Categories
Ladies Tours

Defaulting payer: LPGA Tour cancels tournament

Fir Hills LPGA event canceled. (Image: Getty)
Fir Hills LPGA event canceled. (Image: Getty)

The LPGA Tour has canceled the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship (March 20-23) at Palos Verdes Golf Club near Los Angeles, the sixth tournament on the circuit, which kicks off the season this week with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida. According to an LPGA statement, a business partner had not met its obligations and had not made the payments for 2024 and 2025. The cancellation of the tournament, which is hosted by five-time Korean major winner Seri Pak, was therefore unavoidable.

It remains unclear whether the sponsor refers to the main sponsor Fir Hills. The Silicon Valley investment firm signed a multi-year contract with the LPGA at the beginning of last year to sponsor the tournament. However, it is revealing that interim commissioner Liz Moore apologized to the players and fans and thanked the club and the organizer, but did not mention Fir Hills at all. The LPGA is currently looking to host the tournament in the fall, where Nelly Korda is the defending champion.

Categories
Opinions

Donald Trump promotes Saudi involvement in the USA – What this means for golf

(Photo: Getty)
(Photo: Getty)

The news is not directly related to golf, but the implications are obvious: Donald Trump, the right-wing populist in the White House, is boosting the American economy with the help of Saudi Arabia, to whose tune he danced during his first term as US president. Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman wants the PIF sovereign wealth fund to invest an additional 600 billion dollars in the USA over the next four years and to buy US goods and weapons. The strongman of the regime in Riyadh made this promise to the 45th and now 47th President of the United States last week in a telephone call after his inauguration. Bin Salman is thus courting Trump’s favour and positioning the monarchy as a counterweight to the expected economic and trade conflicts with China, Europe and possibly also Russia.

Friendly relationship between Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia

Bin Salman and Trump have maintained a friendly relationship since Trump’s first term in office. Just how close the business relationship is was demonstrated shortly after the re-election when Bin Salman’s business vizier Yasir Al-Rumayyan was spotted in Trump’s neighbourhood. The PIF led by Al-Rumayyan has direct and indirect economic ties with the US president’s holding company, which benefits from Saudi construction projects and LIV Golf League events at Trump golf courses, six in total since 2022.

The consequences of the growing Saudi influence in the USA are also likely to spill over into the golf industry. The approval of the Saudi minority stake in PGA Tour Enterprises, for example – including Trump’s muzzle for the US Department of Justice and a presidential moratorium on all bureaucratic hurdles – which the PGA Tour and PIF have been working on since June 2023. The Donald recently reiterated in a podcast that it would take him less than 15 minutes to finalise the deal between the PIF and PGA Tour: ‘We have bigger problems than that, but I think we should have one tour. And the best players in the world should compete against each other on this tour.’ He speaks from the heart of golf fans. Or Trump sympathisers like Bryson DeChambeau.

Tempi passati: Definitely gone are the days when Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, in his capacity as Chairman of the Senate Investigative Committee, castigated ‘the ability of a brutal, repressive regime to buy influence over a cherished American institution’. Now the Republicans are in charge and a different wind is blowing in the USA in general, a quasi-dictatorial wind fuelled by the tech oligarchs. The PGA Tour and the PGA of America are also likely to hang their flags in the same wind sooner or later, having withdrawn tournaments and majors from the Trump Organisation eight years ago. Even more so if a separate world tour is actually created, organised by PGA Tour Enterprises – and thanks to the protected PIF participation, certainly also with guest appearances on Trump courses. Turnberry in Scotland, for example, which has been put on ice by the R&A for the Open-Rota and therefore lies fallow in terms of major tournaments, springs to mind.

By the way, Trump played golf with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan last November shortly after his re-election. And the following day, he and ‘special advisor’ Elon Musk met PIF boss Al-Rumayyan, with whom Musk also has business ties, at a martial arts event in New York. And so the circle closes.

Even Rory McIlroy assumes that a US President Donald Trump would be more conducive to reunification: ‘He has good relations with Saudi Arabia. He loves golf and has a good relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, who knows.’ It will be an exciting four years. Politically. Economically. Socially. And also for men’s professional golf.

