https://www.scmp.com/rss/116/feed All the latest golf news, fixtures, features, analysis, video and photo galleries en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Three-time champion Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Masters on Thursday, citing a personal health matter with his family that kept him out of all but one of the five LIV Golf events this year. Earlier in the week, Tiger Woods said Tuesday he was taking an indefinite leave to seek treatment after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence in a February 27 crash in Florida. It will be the first time neither Woods nor Mickelson will be at the Masters since 1994, when Woods was a senior... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3348896/phil-mickelson-withdraws-masters-joins-tiger-woods-pulling-out-major?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3348896/phil-mickelson-withdraws-masters-joins-tiger-woods-pulling-out-major?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Tiger Woods said on Tuesday ⁠he was stepping away to seek treatment and focus on his health after pleading not guilty to DUI charges stemming from his rollover crash in Florida last week. Woods, a 15-time major champion and the greatest golfer of his generation, was arrested last Friday afternoon on a charge of driving under the influence after his Land Rover rolled over on a two-lane road near his Jupiter Island home. No one was injured in the crash and Woods was released on bail ‌later that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3348685/tiger-woods-miss-masters-after-stepping-away-treatment-following-arrest-after-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3348685/tiger-woods-miss-masters-after-stepping-away-treatment-following-arrest-after-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:00:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Coco Tsoi Lai-wing will reach a significant staging post on her remarkable and uplifting golf journey next week, eight years after suffering a life-altering injury in preparation for an international taekwondo competition. Poised for her overseas debut in the Glico Paragolf Championship in Japan, Hongkonger Tsoi “stubbornly” continued to compete in the combat sport during the roughly two years she waited for a definitive diagnosis; a period when “I knew I had some limitations, but I didn’t want... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3348003/hongkonger-set-next-step-golf-journey-after-suffering-life-altering-taekwondo-injury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3348003/hongkonger-set-next-step-golf-journey-after-suffering-life-altering-taekwondo-injury?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bryson DeChambeau won back-to-back LIV Golf titles via play-offs when he made a birdie on the first extra hole to beat Spaniard Jon Rahm in the South Africa tournament near Johannesburg on Sunday. In the previous tournament in Singapore, Canadian Richard T. Lee missed a short putt to gift DeChambeau victory. This time a brilliant second play-off shot from the American at the par-five 18th set up success. After receiving relief when his tee shot landed in grass muddied by torrential rain, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3347521/emotional-bryson-dechambeau-wins-south-africa-back-back-liv-golf-titles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3347521/emotional-bryson-dechambeau-wins-south-africa-back-back-liv-golf-titles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:00:53 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf rolls into South Africa this week with the promise of a record crowd to get the home team fired up and the return of Phil Mickelson to add another subplot to a slowly developing relegation battle. More than 92,000 people are reportedly expected at The Club at Steyn ‌City in Johannesburg for the circuit’s debut on the continent, a LIV crowd only bettered by the 115,000 that was in Adelaide. For the home Southern Guards GC team of Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dean... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346912/liv-golf-south-africa-southern-guards-gc-excited-about-playing-front-home-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346912/liv-golf-south-africa-southern-guards-gc-excited-about-playing-front-home-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:17 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Bryson DeChambeau beat wild card Richard T Lee in a sudden-death play-off to win the Aramco LIV Golf Singapore on Sunday. “Incredible relief,” the American said after his win at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course. “Being able to come through on a golf course like this that’s super brutal and demands precision on every single shot, especially with the conditions changing, I could not be more happy for my team.” Despite his loss in the play-off, Lee’s second-place finish was the best by a LIV... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346665/liv-golf-singapore-dechambeau-wins-play-deny-wild-card-westwood-place-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346665/liv-golf-singapore-dechambeau-wins-play-deny-wild-card-westwood-place-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:15:11 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Six years after his last win and having just returned from a wrist injury, Lee Westwood is in position to finish off arguably his most impressive performance after taking the joint lead on day three at the Aramco LIV Golf Singapore on Saturday. Westwood, the Majesticks GC co-captain with 44 professional wins across 20 different countries in his storied career, enters Sunday’s final round as co-leader at 10 under with Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann, who is also the defending champion. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346609/liv-golf-singapore-westwood-track-best-win-my-career-after-taking-joint-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346609/liv-golf-singapore-westwood-track-best-win-my-career-after-taking-joint-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Bryson DeChambeau opened up a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of LIV Golf Singapore on Friday, and credited a love of “chocolate milk and hitting more drivers” for his success. The American’s six-under-par 65 at Sentosa Golf Club took him to 10 under for tournament, with five players, including Jon Rahm and Thomas Detry, tied for second. One of four overnight leaders, DeChambeau said after his first round the unlikely pairing had been key to his preparation for the season and reiterated... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346517/liv-golf-singapore-chocolate-milk-drivers-help-give-bryson-dechambeau-3-shot-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346517/liv-golf-singapore-chocolate-milk-drivers-help-give-bryson-dechambeau-3-shot-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Lee Westwood continued his recent resurgence after returning from injury, Jon Rahm channelled the spirit of 2023, and Richard T Lee made the most of his local knowledge as LIV Golf rolled into Singapore on Thursday. Westwood and his Majesticks GC team have not had the happiest of times over the past two years, but the Englishman showed glimpses of his old self in Hong Kong last week and carded a four-under-par 67 to grab a share of the lead with Rahm, Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346358/liv-golf-singapore-westwood-continues-comeback-lee-lurks-intent-rahm-confident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3346358/liv-golf-singapore-westwood-continues-comeback-lee-lurks-intent-rahm-confident?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:30:18 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf will return to Korea in May, adding a 14th stop and 10th country to the tour’s increasingly international schedule. The league announced on Monday that it had signed a multi-year deal with Asiad Country Club in Busan, and Martin Kim, general manager of LIV team Korean Golf Club (KGC), said he had been “waiting for this for the last six months”. Tasked with reinvigorating a franchise that struggled on and off the course during its previous existence as Iron Heads GC, Kim hopes the move... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345966/liv-golf-korean-gc-boss-kim-very-excited-be-heading-busan-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345966/liv-golf-korean-gc-boss-kim-very-excited-be-heading-busan-team?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:30:10 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball A sense of relief rivalling the one that followed his first professional win is how Jon Rahm described his emotions on sealing victory at HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong on Sunday. Beating Thomas Detry by three shots finally snapped the Spaniard’s drought of 18 months between individual triumphs, stretching back to the stop in Chicago in the 2024 season. There have been numerous team victories since then, with Legion XIII and in the Ryder Cup, but he said this one “just feels like a big weight off my... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345871/liv-golf-hong-kong-jon-rahm-4aces-finally-end-their-winless-streaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345871/liv-golf-hong-kong-jon-rahm-4aces-finally-end-their-winless-streaks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:39:29 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball A large crowd spent much of Saturday following Jon Rahm around Fanling as he made his way up the leaderboard at LIV Golf Hong Kong – further evidence, if any were needed, that the tournament is quickly establishing itself as an important part of the city’s social and sporting calendar. And while attendance figures will not be announced until the tournament has finished, officials said a large number had made the trip from mainland China and overseas, with many paying thousands of dollars for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345829/liv-golf-hong-kong-starts-tick-boxes-bumper-crowd-set-3-way-fight-last-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345829/liv-golf-hong-kong-starts-tick-boxes-bumper-crowd-set-3-way-fight-last-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 13:16:47 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Thomas Detry will battle it out with Jon Rahm for the LIV Golf Hong Kong title on Sunday, but he might not even have been in that position without the Spaniard’s help. Detry was one of seven players Rahm sent a plane to Oman to rescue after they were left stranded in Dubai by the US and Israel’s war on Iran. Now the pair, along with Harold Varner III, are tied on 17 under at the top of the leaderboard, two shots clear of Carlos Ortiz, Dean Burmester and Thomas Pieters. “The way I see it, is it... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345820/sending-plane-rescue-liv-golf-7-simply-my-duty-says-rahm-detry-battle-beckons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345820/sending-plane-rescue-liv-golf-7-simply-my-duty-says-rahm-detry-battle-beckons?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:53:17 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball It is little more than a year since Scott O’Neil officially took over as LIV Golf CEO, brought in as the league’s calming influence following the whirlwind leadership of Greg Norman in the early days of disruption. A business background where he led some of the world’s biggest companies in sport and entertainment also gives the American a certain credibility, one that has translated into partnerships with the likes of HSBC - title sponsors of this week’s event in Hong Kong - Rolex and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345735/ceo-scott-oneil-set-break-some-eggs-take-liv-golf-top-pyramid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345735/ceo-scott-oneil-set-break-some-eggs-take-liv-golf-top-pyramid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:59:36 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Thomas Detry thinks Saturday at HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong could be a “birdie fest”, but those who know the way the winds can ruin a round at Fanling might advise the Belgian to be a little more cautious in his predictions. Mind you, Detry could be forgiven for his confident outlook after a seven-under-par 63 took him to 13 under overall and a shot back from leaders Carlos Ortiz and Dean Burmester. A day that started with a birdie on the par-3 second and ended with one on the par-4 first was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345733/liv-golf-hong-kong-detry-predicts-saturday-birdie-fest-wind-may-wreck-rounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345733/liv-golf-hong-kong-detry-predicts-saturday-birdie-fest-wind-may-wreck-rounds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:25:40 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Anyone with ambitions of dethroning LIV Golf Hong Kong champion Sergio Garcia is going to have their work cut out, but Carlos Ortiz might fancy his chances after flirting with a magical 59. On a day of low scoring after 48 hours of heavy rain had made the greens far more receptive than usual, the Torque GC star’s 10-under-par 60 on Thursday set him apart from the rest. A run of seven birdies and an eagle in an eight-hole stretch from the par-four 10th took the Mexican two shots clear of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345591/liv-golf-hong-kong-carlos-ortiz-sets-pace-consistent-garcia-still-man-beat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345591/liv-golf-hong-kong-carlos-ortiz-sets-pace-consistent-garcia-still-man-beat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:15:13 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Soft fairways and receptive greens mean players will need a fast start at LIV Golf Hong Kong on Thursday, and while all eyes may naturally be on the likes of Jon Rahm and Anthony Kim, this could be the week Lucas Herbert finally breaks through. The Australian has made a strong start to the season, finishing ninth and sixth in the individual contest at the first two tournaments in Riyadh and Adelaide. In the two weeks between competing in front of home fans and arriving in Asia, he headed to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345439/liv-golf-hong-kong-form-lucas-herbert-hoping-fast-start-will-help-him-break-through?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345439/liv-golf-hong-kong-form-lucas-herbert-hoping-fast-start-will-help-him-break-through?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball There will be a full field for HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong this week, after seven players stranded by the conflict in the Middle East finally made it to the city on Wednesday. The league had been working for several days to arrange transport for the group, which also included families, and was eventually able to get them out of the war-torn region. A source said updates on what was happening had deliberately been kept to a minimum out of care and concern for the group’s safety. And as part of an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345367/liv-golf-uses-jon-rahms-jet-middle-east-rescue-mission-8-players-stranded-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345367/liv-golf-uses-jon-rahms-jet-middle-east-rescue-mission-8-players-stranded-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:17:07 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport LIV Golf will return to Hong Kong for a fourth time in 2027, kick-starting the Year of the Goat by bringing some of the game’s best players back to the city once more. HSBC is again expected to sponsor the tournament, which will be held from February 18 to 21 at Hong Kong Golf Club, less than two weeks into the new Chinese year. And organisers said that from Sunday, fans who attend this week’s event will get “exclusive early access to specially priced 2027 tickets” via the league’s website. In... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345319/liv-golf-heading-back-hong-kong-2027-fans-get-early-shot-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345319/liv-golf-heading-back-hong-kong-2027-fans-get-early-shot-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:00:11 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Anthony Kim joined LIV two years ago and by his own admission “was flat-out terrible”, now after winning in Adelaide he believes his best golf is in front of him. Victory at the league’s second tournament of the year, where he fired a final round of nine-under-par to beat Jon Rahm by three shots, was not just notable for the emotion it elicited from across the sport, but also because it was so unexpected. The American, who had been a wild card until joining Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces ahead of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345281/flat-out-terrible-liv-golf-champion-anthony-kim-says-his-best-yet-come?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345281/flat-out-terrible-liv-golf-champion-anthony-kim-says-his-best-yet-come?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball There is no sign of the row between Jon Rahm and the DP World Tour ending any time soon, with the Spaniard saying on Tuesday that he believed players who paid fines were “being extorted”. The two-time major winner’s name was notable by its absence from a list of eight LIV Golf players who were granted conditional releases by the DPWT last month. All eight – Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie – paid their fines,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345218/jon-rahm-accuses-dp-world-tour-bosses-extorting-players-wont-agree-releases-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345218/jon-rahm-accuses-dp-world-tour-bosses-extorting-players-wont-agree-releases-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 04:27:49 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport LIV Golf returns to Hong Kong this week for a third time, bringing with it the usual action on and off the golf course, with the added bonus of a four-day tournament this time around. From Bryson DeChambeau hitting balls into the next district to a Dom Dolla after party and a taste of the best the city’s chefs have to offer, here are five things to look out for at Hong Kong Golf Club. On the tee The traditional Lion Dance welcome makes way for the Hong Kong Ballet this year, with Asia’s premier... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345140/liv-golf-hong-kong-ballet-bites-bryson-no-phil-5-things-know-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345140/liv-golf-hong-kong-ballet-bites-bryson-no-phil-5-things-know-week?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Australian Hannah Green won the HSBC Women’s World Championship for a second time on Sunday, holding off a fast-finishing American Auston Kim to claim a one-stroke victory at Sentosa Golf Club. Green, the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship winner, closed with a 69 after an erratic back nine with three birdies and three bogeys almost opened the door for Kim. Green tapped in for bogey at the last and a 14-under four-round total of 274 at the par-72 course to give her another title in Singapore after... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345022/hannah-green-wins-singapore-again-newly-married-kiwi-wins-new-zealand-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345022/hannah-green-wins-singapore-again-newly-married-kiwi-wins-new-zealand-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Australians Hannah Green and Minjee Lee moved to the top of the leaderboard Saturday to lead by one stroke after three rounds of the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Green, the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship winner and who won the Singapore tournament in 2024, shot a four-under 68 and three-time major winner Lee a 69 to post three-round totals of 11-under 205 at the Sentosa Golf Club. American Angel Yin (68) and Haeran Ryu (70) of South Korea were tied for third in the LPGA tournament. With the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344978/hannah-green-minjee-lee-take-lead-singapore-kiwi-raises-home-hopes-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344978/hannah-green-minjee-lee-take-lead-singapore-kiwi-raises-home-hopes-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 11:05:08 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Minjee Lee rocketed up the HSBC Women’s World Championship leaderboard on Friday after carding an eight-under-par 64 in Singapore. The three-time major winner moved into a tie for second place at the Sentosa Golf Club, one shot behind overnight leader Auston Kim, whose 69 left her at nine under after two rounds. World No 4 Lee, one of nine top 10 players in the field this week, had an eagle and six birdies and tied for the round of the day on the Tanjong course. In a field stacked with talent,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344896/minjee-lee-climbs-world-championship-leaderboard-singapore-amateur-leads-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344896/minjee-lee-climbs-world-championship-leaderboard-singapore-amateur-leads-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:00:13 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Matias Sanchez battled bad weather and bad light to take an early clubhouse lead he acknowledged “doesn’t mean a whole lot” in the New Zealand Open on Thursday. The Australian carded a seven-under-par 64 on the Remarkables course at Millbrook Resort, just draining his last putt with play suspended for the day because of darkness. Heavy rain had delayed the start by three hours, meaning almost half the field, including local amateur Yuki Miya, who was six under with five holes to play, have yet... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344758/australias-matias-sanchez-leads-new-zealand-open-jeeno-thitikul-struggles-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344758/australias-matias-sanchez-leads-new-zealand-open-jeeno-thitikul-struggles-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:13 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball The International Series will take its first steps into China this season, with Shanghai expected to host a tournament during a pivotal three-week swing that could also include the Philippines and Hong Kong. Although the Asian Tour’s schedule only lists an event from November 5 to 8, sources said officials were working on taking a tournament with a US$2.5 million prize fund to the country’s biggest city. Shanghai’s Enhance Anting Golf Club, which will stage the DP World Tour’s (DPWT) Volvo China... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344480/international-series-looking-introduce-asian-tour-tournament-china-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344480/international-series-looking-introduce-asian-tour-tournament-china-season?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Minjee Lee begins her 12th season on the LPGA Tour next week reinvigorated by the prospect of facing opponents who seemingly get ever younger and by a determination to “stay in the present”. After a couple of difficult years, the Australian had quite the 2025, winning her third major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and finishing inside the top 10 eight times, earning herself US$3.9 million in the process. She gets her 2026 campaign under way at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3343812/form-minjee-lee-has-major-golf-dreams-ahead-aims-stay-present?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3343812/form-minjee-lee-has-major-golf-dreams-ahead-aims-stay-present?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An “overwhelmed” Anthony Kim outplayed two-time major winners Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau to capture his maiden LIV Golf title on Sunday and first on any tour since 2010, to complete an amazing redemption story. The 40-year-old American, who battled drug and alcohol issues in the 10 years he was away from the game, fired a nine-under-par 63, surging home with five birdies on the back nine to claim victory in Adelaide by three shots. He began the day five behind former world No 1 Rahm and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3343623/anthony-kim-completes-remarkable-comeback-story-victory-liv-golf-adelaide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3343623/anthony-kim-completes-remarkable-comeback-story-victory-liv-golf-adelaide?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 07:53:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters Chris Gotterup was on a roll when his fourth round at the WM Phoenix Open concluded Sunday. About an hour later, he picked up where he left off. Gotterup posted a birdie on the first play-off hole after late mishaps by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama ‌opened the door for him to win at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course in Arizona. Gotterup, 26, notched his second victory of 2026 and the fourth ‍of his young career. He shot a 7-under-par 64 and waited for a chance in a play-off. “I just figured I’d stay... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342866/chris-gotterup-beats-hideki-matsuyama-play-claim-phoenix-open-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342866/chris-gotterup-beats-hideki-matsuyama-play-claim-phoenix-open-title?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 03:02:07 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Hong Kong golfers had a tournament to forget at the Philippine Golf Championship, an Asian Tour event that was won by South Korean Cho Woo-young on Sunday. The highest finisher from the city was Jason Hak Shun-yat at 68, with Taichi Kho and Matthew Cheung failing to even make the cut. The victory at Wack Wack Golf & Country Club in Manila was the first for Cho on the Asian Tour. The Korean held off the challenge of Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert to win the tournament by four shots. Overnight... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342830/hong-kong-golfers-struggle-korean-cho-woo-young-wins-philippine-golf-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342830/hong-kong-golfers-struggle-korean-cho-woo-young-wins-philippine-golf-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Elvis Smylie will be hard-pressed to outdo his debut after winning LIV Golf Riyadh on Saturday night. The 23-year-old lefty from Australia ‌outduelled Jon Rahm to capture the US$30 million title at Riyadh Golf Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Smylie, who had not won outside of his home country, tapped in a three-foot par putt ⁠under the lights to close LIV’s first 72-hole tournament on a 24-under-par total of 264. “I wanted to come out here and make a statement,” Smylie said. “I wanted to prove... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342796/elvis-smylie-makes-statement-tour-debut-winning-liv-golf-riyadh-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342796/elvis-smylie-makes-statement-tour-debut-winning-liv-golf-riyadh-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 02:57:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ryo Hisatsune rode a back-nine binge to an eight-under par 63 on Friday and a one-shot lead over fellow Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama at the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open. Hisatsune picked up six strokes in the space of five holes on the back nine at TPC Scottsdale building an 11-under par total of 131. Former Masters champion Matsuyama had a six-birdie streak of his own in a seven-under par 64 for 10-under 132. Hisatsune, a 23-year-old chasing his first PGA Tour title, had two birdies on the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342748/japans-ryo-hisatsune-leads-compatriot-hideki-matsuyama-phoenix-open-scheffler-makes-cut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342748/japans-ryo-hisatsune-leads-compatriot-hideki-matsuyama-phoenix-open-scheffler-makes-cut?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 04:32:23 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Jason Hak Shun-yat overcame a rough start to card a one-under-par 71 in his first round as a full member of the Asian Tour, and said just being at the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship was something of a bonus. The 32-year-old Hongkonger is certainly no stranger to the professional game, but admitted to having to battle nerves as well as a tough Wack Wack Golf and Country Club course on Thursday. Hak’s 71 left him three shots back of leader Sarut Vongchaisit and in a large group tied... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342558/asian-tour-hong-kongs-jason-hak-battles-nerves-and-rough-start-philippines-opener?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342558/asian-tour-hong-kongs-jason-hak-battles-nerves-and-rough-start-philippines-opener?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:15:09 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf players will be able to earn world ranking points for the first time, starting with this week’s season-opener in Riyadh on Wednesday, but league officials were not entirely happy with the decision. In a statement released early on Wednesday, the Official Golf World Ranking body said players finishing in the top 10 of the individual competition would be eligible as it looked to “reflect the changing landscape of the men’s professional game”. However, while welcoming the “long‑overdue... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342297/liv-golf-gets-world-ranking-points-officials-question-fairness-decision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342297/liv-golf-gets-world-ranking-points-officials-question-fairness-decision?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:09:26 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball The 2026 LIV Golf season gets under way in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, and for Sergio Garcia it marks the start of a 27th year on tour, not that another trip around the sun has dulled the Spaniard’s desire. Garcia finished in a tie for fourth in the Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour last weekend, a stroke behind winner Freddy Schott, and goes into his latest LIV campaign seeking another fast start. His Fireballs GC won three of the first four events of the 2025 season, in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342229/liv-golfer-sergio-garcia-looking-be-little-bit-mentor-younger-players-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3342229/liv-golfer-sergio-garcia-looking-be-little-bit-mentor-younger-players-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:31:43 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball It has been a busy 24 hours in the world of LIV Golf, from signing a deal with Rolex to losing Patrick Reed, announcing rule changes and finally releasing the 2026 International Series schedule. And with the LIV season-opener in Riyadh less than a week away, once again there seem to be more questions than answers ahead of the tour’s fifth year in existence. Here then is a quick breakdown of what’s been happening. Reed jumps ship Patrick Reed stunned pretty much everyone on Wednesday when he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341656/patrick-reed-rolex-and-rule-changes-24-hours-hectic-world-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341656/patrick-reed-rolex-and-rule-changes-24-hours-hectic-world-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A British tour agency plans to host an international golf event in North Korea this year, the amateur event’s website showed on Tuesday. The impoverished North has moved to revive inbound tourism to earn much-needed hard cash in the face of sanctions over its nuclear programmes, developing lavish coast and mountain resorts. “The next North Korean Amateur Open is hoped to take place in 2026,” the website for the event, sponsored by Britain-based Lupine Travel, said. “The event will be over two... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341438/uk-travel-agency-seeking-restart-international-amateur-golf-tournament-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341438/uk-travel-agency-seeking-restart-international-amateur-golf-tournament-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching acknowledged that life on the tour treadmill had “got to me sooner than expected” and forced a mental and physical reset back in Hong Kong. After rocketing to prominence when she qualified for the 2016 Olympics, at 22, Chan became the first golfer from the city to acquire LPGA Tour membership the following year. Currently down at world No 723, the 32-year-old said she was still wrestling with the expectations that have trailed her for the past decade, and that she reached... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341269/hong-kong-golf-star-tiffany-chan-eyeing-happier-2026-after-physical-and-mental-reset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341269/hong-kong-golf-star-tiffany-chan-eyeing-happier-2026-after-physical-and-mental-reset?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Patrick Reed kept everyone at bay and closed with an even-par 72 on Sunday for a four-shot victory in the Dubai Desert Classic, his first European Tour title that moves him back into the top 30 in the world for the first time since he joined LIV Golf. Reed also made enough money from the Rolex Series event that it should cover his European Tour fines for playing in the Saudi-backed rival league, assuming he can sort out a new LIV contract. “Win early and that will take care of it,” Reed jokingly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341215/patrick-reed-wins-dubai-money-earned-can-go-towards-european-tour-fines-playing-liv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341215/patrick-reed-wins-dubai-money-earned-can-go-towards-european-tour-fines-playing-liv?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:15:08 +0000 Agencies Agencies Rory McIlroy said the rift between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is too wide, effectively negating any chance for ‌a reunification in the sport of golf. “I just don’t see a ‍world where it can happen at this point,” the world No 2 McIlroy said on Wednesday at Emirates Golf Club ahead of this week’s Dubai Desert Classic. McIlroy’s comments came on the heels of the PGA ⁠Tour reinstating former LIV Golf team captain Brooks Koepka through a new Returning Member Programme that offers a window for select... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340783/mcilroy-believes-pga-liv-too-far-apart-deal-challenges-rahm-hatton-pay-fines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340783/mcilroy-believes-pga-liv-too-far-apart-deal-challenges-rahm-hatton-pay-fines?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 05:30:12 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf boss Scott O’Neil said his organisation was “pushing the envelope” as fast as it could in a bullish state of the union-style address at the end of the league’s media week in Florida. In an upbeat assessment of the tour’s future, O’Neil said he was excited for what was coming, a day after Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith confirmed they had no interest in following Brooks Koepka back to the PGA Tour. Speaking in a press conference alongside several senior executives, O’Neil... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340065/liv-golf-ceo-scott-oneil-bullish-about-future-says-league-pushing-envelope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340065/liv-golf-ceo-scott-oneil-bullish-about-future-says-league-pushing-envelope?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:00:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball With a new look for a new season and a LIV Golf with new rules, Majesticks GC co-captains Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter see a year of potential after the struggles of past campaigns. An off-season when Laurie Canter opted to join as a replacement for Henrik Stenson rather than head to the PGA Tour, and saw Sam Horsfield return for another year, has given Majesticks an all-British line-up for the first time. Coupled with the move to four round tournaments rather than the three that was one of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339868/liv-golfs-majestiks-optimistic-new-look-all-british-line-can-benefit-rule-changes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339868/liv-golfs-majestiks-optimistic-new-look-all-british-line-can-benefit-rule-changes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:30:15 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Anthony Kim is back for LIV Golf’s 2026 season, and this time he has earned the right to be there. The former star took one of three places available in the final round of the league’s promotions tournament in Florida on Sunday, with a closing one-under-par 69 enough for third on five under overall. Canada’s Richard T Lee continued his dominant week, shooting a 65 to win on 11 under, five shots clear of Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren, whose 64 matched Lee’s course record at Black Diamond Ranch. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339539/anthony-kim-seals-return-liv-golf-asian-tours-lee-hollgren-grab-other-2026-spots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339539/anthony-kim-seals-return-liv-golf-asian-tours-lee-hollgren-grab-other-2026-spots?