LIV Golf Houston to showcase elite field ahead of US Open

Jon Rahm is on elf six US Open champions taking part in LIV Golf Houston. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)

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Updated 05 June 2024

Arab News

June 05, 2024 10:47

LIV Golf Houston to showcase elite field ahead of US Open

Six US Open champions to take part in June tournament

Updated 05 June 2024

Arab News

June 05, 2024 10:47

HOUSTON: Fans attending LIV Golf Houston this week will get a preview of the season’s upcoming major, the 124th US Open at Pinehurst, when past champions such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and two-time winner Brooks Koepka battle it out for the honors.

The event, taking place at the Golf Club of Houston on June 7-9, is LIV Golf’s eighth of the 2024 schedule and the first to be held in Texas.

It features 12 players scheduled to compete in the third major of the season, including past champions Rahm (2021), DeChambeau (2020), Koepka (2017, 2018), Dustin Johnson (2016), and Martin Kaymer (2014).

Additionally, six-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson, 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith, English star Tyrrell Hatton, and 2023 DP World Tour Player of the Year Adrian Meronk will look to conquer “golf’s toughest test.” Young Spanish stars Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig, along with 2024 LIV Golf Miami individual champion Dean Burmester, recently qualified and will also play at Pinehurst.

In Texas, the Golf Club of Houston is known for its championship-standard layout and has historically tested the best in the sport, making it an ideal venue for LIV Golf’s competitive field. The picturesque site hosted the PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open from 2006 through 2019 before the event moved to Memorial Park in 2020. LIV Golf players including Paul Casey (2009), Anthony Kim (2010), Mickelson (2011), Matt Jones (2014), and Ian Poulter (2018) all earned PGA Tour wins at the course.

“The Golf Club of Houston is a tough golf course — a lot of water and a lot of difficult holes,” said DeChambeau, the Crushers GC Captain who finished solo second at the recent PGA Championship. “Hopefully, it will give us a good test for the following week.”

Topics: US Open golf

PGA Tour to consider big changes to eligibility and small field sizes

Updated 30 October 2024

October 30, 2024 07:56

PGA Tour to consider big changes to eligibility and small field sizes

Updated 30 October 2024

October 30, 2024 07:56

The PGA Tour is considering sweeping changes that would eliminate 25 cards through the FedEx Cup and shrink the size of fields, part of a plan to make golf’s biggest circuit even more competitive while reducing the time it takes to play and making it easier to watch.
Proposed changes include reducing by 10 the tour cards awarded to Korn Ferry Tour players and limiting the four Monday qualifying spots for fields smaller than 144 players. There would be two open spots for 132-man fields, none for regular tournaments of 120 players.
The proposal sent to players Tuesday, and obtained by The Associated Press, was developed by the 16-member Player Advisory Council that has been crafting the changes since May. The driving force was to make a full PGA Tour card have real value.
With so many eligible players — 125 from the FedEx Cup (or money list) had been the standard since 1983 — newcomers from the Korn Ferry Tour or Q-school often had to wait to see if there was room for them in tournaments.
If approved by the PGA Tour board at its Nov. 18 meeting, changes would start in 2026.
It would be the latest significant adjustment to the tour since the disruption of Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which began in June 2022. In the last two years, the tour has created $20 million signature events with limited fields and a postseason for only the top 70 players.
“The reality is that we’re all playing under different circumstances than we were four years ago,” PAC Chairman Camilo Villegas said in a telephone interview. “We had no competition. We were the best. All of a sudden we have competition and there are little shifts. The changes we’re proposing make a better product. What does having a PGA Tour card mean?”
The tour currently gives priority to tournament winners and the top 125 in the FedEx Cup, with greater perks depending on a player’s ranking. The proposal would give full status to the top 100 in the FedEx Cup, the 10 players eligible players from the European tour, the top 20 from the Korn Ferry Tour and five from Q-school.
There would be an additional spot lower down the priority list — behind such categories as PGA Tour University, life members and career money — for those who finished from Nos. 101 to 125. They are estimated to get in about 15 or so tournaments.
Villegas said the PAC was divided into four subcommittees, which he said allowed for more ideas and easier communication. Key to two main meetings was leaving behind self-interests.
PAC members range from Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas to Nick Hardy and Adam Schenk.
“Obviously there’s going to be casualties along the way,” Villegas said. “It is going to be harder. There’s not going to be 125 cards, but 100. There’s not going to be 30 Korn Ferry cards, but 20. I’m 190-something in the FedEx Cup. All these proposed changes can affect me, but it’s not about me. It’s about the game.
“We want to make the product as strong as possible for the sponsors, for the fans, for the players,” he said. “If we perform, there’s an opportunity to make an unbelievable living. You just keep working on your dream like you did when you were a kid.”
There also was the ongoing problem of slow play, which rules officials for years have argued was due primarily to too many players on the course. The field sizes would be 120 players before Daylight Savings Time, then up to 132 players and a maximum of 144 in the summer.
That’s for regular tournaments. The eight signature events with the $20 million purses would remain capped at 72 players, filling the field, if necessary, based on current form.
The proposal also suggested changes to the FedEx Cup points distribution, which Villegas said was inspired by a detailed analysis of board member Maverick McNealy. That mainly would reduce points awarded from the middle of the pack.
If approved, that still might not be the end of changes. The PGA Tour is in negotiation with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — the financial backing of LIV — to become a minority investor in the commercial PGA Tour Enterprises.
Villegas has not been involved in those meetings. He joins the PGA Tour board next year, replacing Jordan Spieth.
“If we do a deal with PIF, there are more changes to come,” he said. “I don’t know how those would affect the schedule, how that will affect the pathways.”