Categories
Live Panorama

TGL: Atlanta Drive Makes a Statement Against New York

Wrap-up at the TGL match between Atlanta Drive GC and New York GC. (Photo: X/@TGL)
Wrap-up at the TGL match between Atlanta Drive GC and New York GC. (Photo: X/@TGL)

The third match day of the TGL brought a new match and a new record in the still young history of the league. Atlanta Drive GC, led by Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel and Patrick Cantlay, beat New York Golf Club 4-0 at the SoFi Centre in Palm Beach Gardens. This was the first shutout victory in the young history of TGL.

TGL: Atlanta Drive Takes Early Command

Atlanta controlled the action right from the start. Even in the ‘triples’ format, in which all three players on the team take it in turns to hit, the team’s dominance prevailed. The very first hole set the tone for the entire match. Cameron Young’s tee shot landed out of bounds and Atlanta Drive took the opportunity to take the lead with a solid par. In contrast, New York continued to struggle with accuracy on the greens in the triples session.
Justin Thomas established himself as the driving force behind Atlanta Drive GC. The two-time major winner holed a 7-metre putt on the fourth hole to take a 2-0 lead into the individual matches.

Justin Thomas Leads Atlanta to a Perfect Debut

Atlanta Drive followed up in the individual matches. Justin Thomas defeated Young with a birdie on the tenth hole, while Billy Horschel scored against Matt Fitzpatrick after the latter landed in the water and then in two bunkers. Thomas went one better with another long putt on the 13th hole and finally secured Atlanta’s historic shutout – and didn’t even have to resort to the strategic ‘hammer’ option to secure the 4-0 win.

Preview to the Upcoming Challenges

With this win, Atlanta Drive moves to the top of the SoFi Cup standings and now prepares for a doubleheader on 17 February against Los Angeles GC and The Bay Golf Club. New York Golf Club, on the other hand, with two losses under their belt, will take on Jupiter Links GC in an attempt to salvage their season.

Categories
Highlights Tours

The Open Championship Returns to St Andrews in 2027

The 150th British Open took place on the Old Course at St Andrews in 2022. (Source: Getty)
The 150th British Open took place on the Old Course at St Andrews in 2022. (Source: Getty)

The R&A announced on Thursday that The Open Championship will be held in St Andrews in 2027. The connection between The Open and St Andrews is one of the most traditional in golf: the Major will be held on the historic Old Course for the 31st time. The club first hosted the tournament in 1873.

From 15 to 18 July 2027, the St Andrews Golf Club in Scotland will open its doors for the 155th Open. The Open Championship is the only one of the four majors to be held on European soil. It traditionally marks the end of the major season in July.

A special anniversary will be celebrated in 2027: 100 years ago then, in 1927, amateur Bobby Jones triumphed at The Open in St Andrews and celebrated his second of a total of three Open Championship victories.

The Open Championship and St Andrews: A Shared History

The last time The Open Championship was held in St Andrews was in 2022 to mark its 150th anniversary. Back then, Cameron Smith won the tournament with an overall score of 20 strokes under par. The first event on the Old Course took place in 1873, still over 36 holes. Tom Kidd won back then with rounds of 91 and 88 – the highest winning score over 36 holes in the history of the tournament.

In 2024, the St Andrews Links Trust, the R&A, the Scottish Government and VisitScotland agreed on a long-term partnership. This agreement ensures that The Open Championship will return to Scotland on a regular basis over the next eleven years.

Mark Dabon, Chief Executive of the R&A, emphasized the importance of the tournament: “St Andrews is the home of golf and it generates a unique atmosphere for the fans and the players as well as providing an amazing spectacle on television and digitally for millions of viewers around the world. It promises to be another milestone occasion at one of sport’s greatest and most historic venues and we will be doing everything we can to make it a memorable experience for everyone involved.”

Before returning to St Andrews in 2027, the tournament will be held at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland on 17-20 July 2025 and Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England in 2026.

