Austin, TX
The PGA has left Austin, but the city could be an attractive future host for the LPGA
Texas has long played a major role in the golf world, but in recent years the Lone Star State’s impact on the sport has grown exponentially, from the PGA of America relocating its headquarters from Florida to Frisco to a number of professional players settling down throughout the state due to its friendly tax structure.
And the women’s professional game has seen a proportional uptick as an LPGA major (now the Chevron Championship) moved from California to Houston in 2023, the American Solheim Cup captain (Stacy Lewis) hailed from the state, and players like In Gee Chun, Celine Boutier, Minjee Lee and Yealimi Noh have all moved into the Dallas area, giving the region a deep pool of women’s golf talent.
Unfortunately, one piece is slipping: the schedule.
With the news that the Volunteers of America event outside Dallas will be shuttered in 2024, the Chevron tournament is the only official LPGA date in Texas. With the circuit unveiling its schedule later this week in advance of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., major metros like Austin, San Antonio and now Dallas are all devoid of an LPGA event.
Could it change? Absolutely. Since Austin lost the World Golf Championships match-play event, the schedule is wide open and the region would certainly be an attractive one. With a young, vibrant population, Austin would likely offer tremendous support to the tour, much like it’s quickly become one of Major League Soccer’s prized markets.
While only a handful of players live or hail from the capital city (local product Kristen Gillman jumped back from the Epson Tour to the LPGA for 2024), the proximity to Dallas and Houston and potential fan base (not to mention the lack of a PGA Tour event) could make this a marketable destination in the future.
Of course, money talks. Beginning in 2024, the CME will offer an $11 million purse and record $4 million winner’s check, the tour recently announced. The runner-up of next year’s event will receive $1 million. Every competitor in the 60-player field will be awarded at least $55,000.
This week marks the 10th playing of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club. The inaugural Race to the CME Globe points race was in 2014. From 2011-13, the season-ending event was known as the CME Group Titleholders. When CME first became a title sponsor in 2011, the purse was $1.5 million. It moved up incrementally until 2019 when it doubled from $2.5 million to $5 million, with the winner earning $1.5 million.
This year’s CME purse of $7 million — of which $2 million goes to the winner — is already larger than two LPGA majors: Amundi Evian ($6.5 million) and Chevron Championship ($5.1 million). Next year’s purse of $11 million matches that of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open. The KPMG Women’s PGA recently upped its purse to $10 million and the AIG Women’s British checked in this year at $9 million, 23% higher than last year.
U.S. Women’s Open winner Allisen Corpuz earned $2 million for her victory at Pebble Beach, the same amount the winner will receive this week in Naples.
Vu, Texan Boutier battling for POY
One player who has seen success in Texas is Lilia Vu, who won the inaugural Chevron in Houston and won again last week at the Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla.
Just before Vu left for CME last season, the windshield wipers blew off her car. Her caddie had urged her to buy a new car during the offseason. Vu told herself that she’d buy her dream car, a Mercedes Benz G550, after she won her first event. She jumped the gun, however, and bought it before that first triumph came at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February. Three more victories have since followed, including two majors.
“I was like, ‘Oh, it’s because I knew I was going to win,’” Vu said with a smile.
Vu enters the final event of the 2023 season with a 27-point lead over Boutier in the Rolex player of the year race. Boutier, who became the first Frenchwoman to win the Amundi Evian over the summer, will need to win the CME to have a chance of upsetting Vu. A victory is worth 30 points.
Boutier would be the first Frenchwoman to win the award. No American has won it since Stacy Lewis in 2014.
Neither Vu nor Boutier had ever won an LPGA event prior to this season, making their rise in 2023 all the more intriguing.
Boutier didn’t start thinking about her chances for player of the year until after she won an epic nine-hole playoff in Malaysia for her fourth title. She knew it would take something special to overtake Vu’s two major victories. While the PGA Tour uses a player vote to determine its POY, Boutier appreciates the LPGA’s points format.
