Categories
European Tour

Will Rory McIlroy Play the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth?

Rory McIlroy will once again tee it up at the BMW PGA Championship from September 17-22 2024, and tickets to see the four-time Major winner at Wentworth Club are on sale here.

The reigning Race to Dubai champion opened his 2024 season with a successful Rolex Series title defence in Dubai, and the Northern Irishman is aiming to further enhance his impressive BMW PGA Championship record.

Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship 2024

With a victory in 2014 and five further top tens – including two runner-up finishes – to his name, the World Number Two will join fellow past champions Ryan Fox, Shane Lowry and Billy Horschel at the iconic Surrey venue this September.

Following a final round 65 to finish in a share of seventh place last season, the 34-year-old went on to inspire Team Europe to a famous 16.5 – 11.5 victory over Team USA at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, delivering four from a possible five points.

McIlroy then ended the year on top of the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex for the fifth time to once again be crowned European Number One.

Rory McIlroy: “I’ve always enjoyed playing at the BMW PGA Championship”

“I’ve always enjoyed playing at the BMW PGA Championship, and I’ve had some great results round the West Course in the past,” said the four-time Major Champion. “Wentworth is a place where I would like to add another title.”

The BMW PGA Championship Festival of Golf takes place just outside central London, attracting more than 100,000 spectators each year, with the world class action inside the ropes set to be complemented by live entertainment on the Showstage, and an unrivalled atmosphere in the vibrant Spectator Village.

The G4D TOUR @ BMW PGA Championship will take place at the start of the week, with some of the best golfers with a disability competing for the penultimate G4D Tour title on the iconic West Course on Monday September 16 and Tuesday September 17.


That is followed by the star-studded Wednesday Celebrity Pro-Am which will bring together global celebrities with some of golf’s most famous players in a fun-filled curtain raiser to the main event, the BMW PGA Championship, which tees off on Thursday September 19.

The Rolex Series tournament assumes a key position on the DP World Tour’s 2024 Global Schedule as part of the ‘Back 9’, encompassing nine of the Tour’s most historic tournaments and national opens, running from August to October. It gives members their final opportunities to secure their playing rights for 2025 and also advance to the season-ending ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’.

(Text by European Tour)

Categories
Professionals

Restart after stadium disaster: TGL unveils new start date

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.

Categories
PGA Tour

Players Championship 2024 in numbers: Birdie records & the legendary 17

The Players Championship 2024 kept the excitement going right to the end and provided great entertainment over four days. After the tournament, records, a first for the title holder and the realization that the legendary 17th is not known for causing sweaty palms for one or two professionals for nothing. A look at the statistics of the famous island green and other relevant statistics.

Players Championship 2024: Drama on the final day and 1000 beach balls – A look at the 17

On the final day of the 2024 Players Championship, it was once again a real source of despair. On Sunday, as is usual in the final round, the flag was placed on the far right of the island green between the small front bunker and the water (136 yards/124 meters). The PGA pros obviously had their problems with this: Over the course of the final day, only four birdies fell, the lowest figure of the week. At the same time, a total of 18 balls landed in the water, more than ever before in the tournament. Nine players even had to accept a double bogey or more, including Martin Laird, who hit two shots into the water on his way to a quadruple bogey. Logically, the stroke average of 3.34 was also significantly higher than on the previous days (3.09, 3.06, 2.84). Denny McCarthy hit the best shot on the final day, missing the hole by just 1 foot 3 inches (38cm).

Beau Hossler secured a special record on the 17th: with his shot into the water on the 17th hole, the US American recorded the 1000th ball sunk in the ShotLink era (since 2003). American Chris Kirk secured a positive record in the second round. Kirk found the green safely and played his 41st consecutive round without sinking a ball in the water on hole 17. He thus drew level with Jason Dufner, who has played the most rounds without a ball in the water on hole 17 since 2003. However, Kirk’s record streak came to an end in the third round. On the moving day, the American recorded a double bogey, followed by another bogey on the final day.

