Categories
Highlights Tours

“I Was Pretty Nervous” – Andy Murray Celebrates Golf Debut at Pro-Am

Andy Murray at the BMW PGA Championship 2024 Pro-Am on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)
Andy Murray at the BMW PGA Championship 2024 Pro-Am on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)

“I played tennis. I now play golf” – With these words, Andy Murray announced that he would be switching to golf when his tennis career came to an end. A few weeks later, he was able to put his skills to the test for the first time in the Pro-Am of the BMW PGA Championship 2024 on the DP World Tour and gave a thoroughly respectable performance alongside Robert MacIntyre. Afterwards, Murray spoke about the event and his future as a golfer.

The Leaderboard of the BMW PGA Championship 2024

Andy Murray: “A Brilliant Experience For Me”

Q. How was that?

ANDY MURRAY: It was good. A brilliant experience for me. To be out there with one of the best in the world for me, it was brilliant.

Q. How nervous were you?

ANDY MURRAY: I was pretty nervous. I couldn’t really feel my arms and legs. I didn’t really hit any balls on the range beforehand. Yeah, I was feeling it. But it got better. It got better as the round went on.

Q. How does this compare to walking out at Wimbledon? More nervous?

ANDY MURRAY: It’s a different sort of nerves. Different sort of nerves because you are comfortable in the sort of tennis environment. I’m not thinking I’m going to walk out on the tennis court and forget how to hit the ball. You just, you want to perform well. Whereas here, you’re sort of nervous about — there’s people standing like five metres away from where I’m driving, and I’m like, I’m useless at this game.

Yeah, you just want to try and keep the ball in play and don’t mess up too much.

Q. Quite a group, wasn’t it?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, Anton is the entertainer out there. Jimmy was really, really nice. He can hit the ball miles. And obviously playing with Bob MacIntyre, being a Scot, is really special, yeah.

Q. Does this give you the bug? Do you want more of this? Possibly, who knows, Dunhill in a couple of weeks’ time?

ANDY MURRAY: I’m happy playing in front of nobody to be honest. But yeah, look, I really enjoy like playing. I’ve obviously got a lot of free time just now, so playing a few times a week. Yeah, having lessons and just enjoying having something to focus my attention on.

Yeah, like I said, lots of free time to do it.

Q. And in terms of having free time, Anton Du Beke, one of your partners today, your mother’s been on Strictly. Could we see another Murray there in 12 months’ time?

ANDY MURRAY: That’s highly unlikely. Don’t know what my brother will be doing. But it certainly won’t be me, that’s for sure.

Q. How many hours have you put in on the range since you retired?

ANDY MURRAY: I haven’t played loads weekends but during the week, probably a few hours, 2 1/2, three hours probably.

I think my expectations currently are pretty low. I’m not expecting to play very well. But yeah, I can see how if you’re playing a lot and practising a lot and getting better and better, that changes.

But no, I haven’t been hard on myself yet.

Q. Getting down to scratch, is that a real aim? How long will it take you?

ANDY MURRAY: A couple years probably. I think so. I mean, I’m obviously getting to practise a lot more than the average person. I obviously played a bit when I was younger, and if I can get the right sort of lessons and practise the right things, then yeah, I’ve got a chance of doing that I think in a couple years.

Will you the lessons have made a huge difference. That’s been the most important thing for me. I used to go down to the range and hit lots of balls, and I could hit a few good ones.

But if you have a fundamental flaw in your swing or what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter how many balls you hit on the range. So getting lessons and practising those things is helping.

Q. Your parents have a house in Dunblane. Fancy hitting a few balls up there?

ANDY MURRAY: That’s where we used to tee off on the second tee. In the evenings, we would go out with our parents or grandparents and start on the second tee and play four or five holes in the summers after tennis training or after school, and that’s how we sort of got into school as a family thing. Got to spend time with our dad or our grandparents which was really nice.

Yeah, I want to spend more time up in Scotland now that I’ve got more free time.