Topics: PGA golf

Morikawa says ‘winning is tough’ ahead of Japan title defense

Updated 23 October 2024

AFP

October 23, 2024 06:13

Morikawa says ‘winning is tough’ ahead of Japan title defense

The American romped to last year’s title by six shots to end a two-year title drought
He has not lifted a trophy since and described his 2024 season as ‘solid’ rather than spectacular

Updated 23 October 2024

AFP

October 23, 2024 06:13

INZAI, Japan: Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa said Wednesday that “winning is tough” as he looks for his first victory of the year at the US PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in Japan this week.
The American romped to last year’s title at Narashino Country Club near Tokyo by six shots to end a two-year title drought.
He has not lifted a trophy since and described his 2024 season, which has included two runner-up finishes, as “solid” rather than spectacular.
Morikawa was part of the United States team that beat the Internationals at the Presidents Cup in Montreal last month and is hoping to keep that form going this week in Japan.
“It’s a place I look forward to every year. Knowing that I won last year, lot of good memories,” said the 27-year-old, who has Japanese heritage.
“It was my first win in two years. Look, winning’s tough. No matter what it is, winning is tough. You have to learn how to win.”
Morikawa will be up against fellow American Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship and British Open in a breakthrough 2024, and Japan’s Olympic bronze-medallist Hideki Matsuyama.
Morikawa finished runner-up behind Scottie Scheffler at the season-ending Tour Championship last month but said “you just never know what to expect” when play begins.
“Every tournament’s different, you never know how you’re going to play on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” he said.
“You’ve got to treat each day and each shot and take everything that’s in front of you, and not take anything for granted.”
Morikawa struggled to keep his emotions in check when he lifted the Zozo Championship trophy last year.
“Honestly, I’m not that emotional of a guy,” he said.
“Whenever something happens, you just never know what it’s going to be.”

Topics: golf Collin Morikawa

Tiger Woods to make TGL indoor league debut the 2nd week of the season after NFL wild-card weekend

Updated 22 October 2024

October 22, 2024 03:15

Tiger Woods to make TGL indoor league debut the 2nd week of the season after NFL wild-card weekend

The TGL debuts on Tuesday, Jan. 7, from the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
The first match is between New York Golf Club, led by Xander Schauffele, against The Bay Golf Club in San Francisco, headed by Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark

Updated 22 October 2024

October 22, 2024 03:15

NEW YORK: Tiger Woods makes his debut in the second week of the indoor TMRW Golf League, part of a schedule released Monday that has the six teams wrapping up the inaugural season on ESPN two weeks before the Masters.

Rory McIlroy, among the owners with Woods of TMRW Sports, won’t play until the fourth week after he gets back from playing on the European tour in Dubai.

The TGL debuts on Tuesday, Jan. 7, from the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, an arena roughly the size of a football field that can hold about 1,500 spectators.

Three players from the four-man teams compete in 15-hole matches that blend virtual and real-time golf. The longer shots will be hit into a 3,400-square-foot screen, roughly 24 times the size of a standard golf simulator. From about 50 yards and in, there will be actual shots to a 41-yard turntable green that can provide a variety of shots.

The first match is between New York Golf Club, led by Xander Schauffele, against The Bay Golf Club in San Francisco, headed by Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark. It is scheduled for 9 p.m. following a college basketball game.

Woods and his Jupiter Golf Club play the second week, the night after the sixth and final NFL wild card playoff game on Monday night.

