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1. Welcome to the first Tour Confidential of 2026, where we are still a week away from the opening PGA Tour tournament of the year, yet still have plenty to discuss. Let’s get into our first topic: Look into your crystal ball and give us your boldest bold prediction for the year.

Josh Sens, senior writer, (@joshsens): Scottie Scheffler wins at Shinnecock (not bold; just inevitable) to wrap up the career grand slam, and Fred Ridley announces that the Masters will move to a limited-flight ball by 2030. 

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Sens’ first prediction is about as lukewarm as they come, but the second is quite tasty. I’ll say that we’ll see Brooks Koepka on the PGA Tour sometime this year. He may be suspended from certain events, but I’d have to imagine the Tour will allow him back on a limited basis. 

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Some good ones above! I’ll use Sens’ theme and predict that Jordan Spieth wins the PGA Championship and completes the grand slam. The question wanted bold, so let’s go bold. 

2. OK, now switch leagues from your previous bold prediction and give us one more. 

Sens: LIV offers Bryson DeChambeau a $1 billion contract extension. 

Melton: Jeeno Thitikul wins two majors. She’s been on the doorstep so many times, it’s baffling she doesn’t have one yet. I think 2026 for Jeeno will be much like 2024 was for Xander Schauffele. 

Piastowski: More good ones! Let’s keep it rolling. Tiger Woods wins the U.S. … Senior Open. But maybe that’s not bold. So here’s another: I think we hear more chatter about Australia hosting a major championship. 

3. What 2026 major venue are you most looking forward to and why?

Sens: The U.S. Open at Shinnecock. Always fun to watch the best take on this undeniably great design, made even more intriguing when the course setup gets pushed to the edge for the national championship. 

Melton: Riviera for the U.S. Women’s Open. I’ve seen the men tackle the George Thomas design several times in February, but I’m intrigued to see how it plays with the USGA in charge in June. I have a feeling it could be an all-time great USWO host venue. 

Piastowski: All of the above! I’ll add a couple: Aronimink hosts its first men’s major since 1962,  and the Chevron, according to reports, will be played at Houston’s Memorial Park, a muni, and that’s how you ‘grow the game.’ 

4. And what 2026 storyline are you already salivating over?

Sens: I try not to salivate in public, but I am very curious to see whether/how new commish Brian Rolapp remakes the Tour. Clearly, the old model needs disrupting, but what shape will the new version take?

Melton: I’m eager to see if Sens can improve his understanding of technology (I currently operate as his IT support guy). Outside of that, I’ll be keeping a close eye on the golf-ball roll-back. The issue wasn’t discussed much in 2025, but as we get closer to the 2028 date of pros using the new ball, I’m sure the debate will ramp up even more.

Sens: I’ve drafted a pithy comeback and have sent it out by carrier pigeon. 

Piastowski: LOL! Let’s stay with Sens’ commissioner theme and I’ll say that I’m interested to see how new LPGA boss Craig Kessler continues to build momentum. He’s secured a better TV deal — but now what? I also want to see if Rory McIlroy gets a Guinness tap installed for the Masters Champions Dinner. 

5. Who wins more in 2026 — Scottie Scheffler, or Rory McIlroy and another player of your choice combined?

Sens: Now that Tommy Fleetwood has broken the seal, I’m counting on him to tack on a win or three this year. But even that won’t be enough for him and Rory to combine to top Scheffler, who should be his usual dominant self. 

Melton: Scottie — and it ain’t gonna be close. 

Piastowski: Looks like I need to go the other route here — but I can’t. As of Jan. 4, you can’t pick against Scheffler. But a McIlroy-Thitikul combo might do it.  

6. Finally, what’s your own golfy New Year’s resolution for 2026? And what’s a good one for our readers to adopt to try and accomplish themselves?

Melton: Get more swing speed! I made some progress at the tail end of 2025, but 2026 is the year I’m going to finally break out. 

Sens: With a rigorous strength and flexibility program, I’m confident Zephyr can crack 80 mph by year end. Me? I’ve played golf in 46 U.S. states and would like to push that number to 50. Currently missing Alaska, both Dakotas and Arkansas. 

Piastowski: In another spot, I wrote that I want to be a better loser, meaning that I want to remember my rounds better, no matter the score. I’ll add another: I want to play a few more ‘last-second’ rounds — I play my golf mostly on tee times made a couple days ahead of time; this year, I want it to be more spontaneous. Nice out? Let’s go! 

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The post Tour Confidential: What does Brooks Koepka’s LIV exit mean? appeared first on Golf.

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): We at GOLF had a conversation in late 2022 about which LIV defector the PGA Tour would miss the most. There were strong arguments for Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson (and we mostly whiffed on Bryson, who is probably the current answer) but I said Brooks Koepka for two reasons: He was, at the time, this generation’s greatest major champ (Rory McIlroy has since tied him). And because of that alpha-dog major record, he could have stayed and doubled down on the idea that the PGA Tour is where the fiercest competitors play. In other words, when he left the PGA Tour, that was a massive blow — and it’s a massive deal that he’s leaving LIV.

What’s next? DeChambeau now has an unthinkable amount of leverage as he renegotiates his own contract with LIV. The PGA Tour is clearly eager to get Koepka back — but will have to strike a delicate balance when it comes to actually bringing him into the fold. But what does Koepka himself want?! I’m most interested to hear where his priorities are and what he thinks of the pro golf ecosystem, if we get him speaking freely.

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe):The most intriguing part of this to me is what it means for the PGA Tour and how they handle bringing Koepka back. There has understandably been a lot of talk about Koepka’s exodus potentially being the start of a death blow for LIV, but I think it’s more likely this is just Brooks Koepka being Brooks Koepka. He was never fully bought into LIV. When he won the PGA in 2023, he was famously uninterested in letting LIV share the credit for the win. He has been open that he might have made a different decision had his health situation — or knowledge of his future health — been different in 2022. This might end up only being about Brooks Koepka not being interested in going through the LIV motions anymore.

He was never all that interested in run-of-the-mill PGA Tour events when he was a member, either. But how the PGA Tour works to bring him back and the punishment (or lack thereof) they hand out will be telling as the fracture makes its way into Year 5.

As Dylan noted, Bryson has a lot of leverage now in contract negotiations and clearly knows it based on his recent comments. It will be fascinating to see how it all unfolds over the next handful of months.

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): I would hardly be shocked if Koepka and DeChambeau have been in touch about their concurrent decisions. They’re somewhat linked, as discussed above. I think DeChambeau will now rightfully ask for a major, major payday — or insist that LIV be serious about the major, major payday he was already asking for. There’s a difference, though — Koepka ended his deal with LIV. It sounds like DeChambeau is at least interested in playing his out for one more season, if not more. 

The PGA Tour released a somewhat cryptic response to the Koepka news. Would Koepka returning to the PGA Tour be bigger for the Tour, or most disastrous for LIV?

Dethier: It would be a much bigger deal for the PGA Tour if he came back. Koepka has already struck LIV a massive blow by leaving — the next step is bigger for the Tour.

Schrock: Agree with Dylan. Koepka becoming the first big name to leave LIV with time still on his contract has already done damage to the breakaway league but the bigger deal is how and if he returns. If the PGA Tour gets Brooks Koepka back, which we assume they will at some point, that’s a big deal for the Tour. 

Zak: Devil’s advocate time. LIV hasn’t added anyone of note in two years. It now lost a major name and team captain for the first time. On paper, that looks like a plateau and then a step in the wrong direction. If 2024/2025 was LIV’s plateau, how high was the league’s peak? I know that sounds awfully premature, but where is the momentum entering season 4? 