Q. Do you see a membership coming your way?

ANDY MURRAY: I have a membership there. I got a membership at Dunblane. There’s obviously so many amazing courses up in Scotland. Look forward to getting to play on some of them.

Q. Your father was on the bag today. Bob won the Canadian Open with his dad on the bag. Was that a topic of conversation?

ANDY MURRAY: My dad might be getting the sack after his performance today. He spent most of his time sort of following Bob around. Like, I need my clubs; I need to putt.

But no, it was brilliant. For me, it’s special, during my tennis career, I didn’t get to spend loads of time with my dad travel and everything. So getting to do that, it was a really cool day, as well. I don’t know if he’ll want to caddie for me again but I enjoyed having him here.

Q. What was the high point, your favourite shot, and more importantly, the low point, the worst shot?

ANDY MURRAY: The low point was I had an approach shot over water about 85 yards. For me, those distances, that’s the thing I found really difficult, the sort of 50- to 80-yard shots I found hard. We were talking on the build up to it. Me and Jimmy were like, “I hate these shots,” and both of us hit it right in the middle of the water completely fat.

So for me, that was — I hit one bad — like really bad drive. For the most part it was solid. It was better than what I was expecting.

Q. A few fist-pumps out there today?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I’ve not lost that. Still enjoyed scoring and hitting good shots and stuff. I’m not bothered whether I win or lose in an event like this, but I still want to try to do as well as I can and I still enjoy competing.

Obviously it’s never going to replace what you had on the tennis court, but being out there with your friends and competing with them and against yourself and stuff is fun.

So today, yeah, you hit enough bad shots in golf, you’ve got to give yourself a pat on back when you hit the odd good one.

Q. Have you lost weight?

ANDY MURRAY: I haven’t been to the gym for five weeks. I said to my wife, I was like, Look, I’m going to make sure when I stop, I’m going to make sure I stay in good shape.

And she said, Oh, if you’re just going to go and play golf, I don’t want that. I was — No, no, I’ll get myself in the gym, make sure I stay in shape.

I went to the gym three of the first four days after I stopped, worked really hard, and then went up to Scotland for a couple of days for a holiday, and haven’t been back since. It’s been five weeks I’ve not been in the gym, longest ever for me probably. I don’t know if it’s like appetite, if I’m not eating as much, but we obviously have like loads of the sport drinks have got lot of calories in them, and I only really drink water and coffee now.

So I don’t know, I think just less calories and probably loss of muscle. I’ve lost about 11, 12 pounds. It’s a lot. I was expecting the opposite to happen. It’s about five kilos, yeah.

Andy Murray at the Pro-Am of the BMW PGA Championship 2024

A look at Andy Murray’s highlights definitely shows a good disposition – especially knowing that the former tennis star has only been training for a few weeks. Murray hit the odd good shot alongside Robert MacIntyre.

In addition to compatriot MacIntyre, Murray also met Rory McIlroy.

The Scot responded to the countless comments on X (Twitter) about improving his golf swing with a wink: “Huge thanks to all the amateur golfers on social media for their constructive criticism of my golf swing. Much appreciated.”

Categories
European Tour

BMW PGA Championship: Rory McIlroy Loses Club Head – Cards Birdie Anyway

Rory McIlroy looses his clubhead at the BMW PGA Championship 2024. (Image: Getty)
Rory McIlroy looses his club head at the BMW PGA Championship 2024. (Image: Getty)

In the first round of the BMW PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy was not only able to watch his ball flight. On the 12th hole, McIlroy was still around 170 meters from the green after a promising tee shot. The second shot on this par 5 therefore offered a good chance of an eagle or at least a birdie. So the shot with the 8-iron followed. And off flew the club head. Yes, that’s right, not only did McIlroy’s ball take off in the direction of the green, the club head of the iron also flew a few meters forward.

