Until now, LIV golfers could only qualify directly for the biggest tournaments of the year via the world ranking, unless they had already qualified for majors through past successes. Without world ranking points, however, this becomes more and more difficult, which is why the USGA now provides a full exemption for a LIV golfer at the US Open 2025.
US Open introduces qualification criteria for LIV golfers
Already this year, a place in the field will be awarded to the best LIV golfer who has not yet qualified for the US Open at Oakmont Country Club and is in the top 3 of the LIV Golf individual rankings (as of 19 May 2025). In addition, the top 10 in the LIV Golf individual rankings (as of 7 April 2025) will receive a place in local qualifying for the major tournament and can therefore also qualify.
In 2026, there will additionally be a direct starting place for the best, not yet qualified LIV Golf player from the top 3 of the 2025 final ranking, as well as places for local qualifying based on the top 10 of the final ranking.
‘The USGA continues to evaluate the opportunities that exist to e“The USGA continues to evaluate the pathways that exist to ensure those playing their best have the opportunity to compete in our national championship,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “Consistent with our historical approach, we continuously evaluate talent levels on professional tours and in amateur events, which has led us to add a new exemption category.”
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil is delighted by the news. “We’re pleased that the USGA has formally created a new exemption for LIV Golf players to compete in the U.S. Open and appreciate Mike Whan’s leadership and commitment to growing the game of golf. Every golf fan in the world longs to see the greatest players in the world competing on golf’s biggest stages at the majors.
The US Open is the first major tournament to follow this path. The PGA Championship has extended a special invitation to LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann, as it did in 2024.
Scheffler's and Homa's tee times for the PGA Tour Phoenix Open 2025. (Image: Getty)
The WM Phoenix Open is held at TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. This tournament is part of the PGA Tour and offers a total prize money of $9,200,000. The course has a par of 71, and the defending champion is Nick Taylor.
Justin Thomas begins his first round at 7:53 AM alongside Nick Dunlap (USA) and Luke Clanton (USA). For his second round, the trio tees off at 12:33 PM.
Jordan Spieth, another prominent name, starts his first round at 8:04 AM, playing with Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) and Nick Taylor (CAN). Their second round is scheduled for 12:44 PM.
Max Homa starts at 12:44 PM, playing alongside Scottie Scheffler (USA) and Joohyung Kim (KOR). They begin their second round at 8:04 AM.
Rickie Fowler takes his first tee at 12:55 PM, accompanied by Billy Horschel (USA) and Sahith Theegala (USA). Their second round initiation is at 8:15 AM.
Daniel Berger joins his partners Thomas Detry (BEL) and Mac Meissner (USA) for the first round at 1:39 PM, and they continue the second round at 8:59 AM.
Xander Schauffele WDs from American Express on PGA Tour. (Photo: Getty)
After Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the American Express on the PGA Tour due to his hand injury, Xander Schauffele, the world No. 2 and two-time major winner, was considered the main favourite for the tournament. But on Monday, the 31-year-old also withdrew from this week’s event, which is regarded as one of the easiest tournaments on the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour: Xander Schauffele withdraws from American Express
The reason for Schauffele’s cancellation is medical reasons, ESPN was told by his manager, but no specific details were given. Schauffele had most recently started his season at The Sentry and suffered a heavy defeat at the TGL premiere with the New York Golf Club.
Following the cancellation of Schauffele and Scheffler, who wants to give his hand more time to heal after an injury at Christmas, Wyndham Clark is the only player from the world’s top 10 who will be competing this week. Like Schauffele, Clark took part in the TGL premiere in Florida and was part of the victorious Bay GC. He starts the tournament in 7th place in the world rankings. Defending champion Nick Dunlap, who won the tournament last year as an amateur, will also be competing. He was the first winning amateur since 1991.
On Tuesday night, the long-awaited TGL finally premiered on ESPN in prime time. The indoor league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy made its first big appearance and after much has been reported about the format and features of this entertainment product, many were eager to see what the final product would look like.
TGL: Clear victory for Bay GC
On the first day of play, Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Åberg played for the Bay GC against Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler and Matt Fitzpatrick from the New York GC. In two hours, they competed in a match over 15 holes, with Bay GC as the clear winner: 9 to 2 was the final score.