Categories
European Challenge Tour

Challenge Tour: Name change for a golf tour

Challenge Tour becomes HotelPlanner Tour. (Photo: HotelPlanner Tour)
Challenge Tour becomes HotelPlanner Tour. (Photo: HotelPlanner Tour)

The Challenge Tour is entering 2025 with an exciting new addition: HotelPlanner, a leading company in the field of travel technology, is becoming the official title sponsor of the tour. From the coming season, the tour will be called the ‘HotelPlanner Tour’. This partnership marks the first title sponsorship of the Challenge Tour since its official foundation in 1989 and represents a milestone in the history of golf’s second division.

Challenge Tour: New name, new chances?

The collaboration is intended to promote the development of the tour by not only increasing the prize money, but also enhancing the quality of the events along the ‘Road to Mallorca’. With a record prize fund of over nine million euros for the 2025 season, the HotelPlanner Tour will offer players new financial incentives. At least €300,000 in prize money has been earmarked for each European event, which means an increase in prize money for a total of 16 tournaments this season. The tour calendar includes 29 events in 18 different countries on three continents. The highlight of the season will be the Rolex Grand Final in Mallorca, supported by The R&A. However, the partnership between HotelPlanner and the Challenge Tour goes beyond title sponsorship. The company will invest in six events in 2025 and support a total of 40 tournaments during the multi-year collaboration. The exact duration of the partnership has not yet been announced.

‘We are delighted to become the title partner of the Challenge Tour. The Challenge Tour has been the foundation of so many great golfing names and we are excited to see the HotelPlanner Tour continue to open doors for the next generation of superstars.’ explains HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel.

HotelPlanner’s strategic partnership with the Challenge Tour comes at a time when the golf market is becoming increasingly globalised and connected. HotelPlanner uses a combination of artificial intelligence and a global customer service network to help travellers worldwide. This technology will also help to drive the Tour’s growth by providing a strong platform for international travel and events, the Tour has revealed.

Name changes in golf

In recent years, name changes for golf tours have become a strategic means of promoting the economic and organisational development of tournaments. One example of this is the renaming of the European Tour to the DP World Tour in 2022, after the global logistics company DP World was acquired as the main sponsor. Another renaming was that of the Korn Ferry Tour, which was known as the Web.com Tour until 2019 after partnering with global recruitment consultancy Korn Ferry.

Categories
Fun Panorama

Watch: DP World Tour Stars receive influencer training

(Screenshot: Youtube.com/@dpworldtour)
(Screenshot: Youtube.com/@dpworldtour)

Chapeau to the DP World Tour social media team. It couldn’t be more imaginative and funny. Whether it was the staged round table to find a Ryder Cup team captain or the self-help course in anger management for Tyrrell Hatton – it was all world class, including the cinematic realisation. The creative team’s latest coup is an influencer training course for tour professionals aka: How do I put myself in the limelight in the best and most effective way, how do I generate maximum attention. It goes without saying that there is a pinch of self-irony and a wink. But enough words, the result speaks for itself:

Categories
PGA Tour

Jon Rahm and the Status of his Ryder Cup Relationship: It’s Getting Complicated

Photo: Getty
Photo: Getty

What’s the difference between Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton? No, it’s not the fact that one looks like a Basque bear, while the other – albeit English – looks like an Irish leprechaun in a tall hat under his baseball cap and all too often behaves like one. Like on Saturday at the Dubai Desert Classic, when Hatton smashed a tee marker in anger.

Rather, what is meant is the loudly proclaimed claim of both to be called up for Bethpage Black, for the European Ryder Cup team’s away match on Long Island in September.

Hatton Strengthens Ryder Cup Bid, While Rahm Faces Struggles

While Hatton underlined his claim again yesterday with victory in Dubai after winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October, his eighth title in his 200th start on the DP World Tour, Rahm lacks precisely such successes. Instead, the Spanish LIV star made a false start to the 2025 golf year, firing an underground 77 after an opening 69 on Friday and missing the weekend – also because he lost out in the battle with a bush.

