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„The Showdown“: New Details on the PGA Tour versus LIV Golf Duel

Brooks Koepka (left) will team up with Bryson DeChambeau against Rory McIlroy (right) and Scottie Scheffler. (Image: Getty)
Brooks Koepka (left) will team up with Bryson DeChambeau against Rory McIlroy (right) and Scottie Scheffler. (Image: Getty)

As was announced at the beginning of September, PGA Tour players Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will compete in a team duel against LIV stars Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. Now there are more details about the clash: The event will take place on December 17, 2024 at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas, and could pave the way for more similar competitions.

PGA Tour versus LIV Golf: Who, when, where and how? – All details

The duel of the tours is called “The Showdown”. It will be a first for four of the biggest names in golf: McIlroy and Scheffler for the PGA Tour, as well as Koepka and DeChambeau for LIV Golf. The format of the duel has not yet been fully determined, but a kind of match play over 18 holes is expected. There will also be no prize money.

It will be broadcast by the US channel TNT, which is already known for the series “The Match”, in which prominent golfers such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson competed against each other. Despite the similar concept, “The Showdown” is not part of this series, but is an independent event.

Plans for the future

“The Showdown” could be the first of several matches between PGA and LIV players. There are already plans to expand this format in the future, with larger teams of possibly six or eight players per side. It is also planned that the duel will take place at least once a year and be played alternately in the USA and internationally.

This match offers fans a rare opportunity to see the best players from both tours come together more often than just at majors. Since the inception of LIV Golf, the question of whether the world rankings accurately reflect the skill levels of all players has been raised time and time again: As LIV events do not provide world ranking points, the LIV players slip further and further down the rankings.

PGA Tour players and LIV Tour players hardly ever meet in their regular tournament calendars. This year, they only competed in majors and at the Olympic Games: World number one Scottie Scheffler won the Masters and the gold medal at the Olympics. Bryson DeChambeau also won another major this year, narrowly beating Rory McIlroy at the US Open in Pinehurst. Koepka secured his fifth major victory last year at the PGA Championship.

Matches between players on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf could help to resolve uncertainties about playing strength. This is also the hope of Bryson DeChambeau, who spoke at an LIV Golf event in Chicago: “I think it’s going to develop over the course of time and hopefully give the people what they want.” It is possible that the match will become a regular feature of golf, regardless of the ongoing negotiations between the PGA and the LIV financiers.

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European Tour

DP World Tour Tee Times: Horschel and Wiebe Tee Off at Olympic Golf Club

Billy Horschel and Gunner Wiebe will tee off at olympic Golfclub Le Golf National. (Photos: Getty)

As the DP World Tour continues its European swing, all eyes turn to Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, for the historic Open de France. Known for its challenging par-71 layout and infamous closing holes, this prestigious event is set to deliver four days of top-tier golf, with a lucrative prize pool of €3.25 million on offer.

Defending champion Ryo Hisatsune returns, hoping to build on his impressive triumph last year, but he’ll face stiff competition from a world-class field. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning on Thursday and Friday at 13:30, Saturday at 13:00, and Sunday at 12:30.

DP World Tour Tee Times: Star-Studded Pairings

American Gunner Wiebe kicks off his Open de France campaign early on Thursday, teeing off at 08:35 alongside Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and England’s Marco Penge. Wiebe will look to make a strong start before his second-round tee time at 13:00 on Friday.

Billy Horschel, a fan favorite and DP World Tour regular, will bring plenty of flair to his opening round at 09:05. He’s paired with fellow major champion Justin Rose and France’s own Romain Langasque. Horschel’s second round will see him tee off at 13:30 on Friday.

Another notable American in the field, Sean Crocker, starts his tournament at 09:45 on Thursday, playing alongside Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa and French Hugo Le Goff. Crocker will be back in action on Friday afternoon with a 14:10 tee time.

Johannes Veerman will begin his challenge at 09:55, partnering with Germany’s Alexander Knappe and Austria’s Lukas Nemecz. Veerman will round off his second day with a 14:20 tee time on Friday.

Rounding out the American contingent, Jordan Gumberg tees off at 13:00 on Thursday, joining France’s Romain Wattel and England’s Callum Shinkwin. Gumberg will be looking to take advantage of his early Friday tee time, set for 08:25, to make a move up the leaderboard.