Crazy Incident for Rory McIlroy

“I’ve never personally seen that happen.” It was probably not only his flight partners Ryan Fox and Justin Rose who had this reaction to this shot, McIlroy can hardly believe it himself. After his shot, the Northern Irishman is amazed when he only has his club shaft in his hands. However, the tour veteran handles the situation calmly, with a few jokes from his caddie and a grinning shake of the head on the way to the green. A pleasant surprise awaited McIlroy there. The shot that was actually doomed to fail was less than 3 meters from the flag. The conclusion of the English commentators that the club head had only flown off after contact with the ball was therefore quite conclusive. In the end it was enough for a birdie, the eagle putt just missed the hole.

After this crazy incident, McIlroy handed the iron to a rules official, who passed the club on to the TaylorMade team. Thanks to fast-curing epoxy resin, they were able to repair the clubs within around 15 minutes and return them to McIlroy.

Categories
Highlights Tours

Rory McIlroy On LIV-Deal: “Half the Players Don’t Want the Deal”

Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship 2024. (Photo: Getty)
Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship 2024. (Photo: Getty)

A key topic at Rory McIlroy’s press conference ahead of the BMW PGA Championship 2024 was the potential deal between LIV Golf, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. The 35-year-old spoke about the central role of the Ministry of Justice and the divided opinions of players on both tours. Popular PGA Tour pro Michael S. Kim, among others, commented on the topic on X (Twitter).

The Leaderboard of the BMW PGA Championship 2024

Rory McIlroy: “Would Benefit Some People For A Deal Not To Get Done”

Q. What do you think is the major stumbling block or blocks holding up any chance of a deal between LIV and PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour?

RORY McILROY: Department of Justice. Maybe different interests from the players’ side. I’d say — it’s pretty similar. I’d say maybe half the players on LIV want the deal to get done; half probably don’t. I’d say it’s probably similar on the PGA TOUR. Because just like anything, everyone’s looking out for themselves and their best interests. You know, it would benefit some people for a deal not to get done, but it would obviously benefit some people for a deal to get done.

Yeah, I think there’s different opinions amongst the players about what should happen, and I think when you have a members’ run organisation, it complicates things a little bit, especially when should of those players are having to make decisions on the business side of things. So those are the two. I think the tours want it to happen. The investors certainly want it to happen because they can see the benefit for themselves.

But right now, it’s DOJ and differing opinions of the players.

Q. You know much more about LIV and things but we heard in the last few days that the last meeting that was last week, or just before that, but there was a more optimistic or it there is a more optimistic mood about that as a result of that meeting. As I say, you know much more about this than we do. Is that your feeling, too?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I believe so. I wasn’t a part of those meetings, so I don’t — I may be know a touch more than you do but not a ton.

But yeah, as I said, I think one of the stumbling blocks is the Department of Justice, and I think — I think trying to approach that from a collaborative standpoint, I think seems to be the best way forward.

So yeah, I think to me it seems like the people that are really making the decisions are all rowing in the same direction, which is a really good thing. And even if they are all rowing in the same direction, it still doesn’t mean that a deal may get done because it’s just a very complicated set of circumstances.

But yeah, from what I hear, there’s optimism there, and that’s good to see.

Q. As you said, it’s a very complex scenario at the moment for the game in general. I just wonder what your feelings are with regard to the DP World Tour, the reports this week of potentially a deal being done that could have some kind of relationship with the PIF or with LIV, would that be in any way desirable in your opinion to in some way find a pathway out of this?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, you know, if things don’t materialise with the PGA TOUR, I think it would — you know, it would — I think it would maybe bring The European Tour back to like the ’80s and ’90s when there was like really two strong tours.

But it keeps the game divided and I don’t like that. You know, I really want the game to come back together. It would be Plan B. It would be maybe an alternative to the best solution.

And look, selfishly as a European, it would be wonderful to get that investment and to use that money in the right way for this tour. But it still keeps the game divided, which I just can’t quite get on board with, and I’d love to see everything and everyone come back together.

