https://www.scmp.com/rss/325569/feed The PGA Tour runs the main professional golf tours played primarily by men in the United States and North America. It also overseas the feeder Korn Ferry Tour, as well as the PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. 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 March 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 in... 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Laurie Canter has turned down a PGA Tour card and will return to the LIV Golf League, becoming part of an all-English Majesticks GC line-up. The 36-year-old finished seventh in the Race to Dubai standings, making him eligible to play in the US, but has opted to join Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield for the 2026 season, the league announced on Monday. Canter, who won last year’s European Open and the 2025 Bahrain Championship, comes in as a replacement for the relegated Henrik Stenson,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3334837/laurie-canter-snubs-pga-tour-return-liv-part-all-english-majesticks-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3334837/laurie-canter-snubs-pga-tour-return-liv-part-all-english-majesticks-team?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 03:30:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Xander Schauffele won his first title of the year after finishing one stroke clear of Max Greyserman at the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic in Japan on Sunday. The American ended a drought stretching back to his win last year at the British Open, which came two months after he claimed his first major at the PGA Championship. Schauffele, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, finished on 19 under par after a seven-under final round of 64 containing eight birdies and one bogey at Yokohama Country... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3328687/xander-schauffele-says-ive-still-got-it-after-ending-title-drought-baycurrent-classic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3328687/xander-schauffele-says-ive-still-got-it-after-ending-title-drought-baycurrent-classic?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 07:43:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australian golf legend Greg Norman said he was proud of what he accomplished as the CEO of LIV Golf and that PGA Tour players had benefited from the Saudi-backed league. Norman, who stepped down from LIV Golf last month, called his time with the league “mission accomplished” in an interview with Australian Golf Digest. “When you look back on the past 12 months, there’s been a realisation that all those investment dollars have done great things for the institutions as well as the players, in all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3327917/greg-norman-describes-liv-golf-boss-tenure-mission-accomplished?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3327917/greg-norman-describes-liv-golf-boss-tenure-mission-accomplished?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:52:48 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Im Sung-jae will return to the Asian Tour for the first time in almost a decade when he plays in next month’s SJM Macau Open, with the game in the region far different to when he left it. The South Korean has been plying his trade in North America since 2018, winning twice on the PGA Tour and making the Tour Championship for seven straight years. But October’s tournament will mark his debut in the city and a return to a tour he last competed on in late 2017, when he finished in a tie for seventh... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3325148/asian-golfers-dreaming-something-bigger-im-sung-jae-targets-macau-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3325148/asian-golfers-dreaming-something-bigger-im-sung-jae-targets-macau-open?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 06:03:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters One would imagine three-time major champion Scottie Scheffler would be desperate to continue American domination of the British Open and lift the Claret Jug for the first time this week at Royal Portrush. The 29-year-old is the bookmakers’ favourite after a stunningly consistent season, including winning the PGA Championship and during his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday he spoke of his growing love for links golf. But when asked how long he celebrates his victories, an introspective... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3318363/golf-whats-point-it-all-major-winner-scheffler-says-ahead-open-quest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3318363/golf-whats-point-it-all-major-winner-scheffler-says-ahead-open-quest?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 03:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will step down when his contract ends next year, the tour announced in a statement on Tuesday. Monahan, who replaced predecessor Tim Finchem in 2017, will gradually hand over his day-to-day responsibilities to newly appointed chief executive Brian Rolapp. Rolapp joins the tour after two decades with the National Football League, where he recently served as chief media and business officer. “A year ago, I informed our boards that upon completing a decade as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3314844/jay-monahan-step-down-pga-tour-commissioner-ex-nfl-boss-be-first-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3314844/jay-monahan-step-down-pga-tour-commissioner-ex-nfl-boss-be-first-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:01:07 +0000 Justin Bieber has struck up an unlikely friendship amid growing concerns for his mental health and rumours of marital woes. Congratulating golfer Min Woo Lee for landing his first PGA Tour title last weekend, Bieber shared a screenshot of him and Lee on FaceTime after the win at the Houston Open. “Congrats @minwoo27lee,” Bieber captioned his story. Lee reposted it on his own Instagram account, sharing the interaction with the caption “J frickin B”. The Sorry singer has been worrying fans... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3305096/who-min-woo-lee-rising-golf-star-facetime-justin-bieber-gen-z-humour-becoming-games-first-cult-hero?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3305096/who-min-woo-lee-rising-golf-star-facetime-justin-bieber-gen-z-humour-becoming-games-first-cult-hero?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2025 20:00:18 +0000 LIV Golf will keep moving forward no matter what, the league’s CEO has said, likening his organisation’s future to looking through a car’s windscreen at nothing but “bright blue skies”. In an interview with the Post ahead of the league’s tournament in Hong Kong this week, Scott O’Neil acknowledged occasionally glancing back at the “carnage and wreckage” of the past. But shortly after Jay Monahan, his PGA Tour counterpart, said he did not expect an agreement between the two sides to be announced... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3301355/liv-chief-sees-bright-blue-future-golf-league-eve-hong-kong-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3301355/liv-chief-sees-bright-blue-future-golf-league-eve-hong-kong-event?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:40:32 +0000 Hideki Matsuyama opened the new season with a record performance, though it was hard to tell from his emotions. He was a machine at The Sentry, with 35 holes at birdie or better to finish at 35-under par – both PGA Tour records. He broke into a wide smile only when his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, spoke to him on the side of the 18th green Sunday at Kapalua after one final birdie gave Matsuyama the scoring records and a three-shot victory over Collin Morikawa. Matsuyama won US$3.6 million from his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3293557/pga-tour-japans-hideki-matsuyama-breaks-scoring-records-winning-sentry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3293557/pga-tour-japans-hideki-matsuyama-breaks-scoring-records-winning-sentry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jan 2025 05:29:49 +0000 Sam Burns, 28, is considered one of the best up-and-coming players on the PGA Tour in recent years, but has been making headlines for his antics off the golf course. Just after the November 5 US elections, Burns showed his support for Trump by wearing a hat with Trump’s signature slogan “Make America Great Again”. He then he happily boasted about playing golf with Trump and hanging out with eccentric billionaire Elon Musk. So just who is Sam Burns and why is everyone talking about him? Here’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3290500/who-sam-burns-maga-loving-golfer-hunting-controversy-he-recently-boasted-about-playing-golf-donald?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3290500/who-sam-burns-maga-loving-golfer-hunting-controversy-he-recently-boasted-about-playing-golf-donald?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:00:07 +0000 PGA Tour golfer and former world No 1 Justin Thomas, 31, is no stranger to making headlines on and off the course. Most recently, he’s been in the news for failing to secure his first victory in two years after being unable to capitalise on a 54-hole lead at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. In 2021, though, Thomas came under fire when he was caught using a homophobic slur after missing a putt during the PGA Tour tournament in Hawaii. One of his sponsors, Ralph Lauren, ended its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3290446/meet-jillian-wisniewski-pga-tour-golfer-justin-thomas-wife-they-met-students-and-shes-been-there?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3290446/meet-jillian-wisniewski-pga-tour-golfer-justin-thomas-wife-they-met-students-and-shes-been-there?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:00:14 +0000 Mark Twain once quipped that a round of golf rather spoiled a good walk. Golf, however, is enjoying something of a makeover. Perhaps eight-time PGA champion Chi-Chi Rodríguez was right when he said that “golf is the most fun you can have without taking your clothes off”. Today though, the clothes are not only being kept on – they’re better than ever. Forget the days of regulation polos and plaid trousers (though in many cases dress codes on the course remain). In 2024, the influence of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3266323/how-golf-fashion-got-cool-polos-sweater-vests-and-celebrity-collabs-score-hole-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3266323/how-golf-fashion-got-cool-polos-sweater-vests-and-celebrity-collabs-score-hole-one?