This week, on Dec. 30, Tiger Woods turns 50. Easy one: what’s been your favorite Tiger moment you’ve seen or been a part of?

Dethier: I was lucky enough to cover a bunch of Tiger tournaments in the 2018-2019 range when he was showing signs of a comeback underway. The 2018 Valspar Championship, for example, was an unexpected blast. The 2018 PGA at Bellerive was electric. There was also a moment in 2020 — perhaps his last as a major championship contender — that has stuck with me. But yeah, it was obviously the 2019 Masters. Arguably the greatest golf tournament of all time, we got the result everybody wanted to see and you could taste the euphoria in the air.

Schrock: How could it not be the 2019 Masters? A perfect storybook finish to a legendary golf career. We can hope there’s one more moment for Tiger, but he already gave us it in 2019. 

Zak: Watching Woods win the 2019 Masters from inside the Augusta National locker room was fun. Standing between Martin Kaymer and Rickie Fowler as they watched the broadcast, unable to look away, realizing they were now victims to the same scheme the old-heads always told them about. He did it again and he did it to a new generation of stars: Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and others, who all had a chance that Sunday. Still feels hard to believe. 

Tiger’s role in pro golf is much different now than it was 30 years ago. Decades from now, how will we look back at Tiger post-50 and where will we notice his biggest influences?

Dethier: I think we’ll marvel at the fact that he went from being arguably the greatest golfer in history to an in-the-weeds administrator. But I guess I also still hope we’re marveling at the truly unthinkable comeback he made after his sixth back surgery.

Schrock: His on-course feats will always top the list but I do think that in 30 years we could look back on Tiger post-50 and see how he shaped what we will then know pro golf to be. He and Brian Rolapp are going to be the architects of the PGA Tour’s new reality and it’s clear that TIger is very focused on that being part of his legacy. Let’s also not forget much money Tiger made everyone else during his career — our James Colgan had a great piece on the financial Tiger effect that is worth your time. 

Zak: I think he has a chance to do something big with the Ryder Cup — to grab the reigns from the PGA of America and lead the Americans back to glory. But as I wrote the other day, it doesn’t seem likely to happen soon. In the meantime, I suppose he’ll be grinding on reshaping the structure of the Tour’s competitive platform. That should keep him plenty busy. 

Season 2 of TGL kicked off Sunday on ESPN. What’s your prediction for this next chapter? Will it continue to gain steam? Lose its following? What changes will be important for its growth?

Dethier: On the one hand, I still can’t believe we’re doing TGL again. On the other hand, I went to the SoFi Center last week and found myself drinking the Kool-Aid — that place rocks! The tech is ridiculous, the atmosphere is weird and cool, the players seem bought in and it’s a nice place to spend a couple hours. This is a lukewarm prediction but I’d expect numbers to be flat year over year. The new holes are the most promising development.

Schrock: The biggest development from Season 1 is that the players bought in and, by the end, it was a pretty fun event on what are normally sleepy, winter weekdays. I’m not sure how much growth is possible given golf’s place as niche sport but I think with the new holes — and hopefully more to come — and continued player buy-in it should maintain its momentum from last year. 

Zak: I think the adjustments to the green were subtle but will be a much bigger deal in terms of creating highlights. More putts made, more chips holed, and a sim that might even allow for an ace or two. I think that could help make it a bit more mainstream, but there’s a ceiling on that entity, and it looks about as popular as Duke – Boston College hoops on a Tuesday night.

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The post Tour Confidential: Did Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler or someone else win 2025? appeared first on Golf.

Who won the year? Well, Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam, Scottie Scheffler won two majors but Luke Donald and the European Ryder Cup team won a road game at rowdy Bethpage. That’s just a sample of nominees, and it doesn’t even include recreational golf, which was booming yet again. Who, or what, won 2025?

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): Some very worthy nominees here, but I’ll take the obvious answer and go with Rory. A career Grand Slam is a generational accomplishment — and the drama that accompanied his achievement, from the playoff and the banishment of his Augusta demons to his cathartic reaction to finally shedding the weight of his major-championship drought — made it all the more compelling and emotionally satisfying for us watching at home.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Yeah, hard to argue against Rory. Biggest win, biggest moment. Let’s do this, though. McIlroy wins the year. And we’ll say that Scottie Scheffler is on his way to winning the decade. And the news that every LPGA event will be on live TV could be the most impactful moment for the future.  

Josh Schrock, news editor (Schrock_And_Awe): It’s Rory. He checked two of the final three items off his career bucket list, won at Pebble, Sawgrass, Augusta and in Ireland before stuffing the golf fans at Bethpage in a locker for three days. Oh, and he won Sports Personality of the Year. But an honorable mention to the LPGA for hiring Craig Kessler as commissioner. He has already made some important changes, starting with the broadcast change, as Nick noted. I think the LPGA is in good hands, and I look forward to where they are headed under his watch. If we’re doing a who won the year podium, Rory gets the gold, Scottie gets the silver and the LPGA gets a premature medal for where I think Kessler can take them. 

News

What was the most memorable moment of the year? And no, you can’t all pick the same one.

Marksbury: Rory’s 18th-green breakdown at Augusta brought a tear to my eye. As members of the media, we’re accustomed to remaining neutral, but watching Rory’s ups and downs during that final round was an exhausting and emotionally draining viewing experience. I can’t recall a recent major championship where viewers and onsite fans wanted a win for a player more, maybe since Tiger at the Masters in 2019, or Tom Watson at Turnberry in 2009. Rory’s achievement felt like a win for all of us who have watched him over the course of his career.

Piastowski: Let’s go with J.J. Spaun’s U.S. Open-winning putt at Oakmont. I like his story. I liked his rebound after making five bogeys in his first six holes during the final round. Then came his 65-foot bomb, in the rain, with the ball illuminated by cameras and a greenside leaderboard. It was movie-like.  

Schrock: For me, it was Rory’s eagle putt to send the Irish Open to a playoff. He had been in a big funk that he came out of at Portrush. He lost the Irish Open last year when Rasmus Hojgaard tracked him down on Sunday. The shot of the crowd literally all levitating off the ground as the eagle putt dropped with him fist-pumping was electric and a reminder that few are able to do what Rory McIlroy can do. 

What story didn’t get as much attention as it deserved?

Marksbury: I had the pleasure of revisiting Jeeno Thitikul’s record-breaking season for our countdown of the year’s best stories, and wow, what she accomplished in 2025 is truly remarkable. She won three times — a far cry from Nelly Korda’s seven victories last year — but that was the most of anyone on the LPGA Tour this year, where 29 different players claimed titles (also a new record). Jeeno’s consistency was absolutely amazing: 14 top 10s in 20 events, leading to a new single-season earnings record ($7,578,330!) and a new record scoring average of 68.68, besting the mark set by Annika Sorenstam in 2002. Such accomplishments are worthy of endless praise!

Piastowski: I like that answer, Jess. Thitikul should have gotten more attention for what she accomplished. I’m going to go with Minjee Lee’s win at the Women’s PGA, giving her three majors. It’ll be interesting to see if she could win one or two more and fully enter the conversation of all-time greats, if she’s not already there. 

Schrock: Love that answer, Nick. I was there that week in Frisco and it was so impressive to watch Minjee pick that course apart while everyone else was complaining about unfair pins. I don’t know if we have fully appreciated the run that Justin Rose is on at age 45. He was runner-up at Troon, played Rory to a draw for 72 holes at the Masters, which included going nuclear on Sunday, beat Tommy in Memphis and then stole Team USA’s souls with every putt at Bethpage. I don’t know how long his “Indian Summer” will last, but it’s one of the best stories in professional golf right now.