The players hit their long shots onto a video screen, some from real grass, others from turf, and bunkers filled with real sand from Augusta National Golf Club. Once the teams got to within 45 metres of the pin, it’s on to a short game complex – with a green set on a 37-metre-wide turntable and around 600 pieces of equipment underneath to change the contours. Over the first nine holes, all three players compete at the same time, taking turns to hit the ball. The last six holes are played 1 against 1.
Shane Lowry hit the first tee shot in league history and a few minutes later Ludvig Åberg secured his team’s first birdie and the first hole won. From then on, the Bay Golf Club was unstoppable. With a ‘hammer’, the team immediately secured two points on hole 3 and after six holes they were 6-0 up. That was not to be expected, explained Wyndham Clark afterwards. In a practice match the day before, Schauffele & Co. were already 6-0 up after three holes. But when it counted, they had the system and its tricks down pat.
The ‘hammer’ is one of the special features of the TGL. Each hole is normally worth one point. The team in possession of the hammer can ‘throw’ it and thereby increase the value of a hole in order to gain an advantage or increase the pressure on the opponent. The hammer then becomes the property of the opposing team. If the hammer is thrown before the start of a hole, it is automatically accepted; if it is thrown after the tee shot, the opposing team has the option of rejecting it. In return, however, it automatically loses the hole.
New York GC scored the first point after nine holes, but was ultimately unable to catch up.
The reactions to the first event show a lot of enthusiasm, but also room for improvement. The players emphasised how much fun they had during the event: ‘It’s a game, it’s not necessarily pure golf, it’s a bit more game and trick,’ said Wyndham Clark after the team victory. ‘I feel like we were very comfortable with it. I have to say we had a lot of fun.’
Paige Spiranac wrote on Twitter, ‘It’s fun to see the boys a little more relaxed! I think we’ll really let their personalities shine in this format,’ and both journalists and players praised the shot clock for keeping the game brisk and the energy high. The fans on site were enthusiastic, cheered the players – and also acknowledged bad shots with boos.
There is still room for improvement. As a TV viewer in particular, you have to be prepared for a lot of background noise between the players’ conversations, commentators, interviews and music from the hall. Michael McEwan (Bunkered) describes the event as ‘entertaining, but largely forgettable’ and James Colgan (Golf.com) is also of the opinion that the TGL still needs to find the ‘balance between flash and substance’.
Tiger Woods, however, seemed satisfied. ‘It was just a dream,’ he said on the ESPN broadcast. ‘Rory and I have talked about it; it’s hard to believe that this dream has become a reality and we’ve been able to take golf into another stratosphere, really.’
Scottie Scheffler, who already missed the PGA Tour’s first tournament of the year with The Sentry, is also withdrawing from the American Express, he announced on Instagram on Monday.
PGA Tour: Scottie Scheffler withdraws from American Express
“After consulting with my medical team, I have made the decision to withdraw from the American Express tournament next week to give my injury more time to heal,” Scheffler said on Instagram.
Scheffler had injured himself on Christmas Day while cooking Christmas dinner on broken glass and had to have surgery on his right hand to remove small pieces of glass. Following the injury, Scheffler’s manager Blake Smith spoke of a recovery period of “three to four weeks”. While Scheffer withdrew from The Sentry, he was still targeting The American Express to start the year at that point.
Instead, the two-time Masters winner is taking some more time to heal and has the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the second signature event of the year, as his next target. It takes place from January 30 to February 2. After an absolute 2024 season in which he earned the title of “Player of the Year” for the third time in a row, it remains to be seen whether Scheffler can continue his dominance on the tour.
DP World Tour: Tee Times for the BMW Australian PGA Championship. (Photo: Getty)
The DP World Tour Tee Times for the upcoming BMW Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane, Australia, are set. The tournament takes place at the Royal Queensland GC, featuring a Par 71 course with a prize fund of $2,000,000. The title defender is Min Woo Lee. Fans can catch the action on Sky from Thursday to Sunday starting at 3:30 AM.
