Take your shot. If you're not first, you're last.

GM. This is Easy Pars. The golf newsletter that always encourages you to go for it. Never play it safe on the course. EVER.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• So…The British Open is done. What now?

• The PGA Players have read the Monahan memo.

• If you’re not first, you’re last.

Now what?

Now that we’re done with the last major of the season, should we just switch the channel and watch something else?

Thankfully, there’s still the golf fall season.

Don’t worry, there's no need to tune into the CW network.

Even though the PGA Tour/PIF deal is still in the works and might change the face of golf as we know it, nothing is official.

If E. were a betting gator, he’d bet it will, but no one really knows what that will look like.

Until then, here is some non-PGA Tour/PIF deal golf news:

1. Fewer players at the FedEx St. Jude Championship

Last season we had 125 players, but this year the field has been cut down to 70.

This is a big deal for players who need to score some points to keep their place in the rankings.

2. Big names may show up for the fall season (maybe)

Not a lot of the big names are willing to deal with the lower fall temperatures of the tail end of the season.

But sometimes, they drop in to put on a show and take some of the top spots in the remaining tournaments.

Still no official reports on who’ll show up in these final tournaments of the ‘23 season.

3. The TGL (Tiger and Rory’s indoor league)

Now that the big part of the season is over, we’re probably going to start seeing advertising for the TGL league.

And who knows? We may even get a better look at the arena.

Want to know who’s in the TGL? Essentially every major PGA star that didn’t sign with LIV. Homa, Fowler, Rahm. It’s a powerhouse of talent who’ll be facing off in the fanciest golf simulator on the planet.

To be honest, watching this 👆video welcoming Rahm gives us huge LIV vibes. Is the tagline for TGL “golf, but indoors?”

We’ll be watching, for sure.

Jay drops bombs on players and the players react

Admittedly not much is going on outside of the big deal/takeover with the PIF.

Also, not much has been published and players, who run the tour, have also been left in the dark by tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

Until now, sort of.

Monhan sent a late-night memo to the tour players.

Here’s the TLDR:

• Jay is A-OK after a brief emergency hospital visit. He says he is feeling better than ever.

• The PIF/Tour agreement includes a "Player Benefit Program" that promises significant financial benefits in addition to the planned compensation package. This makes sense, because the PIF needs to win the players over. Money tends to help with this.

• A task force is evaluating potential pathways for LIV players to reapply for PGA. Does this mean LIV will dissolve? How big will the slap in the wrist be for LIV players that want to go back?

• The Tour will not support the ball rollback rule. Aside from the merger, this has been the one hot topic in everyone’s mind. It will be interesting to see how the other big associations react and what ends up happening for the majors in 2024.

What did the players have to say?

To summarize, the sentiment most players have is that they would’ve appreciated to not have been kept in the dark for so long, but ultimately they’re ok with it because they don’t have much of a choice and they’ll likely get a lot more money.

At least it now has an official character to it since it comes from the commissioner himself.

Aside from the rollback situation, not much light was shed and it feels like it was a bit of a rehash of what we already knew from the previous leaks.

If you’re gonna go, go for broke

Pop quiz, hot shot.

You’re within striking distance of winning, while firmly seated in 2nd place. You could:

1. Coast to a solo second.

2. Go for it, potentially getting the W.

We just saw this in real-life, at the 3M Open. JT Poston needed an eagle to win at the 3M Open. He didn’t get it.

He got a triple bogey instead. However, he got it in style.

He went for what would have been an epic shot, the ball covered the distance, but it landed on a stray rock which sent the ball flying to the water. Just take a look at this video, from @PGATOUR.

When asked why he didn’t lay up for the safer shot, he told the press “I’m not here to win 2nd, I’m here to win.”

Very cool.

It cost him though, because had he saved par, he would’ve kept 2nd place to himself. Instead of the 3 way tie for second, he ended up saving.

The missed shot cost him $260k.

JT replied “I would 10 out of 10 do it again.”

Very cool.

Meme of the Day

😂😂

We have exclusive footage of JT Poston’s parting statement, before angrily walking out of his press conference (probably on his way to Applebees):

That’s all we’ve got today. Be sure to check in Thursday. There are some things brewing, and we’ll be there to cover them (and make fun of them).

Later gator,

E.