News

What did you learn in 2025?

Marksbury: Given the runaway success of the Internet Invitational, the advent of TGL and the introduction of the Optum Golf Channel Games, it’s becoming more and more clear that there is an appetite for golf consumption that reaches far beyond the Tour. I’m very interested to see where that leads. 

Piastowski: Love that answer. Yes, there’s a lot of golf, for sure, and the question will be whether golf can sustain that. I’m going to go with something I relearned, I guess, and that’s just how good Tiger Woods was and the effect he’s had. Think about how many times his name was brought up this year with Scottie Scheffler. Think about how much attention is paid whenever the man even speaks. His influence is remarkable. 

Schrock: Piggybacking off Nick here, but Tiger still has another legacy-writing chapter ahead off the course. The influence he has in helping shape the future of the PGA Tour can’t be overstated. From a potential new-look schedule to reunification, Tiger will play a major role in what the Tour’s future looks like. Tiger might not be teeing it up a ton in the future, but what we see will have his fingerprints all over it.

News

Teams led by Scott Scheffler and Rory McIlroy headlined the Optum Golf Channel Games on Wednesday, where the made-for-TV event ditched a traditional format and competed in speed golf and a slew of different challenges. What did you think? And does this type of event have more staying power than some of the traditional matches or skins games we’ve seen?

Marksbury: Challenge-based games are always fun, even when it’s unknown players competing, like in the days of Golf Channel’s Big Break. So adding top-ranked players like Rory and Scottie definitely increases the entertainment factor — and I think I actually like the fast pace better than traditional matches and skins games.

Piastowski: I didn’t mind it! The speed challenge was fun. The polos seemed to be unbuttoned a bit, so to say. But yeah, as we talked about above, I wonder whether all these events and shows and competitions are sustainable. That said, different is better for me, and I hope this one sticks around. 

Schrock: I liked it more than I thought I would. What worked was the pace. It was fast and something new. I really liked the relay idea and thought it worked overall. Golf needs more variety and something like this was way better than another version of The Match.  

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As we count down the final days of 2025, let’s take a quick moment to reflect on the year that was. Who were the most important golf figures of 2025?

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): Important? I think it’s got to be new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp and new LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler. Both have taken over legacy properties badly in need of fresh ideas and new perspective. Already we’re hearing talks of massive changes for the PGA Tour schedule as soon as 2027. Whether you like them or not, the Tour is clearly looking for something that will put its LIV Golf problem to bed. With Kessler and the LPGA, a new TV deal seems like it could be the spark to get the Tour to ride this new wave of interest in women’s sports around the world. There are certainly more important names in the golf world right now, but none will have more pressure to achieve their goals in 2026 than these two.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Jack laid it out well, but I’ll go ahead and give Tiger Woods his obligatory mention. The popularity of the sport still ebbs and flows with Tiger — as evidenced by the heaps of coverage when he so much as posts a swing video. His competitive career may be behind him, but his influence on the game remains unmatched.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): Good answers above. To them, I’d add Rory McIlroy for providing the most compelling entertainment of the year at both the Masters and the Ryder Cup. And Tommy Fleetwood for best feel-good story. But that’s more about rooting interest than importance. Beyond those guys, some non-traditional golf figures come to mind, especially at a time when the game is stretching increasingly beyond its old boundaries. Caitlin Clark getting into golf. LeBron James going viral with every swing posted online. And though I’d rather get a root canal than watch a bunch of “influencers” knock it around, clearly people are interested, as we saw with the success of the Internet Invitational. Welcome to the future, for better or worse.

And who — not mentioned above — might we be talking about in this space a year from now as a key figure of 2026?

Hirsh: I think it will be someone like Jon Rahm. His prominence in the game has seemed to diminish since his move to LIV, but he’s still played pretty well and I think will start making more of an impact in majors. He still hasn’t won one since the 2023 Masters.

Melton: How bout Brooks Koepka? Speaking of LIV, he’s long been rumored to want out of his LIV deal in order to get back to the PGA Tour. Could 2026 be the year we see a LIV star defect back to the Tour? If it is, BK is likely the first domino to fall.

Sens: Bryson. His impact shows no sign of slowing.

News

Five players earned Tour cards for 2026 via PGA Tour Q-School Sunday at TPC Sawgrass. Which outcome — the good or bad — stuck out to you the most?

Hirsh: Sad to see one of the Tour’s great people, Camilo Villegas, come up one shot short of a playoff to keep full playing status on the Tour. He’ll still be around as a former winner, but I wouldn’t be surprised if former winners hanging onto fringe status is exactly what shrinking the number of exempt players from 125 to 100 is targeting.

Melton: Alejandro Tosti is headed back to the Tour — and the content gods thank him.

Sens: Villegas’ final missed shorty on 18 was painful. But it was touching to see him stick around to celebrate with his friend and countryman Marcelo Rozo. Personally, I was rooting for Spencer Levin, who has been around the block and then some and just didn’t have his best stuff today.

Speaking of the Tour’s aforementioned card changes, are five cards from Q-School enough? Too little? And is Q-School still a key part of the Tour’s construction?

Hirsh: We absolutely need Q-School, especially now that Monday Qs are gone. I think five is a good number, especially with the Korn Ferry Tour shrinking to 20 cards. I also like the hard five instead of the ties, because a playoff, like we got this year, for the last PGA Tour card of the season is pretty awesome. But I’d also like to use this space to mention we still need Monday Qs.

Melton: I’d like to see Q-School give even more cards. We always talk about “life-changing” weeks in pro golf, but there’s no tournament where that’s more true than the Final Stage of Q-School. The drama of it is unlike anything else in the sport, and that makes it one of the coolest weeks of the year.

Sens: Five feels about right. And eliminating ties only adds to the excitement. Nothing like a sudden-death playoff to cap a four-day stress test.

Our Josh Sens recently wrote about a golfer who just broke a world record for most courses played in a year. What’s your number? And if you could pick one course you have already played to tee it up on for the rest of your life, which is it?

Hirsh: First of all, that’s a level of golf sicko-ness of which I’m not familiar. Bravo! I have no idea what the most courses I’ve ever played is. Probably around 20. I’m sure Zephyr has played some ungodly number of courses the last couple years. If I had to pick one course though, it would probably be Royal Dornoch. Links golf is undefeated.

Melton: I wish I played half as much golf as my co-workers think I play. I only logged 40 rounds in 2025! As for the most courses, it’s likely in the range of 30 or so. When you don’t belong to a club, variety is the name of the game. As for one course for the rest of my life? Give me Pasatiempo. Elite course. Elite vibe. Elite logo.

Sens: I’d only be guessing at an annual number. Probably 50? That was a year in my 20s when I waited tables at night and would sneak out to the muni pre-weekday shifts. As for a single course, tough question. In the absence of a perfect answer: Cruden Bay. I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun on a course.

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Tiger Woods spoke to the media for the first time in several months when he held his annual press conference at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas (won by Hideki Matsuyama). Tiger touched on a variety of topics; which was most interesting to you?

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I was most intrigued by Woods’ involvement in the future vision for the PGA Tour; I wrote about that here but what’s fascinating to me is the pairing of Woods — the ultimate insider, and at this point one of the Tour’s longest-tenured figures in any position — and Rolapp — the ultimate outsider with admittedly very little golf-specific knowledge — as the shapers of the Tour’s future.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): I don’t think anyone anticipated this particular presser getting so into the rumored schedule changes, but I thought Tiger speaking about it added some legitimacy to it. The health update was both unsurprising and disappointing. I don’t think Tiger can come back and contend regularly these days, but it would be fun to see him healthy and play a few times a year. The watch is on for the Masters.

