Good Afternoon! Welcome to Shanks. If the weaker fields this fall haven’t been your thing, we’ve got some good news for you… next weeks field in Japan at the Zozo Championship is pretty strong.

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

• Super Quick Update: Shriners Children’s Open

• PGAT Eyeing New Investors Besides Saudis

• Shots Heard Round The World

• Mindblowing Tiger Stat

• Golf Thing We’d Buy If We Weren’t Broke

Super Quick Update: Shriners

The story this week has been all about Lexi Thompson becoming just the 7th woman to start in a PGAT event. She didn’t make the cut, but she did come close, and she beat out a lot of respectable names in the men’s game.

It was really fun to watch her compete with the men, but despite a strong push on Friday (two-under on the day) she just missed the cutline. Her attempt to match history will have to wait.

Only one woman has made a PGA Tour cut: Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945.

Lanto Griffin and Cameron Champ are currently T1 at 12-under. Champ, a three-time winner on tour, has only made eight cuts this season.

Griffin and Champ are both fighting to keep their 2024 tour cards and a strong final two rounds should do it for the both of them. So, while the first edition of Fedex Fall has been a little boring, we can’t say it’s totally devoid of meaning.

Shanks Picks Update

Not quite as bad as last week…

Here are Shanks picks from earlier in the week.

Adam Schenk missed the cut and killed our MTCP and our Top-5 pick in one fell swoop.

Aberg -4 (T48) will need a superhuman effort to overcome an 8 shot deficit.

Aaron Rai -5 (T34) is still alive for our Top Ten pick. Ben Griffin did not make the cut.

Webb Simpson, the longshot pick, is still alive, but also 5-under and T34.

Aaron Rai, you are the cards only hope.

Memo: PGAT Eyes Investors Besides Saudis

The PGA Tour said in a memo to players Wednesday night that it remains focused on reaching a definitive agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour but is also receiving interest from other potential investors.

"I don't think it will ever happen," said a source briefed regularly on the state of the negotiations. "I don't think the Department of Justice would ever approve a merger with the PGA Tour. And I don't think the Saudis are pleased with how little influence they'd get in a merged entity. For those reasons, I don't think the merger is ever going to happen."

Full Story on ESPN

Shots Heard Round The World

A loaded field including Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama heads to 2023 Zozo Championship

Padraig Harrington tested his current clubs against an early 1900s ball and driver and the differences are remarkable.

11 year old who hit two aces in one round leaves Tiger Woods speechless.

Phil Mickelson has contentious exchange with Golf writer after OWGR.

Mind Blowing Tiger Stat

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

About a year after launching the P770 Irons, Taylormade has just released the limited edition “Phantom Black” P770’s.

While we can’t say that they perform any better than the originals, they certainly look cool and definitely have some bag appeal.

More from Taylormade.