RoundStart TimePlayer 1 NamePlayer 2 NamePlayer 3 Name
Round 108:35Gunner WiebeEdoardo MolinariMarco Penge
Round 109:05Billy HorschelJustin RoseRomain Langasque
Round 109:45Sean CrockerYuto KatsuragawaHugo Le Goff
Round 109:55Johannes VeermanAlex KnappeLukas Nemecz
Round 113:00Jordan GumbergRomain WattelCallum Shinkwin
Round 213:00Gunner WiebeEdoardo MolinariMarco Penge
Round 213:30Billy HorschelJustin RoseRomain Langasque
Round 214:10Sean CrockerYuto KatsuragawaHugo Le Goff
Round 214:20Johannes VeermanAlex KnappeLukas Nemecz
Round 208:25Jordan GumbergRomain WattelCallum Shinkwin
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Live PGA Tour

PGA Tour Tee Times: Zac Blair and Many More at the Sanderson Farms Championship

Zac Blair is set to start at the Sanderson Farms Championship. (Source: Getty)
Zac Blair is set to start at the Sanderson Farms Championship. (Source: Getty)

The Sanderson Farms Championship, part of the PGA Tour, is set to take place at The Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. The event has a total prize pool of $7,600,000. The course is a par 72 and Luke List is the defending champion.

PGA Tour Tee Times for American Players

Zac Blair tees off in the first round on Thursday at 07:05, alongside fellow Americans Taylor Montgomery and Samuel Stevens. Their second round begins on Friday at 11:50.

Maverick McNealy starts the first round at 07:16 on Thursday. He is grouped with Scotland’s Martin Laird and Henrik Norlander from Sweden. His second round is at 12:01 on Friday.

Justin Lower’s tee time is at 07:27 for the first round on Thursday, and he is paired with Cody Gribble and Hayden Buckley, both from the USA. The second round for this group is at 12:12 on Friday.

Trey Mullinax will begin his first round on Thursday at 07:38. He is joined by Americans Davis Riley and Cameron Champ. Their second round is on Friday at 12:23.

Peter Malnati is set to tee off on Thursday at 07:49, playing alongside Stephan Jaeger from Germany and Nick Dunlap from the USA. The group’s second round starts on Friday at 12:34.

View all tee times here
Round Start Time Player 1 Nationality Player 2 Nationality Player 3 Nationality
Round 1 07:05 Zac Blair USA Taylor Montgomery USA Samuel Stevens USA
Round 1 07:16 Maverick McNealy USA Martin Laird SCO Henrik Norlander SWE
Round 1 07:27 Justin Lower USA Cody Gribble USA Hayden Buckley USA
Round 1 07:38 Trey Mullinax USA Davis Riley USA Cameron Champ USA
Round 1 07:49 Peter Malnati USA Stephan Jaeger GER Nick Dunlap USA
Round 2 12:01 Maverick McNealy USA Martin Laird SCO Henrik Norlander SWE
Round 2 12:12 Justin Lower USA Cody Gribble USA Hayden Buckley USA
Round 2 12:23 Trey Mullinax USA Davis Riley USA Cameron Champ USA
Round 2 12:34 Peter Malnati USA Stephan Jaeger GER Nick Dunlap USA
Round 2 11:50 Zac Blair USA Taylor Montgomery USA Samuel Stevens USA
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Live PGA Tour

PGA Tour Tee Times: Martin Laird at the Sanderson Farms Championship

Martin Laird will tee off at the Sanderson Farms Championship 2024. (Source: Getty)
Martin Laird will tee off at the Sanderson Farms Championship 2024. (Source: Getty)

The upcoming Sanderson Farms Championship takes place in Jackson, Mississippi (USA) at The Country Club of Jackson. The event is part of the PGA Tour and has a par of 72. The prize purse for this tournament is $7,600,000, and the current titleholder is Luke List.

PGA Tour Tee Times

Martin Laird from Scotland will start his first round at 07:16 alongside Henrik Norlander from Sweden and Maverick McNealy from the USA. In the second round, Laird will tee off at 12:01.

Ben Taylor from England tees off in the first round at 08:11, accompanied by Troy Merritt and Joel Dahmen, both from the USA. His second-round start time is scheduled for 12:56.

David Skinns, also from England, begins his first round at 08:33 with Vincent Whaley and Chandler Phillips, both from the USA. Skinns’ second round starts at 13:18.

Seamus Power from Ireland, although not British, is notable here. His first round starts at 12:23 with Adam Schenk and Lee Hodges, both from the USA. He tees off for the second round at 07:38.