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): I was most interested by Tiger’s comment about YouTube. He indicated he felt the infinite video library of swings on the internet was helping to turbocharge golf’s youth movement. Every so often, you’ll hear Woods say something that reflects he thinks about golf on a wholly different plane from most mere mortals. One example was when he started talking about the “cut” and “draw” spin necessary on chip shots at Augusta National. This was another.

As the chair of the Future Competitions Committee, Tiger also indicated the Tour is looking at creating a shortened schedule (and avoiding the NFL) that could begin in 2027, although he was light on details. There’s been much talk about the potential for a new Tour schedule in the future, but what’s the biggest hurdle from making it all happen?

Dethier: Ironically one of the things the Tour wants to change is the same thing preventing it from making that change. There are so many [buzzword alert] stakeholders, so many separate deals with so many different tournaments that it’s challenging to get everything just right for everyone without crossing a dozen can’t-cross lines. Put another way: the Tour is a big boat, and it’s tough to turn a big boat around.

Berhow: Wow, love the boat analogy, Dylan. Good work. But the answer is there’s a lot in the way of making something like this happen. I’d love a schedule that takes the best 70-some players and puts them in the same 20 or so events a year (including majors) and all of a sudden we have some simplicity, continuity, distinction and burgeoning rivalries. But what about the middle class? How many members are there? How does the Korn Ferry Tour factor in? What about the smaller events? It’s frustrating we still don’t have a great way to do this, but I am also happy I’m not the person in charge of this. Because it can’t be easy.

Colgan: Every so often, the history of a major professional sports league comes down to the brute force capacity of its leadership. For baseball, this happened with the pitch clock. For basketball, with the first and second “aprons.” For football, with the 2011 lockout. I think brute force is the biggest hurdle facing the PGA Tour, and we’ll know if Woods and PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp have the gumption for it soon enough.

Six-time major champ Nick Faldo said it will be “tough” for Rory McIlroy to win another major title, saying, in part, “it is like climbing Everest, you don’t turn around and say, ‘Let’s go up again next month.’ There was so much emotion at Augusta, and you cannot reproduce the emotion to win a major like that again.” Do you buy this? And what say you, how many more majors does Rory win in his career?

Dethier: Faldo’s right that you can’t reproduce that emotion. But you can certainly recharge and come back hungry for more. I’ll give Rory two more majors, seven in all, rarified air and one more than Faldo…

Berhow: It seemed like a bit of a cheap shot since technically you could say this about any recent major champ. But that’s what makes these guys great. They find ways to keep that drive and continue to push back the goal posts. Rory wins three more majors. He’ll have enough chances.

Colgan: The very centerpiece of Sir Nick’s argument here is wrong. The emotion was Rory’s greatest obstacle to breaking the major drought — not a superpower. A Rory McIlroy playing more freely, more aggressively, and more self-assuredly would have won eight majors over the last decade — and the freedom to live into that version of himself is what’s going to accelerate the last stage of his competitive life.

The PGA Tour released the finalists for its Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award) with Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Ben Griffin earning nominees. While it seems likely Scottie snags his fourth straight this year, let’s look ahead: which player not on this list will be a nominee at this time next year?

Dethier: Cameron Young. The second half of this season, with his victory and Ryder Cup star show, was a turning point. Cam’s time is coming.

Berhow: I think a healthier Xander bounces back and returns to something closer to that 2024 form.

Colgan: Lots of fun answers to this question, in part because of the number of players who seemed to take a half-step back (due to injury or form or some other reason) in 2025. I’ll go with Ludvig Aberg, who was the trendiest pick in golf to win at Augusta in April. We’ve seen golfers take a step back in their second pro season before, only to bounce back in a severe way in Year 3. Aberg still has all the talent, it’s just a matter of time.

The PGA Tour and LPGA merge for the Grant Thornton Invitational this week in Florida. Which two-person pairing is the most intriguing to you?

Dethier: Bud Cauley and Jessica Korda for one simple reason — we haven’t seen Jess Korda play competitive golf in two years! In the meantime her younger sister has had a career’s-worth of successes, with a few rollercoaster dips mixed in for good measure. Fun week ahead.

Berhow: The Jessica Korda pick is a good one. I’ll go with Luke Clanton and Lottie Woad, a pair of former Florida State standouts who have the potential to be stars on the big tours.

Colgan: I can’t explain why, but it feels to me like Wyndham Clark and Lexi Thompson have lived similar lives. I’m excited to see them in action.

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The post Tour Confidential: Will Tiger Woods actually play on Champions Tour? appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Will Tiger Woods actually play on Champions Tour? appeared first on Golf.

Tiger Woods will host (but not play in) his Hero World Challenge this week in the Bahamas, as he’s still recovering from his latest back surgery. Although with Woods’ 50th birthday looming on Dec. 30, it has led to more speculation on whether or not we’ll see Woods play on the 50-and-over Champions Tour in the future. Woods has been mostly mum on the topic over the years, but has dropped some subtle teases. Is Woods playing the Champions Tour in any capacity actually realistic? And could he be successful?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsensgolf): If he’s healthy enough to stand upright and swing, we will see him, sparingly, owing either to his competitive drive or a partnership deal or some combination of the two. I don’t see how he stays away from it entirely any more than Nicklaus did. And a healthy-enough-to-swing Woods would for sure have a chance to win. 

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): If he can get a cart (and others in the field as well), he will play. We know how competitive he is and if the biggest issue truly is walking (which all evidence supports) then we will see him on the PGA Tour Champions. He’s keeping us in suspense because he just doesn’t want opponents on either tour to know what his game plan is. As for his success … would you bet against him against the same guys he used to whip left, right and upside down? He used to win even with one hand tied behind his back. Now he will show he could do it with only one leg! 

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I think we could see him here and there on the Champions Tour, but I think if he able to swing and thinks he can play competitively, he will gear everything around playing the majors. Does playing the Boeing Classic help that? We might reach a point where Tiger just plays on the senior tour, but I don’t think he thinks he is there yet. But if he tees it up, of course, he can go out and be successful over 54 holes against guys he beat in his prime. 

News

Despite his struggles to stay healthy and his game dropping off over the years, Woods is still golf’s biggest draw. What do you think a Woods start on the Champs Tour would do for that circuit? Would it be bigger than that week’s PGA Tour stop?

Sens: There’d be plenty of excitement around it the first time and a ratings bump, but mostly as a kind of curiosity and a nostalgia tour. Kinda like a Bob Dylan concert now. You want to see it. You have to see it at least once. But whether you really need to see it often is another story. Personally, I’d rather remember Woods as the transcendent athlete he was than watch him go through the reps of a nostalgia tour. So yeah. I’m sure it would give the senior circuit a nice little jolt, but wouldn’t it be healthier for everyone – Tiger, fans, tournaments – if we eased up on any on-course hopes and expectations?

Hirsh: Depends on what that week’s PGA Tour stop is. I see him playing in Senior Majors with an occasional appearance at some of the more notable stops like the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach. That tournament doesn’t have any PGA Tour competition. I see him being hesitant to play in something like the Chubb Classic, the Tour’s first mainland stop, because it conflicts with the PGA Tour’s Signature event at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He’s going to be strategic about when he plays.

