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Martin Kaymer: Wedding Celebration with Irene Scholz in the Alps

Martin Kaymer celebrated his wedding to Irene Scholz in style at the weekend. The couple had already married in a small civil ceremony in October 2022, but this was followed by a lavish celebration. The couple, who became parents to little Sam for the first time at the beginning of 2022, spent the special day with family, friends and some of Kaymer’s golfing colleagues.

 
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Ein Beitrag geteilt von Irène Kaymer (@_irenescholz_)

Martin Kaymer’s Wedding Celebration

Martin Kaymer and his wife Irene Scholz celebrated their civil wedding in Wiesbaden in October 2022 two years later. Back then, the former world number one and the sports scientist tied the knot in a very intimate setting. Both had already planned to make up for their big celebration with the most important people who had accompanied them on their journey so far. Last weekend provided the perfect opportunity to realise these plans.

The celebration took place in a breathtaking mountain setting at the exclusive Schloss Elmau. The German golf pro and his wife invited friends and family to a special weekend in the stunning Bavarian Alps to celebrate their love for each other.

 
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Ein Beitrag geteilt von Irène Kaymer (@_irenescholz_)

Her little son Sam, who was born in January 2022, was also there and was included in the celebrations. Irene Scholz shared her joy on social media that her son was able to take on this special role and humorously wrote that Sam was allowed to ‘bring the rings’ this time. In the posts, the couple were visibly moved and grateful for the celebrations and the people who took part.

Celebrity guests and team colleagues at the ceremony

In addition to close friends and the couple’s family, some familiar faces from the world of golf were also in attendance. Kaymer’s LIV Golf team-mate Adrian Meronk was among the guests and shared impressions of the celebration on his social media. Other personalities such as Leanne Hainsby and Benjamin Alldis were also present at the event. The celebration was accompanied by congratulations and warm comments from the golf world.

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Panorama Reports

The Logo: Lawsuit Against Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red

Legal dispute: Tiger Woods is in trouble with his new outfit label Sun Day Red. The company Tigeraire from Baton Rouge/Louisiana has filed a trademark lawsuit against the 15-time major winner, Sun Day Red and the outfit manufacturer TaylorMade.

Tiger Woods’ Logo is Claimed to Confuse Consumers

According to Tigeraire, which manufactures cooling systems for the sports sector, such as ventilation systems for football helmets, the trademark, which has existed since 2020, is being blatantly ignored, protected trademark rights and brand identity are being infringed and consumer confusion is being created: the application to register Sun Day Red’s trademark must therefore be rejected. Tigeraire refers to the similarities and likelihood of confusion between the logos of the two companies, which each show a stylised tiger. David Abeles, CEO of TaylorMade, commented on the process: ‘We have full confidence in the protection of our brand.’

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Fun Panorama

Filming for Happy Gilmore 2: Adam Sandler in a Bathrobe and With a Golf Bag

Insight: A few weeks ago, production began on the long-awaited sequel to the golfing comedy Happy Gilmore; filming is mainly taking place in New York. And so it can happen that you open your front door in the morning and witness lead actor Adam Sandler shuffling around in his bathrobe, lugging a golf bag with him. This is exactly what happened to ‘TikTok’ user Ariana Hailand, who of course immediately shared this very special sighting with the world:

@arianahailand The nicest guy in Hollywood is now the nicest guy in Jersey #AdamSandler #HappyGilmore2 #HappyMadison #Netflix #fyp #NewJersey ♬ Good Day – Nappy Roots

Happy Gilmore 2 Will Be Distributed by Netflix

Some time ago, Christopher McDonald aka Shooter McGavin revealed that Sandler was working on part 2 of Happy Gilmore, and Netflix confirmed this a little later. It is still not known when the film will be finished and aired. But all fans waiting for the continuation of the duel between Gilmore and McGavin can rejoice: it continues just as weirdly.

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Panorama

Jon Rahm Announces Birth of Third Child

Professional golfer Jon Rahm’s third child has been born. Rahm was therefore able to compete in his first DP World Tour tournament of the season.

Birth causes a slight change in plans

After Jon Rahm was unable to take part in the LIV Golf Team Championship last week due to ‘severe flu symptoms’, according to LIV Golf, his participation in this week’s acciona Open de España was uncertain as well. In fact, Rahm’s arrival was delayed by one day: instead of arriving at the Club de Campo Villa in Madrid on Tuesday as planned, he arrived on Wednesday and thus missed the Pro-Am tournament. However, the reason for his delay appears to be a happy one: The Spanish newspaper ‘Marca’ reports that his wife Kelley Cahill gave birth to their third child a day earlier, on Tuesday.

The couple announced the pregnancy on Instagram in March 2024. The post shows Rahm and his wife Kelley holding their two sons, Kepa (3) and Eneko (2), in their arms. Rahm wrote ‘Officially moving to zone defense, baby Rahm #3 coming soon!’.

 
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Ein Beitrag geteilt von Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@jonrahm)

At an Open Championship 2024 press conference in July, Rahm hinted at complications with the pregnancy, but did not elaborate.