Michael S. Kim: “Do I want a deal? My short answer is No but I don’t care much”

On X (Twitter), PGA Tour pro Michael S. Kim was among those reacting to Rory McIlroy’s press conference. Kim, who is hardly known on the PGA Tour, now has almost 126,000 followers on X. The reason for this comparatively high number is his entertaining posts on the platform and his insights into life as a professional golfer. He wrote about McIlroy’s press conference: “Do I want a deal? My short answer is No but I don’t care much.” The 31-year-old explained that, in his opinion, a deal would only affect the top 30 golfers in the world anyway and would not have a major impact on the other players on the tours. He also doubted that the return of some LIV players to tournaments on the PGA Tour would have little impact on spectator numbers and therefore the financial aspect. A more sensible focus would be to improve the TV broadcasts.

Categories
European Tour

Rory McIlroy About Ryder Cup Captaincy: “Some I Wouldn’t Be Okay With”

Rory McIlroy at the press conference ahead of the BMW PGA Championship 2024 (Photos: Getty)
Rory McIlroy at the press conference ahead of the BMW PGA Championship 2024 (Photos: Getty)

The BMW PGA Championship 2024 is a season highlight on the DP World Tour. After his narrow defeat last week in Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy is playing another of his “favorite tournaments of the year” this week. Ahead of the event, McIlroy answered questions from the press at Wentworth Golf Club and spoke about Jon Rahm’s participation in the Ryder Cup 2025, as well as his requirements for a European captain.

The Leaderboard of the BMW PGA Championship 2024

Rory McIlroy: “Jon Rahm Is A Wonderful Addition to the European Team”

MATTHEW JOULE: World No. 3, Rory McIlroy.

Rory, Royal County Down last week, BMW PGA Championship this week. How nice to be on the DP World Tour this time of year where the big events just keep oncoming?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, it’s amazing. Yeah, I mean, in all honesty, I was really excited to get back and play — obviously play last week. Play this week and the Dunhill in a couple of weeks’ time as well. You know, three of my favourite events of the year.

Yeah, here at Wentworth, the sun is shining and so many people out there on a Wednesday. There’s not many better places to be. So excited to be here. Looking forward to getting back on the horse after what happened last Sunday and giving it another go.

Q. May I ask the same question that I asked Justin yesterday, and that is, can you conceive of a Ryder Cup Team without Jon Rahm?

RORY McILROY: Yeah. He could be injured; his game could go off.

But Jon Rahm, the way he’s playing right now and the way he’s played since he turned pro in 2016 or ’17 or whatever it is, Jon Rahm is a wonderful addition to the European Team.

Q. I meant ruled out because of an inability to follow the rules. That’s what I meant.

RORY McILROY: Well, from my understanding, he is following the rules. He appealed the decision or whatever it is that he did. So that makes him eligible, as long as he plays his minimum number of events, like Members of the Tour have to do to be eligible for the Ryder Cup.

So I wouldn’t expect someone that as a Member of the Tour, you know what the rules are to be able to play a Ryder Cup and be eligible, and as long as you meet that criteria, then you’re okay to play.

McIlroy Sets Clear Requirements For A Ryder Cup Captaincy

Q. Back on the Ryder Cup theme again just for a second if you don’t mind. You may or may not have seen quotes related to Ian Poulter over the last couple of days saying that he still harbors hopes of being a European captain at some point. Is it plausible, or given everything is there too much water gone under that bridge, do you think?

RORY McILROY: I think it’s hard because we don’t really see them anymore, especially — I’m not sure if Poults gave up his European Tour Membership. You know, you need someone around that’s comfortable. You look at what Luke has done the last few years, he’s really made an effort to come over. He played in Czech Republic. He was in Switzerland.

He’s making an effort to be around the players and be — make the players feel comfortable with him, the up-and-comers that haven’t had a chance yet to be on a team or trying to make a team.

With the guys that left, Poulter, Westwood, we don’t — how can these young up and comers, you know, build a rapport with them when they are never here? You can’t see them. I think that’s a really important part of a Ryder Cup and a Ryder Cup captaincy.