Schrock: I’m sure it would inject some energy and cash into the circuit when he does tee it up. It would probably make those events more popular than some lesser PGA Tour events because, as Lydia Ko said, even those who don’t know golf know Tiger Woods. But it would be more of a nostalgia, feel-good viewing experience than anything and that only goes so far. 

News

The Skins Game returned to TV on Friday, as Keegan Bradley, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele battled it out on Panther National in Florida. What did you like? What didn’t you like? And was it enough to prove it has staying power?

Sens: My feelings about the event were like partially reheated turkey: lukewarm. The players were all likable and some of the banter, Xander’s in particular, was entertaining. But the sums they were playing for were obnoxious (unless I missed it, was there even a passing mention of any proceeds going to charity), and the disingenuousness of a broadcast that pretended we should be excited about how much each guy was banking – as opposed to being put off by it – gave me post-Thanksgiving agita.

Hirsh: Meh, I found myself having it on in the background while I was doing some Black Friday Amazon-ing. I enjoyed Keegan boatracing everyone and showing what could have been at the Ryder Cup (holds back angry tears). Panther National looked cool as well. But I’m with Josh. It fills a sports void on Black Friday morning, which I guess is worth something.

Schrock: Like most of golf’s one-off attempts to grab eyeballs, it was meh. It had some good moments. The personalities were entertaining enough, but I once again think golf should steer into the do less, not more lane that Brian Rolapp seems to be heading toward. These singular events are OK every once in a while, but I don’t think they need to return as a Black Friday tradition ahead of the NFL or a loaded college football slate. As Tiger, Rory and others have previously pointed out, golf isn’t going to contend with football. 

Lifestyle

Our Josh Sens unveiled the 2025 Turkeys of the Year, our annual awards dished out for missteps or other regrettable moments made over the last 11 months. Who or what takes home your pick?

Sens: The fan abuse of Rory at Bethpage, hands down. For a blend of brainlessness and ugliness, that was tough to beat.

Hirsh: I’ll get specific here on Sens’ topic and say it was that emcee who joined in on the “F— You Rory” chants at the first tee. What are we doing?

Schrock: How could it not be everything that went on at Bethpage as the Europeans roared out to a massive lead? If I had to pick a silver medalist, I’d probably go with Phil due to … well, everything. 

Lifestyle

Let’s wrap up the holiday weekend with an easy (and cheesy) one. What in the golf world are you thankful for?

Sens: I’ll see your cheese and raise you some schmaltz. But it’s an honest answer: the friends I’ve made through golf on every continent where the game is played, plus quite a few of them right here in my hometown.

Hirsh: That my fiancée, Becca, hit a 5-wood long and high enough to hit and hold the green on Bandon Trails’ par-3 5th hole this weekend on a Trackman simulator! I don’t care if she ever plays golf more than once or twice a year, but that certainly won’t hurt the cause!

Schrock: Extra cheese, anyone? Having a job that allows us to travel, play and cover golf is hard to top. Not a bad way to “work.”

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The post Tour Confidential: Jeeno Thitikul greatness, Tour changes, Top 100 courses appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Jeeno Thitikul greatness, Tour changes, Top 100 courses appeared first on Golf.

1. World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul won the CME Group Tour Championship, her third victory of the season, which also locked up LPGA Player of the Year honors and set a record for the lowest single-season scoring mark in LPGA history (her 68.681 bests Annika Sorenstam’s 68.696 from 2002). Still just 22, did this season get as much credit as it deserved?

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Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): If we’re asking that question, that should go to show how much work is in front of new commish Craig Kessler. Because averaging — averaging! — 68 is pretty damn good. That said, that also illustrates just how deep the LPGA was this year. I’ll definitely be interested to see what Thitikul does next year. There doesn’t appear to be anything that will slow her down, and a few majors could be next. 

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I think it went under the radar because she won only three times. Had she not four-putted to lose the Kroger and been run down by Grace Kim at the Evian, we probably would have talked about it more. Think Nick makes a good point, though, about the task ahead of Craig Kessler. There was a lot of talk this week in Naples about the LPGA “building stars.” Jeeno’s talent is undeniable. The LPGA needs to make sure more people know about her. 

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Compounding all of these hurdles for Thitikul was that her incredible season came in the wake of Nelly’s seven-win 2024. How do you possibly follow that? It’s like taking the podium after Churchill or the stage after a Springsteen set. Tough acts to follow. I thought it was telling that Jeeno had no idea she’d broken Sorenstam’s scoring record. Shows you she’s laser-focused on the only thing that really matters: winning titles. As Nick says, Jeeno’s next mission: add some majors to her c.v.   

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Unbelievable consistency to own a stroke average that low, but the win total is a bit light. Annika won 11 (!) times in her record-setting year, and while the depth of competition is much better these days, it still feels like Jeeno left some meat on the bone. You’ve got to rack up trophies to garner attention in the mainstream. 

2. Craig Kessler has been the LPGA’s commissioner for less than a year but has already made some big moves for the league. Just recently he helped finalize a stronger partnership with Golf Saudi and, in the past few days, announced that beginning next year every LPGA round and tournament will be broadcast live on TV across the U.S. How would you assess what Kessler’s done so far, and what’s his biggest challenge come 2026?

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Piastowski: Kessler has set the table. Now he just has to get people to sit down. (Hey, it’s Thanksgiving week.) The TV deal can’t be overstated — exposure is key. But the job now will be to give viewers a reason to watch. Interestingly, this is pretty much the same issue the PGA Tour faces — both are battling the interest game. But if you present the stories well — be it the tournament itself, a rivalry, a personality — folks will stay. The LPGA product is a very good one.

Schrock: He has been commissioner for 120 days and has hit the ground running. The broadcast deal is massive for the LPGA. If they want to have their breakthrough moment, people have to be able to watch it live and be able to follow it when they can’t tune in. His biggest challenge is finding a way to elevate women’s golf to a broader audience and building the stars who do that. I think that starts with a dominant star or stars winning and winning a lot to grab eyeballs the LPGA wouldn’t normally get. Kessler can’t make Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Lydia Ko or anyone else win 10 times, but it would help! Kessler lauded Korda and Hull for showing up outside the ropes and becoming cultural figures. The LPGA certainly needs more of that, but if they want people who aren’t watching to watch, they need a transcendent star or stars to do their part inside the ropes. 

Bastable: Right, Josh, it’s pretty clear Kessler doesn’t just want talent — he wants talent that is willing to put in the extra hours off the course to help amplify everything that’s happening on the course. Having every round of every event televised is huge (even if CNBC isn’t exactly NBC), and I’m especially enthused by the efforts to improve the broadcasts themselves, with more cameras and better storytelling. The biggest challenge, as ever, will be finding ways to better bridge the divide between fans and players. Fans need to feel like they genuinely know the players. That’s how you grow engagement and loyalty and ratings.       

Melton: I’m impressed by what he’s done so far, but there’s a long way to go. It’ll take more than a little more air time to bring in new fans. 

3. Sami Valimaki won the RSM Classic as the PGA Tour put a bow on the Fall Series. We now know the top 100 players who earned PGA Tour cards for next season (and Nos. 101-150, who received conditional status). This was the first fall the Tour shrunk cards from 125 to 100. Now that you’ve seen how it shook out (and who got in and who didn’t), what are your thoughts on the change?

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Piastowski: Can I say I still want to wait? I think we need to see how smaller fields and less cards will play out. Will we like the emphasis on the bigger names that could come now? Or will we be robbed of a few out-of-nowhere players? The drama on Sunday, where players battled to finish in the top 100, was good theater — 100 is a tighter window than 125, of course, so some talented players were scrambling. 

