The so-called “X Man” hasn’t even reached his teenage years yet but already he is the subject of a number of corporate deals in advance planning for his future, with the PGA Tour his dream destination.
Xeve Perez – from Georgia in the United States – signed with Gatemore Sports & Entertainment in an exclusive representation agreement earlier this month to handle all marketing, endorsements, licensing and merchandising for the young golfer and it hasn’t taken long to for some big hitters to come on board, with one of the first deals being a contract with Cobra Puma.
In announcing the name, image and likeness deal with Perez, who has won over 300 junior tournaments, to wear Puma clothing and footwear and to use Cobra clubs, the company’s president Dan Ladd said: “Xeve’s personality, talent and love for the game is inspiring . . . he is a fantastic talent and role model, which aligns with our mission to push the game forward and inspire the next generation of golfers. We’re excited to be part of his journey.”
Xeve is 12 years of age! 12.
Purcell up for Czech Challenge
Conor Purcell’s fifth-place finish in the Scottish Challenge has earned the Dubliner a place in the field for this week’s Czech Challenge in Dritec.
The Portmarnock golfer – in only his second outing of the season on the Challenge Tour – has moved to 43rd on the tour’s Race to Mallorca order of merit, with the top-five finish enabling him to add the Czech event onto his schedule.
Purcell is one of a six-pack of Irish golfers in the field, along with John Murphy, Gavin Moynihan, Paul Dunne, Charlie Williams and Ronan Mullarney.
Word of Mouth
“I was really tired and over the round my leg was almost not moving” – Eun-Hee Ji after winning the Bank of Hope LPGA Matchplay, a five-day tournament that involved a final day of semi-finals and the final. Ji beat Ayaka Furue by 3 and 2 in the final. Apart from the victory, it also earned Ji the final spot in the field for this week’s US Women’s Open at Pine Needles.
By the Numbers: 7-7
For the second straight week on the PGA Tour, a player made up a seven-strokes final round deficit to lift the trophy. In the US PGA, Justin Thomas overcame the deficit to catch and overhaul Mita Pereira (ultimately beating Will Zalatoris in a playoff) and, on Sunday, Sam Burns played catch-up on his friend Scottie Scheffler (also beating him in a playoff).
On this day: May 31st, 2009
Christian Cévaer was hardly a name of the list of potential winners heading into the European Open at The London Club.
In a strong field which included rising star Rory McIlroy, the Frenchman – ranked 449th in the world and whose best finish that season was 31st in Portugal three months previously – defied all the odds to secure victory, battling strong winds in the final round for a 74 for a total of 281, a stroke clear of the trio of Gary Orr, Steve Webster and Alvaro Quiros.
Cévaer’s win on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course gave him a second career win to add to his 2004 Spanish Open success and he revealed he had been troubled all season due to financial problems with his management company:
“My health has been affected. I have had a painful inflammation of the bowel and even during the first round here I was in pain. But I said to myself, ‘Come on, believe in yourself!’ I’m proud of the way I finished, this is my special day.”
Twitter Twaddle
Thinking about giving golf a go again….. – Bryson DeChambeau aiming for a return to competition at this week’s Memorial tournament. The American – who started the year ranked fifth in the world but currently 24th – has struggled with a wrist injury since withdrawing from the Saudi International in February, playing only three times (failing to get out of the group phase of the WGC-Dell Technologies MatchPlay and missing the cut at the Texas Open and the Masters).
Well….that was fun! I couldn’t be happier to secure my second @dpworldtour win. Hats off to @ryanfoxgolfer who was and is a true class act – Victor Perez on his Dutch Open win, where he used his putter like a magic wand down the stretch to outfox the Kiwi.
I’m super happy to finish 3rd at the Dutch Open and earn my ticket to @TheOpen at St Andrews. It was one of my favourite weeks on Tour – Adrian Meronk, who will become the first Polish golfer to play in the Open Championship on the Old Course in July.
In the Bag
Sam Burns
Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial
Driver – Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
3-wood – Callaway Mavrik (17 degrees)
Hybrid – Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Irons – Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW)
Wedges – Callaway Apex TCB (50 degrees) Callaway Jaws MD5 Raw (56 and 60 degrees)
Putter – Odyssey O-Works 7S
Ball – Callaway Chrome Soft X
Know the Rules
Q On playing an approach shot to the green, Player A’s ball comes up short and kicks into a bush. On arriving to the bush, the player discovers the ball is visible but that any attempt to play a stroke is inhibited by the bush’s foliage. Can the player take an “unplayable lie”?
A Yes. If you find your ball in play, but in a circumstance where you are not able to make a swing or advance the ball, then you are always entitled to claim an unplayable lie. Under this rule, the player incurs a one-stroke penalty but is permitted to take relief. There are three options available to the player in such circumstances: (1) the player may take stroke-and-distance relief by playing the original ball or another ball from the a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made; (2) the player may take back-on-the-line relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in a relief area based on a reference line going straight back from the hole through the spot of the original ball; (3) the player may take lateral relief, within two club-lengths from the spot of the original ball.
