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Tiger Woods on the Ryder Cup “I Wouldn’t Be Doing the Captaincy Justice”

Tiger Woods at The Open Championship 2024. (Photo: Getty)
Tiger Woods at The Open Championship 2024. (Photo: Getty)

Tiger Woods is in high demand. Not only from fans and journalists, who will be following his every move at The Open Championship 2024, but also in official capacities. So much in demand, in fact, that he has now had to issue a clear cancellation on one point: the Ryder Cup.

Tiger Woods: ‘You only have so many hours in the day’

The decision was very difficult for me to make,’ said Woods at his press conference during The Open Championship. The PGA of America had been waiting a long time to see whether the 15-time major winner would lead the American team in New York after all. But the 48-year-old simply doesn’t have the time.

‘My time has been so loaded with the Tour and everything and what we’re trying to accomplish,’ he explained. ‘I’m on so many different subcommittees that it just takes so much time in the day, and I’m always on calls.’

‘I just didn’t feel like I could do the job properly. I couldn’t devote the time. I barely had enough time to do what I’m doing right now, and add in the TGL starts next year, as well as the Ryder Cup. You add all that together and then with our negotiations with the PIF, all that concurrently going on at exactly the same time, there’s only so many hours in the day.’

‘I just didn’t feel like I would be doing the captaincy or the players in Team USA justice if I was the captain with everything that I have to do.’

The Open Championship 2024 – Live Blog

‘That way I can give back to the game in a different way’

A large part of his time is taken up by work for the tour and negotiations with the PIF. Woods never imagined that he would be so involved in the administrative side of things. ‘It’s enjoyable in the sense that I’m able to help the Tour and I’m able to help the next generation of players. Now the players that are coming up now, they have equity in the Tour, and that’s never been done in any major sport in history. It’s a way of me giving back to the game in a different way other than just playing.’ Even if he sometimes wishes he was out on the golf course rather than sitting in a three-hour sub-committee meeting.

The effort seems to be paying off, because he is also happy with the direction in which the negotiations are developing, says Woods. ‘I can tell you that we are making progress,’ he continues, even if he cannot go into details. ‘It’s evolving each and every day. There’s e-mails and chains and texts and ideas that we bounce back and forth from both sides. There’s a good interchange of ideas and thoughts of how the game could look like going forward. It’s just a matter of putting that all together legally. Obviously we have the DOJ with oversight looking into that as well and making sure that we don’t do anything improperly there, as well, but also making sure that all the players benefit from this as well as everyone who’s involved. They want to make money as well. They want to make that return.’

‘We’re now into not just charitable endeavors, we’re into a for-profit model. So we have to make returns.’

‘I will play as long as I feel I can still win the tournament’

And in addition to PIF, PGA and TGL, there is of course Tiger’s own golf game. Because Woods is not yet ready to end the practical part of his career. Only recently, Colin Montgomery called on him to hang up his golf clubs. ‘He didn’t seem to enjoy a single shot at Pinehurst and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing there?’ He’s coming to Troon and he won’t enjoy it there either,’ predicted the 31-time DP World Tour winner, who has a very special connection to Troon, in an interview with the Times of London. ‘There’s a time for all sportsmen to say goodbye, but it’s very difficult to tell Tiger it’s time to go,’ he said. ‘Obviously he still believes he can win. We are more realistic.’

Woods confirms the assumption: ‘I’ll play as long as I can play and I feel I can still win the tournament,’ but also has a very specific answer to Montgomery: ’Well, as a former champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. Colin is not. He’s not a former champion, so he’s not exempt. So he doesn’t have the ability to make that decision. I do.’ Woods will end his career on his own terms and won’t let Colin Montgomery, a broken back or a car accident dictate the end.

The Open Championship 2024 Tee Times
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The Open Championship 2024: Tee Times for Tiger Woods and Co.

Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas 152nd The Open Championship Tee Times. (Image: Getty)
Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas 152nd The Open Championship Tee Times. (Image: Getty)
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The Open 2024: Harman, McIlroy and Co. – Who Wins the Title?

