Category: Professionals

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Professionals

Phil Mickelson: Brother Tim announces retirement as caddie

Tim Mickelson, Phil Mickelson's brother, is stepping down from his big brother's bag after eight years. (Source: Getty)
Tim Mickelson, Phil Mickelson's brother, is stepping down from his big brother's bag after eight years. (Source: Getty)

Phil Mickelson, six-time major winner and current LIV golfer, has to look for a new caddie. After an eight-year era at the 53-year-old’s bag, Phil’s brother Tim announced his retirement from active caddie duties on March 26.

Tim Mickelson no longer caddies for brother Phil

Phil Mickelson shared the news on social media, paying tribute to his brother for the many great experiences they had together. In a post on social media, Mickelson expressed his gratitude for their time together and emphasized how special it was for him to be able to share these successes with his brother. “There have been many great moments in my career, and to be able to share them with my brother Tim was overwhelming,” Mickelson wrote. “I’ve been fortunate to have him by my side as my caddie for the last eight years and to know him as my brother for life. So much has changed since he was single and we worked together. He has found his life partner, Maranda, they have had their second son and hopefully their family will continue to grow. Even though Tim is retiring from being a caddie, I will always remember the many great moments on the golf course and look forward to many more special moments off the course.”

Tim Mickelson, who is now 46, took over the role as his brother’s caddie two years after he stepped down as head coach of the men’s golf team at Arizona State University. During his time as his brother’s caddie, Tim was instrumental in helping Phil Mickelson win three PGA Tour titles, including the 2021 PGA Championship, which gave Mickelson his sixth major title and the record as the oldest major winner of all time.

Has Phil Mickelson already found a new caddie?

As for the succession on Mickelson’s bag, Golfweek reported that Jon Yarbrough, who caddied for Scott Stallings for nearly a decade, would start alongside Mickelson next week at the LIV Golf event at Trump Doral in Florida. Stallings confirmed that Yarbrough was no longer working with him, saying in a post on social media Tuesday directed at Yarbrough: “You made me better as a player inside the ropes and as a man outside the ropes. Thank you for everything.”

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Professionals

Restart after stadium disaster: TGL unveils new start date

The Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) is scheduled to start on January 07, 2025. (Source: Instagram @tmrwsports)
The Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) is scheduled to start on January 07, 2025. (Source: Instagram @tmrwsports)

In November 2024, a fault in the temporary power system and the backup systems caused the dome of the SoFi Center to collapse, forcing the organizers around Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to postpone the originally planned start on the 9th of January 2024. The Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) has now published the new start date.

TGL starts in January 2025

One year late, the indoor golf league is set to kick off on January 7, 2025. “In planning the launch of TGL presented by SoFi in 2025, we have now marked the first three Tuesdays in January to introduce sports fans to this new form of team golf,” explained Mike McCarley, co-founder of TMRW Sports with Woods and McIlroy. “January is a great time of year for fans looking for prime-time sporting events, and the launch of TGL will complement the start of the PGA Tour season and capitalize on ESPN’s advertising machine as part of their coverage of the NFL and college football playoffs,” McCarley continued.

Six teams are currently confirmed. Atlanta Drive GC, Boston Common Golf, Jupiter Links Golf Club, Los Angeles Golf Club, TGL New York and TGL San Francisco. However, only Atlanta Drive and LAGC have full four-man squads so far. The TGL Golf squad as a whole underwent something of an upheaval at the start of 2024 when Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf. Hatton was previously a member of McIlroy’s Team Boston Common before joining the Saudi Arabia-funded circuit.

How the indoor golf league works

The Tomorrow Golf League presents an innovative format that challenges the traditional rules of golf. Each event of the season is divided into two sessions, with only three of the four players on a team competing. First, they compete in “Triples”, a 3-on-3 competition over nine holes. This is followed by the “Singles”, in which three duels are played over six holes, with each player on their team playing two holes. If no decision is made, it goes into “overtime”, where the aim is to place the ball closest to the flag. The team that gets two of the three balls closer to the target wins the overtime. In addition, each player wears a microphone during the tournament.

The scoring system is similar to that of ice hockey: a win in regulation time, i.e. the triples and singles, earns a team two points, while the losing team receives none. If the game goes into overtime, the losing team receives an extra point. The regular season consists of 15 events, after which the four best teams advance to the playoffs. These include two semi-finals, which are decided after one game, and a final in a best-of-3 format.

