Jin Fizz

This could be scandalous to say, but playoff baseball might be better than courier-service-branded playoff golf.

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Last Friday, we did our best to manifest a weekend battle between Jin Young Ko and Nelly Korda. The only issue: Ko was way too good. With rounds of 63-68-69-67, she won the Cognizant Founders Cup by four shots and claimed her third title in her past seven starts. Results

Ko, No. 2 in the Rolex Rankings, is on an absolute tear. She has won three times since July, and she has now shot 14 straight rounds in the 60s, matching a record previously set by Annika Sörenstam. Along with Nelly Korda, Ko is one of the two best players in the women’s game, period.

The LPGA Tour is gaining popularity right now, so a battle for No. 1 is timely. It’s a fun pay-off for those who just started to tune in this season, and who knows, it may attract some new viewers. Real, sustained on-course rivalries are a ton of fun, and—as the PGA Tour has proven recently—pretty rare. So what Jin Young Ko and Nelly Korda are doing right now is worth following closely. There’s plenty of talent in women’s golf, yet these two have unmistakably separated themselves from the pack.

Homefield advantage?

In a clash of Spaniards, Rafa Cabrera-Bello edged Adri Arnaus to win the Acciona Open de España on Sunday. Cabrera-Bello dispatched of Arnaus with a birdie on the first playoff hole to earn his fourth career win and his first since 2017. Results

After the 2021 Ryder Cup, many of us immediately started wondering which Europeans could make the 2023 team. While Cabrera-Bello was on Team Europe in 2016, his younger countrymen Arnaus and Adrián Otaegui may be more promising options for the future. Both have played well in spurts on the European Tour over the past five years, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see either hit his stride over the next two seasons.

All Im

Still six months shy of 24 years old, Sungjae Im now has two PGA Tour victories. Everyone’s favorite ironman fired a Sunday 62 in Las Vegas to win the Shriners Children’s Open by four shots. Im was three shots back to start the final round but quickly took control with nine birdies in his first 13 holes. Results

Two telling factoids to chew on: 1) Im is almost two years younger than Will Zalatoris (h/t Kyle Porter); 2) he is just the seventh non-American player in the past 50 years to win two PGA Tour events before turning 24 (h/t Justin Ray). Friends don’t let friends underappreciate Sungjae Im.

Quick Hooks

Matthew Wolff was runner-up at the Shriners, his best PGA Tour finish since the 2020 U.S. Open.

Phil Mickelson improved his PGA Tour Champions batting average to .750 with a victory at the Constellation Furyk & Friends. Lefty now has three wins in four starts on the senior tour. Results

Former NBA champion J.R. Smith is set to make his college golf debut this week for North Carolina A&T.

Tiger Woods, still recovering from his February car accident, was spotted on a driving range with his son Charlie this weekend. Tiger hasn’t played a competitive event since the 2020 Masters.

The Latest from The Fried Egg

The Shotgun Start – Did the Phil show cannibalize the PGA Tour, Sungjae’s arc, and a Schenk Lineup. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Pro Shop

ICYMI, we have a new addition to the Fried Egg Pro Shop: the Raynorman Logo! Modeled after golf architect Seth Raynor’s iconic glasses and hat, the Raynorman can be found on a classic Liam Polo or a Blair Half Zip Sport Pullover from B. Draddy.