Author: James “Jimmy” Caldwell

McIlroy’s Pebble Debut Sets Up Classic David-and-Goliath Story—But Kim’s the Real Sleeper After 35 years covering this tour, I’ve learned that the most compelling narratives aren’t always the ones wearing the favorites’ jersey. This week at Pebble Beach, we’ve got exactly that dynamic playing out: Scottie Scheffler arriving as an overwhelming (-300) favorite while Rory McIlroy makes his season debut after skipping the first four tournaments. On the surface, it’s a straightforward story. Dig deeper, though, and you’ll find something far more interesting lurking in the odds. Let me start with what strikes me most about McIlroy’s absence. In my…

Theegala’s Chipping Philosophy Could Be the Antidote to Golf’s Distance Arms Race Last week at TPC Scottsdale, something refreshing happened in a PGA Tour press room. A 15-year-old reporter asked Sahith Theegala a simple question about how junior golfers should develop their games, and the answer cut through all the noise we’ve been hearing about launch monitors, TrackMan data, and the relentless pursuit of longer drives. In my 35 years covering this game—including a stint caddying for Tom Lehman back when we actually thought about trajectory and course management—I’ve watched the sport chase numerous trends. But this distance obsession feels…

James Nicholas’ Bogota Win Reveals an Uncomfortable Truth About Professional Golf Economics I’ve been covering professional golf for 35 years, and I’ve watched this sport transform in ways that would make my younger self’s head spin. Prize money has exploded. Technology has revolutionized the game. But what James Nicholas just did in Bogota—and more importantly, what he revealed about the economics of that victory—tells us something crucial about where professional golf really stands in 2026. On the surface, Nicholas’ first Korn Ferry Tour win at the Astara Golf Championship is exactly the feel-good story we need. A Yale-educated American grinding…

Pebble Beach Tests Character Over Distance: Why This Week Separates The Pretenders From The Real Deals I’ve walked Pebble Beach in February more times than I care to count—and I say that as a compliment. After 35 years covering this tour, I can tell you that no course on the PGA schedule does a better job of exposing exactly who a player really is on any given week. Pebble doesn’t lie. It whispers the truth in a way that sprawling desert courses never can. The betting analysts are onto something important this week, and it’s worth unpacking beyond the surface-level…

The Gym Is Now Golf’s Off-Season Essential—And Tour Players Already Know It After 35 years covering professional golf, I’ve watched the sport evolve in ways that would’ve seemed impossible in the ’80s and ’90s. But here’s what strikes me most about the current landscape: the conversation around physical conditioning has fundamentally shifted. It’s no longer optional. It’s foundational. The article making rounds this week—a deep dive into one golfer’s pursuit of swing speed through structured strength training—might seem like a niche fitness story. But it’s actually a window into how seriously the modern game takes athleticism. And frankly, it’s about…

After 35 years on the professional golf beat, I’ve learned that the most revealing moments in our sport often come not from what happens on the course, but from what gets debated in the clubhouse. Rory McIlroy’s recent comments about The Players Championship and the major championship hierarchy fall squarely into that category—and they’ve got me thinking about the state of professional golf in ways that go far deeper than simple tournament classification. The Identity Crisis Nobody Wants to Admit Here’s what strikes me about this debate: we’re having it at all. In my years covering the tour—and I spent…

The Florida Effect: Why Chris Gotterup’s Offseason Move Could Signal a Larger PGA Tour Shift In my 35 years covering professional golf, I’ve learned that the most important shots aren’t always played on Sunday afternoon. Sometimes they’re played in November, when a player makes a quiet decision about where to spend the offseason. That’s exactly what Chris Gotterup did, and it might be one of the most underrated moves I’ve seen a young tour player make in the past decade. Here’s what jumps out at me about Gotterup’s 2026 campaign: Two wins in his first three starts. A meteoric rise…

The Real Cost of the Spotlight: What Paige Spiranac’s Candor Reveals About Modern Golf In 35 years covering professional golf, I’ve watched the sport transform from a gentleman’s game played by relative unknowns into a global media phenomenon. I’ve seen players become brands, rounds become content, and privacy become a luxury item. So when Paige Spiranac opens up about struggling with anxiety tied directly to her online presence, it’s worth paying attention—not as tabloid fodder, but as a window into something most of us in golf media have been quietly noticing for years. Spiranac’s recent candid Q&A with her Instagram…