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Professionals

Charlie Woods: Behavior of fans determines pre-qualifier in Florida

Charlie Woods had a complicated day in his attempt to qualify for the Cognizant Classic. (Photo: Getty)
Charlie Woods had a complicated day in his attempt to qualify for the Cognizant Classic. (Photo: Getty)

Attempting to secure a spot in the upcoming Cognizant Classic, the 15-year-old prodigy, son of golf legend Tiger Woods, found himself amidst unwanted attention during his qualifying round at the Lake Golf Club. While Tiger was absent, Charlie was accompanied by his mother, Elin Nordegren, for support, but what unfolded was a challenging day for the young golfer.

Charlie Woods: Complicated day for the teenager

Struggling with his drives and frequently searching for his ball in the rough, Charlie started his round with two early bogeys and compounded his difficulties with a double-bogey on the 5th hole. The real challenge came at the par-4 7th hole, where he endured a tough stretch, requiring twelve strokes to complete the hole. However, he showed resilience, bouncing back with six consecutive pars on the following holes, finishing the round with a score of 86.

Yet, it wasn’t just Charlie’s performance that garnered attention on that Thursday in Florida. The absence of ropes typically used to delineate spectator areas led to some fans encroaching upon the young golfer. Reports from “Golfweek” highlighted instances where fans approached Charlie, with one audaciously requesting his signature on his father’s book, “How I Play Golf.” When officials intervened, the response was brazen: “I live here.” Such incidents persisted throughout Charlie’s round, disrupting his focus before he ultimately left the course. However, amidst the chaos, his playing partner, Olin Brown Jr., son of three-time PGA Tour winner Olin Browne, provided unwavering support, encouraging Charlie throughout the round.

Tiger Woods’ son takes his first steps with the big boys

While a qualification for the Cognizant Classic 2024 seemed remote, Charlie’s ability to bounce back from setbacks showcased his resilience. Even if he had managed to secure a top-five finish or a tie at the Pre-Qualifier, success in the subsequent Monday Qualifier would have been necessary for entry into the main event. Nonetheless, the experience gained from participating in such a high-stakes event will undoubtedly prove invaluable for Charlie as he continues to pursue his dreams on the PGA Tour.

In conclusion, while the focus should have been on Charlie Woods’ journey and his aspirations in the world of professional golf, the unfortunate behavior of a minority of fans served as a stark reminder of the challenges young athletes like him face on their path to greatness. Despite the distractions, Charlie’s determination and talent shine through, hinting at a promising future in the sport.

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Professionals

Legends Tour: Biggest schedule and record prizepool

The Legends Tour has unveiled plans for a record-breaking 2024 season (Source: Getty)
The Legends Tour has unveiled plans for a record-breaking 2024 season (Source: Getty)

Running from April to December, this year’s globetrotting schedule will feature 20 events – featuring new tournaments set to debut in Barbados, Kenya, Mexico, Spain, the UK and Zambia, with even more additions still to be announced. They join Legends Tour staples such as the flagship Staysure PGA Seniors Championship – which will return to Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen following the success of last year’s event – and the Irish Legends at Seapoint Golf Links.

Many of the Legends Tour’s brightest stars will be eyeing up Major victory in 2024 at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores Golf Club, the US Senior Open at Newport Country Club and The Senior Open presented by Rolex at Carnoustie Golf Links. The season will culminate with the MCB Tour Championship Mauritius at Constance Belle Mare Plage, where qualifying players will contest for the John Jacobs Trophy, which was won in 2023 by former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker.

Largest prize pool in Legends Tour history

As well as the tournament silverware, some of golf’s biggest names will also be competing for the largest prize pool in Legends Tour history. The €18 million (more than €8.6 million of which will be assigned outside of the Majors of senior men’s golf – the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, the US Senior Open and The Senior Open presented by Rolex) represents a 100 per cent increase since the tour returned to a full schedule in 2022 following the Covid pandemic, with $2 million to play for in the final two events on the Road to Mauritius and a bonus pool of $100,000 for the top five players in the final standings.

Complementing the drama of the professional events will be the unique Celebrity Pro-Am, which sees stars from the world of sport and entertainment competing to raise money and awareness for their chosen charities. Meanwhile, passionate amateurs can tee off alongside their heroes in the Legends Experience, the tour’s one-of-a-kind pro-am experience.

Legends Tour on the rise

The announcement suggests the global growth of the Legends Tour – which hit new heights in 2023 – is set to continue. At the end of the season, the brand announced record figures for amateur participation, spectators and social media engagement, with the latter taking total reach across all channels to over 100 million people for the first time. In November, the inaugural Vinpearl DIC Legends Vietnam – the competition’s first foray into Vietnam – embodied the expansion into new markets, including Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Central America, that has characterized the Legends Tour’s first three years.