Contenders for the Win at the British Open 2024: Brian Harman (l.) and Rory McIlroy (r.). (Image: Getty)
Contenders for the Win at the British Open 2024: Brian Harman (l.) and Rory McIlroy (r.). (Image: Getty)

Surely not the last highlight, but certainly the last major of this year is coming up this week. From July 18th to 21st, The Open Championship 2024 will be held at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. After The Open was last held there in 2016, the major returns this year. Back then, the winner was Henrik Stenson, who is part of the field again this year. However, the Swede is considered at most an outsider for the overall win. At the same time, the question arises as to who has the best chances for the major title. We take a look at the defending champion, in-form players, and stars who are always good for a win.

Defending Champion at the 2024 Open Championship: Brian Harman

Brian Harman travels to Scotland as the defending champion of The Open. When the major was held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club last year, the American won the major convincingly by six strokes over the runner-ups. Harman especially impressed in the first two rounds, building a significant lead early in the tournament. However, he has not won a tournament this year. His best finish was a tied second place at the Players Championship in March. Subsequently, Harman did not perform well in the three major tournaments and only managed one more top-10 finish in the other PGA Tour events. Considering the form of the defending champion, a victory would be rather surprising.

Recent Winner at the US Open: Bryson DeChambeau

The situation looks somewhat different for Bryson DeChambeau. Although his performances in the LIV Golf League could be better, it’s clear that the American is definitely a contender for major titles. He contended for the title at all three majors this year, narrowly missing the win at the PGA Championship 2024 with a tied second place and ultimately winning the US Open 2024. It is expected that DeChambeau will again be in contention for the overall victory at the Open Championship 2024.

World Number 1 Returns: Scottie Scheffler

The world number 1 has already recorded six wins this year. After winning both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship, Scottie Scheffler claimed the first major of the year by winning the Masters 2024. While he achieved three more victories on the tour, his performance in majors slightly declined. Most recently, he placed a disappointing tied 41st at the US Open 2024. After winning the Travelers Championship in a playoff the following week, the 28-year-old took a break, partly to spend time with his newborn. It will be exciting to see how Scheffler returns at The Open 2024.

Long Overdue: When Will Rory McIlroy Win Another Major?

It seems like only a matter of time before Rory McIlroy wins another major tournament. However, such predictions have been made for quite some time now. McIlroy last won one of the four big tournaments in 2014, when he claimed both The Open and the PGA Championship in the same year. Since then, the Northern Irishman has experienced a drought, coming very close to a fifth major victory multiple times. He has narrowly missed the title as a runner-up four times. His performances in recent years and his current form are promising. All he needs is a major tournament win.

The Third Major Winner in the Mix: Xander Schauffele

With Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau already mentioned, the third major winner of this year comes into focus. Xander Schauffele won his first major tournament at the PGA Championship 2024, narrowly beating Bryson DeChambeau, who finished second. Although it was a debut win for the American at a major event, his success had been foreshadowed. Schauffele has had a good season with 11 top-10 finishes in the 16 tournaments he participated in this year. Thus, Schauffele is also among the close favorites for the Open Championship 2024.

Dark Horse for The Open 2024? Robert MacIntyre

The next name might be unfamiliar to some, especially when discussing potential title contenders. However, Robert MacIntyre has proven with his good form in recent weeks that he can be considered a contender. The Scot has already secured two victories on the PGA Tour this year, and he achieved a top-10 finish at the PGA Championship. Admittedly, a win would be more surprising than for the previously mentioned candidates, but perhaps MacIntyre feels particularly comfortable on home turf.

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McIlroy and Fleetwood: The Field of Participants for the Open Championship 2024

The field of participants promises an exciting competition. (Photo: Getty)
The field of participants promises an exciting competition. (Photo: Getty)

The Open Championship 2024 is the last major tournament of the year. Around 150 players will once again have the opportunity to secure one of golf’s most coveted titles. The Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland will host the only major to be held in Europe. To prepare for the course and weather conditions, many players are already taking part in the Genesis Scottish Open.

