Golf

A massive fire scorched PGA Tour star Davis Love III's Georgia home to the ground on Friday ... but fortunately, officials say no one was injured in the giant blaze.

Glynn County Fire officials say they responded to Love III's home at around 5:20 a.m. ... but when they arrived, the home was completely engulfed by fire.

Firefighters weren't able to save the house ... but they say no one was hurt -- and add that an investigation over the cause of the blaze is now underway.

"While everyone in our family is saddened at the loss of our home that was filled with so much laughter and incredible memories, we're very blessed that everyone is safe and unharmed," Love III said in a statement.

"We're very thankful to the first responders who made a valiant effort to save our home, and we're keeping things in perspective as people across our community and around the world are struggling with the current unprecedented health crisis."

Love III added, "We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers and your respect for our privacy."

Love III has been a star on the PGA Tour for decades ... winning 21 events, including the 1997 PGA Championship.

PGA golfer Scott Piercy says he'll "do better" after posting a homophobic meme about Pete Buttigieg on his IG page ... insisting he wasn't trying to offend anyone.

Dude, are you a moron?

41-year-old Piercy doesn't seem to get why posting a photo of the openly gay politician with the caption, "Peter Pulls Out Early From Behind" could be deemed offensive.

Oh, and the post also referenced QAnon -- the far-right conspiracy theory. Supporters of it have been condemned by the FBI.

The PGA Tour was super upset with Piercy -- a rep said, "We were made aware of Scott’s post and are disappointed in the lack of judgment used."

The 11-year PGA Tour vet -- who's made more than $20 mil in his pro career -- spoke out on Tuesday saying, "Whenever i post my intent is NEVER to offend. I want to apologize if any of my recent story posts have been offensive. I will do better!"

If?! IF?!?! Okay ...

Mickey Wright -- one of the greatest females golfers EVER -- has died after suffering a heart attack ... her attorney said on Monday. She was 85 years old.

Sonia Pawluc, Wright's lawyer, told the Associated Press that Mickey had been battling health issues after she was hospitalized in Florida this past month following a bad fall.

"One of the best to ever play the game, she will be greatly missed," The World Golf Hall of Fame said in a statement Monday. "#RIPMickey"

Wright is a legend on the golf course ... she famously won 82 events on the LPGA Tour and also recorded 13 major championship wins.

In fact, her swing was so buttery smooth ... Ben Hogan called it the best he had EVER seen.

She joined the LPGA Tour in 1955 ... before retiring from playing full-time in 1969.

She died just 3 days after her 85th birthday.

Well, this was a garbage tee shot ...

Tiger Woods miss-hit his drive so badly at a hole during The Genesis Open on Sunday ... his ball ended up in a trash receptacle -- and the dude had to fish the ball out with his bare hands!!

The surreal scene all went down at the par-4 third at Riviera in Los Angeles ... where Tiger smacked a drive 294 yards straight into a garbage bag.

You can see in video ... after Tiger realized his ball was buried in the trash -- he reached in and grabbed it with no questions asked!!

Tiger took a drop and still finished the hole with a par ... but the garbage shot was the perfect metaphor for his run in the four-day-long tourney.

Woods finished dead last among guys who made the cut ... carding an 11-over 295 on the weekend -- and it was so ugly, he just had to joke about it all afterward.

"Good news is I hit every ball forward," Woods said with a laugh. "Didn't hit any backward. A couple sideways, but overall, it was -- I'm done."

Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey's sex solicitation case is headed toward a happy ending for the popular golfer ... he just cut a deal with prosecutors to avoid time behind bars.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, Gainey agreed to serve 11-months of probation, take a human trafficking class, do community service and pay fines and fees.

In exchange for completing all of that, prosecutors agreed to drop his misdemeanor solicitation charge ... and even gave him the chance to end his probation early if he quickly meets the requirements of the deal.

Of course, it's a solid deal for Gainey ... who was facing jail time after he was caught up in a major prostitution sting -- dubbed "Operation Santa's Naughty List" -- back in December.

As we previously reported, cops in Polk County, Fla., say Gainey offered money for sex acts to an undercover officer posing as a prostitute on Dec. 8, 2019.

In police footage of the alleged incident, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see clear as day Tommy offering up $60 for a "quick visit" with the woman.

Gainey was arrested ... and at a press conference a few days later, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd ribbed him over it all.

"He's married. He told us that he was here for a charity golf event and it was to be, like, the next morning tee off. He didn't make it. He was a scratch ... We charged him with soliciting. He missed his tee time the next morning."

Here's the best shot Bill Murray had at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this past weekend ...

The "Caddyshack" actor wasn't playing well at all at the famous Northern California tournament ... so when a fan offered him a mid-round shot of tequila -- he downed it, and the video is hilarious!!

You can see in the clip ... Murray was walking up the fairway at one of the holes when a woman leaned over the ropes with a plastic cup full of booze.

"Hey, Bill!" the woman screamed at him. "I got a shot of tequila for you! I know you'll like it!"

Murray walked straight up to her, took the cup, slammed the drink, threw the empty and kept on walking like nothing had happened!!!

Of course, Bill's known to clown around on the golf course -- especially when he ain't striking it well -- and his mid-round shot was hardly his only laugh-out-loud moment from the tourney.

On Sunday, he missed a putt badly ... but instead of letting it settle, he redirected it in and walked straight off the green!!

It's illegal, but funny ... and, let's be honest, that's the way golf SHOULD be played!