Phil Harrison, CEO of the Legends Tour, said: “We have been working hard behind the scenes, and 2024 promises to be another incredible year for the Legends Tour. “Securing new events in some truly spectacular venues around the world is always a key objective of ours, and we are thrilled with the additions to the schedule for this season, as well as the prestigious venues we are honored to return to. “Everything – from the standard of competition to the number of amateurs getting involved – has been growing year on year, and this year will be no exception. We cannot wait to see it all unfold.”

(Text: The Azalea Group)

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Professionals

Race to Dubai Rankings: McIlroy on Top – Fleetwood best Englishman

Rory McIlroy remains on top of the Race To Dubai ranking - Tommy Fleetwood is the best English golfer. (Photos: Getty)
Rory McIlroy remains on top of the Race To Dubai ranking - Tommy Fleetwood is the best English golfer. (Photos: Getty)

The DP World Tour’s prestigious Race to Dubai continues to garner worldwide attention as players vie for supremacy. We’ve witnessed the first month of tournaments shaping up the leaderboard, with each event contributing crucial points towards the ultimate ranking. Even though Rory McIlroy did not play the last two DP World Tour events, he remains in his top position in the current Race to Dubai ranking. Notably, England has made a substantial representation with 22 players within the top 120, indicating the depth and quality of English golfers on tour.

Race To Dubai: The best English Golfers

Delving into the specifics, we observe the top English talents making their mark in the Race to Dubai standings. The highest-ranked player from England is Tommy Fleetwood, currently holding the 9th spot with 625.6 points, having played 2 events this season, including a significant win at the Dubai Invitational, the first event of the new year. Trailing him are Laurie Canter and Callum Shinkwin, placed 13th and 22nd respectively. Canter has accumulated 479.15 points from 5 events, while Shinkwin has garnered 263.4 points across 4 tournaments, showing a significant English presence in the Race To Dubai ranking. Alex Fitzpatrick at 28 and Dan Bradbury at 29 complete the English quintet in the Top 30 of the ranking.

The Top Players of the Race To Dubai

At the pinnacle of the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy shines as the leader with a commendable 1596 points from 2 events, including a victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Close on his heels is Adrian Meronk in second place with 1023.4 points from 4 events, followed by Joaquin Niemann in third with 966.73 points from 3 events, including a win. The ranking continues with Zander Lombard at fourth, accruing 726.59 points from 7 tournaments, and Rikuya Hoshino completing the top-5 cadre with 715.35 points from 5 events, demonstrating the global competition’s intensity and the fierce quest to be crowned the Race to Dubai champion.

How the DP World Tour Race to Dubai works

The Race to Dubai is the season ranking of the DP World Tour (former European Tour). The top 60 players in the Race to Dubai ranking are allowed to take part in the final play-off tournament of the former European Tour at the end of the season. The season ranking also determines who is allowed to play on the DP World Tour the following year. At each tournament, the players who make the cut collect points. The total number of points awarded at a tournament depends on the value of the event. Major tournaments earn the most points. For winning a DP World Tour tournament, the winner receives at least 460 points and a good 300,000 euros.

Text is written with the help of AI

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Professionals

Adrian Meronk Rumored to Move to LIV Golf League

Adrian Meronk looks set for a move to the LIV Golf League. (Source: Getty)
Adrian Meronk looks set for a move to the LIV Golf League. (Source: Getty)

Just recently, Adrian Meronk was named Player of the Year by his DP World Tour peers, but now the Polish golfer appears to be considering a move to the LIV Golf League. Meronk, who recently became a full-fledged member of the PGA Tour, is absent from the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, officially citing health reasons. However, speculations quickly arose linking his absence to a potential impending transfer.

Adrian Meronk set to join the Cleeks

Despite improving his world ranking to 39th after a strong performance in Dubai and securing a second-place finish at the Dubai Desert Classic, it seems the 30-year-old has made the decision to explore new opportunities. Initially reported by The Times in London, there are now numerous corroborating reports confirming Meronk’s imminent joining of Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks team. The Cleeks had a disappointing season on the LIV Tour, leading to the non-renewal of contracts with Bernd Wiesberger and Graeme McDowell. With the potential addition of Adrian Meronk, Team Captain Kaymer seems to have found a prominent player to fill one of the two vacant positions. A move to LIV Golf would likely result in Meronk being suspended from the PGA Tour before officially playing a round as a tour member.

