Well hello there… pour yourself three fingers of the good stuff and sit on down. Welcome to Greenbrier West Virginia as the LIV golf tour resumes in the USA. C.B. Mcdonald built the course and it has been open for 109 years now and it is a beauty.
Speaking of beauty, Phil Mickelson starts off his first hole by hitting his tee shot to 4 inches. Almost an ace to start the day. Serious question, do you turn around and walk off and say it is all downhill from here boys? Has anyone had a hole in one on their first swing of the day. I will google for you… I found nothing.
The Greenbrier is in White Sulphur Springs, WV and there is something about towns and resorts built around hot springs. They tend to be wonderful. I guess people taking the waters make better decisions.
C Thomas just told me that maybe we could baptize congress in the waters, and I told him to get out of here.
They showed the Greenbrier breakfast area with Brendan Steele and his family and it looks like the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Mi. They both share the same interior design elements from the early 20th century. Very much of its time….
The course is pretty easy and Feherty is calling a 5% chance of a 59 this week.
Laurie Canter is tied for the lead at 4 under with Matthew Wolff. Laurie Canter is a a Majestick! Temporary Majestick but he is in the lead. Good playing lad.
Ahh, the LIV Golf app is so wonderful. No commercials, lots of golf. So glad to be home.
Thomas Pieters, tuck your shirt in. You look like a hobo.
Matthew Wolff is to 6 under. He is loving West Virginia. He has a two shot lead on Joaquin Nieman. Nieman got engaged this week. Smash, led by Wolff today, have a one shot lead over Torque led by Nieman. The Majesticks are seventh at 3 under. Way to go boys!
Sam Snead is the patron saint of this course and his presence is everywhere. For those of you that don’t know Sam has 82 wins on the PGA Tour, tied with Tiger Woods for most all time.
David Puig is at 5 under par. Team Torque is leading Stinger by 1 at 12 under par. Niemann and Wolff are leading at 6 under.
Old man Mickelson is playing good golf and is 3 under with 8 holes to go.
Mark Mosely reference alert. The last straight ahead kicker in the NFL and an MVP of the league as a kicker, how dumb is the NFL?
Cam Smith goes left more than Al Gore. Seriously, Cam. You need to work on that. All season long. I would love to be an online swing doctor, but I’m sure I would embarrass myself. He is getting quick at the top…blah blah blah. Haha!
Mickelson is now into 3rd with Dean Burmeister and Graeme McDowell at 5 under. Wolff is your leader after getting to 7 under.
I heard a roar and HV3 aka Harold Varner the Third just made an eagle and tied for the lead. Hearing a roar at a LIV event on a Friday. People said this couldn’t happen. The LIV folks have done a great job building a quality product.
Graeme McDowell just one handed a 6 inch putt and missed it. Oops. Take your time. On the next hole, he shanks an iron from the middle of the fairway. Weird couple holes for him.
Matt Jones is at 5 under, and he might be the fastest player on the LIV tour, right up there with Brooks. I love to see ready golf.
“What a time to be Brooks Koepka” a great comment from the gallery after Koepka knocks it close in two from the deep rough. He is only 3 strokes back.
Things are getting interesting up top. HV3 is now tied at 7 under with Matthew Wolff. Niemann, Burmeister, and Puig are one shot back.
Cam Smith has airmailed two flop shots today. He is uncharacteristically struggling around the greens today. Bad lies perhaps, but the man is usually a magician, so it is strange to see.
Matthew Wolff birdies his last hole number 7 and shoots a 9 under 61.
There was another roar and it was Bryson who made a bunker shot for birdie. He has not had much luck on the greens today but hit it quite well so he steals one from the bunker.
Sue Anne Heng was caught on camera asking Matthew that she was going to ask … before the camera cut away. I wonder if they have to vet the questions before the players will answer. Interesting.
Lots of low scores today as expected. Smash is at 19 under and your team leader, followed by a pack at 15 under.
Tonight enjoy the Zac Brown Band in concert at golf only louder. See you tomorrow.
Well hello there… pour yourself three fingers of the good stuff and sit on down. It is Saturday and moving day at LIV Greenbrier.