Now the new baby is born and Rahm is competing at the Open de España with the aim of reclaiming his title. The 2018, 2019 and 2022 winner has the chance to win the trophy in his home country for the fourth time this week.

Jon Rahm’s participation relevant for Ryder Cup eligibility

Rahm’s participation in the DP World Tour tournament is also important for his potential Ryder Cup participation in 2025: only European players who are members of the DP World Tour can represent Europe in the Ryder Cup. The prerequisite for membership is playing at least four DP World Tour tournaments.

After Rahm switched to the LIV Tour in December 2023, he no longer took part in any DP World Tour tournaments. As the Olympic golf tournament also counts, the Open de España is Rahm’s second of four necessary tournaments. Next week he is on the list of participants at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland and in October he would like to play the Andalucía Masters in Spain.

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Panorama

Mini Golf Showdown: Justin Rose vs. Billy Horschel in an Epic Duell

Justin Rose and Billy Horschel, two of the biggest names in golf, met at the first DP World Mini Golf Invitational. But instead of the big golf courses, a completely different terrain awaited them: the 8-hole jungle course at Bear Mountain Adventure Golf in London. This unique event promised not only fun, but also exciting challenges for the two professionals.

Golf Professionals in Miniature – A Duel of the Highest Class

Although the tournament looked like a casual game of fun at first glance, the ambition of the two professionals seemed unbroken. “There’s nothing mini about my game” joked Rose before the duel, while Horschel emphasized: “To win big, you have to think mini”. These humorous remarks made it clear that both players were prepared to give their all to win their first mini golf title. The event was not only an opportunity to put their skills to the test, but also a chance to celebrate their sporting rivalry in an unusual setting.

Precision and Strategy on the Mini Golf Course

The course put the golf stars to a completely new test. Winding fairways, tricky obstacles and heated discussions with their caddies ensured a mixture of laughter and concentration. The jungle course not only demanded precise putting, but also strategic thinking to find the best solutions to each challenge. Horschel, who jokingly referred to the tournament as “the fifth major”, took the competition with a good dose of humor, but also with ambition.

In the end, Billy Horschel triumphed and not only secured victory in mini golf, but also crowned a historic week. After his victory at the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth, he added another extraordinary title to his collection. The battle for the mini golf crown was fierce, but Horschel eventually prevailed and won the inaugural DP World Mini Golf Invitational.

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Panorama

R&A: Golf Participation Continues to Enjoy Growth

The R&A today announced new participation figures that show an increase of more than three million adult golfers playing the sport.

According to new research undertaken for the governing body, there are now 42.7 million on-course golfers (9 and 18-hole) in R&A affiliated markets (outside the USA and Mexico).

The research figures for 2023 indicate a growth of 3.1 million on-course golfers since 2022. The growth trend began before the onset of Covid-19 and is now accelerating faster than the 2020-2022 pandemic period when there was an average of 2.5 million new on-course golfers per annum. The sport continues to increase in popularity, now up 44% from 29.6 million on-course players in 2016.

The new data is provided by national federations in The R&A’s affiliated markets in Asia, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania.

R&A: Global Surge in On-Course Golfers

The research also shows that 62.3 million adults (outside the USA and Mexico) consume the sport in some format, an increase of 1.1 million since 2022. It is just the second time an estimate has been made beyond on-course activity to include alternative-only formats, such as pitch & putt, indoor simulator golf and driving range use.

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “Golf’s popularity continues to grow with a significant increase in the number of people playing the sport both on and off the course.

“There are now 13 million more golfers playing on the course since 2016 in R&A affiliated markets, while there are also millions of others enjoying alternative formats of golf, such as driving ranges, adventure golf and simulator golf, which are vital to the growth of the sport.

“New golfer participation programmes with appealing propositions, promotion and imagery are important for encouraging more people into the sport and retaining them in greater numbers. This is why we continue to work collaboratively with our affiliated national federations and stakeholders to build on this momentum and ensure golf continues to thrive.”

The top five on-course adult golfer markets overall reported are in: Japan (11.4 million), Republic of Korea (8.7 million), Canada (6.3 million), England (4.2 million) and Germany (2.4 million).

Women’s Participation on the Rise

Asia is the leading region for people engaging with golf among R&A affiliated regions, with total adult engagement in golf of 26.2 million. Europe is next highest with 19.7 million adults having some form of golf engagement.

The number of adult registered golfers (those members of a golf club within their national association or affiliated through a direct subscription) increased from 8 million in 2022 to 8.2 million in 2023, with an overall growth of 10% since 2020. Registered women golfers have grown from 1.5 million in 2020 to 1.6 million in 2023.

There was a decrease in those adults who only played formats other than 9 or 18-hole golf  – 21.6 million in 2022 to 19.6 million in 2023 – but this is likely to positively reflect on those moving instead to full-length on-course golf. The percentage of golfers only using alternative formats that are women did grow from 47% in 2022 to 52% in 2023, specifically in key golfing markets.

