Golfing News & Blog Articles

Approved by a board earlier this month, the PGA Tour has decided to raise purses even higher in five of its biggest events, with two FedEx Cup playoff events now offering $15 million.

NCGA Alum Brandon Harkins Wins TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational

Nov. 22, 2021

Lafayette native and Chico State alum Brandon Harkins can call himself a Pebble Beach champion.

On Sunday, the 35-year-old Harkins, who honed his game competing in NCGA tournaments and was profiled in the 2018 Fall issue of NCGA Golf Magazine, carded a final round 6-under 66 that included a back-nine 28 at Pebble Beach Golf Links to win the 50th annual TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational. The Invitational is the world’s only tournament that pits players from the PGA, LPGA, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tours against each other.

Harkins would finish the 72-hole event, held at The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach, with a total of 21-under 267 to edge co-runners-up Harry Hall and Alex Cejka by two strokes.

NCGA alums Justin Suh, a former No.1-world ranked amateur, and Isaiah Salinda, the 2018 Pacific Coast Amateur champion, finished 4th and T-5, respectively.

The Tommy Armour 845 is the latest offering for the DICK’s house brand.The 845 MAX lineup offers forgiveness at a price well below the industry leaders.Available now

As the house brand of DICK’S Sporting Goods, Tommy Armour doesn’t give off quite the same lovable “little guy” vibes as direct-to-consumer brands like Sub 70 and New Level but its business model isn’t wildly different: Provide consumers with a good product at prices well below industry averages.

It’s that simple.

That’s been the case since DICK’S scooped up the Tommy Armour brand as part of its acquisition of Sports Authority.

The first iterations of the Tommy Armour brand under the DICK’s umbrella featured bold designs. The idea was to let you know that Tommy was back. As the line has matured and become more familiar to golfers, DICK’s doesn’t feel the need to scream quite as loudly. So, while perhaps a bit more understated than the TA1 or Atomic lines, a more refined and streamlined Tommy Armour 845 MAX shouldn’t suggest that performance has been compromised.

Tommy Armour 845 MAX Irons and Hybrids – Key Takeaways

Tommy Armour updates its SGI offeringIrons add forgiveness with a possible sacrifice in distanceFree lie, length, grip fittings at Dicks and Golf GalaxyValue priced: $499.99 for a 7-piece iron set; $179.99 per hybrid

The new Tommy Armour 845 MAX irons and hybrids may just force you to answer some uncomfortable questions. To wit:

Can DICK’S house brand really stand toe-to-toe with the big OEMs? (Hint: our Most Wanted Testing suggests it can.)As much as golfers complain about big OEM pricing, can you take a sub-$500 house-brand iron set seriously?And here’s the biggie: if you can’t see yourself gaming them, does it mean you’re hopelessly brandwashed?

For the record, this scribe answered Yes, Yes and Perhaps. That last one did require some painful introspection.

The new-age Tommy Armour line is a frontal assault on preconceived notions. We all remember the classic 845s irons. And we also all remember the decade-plus it spent as an embarrassingly low-end Sports Authority offering. But give DICK’S credit for upsetting the apple cart a bit by infusing an unexpected level of quality, performance and, most importantly, value into Tommy Armour.

And if you’re a Super Game Improvement golfer, the new Tommy Armour 845 MAX irons and hybrids might force you to do some soul searching before wallet-reaching.

Tommy Armour 845 MAX Irons

Let’s get this on the table right away: the new Tommy Armour 845 MAX irons list for $499.99 with steel shafts. It’s also $499.99 with graphite shafts. And right now, both DICK’S and Golf Galaxy have the 845 MAX irons on sale for $449.98.

Tiger Woods posts a video hitting balls and it's impossible not to wonder what this means for 2022.

Now if he would speak to the camera, the game would really like to hear from him on some big ticket items.

Jin Young Ko delivered a performance that was close to perfect Sunday to win the CME Group Tour Championship and overtake Nelly Korda for LPGA player of the year.

Talor Gooch tied the RSM Classic record of 22-under 260 set by Kevin Kisner in 2014. He became the seventh player in the 12-year history of the event to make the RSM Classic his first victory.

Tiger Woods posted video of himself hitting balls for the first time since his February car accident that caused several injuries to his right leg and foot.

Collin Morikawa won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday to become the first American to finish at No. 1 in Europe.

Talor Gooch hit only six fairways Saturday at the RSM Classic and still managed a 3-under 67, stretching his lead to three shots going into the final round.

Nelly Korda finished strong Saturday at the CME Group Tour Championship, and is part of a four-way tie for the lead going into the final round of the season, with nothing less than $1.5 million and LPGA player of the year on the line.

Rory McIlroy was on the rocks late in his third round at the DP World Tour Championship but managed to claim a one-shot lead.

Talor Gooch of Oklahoma had no problem with 25 mph wind that swept over Sea Island. He made a 65-foot eagle putt on his way to a 65 on Friday to build a one-shot lead in the RSM Classic.