I’m not saying that Poulter doesn’t have the credentials to be a Ryder Cup Captain, but I just think with the current state of where everything is, you need someone that’s around and showing their face as much as they can. Right now, that honestly just can’t be them because they are elsewhere.

NB: Under current DP World Tour regulations, any Member who fails to comply with the minimum Counting Tournament Regulation in any one Official Season or who does not take up Ranked Membership in an Official Season in which he is so eligible (ie: falls out of Membership) will be ineligible thereafter to be selected as the European Ryder Cup Captain or Vice Captain.

Q. On a personal level, would you have any objections to being captained by Ian Poulter or Lee Westwood or whoever else could potentially be?

RORY McILROY: It’s such a gray area. There’s some that I would be okay with and others I wouldn’t be okay with. Sorry to put them all in the same bucket.

Categories
Travel

Exploring Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club: Scenic Course and Diverse Tees

(Image: Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club)

Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club is located in Krzeszowice, Poland. Situated in the southern part of the country, it lies in close proximity to the historic city of Krakow.

The golf course features a unique design characterized by wide rolling fairways and substantial bunkers around the greens. These bunkers have challenging faces, providing a significant test to players of all skill levels. The course also offers diversified tee distances, accommodating both beginners and advanced golfers. This inclusive approach ensures that the course is accessible to a wide range of players.

Between Rolling Fairways and Scenic Beauty: Discover Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club

The landscape surrounding the Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club is noteworthy. The natural beauty of the area enhances the overall golfing experience. The location offers scenic views, contributing to the appeal of the course. Golfers can enjoy the backdrop while playing, adding an additional layer of enjoyment to their game.

A distinctive feature of the club is its special pricing on Mondays. This offers an opportunity for golfers to experience the course at a reduced cost. Such initiatives are designed to make the sport more accessible to a broader audience.

In summary, Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club in Krzeszowice, Poland, provides a unique golfing experience. With its diverse tees, wide fairways, and challenging bunkers, it caters to various skill levels. The scenic southern Polish landscape adds to the appeal, making it a destination for both local and visiting golfers. Special pricing on Mondays further enhances accessibility, inviting more players to enjoy the course.

Interview with Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club

In one sentence: What are you particularly proud of at your golf club?

A unique design, wide rolling fairways, and massive bunkers around the greens with high, challenging faces.

Our golf course is particularly suitable for…

Diversified tee distances which welcome both beginners and advanced players.

What makes your signature hole special?

The beauty of the landscape.

The quick insider tip for your golf course is:

Play well 🙂

What special offers (green fee bargains, discounted memberships, etc.) or training classes does your golf club offer?

Special prices on Mondays.

Anything you would like to add?

The complex is beautifully situated in the south of Poland, in the vicinity of Krakow.

Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour Tee Times: Highlighting Peter Malnati at BMW PGA Championship

Peter Malnati with his caddie. (Photo: Getty)
Peter Malnati with his caddie. (Photo: Getty)

The DP World Tour Tee Times for the upcoming BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, Surrey, England, are now available. This prestigious event will take place at the Wentworth Club. The tournament, part of the DP World Tour, offers a total prize fund of $9,000,000 and will feature the defending champion, Ryan Fox. The tournament starts Thursday, with TV coverage on Sky beginning at 13:00 each day, from Thursday to Sunday. The course has a par of 72.

DP World Tour Tee Times for American Players

Peter Malnati will tee off in the first round at 08:30 alongside Thorbjorn Olesen from Denmark and Victor Perez from France. Their second round will start at 12:15.

Johannes Veerman is scheduled to start his first round at 10:15 with Alejandro Del Rey from Spain and Clément Sordet from France. Veerman’s second round will begin at 13:55.

Chase Hanna will join Marcel Schneider from Germany and Jayden Trey Schaper from South Africa. Their first round starts at 10:25, followed by the second round at 14:05.

Sean Crocker will be playing with Grant Forrest from Scotland and Ashun Wu from China. They tee off at 10:50 in the first round and at 07:10 in the second round.