DP World Tour Tee Times for American Players
Tyler Duncan leads the American lineup at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. He is paired with Brett Drewitt of Australia and Gunner Wiebe, also from the USA. Their first-round tee time is at 12:50 PM, while the second round starts at 07:50 AM.
Harry Higgs will join Marc Leishman from Australia and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen from Denmark. Higgs will tee off in the first round at 06:20 AM and in the second round at 11:20 AM.
Corey Shaun is another American competitor participating alongside Brett Rumford and Matthew Millar, both from Australia. Their group tees off on the first day at 12:40 PM and on the second day at 07:40 AM.
Jordan Gumberg partners with Rafa Cabrera-Bello from Spain and Jake Mcleod from Australia. Gumberg’s group begins the first round at 11:40 AM, followed by the second at 06:40 AM.
DP World Tour: Tee Times for the BMW Australian PGA Championship. (Photo: Getty)
The DP World Tour Tee Times for the BMW Australian PGA Championship at the Royal Queensland GC in Brisbane, Australia, are now available. The tournament, part of the DP World Tour, will be played on a course with a par of 71 and offers a prize fund of $2,000,000. Defending champion Min Woo Lee will tee off alongside some of the world’s best golfers. The tournament will be broadcast from Thursday to Sunday at 3:30 a.m. on Sky.
DP World Tour Tee Times for British Players
Jamie Rutherford from England will start his first round alongside Lincoln Tighe from Australia and Jak CARTER from Australia at 6:00 a.m. in the first round and at 11:00 a.m. in the second round.
Jordan Smith, also from England, is paired with David Micheluzzi from Australia and Aldrich Potgieter from South Africa, teeing off at 6:00 a.m. and again at 11:00 a.m. for the second round.
Richie Ramsay, representing Scotland, tees it up with Anthony Quayle from Australia and Harrison Crowe from Australia. Their tee times are 6:30 a.m. for the first round and 11:30 a.m. for the second round.
John Parry from England joins Jack Buchanan from Australia and Phoenix Campbell. They set off at 6:50 a.m. and follow up at 11:50 a.m. for their second round.
David Law, another Scottish player, will compete alongside Oliver Lindell from Finland and Angel AYORA from Spain in the first round at 11:30 a.m. and in the second round at 6:30 a.m.
Prize money at the DP World Tour Championship. (Photo: Getty)
The DP World Tour Championship is the grand finale of the DP World Tour season and therefore also the last Rolex Series tournament of the year. While the other four Rolex Series events each offer nine million dollars, the season finale will see a full ten million dollars divided among the 50 participants. Three million dollars will go to the winner, who this week was Rory McIlroy. With a final score of 15 strokes under par, he won the season finale ahead of Rasmus Hojgaard.
Prize Money at the DP World Tour Championship
Rank
Player
Score
Prize Money
1
Rory MCILROY
-15
$3,000,000
2
Rasmus HØJGAARD
-13
$1,270,000
T-3
Shane LOWRY
-11
$554,333.33
T-3
Adam SCOTT
-11
$554,333.33
T-3
Antoine ROZNER
-11
$554,333.33
6
Tyrrell HATTON
-10
$316,000
T-7
Robert MACINTYRE
-9
$209,625
T-7
Keita NAKAJIMA
-9
$209,625
T-7
Joaquin NIEMANN
-9
$209,625
T-7
Jesper SVENSSON
-9
$209,625
T-11
Matt WALLACE
-8
$143,000
T-11
Tom MCKIBBIN
-8
$143,000
13
Adrian OTAEGUI
-7
$128,000
T-14
Sam BAIRSTOW
-6
$117,000
T-14
Laurie CANTER
-6
$117,000
T-16
Tommy FLEETWOOD
-5
$105,250
T-16
Johannes VEERMAN
-5
$105,250
T-16
Paul WARING
-5
$105,250
T-19
Romain LANGASQUE
-4
$89,900
T-19
Jorge CAMPILLO
-4
$89,900
T-19
Jordan SMITH
-4
$89,900
T-19
Ewen FERGUSON
-4
$89,900
T-19
Guido MIGLIOZZI
-4
$89,900
T-24
Andy SULLIVAN
-3
$78,875
T-24
Alex FITZPATRICK
-3
$78,875
T-24
Min Woo LEE
-3
$78,875
T-24
Thorbjørn OLESEN
-3
$78,875
T-28
Darius VAN DRIEL
-2
$72,125
T-28
Rikuya HOSHINO
-2
$72,125
T-30
Adrian MERONK
-1
$65,375
T-30
Matteo MANASSERO