“You just can’t fight against points,” she said.
Last season, Boutier ranked third on the LPGA in top-10 finishes with 12 in 24 starts. While she can’t really point to one aspect of her game that’s drastically different to last year, she does believe that putting herself in the mix so many times in 2022 gave her the confidence to enjoy a breakout season.
Vu, who returned to No. 1 in the world after her victory last week at The Annika, currently tops the money list with $3,252,303. Sponsor-less to begin the season, logos now adorn her clothing.
With a $2 million first-place check on the line in Naples, talk around the CME always comes back to money.
Money used to be a sore subject for Vu, who struggled her rookie year when she compared herself to others coming out of college who had sponsors. Vu had help financially from her parents, and while she was grateful for it, the self-inflicted pressure to pay them back hung over her head. The 2019 season was mostly miserable for the former Bruin.
“I think I kind of just like stopped letting money control me,” she said. “I don’t really think about it anymore. I just knew like, OK, I just want to start having fun playing golf again and then everything will follow along. That’s what happened.”
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor for Golfweek, golf coordinator for the USA Today Network and lives in Round Rock. Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols contributed reporting to this article.
Austin, TX
Bread winners: 10 Austin bakeries you'll love
Craving something sweet? Maybe something flaky? Austin may be known for tacos and barbecue, but its bakeries are the unsung heroes of the local food scene. We think it’s time to give them the spotlight they deserve.
Whether you’re looking for pastries by day or celebratory cakes by night, these locally owned bakeries are proof that life is butter with carbs.
Comadre Panadería, 1204 Cedar Ave. | Try something new at this Mexican-American bakery (which is a two-time James Beard semi-finalist) like the highly raved-about concha and pink cake.
La Pâtisserie, multiple locations | A case full of colorful macarons is the main attraction at this French bakery, which also offers pastries, cake, scones, buns, croissants, and wine.
Quack’s Bakery, multiple locations | Keeping Austin sweet since 1983, these beloved bakeries make pies, cakes, pastries, and more from scratch with no additives. Be sure to check out seasonal offerings like Pride, Halloween, and Christmas-themed cookies.
Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., Ste. #200 | Owned by award-winning pastry chef Amanda Rockman, this newly opened bakeshop is all about caffeine, gluten, butter, sugar, and booze. Grab a rip ‘n’ dip bagel, strawberry cheesecake croissant, or focaccia sandwich.
Sour Duck Market, 1814 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | The neighborhood bakery within this American restaurant + beer garden is not to be missed. Snag a traditional bite like a savory Danish pastry or a creative concoction like the sweet potato-chai bearclaw.
Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, 1905 S. 1st St. | Desserts are king at this sugary locale that offers classic cupcakes, cookies, lemon + pecan bars, cakes, and mini-pies in-store, with custom offerings available for larger orders.
Texas French Bread, 2900 Rio Grande St. | Currently housed in an Airstream trailer, this small but mighty bakery (serving Austinites since 1981) sells goods on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll have to visit in person to see the full menu of bread, pastries, and sweets available each day.
Upper Crust Bakery, 4508 Burnet Rd. | This family-owned scratch bakery has it all, whether you want a cup of coffee and a pastry, a smoked turkey sandwich for lunch, or a layered cake to take home and enjoy.
Walton’s Fancy & Staple, 609 W. 6th St. | Amid a cluster of bars on West 6th Street, this bakery + deli owned by Sandra Bullock is a beacon of sweetness. Its pastries and sweet treats are made daily, but you can also order custom cakes.
Zucchini Kill Bakery, multiple locations | Calling all vegan, gluten, and soy-free folks with a sweet tooth. This woman-owned bakery is a haven for those with dietary restrictions and incorporates the spirit of punk music into its delicacies.
What’s your favorite bakery in Austin? Let us know and we might add it to this list in the future.
Austin, TX
Texas Longhorns Release First Injury Report vs. Kentucky Wildcats
AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns and Kentucky Wildcats have released their initial student-athlete availability report ahead of Saturday’s meeting in Austin.