Ryan Fox celebrated a special success on the 17th. The New Zealander sank an ace on the very first day – it was to remain the only hole-in-one of the 2024 Players Championship.

A total of 47 balls landed in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament.

Rory McIlroy and Sam Ryder set two birdie records at the 2024 Players Championship

At the Players Championship 2024, it was not only the island green of the 17th that set records, but also Rory McIlroy and Sam Ryder. After McIlroy set the round record with ten birdies on the first day of the tournament, Ryder went on to become a sole record holder over four days. The American recorded an impressive 27 birdies over the entire tournament, overtaking ‘Fuzzy’ Zoeller in the process. In the end, despite Ryder’s many birdies, it was ‘only’ good enough for T16 (-10).

Scottie Scheffler achieves a first with title defense and collects 4.5 million USD

A first for an anniversary: At the 50th Players Championship, Scottie Scheffler became the first player to defend his title at the prestigious tournament. On a dramatic final day, the world number one prevailed against Wyndham Clark, who tragically missed the play-off with a lip-out on the last hole. Scheffler’s tournament victory earned him 4.13 million euros (4.5 million USD). But the remaining participants can also enjoy the highest prize money on the PGA Tour.

Categories
PGA Tour

Players Championship: Rory McIlroy sinks five balls in to the water

After stunning 26 birdies in the 2024 Players Championship, Rory McIlroy should have earned a top spot on the leaderboard. The iron and short game of the Northern Irishman was solid and his putting gained him several of these birdies. But it looks like, with all the range work going in to the irons, he kind of forgot about his driver. Over the course of the four round McIlroy sank five golf balls in to the water at TPC Sawgrass, more than any other player.

Rory McIlroy sinks Players win

The first few holes of McIlroy’s Players Championship lookes promising, with the Northern Irishman securing six birdies within eight holes. Than a hooked drive followed on the 18th tee. It was the first time he had to take a penalty shot and drop a golf ball, but it was certainly not the last. He bogeyd 18 and went on noting three more birdies an his Back Nine. Than the 7th tee came and with it, another golf ball was gone into the water. Again it was a poor drive flying short left.

And his misfortune continued. On day two he found the water an the 12th, with – who could have guessed – his driver. The only day without a ball lost to the blue in TPC Sawgrass was round 3, alltough even on this day McIlroy had to lock in a double bogey on 14 after a drive going far right into a waste area.

In the final round McIlroy explored a new water area on hole four. This time it wasn’t the fault of his driver. Instead he sank the ball with a wedge and harsh wind conditions. Later on however he revisited the 18th hole left side penalty area and sank another drive at about the same place he did in round one.

So 26 birdies, 11 bogeys and 3 double bogeys later McIlroy finished with -9 on T17. And the author would venture a relatively safe prediction that he will be spending a few extra hours on the range with the driver over the coming week.

Categories
PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy After Players Championship: “I Think I’m Headed in the Right Direction”

Rory McIlroy finishes the Players Championship, the flagship event of the PGA Tour, in 19th place. The Northern Irishman posted a score of 72 (even par) on the final day at the TPC Sawgrass. In the press conference after the final round, he explained why he was not satisfied despite 26 birdies and how the dispute with LIV Golf could continue.

Full Interview with Rory McIlroy after Players Championship

Question: You said at the beginning of the week you were kind of in between swings. I know it’s probably not the week you wanted, but do you feel like you’re closer to whichever one you want?

Rory McIlory: I think overall I probably made a little bit of progress from this time last Sunday at the Arnold Palmer, so, yeah, it’s there. I think, after the first round I sort of my expectations sort of went sky high because I was like, oh, I think I’ve figured it out. Then the last three days were a little bit more of a struggle.

But I think I’m headed in the right direction. I’ve definitely straightened out a few of the iron shots, which was a big key for me coming into this week. I made enough birdies, it’s just a matter of getting rid of the bad stuff.

Question: You’re playing the week before the Masters, but do you think you might visit Augusta in advance, or has that been as good for you as you would have liked?

