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Bryson DeChambeau made huge headlines -- and was roundly criticized -- last month for comments he made during a post-round press conference at the British Open.
After a particularly bad round of golf, DeChambeau blurted out, "the driver sucks," seemingly blaming his poor performance on his equipment, not himself.
Curiously, that same equipment will be on full display following an interesting announcement DeChambeau made earlier this week, accepting an invitation to the Professional Long Drivers Association World Championship, scheduled for late September.
DeChambeau seemed excited about the opportunity to compete against the world's longest hitters and shared his thoughts on Instagram.
"I want to show the world how incredibly talented these athletes are," DeChambeau said. "I've been working hard to get my game up to their speeds so I have a chance."
It's interesting to note that the competition is being held immediately prior to this year's Ryder Cup, so DeChambeau will be opening the door to much criticism if the "wear and tear" of this strenuous event affects his Ryder Cup play.
In my opinion, I see absolutely no "up-side" for DeChambeau in his decision to participate in the long-drive contest, but I sure plan on watching ...
Jimmy Gillam
Tyrone-native and standout golfer Jimmy Gillam has been competing on golf's mini-tours for the past eight years and boasts six victories to his name. His latest win came at last weekend's Tallahassee Open at the Hilaman Golf Course in Tallahassee, Fla.
Gillam scored rounds of 72 and 68 and finished the two-day tournament with a one-shot victory. Up next for Gillam is a first-stage Korn Ferry qualifying competition scheduled for Sept. 1-3 in Plattsville, Ala.
A good finish in this event will earn Gillam a spot in the next round of qualifying, with the ultimate goal of earning exempt status onto the Korn Ferry Tour at final-stage qualifying set for early November in Savanna, Ga.
Drive, Chip and Putt
Hollidaysburg's Crosby Denis has experienced a good deal of success on local golf courses over the past couple of years. The 12-year-old has won the women's club championship at Park Hills the past two years and has been an active participant in junior events across the state.
Denis achieved yet another milestone earlier this month when she advanced to the final stage of qualifying in the prestigious Drive, Chip and Putt competition.
In mid-July, Denis made it through local qualifying in the Girls 12-13 division during an event at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, earning a spot into the Sub-Regional qualifying tournament held two weeks ago at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Fayette County. Another strong performance earned Denis one of two available spots into the final qualifying event scheduled for Sept. 19 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.
From a field of more than 10,000 original entries, a mere 80 junior golfers will earn spots during the final qualifying events (staged at 10 locations around the country). The eventual finalists will be invited to attend next year's Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga., where they'll compete for the top Drive, Chip and Putt prize in their respective age bracket.
Good luck, Crosby!
Ken Love covers local golf for the Mirror. He can be reached at gltr777@atlanticbb.net