View all tee times here
Player Nationality Round 1 Tee Time Round 2 Tee Time Playing Partners
Martin Laird Scotland 07:16 12:01 Henrik Norlander (SWE), Maverick McNealy (USA)
Ben Taylor England 08:11 12:56 Troy Merritt (USA), Joel Dahmen (USA)
David Skinns England 08:33 13:18 Vincent Whaley (USA), Chandler Phillips (USA)
Seamus Power Ireland 12:23 07:38 Adam Schenk (USA), Lee Hodges (USA)
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European Tour

DP World Tour: 14 LIV Golfers Participate in Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

LIV golfers Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton (Photo: Getty)
LIV golfers Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton (Photo: Getty)

The 2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, one of the most prestigious tournaments on the DP World Tour, is drawing significant attention this year due to the participation of 14 golfers from the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf League. This raises the question: Why are so many LIV golfers allowed to compete in an event of the DP World Tour, especially since many of them are not members of the tour?

Tradition and prestige of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is the only tournament held annually at the famous Old Course in St. Andrews, as well as at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. This unique event attracts the best golfers in the world, including Ryder Cup stars like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm. Despite the rivalry between the DP World Tour and the LIV Golf League, fueled by Saudi Arabia’s financial involvement in golf, several LIV players have found a way to participate in this tournament.

Invitations and Special Provisions on the DP World Tour

A key factor allowing many LIV golfers to compete in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is the invitations extended by the tournament committee. The organizers, particularly South African billionaire Johann Rupert, who has been organizing the event for a long time, view this as a way to unite the best golfers worldwide. Rupert has repeatedly emphasized that the future of golf lies in the collaboration of different tours, as demonstrated by the invitation of LIV players.

One example is US American Brooks Koepka, who says the Old Course is one of his favorite places in the world and was invited despite being part of the LIV Golf League. Other players such as Louis Oosthuizen, Talor Gooch and Branden Grace also received invitations from the committee. Other LIV players, however, such as Patrick Reed, have received their starting places through good placings in other tournaments.

Exceptions through appeals

Some LIV golfers who are still active members of the DP World Tour can only take part due to ongoing appeal procedures. Players such as Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have appealed DP World Tour sanctions imposed on them after competing in LIV events. While these appeals have not yet been finalized, the players will be allowed to continue competing in DP World Tour events while the proceedings are ongoing.

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PGA Tour

Presidents Cup 2024: Team USA Triumphs by a Clear Margin

Team USA won the Presidents Cup against the International Team. (Source: Getty)
Team USA won the Presidents Cup against the International Team. (Source: Getty)

At the Presidents Cup at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada, the US team led by Jim Furyk achieved a convincing 18.5:11.5 victory over the international team. Scottie Scheffler and Co. brought their lead from Saturday into the clubhouse without any major worries in the final individual matches and ultimately secured a clear victory.

Presidents Cup: A strong final day brings the decision

The decisive Sunday began with a certain thrill: despite a 13:7 lead after the pairings on Saturday, the international team could theoretically have caught up with a strong individual performance on the final day. But Furyk relied on his stars and targeted his strongest players to bring about a preliminary decision as early as possible – and his tactics worked. The USA opened the final matchday with Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler, Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay in the front positions. It was a conscious decision to demonstrate US dominance early and prevent the possibility of an international comeback. This strategy paid off in full, as the US team took 3.5 out of a possible 5 points from the first five matches. “I have some great leaders on this team and these guys have taken command,” said Furyk as he stood on the 18th green at Royal Montreal. “They’ve taken control of the team.”

Schauffele, who was looking to make amends after a mixed performance at last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, made a clear statement. He won his match against Australian rookie Min Woo Lee 3&2 and earned the first point of the day for the USA. Russell Henley also secured a dominant 4&3 win against Sungjae Im and left no doubt about his strength in singles play. Patrick Cantlay, who was already regarded as one of the strongest match play players on the US team, won a close duel against Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama with 2&1. Cantlay’s strong putt on the 17th hole gave him the victory and further increased the USA’s lead. Burns fought his way to a hard-fought draw against South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, giving the Americans another half point. Scottie Scheffler, the world number 1, also put in a convincing performance. Although he only secured a draw against the in-form Tom Kim, Scheffler played aggressively and courageously, especially on the back nine, and ensured that he did not concede another point to the international team.

Keegan Bradley Secures the Decisive Point

The emotional highlight of the tournament came when Keegan Bradley, the future Ryder Cup captain, won the decisive point. In his match against South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Bradley once again proved his strong nerves. With a solid 4&2 victory, he sealed the overall win for the US team even before all the matches had been completed. The remaining matches no longer had any effect on the final result. “It’s like a fairytale, almost like a movie,” said Bradley, visibly emotional after the win. “I can hardly believe it. You just have to work hard and good things happen.” After the tournament, the newly crowned Ryder Cup captain praised Furyk’s leadership style and announced that he wanted to adopt many of the principles implemented in Montreal. “Jim has created a culture of cohesion here and we will take a lot of that with us to Bethpage,” said Bradley.

