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esoutherngolf · 2 years

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The 150th Open Championship

Abundant Story Lines as Golf’s Oldest Championship Hits Milestone The eyes of the golf world are set squarely on St. Andrews this week for the 150th Open Championship. The storylines are abundant, and one of which, that we have been forced to endure at nauseum in recent months, I’ll stay away from. I would prefer to focus on the golf as the games oldest and most revered championship takes place at the home of golf. Rory posed for another Major? Whether you are on #TeamRory or not, its hard to argue that he is likely among the favorites coming into The Open. Will this be the week that four-time major champ McIlroy finally ends his lengthy majorless drought that dates back to 2014? Many oddsmakers see him as the favorite this week. Rory has two wins in the 2021-22 season, The CJ Cup back in October, and more recently at the RBC Canadian Open. He has a 2nd at the Masters, 8th at the PGA and a T5 at the US Open. The number 2 player in the world seems to be poised for a great week…could it be Claret Jug great? We shall soon see… A Red Hot Xander Schauffele… The hottest player coming into the Open Championship is Xander Schauffele. With back-to-back wins at the Travelers Championship and Genesis Scottish Open (and actually 3 wins if you count the JP McManus Pro-Am.), Xander is red hot. Despite a MC at Augusta, Schauffele has had some respectable finishes at the PGA (T13) and US Open (T14). Beyond that, he knows how to win big events…take the Olympics for example. A Host of other Contenders… All of the following I will put on my “Can make a strong case” list for being the potential Champion Golfer of the Year… Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Cameron Smith, and Will Zalatoris. None of these would surprise me at all as the person lifting the Claret Jug come Sunday. Big Cat is Back… As my plans going forward are to provide content here on eSouthernGOLF, haters will have to suck it up…I am a huge Tiger fan. The GOAT will be making his return this week, and although I will be watching every possible stroke I can, and cheering him on, I have no delusions of grandeur…he wont win. However, he may just be in the mix come Sunday. Heading into 2022, when a return was likely, this week was earmarked as the best shot, he had all year…and that was the thought before he made the cut at both Augusta and Southern Hills. Taking the US Open off was a necessity, and hopefully, these past few weeks have been fruitful in his journey to getting stronger, and more tournament ready. I predict we will see him on Sunday and perhaps with something in the top 25. Little Linksters Majors Challenge Pool…Open Championship Edition! Since this year’s Masters back in April, The Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development, a 501c3 youth golf nonprofit based in Central Florida, has been partnering with Majors Challenge, to host fundraiser Major Championship pools. With the field now set for this year’s Open Championship, would like to invite you to take part! Go to the following link: www.majorschallenge.com/club/littlelinksters to get set up and pick your team when you are ready! But don’t miss out! You need to get your team in by 2:00 a.m. eastern on Thursday July 14th. A minimum $10 donation gets you into the fun! The link above is where you go to get registered and brush up on the rules of the pool. At this past May's PGA Championship, Little Linksters started a season-long contest in addition to the individual events. During a full year, Little Linksters, in partnership with Majors Challenge, will run the following events... · The PLAYERS Championship · The Masters · The PGA Championship · U.S. Open · The Open · The TOUR Championship This year’s CUP, yearlong contest, will consist of the PGA, US Open, Open Championship, and TOUR Championship. Read the full article

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bunkershotgolf · 4 years

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Little Linksters™ “Best Pee-Wee Golf Swing in the World” Video Contest Marks its 10th Year! Our Winners Are…In a contest year like no other, kids from across the world recorded and sent in their golf swings and boy did we get some great entries! Little Linksters™, LLC, The Little Linksters™ and the Association for Junior Golf Development rolled out the tenth installment of their Annual Best “Pee Wee” Golf Swing in the World Video Contest in the early part of this year, and had to, like all of us, endure the twists and turns of this year in the process.