Rory McIlory: No, I mean, I might go there on the way to San Antonio. Might head up there on the Monday and play and then head to San Antonio. But no trips planned as of yet.

Question: It’s always kind of cool, though, sometimes you go with your dad, I mean just maybe just for the fun of it more than anything?

Rory McIlory: Yeah, I’ve done that a lot and it’s really nice and I can certainly do that after the Masters, but when I do it before, I don’t feel like I get a ton out of it. Like in terms of like preparation for the week and actually getting into the mindset I need to get into. So maybe a quick pit stop on the way to San Antonio to play a practice round and spend some time. But as I said, nothing planned as of yet.

Question: It’s been confirmed that there’s a meeting tomorrow with the player directors and Yasir. Do you welcome that?

Rory McIlory: Absolutely. I think it should have happened months ago, so I am glad that it’s happening. Hopefully that progresses conversations and gets us closer to a solution.

Question: Does Tiger need to be involved in that do you think at this point?

Rory McIlory: I mean, he’s a player director. He’s on the board, so absolutely he needs to be involved.

Question: What you do hope their message is? What do you hope to take away from that meeting?

Rory McIlory: The players or the PIF?

Question: The players.

Rory McIlory: The players? That fundamentally he wants to do the right thing. I think I’ve said this before, I have spent time with Yasir and his — the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice, so Norman and those guys.

I see the two entities, and I think there’s a big, I actually think there’s a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV. I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing.

Question: What does PIF want do you think that’s different to LIV?

Rory McIlory: Look, they’re a sovereign wealth fund. They want to park money for decades and not worry about it. They want to invest in smart and secure businesses, and the PGA TOUR is definitely one of those, especially if they’re looking to invest in sport in some way.

Question: Back on the golf, 26 birdies is a record around here. I know it’s nice to be leaving with —

Rory McIlory: Woo-hoo. (Laughing).

Question: There’s been a lot of people play here in 50 years.

Rory McIlory: Yeah, no, it feels, I did the same — I did the same thing at the back end of 2020 I remember, the back end of the COVID year I was making a ton of birdies and making a ton of mistakes, as well, and it was just a matter of trying to figure out a way to keep the bogeys off the card and still make the birdies.

So, yeah, look, it’s not all bad. It could be a lot worse, I guess. If these are the worse finishes that I’m going to have 20ths, you know, I feel like that’s my floor and I haven’t quite got to the golf that I’ve wanted to play to get to my ceiling. Hopefully, over the next few weeks I can work at it and get closer to that level of golf.

Question: Is the volatility swing related or is it an approach thing you’ve seen in the last couple weeks?

Rory McIlory: I think it’s swing related. My misses last week were predominantly to the left. So I really tried to eradicate that this week, and for the most part with the irons I did, but started to get a left miss off the tee.

Golf is a very fickle game. It gives you one thing and then takes away something else from you. It’s just, again, like, I feel like I’ve got all the components there, but just trying to put them all together on a given week. That’s the tricky part at the minute.

Question: Is that bigger picture view that you said — or excuse me, when you talked with Yasir, did you sense from him a bigger picture view than what we’re seeing with LIV?

Rory McIlory: Absolutely. I think there’s a way to incorporate — I think, you know, they’re big on team golf and they want to see team golf survive in some way in the calendar. I don’t think it has to necessarily look like LIV. I think in my mind you should leave the individual golf the individual golf and then you play your team golf on the sort of periphery of that.

But, again, it’s going to require patience. People have contracts at LIV up until 2028, 2029. I don’t know if they’re going to see that all the way out, but I definitely see LIV playing in its current form for the next couple years anyway while everything gets figured out. I don’t think this is an overnight solution, but if we can get the investment in, then at least we can start working towards a compromise where we’re not going to make everyone happy, but at least make everyone understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.

Question: What particularly is it about LIV that you see is the disconnect with Yasir?

