What’s going on everybody?! Welcome to GoLow.
I’ve officially separated the football and the golf, and from here on out, all of my golf content lives right here. Reactions, betting cards, random thoughts, maybe even some course content if I can ever get back out there consistently.
NFL season just ended, I was out in LA doing TV with Colin, and I finally had a minute to take a breath and dive fully into golf mode. The season is already delivering, and there is a lot to unpack.
Anthony Kim Wins LIV Adelaide
I did not expect to start here, but Anthony Kim winning in Australia was one of the cooler golf moments in a long time.
For those of us on the West Coast, it happened late at night. With a newborn at home, I was up anyway. I flipped it on and watched the closing stretch. It was electric. He shot nine under in the final round, boat racing Bryson and Rahm. He beat Bryson by eleven strokes and Rahm by eight. He started the day five back and just ran them down.
It was not just that he won. It was who he beat and how he did it. Bryson and Rahm are two of the best players in the world. LIV has spent a ton of money, but they have not had many on-course moments that cut through. This one did.
Anthony Kim was an electric player when he first came on tour. Ryder Cups, Presidents Cups, tons of emotion. Then he disappeared for almost fifteen years. His struggles have been well documented, and when you look at him you can see that life hit him hard. He has been open about addiction. He has talked about how dark it got.
To see him come back, make putt after putt, fist pump, throw his arms up and clearly feel the moment, that is what sports are supposed to do. A lot of golf now feels corporate. Guys are so rich, so composed, so steady that the emotion does not always pop. Kim is a momentum player. Once he got rolling, he got red hot. It felt genuine. It felt raw.
If I am the PGA Tour and Brian Rolapp, I am thinking about how you capitalize on that type of personality long term. If he showed up at Riviera, Bay Hill, Waste Management, he would be a rock star. Whether that ever happens is another story, but from a pure sports standpoint, it was powerful.
Pebble Beach, Scottie and Rory
Scottie Scheffler is ridiculous.
He shoots 72 early in the week and you think maybe this is the week he finishes 25th. Then Sunday comes and he fires a 63 or a 64 and is suddenly right there. He never taps out. That is the Tiger quality I see in him.
Tiger once made a ten on a hole at Augusta and then birdied five of the next six. That competitive wiring is rare. Most guys, even pros, unravel. Scottie does not. He just keeps swinging.
The crazy thing is, with how much he has won, he could easily have eight to ten more wins with a bounce here or a putt there. He is always in the mix. As a bettor, that is all you can ask for.
Rory is different. He is a momentum guy. When he gets going, jump on the wave. He shot 72 on Saturday at Pebble with a triple and a double and still finished T14. If he just pars those holes, he is right there. He looks refreshed this season. After finally winning the Masters, he admitted he was not quite as locked in the rest of last year. It feels like he is back.
What the PGA Tour needs is Scottie and Rory in the final group on Sunday of a big event. It does not even have to be a major. Just get them paired with something on the line. That would be awesome.
Early Season Momentum for Team USA
It has been a good start for the American side.
Chris Gotterup has established himself as a legitimate player. He looks like he could be in Tony Soprano’s crew and hits it 360 with a power cut. He wins the Sony and then wins again in Phoenix. For a guy who just missed the Ryder Cup, he now feels like a Presidents Cup lock.
Collin Morikawa winning at Pebble was big. He had not won in a while or consistently been in the Top 10. He was grinding on the range early in the week, figured something out, shot 10 under on Saturday and closed it out. That is what major winners do.
Justin Rose winning at Torrey Pines at his age is impressive. He is a grinder. His routine, his work ethic, that stuff matters. It is not great for the Americans because it feels like he could play forever, but from a golf standpoint it is awesome to watch.
Tiger Woods as the PGA Tour Quarterback
Tiger spoke this week, and every time he does I come away thinking the Tour needs to use him more.
He has a calmness and confidence now that is different than when he was younger. Back then he was more guarded. Now he will talk about anything. Anthony Kim. His son. The schedule. The state of the game. He holds court and it feels natural.
I do not expect him to play much, if at all, on the PGA Tour. If he plays the Masters, great. If he ends up riding a cart on the Champions Tour, fine. But as a spokesman, he is invaluable.
Teams let their quarterbacks talk because they are comfortable in that environment. Tiger is the Tour’s quarterback. He has the credentials, the gravitas, and now the ease behind the microphone. If I am running the PGA Tour, I double down on that.
Charlie Woods Commits to Florida State
Charlie committing to Florida State is cool on multiple levels.
This is not a token offer. He has established himself on the amateur circuit. Florida State makes sense. They are based in Jupiter. Tiger loves Florida. No taxes, sunshine, great golf.
Being on that team means access to every big course in the state. The NIL component also changes everything. A top amateur can make serious money and enjoy college for a few years before ever turning pro. It is a different world.
It will be fun to watch his development at a major program.
Middlekauff’s Genesis Invitational Best Bets
Riviera is going to play long and might be soaked. When that course gets wet, it becomes even tougher.
Here is my card for the week:
- Scottie Scheffler (+325)
- Sam Burns (+3000)
- Rory McIlroy Top 10 (+140)
- Hideki Matsuyama Top 10 (+240)
Scottie is always in the mix. Rory in soft, long conditions is an auto play for me. Hideki is striking it well, and if the driver cooperates he can win anywhere. Burns has shown he can contend here before.
That is my GoLow betting card for Genesis week. Let’s see if we can finally cash one.
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