The R&A is continuing its commitment to invest £200 million over ten years (2017-2026) in developing golf, including sustained work to encourage participation through various initiatives.

(Text: The R&A)

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Fun

DP World Tour Crazy Hole in One Challenge With Tom Holland

Actor Tom Holland and his brothers can almost be considered regulars at the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am. Last year, they took part in the first celebrity version of the DP World Tour’s ‘Chase The Ace’ challenge and want to give it another go this year.

Tom Holland and his brothers face “Chace the Ace” again

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Panorama

Barack Obama Visits the USA Solheim Cup Team

The Solheim Cup week has a special surprise in store for the US team: former US President Barack Obama, himself a passionate golfer, paid the team a visit in Washington D.C. on Monday evening. During a dinner together, Obama expressed his support for the players and even shared some insights about the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, where the Solheim Cup is being held this year. The 44th President of the United States has been a member of the club since 2017.

Barack Obama at the Solheim Cup 2024

Barack Obama left a lasting impression on the players, including stars such as Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Lexi Thompson. Nelly Korda, currently ranked number one in the world, was particularly impressed: “He knew all our names and congratulated us on our successes. That was really something special.” Megan Khang, also part of the team, emphasized: “It was incredible that he took the time to meet us. It shows how much he cares about golf.”

 
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This year is a very special Solheim Cup for the US team. After defeats in 2019 and 2021 and a draw in 2023, in which the Europeans retained the trophy, the team’s motivation to settle scores is greater than ever. Obama seems to have given the team exactly the motivation they need to stand up to the Europeans this year. Alison Lee, whose nine years between Solheim Cup appearances is the longest break in US team history, said Obama’s visit showed the power of golf, which she believes no other sport can offer. “It just shows how much golf brings people together,” Lee said ahead of her second appearance at the Solheim Cup. “Meeting him in person after only seeing him on TV before – as our former president – and seeing him connect with us was incredible. That’s something that only golf can make possible.” Whether Obama’s visit and his motivational words will lead the US team to victory remains to be seen.

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Panorama

Full Swing: Netflix Confirms Third Season for 2025

The successful golf documentary “Full Swing” will return to Netflix in 2025 for its third season. After two gripping seasons offering insights behind the scenes of professional golf, fans can once again look forward to dramatic twists and thrilling moments in the upcoming season.

What the third season of “Full Swing” might bring 

Although the themes of the new season have not yet been officially confirmed, speculation is already rife about which major storylines from the 2024 season might make their way into the series. Among the potential highlights are Bryson DeChambeau’s triumphant victory over Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open and Rickie Fowler’s remarkable comeback. Xander Schauffele, who clinched two major championships in 2024, is also expected to play a central role.

The series will likely cover stories beyond the tournaments as well—such as the much-discussed arrest of Scottie Scheffler during the PGA Championship or Nick Dunlap’s sensational victory as an amateur. Netflix’s camera crews are known for delving deeply into the private lives of golfers, so viewers can expect to see both the personal highs and lows of the sport’s biggest stars.

Looking back: The dramas of the first two seasons 

Since its debut in February 2023, “Full Swing” has offered viewers exclusive glimpses into the lives of the biggest names in golf. The first season followed stars like Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka through a year marked by the rivalry between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The cameras captured the drama as well-known players such as Ian Poulter and Brooks Koepka made the controversial switch to the Saudi-backed LIV Tour, while others, like McIlroy, stood firm in defending the traditional PGA Tour.

The second season, which premiered in March 2024, focused heavily on the historic merger between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the uncertainties that this alliance brought with it. The 2023 Ryder Cup, held in Rome, was also documented closely as the world’s top players vied for a spot on their respective teams.

Netflix hits the mark with “Full Swing”

 Since the launch of “Full Swing” in 2023, the series has not only captivated golf fans but has also boosted the PGA Tour’s viewership. According to a Nielsen Media Research analysis, interest in golf spiked significantly after the release of the first season. Notably, newcomers who had previously never followed golf broadcasts began tuning in to live tournaments after watching the series.

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Panorama

Andy Murray: From Tennis Star to Golfer

New golfer: Andy Murray has won three Grand Slam tournaments, two of them in the tennis mecca of Wimbledon (2013, 2016). The Brit was ranked number one in the world tennis rankings for 41 weeks from November 2016 and is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in singles (2012, 2016). After his quarter-final exit in the Olympic doubles at the Paris Games, Murray finally ended his great career a few weeks ago. And what does someone like him do now in sport? The question is answered when you take a look at his CV, where his place of birth is Glasgow. So it’s no wonder that the Scot is now turning to the traditional sport of his homeland. Murray announced it on his social media pages. “I played tennis. I now play golf,” he wrote under his profile photo. And the goal of Murray is also clear: scratch.

Andy Murray is not the only tennis star, who is an avid golfer

Andy Murrays former rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are also known to be avid golfers. Djokovic, who won a gold medal in Paris this year, competed in the All-Star match at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.