Below are all the players who will be taking part in the Open Championship 2024. It also shows which regulations they have used to qualify for the tournament. The qualification options are summarized at the end of the article.

Open Championship 2024: All starters

Ancer, Abraham – Final Qualifying

Aberg, Ludvig – 5

An, Byeong Hun – 5

Andersen, Mason – 15

Bezuidenhout, Christiaan – 14

Bhatia, Akshay – 5

Bjork, Alexander – 6

Boriboonsub, Denwit – OQS Malaysia

Bradbury, Dan – OQS South Africa

Bradley, Keegan – 5, 13

Brown, Daniel – Final Qualifying

Burmester, Dean – OQS South Africa

Burns, Sam – 5, 13

Campillo, Jorge – 6

Canter, Laurie – 8

Cantlay, Patrick – 5, 13

Catlin, John – OQS Malaysia

Cejka, Alex – 18

Cink, Stewart – 1

Clark, Wyndham – 5, 9, 13

Clarke, Darren – 1

Clemons, Dominic – Final Qualifying

Cole, Eric – 5

Conners, Corey – 5, 13

Crocker, Sean – OQS Italy

Curtis, Ben – 1

Daly, John – 1

Day, Jason – 4, 5, 13

Dean, Joe – OQS Netherlands

DeChambeau, Bryson – 5, 9

De La Fuente, Santiago – 24

Dodd-Berry, Matthew – Final Qualifying

Duval, David – 1

Eckroat, Austin – 5

Els, Ernie – 1

Elvira, Nacho – 8

English, Harris – 5

Ferguson, Ewen – 8

Fichardt, Darren – OQS South Africa

Finau, Tony – 5, 13

Fitzpatrick, Matt – 5, 6, 9, 13

Fleetwood, Tommy – 4, 5, 6, 13

Fowler, Rickie – 5, 13

Fox, Ryan – 6, 7

Glover, Lucas – 5, 13

Griffin, Ben – OQS Canada

Grillo, Emiliano – 4, 13

Hadwin, Adam – OQS Memorial

Hamilton, Todd – 1

Harman, Brian – 1, 3, 4, 5, 13

Harrington, Padraig – 1

Hatton, Tyrrell – 5, 6, 13

Hendry, Michael – 27

Henley, Russell – 5, 13

Hidalgo, Angel – Final Qualifying

Hillier, Daniel – 6

Hisatsune, Ryo – 6

Hoge, Tom – 14

Hojgaard, Nicolai – 5, 6

Hojgaard, Rasmus – 6

Homa, Max – 4, 5, 13

Horschel, Billy – 7

Horsfield, Sam – Final Qualifying

Hoshino, Rikuya – OQS Australia

Hovland, Viktor – 5, 6, 13

Hughes, Mackenzie – OQS Canada

Hutsby, Sam – Final Qualifying

Im, Sungjae – 5, 13

Iwasaki, Aguri – 17

Jaeger, Stephan – 5

Johnson, Dustin – 10

Johnson, Zach – 1, 3

Jordan, Matthew – 4

Katsuragawa, Yuto – OQS Japan

Kawamura, Masahiro – Final Qualifying

Kim, Minkyu – OQS Korea

Kim, Si Woo – 5, 13

Kim, Tom – 4, 5, 6, 13

Kinoshita, Ryosuke – OQS Japan

Kirk, Chris – 5

Kitayama, Kurt – 5

Kobori, Kazuma – 16

Koepka, Brooks – 5, 11

Koh, Guntaek – OQS Japan

Langasque, Romain – 6

Lawrence, Thriston – 6

Lawrie, Paul – 1

Lee, Min Woo – 5, 6

Leonard, Justin – 1

Lindh, Charlie – Final Qualifying

Lowry, Shane – 1, 3, 5, 7

Luiten, Joost – 6

MacIntyre, Robert – 6

Manassero, Matteo – 8

Masaveu, Luis – Final Qualifying

Matsuyama, Hideki – 5, 10

McCarthy, Denny – 5

McDonald, Jack – Final Qualifying

McKibbin, Tom – OQS Italy

McIlroy, Rory – 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13

McNealy, Maverick – OQS Canada

Meronk, Adrian – 6

Mickelson, Phil – 1, 3, 11

Migliozzi, Guido – OQS Netherlands

Molinari, Francesco – 1, 3

Montojo, Jaime – Final Qualifying

Moore, Taylor – 13

Morikawa, Collin – 1, 3, 5, 11, 13

Morrison, Tommy – 21

Nakajima, Keita – 16

Niemann, Joaquin – OQS Australia

