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LIV Tour

LIV Golf and OWGR in new discussions over ranking points?

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman reportedly in new talks over World Ranking Points for the League (Photo: Getty)

Augusta was, as always, the stage for great golf moments – and apparently also for a meeting away from the fairways. At the Masters, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and the new OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman were seen under the famous oak tree – a place where important matters in golf are often discussed. Nothing has been officially confirmed, but according to multiple reports, talks between LIV Golf and the OWGR about possible recognition of the league for world ranking points are said to be taking place. This would be the first time since the rejected application in 2022 that the two sides have moved closer again.


Possible Changes to LIV Golf’s Format

Since its founding in 2022, LIV Golf has been striving for recognition by the OWGR. So far, this has failed due to criticism of the format—particularly because of the team competition and the lack of relegation. Now, it seems things are moving forward. With new leadership on both sides, structural reforms, and the first visible signs of rapprochement—as reports suggest—the door to the world rankings may be opening a little wider.

What also seems apparent: LIV Golf appears willing to make structural adjustments. To accommodate the OWGR, there are said to be plans for clearer sporting mobility in the future. Players who end up in the so called “Drop Zone” at the end of the season would automatically be eliminated. A return would then only be possible through the Promotions Event or the Asian Tour.

OWGR Points as the Key to the Majors

The debate over ranking points has tangible consequences for many LIV golfers. While top players like Jon Rahm or Brooks Koepka are secured through major successes, others lack guaranteed access to big tournaments. The world ranking is the central criterion—without points, no starts in the majors. Integration into the OWGR system would significantly improve the competitive prospects of many LIV golfers.

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Highlights Tours

Trump Eyes Turnberry for 2028 British Open – But R&A Holds Final Say

Turning up the heat: Trump pushes for the British Open to return to Turnberry in 2028. (Photo: Getty)

Donald Trump isn’t letting up. The former U.S. President has spent years making it known: he wants the Open Championship back at Turnberry. The last time the Claret Jug was contested on the iconic Ayrshire links was in 2009, when roughly 120,000 spectators attended. The Open has since grown into a far bigger spectacle, and Trump believes the time is right for a return. The course may be ready – but is it ready enough?

Trump Wants the Open Back at Turnberry

If Donald Trump had his way, the 2028 Open Championship would be staged at a course he knows intimately: Turnberry. The storied Scottish links has been part of the Trump Organization since 2014, and the former president has repeatedly expressed his desire to see The Open return to the venue. According to British media reports, Trump has even raised the issue directly with Prime Minister Keir Starmer – not once, but multiple times.

Sources within the British government confirm there have been conversations with the R&A about hosting the Major. However, a spokesperson for the prime minister emphasized that decisions regarding Open venues rest solely with the championship’s organizers – not with politicians.

R&A Open to the Idea – With Conditions Attached

The R&A is sticking to that stance, but there are signs of interest. New CEO Mark Darbon recently stated he would welcome a return to Turnberry. Still, there’s a major caveat – and it has to do with logistics.

Since the 2009 Open, the event has grown dramatically. This year’s championship at Royal Portrush is expected to draw nearly 280,000 spectators – more than double Turnberry’s 2009 attendance. That’s the core issue: the area’s roads, railways, and accommodation infrastructure simply aren’t built for crowds of that scale.

Turnberry Under Review – No Decision Yet

Whether Turnberry can realistically host the 2028 Open is now the subject of a feasibility study. The R&A is currently assessing whether local infrastructure can be upgraded – and if so, at what cost. Early estimates suggest the required investment could run into the tens of millions.

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Live

PGA Tour Tee Times: Jordan Spieth Set for Action in Texas

PGA Tour Tee Times: Jordan Spieth in Texas. (Photo: Getty)

The PGA Tour heads to McKinney, Texas, this week for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, hosted at TPC Craig Ranch. With a Par-71 layout and nearly $10 million in prize money, the stage is set for a packed leaderboard and plenty of scoring. Local favorite Jordan Spieth, comeback stories like Will Zalatoris and Gary Woodland, and emerging contenders like Jake Knapp and Karl Vilips headline the PGA Tour Tee Times.