Jordan Gumberg is set to begin at 11:10, paired with Lukas Nemecz from Austria and Daniel Gavins from England. Gumberg’s second round will commence at 07:30.

Round Player Country Playing Partners Start Time (Round 1) Start Time (Round 2)
1 Peter Malnati USA Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN),Victor Perez (FRA) 08:30 12:15
1 Johannes Veerman USA Alejandro Del Rey (ESP), Clément Sordet (FRA) 10:15 13:55
1 Chase Hanna USA Marcel Schneider (GER), Jayden Trey Schaper (RSA) 10:25 14:05
1 Sean Crocker USA Grant Forrest (SCO), Ashun Wu (CHN) 10:50 07:10
1 Jordan Gumberg USA Lukas Nemecz (AUT), Daniel Gavins (ENG) 11:10 07:30
Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour Tee Times: Rory McIlroy and More at BMW PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy. (Photo: Getty)
Rory McIlroy. (Photo: Getty)

The DP World Tour Tee Times for the upcoming BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, Surrey, England, have been announced. This event is part of the DP World Tour and takes place at the prestigious Wentworth Club. The tournament, starting on Thursday, offers a par-72 course and a significant prize purse of $9,000,000. The defending champion is Ryan Fox. Coverage will be broadcast from Thursday to Sunday starting at 13:00 on Sky.

DP World Tour Tee Times for British, Welsh, and Scottish Golfers

Matthew Jordan from England kicks off his first round at 07:00 alongside Calum Hill from Scotland and Ockie Strydom from South Africa. Their second round starts at 10:40.

Richie Ramsay from Scotland is also teeing off early at 07:20 with Daniel Brown from England and Nick Bachem from Germany. They begin their second round at 11:00.

Jordan Smith from England starts his first round at 07:50 with Yannik Paul from Germany and Daniel Hillier from New Zealand. Their second round will commence at 11:30.

Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland begins his first round at 08:45 with Justin Rose from England and the defending champion Ryan Fox from New Zealand. McIlroy’s second round is scheduled for 12:25.

Robert MacIntyre from Scotland starts his first round at 08:55, playing alongside Shane Lowry from Ireland and Jesper Svensson from Sweden. His second round will begin at 12:35.

Ewen Ferguson from Scotland starts his first round at 09:25, playing alongside Jorge Campillo from Spain and Laurie Canter from England. Their second round tees off at 13:05.

Grant Forrest from Scotland opens his first round at 10:50 with Ashun Wu from China and Sean Crocker from the USA. Their second round begins at 07:10.

Connor Syme from Scotland tees off his first round at 11:30 together with Matthew Baldwin from England and Adrian Otaegui from Spain. Their second round starts at 07:50.

Scott Jamieson from Scotland begins his first round at 13:15 alongside Rafa Cabrera Bello from Spain and Andy Sullivan from England. Their second round starts at 09:35.

David Law from Scotland starts his first round at 13:45 with James Morrison from England and Aaron Cockerill from Canada. Their second round commences at 10:05.

