Tag: John Daly

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Panorama

Augusta After Hurricane Helene: Masters is Safe, Five Million for Those Affected

All clear for the 2024 Masters Tournament in Augusta.(Photo: Getty)
All clear for the 2024 Masters Tournament in Augusta. (Photo: Getty)

All-clear: Augusta National Golf Club has taken stock after Hurricane Helene and announced that the 2025 Masters (10 to 13 April) is not at risk and will go ahead as usual. ‘The course was really hit, as was the rest of the community, and there was severe damage,’ explained club boss Fred Ridley. But we have a lot of people working hard to get us back up and running. The Masters will go ahead – on the planned date.’ The famous Magnolia Lane in particular has been affected, with several of the mighty old trees bent or having lost part of their crowns.

However, the grandees in green are not only thinking about their refuge and their tournament, but also about the affected communities in the surrounding area, as Ridley repeatedly emphasises in his statements. Augusta National has therefore donated five million dollars to the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund, which has been set up to help those affected.

 
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Ein Beitrag geteilt von The Masters (@themasters)

Helene was a category 4 hurricane and the most violent storm to hit the USA in 19 years. The hurricane’s rage on the south-east coast claimed over 200 lives and rescuers are still searching for survivors in the rubble.

Hurricane Helene also destroys John Daly’s house

Homeless: Another member of the golfing world has become a victim of Hurricane Helene. As John Daly announced recently, his house in Clearwater/Florida was completely destroyed: ‘It’s devastating. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. Besides the damage, it’s the memories that are lost with such devastation.’ Speaking on the sidelines of Constellation Furyk & Friends on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, the 58-year-old said that parts of his family and close friends were also affected by the hurricane. ‘I hope everyone is safe. We will have to rebuild three or four houses,’ said Daly, who lives mainly in Arkansas.

 
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Ein Beitrag geteilt von Golf Digest (@golfdigest)

Categories
PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson signs up for PGA Championship and Saudi opener

Phil Mickelson is keeping all his options open. (Photo: Getty)
Phil Mickelson is keeping all his options open. (Photo: Getty)

The first tournament of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series kicks off in less than a month, and it will feature 15 golfers from the top 100 in the world rankings. This was reported by Sport Illustrated, citing a statement from LIV Golf. Among the 15 players is probably Phil Mickelson, who despite increased criticism in recent months wants to keep open the chance to participate in the first event in London. But that’s not the end of Mickelson’s return to tournament golf. The defending PGA Championship champion would like to start his comeback to the PGA Tour at this very tournament.

Phil Mickelson’s return to the tournament stage

Phil Mickelson is planning his return to the PGA Tour after withdrawing from all upcoming tournament starts for the time being in February as a result of heavy criticism. His proximity to the LIV Golf Invitational Series (formerly the Saudi Golf League) repeatedly brought him into the negative media spotlight last year, but now he wants to make his comeback and will start at the PGA Championship. Mickelson won the second major of the golf season last year. But his start at Southern Hills Country Club is not enough for Mickelson. At the same time, he applied for a permit to play in the first Saudi League tournament in June. A statement from his agency said, “We have also applied on his behalf for clearance to play in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational in London from June 9-11. This request meets the April 25 deadline set by the PGA Tour to participate in a competitive Tour event.” It is unclear at this time whether he will take advantage of this release, but he wants to keep all options open, the statement added.

15 players from the top 100 will compete in London

According to Sports Illustrated, 14 other players from the top 100 in the world rankings are taking advantage of the 30-day period before the start of the tournament. The names of those players remain non-public and are subject to confidentiality agreements, according to a spokesperson for the LIV Golf Invitational Series. So far, about 70 players have registered for the event, but with a planned field of 48 players, not all professionals will be able to compete. It remains to be seen how and according to which criteria the field of participants will finally be put together. It also remains to be seen how the PGA Tour will handle future Saudi Tour events on American soil. At this point in time, the PGA Tour does not want to issue any permits for participation in these events. This would affect at least two of the eight tournaments, with the tournament in Portland in early July, as well as other events at Trump National Golf Club and the scheduled team finale at Trump National Doral in Miami in late October.

Daly pleads for merger of tours

John Daly sees a simple solution to the eternal back-and-forth between LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. Daly is calling for the Saudi Tour and the PGA Tour to merge. To him, he says it’s the easy solution and also a great opportunity for golf. “I mean, you want to keep golf going and keep it strong, and the foundation of the European Tour and the foundation of the Asian Tour and the Australian Tour and all the tours and our tour the players have built through a lot of great sponsors that we’ve had. I just think it would be really good if they could work together instead of competing against each other.” He himself has not been offered a starting spot on the new tour, but he likes the concept and sees a great opportunity in the increase in prize money.