Golf notes: Jordan Spieth returns from 2-month break with high hopes; Tiger Woods' Hero World Challenge mostly American players

Tiger Woods writing memoir on his rise, fall and return as golf's biggest star

Golf Glance

Cobra Golf relies on one of its hallmark technologies—railed soles—in its new all hybrid-iron T-Rail set.

Golf Digest Podcast: Bill Coore on Bandon Dunes' new course, plus, a breakdown of Lanto Griffin's maiden PGA Tour win, and a recurring golf dream/nightmare.

Icon Sportswire(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)The St. Louis Cardinals are in serious need of offense. They might want to look to their pitching coach for help.
That would be Mike Maddux, brother of Greg and owner of one of sport's finest mustaches this side of Gardner Minshew. Maddux is considered one of the better arm whisperers in the bigs, serving in that capacity for four teams since 2003. While his pitching staff has held up its side of the bargain in the team's playoff series with the Washington Nationals, the bats have not: The Cards became the first team to be no-hit through five innings in consecutive postseason games.
So with St. Louis fans seeking a sign of hope, it is Maddux who has turned into a talisman of sorts thanks to … his round of golf.
https://twitter.com/barrysvrluga/status/1183838037937143808
https://twitter.com/BoogSciambi/status/1183850668051836929
For those scoring at home, Maddux has more aces than the Cards have ru..

We're just over week away from the start of a new NBA season, and so far the headlines have been dominated by political unrest in China, the suckiness of the Knicks, and Jimmy Butler demanding a trade to Dynamo Kyiv (OK, not really, but it's coming.) Suffice to say, it's been an auspicious start to the new season for a league already missing several key stars to injury, and no one knows whether to expect THE UNEXPECTED or simply a weird, rocky down year for America's most important athletic export.
The Washington Wizards, however, do know what to expect: Losing. A lot of damn losing. Thus on Monday, they saddled up for a team-building TopGolf trip to see the sun and breathe some fresh air before crawling into a deep, dark hole for the next six months. Historically, Topgolf has not been the greatest stress reliever for professional non-golf athletes, but unlike everything else for the Wizards, the outing wasn't a total bloodbath, offering a glimmer of hope for o..

Stenson, Sorenstam to host European event with men and women competing against each other for same prize

For the first time at the elite professional level, male and female golfers will compete in the same tournament, for the same prize

Logan RielyNo need to gild the lily with endless words: Zion Williamson has played three NBA preseason games, and it's already clear that he's going to be one of the best players of his generation. Just watch him work, starting most recently with the Jazz:
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1182852968426725376
Then the Bulls:
https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1182126069366886400
Then the Hawks:
https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1181392724710195200
In those three games, he's 27-38 from the field. TWENTY-SEVEN FOR THIRTY-EIGHT!
The fact that it's preseason doesn't even really matter—the Pelicans are wisely treating him not as a primary offensive option, but just letting him do what he does best, which is crashing the boards, running the break, and basically being opportunistic and finding empty space in the offensive set. Everything people worried about is irrelevant—he doesn't need to be the world's best shooter, his athleticism easily makes up for h..