Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Hideki Maysuyama are expected to take part in a Skins Game in Japan on Oct. 21, according to multiple reports on Monday. The two are reportedly going to play at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.
Woods is already committed to play in the PGA Tour’s inaugural Zozo Championship three days later. There is no word on whether the other three will play in that event as well.
Apparently the one-day event is patterned after the Skins Game, which was played from played from 1983 to 2005. Woods competed seven times in that event.
He has never played in a fall event on the PGA Tour since 2013. He is playing in this event though because it is part of Woods’ GolfTV endeavor, a project that delivers Woods-based content to international broadcast outlets.
While there is star power with Woods and McIlroy, as well as Japan’s Maysuyama, all four participants missed the cut at last week’s Open Championship.
While Woods has said he was tired, and wanted to go home after missing the cut at the Open, he apparently has no problem playing a little extra golf before this tour event.
Herman Takes Trump Advice to the Bank
Jim Herman has won two PGA Tour events after pep talks from President Donald Trump, including Sunday’s Barbasol Championship. The event, opposite the Open Championship, was played in Kentucky, mostly for those who were not eligible for the major championship.
Herman had missed 16 of 19 cuts this year, but played golf two weeks ago with Trump, who gave him some advice with his putting. The president suggested he utilize a conventional putting grip. The former assistant pro at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey did, and he ended up winning the event. He also got a call from Trump before the weekend.
“That was very unexpected to hear from him directly on Friday night,†Herman said. “I got a phone call from him wishing me on for the weekend and congratulating me on my first two rounds. It’s pretty amazing I’ve had this relationship with him. I’m very fortunate I get to play a little golf with him.â€
This is the second time Herman has played with Trump and won soon afterwards. In 2016, he played with Trump and won the Shell Houston Open two weeks later.
“Playing golf with the president, he motivates me,†Herman said. “He puts me in a good spot. I don’t know what it is about him, but he gets me going in the right direction in golf. I took his advice and put a new putter in play and couldn’t have putted any better this week.”
This Weeks Odds, Pick
The higher ranked players are at the World Golf  Championship’s FedEx St. Jude Classic. The favorites are Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy at 10/1. We like Tony Finau at 30/1. He played well last week at the Open Championship, finishing third.