Rory McIlory: I think their disruptiveness and his — their disruptiveness, and then his, I don’t know what the right word is, I guess his desire to be involved in the world of golf in a productive way.

Categories
PGA Tour

Watch: McIlroy’s incredible par save at The Players Championship

After Rory McIlroy had a great day in the first round of The Players Championship 2024, things went anything but well for the Northern Irishman on the second day. With a poor round of 73, McIlroy dropped back to T14 and has his incredible par save to thank for the fact that the gap to leader Wyndham Clark is not even wider.

Players Championship 2024: McIlroy’s stunning par save on video

The start of the second round at The Players Championship 2024 was an up-and-down affair for Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman recorded three birdies and three bogeys on the first six holes before his first par of the day followed on the seventh hole. Of course, McIlroy accomplished this in inimitable style. Rory McIlroy’s tee shot found the pine straw. Still, he would go on to save par.

Despite this outstanding shot, Rory McIlroy cannot be satisfied with his second round. The 34-year-old went straight to the range after his round of 73.

Categories
PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy after controversial drop at Players: “I was adamant”

Rory McIlroy put in a strong performance on the first day of the Players Championship. But the number one topic of conversation was his controversial drop. In the PGA Tour press conference, he spoke about how everyone just wants to do the right thing and which statistic he is particularly happy with. Read the full press conference with Rory McIlroy here.

Rory McIlroys press conference after round one of The Players

Question: Not a total golf question, but I know you’re a big sports fan. Caleb Williams, who’s never seen a golf tournament in his life, became a golf fan through his coach at Southern Cal, so he specifically wanted to follow you and Spieth. You guys are fans of other things; what’s it like to have a guy who’s never played golf before, probably be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and he wanted to follow your group?

Rory McIlroy: Thank you for telling me what sport he played. (Laughter).

Yeah, it’s really cool. I think golf is hopefully becoming more popular and more mainstream and sort of making it out of its little niche area that it has. Yeah, it is, it’s very cool to have people out there following that take an interest in what we’re doing out there, especially other athletes.

One of my favorite things to do is to go and watch other sporting events and sort of talk to other athletes, how they approach their sport and how they try to master their craft. It’s always nice to hear when other athletes take an interest in us, as well.

Question: That scene on the 7th, was that necessary in your eyes, or was it all needless?

Rory McIlroy: I think Jordan was just trying to make sure that I was doing the right thing. I mean, I was pretty sure that my ball had crossed where I was sort of dropping it. It’s so hard, right, because there was no TV evidence. I was adamant. But I think, again, he was just trying to make sure that I was going to do the right thing.

If anything, I was being conservative with it. I think at the end of the day we’re all trying to protect ourselves, protect the field, as well. I wouldn’t say it was needless. I think he was just trying to make sure that what happened was the right thing.

Question: You talked yesterday about being kind of stuck in between two swings. It seemed like for most of the day it was much, much better, obviously with the two exceptions. How much more comfortable was it today, and what did you find?

Rory McIlroy: Yeah, I’m not sure how the strokes gained approach stats look like, but it’s probably been one of my best days in a while, which is really nice.

Yeah, the feeling is good with the irons, and the feeling with the driver and the 3-wood is just a little bit different, but as long as I remind myself on the tee box that okay, this is a wood, and I get on the fairway, and this is an iron, and I’ve got two different feels and two different thoughts, then it’s okay.

Yeah, much, much improved on the approach play today, which was nice to see.

Question: (Question about the tee shot on 7).

Rory McIlroy: Yeah, they were just a bit guidey, a bit uncommitted, more so than anything else.

Question: You called Sunday a wake-up call. What did it wake you up to?

Rory McIlroy: Just I needed to clean up the technique a little bit, needed to clean up some things. Honestly, just needed to put the time in. I think when you play — I’ve wanted to play a lot to start this year, and I have, but when you play a lot, you don’t maybe get the time to practice all that much. At the same time, say I had a decent day on Sunday at Bay Hill and shot 70, for sure I would have taken Monday off here. But because of not shooting a decent score, I grinded on the range and figured something out and put the time in, and it’s sort of already reaping benefits, so that’s nice.