Nolan, Liam – Final Qualifying

Norrman, Vincent – 6

Ogletree, Andy – 16

Olesen, Thorbjorn – 6

Olesen, Jacob Skov – 19

Oosthuizen, Louis – 1

Pan, CT – OQS John Deere

Paul, Yannik – 6

Pavon, Mathieu – 5, 6

Perez, Victor – 6

Poston, JT – 5

Puig, David – 16

Rahm, Jon – 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13

Rose, Justin – Final Qualifying

Sargent, Gordon – 22

Schauffele, Xander – 5, 11, 13

Scheffler, Scottie – 5, 10, 12, 13

Schenk, Adam – 5, 13

Scott, Adam – OQS Australia

Scott, Calum – 25

Sharma, Shubhankar – 4

Siem, Marcel – 6

Smith, Cameron – 1, 3, 12

Smith, Jordan – 6

Smylie, Elvis – Final Qualifying

Soderberg, Sebastian – 6

Song, Younghan – OQS Korea

Southgate, Matthew – Final Qualifying

Spieth, Jordan – 1, 3, 5, 13

Stenson, Henrik – 1, 3

Straka, Sepp – 4, 5, 13

Stubbs, Jasper – 23

Svensson, Jesper – 8

Taylor, Nick – 5, 13

Theegala, Sahith – 5

Thomas, Justin – 5, 11

Thompson, Davis – OQS John Deere

Todd, Brendon – OQS Arnold Palmer Invitational

Valimaki, Sami – 6

Van der Merwe, Altin – 26

Van Velzen, Ryan – 16

Wallace, Matt – 6

Wang, Jeunghun – OQS Malaysia

Woodland, Gary – 9

Woods, Tiger – 1, 10

Young, Cameron – 4, 5

Zalatoris, Will – OQS USA – Arnold Palmer Invitational

Exemption Categories of the tournament

1. The Open Champions aged 60 or under on 21 July 2024 (for all Champions up to 2024)

2. The Open Champions aged 55 or under on 21 July 2024 (for all Champions from 2024)

3. The Open Champions for 2013-2023

4. First 10 anyone tying for 10th place in The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool in 2023

5. The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2024

6. First 30 in the Final Race to Dubai Rankings for 2023

7. The BMW PGA Championship winners for 2021-2023

8. First 5 DP World Tour members and any Race to Dubai members tying for 5th place, not otherwise exempt, in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings on completion of the 2024 BMW International

9. The US Open Champions for 2019-2024

10. The Masters Tournament Champions for 2019-2024

11. The PGA Champions for 2018-2024

12. The PLAYERS Champions for 2022-2024

13. Top 30 players for the Final 2023 FedEx Cup

14. First 5 PGA TOUR members and any PGA TOUR members tying for 5th place, not exempt in the top 20 of the PGA TOUR FedEx Cup for 2024 on completion of the 2024 Travelers Championship

15. The 117th VISA Open de Argentina 2024 Champion

16. The first 5 players on the 2024 Federations Ranking List as of closing date

17. The Japan Open Champion for 2023

18. The Senior Open Champion for 2023

19. The Amateur Champion for 2024

20. The US Amateur Champion for 2023

21. The European Amateur Champion for 2024

22. The Mark H McCormack Medal (Men’s WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING) winner for 2023

23. The Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion 2023

24. The Latin America Amateur Champion 2024

25. The Open Amateur Series winner 2024

26. The Africa Amateur Champion 2024

27. Medical Exemption

Exemptions 19-26 can only be taken up by players retaining their amateur status.