However, Meronk isn’t the only player considering a move to LIV Golf. Rumors suggest that Tyrrell Hatton, ranked 16th in the world, might also be contemplating joining the LIV Golf League. Although Hatton emphasized his commitment to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour last weekend in Dubai, LIV Golf seems to have renewed interest in the Ryder Cup player. An insider revealed that a deal with Hatton, strengthening Jon Rahm’s team, is imminent but not officially confirmed.

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Equipment Professionals

Tom McKibbin joins Team Callaway

Tom McKibbin signs with Callaway. (Photo: Callaway)
Tom McKibbin signs with Callaway. (Photo: Callaway)

Callaway today announced the signing of exciting young Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin as a new Staff Professional.

A winner on the DP World Tour after just 26 starts, the 21-year-old Northern Irish golf prodigy claimed his breakthrough victory at last year’s Porsche European Open in Germany, and will play a full complement of Callaway and Odyssey equipment, including the new Chrome Tour Golf Ball.

Tom made an incredible start to his golfing career at a very young age. He captured the Junior Honda Classic title in his age group when he was just 12-years-old, and among his many other amateur accolades, at just 16-years-old, was one of the youngest ever players to represent Ireland at the 2019 Home Internationals.

In 2019, his US success continued when he won the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club in South Carolina.

Prior to turning professional in 2021, Tom represented Ireland at the 2018 and 2019 European Boys’ Team Championship and played for Great Britain & Ireland in the Jacques Léglise Trophy the same years.

He will compete in his first DP World Tour tournament as a #TeamCallaway staffer at the Dubai Invitational, which begins this week.

Commenting on this important new signing, Peter Harrison, Director of Tour Relations, Callaway Golf EMEA, said: “Tom is an exciting prospect in the world of professional golf – already a proven winner – and we are proud to have yet another young star of the future join our Callaway and Odyssey families, representing us on the biggest stage.”

Tom added: “I’ve been testing new Callaway and Odyssey products with the Tour team over the winter and I can’t wait to put my new equipment into competitive play. I’ve been a long-time fan of Callaway equipment and I’m confident I can take a big step forwards in my career using their clubs and golf ball.”

Text by Callaway Golf

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Professionals

Martin Slumbers to step down from The R&A by the end of 2024

Martin Slumbers is stepping down as CEO of the R&A at the end of the year. (Photo: R&A)
Martin Slumbers is stepping down as CEO of the R&A at the end of the year. (Photo: R&A)

Martin Slumbers will step down from his role as CEO of the R&A and Secretary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews at the end of 2024. Mr Slumbers, 63, brought his extensive global business experience and a passion for golf to the organisation. He has led The R&A as the global governing body of golf around the world (outside the US and Mexico) and as Secretary of the iconic golf club, which dates from 1754, he has supported its committees in serving its international membership.

Slumbers’ eventful last year and his legacy

Martin Slumbers will oversee The 152nd Open at Royal Troon, the return of the AIG Women’s Open to St Andrews and the 43rd Curtis Cup match at Sunningdale before relinquishing his role by the end of the year.

Niall Farquharson, Chairman of The R&A said, “In Martin, we have been fortunate to have a CEO who has steered the organisation through a period of growth and enhanced the profile and reputation of our sport to make it more accessible, appealing and inclusive.  Through his stature and influence in the world of golf and sport more widely and in growing the proceeds of The Open to invest back into the game, he has been true to The R&A’s purpose of golf thriving 50 years from now and has shown transformational leadership.  He speaks often of reflecting history in a modern way and that will be his legacy to The R&A and to the Club.”

Martin Slumbers said, “It has been a privilege to serve golf at the highest level. It is a role that I have been proud to carry out on behalf of The R&A’s employees, the members of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club and all our global partners. In any career, there is a time to allow the next generation to have its turn. I am grateful to have had the honour, for nearly a decade, to have been the custodian of all that The R&A and the game of golf more broadly represents.“

During his tenure, Mr Slumbers has led a modernisation of The R&A’s activities, which included the merger with the Ladies’ Golf Union and its subsequent integration to enable The R&A to represent golf for men, women, boys and girls at the elite level.

In 2018, as part of his strategic approach to The R&A’s activities, its first Playbook was developed, explaining the purpose of the modern R&A: ‘To make golf open, accessible and inclusive and ensure it is thriving 50 years from now’. This level of clarity has led The R&A to double its financial commitment to golf, with greater emphasis on women and girls; establish a strategic business-driven approach to golf development; and proactively seek to improve the perception of golf as good for you, good for society and good for the environment.

