The First Call 11-19-2021

FIRST THOUGHT

The LPGA announced this week the winner of next year's CME Group Tour Championship will earn $2 million, the largest single prize in the history of women’s golf. Every player in the season-ending event will receive at least $40K from a total prize pool of $7 million. That's an increase of $2 million from this year's event, which continues this weekend at Tiburon in Naples, Florida.

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READ, WATCH, LISTEN

> The strange history of the worst sentence in English literature
[April Snellings | Mental Floss | Read]

> Highlights from Rory McIlroy's first-round 65 in Dubai
[European Tour | YouTube | Watch]

> Podcast: Premier Golf League's Andy Gardiner explains what the league is and isn't
[No Laying Up | Listen]

> 'The Match' will have long drive, closest-to-the-pin challenges
[Todd Kelly | GolfWeek | Read]

FACT OF THE DAY

DID YOU KNOW?

In Rhode Island, 58% of golf ball sales go through the green grass channel. That leaves 42% shared among off course, e-commerce, sporting goods and mass merchants.

Source: Longitudes Group Market Value Model 2021

Holiday Golf Gift Guide

We’ve hand-picked a list of products that will be updated and added to on a regular basis so you can peruse and scope out items now, then wait for the deals and slashed prices to get holiday shopping off to a great start.

INDUSTRY NEWS

PXG professional golfers clinch 10 victories on tour this year

PXG pro Jason Kokrak wins Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open; Lydia Ko wins Aramco Saudi Ladies International

Fidelity sports group announces 2nd annual PXG College Golf Showcase at Scottsdale National

Top-ranked college players and celebrities to raise $1 million for military foundations.

Circling Raven unveils 2022 advantage cards, other holiday gift items for golfers

Golf club offering variety of products, in shop and online, plus shopping spree giveaway entries for customers

Youth Athletes United acquires TGA Premier Sports

Youth sports brand will merge TGA’s flagship golf program into its franchise platform

Scott Gutschewski joins GOLFTEC as brand ambassador

Gutschewski recently secured his PGA Tour Card for the 2021-2022 season by way of a top-50 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour last season.

Dow GLBI to increase tournament purse to $2.5 million in 2022

LPGA team event continues to be one of the highest paying LPGA tournaments

#QOTD

"Short words are best."

— Winston Churchill

ROUNDS AND WEATHER

> Strong week of play last week as improved weather conditions vs. prior week led to rounds finishing down vs. 2020 by -9% and up vs. 2019 by more than 80% overall.

> For the first time in a few weeks, we saw decreased rainfall across the country with precipitation this week finishing -42% over the prior year rainfall.

> Florida and the Mid-Atlantic finished as the top performing regions for the past seven days vs. 2019 and vs. 2020, due to improved playing conditions.

> Strong demand is expected to continue in the Mountain Pacific and Florida regions, with both areas pacing up vs. 2020 by more than 30% for rounds played.

TUNING IN

PGA Tour: The RSM Classic
Site: Seaside and Plantation Courses, Sea Island, Georgia
Television: Today-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship
Site: Tiburon GC, Naples, Florida
Television: Today-Saturday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel-tape delay); Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (NBC)

European Tour: DP World Tour Championship
Site: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Television: Today, 2-8 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2-7:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 1:30-7:30 a.m. (Golf Channel)

CALENDAR

NOVEMBER
21-24: World Golf Expo 2021, Hainan, China | Info

JANUARY
25-28: PGA Merchandise Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info

FEBRUARY
5-10: GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, San Diego, Calif. | Info
19-23: CMAA World Conference and Club Business Expo, San Diego, Calif. | Info

To submit events for the calendar, please include the event name, date, location and informational link to info@firstcallgolf.com.

LAST CALL

Tell us how you really feel @TyrrellHatton 😂#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/HUYER1bblm
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 18, 2021