This Greenbrier course is giving us a lot of side spins towards the hole. I don’t know why but I always feel like the pros are really cool that do this. It’s very impressive.
DJ and Brooks are both lurking at 6 under. Neither seem to be doing anything or making anything and yet there they are 4 shots back of Wolff who is leading at 10 under.
President Eisenhower commissioned a bunker underneath the Greenbrier resort that would function as a working government facility in case of a nuclear event. There is room for the House and Senate, a cafeteria, and bunks. It was kept a secret for over 30 years. It has now been decommissioned and tours are available. Feherty says they should lock Congress in the bunker until they have accomplished something useful. Just glorious.
Mito Pereira is 4 under and is making a move up the leaderboard to 6 under. Torque has a three shot lead at 25 under and they lead by 3 over Smash and Stinger.
Bryson made a long birdie from across the green to make it 4 birdies in 5 holes and he is moving up the leaderboard.
Sebastian Munoz moves to 8 under par and a tie for third with HV3. David Puig is in second at 9 under.
This course called the Old White course kind of matches the interior design with the square greens matches the very proportional interior design.
Harold Varner III has driven the 10th green and misses the eagle but taps in for birdie and he is to 10 under, one behind Wolff. David Puig is quietly at 10 under as well.
Talor Gooch is creeping up the leaderboard, he is at 8 under.
Bryson shoots a back nine 30 and he is to 8 under and 3 back.
David Puig is the first to 12 under.
DJ after I said good things about him has imploded and is at 3 under. Brooks, however, is at 8 under and still lurking.
Richard Bland, Dickie B is about to get to 9 under after 4 birdies in a row. He is cooking, Bryson is also cooking and he is ripping the driver out there and making putts. As the day has warmed up the scores are starting to go lower.
Harold Varner just said about a missed putt, “That was so fucking good, just keep rolling the rock.” He taps in for par and is at 10 under.
Su-Ann Heng says the leader David Puig’s putt won’t move much and it breaks three cups left with the camera zoomed in on it. The guy in the booth when Puig missed says, “he didn’t think so either.” Cold but funny. Puig drops back to 11 under.
Wolff gets back to the lead and 12 under. Torque leads the team title by 6 as they move to 32 under.
People that yell things at golf tournaments should be kicked out. This is why Augusta runs the best tournament in the world.
Bryson is now at 10 under and tied third with HV3 and Munoz.
Talor Gooch and Richard Bland are now at 10 under as well. Wolff drops a shot and is back to 11 under with Puig. 16 players are within 3 shots of the lead now.
Torque is still way ahead in the team competition with an 8 shots lead at 34 under.
Cam Smith is 5 under today after yesterday’s less than stellar day. He is 5 shots back with 3 to play.
8 players are within one shot of the lead so I just don’t see someone like Cam coming from 4-5 shots back because he would have to pass so many players.
Wolff is in close for an eagle on 17. Puig makes a nice birdie putt on 17 after hitting his bunker shot to a little longer than he wanted. He is in the lead at 12 under but Wolff is now putting for eagle. He misses it, but taps in for birdie.
Richard Bland gets it to 11 under and solo 3rd right now. Old Man River… He also had an eagle putt that hit the lip or he could be tied for the lead right now.
Talor Gooch also gets it to 11 under par. The season points leader will be a big threat.
Bryson shoots 61 with a birdie on his last hole. He is one back at 11 under. Bogey free round of golf.
Well hello there… pour yourself three fingers of the good stuff and sit on down. We are out early due to some forecasted weather later today.
Mito Pereira jumps to a tie for the lead at 12 holing out for eagle on the first with Wolff and Puig. Logjam at 11 under now includes DeChambeau, Gooch, and Brendan Grace. Harold Varner III is at 10 under, but he is in close with a really good birdie look on his second hole.
Charles Howell III, Chucky three sticks, is at 9 under. He won the first event of the year and has been fairly quiet since, but we know he can finish on Sunday.
Bryson makes a birdie and he is in a tie for the lead at 12 under.
Varner didn’t make the birdie putt and is still at 10 under.
Brendan Steele has got it to 11 under and in a tie for second.
