Author: Johanna Lakämper

Topgolf Callaway Brands has made a surprising decision: The company plans to split into two independent companies. This strategic realignment comes at a time when the company’s share price has fallen by more than 24 percent since the beginning of the year.

Callaway and Topgolf: separation as “best position for success”

Chip Brewer, President and CEO of Topgolf Callaway Brands, explained the rationale for this move: “Over the last decade plus, we have transformed Callaway into the No. 1 brand in golf equipment, while building a successful and complementary apparel and accessory business. We believe this business, on a stand-alone basis, will be well understood and valued by the market.”

Highlighting the successes since the merger with Topgolf, he added: “Topgolf is transforming the game of golf and is expected to deliver substantial financial returns over time. At the same time, Topgolf has a different operating model, capital structure and investment thesis than Callaway, and as a result, the Board has determined that separating Topgolf will best position Topgolf and Callaway for success and maximize shareholder value.”

🚨⛳️📄 #SPLITTING UP — Callaway Golf and Topgolf announce they’re splitting and will operate independently of one another. pic.twitter.com/5HjJa7OK0K

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) September 4, 2024

180-degree turnaround in corporate management

The planned split marks a clear departure from the strategy that led to the merger in March 2021. At the time, Brewer had emphasized the synergies between the two companies: “Callaway and Topgolf are just better together. […] This transformational merger has already created and will continue to create meaningful shareholder value.”

Following the separation, Callaway will retain its leadership position in the golf equipment market, with the #1 club and #2 ball brands in the US. The portfolio also includes brands such as Odyssey, Ogio, Travis Mathew and Jack Wolfskin. Topgolf, on the other hand, has revolutionized the traditional driving range business with its innovative concept that combines golf with entertainment and gastronomy. With over 100 locations in the USA and internationally, Topgolf has established itself as an independent brand.

The announcement of this split shows how the company management’s view has changed since the merger. It remains to be seen how the market will react to this strategic realignment.

The establishment of the Saudi Tour has split the professional golfing world: Since some of golf’s biggest stars have gained a foothold on the LIV Golf League, the players who have remained loyal to the PGA Tour only encounter them in exceptional circumstances such as the four Major tournaments. As a result, golf fans only very rarely get the chance to see the best players in the world compete for a title.

However, as part of a new TV event produced by BZ Entertainment and EverWonder Studio, there will now be a showdown between four of the most successful faces in golf. Two of them migrated to LIV Golf, two of them remained loyal to the PGA Tour. It is to be expected that the duel will be about more than just the better golf game.

PGA Tour and LIV Tour: McIlroy/Scheffler vs. Koepka/DeChambeau

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler form the “PGA Tour” team. Scottie Scheffler was almost invincible in the 2024 season and recently crowned his countless successes with victory in the FedEx Cup. He has developed into a protagonist of the PGA Tour in recent years. The second face representing the PGA Tour is none other than Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman stood up for his home tour, the PGA Tour, like no other during the trouble on LIV Golf and is therefore an indispensable player in the duel between the tours.

On the opposing side, two players who once faced each other in “The Match” are teaming up. LIV stars Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, who have already been known as brawlers. The two players have several major titles and other successes between them and regularly compete for the top positions on the leaderboard on the LIV Golf League. Together they want to face the power of the PGA Tour stars and win the duel.

“Intense golf” at a ”great show”

The constellation is reminiscent of the format “The Match”, in which selected golf stars – including Koepka and DeChambeau – have already dueled several times. However, the new duel clearly differs from this format. “We’re leaning towards making it more like a Ryder Cup to develop it into a series that’s completely separate from The Match,” Bryan Zuriff, longtime producer of The Match and executive producer of the December event, told Golf Digest. Viewers can expect “real, intense golf”.

In addition to the sporting competition, Rory McIlroy is also looking forward to the setting of the event: “I’m thrilled to partner with Scottie in what promises to be an exciting duel against Bryson and Brooks in Vegas this December,” he wrote in a text message to Golfweek. “This isn’t just a contest between some of golf’s major champions; it’s an event designed to energize the fans. We’re all here to put on a great show and contribute to a goodwill event that brings the best together again.”