The PGA Tour Tee Times

Scotland’s Martin Laird is back in the field this week at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and will open his tournament alongside American Beau Hossler and Germany’s Matti Schmid. Their first round gets underway Thursday at 1:17 PM local time off the 10th tee. The trio returns for Friday’s second round at 12:00 PM from the same tee.

For Jordan Spieth, this week is more than just another start — it’s a home game. The Dallas native begins his campaign Thursday at 12:33 PM off the 1st tee, grouped with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim. It’s one of the featured groups of the day and promises early leaderboard movement. On Friday, they flip to Tee 10 at 7:23 AM

Will Zalatoris continues his steady return to full competition after a long injury layoff. He’s paired with Ben Griffin, fresh off a breakthrough win at last week’s Zurich Classic team event, and Byeong Hun An. They tee off Thursday at 7:23 AM from Tee 10, with a Friday turnaround to Tee 1 at 12:33 PM.

Jake Knapp has already made noise this season with a maiden PGA Tour win and enters the CJ Cup Byron Nelson with rising expectations. He tees off Thursday at 12:55 PM from Tee 1 in a group that includes Brian Campbell and Sam Burns — the latter a proven closer on tour. Knapp’s second round begins Friday at 7:45 AM from Tee 10.

PlayerNationalityRound 1 Tee TimeRound 1 TeeRound 2 Tee TimeRound 2 TeeCo-Players
Martin LairdSCO1:17 PM10th12:00 PM10thBeau Hossler (USA), Matti Schmid (GER)
Jordan SpiethUSA12:33 PM1st7:23 AM10thScottie Scheffler (USA), Si Woo Kim (KOR)
Will ZalatorisUSA7:23 AM10th12:33 PM1stBen Griffin (USA), Byeong Hun An (KOR)
Jake KnappUSA12:55 PM1st7:45 AM10thBrian Campbell (USA), Sam Burns (USA)
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PGA Tour

Record Crowds Expected at Royal Portrush for 153rd Open Championship

The British Open at Royal Portrush expects record breaking crowd. (Photo: Getty)

Royal Portrush is set to make history once again. The R&A announced that it expects a staggering 278,000 fans to descend on the famed links this July for the 153rd Open Championship — a figure that would make it one of the most attended Opens of all time.

The turnout will mark the largest sporting event ever staged in Northern Ireland, with an estimated economic impact of £213 million. Ticket demand has been unprecedented, with over one million applications submitted. Only the 150th Open at St Andrews in 2022 — which drew 290,000 spectators — has attracted a larger crowd.

Lowry and McIlroy Set for Homecoming Battle

Portrush last hosted The Open in 2019, when Shane Lowry thrilled the home crowds with a commanding six-shot victory, drawing a then-record 237,750 fans over four days. Six years later, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch as Lowry prepares for a potential showdown with fellow fan favorite Rory McIlroy — fresh off his long-awaited Masters triumph and the favorite to capture more major glory in 2025.

 
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Panorama

McIlroy Family Expanding Roots with New Home at Wentworth Estate

New family home for the McIlroy Family. (Photo: Getty)

Rory McIlroy’s life, both on and off the course, has long been a source of fascination for the sporting world. His victories, setbacks, outspoken nature, and commitment to the game consistently draw the spotlight. Recent weeks have been no different, as media attention intensified following McIlroy’s appearance at the Masters — not just for his performance, but for his movements beyond Augusta’s fairways.

One stop on McIlroy’s post-Masters itinerary brought him home to Northern Ireland, where he reunited with his parents, Rosie and Gerry, in Holywood. The visit served as a celebration, compensating for their absence at Augusta as they prepared for a relocation of their own.