Now, of all times, the supposed Ryder Cup top performer has missed his first cut at a Rolex Series event and his third in more than four years. Now, of course, it is premature and completely inappropriate to pass the sporting baton on the 30-year-old. Team boss Luke Donald will hardly be able to avoid giving Rahm the wild card for his fourth continental competition anyway; after all, he finished second and sixth in his two Spanish home appearances in autumn 2024. Nevertheless, the status of the relationship with regard to the Ryder Cup is likely to remain unchanged: It’s going to be complicated.

Rahm’s Ryder Cup Chances Clouded by Legal Issues

After all, Rahm is virtually operating in a legal vacuum and is speculating that he will ‘survive’ in it until September. That does have a certain flavour. As a reminder, the Spaniard – like Hatton – has lodged an appeal against the multi-million fine imposed by the DP World Tour for the unauthorised switch to the LIV League, is playing under a temporary injunction and is counting on the expected judgement against him not being passed until after the Ryder Cup. The competent appeals court has already legitimised the Tour’s sanctions in other cases, and should a decision be made in Rahm’s case before September, he would have to pay in order to actually be able to play in the USA.

Anyone who doubts that Rahm would also pay without hesitation if, as hoped, the fine is not due until after Bethpage Black. The man to whom the Saudis are paying a guaranteed fee of 450 million dollars for four years and who was already worth over 50 million dollars beforehand has a family of four to feed, so you have to keep your pennies together. Irony off again. Instead, it would be desirable for Rahm to do the same as Hatton – not in terms of tea markers, but to mask the stale odour of his tactics with the fragrance of sporting success. The Englishman also plays with the proviso of a revision. But at least he wins. And gets a lot of encouragement for it:

Categories
Top Tours

Rory McIlroy: Clear Message to Tom McKibbin – “I Wouldn’t Make That Decision”

Rory McIlroy shares his perspective on Tom McKibbin’s potential move to LIV Golf. (Photo: DP World Tour)

Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin – two golfers from the small Holywood Golf Club in Northern Ireland, whose careers could not be more contrasting. While McIlroy has established himself as one of golf’s all-time greats, McKibbin is still carving his path. Now, at just 22, McKibbin faces a pivotal choice: a possible move to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour.

“He’s Giving Up A Lot To Not Really Benefit That Much”

“I’ve known Tom since he was, I don’t know, 10 or 11 years old. As soon as he got the offer, he rang me,” McIlroy said ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

This call was unsurprising, as McIlroy has long served as a mentor to McKibbin. “We had a really good conversation, and I’ve talked to him multiple times over the course of December to sort of get a feel of what he was thinking and what he was going to do,” he added. McIlroy didn’t hold back: “I told him that if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making.”

McIlroy’s advice to his compatriot was unequivocal. For him, the drawbacks of switching outweigh the benefits. He highlighted McKibbin’s promising career trajectory and the potential he sees in him.

“I think working so hard to get your tour card in the States, which he really did to achieve that goal last year, was a big achievement. I think what he’s potentially sacrificing and giving up—with access to majors or a potential Ryder Cup spot, depending on how he would play—wouldn’t be worth it,” McIlroy emphasized.

A Career at a Crossroads

Despite his strong opinions, McIlroy made it clear that he didn’t intend to pressure McKibbin into any decision. “I’m not in his shoes. He’s a grown man at this point and can make his own decisions. All I can do is try to give him my perspective,” McIlroy said. Still, he admitted he’d be personally disappointed if McKibbin joined LIV Golf: “I think we all see the potential that he has, and I definitely think he can be a top-10 player in the world. But obviously his ranking won’t show that for the next couple years if he makes one decision over another.”

McIlroy’s LIV Golf Stance Remains Firm

While McKibbin reflects on his future, McIlroy is focusing on his game. As the defending champion of the Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy is aiming for his third consecutive victory at the event, held at the venue of his first professional win in 2009.

Yet, LIV Golf continues to cast a shadow over the tournament. “What I would say is, there is still a ton of money to be made on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour,” McIlroy remarked. “But at the same time, I feel like he’s giving up a lot to not really benefit that much, you know.”