He had oversight of the 2019 modernisation of the Rules of Golf, the roll-out of the World Handicap System in 2020 and the Distance Insights process, the outcome of which was announced in December 2023. He has served on the boards of the Official World Golf Ranking, the International Golf Federation and the LET.

A paradigm shift in the approach to the commercial affairs of The R&A, primarily at The Open, and the level of expertise in the executive team has enabled The R&A to substantially increase its investment into amateur golf around the world and, with partners, has enabled the AIG Women’s Open to grow into a world class championship.

In 2023, Mr Slumbers delivered a four-year project to create the ground-breaking new golf facility, Golf It!, in Glasgow. This family-centred facility based in the community creates an opportunity for more people to enjoy the unbound joy of golf and for members of the local community to gain work, volunteering and training opportunities. 2023 also saw the launch of the G4D Open for the world’s most talented golfers with disabilities and in 2024 a new Africa Amateur Championship will join elite amateur events in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. These include the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific championship and the Women’s Amateur Latin America championship, both introduced by Mr Slumbers.

Text by R&A Media

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Professionals

World Golf Ranking: Slow start to the year for UK-Players

The UK players around Fleetwood and Hatton did not get off to a good start in the new year. (Photos: Getty)
The UK players around Fleetwood and Hatton did not get off to a good start in the new year. (Photos: Getty)

In the current World Golf Ranking, Scottie Scheffler from the USA remains at the pinnacle holding the first position, consistent with the previous week’s standing. Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland also retains his second place, being the highest-ranked UK-Player in the list. McIlroy starts the new calendar year this week at the Dubai Invitational. The UK-Players did not get off to a good start in the new year.

To the complete World Golf Ranking

No changes in the Top Ten of the World Golf Ranking

Moving to the other elite players from the UK, Matt Fitzpatrick from England stays at number 8 in the World Golf Ranking, maintaining his previous week’s spot. However, there has been a negative shift for two English golfers; Tyrrell Hatton slides to 14th from 12th, and Tommy Fleetwood falls to 15th from 14th position in the rankings. Both players took part in the first tournament on the PGA Tour this year, The Sentry.

The third rank in the World Golf Ranking is still held by Jon Rahm from Spain, who retains his position from last week. Similarly, Viktor Hovland from Norway and Patrick Cantlay from the USA remain unchanged in their fourth and fifth positions respectively.

Beyond the top three, within the players ranking from fourth to tenth in the World Golf Ranking, all individuals have maintained their standings from the previous week. Xander Schauffele (6th), Max Homa (7th), Brian Harman (9th), and Wyndham Clark (10th) have all remained static in their respective rankings, emphasizing a period of equilibrium within the top tiers of professional golf.

Besides Hatton and Fleetwood also Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre fall down in the World Golf Ranking, marking a tough start for the UK-Players.

This text was written with the help of AI

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Professionals

Scheffler Leads World Golf Ranking – Morikawa approaches Top Ten

The US golfing elite were in attendance at the PGA Tour's annual season opener. Scottie Scheffler and Morikawa lost out to Chris Kirk. (Photos: Getty)
The US golfing elite were in attendance at the PGA Tour's annual season opener. Scottie Scheffler and Morikawa lost out to Chris Kirk. (Photos: Getty)

The PGA Tour kicked off the 2024 calendar year with The Sentry. Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay maintain their first and fifth positions respectively in the World Golf Ranking. Holding firm at the top, Scheffler continues to exhibit consistency, while Cantlay remains a key figure among the elite. With no positional change this week, they represent stability for the American contingent atop the rankings.

To the complete World Golf Ranking

Top Ten starts the year with no changes

Xander Schauffele (6), Max Homa (7), and Brian Harman (9) round out the top five American golfers in the World Golf Ranking. Each retaining their previous week’s standing, they contribute to the United States’ dominance within the top echelons. Furthermore, Wyndham Clark holds the tenth spot.

Rory McIlroy remains in second place, Jon Rahm in third. The stability at the top tier is apparent, with Viktor Hovland also keeping his fourth ranking. Matt Fitzpatrick (8), representing England, and other prominent golfers from varying nationalities, contribute to the rich diversity within these ranks.

Collin Morikawa, having risen from thirteenth to eleventh, displays a positive shift for American golf in the World Golf Ranking. The 26-year-old finished in a tie for fifth place at The Sentry on the PGA Tour and is knocking on the door of the Top Ten. Tournament winner Chris Kirk and runner-up Sahith Theegala also climb up the World Golf Ranking. While Kirk improves from 52nd to 25th place, Theegala jumps from 32nd to 20th.

This text was written with the help of AI