McIlroy Lays New Foundations at Wentworth Estate

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, construction is well underway on a significant new project for the McIlroy family: a home in England’s prestigious Wentworth Estate, just outside London. The development, situated near the storied Wentworth Club — host venue for the BMW PGA Championship — signals a new chapter for McIlroy, his wife Erica Stoll, and their young daughter, Poppy. Reports suggest the move was motivated in part by a desire for a fresh start for the couple.

“It’s not every day you get to fulfil one of your lifelong goals and dreams,” McIlroy reflected during the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. “We first went to London with Erica and Poppy to see our new home that we’re building and we made the trip over to Belfast to see a few other people that are important to us. Just to be with them, to be with Erica and Poppy and my mum and dad.”

Artist from Ireland. Found a home for my Rory McIlroy painting, donated the piece to Holywood Golf Club this week, Rory’s home course. Hopefully he gets the chance to see the portrait the next time he plays a round there 👍 byu/mikesartwrks ingolf
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PGA Tour

PGA Tour Pro on Suspension: “It’s Been an Emotional Rollercoaster”

Suspended over a LIV-linked event, Wesley Bryan addresses fans directly on YouTube—with reflection, respect, and resolve. (Photo: Youtube@Bryan Bros Golf)

For most of his career, Wesley Bryan has been as comfortable in front of a camera as he is over a wedge shot. Trick shots, Tour wins, YouTube content — he’s built a name straddling the line between entertainer and elite athlete. But now, the PGA Tour veteran finds himself at the center of a different kind of story: one where the future of golf collides head-on with its rules of the past.

The PGA Tour suspended Bryan following his appearance at “The Duels: Miami,” a LIV Golf-adjacent creator event. The response? A 3-minute YouTube video, shot from a golf cart, layered with gratitude, introspection, and an unmistakable undercurrent of defiance.

“It’s Been an Emotional Rollercoaster”

In the video, Bryan isn’t teeing off or goofing around with influencers. He’s seated quietly in a golf cart, speaking directly to his audience — not as a content creator, not as a PGA Tour player, but as someone genuinely trying to make sense of where golf is headed.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster,” he admits early in the video. The PGA Tour had suspended him for playing in an event connected to LIV — without securing a mandatory release. But instead of firing back, Bryan starts with something unexpected: gratitude.

He thanks the Tour. For the tournaments. For the platform. For the eight years of opportunities. It’s a tone that’s disarming — reflective rather than reactive. There’s no hint of rage. Only a desire to explain.

YouTube, LIV, and a Grey Area in the Rulebook

To understand the controversy, it helps to understand the event. “The Duels: Miami” wasn’t a traditional tournament. It wasn’t sanctioned, it wasn’t ranked, and it wasn’t played for a seven-figure purse. It was a content shoot — part challenge, part entertainment — streamed on YouTube, not broadcast on national television.

Bryan played alongside YouTubers and major champions alike, all of it captured on Grant Horvat’s channel. The problem? The PGA Tour’s policy requires players to seek permission before appearing in non-Tour events, particularly those linked to LIV Golf. Bryan didn’t — because, as he sees it, it wasn’t a competitive event at all.

For Bryan, YouTube isn’t a hobby. It’s a career lane that has grown up alongside his Tour life — one he’s cultivated for over a decade. It’s also part of a larger shift in golf, where Gen Z fans are just as likely to follow Grant Horvat or Rick Shiels as they are to tune into CBS on a Sunday.

“The Rule Was Not Meant To Cover Content Creation On Youtube”

Bryan makes it clear: this isn’t about defiance. It’s about definitions. He respects the PGA Tour, and he’s not looking to blow up the rulebook — but he is questioning whether the rules have kept up with the game.