Question: I know it’s golf, but is it awkward when you have that sort of conversation on the 7th?

Rory McIlroy: I mean, I guess I started to doubt myself a little bit. I was like, okay, did I actually see what I thought I saw.

But I mean, as long as — I was comfortable, and I was just making sure that Jordan and Viktor were comfortable, too.

Question: Seems a bit tough that they’ve got all these cameras all over the course and they’ve got a blind spot there.

Rory McIlroy: Yeah, it is a bit of a blind spot. I think the best view was from the tee, which was the view that we had.

Question: You saw it bounce?

Rory McIlroy: I did, yeah. It was just a matter of whether it was above the line or below, and I thought I saw it pitch above the line.

Question: (Question about where the ball landed.)

Rory McIlroy: Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think so.

Question: 18 was a similar situation.

Rory McIlroy: 18 was a pretty similar situation. Again, adamant it crossed, it’s just a matter of where it crosses. I think this golf course more than any other, it sort of produces those situations a little bit.

Again, like I feel like I’m one of the most conscientious golfers out here, so if I feel like I’ve done something wrong, it’ll play on my conscience for the rest of the tournament. I’m a big believer in karma, and if you do something wrong, I feel like it’s going to come around and bite you at some point.

I obviously don’t try to do anything wrong out there, and play by the rules and do the right thing. I feel like I obviously did that those two drops.

Question: Two in the water and shoot 65, you couldn’t have asked for much more, I would think?

Rory McIlroy: It would be nice to shoot 62 and not have two in the water, I guess. (Laughter).

Question: The last few years you’ve had a tough start here which got you behind the 8-ball. How nice was it to get off to a hot start and attack a round?

Rory McIlroy: Yeah, I think it goes back to I didn’t have many expectations going out there today because I was like, okay, feels good on the range and feels good in practice, but let’s see how it is when you’ve got a card in your hand.

There’s something to be said for that, just sort of lessening the expectations a little bit and going out there and seeing what happens. But yeah, it was obviously a great start.

Question: Is it hard to reset when there’s been a long delay like that and get back into the rhythm?

Rory McIlroy: Yeah, a little bit. It was disappointing not to get that up-and-down on 7, but that’s probably why I give it a little mini-fist pump on 9 to feel like I got one of those shots back.

Yeah, you have to reset and you have to try to get back into the zone that you were in for the 15 previous holes.

Question: When you say you were maybe doubting what you saw with your own eyes in terms of determining where you needed to drop, how do you balance that between the input you’re getting from your playing partners versus what you saw with your own eyes?

Rory McIlroy: Yeah, exactly. I was adamant that I saw it bounce above the red line, but then when someone comes in and says, well, someone thought that it didn’t. Then you’re like — it just puts some doubt in your mind. Again, it’s up to you to be comfortable enough with your decision that you did see what you saw, I guess.

Question: Viktor and Jordan didn’t speak to the media, but from your perspective, did you feel like everybody was comfortable after the round with the decisions made on the course on 18 and 7?

Rory McIlroy: I think so, yeah. I’m comfortable. I think that’s the most important thing.
Trancript by ASAP Sports

Categories
PGA Tour

Players Championship 2024: Hovland and Spieth Question Rory McIlory’s Drop

Rory McIlroy hit his ball into the water twice in the first round of the Players Championship 2024. On hole 7, this resulted in a discussion with his flight partners Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland. The discussion centred on the question of whether the ball crossed the red line after crossing the penalty area or whether it bounced and rolled into the water before crossing the line. Another part of the discussion centred on where the ball may have crossed the line.

Players Championship 2024: Discussions about Rory McIlroy’s drop

The PGA Tour captured the entire discussion on video:

Rory McIlroy was pretty sure of his drop on the hole side of the penalty area when Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth questioned whether the ball had really crossed the red line. If it hadn’t, McIlroy would have had to hit again from the tee. According to Spieth, the TV crew were of the opinion that the ball had “one hundred per cent” not crossed the line. However, he himself had not seen where the ball had landed. Hovland couldn’t say for sure either and called the situation “very speculative”. McIlroy, meanwhile, emphasised that he was convinced the ball had crossed the line, he just wasn’t sure exactly where.

