Golf Links: Friday, June 2 golf news and updates

Golf Links connects you to the day’s major golf news stories and events.

The ProGolfNow Golf Links column provides a quick way to get your Friday morning golf news and stay on top of the game, wherever it’s being played.

On the European Tour, the 2nd round of the Nordea Masters is in progress this morning. England’s Max Orrin and Italy’s Renato Paratore were sharing a one-shot lead going into the round but don’t expect that to hold. The field is packed with power. You can get caught up with the European Tour’s 1st round wrap-up and catch the second round on Golf Channel beginning at 9am ET.

The ShopRite LPGA Classic 1st round tees off this morning at 7:15am ET. Golf Channel coverage will begin at noon ET. Look for Michelle Wie, who is paired with Charley Hull and defending champion Anna Nordqvist and is playing in the morning wave on Friday, to be trying to regain form. Follow this link for the full list of 1st round tee times and pairings.

Jason Dufner and David Lingmerth grabbed the 1st round lead at the Memorial Invitational but with Jordan Spieth lurking one shot back nobody’s in a position to relax. Check the PGA TOUR electronic leaderboard if you want to follow the action before Golf Channel begins coverage of the 2nd round at 2:30pm ET.

Tiger’s troubles continue to preoccupy much of the golf world. Golf Channel’s Nick Menta has a piece on the enduring nature of Tiger’s legacy to the game, even as his current troubles continue to dominate the 24-hour news cycle. And this might be a good time for Tiger fans to pause and read Time’s 40th birthday interview, Tiger’s Private Struggles, by Lorne Rubenstein.

More from Pro Golf Now

Ernie Els isn’t the only golfer who has a conscience. Ours is a game that teaches and inspires personal integrity at every level. Kaylee Gossen, a Minnesota high school varsity golfer, was right in step with Els this week. They both made very tough calls.

The death this week of Argentine Hall of Famer Roberto De Vicenzo gives us all pause, for his story of an incorrect scorecard trumps Kaylee Gossen’s scorecard troubles. His mistake cost De Vicenzo the 1968 Masters. USGA’s David Shefter has written a very fine retrospective of De Vincenzo, who is and should be remembered for considerably more than that 1968 scorecard error.

All of us who write about the game are getting focused on the 117th U.S. Open venue. The stories abound, but one of my favorites is Alex Myers Good Lord, is the rough thick at Erin Hills. I was thinking about playing my annual birthday round this year at Erin Hills, but Myers’ venue preview is giving me pause!

And while I’m on the topic of golf courses, if you’re a Medinah fan, you’ll be interested in this overview of the nearly completed course makeover. I’m particularly intrigued by the new sets of tee boxes and the reasoning that fueled this particular aspect of the renovation. Take a look and see what you think.

Next: FedEx Cup rankings update

The USGA four-ball championships – a veritable frenzy of four-ball competitions – has just wrapped up and you can catch up with the new crop of amateur champions, Frankie Capan and Ben Wong for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and Furman teammates Alice Chen and Taylor Totland for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, on the USGA website.

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