“I want to be clear. I do respect the authorities that are in place at the tour, but because of the ambiguity and the rules and regulations that were written I do, a as a member of the PGA Tour, have a right to appeal their decision,” he says. “I don’t feel like when the rule was written, that it was meant to cover content creation on YouTube, I feel like it was meant to cover organized professional high-level golf events. And with that being said, I plan on carrying out my right to appeal.”

So, he’s appealing. Not to win an argument, but to seek clarity — for himself, for other content creators in golf, and for the next generation of players who might find themselves walking the same line between entertainment and elite sport.

What happens next will likely be decided behind closed doors. But the bigger question — how golf defines itself in the digital age — is one that’s far from settled.

Watch the full video here:

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Panorama

Over 80 percent green fee discount in St. Andrews – how does that work?

(Photo: Getty)
(Photo: Getty)

Play the Old Course for just 42.50 pounds? The St. Andrews Links Trust has announced that a few selected golfers will be able to do just that.

St. Andrews: discounted green fees on the Old Course

Between May and October, there will be 179 tee times at reduced rates on links courses in St. Andrews. A round on the historic Old Course normally costs 340 pounds, but on May 21 there will be eleven tee times for just 42.50 pounds. The other courses in St. Andrews will also be offering big discounts during the summer months. The neighboring Castle course can be played on selected dates for 22.50 pounds instead of 180 pounds, a round on the Jubilee course costs 18.75 pounds instead of 150 pounds and a tee time on the Eden course is available for 9.50 pounds instead of 75 pounds. Playing all four courses saves a total of 87.5 percent.

The catch: these offers only apply to golfers from Scotland. The reduced tee times can only be booked with a Scottish zip code. Scottish golfers who want to take advantage of this offer must apply for the tee times via a lottery. For other dates there are further different criteria depending on the golf course, for example the offer is alternately available to members of the military, golfers with disabilities, women, families or members of the emergency services.

Drive Initiative of the St. Andrews Links Trust

The drive is an initiative by the St. Andrews Links Trust to give more golfers access to its iconic golf courses. The aim is to promote participation in golf by encouraging players of all ages and abilities to take part in the sport. Residents of St Andrews, for example, are already entitled to a Links Annual Pass, which offers access to seven golf courses for the price of £386.

Neil Coulson, Chief Executive of St Andrews Links Trust explains: “Golf has become increasingly popular in recent years, and with it demand for our courses has risen to unprecedented levels. We will continue to ensure that our cardholders and visitors have the best possible experience while ensuring that one of the country’s most treasured golf courses is also open to the public.”

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Live

Golf pro gives insights: This is how expensive a tournament week on the Korn Ferry Tour is

(Photo: Screenshot @jamesnicholasgolf / Instagram, Getty)
(Photo: Screenshot @jamesnicholasgolf / Instagram, Getty)

How much does a week on the Korn Ferry Tour cost – and what’s left over at the end? American golfer James Nicholas provides honest insights into his tournament weeks on Instagram and in a video format and shows: The road to the PGA Tour is not only tough in sporting terms, but also financially demanding.

Nicholas played strongly at the Argentina Open and finished tied 29th (T-29th). This earned him prize money of 6,575 US dollars – sounds solid, but this is offset by 5,825 US dollars in expenses. The flight to South America alone cost him 1,850 dollars and the hotel was 1,400 dollars. Further costs were incurred for meals, transportation and the caddie. Because he made the cut, he paid his caddie an additional bonus of 460 dollars. The bottom line was that he only made a profit of 750 dollars.

 
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Korn Ferry Tour: Top 30 finish needed to just cover the costs

Just a few weeks later, the reality of many professionals set in: Nicholas missed the cut in Sarasota – and therefore received no prize money. To save costs, he traveled by car and stayed with friends for free. He was therefore able to do without hotel costs. Nevertheless, his expenses amounted to 2,050 dollars. Most of this was accounted for by the basic caddie allowance of 1,500 dollars. Other costs included food, gasoline and a small fee for the on-site locker.