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Olympics 2024: Why Is Rory McIlroy Competing for Ireland?

Rory McIlroy will compete for Ireland again at the 2024 Olympics. (Source: Getty)
Rory McIlroy will compete for Ireland again at the 2024 Olympics. (Source: Getty)

As in Tokyo 2020, Rory McIlroy has once again decided to compete for Ireland at the Olympic Games. McIlroy comes from Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and should therefore actually be competing for Great Britain. However, there is an exemption for athletes from Northern Ireland.

Rory McIlroy chooses Ireland for the 2024 Olympics

Northern Ireland has a unique position in international sport. Olympic athletes from Northern Ireland have the opportunity to compete for either the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain and Northern Ireland (effectively the United Kingdom). This choice reflects the complex and divided history of the region. “Team GB” is the name under which athletes from Great Britain compete at the Olympics, a name that does not directly include Northern Ireland. There have been calls in the past to rename the team ‘Team UK’ to reflect this inclusion.

McIlroy, who always played under the Irish flag in his youth, chose Ireland despite saying he felt more British. “I made it more difficult for myself than it needed to be,” McIlroy explained. “My thoughts were more about what other people would think. Once I put that behind me and just did what was right for me, the decision became easy. It was an internal battle with all those thoughts.” He continued, “Once I gave up trying not to upset anyone, the decision was pretty easy. I’m going to play golf for the country or nation I’ve always played for, from my junior and amateur days through to the professional game. Although the Olympics give me that choice, there really wasn’t a choice because I’ve played golf for Ireland all my life. Why should that change just because the tournament changes? That was my decision.”

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Ryder Cup 2025: Keegan Bradley Named US Captain

Keegan Bradley has been named captain of the US team for the 2025 Ryder Cup. (Source: Getty)
Keegan Bradley has been named captain of the US team for the 2025 Ryder Cup. (Source: Getty)

Keegan Bradley will captain the US team at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York. After months of discussions and despite Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner and eight-time Ryder Cup participant, being the clear favorite, Bradley was surprisingly chosen.

 
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Bradley Becomes the Youngest Captain Since Arnold Palmer

Bradley was already a contender for the captaincy of the US team in 2023, but was ultimately not selected. Less than a year later, he has now been named captain of the team for the 2025 Ryder Cup. At 38, he is the youngest Ryder Cup captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. The two-time Ryder Cup participant played college golf at St. John’s University in Queens, just a short drive from Bethpage, and regularly competed in tournaments there. “I am incredibly honored to be given this opportunity to lead the U.S. team in the 2025 Ryder Cup,” Bradley said in a statement. “My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event have never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particulary special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to starting preparations for 2025.”

 
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Tiger Woods turned down captaincy for the 2025 Ryder Cup

Tiger Woods, who had previously been considered the favorite for the role of captain, had to pull out due to his duties as Player Director on the PGA Tour Policy Board. The PGA of America delayed the appointment of a captain for months, hoping to clear the way for Woods to become captain, and even appointed former caddie and NBC Sports analyst John Wood as “team manager”. He was supposed to take on some of the captain’s workload. When still no major progress had been made in early July, Woods was forced to turn down the captaincy. However, he could still theoretically take part in the Ryder Cup as a player or vice-captain.