Schrock: I like the trim to 100 and honestly would like to see it trimmed a little more. It made the fall season have real stakes, but I think the PGA Tour needs to continue to tweak it so that zero players who are exempt can tee it up and the fall season becomes just for those truly playing for their jobs. 

Piastowski: Dang, I like Josh’s idea. 

Bastable: As a fan/spectating experience, I’m not sure it matters much whether the guys are playing for 125 spots or 75. The hook is that there’s something critically important on the line: the players’ livelihoods. Also, whether or not you like the reduction, you best get used to it, because this is where the Tour is headed: fewer cards, smaller fields and, most likely, fewer events. It all ladders up to Commish Rolapp’s scarcity plan: keep the fans wanting more.   

Melton: I love the idea of churning out under-performing players. If you aren’t playing well, you shouldn’t be guaranteed a place to play. Golf is the only sport where you can coast off your accomplishments from a decade before. We need a little more ‘what have you done for me lately’ mentality in pro golf. 

4. GOLF released its latest ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the World, a long-standing biennial celebration of the greatest designs around the globe. Pine Valley again led the way and 48 U.S. courses found their way onto the ranking. What’s your takeaway from this list?

Courses

Piastowski: That the pros tore up the list’s 56th course at the Ryder Cup. Kidding. Sort of. Fifty-two worldwide courses and 48 American ones — that’s a nice split. But really it’s confirming that I want to play round-the-clock golf at Lofoten Links. Or watch the Northern Lights after a round. Or both. [Emails editor, waits for response to stay a year in Norway.]

Schrock: The variety in style, location and design. There are just so many great golf courses. From Lake Bluff, Ill. (shoutout to Shoreacres) to Te Arai, New Zealand to the Old Course. I got to get out more. 

Bastable: I was shocked — shocked! — to see Pine Valley nab the top spot again. (I jest. I was not.) As ever with these lists, we didn’t see a ton of turnover, so I’m most interested in which courses make the biggest leap forward. This time around, that honor went to Shanquin Bay (up 31 spots to No. 64); Nick’s beloved Lofoten Links (up 22 to No. 66); and the Lido (up 20 to No. 48). That trio is now officially on my bucket list. Also, how ’bout spanking-new Childress Hall debuting at 73. Talk about a rookie of the year.  

Melton: My takeaway? I’m thankful to have played 10 of them — but I’d love to check the other 90 off the list. Maybe some day …

5. While most readers might never get an invite to play Augusta National or Shinnecock Hills, more than half the courses on the list welcome outside play. Based on your experiences, which accessible bucket-list destinations would you most recommend to our readers?

Piastowski: I’ll put on my native-of-Wisconsin hat here and say that the whole Sand Valley experience is great. Try to get on the Lido. Try to play all of the other ones. The whole complex is wonderful. 

Schrock: Nick goes native, and so will I. Just go play every course at Bandon. You won’t be disappointed. 

Bastable: C’mon now, gents, you both know the best public-access trips require a passport. Spend four or five days on any stretch of coastline in Great Britain and Ireland, and you’ll come with a whole new appreciation for the game.    

Melton: I’ve never returned from a trip to Pinehurst without a smile on my face. No. 2 may be the crown jewel, but with other gems like Nos. 4 and 10, along with The Cradle, it’s got a heck of a lineup.

6. It’s almost Black Friday! Please tell our dear readers one golfy item you love and are certain they will too. (And if they’re lucky, it’s on sale somewhere.)

Piastowski: On a deep, deep, deep level, the answer here is my health, and I’ll tell more about that at some point in the near future. But on the extreme comfortability level, go get yourself a Radmor Higgins 2.0 Hoodie. I’ve bought three over the past few years. Best sweatshirt I’ve ever owned. 

Schrock: I will also go the hoodie route (aren’t we an exciting group?) and suggest a Puma Cloudspun Golf Hoodie. It’s the most comfortable thing I own.

Bastable: This is a bit of a cop out because I don’t yet own the item I’m recommending, but I do know I desperately need a garage organizer for all my golf stuff. Currently my clubs, shoes, balls and other assorted golfy items are scattered around my garage like Solo cups and pizza boxes after a frat party. I need a solution (maybe you do, too?) and intend to find one soon!     

Melton: The Grooveit Mini Club Brush! Makes for a great stocking stuffer and a great addition to anyone’s golf bag.

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The post Tour Confidential: Was 2025 Rory McIlroy’s best season ever? appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Was 2025 Rory McIlroy’s best season ever? appeared first on Golf.

Rory McIlroy lost the DP World Tour Championship in a playoff to Matt Fitzpatrick but still won the season-long Race to Dubai title for the seventh time, capping a season in which he won three times on the PGA Tour — highlighted by his Masters title to complete the career Grand Slam — and helped Europe win a road Ryder Cup. Was this McIlroy’s best year ever?

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): This was absolutely the greatest season of Rory’s career, but not for the reasons you’d think. Yeah, the Grand Slam was nice, and yeah, the road Ryder Cup win (something McIlroy himself called one of the hardest achievements in golf) doesn’t hurt. But for my money, the totality of these accomplishments is even better than the sum of the parts. This was the year that McIlroy solidified himself as the greatest player of his generation, and even if he goes on to win more or win bigger, this year will always be more important to his lasting greatness than the ones that came before or after it.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@Josh_Sens): For sure. It wasn’t just what he won but how he won. The wild ride on the way to winning the Masters, ending a 10-year major drought at a tournament that had given more heartache than any other. And then that showing at the Ryder Cup, backing up his prediction amid all that ugliness from the crowds. Those moments will sear into collective memory more than any other season achievements.

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): There’s no question. As my colleagues noted, it’s not just what he did, but how he did it and where he did it. He won at Pebble, TPC Sawgrass and Augusta National, vanquishing personal ghosts and avoiding what would have been a soul-shattering collapse. He navigated post-achievement depression after winning the Masters, had an inspiring week at his Open, won the Irish Open in thrilling fashion and then led Europe to an away Ryder Cup win. As James noted, he’s the greatest player of his generation and might have cemented himself as the greatest European golfer of all-time.

McIlroy’s seven Race to Dubai titles is just one shy of Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight, which McIlroy seems likely to tie or break. Does McIlroy receive enough credit for the worldwide success he’s had?

Colgan: I feel like Rory’s criminally underrated resume abroad is almost a running bit among golf fans today. But I think this goes back to what I was saying above: All those other accolades seemed a bit … empty in the face of the major championship drought. Now that the drought is over, we can see those achievements in their fullness.

Sens: Hmm. I dunno. He collected $1.2 million for second place in the event, and another $2 million for winning the season-long race, and his name appeared in banner headlines in every golf publication around the world. What are we supposed to do? Start erecting monuments in his honor? He’s accomplished a lot overseas. But he’s not exactly crisscrossing the globe at the clip of stars from generations past. He plays a select schedule and gets rewarded extravagantly for it.

Schrock: I think Colgan nailed it. Rory has been a consistent, worldwide great for more than a decade, but the major slump, countless heartbreaks and missing green jacket caused most to overlook the big picture.

Speaking of McIlroy, teams were announced for the Golf Channel showdown he’s headlining with Scottie Scheffler on Dec. 17. McIlroy’s team will consist of Shane Lowry, Haotong Li and Luke Donald, while Scheffler will have Sam Burns, Luke Clanton and Keegan Bradley in an event with all sorts of different formats and games baked into it. Do you think the unique spin will be enough to have it draw better than other made-for-TV matchups?

