More from Shackelford…“The newly revised rules opened the door for the latest questionable act of sportsmanship by Matt Kuchar. Players can now move a loose impediment in a bunker. As Kuchar demonstrated, if sand is coarse enough to be a pebble in the eyes of any official, then all of the tiny particles are loose impediments.”

• “While using the rules of golf to your advantage is wise, it’s confounding to watch someone with a once solid reputation and plenty of cash in the bank to snub his upturned nose at the spirit of the rules. Again. In the same year. On television.”

• “Kuchar takes well over the time allotted to play a shot while we are watching- television cut away after 40 seconds of Kuchar’s trench dig – and seems to improve his lie in the “waste area.”

Full piece (and arguably the definitive take on Kuch’s pebble picking. 

• “American Express, one of the largest companies in the world and one of the 30 companies listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, will be the new title sponsor for the 61-year-old desert tour event, The Desert Sun has learned.”

• “The multi-year sponsorship deal will re-brand the desert event as The American Express. An official announcement is expected Monday morning.”

• “This is absolutely the best sponsor we could ask for,” said Jeff Sanders of Lagardere Sports, the company that operates the tournament for Desert Classic Charities. “This is the best news we have received since we took over the opportunity to run this event. American Express is an iconic global brand that transcends quality. We could not be more excited.”

Full piece.

• “This past season, 19 players were able to make the playoffs, although 20 kept their cards thanks to Martin Trainer’s win at the Puerto Rico Open. Of this 19, only two-Lucas Glover and Sungjae Im-reached East Lake, which comes with its own rewards. Speaking of which …

• “The game has never been the be-all-end-all for a man who breathes joy into the world.”

• “He’s the most beloved kid I’ve ever had,” said Craig, “times 20 probably.”

• Brown doesn’t need golf to make him happy. Redshirt freshman Jay Kirchdorfer spent the past year trying to be the same.

• “I really think that’s his secret weapon,” said Kirchdorfer. “We’re all out there getting mad and frustrated. He’s just over there hitting shots, talking about food, looking in the trees for ducks, a deer if he can find one.”

• “Emma Talley knows that all too well. Brown was looking toward the sky for birds when he caddied for her recently at the LPGA’s stop in Arkansas. He can usually name every plant and animal on property at a golf course, a talent that comes in part from his love of the outdoors coupled with a strong appetite for reading.”

Full piece.

• “Each country can have up to two representatives in the 60-player field, except for those with three or more players inside the world’s top 15, who can send a maximum of four.”

• “The American men (4), British men (3), and Korean women (4) are the contingents currently projected to send more than two to next summer’s Games in Japan.”

Full piece.

• “…For I looked at the schedule that Radio 5 Live have put out on the BBC website for their sports programmes from Friday to Sunday and couldn’t find a mention anywhere.”

• “Sure, there’s a half-hour preview programme slated for Thursday evening, and fair play to them for that, but when the event actually begins? Zip.”

• “You know 5 Live, the station that made such a song and dance of the fact they were going to broadcast more live women’s sport this summer than ever before?”

• “Change the Game, they called it. Yet no live coverage of the Solheim, unarguably one of the biggest women’s events of all.”

Full piece.

• “Four days later, the victory became even more special….Ogilvy got a letter from Arnold Palmer.”

• “That was the one that moved me,” Ogilvy said. “All the letters mean so much, but that one, that letter blew me away.”

• “Well done, Geoff, I know you’ve been struggling. This is a great win. Welcome back. Great to see. Sincerely, Arnold Palmer”

Full piece.

• “Women’s golf clubs” have been around for as long golf clubs have been marketed, and for a period of time, like so many things I’m sure, they had a significant purpose: helping female players find what they needed to hopefully improve their golf games. But in this modern era of club fitting and customization, I think we need to put an end to identifying clubs by sex.

• “I remember my experience at the Titleist Performance Institute, and one of the first things I was told by my fitter Glenn Mahler was”

• “I don’t fit clubs based on gender, age, handicap, or physical abilities. I fit clubs for golfers, period-to allow them to achieve their absolute best results”

• “I believe this is the best way for people to start thinking more about the segments of clubs made for players across the board. Male golfers don’t walk into a big box store and say “I’m looking for men’s clubs,” they say “I’m looking for clubs,” and then they get fit. If a female long drive golfer (yes, I realize it’s a small market segment) walked into most big box stores and asks to try a driver, I’m willing to guess that 90 percent of the time someone is going to give them a very poor fitting club based solely on sex-and that’s wrong.”