Here's Eli Manning clearly devastated he ain't playing football any -- AHHH JUST KIDDING!! ELI'S HITTING THE LINKS WITH HIS BIG BRO AND OBVIOUSLY LOVING RETIREMENT!!!

The ex-NY Giants QB -- who just officially called it an NFL career on Jan. 22 -- hit the pro-am at Pebble Beach on Thursday ... and he sure didn't look like a guy who's missing getting hit for a living.

Eli and Peyton were part of a foursome alongside pros Kevin Chappell and Luke Donald ... and the Manning bros actually played pretty well.

Eli -- a 10 handicap -- posted an 8-under total with Chappell ... while Peyton -- an 8 handicap -- carded a 5-under with Donald. Not bad for two old retired guys!!

Of course, the tournament's also filled with a TON of other celebs and athletes ... including NFL legends like Steve Young and Larry Fitzgerald.

But it was another QB who stole the highlight show for the day ... Aaron Rodgers made some tremendous shots on the course -- and even walked in one of his putts!!

And, as for the non-professional athletes, country superstar Jake Owen really had himself a day ... check out these two shots he poured in from distance!!!

Awesome gesture from PGA Tour star Justin Thomas -- the golfer is auctioning off his custom Kobe Bryant wedges ... and says the proceeds will go to the families affected by Bryant's tragic helicopter crash.

Thomas paid tribute to the Black Mamba often this past weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. ... even rocking a Bryant high school jersey while playing.

But, his best Mamba ode came courtesy of the clubs he used to shoot ... 'cause each of Thomas' wedges had some cool Kobe-isms etched into the iron.

"Mamba Mentality," "Black Mamba," "Kobe Bean Bryant" and "81 Points" were inscribed on his Titleist Vokeys for the four-day tourney.

Now, Thomas -- who finished third in the event -- says a lucky fan can have them for a price ... and says all the money will go toward The MambaOnThree Fund.

Of course, that's the charity Vanessa Bryant set up to help the families of those killed in the tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. on Jan. 26.

Thomas was particularly hit hard by the tragedy ... he's been a noted HUGE Kobe fan throughout his career, famously yelling "KOBE!" before tough shots in the past.

Dozens of fans were chanting it ... "BIG D*CK RICK" ... but was Rickie Fowler distracted???

Hell no!!! In fact, the golfer loved it so much he egged on the crowd and then sank his putt!

It all went down Saturday at the famous No. 16 hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. ... where Rickie took the tee box to a HUGE applause.

At some point, after Rickie stuffed his iron shot just a few yards from the hole, though ... the clapping turned to chanting, with fans yelling "Big D*ck Rick" at the 31-year-old.

But, instead of telling them to quiet down over his putt ... Fowler stepped off his ball and waved on the crowd ... and when he sank the ensuing shot, everyone went wild!!!

Rickie's had a lot of fun with the nickname over the past few years ... especially at the Waste Management Open, where fans constantly chant it at him.

In fact, he even made a great dong pun to reporters over the nickname at last year's tournament, saying, "It's been going on for a few years now. It's really growing -- the name, I mean."

Amazing tribute to Kobe Bryant on the golf course Friday ... Tony Finau took the green in a Lakers jersey -- and after the PGA Tour star sank a huge birdie putt, he celebrated with a Kobe follow-through!!

The cool moment all went down at the Waste Management Open in Phoenix, Ariz. ... where Finau honored Bryant at the famous 16th hole for the 2nd straight day.

The 30-year-old golfer -- sporting the classic No. 8 yellow Bryant uni -- hit his tee shot just off the green ... but he channeled his inner Kobe on the ensuing putt.

The roll -- which was about 20 feet total -- wasn't an easy one ... but Finau jarred it. Afterward, he hit the Kobe celly, and the fans went wild!!!

Of course, golfers at the tourney have been honoring Kobe all week ... Finau himself donned the same Bryant jersey in his opening round Thursday.

Other stars like Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas also sported their Bryant swag this week ... and the tributes have been really amazing.

We broke the story, Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter were two of the nine people who tragically died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

Here's the coolest video you'll see all day!!

Amateur Canadian golfer Laurent Hurtubise -- who was born without most of his right arm -- was competing in the PGA American Express tournament on Thursday ... when he swung away and sank a hole-in-one!!!

It all went down at the 4th hole of the PGA West Stadium Course in La Quinta, CA ... which is a 151-yard par-3 hole.

Hurtubise has been playing golf since he was 11 ... and has worked his whole life to be an inspiration to people living with similar conditions.

The best part?? He did it with a bunch of pros watching ... and the whole group lost it when he hit the shot!!

"That was the coolest experience I've had on the golf course," Troy Merritt said.

Fellow tour member Greg Chalmers added ... "It landed around the front of the green and we were all watching it closely as it tracked toward the hole and then, bang, it disappeared."

"We all went up in celebration and Laurent went ballistic and maybe let out a few choice words, but who could blame him? It was an incredible shot."

Mark Wahlberg's nine days into 2020 and it appears he's never wearing a shirt ever again ... not that anyone's complaining.

Marky Mark's still in vacay mode and this time he's enjoying the picturesque beaches of Hawaii. The action star's actually in town competing in the Hawaii Sony Open Pro-Am. Talented actor and athlete. Yeah ... dude can hit a mean stroke. He's been known to do "golf cardio" ... where astoundingly he plays 18 holes in an hour.

And, like every star who works hard, he's still partying hard ... putting everyone's New Year's resolution diet/exercising plan to shame with his ripped bod. Seems he's got zero plans to slow down his R&R sesh.