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The Amundi Evian Championship: Celebrating 30 Years of Golf’s Only Major To Be Staged In Continental Europe

The Amundi Evian Championship is held at the Evian Resort Golf Club. (Photo: ROLEX MEDIA CONTENT)
The Amundi Evian Championship is held at the Evian Resort Golf Club. (Photo: ROLEX MEDIA CONTENT)

Golf’s only Major to be staged in continental Europe, The Amundi Evian Championship is a reference point in the women’s game. First played in 1994, it was elevated to become the fifth women’s Major championship in 2013. Over the years, the tournament has developed its own history, balancing tradition with innovation while maintaining an unwavering respect for the spirit of the game. Rolex has been a Main Partner and Official Timekeeper at this tournament since 2000 as part of its broad and enduring commitment to women’s golf that dates back to 1980 when the Swiss watchmaker became a partner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

Celebrating 30 Years of The Amundi Evian Championship

The Amundi Evian Championship is held annually in July on The Champions Course at the Evian Resort Golf Club, nestled between the shores of Lake Geneva and the foot of the Alps. This year’s edition, from 11–14 July, marks the 30th anniversary of the inaugural tournament.

Each year, the tournament gathers the world’s elite from the Rolex Rankings to contest the season’s penultimate Major. Its honour roll of past champions includes Rolex Testimonee Annika Sörenstam (2000, 2002), one of the greatest golfers in the history of the women’s game and who set a benchmark of excellence to which the modern generation can aspire, along with fellow Swede Anna Nordqvist (2017).

Anna Nordqvist at The Amundi Evian Championship. (Photo: ROLEX MEDIA CONTENT)

Reflecting on her victory, which came in a thrilling playoff, Anna Nordqvist said: “Being European and winning a Major championship on European soil was very special. I would say that with all the history associated with The Amundi Evian Championship, the stunning views, amazing atmosphere, how well it is run and it being a tournament that I used to watch every summer growing up, it was an unforgettable moment. To have my name etched on the trophy is so special.“

Other members of the Rolex family to triumph at this visually stunning venue include Suzann Pettersen of Norway (2013), New Zealand’s Lydia Ko (2015) and Brooke Henderson of Canada (2022). In capturing her second Major title at The Amundi Evian Championship in 2022, Henderson became the first LPGA player to begin any Major with successive rounds of 64. She also became the first Canadian golfer, man or woman, to win more than one Major title.

Brooke Henderson at The Amundi Evian Championship. (Photo: ROLEX MEDIA CONTENT)

Commenting on the unique challenge of contesting the Major championships, Brooke Henderson said: “It is truly exciting to be able to compete in the Major championships and go up against the best female players in the world, and on such incredible and differing venues. During those weeks, you have to be at your best mentally, physically and even emotionally. You really do have to be in the right place on all fronts. There is always pressure when competing at Major championships as your career is ultimately defined by your performances and finishes during these tournaments. The challenge of playing impeccably, and to the best of your ability, is what makes those weeks so exciting.“

Steeped in history dating back to 1904, The Champions Course offers an unrivalled golfing experience. In 2013, it underwent significant renovation. The redesign work, undertaken by European Golf Design, has resulted in the course becoming even more befitting of a Major championship venue, adding more drama and spectator viewing areas.

Since 2019, The Prize for a Better Tomorrow presented by Rolex has been awarded at The Amundi Evian Championship. The international prize celebrates initiatives that have significant societal impact and promote qualities shared by this women’s Major championship and the Swiss watchmaker, namely excellence, generosity, continuity and inspiration. The prize shines a light on the commitment of individuals and organizations who champion a charitable cause and implement actions that improve and reinvent people’s lives.

The inaugural recipient of the prize was former World No. 1 and Rolex Testimonee Lorena Ochoa for the creation of her Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation. The prize was awarded by fellow Testimonee Lindsey Vonn, one of the most successful women’s skiers, and rewarded the Mexican golfer for her involvement in the education of underprivileged children in her native country. Shortly after turning professional in 2002, Ochoa pledged to provide financial support to a Mexican school for underprivileged children near Guadalajara. She then became involved in creating her own foundation with a mission to provide opportunities for children and adults via family-based health, education and inclusion programmes delivered through family golf activities.