Unsuspectingly, an amateur golfer in Sacramento in the US state of California took his time for a short game on the practice green of the Arcade Creek Course in Haggin Oaks. Just as he approached his ball, a small plane sped towards him in the corner of his eye and narrowly missed him as he jumped a few meters to the side at the last moment. Within a few seconds, the plane hit the ground, came to a halt and gave the golfer a good shock.

Crash landing on the golf course due to technical failure

At an altitude of 400 feet, the technology of the small plane, in which only the pilot was in, failed, which is why the plane had to make an emergency landing. It finally reached the ground unbraked on the grounds of a golf course in Sacramento, where a golfer was playing his short game. The plane narrowly missed the golfer and finally came to a halt a few meters away against the wall of the clubhouse. Miraculously, both parties involved were largely unharmed. Only the pilot suffered cuts to his hand. A surveillance camera recorded the situation.

Security video shows the moment a Piper PA-28R-201T Turbo Arrow III crashes at a Golf complex in Sacramento, narrowly missing a golfer on the practice green. pic.twitter.com/vYCHD5ubeN

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 5, 2024

Whether Olympic champions, world champions, Grand Slam winners or footballers of the year, the 21st century has seen some incredible achievements from legendary sportsmen and women. In a wide variety of sports, personalities stand out whose successes set them apart from their competitors.

The US television channel ESPN looked back over the last 25 years and published a list of the 100 most successful athletes. ESPN editors from all over the world contributed to the nominations and the voting process. Voters were instructed to only consider an athlete’s accomplishments since 2000. The top 100 includes three male and one female golfer: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Annika Sörenstam and Rory McIlroy.

Top 100 Athletes of the 21st Century, ESPN

1. Michael Phelps, Swimming
2. Serena Williams, Tennis
3. Lionel Messi, Soccer
4. LeBron James, Basketball
5. Tom Brady, Football
6. Roger Federer, Tennis
7. Simone Biles, Gymnastics
8. Tiger Woods, Golf
9. Usain Bolt, Track
10. Kobe… pic.twitter.com/zE4hidGenO

— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) July 19, 2024

Most successful athletes of the 21st century: Tiger Woods in the top 10

First and foremost from a golfing perspective is none other than Tiger Woods. His greatest achievements include 13 major victories (the most of any player in this period) and eleven major victories as world number one (nine more than any other player of all time). In total, Woods has won 131 times around the world and has left his mark on golf like no other, and not just with his sporting achievements. He is ranked 8th in ESPN’s rankings, beating the likes of Michael Phelps (1st place, swimming), Serena Williams (2nd place, tennis) and Lionel Messi (3rd place, soccer).

After Woods, the second golfer is some time coming. The second most successful golfer in the ranking is Phil Mickelson in 69th place. Although Mickelson has made negative headlines in recent years, there is no denying the achievements he has previously delivered in golf: With six Major victories and the record as the oldest Major winner of all time at the 2021 PGA Championship (the first Major winner to turn 50), Mickelson played his way into golf history.

Annika Sörenstam as the most successful female golfer

Annika Sörenstam follows in 89th place. With 97 victories around the world, the Swede stands out from most of her rivals. Her tally since the turn of the century includes eight Major wins (the most in that time span) and 54 of her 72 LPGA Tour victories. She is the only woman ever to shoot a 59 in a professional tournament and won eleven times in 2002, the most wins on the LPGA Tour in almost 40 years. The fact that she retired from professional golf in 2008 gives her successes even more significance in terms of the ESPN rankings in the short space of eight years.

Last but not least, Rory McIlroy is ranked 93rd. Although the Northern Irishman has been on a dry spell for ten years in terms of major successes, his other achievements should not be underestimated: He spent 122 weeks at the top of the world rankings with the help of 26 PGA Tour victories (including four majors). McIlroy is “only” one Masters win away from a career Grand Slam to put him on a par with golf legends such as Tiger Woods or Arnold Palmer.