Nicholas emphasizes in his posts that he is grateful for his sponsors, who provide him with equipment, clubs, balls and clothing. Nevertheless, it is clear that without consistent top results, life on the Korn Ferry Tour is hardly financially sustainable. If you don’t make the cut, you don’t receive any prize money – but the expenses remain.

 
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PGA Tour

Rules of Golf: Wrong ball played – Pro disqualifies himself

(Photo: Getty)
(Photo: Getty)

A small mistake with big consequences: At the Corales Puntacana Championship, a breach of the rules was Ben Crane’s undoing. After making a mistake at the PGA Tour event, he disqualified himself.

On hole 8 of the third round in the Dominican Republic, the ball supposedly landed in the water after the tee shot. Crane then played a second ball from the tee, which came to rest near the penalty area. Once there, however, the American found two balls. His first ball had not landed in the water but hit the rocks and bounced back onto the course. Crane made a mistake in identifying the ball and inadvertently continued to play his first ball. As the second ball was already in play, this was illegal. It was not until the following hole that Crane discovered scratches on his ball caused by the impact with the rocks and realized his mistake.

Rules of golf: Wrong ball played

The Rules of Golf state that, as a rule, a hole must be played with one ball from start to finish. Rule 6.3b states: “If the player’s original ball has not been found and the player put another ball in play to take stroke-and-distance relief or as allowed under a Rule that applies when it is known or virtually certain what happened to the ball: The player must continue playing with the substituted ball, and the player must not play the original ball even if it is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time.”

If a player continues to play with the original ball, this is regarded as playing the wrong ball. According to Rule 6.3c(1), a player is obliged to correct a mistake before teeing off on the next hole. It states: “If the player does not correct the mistake before making a stroke to begin another hole or, for the final hole of the round, before returning their scorecard, the player is disqualified.”


Ben Crane addressed the public after the incident via his X account and described the situation from his perspective. He explained how the mistake came about and why he decided to take the consequences in the form of self-disqualification. His honest account and the decision to hold himself accountable were widely appreciated in the golf community.

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Highlights Tours Uncategorized

Olympics 2028: Mixed Team Golf Event to Make Its Debut

Mixed team golf at the 2028 Olympics for the first time (Photo:Getty)
Mixed team golf at the 2028 Olympics for the first time (Photo:Getty)

With a historic innovation, golf will take a new step forward at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles: a mixed team event will be introduced for the first time. Approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the competition will take place between the men’s and women’s individual tournaments at the Riviera Country Club. This marks a milestone in the still-young Olympic golf history, which only returned to the Olympic program in 2016. In addition to the established men’s and women’s individual competitions, the mixed team event brings a new dimension to Olympic golf – focusing on team play, something that has long been absent from the Olympic schedule.

Mixed team event makes its debut in the Olympic program

The mixed team tournament will consist of two rounds of 18 holes each. The first round will follow the foursomes format, where the female and male players alternate shots. The second round will be a four-ball round – both players play their own ball, and the better score per hole counts towards the team’s total. Each nation is allowed to enter only one team, consisting of one male and one female athlete who are already competing in the individual tournaments. The decision to include this new format was made in close coordination with the International Golf Federation. The mixed team event is expected to give golf greater visibility within the Olympic Games.

Golf’s growing significance at the Olympics

This means golf joins the ranks of six sports that offer a mixed-gender competition in the Olympic program. Other sports with similar formats include archery, athletics with the 4×100-meter mixed relay, as well as table tennis and rowing.

Golf has only been part of the official Olympic program again since the 2016 Games in Brazil, making it one of the newer disciplines. The mixed team competition marks the first addition of a team format in Olympic golf since 1904.

At the most recent Games in Paris, Lydia Ko (gold), Esther Henseleit (silver), and Xiyu Lin (bronze) won medals in the women’s individual event. In the men’s competition, Scottie Scheffler claimed gold, Tommy Fleetwood took silver, and Hideki Matsuyama earned bronze.