Rolex has been a committed partner of women’s golf for more than 40 years as part of one of the most successful relationships between a brand and sport. This enduring partnership contributes to the game’s development around the world. The Swiss watchmaker is part of the very fabric of golf and supports the game at all levels, including elite players and legends of the game, Major championships – including all five women’s Majors – the foremost professional tours and the world’s leading team competitions, among them the women’s Solheim Cup. The brand’s support also extends to amateur tournaments, international federations and organizations representing golfers of all ages.

Rolex’s association with the game is built on a strong sense of integrity and respect for tradition that promote the continuity of expertise and transfer of knowledge, and an appreciation of the importance to invest in the sport’s development for future generations.

Text by ROLEX MEDIA CONTENT

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Olympic Games: Dutchman sues his way into golf tournament, but…

After the Dutch National Olympic Committee (NOC) refused to allow three qualified athletes to take part in the Paris Games, DP World Tour pro Joost Luiten successfully appealed against his exclusion. The 38-year-old announced this on Instagram on Wednesday. Golf Post spoke to Luiten about the events after his first round at the BMW International Open and the Dutchman explained his situation in detail for the first time.

“I basically sued the National Olympic Committee”, Luiten told Golf Post. “I didn’t agree with the way it went down. I didn’t agree with the rules they had in place. Halfway through the qualification year, they changed the rules. So it was all one big mess and then, you know, I didn’t meet their criteria. But if they would have started those criteria from the start, I would have qualified straight away in two events.”

According to the rules of the International Golf Federation (IGF) and the IOC, the top 15 in the Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR), which is based on the world golf rankings, qualify – with a maximum of four athletes per country. The 60-strong field will then be filled with the best outside the top 15, with a maximum of two participants per country. In the case of the Netherlands, these are Darius van Driel and Joost Luiten for the men and Anne van Dam and Dewi Weber for the women. However, the Dutch Olympic Committee had its own criteria for golf, which Luiten and others did not fulfil after they were implemented. However, this only happened after the IGF qualification process had long since begun.

As obliged by the court, the Dutch NOC nominated Luiten in time for the tournament at Le Golf National near Paris. But now there is a new problem. “There’s another bit of trouble because now all of a sudden there are 61 people in the field, not 60, because the IOC gave my spot away already. So now it looks like I could go from one court case to the next, but that’s not what I want. Hopefully they can sort the issue”, says the young family man, fearing for his eligibility to compete.

Luiten’s dissatisfaction with his National Olympic Committee goes far beyond the refusal to nominate him: “The whole problem in Holland is that if you let some people that only know the traditional Olympic sports, swimming, athletics, and stuff like that, if you let them make the rules on golf, you get some silly rules. And that’s what basically this is all about. Showing them that they had no clue what they were doing and that it had nothing to do with golf. Unfortunately I had to go to court for it, but at least now hopefully it will open their eyes.”

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The Open Qualifying: Justin Rose Returns, Sergio Garcia Falls Short

The Open Qualifying held up and downs for the players. (Photos: Getty)

The Open Qualifying for this year’s tournament at Royal Troon presented a spectacle as seasoned professionals and emerging talents vied for coveted spots.

Fierce Competition at The Open Qualifying

A total of 16 players earned their places at The Open through the Final Qualifying events held at four UK venues. Each site offered four spots, with notable performances at Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald, Royal Cinque Ports, and West Lancashire. At Burnham & Berrow, former US Open champion Justin Rose and English amateur Dominic Clemons each scored eight under par to qualify. Dundonald saw triumphs from Sam Hutsby, Angel Hidalgo, Liam Nolan, and Jack McDonald, while Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire witnessed strong showings from Matthew Southgate and Sam Horsfield among others.