A rules official was called in to help and the camera footage was consulted. However, it was concluded that the television images did not provide clear evidence and the decision would therefore have to be made based on the players’ judgement. It was agreed that the ball had landed on land.

McIlroy, to be on the safe side, chose a spot to drop that was on the line a few metres back from where he estimated the ball had crossed the red line. The rules official made sure that Spieth and Hovland were not against the location of the drop, which they both confirmed, even if they still didn’t seem entirely convinced that the ball had actually crossed the line. Golf journalist Dan Rapaport, who accompanied the group, described the atmosphere as “very strange”.

McIlroy took the shot and ended up making double bogey on that hole.

Rory McIlroy: “I started to doubt myself a little bit”

After the round, McIlroy said the following about the situation to the media:
“I think Jordan was just trying to make sure that I was doing the right thing. I mean, I was pretty sure that my ball had crossed where I was sort of dropping it. It’s so hard, right, because there was no TV evidence. I was adamant. But I think, again, he was just trying to make sure that I was going to do the right thing.”

“If anything, I was being conservative with it. I think at the end of the day we’re all trying to protect ourselves, protect the field, as well. I wouldn’t say it was needless. I think he was just trying to make sure that what happened was the right thing.”

“I guess I started to doubt myself a little bit. I was like, okay, did I actually see what I thought I saw. But I mean, as long as — I was comfortable, and I was just making sure that Jordan and Viktor were comfortable, too.”

“It is a bit of a blind spot. I think the best view was from the tee, which was the view that we had.”

“I was adamant that I saw it bounce above the red line, but then when someone comes in and says, well, someone thought that it didn’t. Then you’re like — it just puts some doubt in your mind. Again, it’s up to you to be comfortable enough with your decision that you did see what you saw, I guess.”

“It was disappointing not to get that up-and-down on 7, but that’s probably why I give it a little mini-fist pump on 9 to feel like I got one of those shots back. You have to reset and you have to try to get back into the zone that you were in for the 15 previous holes.”

Categories
PGA Tour

Players Championship: Rory McIlroy tired of uncertainty

After Jay Monahan’s press conference regarding the future of the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy agrees with his decision to stay in the lead of the Tour and the new PGA Tour Enterprises. In McIlroys Wednesday press conference, prior to the Players Championship, he emphasises the importance of bringing the game back together and move on. McIlroy oppend up about his difficulties winning another Major and if he thinks he can capture his next Major-Title this year.

Can Rory McIlroy win another Major?

Here’s his opinion on how the pressure added up over the last ten years without a Major title: “It does, but then at the same time, I look at my record in the majors over the last couple of years, and I’ve definitely started to perform much more consistently in them.”

“Look, I’m under no illusion that the clock is ticking and it has been 10 years since I’ve won one of them, and I’ve had chances, and those just haven’t went my way. I just need to keep putting myself in those positions, and sooner or later it’s going to happen.”

Rory McIlroy defends Jay Monahan

“You look at what Jay has done since he took over,” McIlroy said in the Wednesday press conference in TPC Sawgrass. “The media rights deal, navigating us through COVID, the strategic alliance with the DP World Tour. I would say creating PGA Tour Enterprises, we were just able to accept a billion and a half dollars in the business, people can nit-pick and say he didn’t do this right or didn’t do that right, but if you actually step back and look at the bigger picture, I think the PGA Tour is in a far stronger position than when Jay took over.”

Monahan spoke about the new alliance with the SSG (Strategic Sports Group) and the new funds coming with the newly created PGA Tour Enterprises. Tough informations regarding the PIF are highly requested Monahan did hold back and just stated, that meetings were “accelerating”.

