https://www.scmp.com/rss/517860/feed The latest stories and features on golfer Brooks Koepka, including professional golf news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters Rory McIlroy will launch ⁠the defence of his first Masters title on Thursday alongside ⁠world No 3 Cameron Young and amateur Mason Howell for the first two rounds at Augusta National in firm and fast conditions. McIlroy, bidding to become only the fourth player to repeat as Masters champion, will go out in the 15th group at 10.31am ‌Eastern Time (10.31pm Hong Kong time), two groups behind Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele, and just behind Americans Collin Morikawa and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349358/us-masters-rory-mcilroy-gets-early-start-title-defence-scottie-scheffler-goes-out-late?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349358/us-masters-rory-mcilroy-gets-early-start-title-defence-scottie-scheffler-goes-out-late?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:23:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rory McIlroy, whose emotional 2025 Masters victory completed an incredible career grand slam, chases an even rarer feat this year – repeating as champion at Augusta National. The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland hopes to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only golfers to capture back-to-back green jackets when the 90th Masters tees off Thursday. “I know defending the Masters tournament is a pretty rare feat, and it’s something I’d love to do,” McIlroy said. “I’ve won it once... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349065/rory-mcilroy-aims-join-illustrious-group-rare-masters-repeat-augusta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3349065/rory-mcilroy-aims-join-illustrious-group-rare-masters-repeat-augusta?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:54:24 +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 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 There is not a lot the golf world agrees on at the moment, but it appears as though an increasing disregard of the Official Golf World Rankings is one of them. Hours after LIV Golf boss Greg Norman told his players the league was withdrawing its bid to get OWGR accreditation, Xander Schauffele, and PGA Tour policy board member Patrick Cantlay, said some changes might be needed to measure talent properly. And speaking on Wednesday ahead of this week’s LIV Golf tournament at Hong Kong Golf Club,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3254344/liv-golf-hong-kong-players-agree-world-rankings-need-change-rahm-says-time-has-proved-system-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3254344/liv-golf-hong-kong-players-agree-world-rankings-need-change-rahm-says-time-has-proved-system-be?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:07:14 +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 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 As rumours surrounding the future of Jon Rahm and several other high-profile PGA Tour players swirl, some of golf’s lesser-known talents are in Abu Dhabi this week battling it out to potentially join the Spaniard in the LIV League next season. Rahm has been linked with a move to the Saudi Arabia-backed outfit in 2024, and his continued silence has only fuelled speculation that he will take the US$600m reportedly on offer to make the switch. A report in The Telegraph in the UK has also suggested... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244101/liv-golf-riches-grabs-abu-dhabi-players-battle-places-3-will-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3244101/liv-golf-riches-grabs-abu-dhabi-players-battle-places-3-will-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Dec 2023 11:47:24 +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 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 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 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 Talor Gooch birdied the final hole of a thrilling LIV Golf Andalucia to grab a one-shot win over Bryson DeChambeau, sealing his third title of the season. The 31-year-old American sent a curling 15-foot putt into the heart of the hole on 18 to finish with a four-under-par 67, leaving him 12-under overall at Real Club Valderrama. Gooch’s win was his third of the season, following ones in Adelaide and Singapore, and he is the first player on the circuit to win three times. Brooks Koepka and Dustin... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3226331/talor-gooch-holes-dramatic-birdie-final-hole-win-liv-golf-andalucia-claims-third-title-stellar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3226331/talor-gooch-holes-dramatic-birdie-final-hole-win-liv-golf-andalucia-claims-third-title-stellar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jul 2023 02:32:22 +0000 The region’s best golfers will gather for the Korea Open in the next few days as the Asian Tour resumes after a six-week break, with the deal to merge the PGA Tour and LIV Golf likely to still be the main topic of conversation. While rumour and self-proclaimed experts on social media have filled the large void left by a lack of information, the question of what it means for the Asian Tour, LIV Golf and the game in general remains unanswered. Such is the state of play that Jon Rahm’s brief... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3224565/pga-liv-merger-where-does-asian-tour-stand-after-deal-ended-golfs-civil-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3224565/pga-liv-merger-where-does-asian-tour-stand-after-deal-ended-golfs-civil-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:00:10 +0000 The Asian Tour must not be sidelined in any negotiations regarding the future of golf, commissioner Cho Minn Thant said on Friday. After overseeing a rapid rise in the organisation’s standing within the game globally, the Tour has grown to the extent it could be considered on a par with its European counterpart, the DP World Tour. Much of that is down to the significant amount of money pumped into the Asian game by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which on Tuesday announced its shock... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3223593/asian-tour-boss-says-circuit-must-have-proper-seat-table-when-golfs-future-decided?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3223593/asian-tour-boss-says-circuit-must-have-proper-seat-table-when-golfs-future-decided?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jun 2023 11:43:58 +0000 Brooks Koepka outdueled Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler in a back-nine battle on Sunday to win the US PGA Championship for his fifth major title, giving Saudi-backed LIV Golf a milestone triumph. The 33-year-old American captured his third PGA Championship and became the first player to win a major since joining LIV, firing a three-under-par 67 to finish 72 holes on nine-under 271 at Oak Hill in New York state. “This is probably the sweetest one of them all because [of] all the hard work... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3221346/us-pga-championship-brooks-koepkas-fifth-major-title-gives-liv-golf-landmark-win-some-boo-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3221346/us-pga-championship-brooks-koepkas-fifth-major-title-gives-liv-golf-landmark-win-some-boo-him?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 May 2023 02:23:12 +0000 The head of the DP World Tour wants to punish members who have competed on the Asian Tour, after a court in the UK ruled he had a right to enforce conflicting-release rules. But forcing players to chose between the two organisations could backfire on Keith Pelley, with the pathway from the Asian Tour to the riches of the LIV Golf circuit expected to expand next season. Pelley, the DPWT’s CEO, issued his threat during an interview on ‘the bunkered podcast’ in which he revelled in a legal victory... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3217639/dp-world-tour-chief-keith-pelley-threatens-asian-tour-players-sanctions-revels-court-win-over-liv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3217639/dp-world-tour-chief-keith-pelley-threatens-asian-tour-players-sanctions-revels-court-win-over-liv?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:12 +0000 The International Series reached Vietnam last week, the fourth event in a season that is taking the Asian Tour to the Middle East, the UK and many places in between. Adding a tournament in St Andrews weeks after confirming that the Hong Kong Open would be one of the elevated events, means there are now 10 stops on the schedule for 2023. The expansion will not stop there, and officials have previously said they would like as many as 14 tournaments, while Cho Minn Thant, the Tour CEO, hailed the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3217266/asian-tours-growing-popularity-sign-golfs-status-quo-changing-foothold-europe-just-beginning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3217266/asian-tours-growing-popularity-sign-golfs-status-quo-changing-foothold-europe-just-beginning?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:17 +0000 Jon Rahm offered a sense of history – and then he went out and became part of it. The Spaniard shot a three-under-par 69 in the final round to earn his first Masters championship on a long Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta. His victory came on the 40-year anniversary of Spanish great Seve Ballesteros’ second Masters championship. April 9 also was Ballesteros’ birthday. Ballesteros captained the 1997 European team to a Ryder Cup victory in Sotogrande, Spain, something that had a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216506/masters-jon-rahm-pulls-away-win-gives-nod-seve-ballesteros?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216506/masters-jon-rahm-pulls-away-win-gives-nod-seve-ballesteros?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Apr 2023 02:11:31 +0000 American Brooks Koepka has his fifth major title in his sights as he heads into what will be a hectic final day showdown with Spain’s Jon Rahm at the rain-affected Masters. Koepka has a four-stroke lead over Rahm but has a marathon day ahead of him with the leading pair still having 30 holes to complete after Saturday’s third round was cut short due to rain. Should the Floridian triumph it will be his first major since the PGA Championship at Bethpage in 2019 and since he left the PGA Tour for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216448/masters-brooks-koepka-threatens-liv-golf-triumph-rain-sets-marathon-sunday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216448/masters-brooks-koepka-threatens-liv-golf-triumph-rain-sets-marathon-sunday?