Bryson is locked in. He almost holed his last wedge and has a good look at birdie as does Wolff. Let’s see who can get to 13 first. I have a feeling it is gonna take a low day today to win. There are just too many good players up there on the top of the leaderboard. I’m saying 17 under might be the number to win.
Puig makes a bogey as does Talor Gooch so not everyone is only going in the right direction. Bryson is still going in the other direction as he starts birdie birdie.
So let me play a little armchair psychologist with the kid that puts a spotlight on his mental health Matthew Wolff. He is in the final round today. Yesterday he was loose and joking and jovial playing with Harold Varner III who is a character. Today he seems quieter so far and I wonder what is going through his mind. He has left his last two putts just short but perfectly on line. Tournament Sunday pressure is mental. Let’s see how the mentally fragile youngster handles it. He has a mental coach and is trying to stay in the moment and not think about it. Everyone says that, but few can do it or execute in spite of it. That is what makes a winner on Sunday afternoon. It should be an interesting watch.
Mito has joined the party at 13 under. He has helped Torque maintain a 5 shot lead over Stinger in the team title.
Laurie Canter of the Majesticks is at 8 under. The man is playing for his survival on the tour and performing wonderfully.
Richard Bland has the Cleeks in 6 at 26 under. That is a pretty good showing for them considering they and the Majesticks have been more competitive towards the bottom of the team competition.
Bryson makes another birdie and he is at 14 under, he is your leader and he looks like the man to beat. Wolff has a short one for birdie and he makes it and gets back to 13 under with Mito. He is smiling again. That seems to be important for him. Let’s see if he can maintain if he gets some real adversity.
Patrick Reed hits his second shot and he says “Softly” then it hits and bounces into the bunker. “Fuck you” he says. I almost spit out my coffee. Damn that is real life.
Matthew Wolff hits it over a bunker and now has a sandy down hill lie and he hits it into the thick rouch between the green and bunker. Adversity is here and Dom Boulet says that Wolff showed no reaction. He is watching Wolff’s body language as well.
Mito Makes his birdie and is at 14 under.
Bryson holes out from the bunker and is at 15 under. Wolff gets up and down from the thick rough but drops a shot to go back to 12 under. HV3 makes birdie and gets to 12 under with Wolff.
Lee Westwood is at 8 under, and my Majesticks are up to 4th place in the team competition. Come on lads!
Bryson makes another birdie and that makes 5 birdies in 6 holes. He is at 16 under par and has a two shot lead. Bryson chooses driver on the 7th hole and knocks it into the opening of the green. It probably went about 380 on the 390 yard hole. Great birdie opportunity on the par 4.
Mito is in close on knock and has a kick in birdie himself to get to 15 under as he tries to keep pace. He makes it, but Bryson is in close again. The lead is one for a minute.
The Majesticks are on the move. They are at 32 under and are tied for 3rd! My god what a weekend!
Bryson makes another birdie! He is at 17 under. I said 17 under might win. This is proof that I am an idiot. I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about because Bryson is laying waste to this place. It is really fun to watch someone this dialed in.
Interesting tidbit- One of the announcers said earlier that commissioner Greg Norman thought Wolff decelerated on a couple of those early putts that he left short early. On the last hole he certainly did. The pressure might be getting him out of his normal play and he is in neutral at 12 under and now 5 back.
Charl Schwartzel limps off the course. Stinger is tied for second at the moment and they are down to a 3 person team.
Bryson bogeys the par 3 after hitting his tee shot right. The putt caught a piece of the lip, but Bryson will come back to the field a bit.
Bryson makes another birdie and goes out in 28 with a bogey. 8 3’s and a 4 that lipped out. What great golf.
Mito just hit a 3 wood into the parking lot aka the hazard. Wow, that was a bad miss from a top guy. It’s a par 5 so He might salvage a par but wow!
Bryson makes another birdie and is at 18 under. Every putt is in the center with perfect speed. Mito made bogey on the par 5 and Bryson’s lead is up to 4 and he has a par 5 in his pocket over second place.
Wolff and Bland are at 13 under and a tie for 3rd. Wolff makes birdie and gets to 14 under, tied with Mito, but Mito has a short birdie putt himself.
Greg Norman thinks Bryson might shoot 54. That’s crazy, but a number in the 50’s is a real possibility. Bryson just lips out a birdie putt as he heads to the par 5.