Colgan: I mean, I think it’s a little funny that we’re filling the quiet season for golf with … more golf. If there’s evidence that real human beings actually want to watch these events, I certainly haven’t seen it. But for those of us writing about the sport, these made-for-TV shenanigans are better than a black hole of nothing on the golf calendar, so … I guess that’s good?

Sens: Well said, James. It’s hard to get overly excited about an event like this. But complaining about them from this perch does seem a bit contradictory.

Schrock: Co-sign the above. New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized the importance of scarcity in improving the professional golf product. This is the opposite. I’m all for taking swings, but I have a hard time seeing this break through.

The LPGA season concludes next week with the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., and it will be Nelly Korda’s last chance to get a victory. Korda won seven times last year — how is she one week away from a potential winless season?

Colgan: Yeah, it’s shocking — and it’s disappointing, too, if you’re the LPGA — but I think the easiest explanation lies with the flatstick. Korda ranks 98th on Tour in 2025 in putts-per-final-round and 101st in three-putt average. Interestingly, that’s not too far off where Korda ranked in those categories in her seven-win 2024. But when you factor for variance — and regression in some of the otherworldly parts of her game last season — it’s not hard to wind up with a seven-win difference.

Sens: Golf is a beautifully fickle game where the tiniest margins can separate success from failure, nowhere more so than at the elite level. When the irons are just a hair off, when the putts that used to drop start grazing the cup — those little misses produce disproportionately lesser results. If anything, this year further underscores how insanely great her 2024 was.

Schrock: The answer lies in a little bit of everything. The putting has held her back when she has been in contention. She has been dealing with a neck injury that might be more of a pain than she initially let on. She also mentioned she’s been dealing with a swing issue where she has been dealing with a laid-off look at the top. It’s also hard to win. Her stats aren’t much worse than last year, but she just hasn’t been in a mix a ton and when she was in the mix at Erin Hills, the putter betrayed her.

What was the more interesting subplot to this week’s Annika: WNBA star Caitlin Clark attracting monster pro-am galleries or the attention of Kai Trump, granddaughter of President Donald Trump, receiving a sponsor’s exemption and shooting 83-75 to miss the cut?

Colgan: There were an awful lot of people who rushed to defend the President’s granddaughter from allegations that she … might not have earned an invite on the merits of her golf. (No hate to Kai, whose TikTok megastardom made her a great fit for a sponsor exemption, but I didn’t realize this was up for debate!) If the LPGA can turn even 10 percent of those people into regular watchers, it will have been worth the effort!

Sens: While it’s fun to watch Clark shift from the court to the course, it’s always especially interesting to see a very good player try to compete at the next level. It’s an in-your-face reminder of the gap between the best and the rest. I guess you could say that the way people’s political allegiances colored their take on Kai’s exemption was also interesting. But mostly that was just depressing.

Schrock: The most interesting subplot was what the LPGA can do to try and retain the extra eyeballs Clark and Trump brought. It’s great that Clark is into golf and can expose her fans to golf. Televising the pro-am is a win! Giving Trump a sponsor invite is an opportunistic swing for the social media impressions, but if there is no big plan to capitalize on moves like this, then it ends up meaning very little. The LPGA should be applauded for trying things to increase viewership, interest, etc., but Caitlin Clark and Kai Trump aren’t the antidote to what ails the tour.

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The post Tour Confidential: What’s behind LIV’s major change? Does it help? appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: What’s behind LIV’s major change? Does it help? appeared first on Golf.

LIV Golf announced its 2026 tournaments will be played as 72-hole competitions, a major change for a league that not only had previously been 54 holes but used that unique trait as a pivotal part of its identity. While the press release didn’t mention this move as a way to improve LIV’s chances of receiving World Ranking points… we know better. Are you surprised by the sudden shift? And more importantly, will it ultimately work?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Definitely a little surprised! Only because of all the ’54’ branding. LIV was quietly launched by an agency originally called Performance 54! But for new management, who didn’t create these structures, it probably felt fruitless to continue banging the OWGR drum without trying to make as many changes as possible to actually be granted those points. Will it ultimately work? What does “work” even mean? Garner more audience on FS1 in early June? No. The amount of holes wasn’t keeping golf fans from watching. 

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Yes, the announcement was surprising, though, as Sean noted above, the surprise really was just for LIV’s previous promotion of the number 54 — which led to folks scrambling to figure out what 72 was in Roman numerals. But I think the move works, as long as world ranking points come LIV’s way. I’ll be also curious as to what an extra day of play looks like for LIV in terms of potential revenue (or loss of it) — and what an extra day of play looks like for LIV in terms of player satisfaction.  

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I’ll point out that 54 also has been cited by LIV as the “perfect score” in golf — birdieing every hole on a par-72 course. (Ignoring eagles, par-71s, etc., but whatever.) I think 72 is a nice number of holes for stroke-play tournament golf. But 54 holes was also a big part of what made LIV a “disruptor.” Now that it’s just another league staging 72-hole stroke-play golf tournaments, it just feels in direct competition with the DP World Tour. Maybe that’s the point.

Rory McIlroy was asked about the news while playing in this week’s tournament in Abu Dhabi, although he said he didn’t think playing 54 holes versus 72 was holding LIV back from receiving World Ranking points. What say you? Does LIV still have larger hurdles to leap or was this the main one?

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Zak: I think if there are three or four criteria for LIV earning points, the 54 vs. 72 element was one of them. I think the concurrent team competition is an odd sticking point, when the OWGR is all about individual’s performance. But the biggest thing is just the mostly closed-circuit nature of the tour. I know inside LIV HQ they’re expecting to be granted acceptance by the OWGR by the end of 2025, but they’ve also been saying that for a long time. 

Piastowski: I think two other moves LIV made this week should also be noted here. LIV’s Q-school will now award two spots into LIV play for 2026, and the top two finishers in the International Series will also now receive playing privileges for next year. Both had previously handed out one spot, so this presumably helps with the ‘closed-shop’ thought that has held LIV back in the world rankings fight.  

Dethier: Yep — I think Nick P’s cited moves were the bigger ones here from an OWGR perspective than the 54-hole thing. LIV’s closed shop is cracking open its doors. I’d expect them to get OWGR points relatively soon. I don’t quite understand the timeline. But I do think it was a massive miss for LIV to withdraw its application originally; if it wants to play in the same sandbox as the other tours it could have cooperated earlier.

LIV’s Tyrrell Hatton said only a few players were in favor of the change when it was put in a questionnaire a year ago. If you’re a LIV member, are you annoyed or excited about the tweak?

Zak: If I’m a LIV golfer and I now have an extra work day each tournament, I’m annoyed! If I’m a really good LIV golfer, 31 years old and have dominated the circuit since I arrived — (cough, cough Jon Rahm) — I would be excited about getting an extra 18 holes to remind the average players around me who is boss. 

Piastowski: I’ll add this. You’d think that 72 holes should get LIV players in a better mindset for major championships. So whether you’re annoyed that you’re working an extra day or not, the thought that you could be better prepared for the biggest events of the year should soothe any sore muscles.  

Dethier: This really feels like a big win for Rahm, who shredded the 54-hole format before he ultimately signed up for LIV. Because he finished inside the top 11 every tournament this year but didn’t win any of ‘em, with a fourth round he definitely would have picked up a couple. Anyway, I think it’s nice for major prep and it’s nice for LIV golfers who are sick of hearing 54-hole jokes. But it’s a bummer for guys who were enjoying the shorter tournament weeks — especially given their international travel schedule.