Rory McIlroy: “We need to get this thing over and done”

Like many fans and players, Rory McIlroy urges the policy board and PGA Tour Enterprises to come to a conclusion and to “get this thing over and done”, falling right in line with his latest statements about the LIV Golf Tour and Liv players getting involved in the Ryder Cup and a potential World Tour.

“I feel grateful that I was on the PGA Tour board at the point in time when I was. I feel like it will stand to me down the line if I ever want to get deeper into the business side of things, whether that’s in golf or in other domains. It’s different now, though. You’ve got two boards on Tour. One is really a business board, and sort of that priority is growing the growth of the business of the PGA Tour, and then the policy board, which I was on, was about making rules and slow play and whatever else.”

“The business board to me would be something — if an opportunity came along in the future and I felt like it was the right time, would maybe be something that I would like to get involved in again.”

“We need to improve fan experience”

Like Jay Monahan, Rory McIlroy talked about enhancing the fan experience. “Yeah, so to me, like this is the problem with a members’ organization. Things are created for the members. Then once those things are created, you’ve got to go sell those things to fans, sponsors, media.” 

“To me, that seems a little backwards. I think what needs to happen is you need to create things for the fans, for the sponsors, for the media, and then you have to go sell that to the players, tell them to get on board with that, because if they get on board and we’re all part of the business now, if the business does better, we do better. That seems pretty simple to me.”

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Who wins the Players Championship 2024?

Every year, golf fans eagerly anticipate the Players Championship of the PGA Tour with great expectations. Over the weekend, players compete at The Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for a total prize money of $25 million. In anticipation of the tournament, several questions arise: Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title? Which other players have good chances of success? Let’s take a look at the players who are considered the biggest favorites.

Players Championship 2024: Scottie Scheffler is the clear favorite

Scottie Scheffler is certainly the name that comes to mind when it comes to winning the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament. The world number one is in good form and is performing consistently well, as is to be expected given his top position in the World Golf Ranking, which he has held since May last year. Last weekend, he fuelled his confidence with a comfortable victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, five strokes ahead of second-placed Wyndham Clark. Scheffler also won last year’s Players Championship 2023 by five strokes, so not only is he in excellent form, but he certainly has fond memories of last year’s event.

Always a contender: Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy, who incidentally helped Scottie Scheffler to victory last weekend with a tip to change putters, is always good for a win at major tournaments. While the Northern Irishman achieved three top 25 finishes in four events on the PGA Tour in 2024, he has already claimed a victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour and narrowly missed out on a second success at the Dubai Invitational. Although McIlroy missed the cut at last year’s Players Championship, the world number two is certainly capable of triumphing this year.

In good form: Wyndham Clark

A victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and a second-place fA victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and a second place last weekend shows that Wyndham Clark is currently in good form. The world number five is definitely a hot candidate for the title. However, he would have to improve on last year’s performance, where he finished tied 27th at the Players Championship.

Under the radar: Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland

Japanese Hideki Matsuyama and Norwegian Viktor Hovland can be considered more of a “dark horse” category. The situations of the two could hardly be more different. Matsuyama is currently in good form and has already secured a victory in 2024 at the Genesis Invitational. On the other hand, Hovland has not yet found his form from 2023 this year. His best finish is a tied 19th place at the Genesis Invitational. However, their strong performances from last year should give both players confidence. Viktor Hovland finished third at the Players Championship 2023, while Matsuyama finished fifth. Especially for Hovland, the upcoming weekend would be a good time to regain his old form.

European hopes: Ludvig Aberg and Matthieu Pavon

Frenchman Matthieu Pavon impressed at the Farmers Insurance Open with his first tournament win on the PGA Tour after securing a tour card via the DP World Tour and travelling on the PGA Tour as a rookie. Ludvig Aberg is also playing his first full season after a rocket start to his professional career in 2023 and has already recorded two top-10 finishes in 2024. Both players are young talents who did not play in the Players Championship last year and will have the opportunity to prove themselves on the PGA Tour’s biggest stage this week.