https://www.scmp.com/rss/517859/feed The latest stories and features on golfer Cameron Smith, including professional golf news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Rory McIlroy seized a commanding six-stroke lead at the ⁠Masters on Friday to leave a leaderboard packed with major title winners looking up at the defending champion as the tournament reached the halfway point. McIlroy is 12-under par heading into the weekend with Americans Sam Burns and Patrick Reed tied for second at six under and Englishman Justin Rose, Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood one further adrift. McIlroy came out all guns blazing and finished in spectacular... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349720/rory-mcilroy-total-command-masters-takes-6-shot-lead-weekend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349720/rory-mcilroy-total-command-masters-takes-6-shot-lead-weekend?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:50:07 +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 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 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 Josh Ball Josh Ball The biggest crowd Hong Kong Golf Club has ever seen braved cold temperatures and torrential rain to watch a thrilling finish to the richest sporting tournament the city has ever staged. More than 12,000 people, including the likes of sports and tourism minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung and Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, plus visitors from some 30 overseas destinations, made their way to Fanling on Sunday for the final round of the LIV Golf event. Offering US$25 million in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3254862/liv-golf-hong-kong-record-crowds-wowed-thrilling-finish-citys-richest-sporting-event-boosts-global?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3254862/liv-golf-hong-kong-record-crowds-wowed-thrilling-finish-citys-richest-sporting-event-boosts-global?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2024 14:00:16 +0000 For two days Abraham Ancer looked as though he could no wrong, hitting fairways and greens at will and easing to a five-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round of LIV Golf Hong Kong. Then the precision that propelled the Mexican to the top of the leaderboard deserted him, the lead disappeared in a flurry of bad chips and poor iron shots, and a two-over-par 72 dropped him into a play-off alongside Paul Casey and Cameron Smith after they finished the third round tied on 13 under. But the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3254850/liv-golf-hong-kong-ancer-holds-nerve-claim-first-liv-title-after-three-way-play?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3254850/liv-golf-hong-kong-ancer-holds-nerve-claim-first-liv-title-after-three-way-play?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2024 09:37:35 +0000 The International Series gets under way in Oman this week, the first of 10 elevated events expected to happen over the course of the Asian Tour’s 2024 season. Officials have confirmed six of those tournaments so far, with stops in Macau, Morocco, Indonesia, Qatar and Hong Kong also on the schedule. At least one more is likely to be held in the UK, while Thailand, Vietnam and mainland China all hosted the series in 2023, and the Tour has said there were a “significant number of important... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3252662/asian-tour-international-series-oman-offers-glimpse-what-liv-golfs-future-could-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3252662/asian-tour-international-series-oman-offers-glimpse-what-liv-golfs-future-could-look?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:50:37 +0000 LIV golf boss Greg Norman would not be surprised if Hong Kong saw a little bit of history when the team competition comes to the city next month. Days after Joaquin Niemann shot a 59 at LIV’S first event of the year in Mayakoba, and Wyndham Clark managed a 60 at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Norman said the Chilean could have finished with a 57. No stranger to Hong Kong Golf Club, Norman the city’s Open in 1979 and 1983 on the composite course that will be used in March for the first LIV event in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3251261/liv-golf-hong-kong-norman-says-59-gettable-citys-composite-course-thinks-long-season-makes-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3251261/liv-golf-hong-kong-norman-says-59-gettable-citys-composite-course-thinks-long-season-makes-players?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Feb 2024 13:00:14 +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 Tickets for LIV Golf Hong Kong have gone on sale to the general public, with organisers targeting fans across the Greater Bay Area. The tournament at Hong Kong Golf Club in March will be the circuit’s first stop of the season in Asia, with Singapore hosting LIV Golf for the second year running in May. A world-class field, including the likes of Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, will battle it out around the composite course in Fanling between March 8 and 10. And while some players will... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3248250/liv-golf-hong-kong-tickets-go-general-sale-first-asian-stop-2024-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3248250/liv-golf-hong-kong-tickets-go-general-sale-first-asian-stop-2024-season?