That’s all, folks

In a strange turn of events, the 2019 professional golf calendar has come to an end. Well, kind of. The final PGA Tour, European Tour, and LPGA Tour events of the year get underway this weekend, and all three boast exorbitant purses. No seriously, even the LPGA is giving out $1.5 mission to the winner. This week, it really is all about the money, money, money.

Pack your Vineyard Vines

The final event of the PGA Tour season is the RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort. Players will play both the Seaside and Plantation courses during the first two rounds before playing the final two on the Seaside. Redesigned by Davis Love III and his brother over the past year, the Plantation Course gets to show its new self to a national audience for the first time. Tee Times

Return of Chucky

Last year marked Charles Howell III’s first PGA Tour victory in 100 11 years. Chucky Three Sticks birdied three of his final four holes to get into a playoff with Patrick Rodgers, and then birdied the second extra hole for his first win since 2007. Howell III had a strong 2018-19 campaign and has already notched two top 10s in the 2019-20 season.

Storylines

DL3 Design – The newest CBS broadcast team member seems to have done some intriguing work at the Sea Island Plantation Course. Early reviews have mentioned Seth Raynor-style shaping, remixed renditions of template holes, and other Golden Age-indebted flourishes. It could be a mess, or it could be really cool. Either way, we’re excited to see how the finished product holds up in PGA Tour action.

Glory’s last shot – Before the reshuffle, that is. Korn Ferry Tour graduates have one more chance to earn crucial FedEx Cup points before their priority gets reshuffled for the spring. With stronger fields in the near future, a high finish at Sea Island would go a long way.

Paulie’s Picks

Sea Island isn’t conducive to the typical bomb-and-gouge approach on the PGA Tour. Find out who Paulie likes on the shorter layouts this week! Full DraftKings Picks

Feel the Bernd

The European Tour started on November 22, 2018. It will finish on November 24, 2019. Woof. Anywho, the Race to Dubai finally wraps up at the DP World Tour Championship this weekend. Boasting a winner’s share of $3 million, this week will surely see some nervy three-footers. Tee Times

Bernd Wiesberger remains on top of the Race to Dubai standings, but others have pulled within striking distance. Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, and Matthew Fitzpatrick all have a chance at the top prize if the cards fall their way. If you’ve missed Steve Sands explaining the FedEx Cup projections this fall, tune in for some Race to Dubai updates this weekend!

Winner take all

The LPGA concludes its season this weekend as the top 60 players in the Race to the CME Globe standings head to Naples, Florida, for the CME Group Tour Championship. Like the FedEx Cup, the CME race now finishes with a winner-take-all prize. Unlike the FedEx Cup, everyone starts at the same number. This means that whether you enter the week No. 1 or No. 60, you have an equal shot at the $1.5-million prize, the largest winner’s share in the history of the LPGA.

As the FedEx Cup has proven, there is no perfect way to end a season-long race in golf. Is it fair that Jin Young Ko, who has four wins and twelve top 10s on the year, has the same chance as Stacy Lewis, 60th in the standings with only three top 10s? Probably not. Could it make for fun TV on Sunday? You bet. Tee Times

Quick Hooks

In case you missed it, Brandon Matthews is a stand-up guy. At the Visa Open de Argentina this past weekend, Matthews faced an eight-foot putt to get into a playoff. A fan’s outburst in his backstroke caused him to miss the putt. While he was understandably angry at first, he soon found out the fan had Down syndrome and had just gotten overexcited. Matthews asked to meet the fan, and the two shared one of the sweetest moments of the year. Full Story from Nick Menta

The RSM Classic Monday qualifier featured an 8-for-1 playoff for the last spot. Given the lack of daylight this time of year, the final two finished under… headlights. Photo from Monday Q Info

The Latest

Eclectic 18 UK – Muirfield – Our Eclectic 18 UK series comes to a close at an iconic venue: Muirfield. Find out what makes this closing par 4 one of the best in the world.

Shotgun Start: Davises as far as the eye can see, winner-take-all LPGA final, and the Todd Era dawns

This Wednesday episode begins with another celebration of Brendon Todd, a Shotgun Start favorite son that was never doubted. Todd’s Masters odds are discussed as well as the unexpected debate about whether he should replace Brooks Koepka on the Presidents Cup team if BK were to WD. Then they get to the schedule for the week, where we marvel at the abundance of Davises (Davi?) in the field at the RSM Classic. The new format for the LPGA’s season-ending Tour Championship is praised and argued as a possible model for the FedExCup. There’s also an amusing story from inside some winter meetings at the PGA Tour, where every dish gets a name. An exciting new sponsor leads to a new segment and perhaps the longest ad read in the history of podcasts. The episode wraps with a discussion on the Race to Dubai and some praise for Brandon Matthews’s incredible grace under tough circumstances. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Pro Shop

While most people at the Sea Island Resort will tie their sweaters around their necks to keep warm, the rest of us have to resort to less preppy means. A great place to start is with a Fried Egg beanie. Grab yours today!