Round Time Player Nationality Teammate 1 Nationality Teammate 2 Nationality
1 07:00 Matthew Jordan ENG Calum Hill SCO Ockie Strydom RSA
1 07:20 Richie Ramsay SCO Daniel Brown ENG Nick Bachem GER
1 07:50 Jordan Smith ENG Yannik Paul GER Daniel Hillier NZL
1 08:45 Rory McIlroy NIR Justin Rose ENG Ryan Fox NZL
1 08:55 Robert MacIntyre SCO Shane Lowry IRL Jesper Svensson SWE
1 10:50 Grant Forrest SCO Ashun Wu CHN Sean Crocker USA
1 11:30 Connor Syme SCO Matthew Baldwin ENG Adrian Otaegui ESP
1 09:25 Ewen Ferguson SCO Jorge Campillo ESP Laurie Canter ENG
1 13:15 Scott Jamieson SCO Rafa Cabrera-Bello ESP Andy Sullivan ENG
1 13:45 David Law SCO James Morrison ENG Aaron Cockerill CAN
2 07:00 Matthew Jordan ENG Calum Hill SCO Ockie Strydom RSA
2 07:10 Grant Forrest SCO Ashun Wu CHN Sean Crocker USA
2 07:20 Richie Ramsay SCO Daniel Brown ENG Nick Bachem GER
2 07:50 Connor Syme SCO Matthew Baldwin ENG Adrian Otaegui ESP
2 09:25 Ewen Ferguson SCO Jorge Campillo ESP Laurie Canter ENG
2 08:55 Robert MacIntyre SCO Shane Lowry IRL Jesper Svensson SWE
2 10:05 David Law SCO James Morrison ENG Aaron Cockerill CAN
2 12:25 Rory McIlroy NIR Justin Rose ENG Ryan Fox NZL
2 12:35 Robert MacIntyre SCO Shane Lowry IRL Jesper Svensson SWE
Categories
Highlights Tours LIV Tour PGA Tour

Solheim Cup Seven Times More Popular than Rahm’s Double Victory

The teams were supported by thousands of fans on site and behind the screens. (Photo: Getty)
The teams were supported by thousands of fans on site and behind the screens. (Photo: Getty)

A look at the viewing figures for last week’s golf TV broadcasts shows that the women’s events were by far the most popular with golf fans. The Solheim Cup was a highlight in the women’s tournament calendar that dominated the TV landscape. Neither the LIV Golf League nor the PGA Tour aroused anywhere near as much interest.

Solheim Cup 2024 dominated the ratings

Compared to the last Solheim Cup, which took place in Spain in 2022, the ratings increased significantly in this year’s edition, according to Josh Carpenter from Sports Business Journal. The singles matches on Sunday in particular sparked interest behind the screens, with an average of 657,000 viewers watching on NBC on the final day, more than twice as many viewers as the previous edition of the continental competition. On Saturday, the ratings were similarly high with 634,000 viewers. The figures were particularly pleasing in view of the fact that the Cup fell on the second Sunday of the National Football League. As the Cup finished in the early afternoon in the Eastern time zone, the events did not overlap for the most part.

LIV Golf and PGA Tour put in the shade

The season finale in the individual rankings of the LIV Golf League took place at the same time as the Solheim Cup. Also one of the highlights of the year, it didn’t stand a chance against the women’s competition. Although Jon Rahm won the tournament in Chicago and thus also the season title, the tournament attracted far less attention with only around 89,000 spectators. On Saturday there were still 134,000 spectators.

However, the PGA Tour received the least attention, with just 69,000 spectators. The Procore Championship was the first event of the Fall Series, which was watched by only around a tenth of the spectators who were rooting for the ladies.

The figures for the Solheim Cup are particularly pleasing in terms of viewing figures throughout the year. The declining ratings were notable throughout the PGA Tour season and were underscored by double-digit declines for all three FedEx Cup Playoff events, according to Sports Media Watch. The Tour Championship saw a 13 percent drop in viewership, while the FedEx St. Jude Championship was down 31 percent and the BMW Championship was down 19 percent.

Categories
European Tour LIV Tour

DP World Tour Rebuffs LIV Golf

Jon Rahm in the dispute between DP World Tour and LIV Golf. (Photo: Getty)
Jon Rahm in the dispute between DP World Tour and LIV Golf. (Photo: Getty)

The LIV Golf League has split the golf world into two camps: The PGA Tour and the DP World Tour clearly distanced themselves from the new tour, imposed sanctions on their players and blocked any rapprochement. The LIV Golf League did not let up and over time the fronts seemed to calm down a little – from allowing the return of players who had left to a joint umbrella organization. Negotiations have recently resumed.

The Jon Rahm case causes a stir

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of fuss about Jon Rahm, one of the best players in the world, who decided to switch to LIV Golf. Although LIV players are now allowed to take part in the coveted major tournaments, the Spaniard would not be able to take part in the Ryder Cup without playing on the DP World Tour. Sports Illustrated reported that before Rahm appealed his sanctions, LIV Golf attempted to strike a deal with the DP World Tour that would lift the penalties for LIV players while offering various concessions and a monetary payout from the league.