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2024 10:02:13 +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 The first round of the LIV Golf Promotions event gets under way on Friday, and for Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho it represents the “opportunity to play in one of the best tours in the world”. Despite being in his rookie year as a professional, Kho’s performances on the Asian Tour, and its International Series in particular, have earned him a spot in the three-day, four-round event at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. It would be easy for the 23-year-old to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of securing one of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244282/hong-kongs-taichi-kho-soaks-it-all-liv-golf-promotions-event-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244282/hong-kongs-taichi-kho-soaks-it-all-liv-golf-promotions-event-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 01:00:16 +0000 Members of the Hong Kong Golf Club reunited with fans for two signature events on the putting green, all in the name of charity. After a nearly four-year hiatus brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the club partnered with the Asian Tour’s International Series and annual fundraising drive Operation Santa Claus to bring back the highly anticipated Hong Kong Open. “The collaboration with OSC is a great way to raise awareness about the sport, as well as the community,” club captain Andy Kwok... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242855/driving-green-hong-kong-golf-club-holds-cup-kindness-game-support-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242855/driving-green-hong-kong-golf-club-holds-cup-kindness-game-support-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2023 02:00:22 +0000 LIV Golf will come to Hong Kong for the first time next year and organisers have predicted it could pump as much as HK$500 million into the local economy. The schedule for the 2024 season was released on Thursday, with the city hosting the fourth stop at Hong Kong Golf Club. Other events will take place in Mexico, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the US and Singapore. It will be the fourth major tournament the club has staged over the course of 18 months, and with US$25 million (HK$195 million)... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3242514/liv-golf-2024-hong-kong-confirmed-fourth-stop-new-season-event-scheduled-early-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3242514/liv-golf-2024-hong-kong-confirmed-fourth-stop-new-season-event-scheduled-early-march?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Nov 2023 23:59:30 +0000 Four months ago New Zealand’s Ben Campbell was on the verge of quitting golf. On Sunday, he won the Hong Kong Open in stunning fashion with a birdie at the final hole. The Kiwi’s solid four-under-par 66 left him 19 under for the tournament, a shot ahead of Cameron Smith, with Phachara Khongwatmai and Richard T Lee tied for third at 17 under. Victory was Campbell’s first on the Asian Tour, and lifted him into the fourth on the International Series order or merit, earning him a spot at next... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3241253/hong-kong-open-new-zealands-ben-campbell-lifts-title-then-reveals-he-nearly-quit-golf-4-months-ago?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3241253/hong-kong-open-new-zealands-ben-campbell-lifts-title-then-reveals-he-nearly-quit-golf-4-months-ago?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Nov 2023 11:27:18 +0000 Cameron Smith saw parts of Hong Kong Golf Club on Saturday normally reserved for high handicappers and those seeking some relief, and he still finished the day top of the leaderboard. The Australian carded a five-under-par 65 to move to 16 under overall at the Hong Kong Open, and will go into the final round tied for the lead with Phachara Khongwatmai, who shot a 66. Ben Campbell sits a stroke back after his five under, and with just four shots separating the top eight, Sunday promises to be a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3241196/hong-kong-open-smith-journeys-parts-unknown-way-sharing-lead-phachara?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3241196/hong-kong-open-smith-journeys-parts-unknown-way-sharing-lead-phachara?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Nov 2023 09:48:45 +0000 In a field gleaming with golfing talent, Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai shone brightest at the Hong Kong Open on Friday, shooting a sparkling seven-under-par 63 to take the lead at the halfway stage. The man they call ‘Diamond’ fired off 10 birdies to move to 12 under for tournament, and would have opened up a far greater lead than the one shot he has, but for the three bogeys he also posted. Overnight leader Cameron Smith overcame an early start to card a 66 to move to 11 under, while... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3241032/hong-kong-open-taichi-kho-faces-nervy-wait-see-if-hell-make-cut-home-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3241032/hong-kong-open-taichi-kho-faces-nervy-wait-see-if-hell-make-cut-home-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 05:55:23 +0000 Cameron Smith said Taichi Kho could “be a superstar” after the pair played together during the opening round of the Hong Kong Open on Thursday. Appearing in the tournament for the first time since 2014, Smith carded a seven-under-par 63 to grab a share of the lead with Eugenio Chacarra at Hong Kong Golf Club. Grouped with Hong Kong’s Kho and fellow major winner Patrick Reed, Smith made his charge late, birdieing four of his last five holes, but was well aware that the large crowd following the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240952/hong-kong-open-local-golfer-taichi-kho-can-be-superstar-says-major-winner-smith?