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Apr 2023 03:49:01 +0000 On a day when Brooks Koepka was running away from the field, patrons at the Masters found themselves scurrying from three towering trees crashing to the ground. Rain and swirling winds on Friday afternoon caused three Georgia pines to fall near the 17th tee box at Augusta National, narrowly missing the scattering spectators but flattening several chairs. It was a frightening reminder of how quickly a situation can turn tragic. Tournament officials immediately suspended play – for the second time... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216386/masters-brooks-koepka-leads-three-trees-fall-and-round-2-suspended?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216386/masters-brooks-koepka-leads-three-trees-fall-and-round-2-suspended?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2023 01:39:27 +0000 Norway’s Viktor Hovland, Spain’s Jon Rahm and American Brooks Koepka shared the first-round lead at the Masters on Thursday, taking advantage of easier-than-usual conditions to card seven-under-par 65s. Rain in recent days has softened Augusta National, making the often rapid and challenging greens much more benign, and the trio seized a two-stroke lead over American Cameron Young and Australian Jason Day. Favourite, defending champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler was one of seven players... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216262/2023-masters-hovland-rahm-and-koepka-share-lead-augusta-tiger-woods-could-be-fighting-avoid-cut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3216262/2023-masters-hovland-rahm-and-koepka-share-lead-augusta-tiger-woods-could-be-fighting-avoid-cut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Apr 2023 02:02:36 +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 Matthew Cheung barely made the cut in the first Asian Tour event of the season, finishing right on the line at level par, and said he had been “holding on for dear life” during Friday’s second round of the PIF Saudi International. The 27-year-old was the last player to make it into the weekend at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, after his one-under-par 69 left him in a tie for 57th. For a while it looked as if Cheung would easily make it to Saturday, with an eagle at 18, his ninth hole of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3209068/saudi-international-cheung-holds-his-nerve-make-cut-ancer-keeps-narrow-lead-asian-tours-first-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3209068/saudi-international-cheung-holds-his-nerve-make-cut-ancer-keeps-narrow-lead-asian-tours-first-event?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Feb 2023 16:41:19 +0000 The Asian Tour has taken a step towards removing golf’s slightly stuffy image by allowing players to wear shorts during tournaments, starting at this week’s PIF Saudi International. While the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have maintained a strict dress code, LIV Golf’s more relaxed approach to the game saw the likes of Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Brooks Koepka get more comfortable on the course. Now, the Asian Tour’s player’s committee has adopted a similar stance, deciding that the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3209020/asian-tours-fashion-forward-approach-brings-shorts-course-new-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3209020/asian-tours-fashion-forward-approach-brings-shorts-course-new-season?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Feb 2023 09:55:53 +0000 Playing in the PIF Saudi International is not how Matthew Cheung expected to be spending the days leading up to his first wedding anniversary, but a late invite to the Asian Tour’s season opener changed all that. The 27-year-old had been preparing to play in a local club competition in Hong Kong this week, instead on Thursday he carded a one-over-par 71 in the first round at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club. Wife Kaitlin, meanwhile, who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday by caddying for her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208903/saudi-international-royal-celebration-hong-kong-pair-after-late-invite-changes-first-wedding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3208903/saudi-international-royal-celebration-hong-kong-pair-after-late-invite-changes-first-wedding?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Feb 2023 12:30:14 +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 Age is just a number, right? For most of us that rings true, but in the world of competitive sport, the older you get, the harder it usually is to win. Years of wear and tear, while pushing your body to the outer limits of human potential, eventually takes its toll. But there are exceptions to the rule. Innovations in sports science, treatment, training and diet have seen professional athletes push themselves harder and for longer than ever before. The issue of age has garnered some attention... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3205106/lebron-james-vows-defy-age-7-sporting-stars-who-still-shone-their-40s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3205106/lebron-james-vows-defy-age-7-sporting-stars-who-still-shone-their-40s?