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PGA Tour

Michael Kim: “It’s Honestly a Bit of a Dog Eat Dog World”

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

Professional golfer Michael Kim is known for sharing insider information from the world of professional golf with his followers on social media. This time, the 31-year-old writes about contact with player agents, experiences, rumors and the different types of agencies. “When you’re first out of college and a really good player, agents will reach out to you directly to you or your head coach showing interest. […] It’s tricky, they’re really good salesman and unless you’ve known them thru someone else, you’re not sure who to trust. You can find MANY examples of agents stealing from the player and/or many shady deals”, wrote Michael Kim.

Offers made to players already under contract

Kim went on to tweet: “It’s honestly a bit of a dog eat dog world. I’ve heard rumors where players were going to sign with an agent and all of a sudden a different agent shows up with a really good deal with a company and the player ended up signing with the new agent for the deal. Some of the shadier ones will come up to a player even though he’s under contract promising a better deal or throw in a line or two to try and create doubt.”

Big or small agency?

In another tweet, Michael Kim describes the decision from a player’s perspective: “As a player, you have to decide what size of agency you want to sign with. Bigger agency with lots of names like Wasserman, or a smaller agency. Bigger agencies already have established connections and thru their bigger players, can even get certain deals or even exemptions into events. But the downside is, because of their big crop of players, in a way you’re all competing for the same pie within the agency. If I know the same level of player within the agency gets a new deal, you can be left wondering, why didn’t I get that deal? A smaller agency, you don’t have to worry about that kind of stuff but also know that in general, the agent isn’t going to have the same amount of power or sway within the industry. You can be the big fish and know that all the big deals might come thru you.”

In his last two tweets on this topic, Kim writes about his personal preferences and experiences.

Note: This is of course one player’s opinion and therefore not an immediate general conclusion, as well as possibly not 100 percent reality. When it comes to contact with agents right after the end of a college career, Kim is certainly a good example. Michael Kim was honored with the Jack Nicklaus Award and the Haskins Award during his amateur career – both famous awards for the player of the year in American college golf. This is likely to have aroused the interest of some player agencies.

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European Tour

DP World Tour Tee Times: Patrick Reed and American Players at acciona Open de España

DP World Tour Tee Times: US players (Image: Getty)
DP World Tour Tee Times: US players (Image: Getty)

The DP World Tour Tee Times for the upcoming acciona Open de España held at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in Spain have been announced. Part of the DP World Tour, this prestigious event boasts a par-71 course and a prize purse of $3,250,000. Last year’s title was claimed by Matthieu Pavon. Here, we delve into the tee times and partners for all American players in the tournament.

DP World Tour Tee Times for American Players

Patrick Reed will tee off for his first round on Thursday at 13:40 from Tee 1. His playing partners are Adrian Otaegui from Spain and Rikuyo Hoshino from Japan. On Friday, their second round begins at 08:50 from Tee 10.

Jimmy Walker starts his first round on Thursday at 13:30 from Tee 1 alongside Alfredo Garcia-Heredia from Spain and David Ravetto from France. Their second round begins on Friday at 08:40 from Tee 10.

Johannes Veerman is scheduled to tee off on Thursday at 13:30 from Tee 10. He will be joined by Gavin Green from Malaysia and Nick Bachem from Germany. Their second round will start on Friday from Tee 1 at 08:40.

Chase Hanna will play his first round at 14:10 on Thursday from Tee 10. His partners for the day include Alexander Knappe from Germany and Jack Davidson from Wales. The second round for this group starts at 09:20 on Friday from Tee 1.

Jordan Gumberg tees off on Thursday at 09:30 from Tee 1. Playing alongside him will be Jens Dantorp from Sweden and Julien Guerrier from France. Their second round is set to begin on Friday at 14:20 from Tee 10. Gumberg’s inclusion in the DP World Tour Tee Times highlights his pivotal role.

