Or, maybe I just need different clubs . . . Or a different style putter . . . Or a new driver . . . Or a newly designed golf ball that fits my swing speed . . . Or a Minolta Bizhub swing analyzer that I can set up in my basement.



Daniel Berger hits one shot, withdraws, and still collects $50k at Firestone


Daniel Berger may have pulled out of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after hitting one tee shot in Thursday’s opening round but he won’t go home empty-handed.

The 23-year-old, third-year pro withdrew from the event with a shoulder injury and will cash a check for $50,500 — the amount that goes to the last-place finisher — for just showing up. That’s the beauty of the high-stakes, no-cut affair taking place this week at Firestone Country Club.

Thursday marked the second WGC contest Berger, the winner of this year’s FedEx St. Jude Classic, bowed out of early. He quit the WGC-Dell Match Play in March after hurting his wrist when his club nicked a stone wall on the downswing. He was all square with Phil Mickelson on the 18th hole when the incident occurred.

This is a big reason why all these players show up to every WGC event. It's free money, ranging from a $1.62M winner's check to anywhere from $45-50k for coming in dead last. At Doral in March, Steven Bowditch was a ridiculous 37-over par through four rounds (remember, there's no cut so you're guaranteed four loops). That was 14 shots worse than the second-to-last-place finisher, but Bowditch still went home happy with a $48,000 check.

Berger takes home slightly more than that and doesn't have to suffer through the ignominy of four awful rounds.