Good afternoon! Welcome to Shanks. There are 147 days until The Masters.

Golf Fun Fact: In America, only about 5-7% of golfers are left handed. In Canada, that number is closer to 30% of golfers. Why? Hockey.

Nearly 2/3 of people who play hockey in Canada play left handed, so they make the transition from hockey to golf that way.

Here's what we've got for ya today:

• Super Quick Recap: Butterfield Bermuda

• The Ultimate Golf Trip?

• Rory Talks Smack…Kinda

• Shots Heard Round The World

• Early Lines: RSM Classic

• Thing We’d Buy If We Weren’t Broke

Super Quick Recap: Butterfield Bermuda

Camilo Villegas, man, what an awesome win. It’s hard to know where to start with this one.

First, let’s point out that Camilo was 700-1 last week and finished in second place. You’d have been forgiven for thinking that it was a one-week blip. You’d have also been wrong.

He was 100-1 to win this week and pulled it off.

This is a man who’s 41 years old, he and his wife lost their two year old daughter to cancer in 2020, and he hasn’t won since the Wyndham Championship in 2014.

After all of that, he could’ve just said “I’m done” and no one would’ve blamed him.

Instead, he endeavored to persevere, and he did. Locking in a two year tour exemption, a spot at The Masters, and a cool $1.7M in the process.

The Fedex Fall has been marked with comeback stories, adversity stories, and first time winners. Overall, we’d say it’s been a pretty good fall.

With PCKL

Time To Bust Your Balls

Ever since Scottie Scheffler beat the World’s Number 1 pickleball player last week, we’ve had Pickleball on the brain.

Allow us to highlight a helluva deal from our friends at PCKL, this week only get all pickleballs 30% off.

You may be thinking, “Who do I love and care about that might want pickleballs for the holidays?” Answer: grandparents, spouse, dog, heck grab some balls yourself!

This deal won’t be around long so make sure to check out the deal from PCKL!

The Ultimate Golf House?

Sh*t, we’d move in forever.

Rory Talks Smack…Kinda?

You probably saw some of the headlines already, with quotes in big block letters from Rory - mostly aimed at Patrick Cantlay & Joe Lacava.

We’re just here to clarify something small, which is that he hasn’t actually said anything new. He just explained in a joint interview with Shane Lowry what was actually said during the Ryder Cup arguments we all saw on TV / Social Media.

In the 5,500 word interview (paywalled) with The Irish Independent, McIlroy said Ricky Elliott, Brooks Koepka’s caddie, and Claude Harmon III, Koepka’s swing coach, tried to calm him.

“But I start having a go at them,“ McIlroy said told The Independent. 

What did McIlroy say?

“‘Joe LaCava used to be a nice guy when he was caddying for Tiger, and now he’s caddying for that d**k, he’s turned into a …’ I still wasn’t in a great headspace.”

Said Lowry: “So I grabbed him: ‘Right! Plunge pool! We’ll go down and chill out.’”

Of course, the media just posts this part, which makes it seem like he said it totally unprovoked.

If you want to hear more about what Rory said without paying to read the article, Golf.com has posted 6 Takeaways From The Interview.

Shots Heard Round The World

Max Homa takes first international victory in Africa.

Steven Alker wins 2023 Charles Schwab Cup.

Rory McIlroy wins his fith Race To Dubai title.

Patrick Reed claims he’s playing in Hong Kong to teach kids morals.

2024 DRIVERS – COBRA, PING, PXG, AND TAYLORMADE.

Early Lines: RSM Classic

The tournament is played on the Seaside and Plantation courses at Sea Island Golf Club, situated on the southern tip of St. Simons Island. 

Pros will play the Plantation course first, and then move over to the Seaside course after the cut.

The last few winners have all finished around 20-under-par.

Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

Jain Golf is an up & coming streetwear golf band. All of their products are limited edition and come in drops.

From their site:

“Jain is a new kind of mascot for golf - redefining what a golfer can be. Killing the idea that we have to be boxed into one thing and finding friends along the way that feel the same.

Our ambitions are ambitious. We’re pursuing the ideas that light us up and make us feel like kids again. Your support will allow us to build the rest of the world we have in mind. So, thank you for being a major part of making the dream a reality. We’re here for the long haul. “

Grab A Hat.

That’s all folks! See you Wednesday with some RSM Bets.