) lost strokes on the weekend at the BMW Championship because of some water ball issues. He still managed to finish T13 thanks to a nice putting week, which has continued a recent trend for him. Pendrith is one of the best in the field in Par 5 scoring, and that will help him with the additional Par 5 added.

Tom Hoge ($6,100) gained over 8.8 strokes on approach last week and had a nice showing the last time he appeared at the Tour Championship when he broke par in all four rounds and gained over 2.3 strokes on the field on approach during the first round. He was a key $5,000 play that week and will be my low-priced play again this week.

One and done

I want to thank Brody Miller and Hugh Kellenberger for participating in the one-and-done contest this season. I finished in the lead, but Brody and Hugh battled me hard all season. A nice little run from Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau winning the U.S. Open were the deciding factors for me this season. Next year I hope we can expand on this coverage and also bring in a few more voices for the readers. Let me know in the comments if a reader contest is something you would be interested in.

Each week, we picked in reverse order of the standings, and couldn’t duplicate picks in the same week. Reference this spreadsheet for all of our picks.

Final standings

Dennis Esser: $10,952,589 Brody Miller: $9,432,969.16 Hugh Kellenberger: $8,731,627.63

(Photo of Xander Schauffele: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

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Dennis Esser is a contributor to The Athletic, covering golf through the lens of sports betting and fantasy sports. A resident of New Jersey, Dennis' writing has appeared in numerous fantasy and betting outlets.

TOUR Championship

East Lake Golf Club

Atlanta, Georgia • USA

Aug 29 - Sep 1, 2024