mdmesq on IG, Getty Images
Hey there, friends, and welcome to this week’s edition of The Rogers Report! Sunday was probably my favorite golf day of the year as I watched Rose Zhang win her first professional match in a playoff as well as Victor Hofland accomplish it in Jack’s place. If you’re like me and missed Hovland’s post-tour press conference because you were called into Zhang’s game, check out this hilarious clip.
I’m not sure if Hovland knew it was funny, or if it was completely unintentional. I’m also not sure how many professionals would be so honest with Jack Nicklaus. Either way, it’s hard not to smile once he starts laughing.
Rose Chang
Just 13 days after winning her second NCAA title, Rose Zhang won the Mizuho US Open on Sunday at Liberty National. And the professionals were paying attention. Here are some of the best posts I’ve seen about Zhang.
Zhang also took some time to capture BeReal after the win, which had to get one of the best shots on the app. Most of my friends and I do absolutely nothing 90% of the time we post on the app.
I’d also like to take a moment to highlight the fact that Zhang has accomplished more in three months than I’ve done in…my entire life. She won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April, defended her NCAA title in May and won her first professional tournament in June.
I’m sick of just thinking about the busy and wonderful months the 20-year-old has had.
Phil’s latest Twitter activity
It was an elephant very outspoken on Twitter over the past few weeks. Rather than dissecting each post, I’ll rate a few of my favourites.
This tweet is awesome. He took what was supposed to be an insult and turned it on the original tweeter, all while supporting his wellness business. I give this 7.5 out of 10.
Next we have a response regarding Rory McIlroy.
I’d give this a 6 out of 10 (points deducted for the incorrect spelling of McElroy, then a few more points because he kept explaining he was joking instead of leaving the joke straight on the internet).
Next, we have a rare Phil Mickelson reference on gambling.
If I was deducting points for bragging about finances, I’d give this a zero. But this is my rating system and I don’t deduct points for it so I’m going to give this a 15 out of 10. The three simple sentences string together perfectly. The meme potential for this tweet is endless. I will print it on a t-shirt.
Finally we have Mickelson’s response to the viral photo of Hideki Matsuyama boarding a Spirit Airlines plane.
I give this an 8 out of 10 for word play.
An unusual fan request for Spieth
When I’m at PGA Tour events, most kids seem to want an autograph or photo with a pro. An autographed hat is cool, but want to post an Instagram post with a PGA Tour player? That will get some serious attention on social media.
Very often, the child wants to sign something else. You saw Crocs’ signature, and even his forehead, at the Players Championship in March.
When Jordan Spieth was signing at Memorial over the weekend, he ran into a kid who didn’t want an autograph. He wanted to play scissor paper against the main champion 13 times.
The kid beat Spieth. I’d tell Jordan to stick with golf, but I think most rock-paper-scissors games are best two out of three, so it’s unclear if Spieth emerges victorious in this scenario. I guess we’ll never know.
Hideki Spirit Fly
If there is one thing you should know about me it is that I am bad Traveling. Just last week I missed a train because I scheduled it for the wrong day. Two years ago, when I started here at GOLF, I was told I had to find an airline to stay with. It never occurred to me that imitating Dylan Dieter and becoming an Alaska Airlines loyalist wasn’t such a good idea since I live in Boston and Dieter lives in Seattle. Bottom line: I am constantly having to rebook flights due to stupid mistakes.
despite of everyone Of those travel mistakes, do you know what I can proudly say I never made? Flying Spirit Flight.
I’m not one to think that professionals need to fly privately, but I was a little shocked to see a Masters champion fly with the commoners like that. Other cases of professional golfers flying commercial flights are well documented here in the Rogers Report, but not documented at all on this airline.
Tiger Woods in the wild
There are a few things in this life that really keep me going—food, water, spray tans before big life events, and teasing my co-workers, to name a few.
Do you know what else I need? Tiger Woods Updates. If seeing a tiger isn’t shared every few months, I get anxious and irritable. Luckily, I feel a lot better after someone shared the following pics over the weekend.
Frank’s hood and crutches on the back of a golf cart. Is there anything to shout about Tiger Woods in 2023?
While I’m not entirely convinced that TIger is the person sitting in the cart in the photo above, I’m pretty sure this is it.
I’m not sure what the fact that I instantly recognized Woods’ jersey here as the one he wore in the first round of the PNC Championship back in December says, but I thought I’d share this fun fact with you all. Here are photos in Orlando during the event.
No word on whether Charlie rocked the same jersey in the junior event, but the 14-year-old won the 36-hole event – by eight! – On an equal footing.
Victor can
After attending a PGA Tour event for an entire week, I love going home and doing absolutely nothing for at least three days. After winning Sunday’s PGA Tour event (and earning $3.6 million, might I add), Victor Hovland was shining and early Monday to hold a 36-hole lead for college mate Zack Paocho, who was trying to play his way to the US Open.
So congratulations to Hovland for not only winning the Memorial, but also for being a much better friend than me.
At the time of writing, Bauchou is T63 in the qualifiers, which could make Hovland the first individual ever to qualify (as a player) and no Qualified (as a caddy) for the US Open. I’ll have to double-check the history books before confirming this.