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240952/hong-kong-open-local-golfer-taichi-kho-can-be-superstar-says-major-winner-smith?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Nov 2023 11:50:25 +0000 Andy Ogletree only needs to make the cut at the Hong Kong Open this week to secure the International Series order of merit, and with it a place on the LIV Golf circuit next season. The American took a big step towards that goal on Thursday, shooting a five-under-par 65 in the Asian Tour event at Hong Kong Golf Club. Although still mathematically within reach of the likes of David Puig and Kieran Vincent, Ogletree has had top spot in the money list sown up for several weeks. And as a result he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240881/choosing-liv-golf-team-deciding-where-go-college-international-series-money-list-leader-ogletree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240881/choosing-liv-golf-team-deciding-where-go-college-international-series-money-list-leader-ogletree?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:33:16 +0000 Second-season handler Pierre Ng Pang-chi moved two wins clear in the trainers’ premiership with his second double on the bounce at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. After an impressive debut campaign that netted 41 victories, Ng has produced almost a win a meeting through the first 17 fixtures of the 2023-24 season. “The horses are running brilliantly. Hopefully, it stays that way,” Ng said after the successes of Spicy So Smart and Fortune Warrior took him to 16 victories and clear of nearest... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3240843/pierre-ng-moves-clear-trainers-premiership-happy-valley-double?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3240843/pierre-ng-moves-clear-trainers-premiership-happy-valley-double?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:56:02 +0000 After a season that “looked nice on paper” but didn’t include any trophies, Patrick Reed said he planned to spend the off season getting his consistency back. The American finished sixth in the LIV Golf League’s individual rankings this year, with five top-five finishes, including a second place at the London event in July. And although Reed’s 4Aces GC won the team event, he finished the LIV year with two disappointing results in Chicago and Jeddah. For a golfer who said he should have a chance... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240820/hong-kong-open-reed-looking-strong-finish-disappointing-year-looked-nice-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240820/hong-kong-open-reed-looking-strong-finish-disappointing-year-looked-nice-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Nov 2023 12:29:54 +0000 Cameron Smith is hoping to “get the mojo back” at the Hong Kong Open this week, while adding his name to a long list of past Australian winners in the process. Golfers from Down Under have won the tournament 15 times since it first started in 1959, with Smith’s compatriot Wade Ormsby the defending champion. The list reads like a who’s who of Australian golf, with Peter Thomson, Scott Hend and Greg Norman, along with Kiwi Frank Nobilo, all having their names on the historic trophy. During a press... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240651/hong-kong-open-cameron-smith-hopes-get-mojo-back-and-become-latest-australian-name-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3240651/hong-kong-open-cameron-smith-hopes-get-mojo-back-and-become-latest-australian-name-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Nov 2023 09:31:05 +0000 The final three weeks of this year’s International Series begins in Shenzhen on Thursday, with Andy Ogletree leading the race to claim a place with LIV Golf in 2024. Ogletree takes a healthy lead at the top of the series’ order of merit into the Volvo China Open at Hidden Grace Golf Club, with Spain’s David Puig and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent more than US$500,000 behind, in second and third respectively. Victories in Qatar and England, plus top-10s in Singapore, Oman and Scotland, have propelled... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3239956/volvo-china-open-andy-ogletree-leads-race-liv-golf-spot-rivals-look-challenge-shenzhen-then-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3239956/volvo-china-open-andy-ogletree-leads-race-liv-golf-spot-rivals-look-challenge-shenzhen-then-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Nov 2023 09:05:10 +0000 A quartet of LIV Golf stars have signed up for the Hong Kong Open, with the city expected to be on the Saudi-backed league’s schedule for 2024. Talor Gooch, Anirban Lahiri, Matt Jones and Eugenio Chacarra, have joined a stacked field that already includes Cameron Smith and defending champion Wade Ormsby. Sources in the city had previously said that Hong Kong Golf Club was preparing to host the event in March, making the International Series event in November an ideal opportunity for players to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3236105/asian-tour-talor-gooch-anirban-lahiri-among-4-liv-golf-stars-added-hong-kong-open-field?