Justin Rose Returns to The Open

Justin Rose secured his place at The Open by delivering remarkable rounds of 66 and 68 at Burnham & Berrow. The former US Open champion reaffirmed his status among the elite, stating, “The Open’s been a bit of a fairytale and love story for me since I was 14 and I qualified at Scotscraig. Obviously there was winning the Silver Medal at Royal Birkdale a couple of years later, so The Open has always been super special.“ Furthermore he says: “Sometimes you take it for granted – you’re exempt, you turn up and play for many years, but as you get older, things get a little harder so in some ways it’s good to have to qualify because it makes you appreciate The Open a little more and how special it is. Coming back to Burnham & Berrow was also special – first time back here since ’97. I was grateful to be back here and walk down memory lane.”

Abraham Ancer also secured his spot in a tense playoff, overcoming a triple bogey late in his second round to qualify. Ancer commented on his experience to Mirror Sports US, saying, “It was definitely a rollercoaster but it made it even sweeter going into the playoff and getting the job done.”

Sergio Garcia Misses The Open Again

For the second consecutive year, Sergio Garcia narrowly missed out on qualifying for The Open. Competing at West Lancashire, Garcia finished three under par, falling short by two strokes. His frustration was evident as he faced slow play warnings and struggled with crowd control, which disrupted his concentration.

Garcia expressed his disappointment, noting, “When you have 2,000 people following us with no ropes, nothing. The marshals were trying to do as good a job as they could do but obviously we had to stop pretty much on every tee for two or three minutes to hit our tee shots because people were walking in front of the tee and on the fairway.”

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Scheffler-Caddie’s Prize Money Trumps 80 Percent of Tour Players

Ted Scott, Scottie Scheffler's caddie, is one of the PGA Tour's top earners. (Photo: Getty)
Ted Scott, Scottie Scheffler's caddie, is one of the PGA Tour's top earners. (Photo: Getty)

Scottie Scheffler is dominating this year on the PGA Tour, raking in million-dollar prize money after million-dollar prize money. In 15 tournament appearances, the world number one won his sixth title and completed his 13th (!) top 10 finish at last week’s Travelers Championship. This brings Scheffler’s prize money in the 2024 calendar year alone to around 25.9 million euros (27.7 million US dollars). His caddie Ted Scott also benefits from this: with a ten percent share of prize money for Tour victories and seven percent for top-10 finishes, the usual shares on Tour, Scott even outperforms almost 80 percent of Tour players.

PGA Tour: Ted Scott with more prize money than Spieth, Fowler & Co.

On the PGA Tour, caddies usually receive a fixed share of the player’s prize money, which is based on their ranking: Ten percent for a win, seven percent for the top 10 and five percent for making the cut. With these percentages, Ted Scott, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie, would receive prize money of around 2.46 million euros (2.63 million US dollars) in this calendar year alone. That would not only be almost a million euros more than the Tour average, but also more prize money than 80 percent of the Tour players. Ted Scott would be ranked 46th out of 232 players with this prize money. The caddie is ahead of well-known players such as Jordan Spieth (€2.34 million), Adam Scott (€1.56 million) and Rickie Fowler (€1.02 million).

Scottie Scheffler understandably holds Ted Scott in high esteem and credits him with a large part of his impressive successes. The collaboration almost never came to fruition: After 15 intensive years at Bubba Watson’s side, the caddie actually wanted to work more as a golf instructor again. Then came the call from Scottie Scheffler. After careful consideration, Scott accepted the offer from the best golfer in the world at the time and, almost two years later, is unlikely to regret his decision.

Career prize money on the PGA Tour: Scottie Scheffler already in fifth place and on course to set a record

By winning the Travelers Championship 2024, Scottie Scheffler not only achieved his sixth victory on the PGA Tour this calendar year, but also leapt to seventh place in the career prize money list (€65.7 million). Scheffler celebrated his 28th birthday a few days ago and, considering his age, is well on the way to climbing further up the rankings. Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson and the top three of Rory McIlroy (€84.3 million), Phil Mickelson (€90.4 million) and Tiger Woods (€113.1 million) are currently ahead of him. Scheffler is also well on his way to setting the record for the highest prize money in a season on the PGA Tour.