Also this week, we saw Aaron Rai outlast some Ryder Cup stars, the LPGA strike a deal with Saudi Arabia to co-sanction a PIF Global Series event, a bizarre finish in Japan and some intriguing storylines play out in Mexico (where Ben Griffin eventually won). What’s your biggest takeaway from the week in golf that doesn’t involve a golf league changing to 72-hole tournaments?

Zak: My biggest takeaway is that this feels like the weirdest possible year the LPGA could have had. The weather-shortened event in Arkansas. Nelly Korda never winning. Almost zero multi-time winners. Now this shortened event in Japan in the middle of the night in America, on the heels of the tour taking Saudi money. The up and down nature of it doesn’t make me feel all rosey about the top tour in the women’s game. 

Piastowski: That golf truly never has an offseason. That never stops amazing me. News, news, news. Good for those of us in the news reporting business, though. 

Dethier: Ben Griffin is still better than you think he is. He shot nine under par on Sunday to win in Mexico. He’s now finished top-12 in his last six PGA Tour events, including the win — which is also his third in 2025, if you include the two-man Zurich Classic. Sure, he’s a late bloomer. But there’s every indication he’s here to stay.

GOLF recently released its latest list of the Top 100 Teachers in America. What’s the best tip you’ve ever received from a Top 100?

Zak: This one, from my pal Chris Como, hit home for my recent tennis obsession:

Piastowski: No teacher can save my game. Kidding, kidding. The Top 100 are miracle workers. I have two tips. I’ve always liked this one from Butch Harmon: To make the correct hip movement, it’s “right pocket back, right pocket through.” The other one is something I picked up just the other day (and I’ll be sharing more about it in a soon-to-come GOLF.com article). The tip comes from Top 100 Teacher to Watch Kelan McDonagh. He worked with me to develop a weaker right-hand grip, and the check to see that it was in proper position was to take my right three fingers off the club and look to see if they were pointing to the ground at a 45-degree angle. McDonagh said he picked that up from Mike Adams, a Top 100 legend, and that he’s been sharing that with students, as well.  

Dethier: This summer a top 100 suggested that there is way too much wasted motion in my golf swing. “You need to throw a whole lot of s— off your ship,” was the quote. In other words: Do less.

The post Tour Confidential: What’s behind LIV’s major change? Does it help? appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Does LIV Golf need to add another star? appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Does LIV Golf need to add another star? appeared first on Golf.

It was recently reported that Dustin Johnson re-signed with LIV Golf, and Bryson DeChambeau has also been transparent about his contract. While some of the exact contract details of other LIV stars aren’t public, what’s more important for LIV this offseason: keeping current stars, or does it need to make another Jon Rahm-like splash and sign a big name like it last did a couple of years ago?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): You could argue LIV is due for a big addition. Anthony Kim joined in 2024, and although he hasn’t performed well, it was a surprising and splashy name. I wonder, though, if there are any current, established PGA Tour pros who would leave at this point, like another Rahm-level guy. Part of me thinks allegiances have already been cemented, and luring a big-name guy away would be much more difficult than it sounds. Bringing back some of those key guys should probably be the priority. 

Sean Zak, senior editor (@sean_zak): LIV doesn’t need another star. It needs seven more stars. The league simply does not have enough elite player firepower to gain a substantial audience. Joaquin Niemann has been great; Cam Smith has not. Bryson DeChambeau has been great; Brooks Koepka has been up and down. Sergio Garcia has been quite good; Phil Mickelson has not. As I have said for three years now, all the money in the world can buy you big names, but it cannot guarantee they play great, compelling golf. 

Josh Schrock, editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Everyone feels pretty entrenched in their respective sides now. As Zak noted, LIV needs several more stars to move the needle. I’m doubtful that those moves are out there. Their best move is to re-sign their big-name guys. If they lose one of their top guys or two, the air will really start to leave the balloon.

News

One player who declined a PGA Tour invite and instead joined LIV Golf, Tom McKibbin, earned 2026 Masters and Open Championship invites when he won the Hong Kong Open on Sunday. This comes a couple of months after Augusta National and the R&A announced the winners of six national opens (Scottish, Spanish, Japan, Hong Kong, Australian and South African) would earn spots in those two majors. Still without World Ranking points, are these new exemptions good recruiting bullet points for LIV?

Berhow: They aren’t bad for recruiting, because it does offer additional chances for majors, but it’s directed at the wrong type of players. Yes, LIV can benefit from bringing in young talent, but a bunch of up-and-coming Tom McKibbins isn’t going to be what draws eyeballs. They need established stars; and those guys aren’t probably worried about these extra invites, because ideally they wouldn’t need them.

Zak: Not really. In order to gain major access through those events, you almost always have to win. As in be so good you beat everyone else in a big field. It’s definitely not much of a carrot. 

Schrock: It’s better than not having any access, but it’s still so minuscule that it won’t lure the type of players they need to move the needle.

News

When those exemptions were announced, it came with the caveat that the winners of PGA Tour Fall Series events will no longer receive Masters exemptions. Do you like the change? Or do you prefer fall-event winners earning them?

Berhow: I like this better. Have the fall focus on earning PGA Tour status. Plus, the Masters is more global than ever. This makes sense.

Zak: Doesn’t bother me that Fall Series events don’t get auto berths. I wouldn’t mind Augusta extending more invites via the year-end OWGR ranking, which is a greater representation of skill than a one-week heater in a weaker field.

Schrock: I prefer the invites go to winners of national opens instead of weaker PGA Tour fields. Golf is a global game, and the Masters has prioritized the global nature of the sport in recent years. Keep the FedEx Cup Fall about earning a card, and ask guys who want to earn a trip to Augusta National to play in the national opens.

News

The most revered links golf course in the world, St. Andrews’ Old Course, will add bunkers and be lengthened by 132 yards ahead of the 2027 Open Championship, a move R&A chief governance officer Grant Moir said is “appropriate” to “properly” adapt to the way the modern game is played.” Does adding length to a historic course like this worry you?

Berhow: I think there is something jarring about the Old Course making announcements like this. If a 60-something-year-old country club has to lengthen its course due to modern equipment, so be it, but when you hear of some of golf’s greatest cathedrals essentially saying “what we currently have ain’t it,” it gives you pause. We don’t like changing classic things — golf courses, cars, recipes, you get the picture. I’m interested to see how this looks on the property, where there isn’t a ton of room to work with. Makes you wonder if these tees will stay for future post-rollback Opens in St. Andrews.

Zak: It’s just not easy to see where the new tee boxes will be placed on certain holes. The lengthened Old Course starts to eat up space within itself. But ultimately, it’s mostly just for Open Championship week, so we won’t talk about it more than one month every five years. 

Schrock: I don’t know if it worries me, but it speaks to the broader issue professional golf is facing with distance and equipment. We want to see the world’s best play meaningful tournaments on historic courses. And we want to see them play the course the way it was meant to be played. When I was at the Truist Championship at Philly Cricket Club this year, the difference in how the course was played on the first day in no conditions compared to the second round when it was raining and windy showed how these golden age courses can still present a challenge when the ball doesn’t fly for miles. We won’t talk about the Old Course changes except for one week every five years, but it speaks to the bigger problem.

Happy Birthday, Gary Player, who turned 90 on Saturday. What’s your most memorable interaction or story about the Black Knight?

Berhow: I met Gary a decade ago just weeks into the job and we did sit-ups together for a video that I don’t believe ever saw the light of day. He was loud and energetic and kept slapping my stomach, which sounds about right when you think of Gary Player. 

Zak: Honestly, my most memorable interaction was watching Player slap Josh’s stomach. 

Schrock: I’m sorry I missed the Black Knight slapping Berhow’s stomach.

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