Round Time Player Partner 1 Partner 2
Round 1 08:50 James Nicholas Oliver Bekker (RSA) Josh Berry
Round 1 09:20 Sean Crocker George Coetzee (RSA) Matthew Southgate (ENG)
Round 1 09:30 Jordan Gumberg Jens Dantorp (SWE) Julien Guerrier (FRA)
Round 1 14:10 Chase Hanna Alexander Knappe (GER) Jack Davidson (WAL)
Round 1 13:30 Jimmy Walker Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (ESP) David Ravetto (FRA)
Round 1 13:30 Johannes Veerman Gavin Green (MAS) Nick Bachem (GER)
Round 1 13:40 Patrick Reed Adrian Otaegui (ESP) Rikuyo Hoshino (JPN)
Round 2 08:40 Jimmy Walker Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (ESP) David Ravetto (FRA)
Round 2 08:50 Patrick Reed Adrian Otaegui (ESP) Rikuyo Hoshino (JPN)
Round 2 09:20 Chase Hanna Alexander Knappe (GER) Jack Davidson (WAL)
Round 2 14:20 Jordan Gumberg Jens Dantorp (SWE) Julien Guerrier (FRA)
Round 2 14:10 Sean Crocker George Coetzee (RSA) Matthew Southgate (ENG)
DP World Tour Tee Times
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European Tour

DP World Tour Tee Times: Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and More at the acciona Open de España

DP World Tour Tee Times: Tyrrell Hatton and other players. (Image: Getty)
DP World Tour Tee Times: Tyrrell Hatton and other players. (Image: Getty)

The DP World Tour Tee Times for the upcoming acciona Open de España presented by Madrid have been announced. The tournament takes place at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. The course has a par of 71. It is part of the DP World Tour, with a prize fund of $3,250,000 and the current defending champion being Matthieu Pavon.

DP World Tour Tee Times

England’s Tyrrell Hatton is in a group with Italian Matteo Manassero and Spaniard Jorge Campillo. They will start their first round at 09:00 and their second round at 13:50.

English golfer Tommy Fleetwood will start his first round at 09:10, paired with Shane Lowry from Ireland and Nacho Elvira from Spain. Their second round will start at 14:00

Scottish golfer Stephen Gallacher will begin his first round at 08:40, paired with South Korean Sung-hoon Kang and Austrian Matthias Schwab. Their second round will start at 13:30.

Richie Ramsay, another Scottish player, will tee off at 08:40 in the first round with German Yannik Paul and Spanish Jose Luis Ballester. The group will start their second round at 13:30.

Ewen Ferguson from Scotland will join Spaniard Adri Arnaus and English Alex Fitzpatrick, beginning their first round at 09:20 and their second round at 14:10.

Marc Warren from Scotland will tee off at 10:20 alongside Norwegian Kristian Krogh Johannessen and Carlos Sanchez Molina from Spain. Their second round is scheduled for 15:10.

Player Nationality Round 1 Time Round 2 Time Playing Partners Nationalities
Stephen Gallacher SCO 08:40 13:30 Sung-hoon Kang, Matthias Schwab KOR, AUT
Richie Ramsay SCO 08:40 13:30 Yannik Paul, Jose Luis Ballester GER, ESP
Tyrrell Hatton ENG 09:00 13:50 Matteo Manassero, Jorge Campillo ITA, ESP
Ewen Ferguson SCO 09:20 14:10 Adri Arnaus, Alex Fitzpatrick ESP, ENG
Marc Warren SCO 10:20 15:10 Kristian Krogh Johannessen, Carlos Sanchez Molina NOR, ESP
Tommy Fleetwood ENG 09:10 14:00 Shane Lowry, Nacho Elvira IRL, ESP
DP World Tour Tee Times
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European Tour

Rory McIlroy and the Next Narrow Defeat: “Golf Tests My Resilience”

Rory McIlroy with another close second at the BMW PGA Championship. (Image: getty)
Rory McIlroy with another close second at the BMW PGA Championship. (Image: getty)

Just missed is also over: Rory McIlroy’s year of missed successes continued at the DP Word Tour’s flagship tournament in Wentworth. “The game is testing my resilience right now,” said the Northern Irishman after losing the play-off at the BMW PGA Championship to Billy Horschel, who had success over the regular distance on his hands when his ball rolled just millimetres past a winning hole-out eagle on the 72nd hole.

The BMW PGA Championship leaderboard

Rory McIlroy: “I’m Playing Well”

“It’s golf and I’m playing well,” McIlroy tried to maintain a stoic attitude: ”These things just happen. The game is challenging me a bit more than it has in the past, but that’s fine. If you look at my career as a 30-year journey, this is just one year in that journey. And anyway, there have certainly been years where I’ve felt worse.” However, the 35-year-old also admitted that he had become too accustomed to disappointment. No wonder, given the missed chances at the US Open, the Olympic Games and a week ago Sunday at the Irish Open home event at Royal County Down. McIlroy: “There are still quite a few years left on my journey and sooner or later the tide will turn if I keep playing like this.” The next opportunity will come at the Dunhill Links Championship; and in any case, everything looks as if “Rors” will secure the DP World Tour Order of Merit again at the end of the season – for the sixth time.