Whether McKibbin will ultimately choose LIV Golf remains to be seen. But McIlroy leaves no doubt about his own stance: “At the end of the day, he has to make his own decision, and when he does, whatever way that goes, I’m always going to be a fan of his,” McIlroy said. “I’m always going to try to help him in whatever way that I can.”

Categories
Highlights Tours

Bernhard Langer: One last time at The Masters

(Photo: Getty)
(Photo: Getty)

Bernhard Langer, a pioneer of golf in Germany, will take part in the Masters Tournament in Augusta for the last time in 2025. After four decades on the famous course and two victories in 1985 and 1993, the 67-year-old will finally bid farewell to the stage that has played a key role in shaping his career.

End of an era: Bernhard Langer plays his last Masters in 2025

‘It’s time to say goodbye,’ says Langer, the 67-year-old from Anhausen. A post shared by the PGA Champions Tour and the PGA Tour confirms Bernhard Langer’s decision to play his last Masters in 2025. This was actually already planned for 2024 before ‘Mr Consistency’ ruptured his Achilles tendon. After decades that have shaped the sport of golf, the German golf legend is bidding farewell to the stage that made him famous. The Masters was always more than just a tournament for him – it was the stage on which he made golfing history in 1985 and 1993.

 
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an
 

Ein Beitrag geteilt von PGA TOUR Champions (@pgatourchampions)

Between triumph and tradition

In 1985, Bernhard Langer slipped into the green jacket, the symbol of victory at the Masters, for the first time. His triumph was not only a milestone for him personally, but also for golf in Germany. His performance brought the sport out of its niche and into the limelight. Eight years later, he repeated this success at Augusta National Golf Club and proved that his first victory was no fluke.

The challenge of the new generation

At the age of 67, Langer has now achieved almost everything that is possible in golf. Nevertheless, he himself describes the increasing physical demands of the game as one of the reasons for his retirement. ‘It’s a totally different course for the young players,’ he explained. ‘They are 80 to 100 yards ahead of me at times. They are hitting a wedge and I got a 2-hybrid off a sidehill, downhill lie,’ he reflected with a grin.

Despite these challenges, Langer has managed to remain competitive. On the PGA Champions Tour, he set the all-time record with 47 victories.

Categories
Equipment

Contract extension: Rickie Fowler stays with Cobra Puma

Rickie Fowler stays with Cobra Puma. (Image: Getty)
Rickie Fowler stays with Cobra Puma. (Image: Getty)

COBRA PUMA GolfTM, a leader in golf club and apparel innovation, is pleased to announce the signing of Rickie Fowler to a long-term extension that will keep the California native in the CPG family for years to come. Fowler, who initially signed with PUMA Golf in ’09 and COBRA Golf in ’12, will continue to wear head-to-toe PUMA Golf apparel and carry a full bag of COBRA clubs.

Rickie Fowler: “Cobra Puma is like family”

“The COBRA PUMA Golf brands are like family to me,” said Fowler. “The clubs and apparel are as good as it gets and the fact that they know what I look for in fashion and style gives me extra confidence on and off the course. While their products are incredible, I also truly value all the relationships I’ve built here throughout my career. Extending this partnership was a simple decision and I’m excited to stay part of these amazing brands.”
A six-time winner on the PGA Tour including the ’15 Players Championship, Fowler has been a stalwart in team competitions over the years as a five-time US Ryder Cup team member and three-time member of the US Presidents Cup team. The Oklahoma State alum also boasts top three finishes in all four majors and multiple international wins including the Scottish Open.
In addition to his success on the course, Fowler has also been a style icon since turning professional in ’09. Initially known for wearing his signature Sunday Orange, Fowler continues to lead the way in bringing style and fashion to the golf course, making him an ideal partner for COBRA PUMA Golf.
“We are thrilled to officially extend our relationship with Rickie and look forward to continuing our work with him for many years,” said Dan Ladd, President of COBRA PUMA Golf. “Rickie is a special talent who brings a competitive spirit and style to the game that we absolutely love. We’re very excited to keep him in the fold and watch how his career continues to develop.”

Text: Cobra Puma Golf