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2024 01:00:18 +0000 World No 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was handcuffed and arrested by police early on Friday after allegedly trying to drive around traffic controls outside the PGA Championship at Valhalla. In one of the strangest scenes ever at a major tournament, Scheffler was taken into custody by police, booked with a mugshot taken in an orange jumpsuit, released, then taken back to the course for breakfast and practice before finally teeing off in the second round. Scheffler was detained by Louisville Metro... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3263130/pga-championship-police-detain-world-no-1-scottie-scheffler-incident-unrelated-fatal-accident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3263130/pga-championship-police-detain-world-no-1-scottie-scheffler-incident-unrelated-fatal-accident?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2024 12:12:00 +0000 Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce from his wife, Erica Stoll, as confirmed by the golf pro’s manager on May 13. The unexpected news came on the eve of the PGA Championship. According to US media, McIlroy is hiring Thomas Sasser, the same lawyer who represented Tiger Woods during his divorce from Swedish model Elin Nordegren over a decade ago, and more recently, Joe Jonas in his split from Sophie Turner. Court documents obtained by the New York Post show that the Northern Irishman is reportedly... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3263057/who-rory-mcilroys-soon-be-ex-wife-erica-stoll-pga-championship-golfer-hired-same-lawyer-tiger-woods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3263057/who-rory-mcilroys-soon-be-ex-wife-erica-stoll-pga-championship-golfer-hired-same-lawyer-tiger-woods?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2024 10:30:09 +0000 Rory McIlroy has all the momentum he could want heading into the PGA Championship as he tries to end a drought in the majors that has lasted a decade. He also has a major distraction. McIlroy is coming off two straight victories, one of them with Irish pal Shane Lowry in New Orleans, the other an exquisite back nine at Quail Hollow to rally past Xander Schauffele last week in the Wells Fargo Championship. The PGA Championship is at Valhalla, site of his last major championship 10 years ago. And... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3262880/pga-championship-rory-mcilroy-dealing-another-distraction-eve-second-golf-major-he-seeks-end-drought?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3262880/pga-championship-rory-mcilroy-dealing-another-distraction-eve-second-golf-major-he-seeks-end-drought?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 05:52:47 +0000 Tiger Woods will be the lone player on a five-member subcommittee involved in negotiations with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), part of a busy day of governance as the PGA Tour tries to strike a deal with Saudi backers of LIV Golf. Woods was appointed to the PGA Tour board in August, making him the sixth player-director and the only one whose board term has no limits. The tour said Woods would be part of the “transaction subcommittee” on the board of PGA Tour Enterprises that would handle... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3261949/tiger-woods-be-part-pif-pga-negotiations-mcilroy-return-blocked-sides-eye-end-golf-civil-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3261949/tiger-woods-be-part-pif-pga-negotiations-mcilroy-return-blocked-sides-eye-end-golf-civil-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 May 2024 04:00:26 +0000 When asked who the best golfer of all time is, most people still immediately think of Tiger Woods. Now the GOAT may finally have a successor. Scottie Scheffler has been dubbed the “next Tiger Woods” on several occasions since claiming his second Masters win in three years earlier this month. And not only is he currently ranked world No 1, but he’s also just matched Woods’ achievement for winning four times in five starts at the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour, per The Independent. Per the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3260800/who-world-no-1-golfer-scottie-scheffler-and-he-new-tiger-woods-27-year-old-texan-devoted-christian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3260800/who-world-no-1-golfer-scottie-scheffler-and-he-new-tiger-woods-27-year-old-texan-devoted-christian?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:00:30 +0000 NBA stars have dominated a list of the highest-earning athletes of all time, with 12 of US basketball’s players in the top 50. There were nine different sports represented in the list compiled by Sportico, across 17 countries, including one from Asia, in boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, the 22nd-highest earner with US$565 million (HK$4.4 billion). Tennis star Serena Williams, at No 40, is the only woman to make the cut, with US$470 million. More than half of the top 50 are from the United States,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3259312/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-lebron-james-among-highest-earning-athletes-ever-who-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3259312/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-lebron-james-among-highest-earning-athletes-ever-who-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:30:26 +0000 Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler dominated a back-nine shoot-out to capture his second Masters title on Sunday, taking a four-stroke victory at Augusta