For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as attention turns to the first PGA Tour elevated event of the season – the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

1. Brett White: A Monday qualifier with a helluva story making first Tour start

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”White, 29, might be the best story among the trio. The Eastern Michigan alum nearly died six years ago when he contracted viral encephalitis. He was hospitalized for three weeks and needed to re-learn how to do basic tasks, including walking and talking. Just a month after getting out of the hospital, he was swinging a golf club with support from a gait belt. Nine months after that he was playing tournaments again.”

• “It’s been a wild ride,” White said two years ago at Q-School. “Over a long journey, sometimes you go back and go, wow, I gotta be thankful for where I’m at. There was a point in the hospital where it was, hey, let’s make sure you can be on your own; and then it was, OK, I want to be able to run around with my kids; then it was, let’s play golf for fun; and it just kept on progressing. I’ve tried to get better every day, and I don’t think I’ve stopped.”

• “White earned his KFT card for the first time prior to last season after advancing to the final stage of Q-School and earning eight guaranteed starts. But he had just two top-25s in 20 starts and was back at final stage this past year. He’s yet to get into any of the three KFT events this season.”

2. Tiger’s new 8,000-yard Utah design

Alex Vejar for the Salt Lake Tribune…”The world’s most famous professional golfer will add his touch to the golf landscape in the Beehive State.”

• “Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he will design a new, 18-hole professional course at the upcoming members-only Marcella Club in Heber City. Marcella Club is a partnership between the yet-to-be-built communities of Marcella Mountain and Marcella at Jordanelle Ridge.”

• “The new course will be Woods’ first in Utah through his company TGR Design.”

• “Utah is an incredible place, with favorable year-round weather that offers opportunities to be active outdoors throughout all four seasons – golfing, skiing, biking, hiking, and fishing – the list goes on and on,” Woods said in a news release. “I’m thrilled to be designing a course in such a special location; this new course is uniquely beautiful and will offer engaging play for every ability.”

3. 2023 LIV team captains, new teams revealed

Adam Woodard for Golfweek gives a rundown of the new names for 2023, including Bubba Watson leading ‘RangeGoats GC’…

4. LIV 2022 revenue reportedly near zero

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”As the LIV Golf League prepares to start its second season in Mexico later this month, the circuit being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is generating virtually no revenue, according to federal court documents.”

• “The LIV Golf League’s attorneys made that admission in a motion filed with the U.S. District Court for Northern California on Monday. LIV Golf asked U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman to deny the PGA Tour’s motion for leave to add the Public Investment Fund and its governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, as plaintiffs in the tour’s countersuit against LIV Golf, in which it alleges LIV Golf interfered with its contract with players.”

5. LIV Golf lawyers argue PGA Tour is ‘exploiting litigation’

Golfweek’s Adam Woodard…”Lawyers for the upstart circuit led by Greg Norman and financially supported by the Public Investment Fund argued “the Tour is exploiting litigation delay to choke off air to LIV and players” and that the current timeframes are “not only workable, but critical to the careers of the Player Plaintiffs and the viability of LIV as a legitimate competitor to the Tour.”

6. List narrows for new Honda Classic sponsor

Tom D’Angelo for the Palm Beach Post…”The Honda Classic is not going anywhere.”

• “No longer will it be the Honda Classic following this year’s event that starts Feb. 23 at PGA National. But there will be a classic. What’s it is called is still being negotiated.”

• “The (PGA) tour has no interest in dropping us off the schedule,” executive director Andrew George said.”

• “We’re really excited about what ’24 and beyond is going to look like. The excitement of a new title (sponsor)and 42 years of building blocks (with Honda) and now let’s take it up a notch again.”

7. Forget the 16th…

Adam Schupak for Golfweek…”Theegala isn’t the only one to stand on the 17th tee and realize its make-or-break time with the title on the line. And that’s the brilliance of the hole – players can make anywhere from eagle to double bogey and flip the script. While the par-3 16th hole has become iconic for good reason, the 17th lives in its shadow and is grossly under appreciated.”

• “From Kyle Stanley recovering from a prickly lie to hold on for the title in 2012 to Rickie Fowler losing the tournament with water balls in 2016 to Brooks Koepka pitching in from a brutal lie 45 yards right of the green, it’s 17 that has become pivotal to determining who hoists the trophy on Sunday.”

• “It also has its place in history as home to Andrew Magee’s hole-in-one, which remains the only ace on a par 4 in Tour history. In case anyone dares to forget it, there is a plaque recognizing the feat.”

8. Beer showers banned?

Golf Digest’s Christopher Powers…”That’s why in 2023, with the tournament ramped up even more thanks to its designated-event status and $20 million purse, measures are being taken to reduce the risk of injury or damage to the course (and people) should another ace occur. Ryder’s hole-in-one was the first on the 16th hole in seven years, so it’s not like it’s a common occurrence (though it did happen again the following day with Carlos Ortiz). But it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

• “According to the PGA Tour, the measures that are being taken include, but are not limited to, the following:

• • All alcoholic beverages on the 16th will be served in commemorative plastic cups

• • Fans will not be allowed to enter the 16th from other areas with a canned alcoholic beverage

• • Elevated security and police presence in both the General Admission and Hospitality areas on the 16th

• • A social-media campaign on this policy

• • Signage in General Admission and Hospitality areas of Zero Tolerance for throwing anything on the course

9. WM Phoenix Open photos

• Check out all of our galleries from Phoenix this week!