After all of this, Little Linksters™ and the contest judges are pleased to present our winners! Under 3 Division… 1st Place- JACK CANTIN (Canada, 1 Year Old) 2nd Place- STEPHEN LIMPACH (Florida, USA 2 Years Old) T-3rd Place- RIAAN AYOOBI (Australia, 2.5 Years Old) T-3rd Place- NICHOLAS GOMEZ (Texas, USA, 2 Years Old)

3-4 Years… 1st Place- VAUGHN COLEMAN (South Carolina, USA, 4 Years Old) 2nd Place- PENNY ROACH (Canada, 4 Years Old) 3rd Place- SANIA BHAMBANI (California, USA, 4 Years Old)

5-6 Years… 1st Place- THANDAN KONGSIRI (Texas, USA, 5 Years Old) 2nd Place- BOND HOGAN (Australia, 5 Years Old) T-3rd Place- KEEGAN CARBRAY (Illinois, USA, 5 Years Old) T-3rd Place- CAMDEN GUYTON (Georgia, USA, 6 Years Old)

7-8 Years… 1st Place- CARERON AMEN (California, USA, 7 Years Old) 2nd Place- ABIGAIL THAMBIRAN (South Africa, 7 Years Old) 3rd Place- TREBOR MELENDEZ (New Jersey, USA, 7 Years Old)

9-10 Years… 1st Place- ERIC CHAVEZ (California, USA, 10 Years Old) 2nd Place- ALISON OH (Virginia, USA, 10 Years Old) T-3rd Place- JADEN SOONG (California, USA, 9 Years Old) T-3rd Place- OWEN FONG (Canada, 10 Years Old)

11-12 Years… 1st Place- ALEX ZHANG (Canada, 11 Years Old) 2nd Place- MACIE RASMUSSEN (Virginia, USA, 11 Years Old) 3rd Place- CONNOR BRYCE (Texas, USA, 12 Years Old)

WATCH THE WINNERS VIDEO PRESENTATION HERE: https://youtu.be/2kJGTjx2fWY

This was the tenth straight year Little Linksters™, LLC, along with the Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development (501c3) has hosted this kid-centric contest. Once again, this year, some very heavy hitters from the golf world joined the cause, including World Golf Hall of Fame members, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam, and PGA Tour Star, Jordan Spieth. They will join a team of US and International based PGA and LPGA teaching professionals. The judges include, US Kids Golf Top 50 instructors Michelle Holmes, Zoe Allen from Ireland, and Tom Reid from the UK, as well as acclaimed Canadian Instructor, Jason Helman. They all will join the contest’s host, and Little Linksters founder, Brendon Elliott, who was named the PGA’s National Youth Player Development award winner in 2017.

This popular contest allows parents to upload a video to YouTube of their “Little Linksters” swing. Videos this year were submitted from January through the end of July and winners were crowned in four age groups—ranging from ages 3 to 12. Voting was conducted by a panel of industry veterans and experts. This is an inclusive contest, with fun at its center point, so all children, regardless of ability are always encouraged to submit their swings!

“In what has been an incredibly challenging year in many respects, we were determined to once again offer this opportunity to children and showcase to the golf world what the youngest among us can do with a golf club. This contest is primarily about fun and celebrating a game that is blind to age…kids as young as two years of age can love this game and we see that year in and year out.” explained PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, founder of Little Linksters™, LLC and Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development. “Over the years, we have been very humbled to have had such a recognized and esteemed celebrity panel of judges including Jordan Spieth, Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Andrew “Beef” Johnston, Tony Jacklin, Annika Sorenstam, Hank Haney, Kelly Sheehan, Lexi Thompson, Jim McLean, Win McMurry, Paula Creamer, Nicole Weller, Chuck Evans, Brittany Lincicome, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Keegan Bradley, Mark Bradley, Allen Wronowski, Frank Nobilo, David Leadbetter, Michelle Wie and Holly Sonders.” added Elliott.

This year’s contest saw just shy of 200 entries poured in from over 15 countries from around the world. Elliott, is a US Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Teacher (2010, ‘11 and ’12), a 2013 US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Teacher, a four- time NFPGA Junior Golf Leader award winner (2011-14), as well as a five-time Top 50 Growth of the Game Teacher as named by the Golf Range Association, was named the PGA of America’s National Youth Player Development award winner in 2017. More recently, Elliott was named a 2019 GRAA Top 50 Elite Status Growth of the Game Teacher and one of Orlando Family Magazine’s 2019 Men of the Year. Brendon leads the judging of the Best Pee Wee Swing contest each year. He was assisted by this year’s celebrity panel of judges.

Taking part in the 2020 campaign were:

• Jack Nicklaus— World Golf Hall of Fame member and the man that holds the record for the most major championship titles in the men’s game. Known to many as the best male golfer of all time. Mr. Nicklaus is making his fourth appearance as a judge in the Best Pee Wee Swing Contest.