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3236105/asian-tour-talor-gooch-anirban-lahiri-among-4-liv-golf-stars-added-hong-kong-open-field?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:03:25 +0000 Hong Kong is expected to score another international sporting event as part of its post-Covid recovery, with sources telling the Post the city was going to be named as one of the hosts for LIV Golf in 2024, pulling in some of the world’s best players. Landing the Saudi-backed team tournament, which has shaken up the world of golf in the past 18 months, would bring the likes of major winners Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith to the city. Hong Kong could also expect to reap bumper... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3234802/liv-golf-heading-hong-kong-2024-sources-say-bringing-worlds-best-city-three-day-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3234802/liv-golf-heading-hong-kong-2024-sources-say-bringing-worlds-best-city-three-day-event?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Sep 2023 10:14:15 +0000 The last time Cameron Smith played at the Hong Kong Open, he was a rookie professional needing a good week to qualify for the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur. A tie for ninth during the 2014 tournament did the trick and the rest, as they say, is history. Now ranked 11th in the world and with a major to his name, Smith will return to the city in November when the Open again features on the Asian Tour, but this time as one of its elevated International Series events. Much has changed for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3233767/hong-kong-open-cameron-smith-return-city-status-enhanced-will-golf-showpiece-itself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3233767/hong-kong-open-cameron-smith-return-city-status-enhanced-will-golf-showpiece-itself?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Sep 2023 23:30:20 +0000 Promising the strongest field in the tournament’s long and storied history, Hong Kong Open officials launched November’s event on Thursday by announcing that Cameron Smith would be headlining it. Taichi Kho and defending champion Wade Ormsby will also take part, and with a number of other big-name players expected to be at Hong Kong Golf Club, organisers said a “wonderful field of global stars” would be in attendance. And if the ninth stop on the International Series is anything like the ones... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3232944/liv-golfs-cam-smith-head-field-global-stars-hong-kong-open-returns-first-time-covid-19-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3232944/liv-golfs-cam-smith-head-field-global-stars-hong-kong-open-returns-first-time-covid-19-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Aug 2023 09:00:09 +0000 Rory McIlroy needs no reminding of the pitfalls that have prevented him claiming a long-awaited fifth major and his opening round at the 151st Open on Thursday could easily have left his hopes on the rocks once again. The Northern Irishman, the pre-tournament favourite, received loud support from the packed galleries at Royal Liverpool, scene of his Open triumph in 2014 after which he won the US PGA title and looked set for domination. But he endured a frustrating day with his driver a little... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3228414/open-championship-mcilroy-salvages-opening-round-some-bunker-magic-hong-kongs-kho-endures-tough-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3228414/open-championship-mcilroy-salvages-opening-round-some-bunker-magic-hong-kongs-kho-endures-tough-day?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jul 2023 02:10:07 +0000 A lot has changed for Taichi Kho in the year since he was last on England’s northwest coast, not least in his status as a golfer. Twelve months ago, the Hongkonger was competing in The Amateur Championship and in final qualifying for The Open Championship, and not having a particularly happy time of it on the links courses. Now he’s back, a professional with an Asian Tour title already under his belt and a more philosophical view of the test that awaits him in this week’s Open at Royal Liverpool... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3228121/open-championship-hong-kongs-kho-ready-special-moment-he-looks-embrace-challenge-lies-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3228121/open-championship-hong-kongs-kho-ready-special-moment-he-looks-embrace-challenge-lies-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:55:26 +0000 It would be hard to find a better example of the stark contrast between the riches in men’s and women’s golf than in the events at the Centurion Club outside Hemel Hempstead. Fresh off the back of hosting LIV Golf London last week, when 45,000 spectators reportedly streamed through the gates and Cameron Smith walked away with a winner’s cheque for US$4 million, the Aramco Team Series starts on Friday, with significantly fewer people and far less cash. Another Saudi Arabia-back three-day event... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227493/aramco-team-series-law-calls-greater-exposure-london-stop-highlights-disparity-between-men-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227493/aramco-team-series-law-calls-greater-exposure-london-stop-highlights-disparity-between-men-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jul 2023 22:30:21 +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 Hong Kong’s chances of hosting major international golf in the future would not be affected by the government taking back control of a strip of land at the city’s course in Fanling, several influential figures have told the Post. In contrast to repeated suggestions that losing 32 hectares of the Old Course at Hong Kong Golf Club would harm the city’s standing in the sport, multiple sources within LIV Golf and the Asian Tour said decisions regarding future tournaments were most likely to be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227072/losing-control-land-hong-kong-golf-club-will-not-hurt-citys-chances-hosting-major-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227072/losing-control-land-hong-kong-golf-club-will-not-hurt-citys-chances-hosting-major-events?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jul 2023 23:30:19 +0000 Scott Vincent has no idea what the future might hold for him in LIV Golf, and he’s OK with that. With more than half the season gone, the Zimbabwean was on the edge of the protected places heading into this week’s event in England, with the top 24 players at the end of the year guaranteed to come back in 2024. Most of the rest of the field will face a battle in November or December to retain their spots, despite the uncertainty surrounding the game’s immediate future. That uncertainty has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227012/liv-golf-london-vincent-happy-make-most-incredible-journey-future-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3227012/liv-golf-london-vincent-happy-make-most-incredible-journey-future-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jul 2023 06:22:00 +0000 Dustin Johnson and Jason Kokrak share the lead at the LIV Golf Andalucia, but only one of the American golfers had played the course before Friday. Kokrak put up a 67 in the first round at Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, to put a shiny bow on what he called a “kind of a crazy situation”. The summary of events goes like this: starting in Detroit on Monday, Kokrak encountered multiple airport delays, resulting in missed connections and personalised clubs, trackable with location AirTags, never... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3226207/liv-andalucia-jason-kokrak-finds-missing-clubs-grabs-share-lead-alongside-dustin-johnson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3226207/liv-andalucia-jason-kokrak-finds-missing-clubs-grabs-share-lead-alongside-dustin-johnson?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2023 01:25:09 +0000 Professional golf – and increasingly world sport – is caught in a sand trap. Not the familiar hazard between fairway and green, but the Middle Eastern desert producing enormous quantities of fossil fuels. The resulting riches are being diverted into sport, disrupting its traditional Western dominance. The latest example is the dramatic announcement that LIV Golf, the rebel circuit led by retired Australian golfer Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is merging with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3224382/how-saudi-arabia-teeing-global-golf-and-disrupting-wests-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3224382/how-saudi-arabia-teeing-global-golf-and-disrupting-wests-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jun 2023 00:30:11 +0000 The Asian Tour is now a higher priority for golfers around the world and the days when it played second fiddle to the European Tour are over, according to its CEO. Cho Minn Thant said in many ways the roles had been reversed, with players using the DP World Tour to fill gaps in their schedule rather than planning their year around those events. Calling the support from the likes of Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jazz Janewattananond, who has played in multiple Asian Tour events this year and finished... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3218192/asian-tour-ceo-says-circuit-no-longer-playing-second-fiddle-european-rival-thinks-golfers-should?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3218192/asian-tour-ceo-says-circuit-no-longer-playing-second-fiddle-european-rival-thinks-golfers-should?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:00:25 +0000 Cameron Smith is already thinking about his defence of his Open Championship title in July, believing he just needs “a little flick of the switch” to get back to winning ways. The Australian won at St Andrews last year after a sizzling final round 64 saw him overtake favourite Rory McIlroy, before stunning the golf world weeks later by defecting to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. While the US PGA Tour banned LIV players and a legal fight is set for a 2024 trial, major tournaments have allowed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3218048/cameron-smith-already-planning-defence-open-championship-title-says-hes-little-flick-major-winning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3218048/cameron-smith-already-planning-defence-open-championship-title-says-hes-little-flick-major-winning?