-1
$65,375
T-30
Thriston LAWRENCE
-1
$65,375
T-30
Ugo COUSSAUD
-1
$65,375
T-34
Matthew JORDAN
PAR
$54,500
T-34
Justin ROSE
PAR
$54,500
T-34
Julien GUERRIER
PAR
$54,500
T-34
Nacho ELVIRA
PAR
$54,500
T-34
Yannik PAUL
PAR
$54,500
T-34
Frederic LACROIX
PAR
$54,500
T-40
Joe DEAN
1
$47,750
T-40
Niklas NORGAARD
1
$47,750
42
Sebastian SÖDERBERG
2
$45,500
43
Daniel BROWN
3
$44,000
44
David RAVETTO
4
$42,500
45
Francesco LAPORTA
7
$41,000
46
Dan BRADBURY
8
$39,500
47
Billy HORSCHEL
9
$38,000
48
Angel HIDALGO
10
$36,500
T-49
Connor SYME
11
$34,250
T-49
Aaron COCKERILL
11
$34,250
A total bonus pool of six million dollars was offered for the final standings in the Race to Dubai. Rory McIlroy will receive a share of two million dollars, bringing his total earnings for the weekend to five million dollars. In second place, Rasmus Hojgaard receives one million dollars after a strong final round of the season.
Race to Dubaie bonus pool
A total bonus pool of six million dollars was offered for the final standings in the Race to Dubai. Rory McIlroy will receive a share of two million dollars, bringing his total earnings for the weekend to five million dollars. In second place, Rasmus Hojgaard receives one million dollars after a strong final round of the season.
Golf in South Korea is a sport of contrasts. Golf is both ubiquitous and accessible to everyone and at the same time the exact opposite. On the one hand, golf is everywhere, on the other hand, golf club membership is hardly affordable. Almost ten per cent of Korea’s population play golf, but the majority play in golf simulators rather than out on the course. A look at both sides.
Digital and nearby: golf for everyone in a confined space
The South Koreans’ love of golf is particularly evident in its capital Seoul. Every few metres one comes across the sport in one form or another. Golf simulators and screen golf facilities are plentiful, even more than Starbucks locations, which can be found on every corner in Korea. Green nets in and around the city reveal where driving ranges are hidden. But because lack of space is a persistent problem in Korea, you can even find them in unexpected places, on top of hotels, for example, or even on top of parking garages.
A golf range in the middle of the city. (Photo: Golf Post)
The provider Golfzon alone operates over 5,000 golf simulator locations in Korea, where 94 million rounds are said to have been logged in 2023, almost twice as many as rounds played outside on golf courses. Korea’s technological progress does not stop at golf and the simulators work with increasingly realistic graphics, hitting surfaces and training aids.
This wide range of golf possibilities makes the entry barrier to the sport very low. An evening in a golf simulator has a similar status to an evening of karaoke. For only about 20 dollars a round, you get a nice evening with friends, beer and no long journeys out of town.
Golf, an inspiration in difficult times
As a result, one in ten Koreans plays golf. The golf boom in South Korea was triggered by Seri Pak. At the age of just 20 and in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, she won the US Women’s Open in a 20-hole play-off in 1998.
‘We’ve had other players in history, but she was a Korean Tiger Woods. Basically, she created this culture,’ explained James Jaewoo Suk, Head of Brand Communication BMW, Brand Experience, who is responsible for communication around the BMW Ladies Championship, Korea’s biggest golf tournament, among other things. ‘We had an economic crisis in 1998 and people needed some kind of inspiration. Sport gave that to the people. We felt that anything is possible, not just in golf, but in life.’ Pak’s victory inspired a whole generation, especially of female golfers, who, with the help of the competitive sporting spirit of South Koreans, carried on the success on the LPGA Tour in the decades following Pak’s victory and fuelled the golf boom in the country.