Texas is listing receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. as questionable due to a foot injury while linebacker Morice Blackwell Jr. is questionable after sitting out for the 20-10 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks last week.
“He’s progressing this week,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Moore Jr. during Wednesday’s SEC Weekly Teleconference. “We’ll see if he’ll be ready to go here Saturday, but we’re surely a better team when he’s out there.”
Fortunately for Texas, running back Jaydon Blue was not listed on the report after being seen in a sling following the Arkansas game.
Here’s the full report for both teams:
Sarkisian provided an injury update on Moore Jr., Blue and Blackwell Jr. on Monday during his weekly press conference.
“I think Blue’s good,” Sarkisian said. “Like I said, he went with us today and worked this morning. So we’ll see how it goes. … Mo Blackwell was out last week. … I’m hopeful we can get him back this week. We’ll see how it goes. … DeAndre got nicked up during the game with a foot injury. Again, those two guys (Blackwell) are integral parts to our program, not only on offense and defense, but on special teams. They’re critical. So hopefully we get both those guys back.”
No. 3 Texas and Kentucky will kick off from DKR on Saturday at
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Austin, TX
UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin will partner with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to build and expand a hub for hydrogen energy production along the Texas Gulf Coast that will help increase and diversify the nation’s energy supply. UT serves as founding member and lead academic organization.
The HyVelocity Hub (HyV), a regional energy consortium, aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the nation. It will leverage the region’s high concentration of existing hydrogen production and end-use assets to develop low-carbon intensity hydrogen that can power trucks, industrial processes, ammonia production, refining and petrochemical production, and marine shipping fuel.
“Texas is the nation’s energy capital, and UT is the energy university, and we are no stranger to playing a leading role in America’s energy innovation,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “The success of the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub is critical to our nation’s future energy security. We are excited to work with our industry partners and apply our vast energy, business and policy expertise to develop the hydrogen workforce and accelerate production along the Gulf Coast.”
UT will provide expertise to support community benefits activities and hydrogen workforce development efforts. UT, through the IC2 Institute and the RESET lab in the Cockrell School of Engineering, has a significant track record of working with over 80 communities in Texas and bordering states to understand community needs and connect these to economic development initiatives to improve the lives of all community members. The hydrogen proto-hub demonstration facility at the Center for Electromechanics will serve as a key resource for hands-on workforce training activities. UT researchers will also conduct life-cycle and techno-economic analyses for the projects. For example, they will provide the analyses required for meeting emissions criteria, clean hydrogen standards, and cost benchmarks, and will report these data to the Department of Energy.
“UT Austin’s role in the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub will be vital to both providing the research and expertise needed to accelerate the global market for hydrogen, and to developing the workforce needed to support the industry’s advancement over the long term in Texas and the Gulf Coast,” said Brian Korgel, the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and the director of the UT Energy Institute. “We are proud to be part of this important project that will advance secure and sustainable energy in the U.S. and all over the world.”
HyV’s work will be at the forefront of maintaining and expanding Texas as a global leader in hydrogen energy development. With $22 million in the first tranche of funding, HyVelocity is expected to create up to 45,000 well-paying jobs over its lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7 million metric tons per year — equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 1.5 million gasoline-powered cars. The Department of Energy is investing $1.2 billion in the project.
As the nation’s premier university for energy innovation and excellence, UT brings an unmatched scale, depth and breadth of expertise and a pragmatic approach to advancing solutions across the full spectrum of energy. Situated in the heart of Texas, UT is in the center of the energy capital of the world. The University boasts numerous top-10 academic programs and a vast community of minds spanning a multitude of energy departments, centers and institutes. UT’s extensive industry partnerships and field research extend from the oil fields of West Texas to the other side of the world, with faculty, students and staff engaged in applied research in hydrogen, carbon capture, wind, solar, batteries and more.
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