Welcome! You’re tuning into a new edition of the Weekend 9, your go-to spot as you head into Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Here you’ll find a mix of musings, tips, and tweets—just nine of them, give or take a few. Curious about who’s behind this? Well, read on to get acquainted with the person putting this together, and feel free to drop me a line at [email protected].
Let’s dive into the intriguing story of Gabby Barker. Strangely enough, she has no idea why, but her morning started without a hitch—except for one significant detail. Despite her stellar swing that rarely misses a beat, Gabby, who dazzled as a top-ranked golfer during her time at Texas Tech, missed her tee time. She walked into history as the first female Native American pro, an accolade she holds dear. And last December, she intended to shine at the Ladies European Tour Q-School in Morocco, sharing, “I had put in the hard work to perform well.”
However, she never heard her alarm. It didn’t go off. Before her round even began, her game was over. On Tuesday, she candidly shared, “I slept for 12 hours. Whether it was jet lag or something else, I simply didn’t wake up. It was all a blur. I cried more over that than any other moment because it was a dream chance to explore the world.” Here, as she recalled the event, her voice wavered with emotion.
Ahead of the LPGA’s Ford Championship, where she’s playing thanks to a sponsor exemption, Gabby reflected on this twist of fate. If you’re seeking a story of resilience and need a dose of weekend motivation, her journey might just be it. “Honestly, I might not be where I am today if not for that incident,” she said. “Golf’s tough, life’s no easy ride either. But realizing I survived such setbacks is like patting myself on the back. It’s wild to think about.”
Gabby’s story sets the tone for Weekend 9. Let’s see what other insights we can unearth this weekend.
One takeaway from the week: Was Friday the day we witnessed the year’s most impressive round of golf? This question seems fitting when talking about DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi. Meghan MacLaren offered sharp words on Twitter: “DLF is the ultimate evidence of the madness of pro golfers. It’s insanely difficult, almost indescribable. Each shot feels like threading the tiniest needle, and missing it feels like standing on a razor’s edge.”
Given this tough course, scores told the tale. Halfway through the event, four-under was the leading score while shooting six-over was the ticket to the weekend. Scores in the 80s were frequent, but Keita Nakajima stunned with a six-under 66, including a jaw-dropping seven-under 29 on the front nine. To put this in perspective, the average score for those nine holes was 37.83, meaning Nakajima was nearly nine shots better than average. Curious about how the final days unfold? Catch the action on Golf Channel—coverage kicks off bright and early on Saturday at 4 a.m. ET and continues on Sunday at 2:30 a.m. ET.
One more eye-opener from the week: Was this year’s most remarkable shot executed on Thursday? Keith Mitchell faced quite the challenge on the 9th hole at Memorial Park during Houston Open’s first round. If you missed it, check it out online. The “Thai Spinner,” inspired by Thai pro Kiradech Aphibarnrat, demands a stab that produces a low shot with tons of spin. For Mitchell, an awkward bunker lip meant attempting a conventional shot was impossible and a misstep could send the ball into water.
His execution was not only incredibly difficult but it also nearly holed out, earning it a place in his personal highlight reel. While it was a blend of skill and serendipity, other pros praised the feat. “Funnily enough, it was my tour buddies who commented because they understood the difficulty of that shot,” Mitchell laughed. Sometimes golf pros improvise too, even amid high-stakes scenarios.
For a bit of reading outside of golf: Beth Ann Nichols at Golfweek shares a poignant tale of a clerical misstep in the LPGA that accidentally allowed a player into events she wasn’t eligible for, affecting three other players who missed out as a result. A thought-provoking read indeed.
Now, let’s shift to something uniquely mine: a golf-basketball bracket challenge. Based on Data Golf’s rankings, I paired 64 male pros with college basketball teams. As the NCAA tournament progresses, so does my golf experiment, dictated by how the respective basketball teams perform. With the Sweet 16 unfolding, we’ve got these matchups left:
South Semis:
– Scottie Scheffler vs. Keegan Bradley
– Sungjae Im vs. Patrick Cantlay
West Semis:
– Jon Rahm vs. Shane Lowry
– Justin Thomas vs. Ben Griffin
East Semis:
– Rory McIlroy vs. Bryson DeChambeau
– Denny McCarthy vs. Joaquin Niemann
Midwest Semis:
– Collin Morikawa vs. Sepp Straka
– Hideki Matsuyama vs. Russell Henley
On an interesting note, a fun back-and-forth stirred last Sunday when Billy Horschel opted for a left-handed swing at the Valspar Championship. The viral moment sparked a debate on Twitter, led by @Top100Rick’s provocative take on the improbability of even the most endowed amateurs attaining a tour card, eliciting Horschel’s insights: “The odds are under 1%. Mastery of the mental game, course management, and pro-level experience are critical, which many lack despite technical skills.”
Adding some levity, during LIV Golf’s Singapore event, Sam Horsfield had his moment of frustration, reminiscent of famous club tosses by Patton Kizzire and Sahith Theegala’s water hazard mishaps. Such instances remind us the pros are as human as the rest of us.
Switching gears, here are my non-golf musings: I’m not much of a TV buff, mostly because golf takes up my screen time. However, I was gripped by “Severance.” Especially episode seven of the second season, “Chikhai Bardo”—what a phenomenal installment!
As baseball season kicks in alongside golf, nearly everyone’s calling it for the Dodgers. But I’m drawn to Seattle, with possibly the second-best pitching rotation after the Dodgers, and to my home state Brewers in Milwaukee, keenly watching Jackson Chourio’s rise.
Wondering about live golf on TV this weekend? Your guide is right here:
– Saturday:
– 4 a.m. ET: Hero Indian Open, Golf Channel
– 1 p.m. ET: Texas Children’s Houston Open, Golf Channel; switches to NBC at 3 p.m.
– 6 p.m. ET: Ford Championship, Golf Channel
– Sunday:
– 2:30 a.m. ET: Hero Indian Open, Golf Channel
– 1 p.m. ET: Texas Children’s Houston Open, Golf Channel; resumes on NBC at 3 p.m.
– 6 p.m. ET: Ford Championship, Golf Channel
Finally, what you’re emailing me. Last week, I opened up about my regret over not returning my mom’s calls before she passed five years ago. Your feedback touched me profoundly. One 80-year-old reader mentioned he would share my story with his adult children to foster stronger family connections. This thoughtful response was a gentle reminder about life’s fleeting nature. Embrace the moments and cherish those near to you, just as your loved ones would have wanted.