Bryson with a short birdie on the par 5 to get to 19 under.
This course is sensational. The greens are rolling so pure. Old Man Mickelsen is 5 under today. Good for him. Wolff has righted his putting stroke and gotten it to 16 under and tied with Mito for second.
Bryson left a birdie putt just 3 inches short on 14 but pars easily and maintains his lead of 3.
James Piot is in a tie for 22nd and moving up with a birdie, but there is beginning to be an interesting relegation dynamic similar to Euro soccer. Piot needs to pick up a couple points and he will be out of the relegation zone. That is the area that is the bottom 4 spots. The battle for 44th is real folks. Real dollars, real drama, and real lives affected.
Torque has a putt for 50 under par. Mito has a chance to get to 17 under and he makes it and he is only two back. Torque is 50 under, and the record is 47 under by the 4 Aces in Adelaide. The youth, the Spanish speaking youth are taking LIV by storm.
Bryson birdies again and is at 20 under and has a 3 shot lead again. Bryson needs 2 birdies in the last three holes to shoot 59. That would be the first on LIV. He stripes a drive off the next tee. He is hitting it so far that everything seems to be a little wedge in close for a birdie putt. Distance off the tee is such an advantage when paired with accuracy and he has it going.
David Puig looks like he needs carbs.
The rain has started. Umbrellas are out. I’d hate to see the weather interrupt history. They have been lift clean and place from the fairway all day so a course record isn’t in play, but history is.
Bryson has a birdie putt. He makes it! 10 under par with a par 5 next!
David Puig is at 15 under and tied with HV3. Not his best day, but he will learn from this experience. Brendan Steele will join them at 14 under.
Mito will shoot 7 under and finish 17 under. I guess 17 under wasn’t a bad number considering I didn’t expect a 59 today from Bryson. I take back everything bad I said about myself.
So the 18th green has what they call a thumbprint. It is basically a hollow in the middle and the pin today is just behind it so the players will have to get it upon that back level. Cool green.
Bryson from the left rough gets it just short of the bunker on the par 5 17th. Can he get up and down for a birdie? Keep in mind he shot 61 yesterday.
Richard Bland makes a long birdie on 18 and he finishes at 16 under and in solo 3rd for the moment. Old Man River delivers.
Torque at 48 under and they lead by 5, but back to Bryson. He is looking for a ruling. He was asking about getting a preferred lie. He isn’t getting one but the lie is good anyway. He is about 4 inches from being in the thick rough protecting the bunker. He got a nice break here. Here is the shot…he has got a chance as the chip is pretty good, maybe 6 feet left.
Puig with an eagle putt on 17 to get to a tie for third at 16 under with Wolff who tapped in for birdie and Richard Bland. Big fist pump and it gets Torque to 49 under.
Bryson makes the putt right in the center!!!!! Birdie and he is 11 under. No real emotion being shown yet.
Here is the tee shot on the par 3 18th…he almost gets it up on the back level but instead it rolls back down into the thumbprint. He has to two putt from there.
It is raining hard now and no one seems to care as there are lots of people watching history without umbrellas.
Wolff is playing first out of the bunker and hits it to less than a foot. He ties third with Richard Bland. A very good tournament and a solid day for him.
Bryson will putt next. There is a big ridge that he has to go up and over on the thumbprint. It is about 40 feet and it is rainy incredibly hard right now. Pace will be everything right now. Here comes the roll…It’s a 58!!!! Birdie from Bryson! Unbelievable!
The commissioner is out to give him a hug. We got to witness history today folks. Truly wonderful.
Bryson actually did the Mickelson jump but with far more height than Mickelson when he won his first Masters.
Truly amazing. Bryson is a winner for the first time and a record holder.
Dom asked him about his dad who recently passed. Bryson chokes up and the excitement was dampened. I’m not sure I like that energy shift right there. It felt forced. Let him enjoy it.
I was able to watch Jim Furyk finish up and shoot 58 years ago and I never in my life thought I would see another.
58 with a bogey. Bryson shoots 119 for the weekend. Great course, great weekend, and great champion.
58!
Insightfully Yours,
G Spot Johnson