By appealing the penalties imposed by the DP World Tour, Jon Rahm has been given the temporary opportunity to play on the DP World Tour and thus participate in the Spanish Open 2024 next week. Not only will he be playing for a DP World Tour victory in his home country, but he can also secure important points for a possible place in the European Ryder Cup team.

To maintain membership, a DP World Tour player must play in at least four tournaments outside the majors. The Olympics count as one of those, so Rahm has three more to go. He will have to do the same in 2025, when the fines theoretically kick in again. It is believed that he owes around 1 million dollars. It can be assumed that the figure for next year will be similar.

Paying off his fine should not be a problem for Jon Rahm or LIV Golf as his backers: LIV Golf has so far paid around 12 million pounds (around 15.75 million dollars) in fines for LIV golfers who have taken part in DP World Tour events – a further 10 million pounds is still outstanding. Rahm could scrape together what he owes without question.

The DP World Tour says “no”

LIV Golf had made an offer to the DP World Tour with the aim of enabling migrated players to participate in selected DP World Tour events. The DP World Tour rejected the offer with the following explanation: “We met with them and listened to their proposal but did not accept it, as our view remains that the focus should continue to be on all stakeholders working together to reach an overall solution that benefits our sport.” This means that the issue surrounding Jon Rahm, which also affects other players such as Tyrrell Hatton, remains.

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LIV Tour

How Does the LIV Golf Team Championship Work?

How does the LIV Golf Team Championship format work? (Photo: Getty)
How does the LIV Golf Team Championship format work? (Photo: Getty)

Even if the starting situation of professional athletes on the LIV Golf League could hardly be more different from that of the classic amateur golfer, they do have one thing in common. The golf season is gradually drawing to a close. For the professionals on LIV Golf, this means the Team Championship. The finale of this year’s season will take place at the Maridoe Golf Club in Dallas. The 13 teams of four players will compete for overall victory in this team event over three days from 20 to 22 September.

LIV Golf Team Championship: total prize money of 50 million dollars

In an explosive tournament system in which teams meet each other in direct duels, prize money from a pool totalling 50 million dollars will be played off. The decisive factor for the starting position of the teams going into the Team Championship is the course of the season to date. The teams have already been able to collect points in the previous events. Places 1 to 3 in the current ranking automatically qualify for the second day. The remaining ten teams will face each other on Friday for a place in the semi-finals, with the best teams, starting with the fourth-placed team, choosing their opponents one after the other.

Quarter-finals: Friday, 20th September

On the first day of the tournament, the ten teams that finished 5th to 13th in the season rankings will face each other. All 32 players will compete simultaneously in a cannon start. The teams face each other in a direct duel. A winner is determined by two individual matches and one foursome match, which is played in alternate shot mode. One point is awarded for each of the three matches. There must always be a winner for each match, i.e. matches that are split after 18 holes will continue to be played until one team wins a hole. The teams that score two points move on to the next round.

Semi-finals: Saturday, 21st September

Saturday basically follows the same schedule as Friday. The directly qualified and therefore better-placed teams on the ranking list decide on their opponent for the day, with all 32 players opening the tournament day simultaneously, as on Friday. The teams of four will again play against the opposing team in the same modes to decide a winner. Once again, points cannot be shared. This means that two points are enough to reach the final.

Final: Sunday, 22nd September

The four teams that have reached the final will compete in a round of 18-hole counting play. All individual scores are added together to form the team score. The teams that have previously been eliminated will also compete in the final round. However, teams that have already been eliminated can no longer win. Those who have already been eliminated on the first day will compete for 9th to 13th place, while the teams that have made it to the second day will compete for 5th to 8th place. The team with the lowest cumulative daily score among the finalists will be crowned LIV Golf Team Champion 2024.