RG's "Wednesday Fairway Focus" is a weekly look at golf's major tours. PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights. Elliott looks at this week's Grant Thornton Invitational, PGA TOUR Q-School, and more in this installment.
As the golf world is winding down its 2024 season, two events, both with totally different vibes, tee it up in Northeast and Southwest Florida this week: the Grant Thornton Invitational in Naples and the final stage of the PGA TOUR Q-School at TPC Sawgrass. You have a fun coming together of the PGA and LPGA Tours with the Grant Thornton and a pressure cooker with livelihoods on the line at PGA TOUR Q-School finals.
Grant Thornton Invitational: A Unique Showdown
If you thought the golf world had already visited Tiburón Golf Club this year, you would be correct. Just a couple of short weeks removed from the LPGA's CME Group Tour Championship, the Grant Thornton Invitational tees it up in Naples once again. This event marks a unique convergence of the LPGA and PGA TOUR, as this mixed-team event offers a refreshing format where professional men and women team up in what proves to be both a celebration of camaraderie and some fierce competition among some of the world's best.
Key pairings such as Nelly Korda teaming up with Tony Finau and the defending champs of Lydia Ko with Jason Day are set to make headlines this week. The 16 competing teams each have unique blends of strengths between the LPGA and PGA TOUR duos, making this week's event really anyone's to win.
The three-day team event has unique formats for each round, including a scramble on Friday, an alternate shot on Saturday, and a modified four-ball format for Sunday's final round. In that Sunday final round, both players tee off and hit their second shots from wherever their partner's tee ball was, then play that ball out until holed. The lower score of the partners counts as the official team score for each hole. This tournament is designed not only to entertain golf fans but also to see the stars of both the male and female games collaborate and strategize in a way not typically experienced in the professional game.
PGA TOUR Q-School: The Crucial Gateway
While the Grant Thornton Invitational captures attention for its format, the final stage of the PGA TOUR Q-School sets a more intense scene at the iconic TPC Sawgrass and Sawgrass Country Club, the predecessor host site of the PLAYERS before the TPC was built. Here, the stakes are high, with coveted PGA TOUR cards available to top finishers, offering both a dream and a daunting challenge for the week's finalists.
What's On The Line?
Plenty is on the line this week in the Jacksonville area; for those who have made it this far, the dream of playing on the big stage for the first time or returning after a hiatus is at stake.
The biggest prize will go to the top five finishers and ties at the final stage this week, who will earn their PGA TOUR cards for 2025. The next 40 and ties will earn exempt status for the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour, with priority status going to the top 25 of that group of 40. All remaining finishers earn conditional status for the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season and are exempted through the Latin America Swing of the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas season.
PGA TOUR Q-School serves as a proving ground for seasoned players and the ultimate test for aspiring pros looking to turn dreams into reality. Success here guarantees not only prestige but a direct path to the PGA TOUR, hiking the competitive bar even higher.
More News and Notes From The Golf World
Before signing off, I wanted to share some additional tidbits from the world of golf that might pique your interest.
Of little surprise to most, Scottie Scheffler was named the 2024 PGA TOUR Player of the Year. As PGATOUR.com reported this yesterday, they also shared some absolutely mind-blowing stats about Scottie Scheffler's dominance.
- Scottie's nine wins this year, including seven official PGA TOUR events, Olympic Gold, and last week's Hero World Challenge, are the most single-season victories since Tiger Woods in 2006.
- Scheffler's 2024 scoring average of 68.01 was the lowest in the modern era, including any of Tiger's seasons...ANY
- Scheffler was the World's #1 player all season, and statistically, that streak does not look to be ending anytime soon. Scheffler earned the fourth-most ranking points in a calendar year since the OWG Ranking's inception (according to OWG ranking expert Nosferatu). Woods had the three seasons better than Scheffler's this year.
Speaking of Woods...He's BACK Next Week!
Speaking of the G.O.A.T. (or co-GOAT alongside the Golden Bear), it was announced today that Tiger and his cub, Charlie, have committed to playing in next week's PNC Championship. No matter the trials he has faced over the past few years, Tiger always brings excitement when he tees it up. That goes up a notch, too, when Charlie is in tow.
Golf Lost a Good One This Week
Along with an untold number of golf writers, players, PGA members, and industry insiders, I was shocked and saddened yesterday to learn of the passing of long-time golf columnist Jeff Babineau.
I first met Jeff in the early 2000s when he was with Golfweek magazine. In all my interactions with him over the years, he was a class act. Anyone who had the opportunity to know Babs would agree that he was one of the most down-to-earth and kindest individuals in golf and life.
My most sincere condolences to his family.