Exclusivity on the green: golf courses as a luxury good
The golf boom has also multiplied the number of golf courses in South Korea. According to the R&A’s Global Participation Report 2023, there are 844 18- and 9-hole courses in the country. 200 of those are said to be around Seoul alone, even though space is a precious commodity in the mega metropolis. High real estate prices mean that golf club memberships are also extremely expensive. Memberships at many private golf clubs start at 25,000 dollars and can run into the millions.
But playing golf without a membership is neither cheap nor straightforward. Tee times are often only reservable by flights of four, and individual players find groups in online forums. Green fees start at 100 – 200 euros per person, plus often another 100 euros for a mandatory caddie and around 70 euros for a cart. High taxes on golf, especially for private golf clubs, drive prices up.
For golf tourists, if they are not put off by the high prices, the fact that a Korean telephone number is often required to make a reservation and a lack of Korean language skills often complicates the process – the golf industry is largely geared towards locals rather than golf tourists. Golf rounds, unlike golf simulators, are not a quick pastime but rather a formal affair with a strict dress code and are often used to conduct business or for networking.
Many Koreans are prepared to spend a lot of money on golf. The Korean golf market is the third largest golf market in the world after the USA and Japan. More golf equipment and, above all, golf fashion is sold in Korea than anywhere else in the world. Companies produce their own collections just for the Korean market and sell them there at hefty prices. Korean companies have acquired major golf brands such as TaylorMade and Titleist and spend a lot of money on sponsoring PGA Tour tournaments.
Golf as a mirror of Korean society
Golf is booming in South Korea, despite its cost. However, there is no particularly committed junior program, on the contrary: children are not welcome many of the private golf clubs. Only 2,178 juniors are registered according to the R&A, golf being too expensive a sport to simply let children play it for fun. Those who take up the sport at a young age do so with professional ambitions. This makes the work that golf simulators do to appeal to a young target group all the greater, with easier accessibility, a more relaxed environment and entertaining emojis.
But wether people play on simulated courses or real greens, the two facets of golf in Korea are growing hand in hand. Over 60 per cent of golfers say they play both forms. All this makes golf in Korea more than just a sport. It shapes the culture and the economy and is a mirror of Korean society: characterised by modernity, competition and innovation.
Joel Dahmen makes a costly mistake on the PGA Tour. (Photo: Getty)
In a turn of events at the Shriners Children’s Open on the PGA Tour, Joel Dahmen was hit with a costly penalty during the first round. The American golfer found himself in violation of the rules for carrying too many clubs in his bag, resulting in a four-stroke penalty on Thursday.
The mistake came to light on the fourth tee, when Dahmen realized he had been playing with more than the allowed number of clubs. After spotting the infraction, he promptly called for a rules official to address the issue.
Joel Dahmen Penalized for Exceeding Club Limit on the PGA Tour
According to the official rules of golf, a player is allowed a maximum of 14 clubs during a round.
The rule in question, Rule 4.1c(1), specifies:
If a player discovers they are in breach of this rule by carrying more than 14 clubs, they must remove the excess club(s) from play before making their next stroke.
If the player started the round with more than 14 clubs, they may choose which club(s) to declare out of play.
If the extra club(s) were added during the round, they must be declared out of play immediately.
The penalty for this violation is two strokes for each hole where the breach occurred, with a maximum of four penalty strokes applied for the round (two strokes added to each of the first two holes where the breach was discovered).
As a result, the pars Dahmen made on holes 1 and 2 were adjusted to double bogeys. He promptly removed a 4-iron from his bag to comply with the rule.
PGA TOUR Communications confirmed the penalty on social media, noting the severity of the infraction for the seasoned player.
Joel Dahmen was penalized four strokes in the opening round of the Shriners Children’s Open when it was discovered on the fourth tee that he had more than 14 clubs in his bag.
The timing of the penalty couldn’t be worse for Dahmen, who is currently ranked 124th in the FedExCup standings. With his Tour card for next season on the line, he must finish within the top 125 to retain his status. So far, his FedExCup Fall campaign has been underwhelming, with finishes of T50, a missed cut, and T40 last week. After the penalty-laden first round, Dahmen posted a five-over 76, placing him in a tie for 131st.