• Annika Sorenstam— Also a World Golf Hall of Fame member. She is regarded as one of the best female golfers in history. She won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer with the most wins to her name. She won 72 official LPGA tournaments including ten majors and she tops the LPGA's career money list with earnings of over $22 million. Annika is also making her fourth appearance as a judge.

• Jordan Spieth— Jordan is a three-time major winner and the 2015 FedEx Cup champion. In April 2016, Time magazine named Spieth to its list of the "100 Most Influential People", noting that he "exemplifies everything that's great about sports." Spieth's first major win came in the 2015 Masters Tournament where he became the second youngest golfer (behind Tiger Woods) to win the Masters. He then won the 2015 U.S. Open with a score of 5-under-par. He was the youngest U.S. Open champion since amateur Bobby Jones in 1923. This will be Jordan’s third time as a judge in our contest.

• Michelle Holmes— One of the very brightest instructors in the junior golf instruction arena. A multiple award- winning teacher, Michelle is the owner of the Michelle Holmes School of Golf at Cahoon Plantation. Michelle serves the greater Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and Outer Banks area but has an ever-increasing influence around the world. This is her third straight year as a judge. Among her numerous awards, Michelle is a US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Instructor.

• Zoe Allen— Another of the very brightest up and comers in the junior golf instruction arena. A multiple award- winning teacher, Zoe is the owner of Zoe Allen Golf at Lurgan Golf Club in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. Zoe won the distinction of being named a US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Instructor this past January at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL. This is her third year as a judge.

• Tom Reid— US Kids Top 50 Instructor, Tom Reid hails from the U.K. Tom is a former Touring Professional that has made a significant impact in the junior golf arena in Europe over the past few years. Formerly an instructor at the highly acclaimed Wentworth Club, Tom is now the senior teaching professional at Stoke Park Golf and Country Club. Tom is a lead in the Leadbetter Kids program, which is a youth program from the David Leadbetter Academy. • Jason Helman— Over the past 25+ years as a Golf Professional, Jason has made his mark in Canada as a top instructor and golf coach. His passion for the game, pride in his students, and their willingness to learn and develop as golfers or athletes so they can reach their highest pinnacle in the game are what drives him. He said, “All I want is for my students to succeed, whether they’re 5 years old or a tour professional.” Jason is the 2010 PGA of Canada National Teacher of the Year as well as the 2016 PGA of Canada Professional National Development Award Recipient.

The Little Linksters™ golf program in Central Florida was originally designed specifically for children ages 3 to 8 years old but has expanded in recent years to include ages up to 18 and children of all abilities. The introductory program is taught in a fun and interactive way, using both traditional and non-traditional instructional methods to ensure children’s first introduction to golf is FUN! The Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development, a 501c3 nonprofit in conjunction with AAU, is continuing to develop a national program that will enable teaching professionals from across the country to grow their business and the game of golf with a proven program that combines a child-friendly approach, a complete program curriculum, and uses items from some of the industry’s best training aid and junior golf equipment companies. One of the Association’s most prized projects, called G.O.A.L.S. (Golf Outreach Advances Life Skills) is specifically aimed at introducing children ages 3-12+ with special needs to the game of golf. In doing so, children will learn valuable life skills that will help them throughout their life. The Special Olympics of Central Florida is a proud partner of Little Linksters™ efforts with this program. Support of the G.O.A.L.S. program has also come from the Alliance for Accessible Golf as well as Jordan Spieth and the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation.

Little Linksters has added additional programming in 2020 that touches children ages 3-10 as well as 11-16 that are in economically challenged situations and that may have never had an opportunity such as those that Little Linksters™ offers, to play golf. “Golf is more than a game; it is a tool to teach young children so much more and we hope to use this tool to enhance the lives of as many children as possible explains Elliott, Little Linksters™ founder and Executive Director.

To help the nonprofit, Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development contact them at [email protected] To donate go to Little Linksters™ go here: https://littlelinksters.com/donate/

To become a corporate sponsor, contact Executive Director Brendon R. Elliott, PGA at [email protected]

For more information about the “Best Pee-Wee Golf Swing in the World” Video Contest or the Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development, please visit www.littlelinksters.com or contact Brendon Elliott at [email protected] or by phone at (321) 278-1612.

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