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Apr 2023 08:57:44 +0000 November’s Hong Kong Open has been included on this year’s International Series on the Asian Tour, elevating the event’s status as it returns to the city for the first time in three years. Offering a US$2 million purse, as opposed to the US$1 million up for grabs at last week’s World City Championship, the prestigious tournament will be also played at Hong Kong Golf Club. The last of three high-profile events to be held at the Fanling course this year, with the Aramco Team Series taking place in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3215193/golf-revived-hong-kong-open-november-handed-international-series-spot-asian-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3215193/golf-revived-hong-kong-open-november-handed-international-series-spot-asian-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Mar 2023 02:17:10 +0000 All eyes may be on Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson at this week’s World City Championship, but Wade Ormsby could well be the man to watch at Hong Kong Golf Club. The Australian has won twice in his three previous visits to the city, claiming the Hong Kong Open in 2017 and 2020, and with a triumph at the International Series Thailand already under his belt this season has plenty of reason to be confident about his chances. Several days on the sidelines at the LIV Golf event in Tuscon last week,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3214336/asian-tour-all-eyes-poulter-and-stenson-confident-ormsby-one-watch-world-city-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3214336/asian-tour-all-eyes-poulter-and-stenson-confident-ormsby-one-watch-world-city-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:18 +0000 John Rahm has called them laughable, Cameron Smith believes they are in danger of becoming obsolete, and Asian Tour boss Cho Minn Thant has said he was “shocked” by the way golf world ranking points were allocated this week. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am traditionally has one of the weaker fields on the PGA Tour’s calendar, and this week the likes of Kurt Kitayama, world No 43, and Brandon Wu, world 197, are rubbing shoulders at the top of their respective leader boards with NFL quarterback Aaron... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3209100/pga-tour-pebble-beach-pro-am-highlights-shocking-state-golfs-world-ranking-system-asian-tour-boss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3209100/pga-tour-pebble-beach-pro-am-highlights-shocking-state-golfs-world-ranking-system-asian-tour-boss?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Feb 2023 09:00:14 +0000 Cameron Smith believes golf’s world rankings are on the verge of becoming meaningless, and said while having them “would be nice” they were not essential. The Australian is still ranked No 4 despite his switch to LIV Golf, and could add a healthy number of points to his total at this week’s PIF Saudi International. Smith is one of 12 major winners in the strongest field ever assembled for an Asian Tour event, with the likes of Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208791/saudi-international-open-champion-cameron-smith-says-golfs-world-rankings-danger-becoming-obsolete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208791/saudi-international-open-champion-cameron-smith-says-golfs-world-rankings-danger-becoming-obsolete?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Feb 2023 02:30:09 +0000 For a man defending a title for only the second time in his career, Harold Varner appears as relaxed as it might be possible to be on the eve of the Asian Tour’s season-opening PIF Saudi International. Despite being “a little rusty”, the 32-year-old is desperate to get going this week after an off-season far longer than he has been used to in the past. Still, this week’s tournament will be the first four-day event the LIV golfer has played since the Open Championship last July and there has not... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208695/saudi-international-harold-varner-says-golf-going-down-toilet-because-liv-and-pga-bickering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208695/saudi-international-harold-varner-says-golf-going-down-toilet-because-liv-and-pga-bickering?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Feb 2023 07:17:02 +0000 Cameron Smith will spearhead the strongest and deepest field in Asian Tour history when the PIF Saudi International gets under way on Thursday. The Open champion and world No 4 is one of 12 major winners in a tournament that also includes two of the best young amateurs in the game, Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat and Ding Wenyi, and Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung. Cheung received a late invite after earning his tour card in some style little more than a week ago, when he went 10-under over the last two... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208571/asian-tour-cameron-smith-head-strongest-field-date-hong-kongs-cheung-gets-late-saudi-international?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208571/asian-tour-cameron-smith-head-strongest-field-date-hong-kongs-cheung-gets-late-saudi-international?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Jan 2023 06:42:58 +0000 There will be a dose of star power on display at next month’s PIF Saudi International, with Open Championship winner Cameron Smith added to the field for the first event of the Asian Tour’s 2023 season. The Australian, who is presently ranked No 3 in the world, will join defending champion Harold Varner III and the 30 top-ranked players on the Tour at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club from February 2 to 5. Smith is in red-hot form going into the tournament, having won the Fortinet... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3205680/asian-tour-open-champion-cameron-smith-added-field-pif-saudi-international?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3205680/asian-tour-open-champion-cameron-smith-added-field-pif-saudi-international?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:47:19 +0000 It started with tennis superstar Novak Djokovic being deported from Australia and ended with Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup in Qatar, 2022 will go down as one of the more memorable years in sporting history. Russian bans dominated headlines, as did the death of cricket legend Shane Warne. While it is hard to look past Lionel Messi leading Argentina to World Cup glory as the story of the year, here is our list of the 10 stories that shaped sport in 2022. Djokovic deported Novak Djokovic flew... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3204357/2022-year-review-djokovic-deportation-messi-magic-top-10-sports-stories-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3204357/2022-year-review-djokovic-deportation-messi-magic-top-10-sports-stories-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Dec 2022 04:00:11 +0000 Augusta National will open their doors to LIV Golf’s biggest names, confirming that players from the breakaway tour will be eligible to compete in the 2023 Masters if they meet the established qualifying criteria. The decision will be viewed as a major victory for the Saudi-backed series with the PGA Tour having suspended players jumping across to the rebel circuit. LIV Golf has lured away some of the US-based PGA Tour’s top players with huge sums of money, leading to a simmering feud within the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3204058/liv-golf-players-eligible-2023-masters-augusta-national-chairman-honouring-tradition-having?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3204058/liv-golf-players-eligible-2023-masters-augusta-national-chairman-honouring-tradition-having?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:10:34 +0000 Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson says the breakaway Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series is a “force in the game that is not going away” after world number one Rory McIlroy expressed fear of an “irreparable” split. The LIV season concludes at the Trump National club at Doral, near Miami, this weekend with a team championship featuring an eye-watering $50 million purse. The animosity LIV’s breakaway has caused has left McIlroy worried for the game, but at the media launch for the event, Mickelson... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3197409/phil-mickelson-says-liv-not-going-away-rory-mcilroy-fears-irreparable-split?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3197409/phil-mickelson-says-liv-not-going-away-rory-mcilroy-fears-irreparable-split?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Oct 2022 04:51:35 +0000 Next year’s Phoenix Open, Heritage tournament, Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship will have purses boosted to US$20 million and guaranteed appearances by top golfers, the US PGA Tour announced Wednesday. The moves complete a PGA revamp to combat the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series that was announced by tour commissioner Jay Monahan in August at the Tour Championship. Star PGA players such as four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3196577/pga-boosts-2023-purses-four-events-liv-fight-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3196577/pga-boosts-2023-purses-four-events-liv-fight-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Oct 2022 04:15:10 +0000 Hideki Matsuyama said on Tuesday that he was fully committed to playing on the PGA Tour, as he prepared to defend his title at this week’s Zozo Championship in his native Japan. Matsuyama, who became his country’s first male major winner at the Masters last year, will face a field including Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and rising South Korean Kim Joo-hyung as the Tour returns to Narashino Country Club. Several top stars, including two-time major winner Dustin Johnson... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3195583/hideki-matsuyama-shuns-liv-millions-commits-pga-tour-eve-zozo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3195583/hideki-matsuyama-shuns-liv-millions-commits-pga-tour-eve-zozo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Oct 2022 12:15:10 +0000 Greg Norman said the decision to exclude LIV players from official world rankings would ultimately hurt the major championships, after the governing body responsible for overseeing them said it would not rule immediately on the new outfit’s strategic partnership with the Mena Tour. The LIV Golf CEO said what should have been a straightforward process to include LIV events on the Tour’s schedule, there by allowing his players to gain ranking points, had become unnecessarily complicated and mired... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3195219/greg-norman-says-decision-exclude-liv-players-world-golf-rankings-hurts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3195219/greg-norman-says-decision-exclude-liv-players-world-golf-rankings-hurts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Oct 2022 10:41:30 +0000