National. Scheffler, who also took the green jacket in 2022, won a record US$3.6 million top prize after a drama-filled battle with fellow Americans Collin Morikawa and Max Homa and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who made an impressive major debut. “I can’t put into words what it means to win this tournament again,” Scheffler said. Scheffler birdied three of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3258995/masters-scottie-scheffler-emulates-tiger-woods-feat-second-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3258995/masters-scottie-scheffler-emulates-tiger-woods-feat-second-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Apr 2024 02:19:36 +0000 Indian-American golfers Akshay Bhatia, coming off a PGA Texas Open triumph, and Sahith Theegala, who won his first PGA title last September, hope their Masters starts can boost Indian golf. The 20-something Californians, whose families both emigrated to the United States from India, are among 89 players set to begin play on Thursday at Augusta National. “I don’t know if I quite realise what Sahith and I can do for the golf in India,” Bhatia said. “I know it’s really special when I have a bunch... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3258384/us-masters-indian-americans-akshay-bhatia-sahith-theegala-hope-their-starts-augusta-helps-boost-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3258384/us-masters-indian-americans-akshay-bhatia-sahith-theegala-hope-their-starts-augusta-helps-boost-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Apr 2024 12:30:32 +0000 China’s Carl Yuan thinks he may have unlocked the secret to finding more success on the PGA Tour after finishing joint fifth for the second time this season at the Valspar Championship on Sunday: have fun. Yuan, who turned 27 on Thursday, said he had to thank his wife, Cathy, for giving him a timely reminder on his birthday to simply have “fun” on the golf course and not be consumed with the mechanics of the golf swing. As one of the more flamboyant golfers on Tour, Yuan took the advice to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3256593/valspar-championship-chinas-carl-yuan-says-he-may-have-found-secret-success-after-second-top-5?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3256593/valspar-championship-chinas-carl-yuan-says-he-may-have-found-secret-success-after-second-top-5?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:45:20 +0000 Reuniting the world’s top golfers is a priority, PGA Tour policymaker Peter Malnati said on Saturday, but some players had issues with Saudi backing and how defectors would return. Malnati, who spoke after his third round at The Players Championship, is among six players on the PGA Tour policy board being urged to meet on Monday with Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, according to multiple reports. The meeting with the backers of the LIV Golf League, which has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3255681/liv-golf-some-reluctance-saudi-deal-player-return-says-pga-tour-policymaker-peter-malnati?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3255681/liv-golf-some-reluctance-saudi-deal-player-return-says-pga-tour-policymaker-peter-malnati?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 04:36:50 +0000 Rory McIlroy began The Players Championship with a 65 on his scorecard, two tee shots that went into the water and one lengthy dispute about where to take a penalty drop on Thursday. McIlroy ended the day with 10 birdies for his lowest start ever at the TPC Sawgrass, leaving him tied with Xander Schauffele and US Open champion Wyndham Clark. He would love to have back the tee shots on the 18th and the seventh holes, both of which found water and slowed his momentum on an otherwise superb display... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3255461/rory-mcilroy-overcomes-2-water-balls-controversial-drop-take-share-lead-players-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3255461/rory-mcilroy-overcomes-2-water-balls-controversial-drop-take-share-lead-players-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 03:08:28 +0000 Hideki Matsuyama fired nine birdies in a scintillating nine-under-par 62 on Sunday to rally from six shots back for a three-stroke victory in the Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club. Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, notched his ninth PGA Tour title, breaking a tie with South Korean KJ Choi for most by a player from Asia. It was all the more poignant coming more than two years after his most recent victory at the 2022 Sony Open, and after a neck injury left him fearing he might... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3252368/hideki-matsuyama-sets-new-pga-tour-mark-riviera-triumph-becomes-asias-most-successful-golfer-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3252368/hideki-matsuyama-sets-new-pga-tour-mark-riviera-triumph-becomes-asias-most-successful-golfer-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Feb 2024 02:42:50 +0000 The PGA Tour is getting a US$3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group in a deal that would give players access to more than US$1.5 billion as equity owners in the new PGA Tour Enterprises. The launching of PGA Tour Enterprises, with SSG as a minority partner, comes eight months after the Tour signed a framework agreement with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf for a commercial venture, and ultimately led to private equity groups wanting to join. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3250484/pga-tour-strikes-us3-billion-deal-fenway-led-investment-group-players-get-equity-ownership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3250484/pga-tour-strikes-us3-billion-deal-fenway-led-investment-group-players-get-equity-ownership?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:46:08 +0000 The third season of the LIV Golf League starts in Mexico on Friday with a new team, a higher profile, and a further thawing of relations between it and one of the Saudi-backed circuit’s fiercest critics. Jon Rahm’s arrival as the captain of Legion XIII has given the tour another major winner, and his recruitment of Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton two more players ranked among the top 20 in the world. Recognising the impact their departure from the PGA Tour is likely to have, Rory McIlroy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3250397/liv-golf-mcilroy-says-pga-tour-wins-diminished-absence-rahm-hatton-and-others-eyes-their-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3250397/liv-golf-mcilroy-says-pga-tour-wins-diminished-absence-rahm-hatton-and-others-eyes-their-return?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jan 2024 06:30:17 +0000 The Asian Tour wraps up its 2023 season this week with the second Saudi Open of the year, and for Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung it represents a last chance to secure a spot on tour in 2024 without having to go back to Q-school. Only the top 65 in the order of merit retain their full cards for the following season, and Cheung, who is presently 86th, needs a big week at Riyadh Golf Club to have any chance. The Hongkonger has had an up and down 12 months. Despite making the cut on numerous occasions... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244960/asian-games-glory-world-away-hong-kong-golfers-cheung-and-hak-they-chase-tour-cards-2024-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244960/asian-games-glory-world-away-hong-kong-golfers-cheung-and-hak-they-chase-tour-cards-2024-season?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Dec 2023 10:20:55 +0000 The PGA Tour has notified Jon Rahm he has been suspended for signing with Saudi-funded LIV Golf, a formality that is more about the benefits to the players Rahm leaves behind. Mackenzie Hughes and Carl Yuan are the immediate beneficiaries of Rahm’s decision last week to sign with the rival league. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in a memo to players Monday afternoon said Rahm’s suspension “due to his association with a series of unauthorised tournaments” removes his name from the FedEx Cup... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244738/jon-rahms-liv-golf-move-leads-pga-tour-suspension-saves-chinas-carl-yuan-q-school-lottery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244738/jon-rahms-liv-golf-move-leads-pga-tour-suspension-saves-chinas-carl-yuan-q-school-lottery?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Dec 2023 01:45:15 +0000 Lynn Farah Lynn Farah They’re famous for their impressive swings and ability to keep cool during tense moments on the course. Their golfing prowess also brings in major money, as it does in other sports. These golfing sensations have all amassed an impressive wealth portfolio, and are the richest in 2023 according to their estimated net worth. 7. Fred Couples: US$120 million The 15-time PGA Tour winner has an estimated net worth of US$120 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. The 64-year-old professional golfer and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3244682/7-richest-pro-golfers-world-net-worths-ranked-tiger-woods-and-rory-mcilroy-jack-nicklaus-and-greg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3244682/7-richest-pro-golfers-world-net-worths-ranked-tiger-woods-and-rory-mcilroy-jack-nicklaus-and-greg?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Dec 2023 20:00:23 +0000 Masters champion Jon Rahm jumped from the PGA Tour to Saudi-backed LIV Golf on Thursday in a big-money move that has sent another shock wave through the sport. The 29-year-old becomes the biggest name to sign on with the rebel circuit funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) since Australian Cameron Smith joined after winning the 2022 Open Championship. “I am proud to join LIV Golf and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport,” said Rahm, in a statement from LIV... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244305/masters-champion-jon-rahm-sends-shock-waves-through-game-ditching-pga-tour-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244305/masters-champion-jon-rahm-sends-shock-waves-through-game-ditching-pga-tour-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 01:04:46 +0000 Tiger Woods’ son Charlie Axel is following in his professional golfer dad’s footsteps. The 14-year-old child prodigy has been in the spotlight lately for winning the 2023 Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, as reported by Sportskeeda. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tiger Woods (@tigerwoods) Golfing seems to be a family legacy for the Woods, with Tiger’s father, Earl Dennison Woods, serving as his initial coach during his early... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3238372/who-are-tiger-woods-teen-kids-ex-wife-elin-nordegren-his-mini-me-golfing-son-charlie-axel-16-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3238372/who-are-tiger-woods-teen-kids-ex-wife-elin-nordegren-his-mini-me-golfing-son-charlie-axel-16-year?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Oct 2023 21:00:10 +0000 Carl Yuan’s bogey on the final hole of the Sanderson Farms Championship may have prove to be the costliest of his season, dropping him out of a six-way tie for the lead and a play-off to decide the winner. The Chinese golfer ended up with an 18ft putt for par after finding the rough off the tee, and watched it agonisingly brush the edge of the cup, dropping him to 17-under for the tournament. It was not all bad news though, with Yuan’s tie for sixth the best finish of his PGA Tour... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3237247/sanderson-farms-championship-chinas-carl-yuan-nets-best-pga-tour-finish-costly-bogey-denies-him-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3237247/sanderson-farms-championship-chinas-carl-yuan-nets-best-pga-tour-finish-costly-bogey-denies-him-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Oct 2023 02:20:05 +0000 South Korea’s Tom Kim tees up in his maiden Tour Championship on Thursday as he chases a slice of golf history, with a chance to become the youngest to lift the FedExCup and Asia’s first winner. The 21-year-old will be joined by compatriots Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo, the first time three South Koreans have qualified for the elite 30-man field, at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The trio will begin the first round on two under and eight strokes back from top-ranked Scottie Scheffler in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3232060/pga-tour-south-korean-tom-kim-looking-make-history-first-asian-winner-fedexcup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3232060/pga-tour-south-korean-tom-kim-looking-make-history-first-asian-winner-fedexcup?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:42:44 +0000 The negotiators of a business deal between the PGA Tour and the Saudi funders of LIV Golf discussed ousting LIV chief executive Greg Norman and giving Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy their own LIV teams, according to documents obtained by Congress. Those were among the many proposals to unify golf’s rival factions that representatives of the PGA Tour and the Saudi government discussed this spring during their hasty negotiations. The talks culminated in a framework agreement announced last month... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227431/ousting-norman-giving-woods-and-mcilroy-liv-teams-were-discussed-pga-tour-documents-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227431/ousting-norman-giving-woods-and-mcilroy-liv-teams-were-discussed-pga-tour-documents-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jul 2023 09:09:19 +0000 Confidence has never been an issue for those responsible for LIV Golf; certainly the belief needed to take on the world’s established tours required it 13 months ago, and on the evidence of last week’s event in London it has only increased since then. Roaring successes in Adelaide and Valderrama this season, and the crowds who watched Cameron Smith win at Centurion Club in Hemel Hempstead, have given the league a very public boost, while the impending partnership between Saudi Arabia’s Public... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227301/liv-golf-opts-policy-quiet-confidence-its-team-format-here-stay-despite-pga-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227301/liv-golf-opts-policy-quiet-confidence-its-team-format-here-stay-despite-pga-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jul 2023 08:54:42 +0000 The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have agreed to work with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to decide how LIV Golf players can return to the other circuits should they choose to do so. A framework agreement released to multiple media outlets in the US, also said the for-profit company to be formed by the PGA Tour and the Saudis would be the “entity for professional golf” and the tours would coexist with LIV Golf. Signed on May 30, the agreement was among documents requested by Senator Richard... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3225505/how-liv-golf-players-can-return-pga-tour-and-dp-world-tour-part-agreement-signed-saudi-arabias-pif?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3225505/how-liv-golf-players-can-return-pga-tour-and-dp-world-tour-part-agreement-signed-saudi-arabias-pif?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:15:16 +0000 The civil war that had torn golf apart was supposed to be over, but LIV Golf continues to offer indications that it will press on into 2024 and perhaps beyond. A sponsorship deal announced by one of the breakaway circuit’s teams suggests that, regardless of this month’s announcement of a merger with the PGA Tour, the Saudi-funded LIV will be around for a while yet. That merger, agreed between the Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia – LIV’s financial backer –... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3224987/liv-golf-signals-its-business-usual-despite-agreeing-merger-pga-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3224987/liv-golf-signals-its-business-usual-despite-agreeing-merger-pga-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jun 2023 06:19:22 +0000