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Dec 2022 00:15:08 +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 The disruptive new LIV Golf circuit could pay for television coverage temporarily as it tries to build a long-term presence, its president said, adding that the tour’s Saudi backers were looking a decade ahead or more. LIV, whose luring of top players with record purses has enraged golf’s establishment, is currently on a “roadshow” of US and international broadcasters, president and chief operating officer Atul Khosla said at the Jeddah Invitational. Responding to a report that LIV will buy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3196208/liv-golf-president-not-hung-paying-tv-airtime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3196208/liv-golf-president-not-hung-paying-tv-airtime?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Oct 2022 05:51:37 +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 LIV Golf kingpin Greg Norman has said he was no longer prepared to negotiate with PGA Tour chiefs while denying the Saudi-funded circuit was a “breakaway” league. In an interview with The Australian newspaper, Norman said he had offered to meet with his US counterparts but they had repeatedly declined, instead focusing on reforming their tour to hang on to leading players. “That’s why we are where we are today,” Norman said. “We tried awfully hard, I know I did personally for the past year …... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3192541/liv-golfs-greg-norman-has-no-interest-talking-pga-tour-says-theyre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3192541/liv-golfs-greg-norman-has-no-interest-talking-pga-tour-says-theyre?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Sep 2022 02:10:35 +0000 Open champion Cameron Smith has again refused to deny reports he has agreed to join the rebel LIV Golf Invitational Series on a reported US$100 million deal. The Telegraph has reported the world No 2 would play at LIV’s event in Boston in September. Smith declined to comment on the report as he builds for the first event of the lucrative FedExCup playoffs in Memphis this week. “You know, my goal here is to win the FedExCup Playoffs,” the 28-year-old told reporters. “That’s all I’m here for. If... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3188389/british-open-champion-cameron-smith-tight-lipped-us100m-liv-golf-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3188389/british-open-champion-cameron-smith-tight-lipped-us100m-liv-golf-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:42:22 +0000 The 48 players in the LIV Golf League will compete in 14 tournaments with US$405 million in combined purses in 2023. Organisers announced the plans for next year on Wednesday, the day before the start of the upstart league’s third-ever tournament, this one in Bedminster, New Jersey. The controversial Saudi-backed series is holding eight tournaments with US$255 million in prize money this year, its inaugural season. Sergio Garcia to ‘hold off’ on plan to resign from DP World Tour Star players... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3186840/liv-golf-reveals-14-event-plan-us405m-purses-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3186840/liv-golf-reveals-14-event-plan-us405m-purses-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Jul 2022 02:11:12 +0000 Newly crowned Open champion Cameron Smith reacted angrily when asked if he was on the verge of joining the highly lucrative LIV Golf Invitational Series moments after winning at St Andrews, but reports suggest the Australian is among many players who are about to jump ship. “I just won the British Open and you are asking about that?” Smith told reporters. “That is not that good. My team around me worry about that stuff. I am here to win golf tournaments.” Sky Sports also reported that Henrik... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3185616/open-champion-cameron-smiths-fury-liv-golf-question-aussie-tipped-join?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3185616/open-champion-cameron-smiths-fury-liv-golf-question-aussie-tipped-join?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jul 2022 02:24:07 +0000 The 150th Open Championship tees off on the Old Course at St Andrews on Thursday with organisers keen for the focus to remain on the historic tournament despite the ongoing fallout caused by the breakaway LIV Golf series. A clutch of players who joined the Saudi-backed tour are taking part in this week’s Open after the R&A opted not to ban the rebels, in contrast to moves made by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. Former Open champion Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Sergio... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3185213/150th-open-championship-tournament-gets-under-way-amid-ongoing-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3185213/150th-open-championship-tournament-gets-under-way-amid-ongoing-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jul 2022 02:45:13 +0000 The PGA Tour is robbing fans by preventing LIV Golf participants from playing in PGA Tour events, according to a lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County. The civil lawsuit, filed on behalf of Larry Klayman and against the PGA Tour and its partner, DP World Tour [European Tour], is seeking class-action status and says suspending golfers who play in the LIV tournaments deprives PGA golf fans of seeing some of the best golfers in the world and is “anti-competitive behaviour” in a free-market... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3183581/pga-tour-sued-over-liv-golfers-ban-lawsuit-claims-fans-being-cheated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3183581/pga-tour-sued-over-liv-golfers-ban-lawsuit-claims-fans-being-cheated?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jun 2022 02:13:53 +0000 The PGA Tour is planning to revamp its schedule with a series of lucrative new tournaments, reports said Tuesday, as four-time major champion Brooks Koepka became the latest star to defect to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan detailed proposed changes to the tour schedule at a packed meeting of players early Tuesday at this week’s Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, according to reports. Proposals outlined by Monahan include boosting purses to at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3182582/pga-planning-revamp-head-liv-brooks-koepka-defects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3182582/pga-planning-revamp-head-liv-brooks-koepka-defects?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 03:39:05 +0000 Phil Mickelson has said he will not defend his PGA Championship title after having stepped away from the game in February amid fallout from comments he made regarding a Saudi-backed golf league. Mickelson had kept golf fans guessing about whether he would be at Southern Hills Country Club next week but the speculation ended with the PGA of America confirming he would not be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 51-year-old American becomes just the third PGA champion not to defend his title after Tiger Woods... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3177738/reigning-champion-phil-mickelson-withdraws-pga-championship-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3177738/reigning-champion-phil-mickelson-withdraws-pga-championship-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 May 2022 02:49:29 +0000 Defending champion Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are among the 156 players entered in the field for the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. The tournament begins May 19. For Mickelson, it would mark his first appearance on tour since the Farmers Insurance Open in January, where he missed the cut. Earlier this year, Mickelson came under fire for remarks he made about the so-called Super Golf League, now the LIV Golf Invitational Series, backed by Saudi... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3177117/pga-championship-tiger-woods-phil-mickelson-confirmed-compete-oklahoma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3177117/pga-championship-tiger-woods-phil-mickelson-confirmed-compete-oklahoma?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 May 2022 01:23:54 +0000 Mary Gray had not even made it all the way to the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club when the reality of the protective bubble that settles over the course during Masters’ week fully set in. She knew the club’s “no phone policy” and dutifully left her mobile in her group’s rental car. Standing near the massive leader board to the right of the first fairway before Tuesday’s practice round, and clutching a disposable camera that took multiple trips to a chemist to secure, Gray kept... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3173234/fomo-real-masters-where-disconnected-fans-jonesing-their-phones-cant-do?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3173234/fomo-real-masters-where-disconnected-fans-jonesing-their-phones-cant-do?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Apr 2022 09:30:14 +0000 China’s Li Haotong tees up at the Corales Puntacana Championship on the PGA Tour this week with every hope that the adage of good things coming in threes holds true. Following recent victories by countrymen Ashun Wu and Carl Yuan Yechun on the DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour respectively, the former world top-50 golfer is counting on it being his turn to enjoy some good fortune at the Corales Golf Club in the Dominican Republic. Li, who narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish at the Sony Open... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3171635/corales-puntacana-championship-chinas-li-haotong-hopes-fulfil-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3171635/corales-puntacana-championship-chinas-li-haotong-hopes-fulfil-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Mar 2022 03:08:56 +0000 Once ranked in the top 50 in the world, China’s Li Haotong hopes to use this week’s appearance at the US$7.5 million Sony Open in Hawaii to relaunch his once-promising career, which saw him take down stars including Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka in head-to-head duels. The 26-year-old has endured some lean times, which coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But there have been signs of a recovery, with runner-up finishes at the National Games and the Volvo China Open. Li, who was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3163234/chinas-li-haotong-targeting-solid-sony-open-showing-way-relaunch-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3163234/chinas-li-haotong-targeting-solid-sony-open-showing-way-relaunch-career?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jan 2022 08:30:17 +0000