Greg Beltran

If you pitched this as a screenplay, every studio would reject it for being too on-the-nose. Fernando Mendoza was a 2-star recruit ranked 2,149th in his high school class. Zero FBS scholarship offers. Not one. He walked on at Cal, fought for a starting job, transferred to Indiana for his senior year, then led them to 16-0 and the first national title in school history. Heisman, Walter Camp, Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Manning, Big Ten MVP. 41 TDs, 72% completion, 8-to-0 TD-to-INT ratio in the playoffs. The Raiders took him #1 overall Thursday night. $54.56M fully guaranteed. Only the third player ever to win the Heisman, win a national championship, and go first overall the next spring. Burrow. Newton. Mendoza. Then he skipped Pittsburgh. The biggest stage in football, the moment every kid imagines from the second they pick up a ball, and Fernando watched the call from his living room in Florida because his mom Elsa is in a wheelchair and the travel is hard for her. She was diagnosed with MS when he was 4. She wrote a letter to her sons in The Players Tribune in 2015 promising the disease "won't affect us in the ways that matter." The part nobody talks about: while every other top pick was on stage, Fernando announced the Mendoza Family Fund the same day. $500K personal donation to the National MS Society. Committed to raising $1M over three years. He hasn't taken an NFL snap and he's already given more to a cause than most players donate in a full career. He and his brother Alberto have already raised $360K through the Mendoza Bros. Burger at BuffaLouie's in Bloomington. At Christmas, he handed four families dealing with MS $10,000 each for an Adidas shopping spree. Both his parents are children of Cuban refugees who fled Castro. His dad rowed at Brown, won a Junior World Championship in 1987, and played high school football in Miami next to a teammate named Mario Cristobal. Fernando beat his dad's old teammate in the national championship game in January. Every athlete talks about playing for their family. Fernando actually did it.

@GolfersJournal so good - thank you Golfers Journal!

@LukeKerrDineen What should that move feel like? A slight pushing away of the right hand on the way down? Or is it more of focusing on extension of the left hand? or both?

I like you keep the shape in your body through/post impact I don’t like how narrow the right arm gets on the downswing. Stretch it further away

@AlanShipnuck Just pre-ordered the audiobook… a livestream with Q and A after the release sounds like fun.

I want to bring the Rory book to the people. Part of a book club? Or want to wrangle a bunch of friends who are into golf? I'm thinking it could be fun (or crazy?) to organize small-group Zooms with folks who want to talk about the book. I opened my DMs (gulp), reach out!

@LukeKerrDineen Do I dare ask what happens when you hit the stick?

One day, a Team Europe Ryder Cup captaincy will come calling for Rory McIlroy. He discussed how he'd approach the role as part of a wide-ranging conversation with @KVanValkenburg.

@KVanValkenburg Thanks for sharing, that was outstanding. I never expected the humility that poured out. The college he referenced is none other than Ripon College in little Ripon Wisconsin, about 5 miles from home.

This is really worth your time if you missed it.

@kevinmarkham @TheAdareManor @Hermitagegolfc @EnniscroneGolf It seems to get better and better each time I visit. Love Enniscrone and their staff is pure class.

@The_Guapo @TheAdareManor @Hermitagegolfc @EnniscroneGolf Always found Enniscrone's condition to be superb. Played it many times over the years and always been impressed

What was the best conditioned Irish #golf course you played this year? (And don't put @TheAdareManor - that's cheating)

@CraigCPratt @kevinmarkham @TheAdareManor @Hermitagegolfc @EnniscroneGolf It sure is!

@The_Guapo @kevinmarkham @TheAdareManor @Hermitagegolfc @EnniscroneGolf @EnniscroneGolf is pure! 🔥🔥🔥

Early light shapes the dunes @CarneGolfLinks during this morning's sunrise.

A masterclass on conflict resolution by Steve Jobs

@kevinmarkham @GusK16 @CarneGolfLinks Hope all is well Kevin!

Take a look at that wee ledge on the front left of the par-3 16th green @CarneGolfLinks (WAD course). Which masochist put the flag there! Don't be short

@kevinmarkham @GusK16 @CarneGolfLinks From the tee it looks so benign but it is anything but… like any good thrill ride, the best awaits at 17 and 18. @jgarrity2 I am still trying to make birdie at 17 - last time turned birdie into bogey but it keeps one coming back

@PSchrags I loved how Jack sat casually cool AF watching the game until midway through the 2nd qtr. Then he just rips through the show at halftime. I gotta get more Jack White into my musical life - he’s quite good.

Not to be overlooked -- this 7:30 minute set of arguably the greatest rock icon of his generation and one of the greatest hip hop moguls and lyricists ever , sandwiched between two halves of great football -- was absolutely awesome.

@GolfersJournal @omegawatches @Titleist @ScottyCameron @hbgolfusa @FootJoy @CharlesSchwab @BMWUSA The same hole from a different angle… @maribeltran2322 took the photo and birdied it the next day. ❤️

Your winter getaway is on the way. Introducing TGJ No. 34—a 136-page reminder that this game is supposed to be fun.

@GolfersJournal @omegawatches @Titleist @ScottyCameron @hbgolfusa @FootJoy @CharlesSchwab @BMWUSA Just opened the last and was ecstatic to see @EnniscroneGolf on the cover! @maribeltran2322 and I loved all the gorgeous pictures. Enniscrone is such a fine course and it gets better and better each year. Thanks so much @coynewriter and the TGJ staff for featuring Enniscrone!

@jamierkennedy @Cruitislandgre1 is heaven … simply beautiful and the drive in really gets the heart racing

What's the most enjoyable 9-hole course you've played?