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 04:30:10 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport The Asian Tour’s Richard T Lee will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the LIV Golf Promotions tournament on Sunday, well placed to take one of the three spots up for grabs for the 2026 season. Lee shot a flawless six-under-par 64 at Black Diamond Ranch in Florida, although the likes of Anthony Kim and Jazz Janewattananond are hot on his heels. Kieran Vincent and Matt Jones both have some work to do further down the leaderboard, with the pair among a group of five players tied for 11th... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339468/flawless-lee-leads-liv-golf-promotions-charge-battle-league-spots-nears-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339468/flawless-lee-leads-liv-golf-promotions-charge-battle-league-spots-nears-end?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 02:30:10 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Miguel Tabuena has already experienced the pain of missing out on a place in LIV Golf once, he does not plan on letting it happen a second time. The 31-year-old came agonisingly close to securing his spot via the International Series Rankings earlier this month, finishing third in a battle with Scott Vincent and Yosuke Asaji for the two spots up for grabs at the season finale in Saudi Arabia. But after a year when he thrilled fans by winning the series event on his home Sta Elena Golf Club... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3338118/philippines-star-miguel-tabuena-ready-challenge-games-elite-place-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3338118/philippines-star-miguel-tabuena-ready-challenge-games-elite-place-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:30:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rory McIlroy’s long-awaited Masters victory in April made him the first golfer in 25 years to join the sport’s most exclusive club, but Scottie Scheffler’s two-major haul in 2025 raised the possibility that the next career grand slam winner could be just around the corner. McIlroy, in his 11th attempt to complete the career grand slam, had to endure a topsy-turvy final round at Augusta National where he squandered a four-shot lead but then emerged from a crowded pack to prevail in a sudden-death... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337607/year-golf-rory-mcilroy-finally-joins-elite-club-scottie-scheffler-could-join-soon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337607/year-golf-rory-mcilroy-finally-joins-elite-club-scottie-scheffler-could-join-soon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 04:00:08 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Masashi Ozaki, widely considered Japan’s greatest golfer, has died from cancer. He was 78. The Japan Golf Tour Organisation said Ozaki had been diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer about a year ago and had succumbed to the disease on Tuesday. Often referred to as “Jumbo” because of his length off the tee, Ozaki first started his career as a baseball player, playing for the Seibu Lions from 1965. However, he eventually transitioned to golf, turning professional at 23 years old and winning the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337570/masashi-jumbo-ozaki-japans-greatest-golfer-dies-age-78?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337570/masashi-jumbo-ozaki-japans-greatest-golfer-dies-age-78?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:14:35 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Brooks Koepka, one of the LIV Golf originals, has quit the league ahead of the 2026 season, opening the door for a potential return to the PGA Tour. The five-time major winner said he was leaving for family reasons in a statement released on Tuesday. LIV Golf said the split was “amicably and mutually agreed”, adding that Talor Gooch would become the new captain of Smash GC, who Koepka had led since joining the breakaway tour in 2022. “Brooks is prioritising the needs of his family and staying... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337556/brooks-koepka-quits-liv-golf-family-reasons-gooch-captain-smash-gc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337556/brooks-koepka-quits-liv-golf-family-reasons-gooch-captain-smash-gc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 01:48:33 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball China’s Lin Yuxin has already had an impressive amateur career, but now he will get the chance to test his game against the region’s golfing elite after winning the Asian Tour Qualifying School event in Thailand. The two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur champion carded a four-under-par 67 in the final round to finish on 16 under, topping the group of 35 players who secured status for the 2026 season. Among them was Hong Kong’s Jason Hak Shun-yat, whose six-under total left him in 21st after five days... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337322/asian-tour-chinas-lin-yuxin-tops-q-school-hong-kongs-jason-hak-also-through?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337322/asian-tour-chinas-lin-yuxin-tops-q-school-hong-kongs-jason-hak-also-through?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:30:08 +0000