Key to this hi-tech indoor league is being on the ESPN platforms, with the opening six weeks of TGL held right after a weekend of football. TMRW Sports, the sports and entertainment venture that created the indoor golf league, is counting on promotion during the college football and NFL telecasts.

There have been weekday golf exhibitions for years, going as far back as the “Showdown at Sherwood” featuring Woods and David Duval when they were Nos. 1 and 2 in the world, and most recently the December match in Las Vegas featuring PGA Tour stars (Scottie Scheffler and McIlroy) against LIV Golf’s biggest draws (Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka).

TGL is a new concept but figures to have a faster pace with nine holes of alternating shots among three players and six holes of singles play. There will be a 40-second shot clock, allowing for matches to easily fit into the two-hour window.

Mike McCarley, the former Golf Channel executive who is CEO and founder of TMRW Sports, described it as a “live, courtside experience for golf on an unprecedented scale.”

He said TGL would complement the PGA Tour as a fast-paced team competition. The regular season ends March 4, followed by the semifinals March 17 and 18 — after The Players Championship — and the best-of-three final on March 24-25.

Each of the teams will play five times during the regular season. The schedule was built around feedback from the 24 players and where they plan to play on tour. McIlroy is the defending champion at the Dubai Desert Classic, for example, which is why his Boston Common Golf does not start until Jan. 27.

Hideki Matsuyama also plays for Boston and plays the first two weeks in Hawaii.

Five players in the opening TGL match will be going to Florida from The Sentry, the PGA Tour’s season opener at Kapalua on Maui.

Topics: Tiger Woods

Mixed fortunes for Saudi golfer Khalid Walid Attieh in round 3 after making the cut in Thailand

Updated 19 October 2024

Arab News

October 19, 2024 19:43

Mixed fortunes for Saudi golfer Khalid Walid Attieh in round 3 after making the cut in Thailand

The Black Mountain Championship is second event in this season’s International Series at which the amateur from Riyadh has advanced to the final two rounds
After a 4-under 68 on Thursday and a 2-under 70 on Friday, in round 3 he had 4 birdies and a bogey on the front 9 but dropped 5 shots on the back 9 to card a 1-over 73

Updated 19 October 2024

Arab News

October 19, 2024 19:43

HUA HIN, Thailand: After making the cut at the Black Mountain Championship at Hua Hin in Thailand on Friday, Saudi golfer Khalid Walid Attieh had mixed fortunes as he faced challenging conditions during his third round on Saturday.

It is the second time in five events of this season’s International Series that the 29-year-old has advanced to the final two rounds, following his success at the season-opener in Oman in February when he became the first Saudi amateur to make the cut in a professional tournament.

His campaign at Black Mountain Golf Club began with a solid, 4-under-par 68 on Thursday, followed by a 2-under 70 on Friday.

Battling tricky conditions in the third round, the Riyadh-born golfer recorded four birdies and a bogey on the front nine but dropped five shots on the back nine to card a one-over-par 73.

Reflecting on his performance in the tournament so far, Attieh said he is proud to be representing the Kingdom on a global stage.

“It’s such a great event,” he said. “I am very grateful to the Saudi Golf Federation and the International Series for giving me a spot, and obviously to represent my country, it’s been very special.

“Everyone here on the Asian Tour is super nice as well, and I got to play with some really nice guys and some good people, and then also the people running the tournament are doing an amazing job. So, nothing but positives here.”

It is the second time in five events of this season’s International Series that the 29-year-old has advanced to the final two rounds. (Supplied)

Attieh said he has been impressed by the sense of camaraderie on the Asian Tour, including the welcoming attitude of players and tournament officials alike.

“Everyone has been super supportive,” he said. “It’s a tight-knit community where once you’ve played with someone, they become a friend for life. That’s not something you find everywhere.”

Black Mountain marks the start of a demanding concluding run of six events in just eight weeks for the 10-event International Series. Despite the challenge this poses, Attieh remains happy with his progress so far and optimistic about his chances, especially after his tied-for-69th finish in Oman.

“It’s been great,” he said. “I’ve been playing some good golf so it’s nice finally to see all the hard work pay off. I have put in a lot of time, a lot of effort and finally I get to see some results.

“I think this week it definitely felt like that. At one stage I thought I could be even further up the leaderboard and I think it was just a few mental errors on the back nine that cost me a little bit. But I am happy, overall, with where the game is and I think that, moving forward, it’s going to give me a lot of confidence.”

When the Black Mountain Championship concludes on Sunday, Attieh’s focus will shift to next weekend and a second International Series event in Thailand, at the Thai Country Club from Oct. 24-27.

Topics: golf International Series Saudi Arabia Golf Saudi Khalid Walid Attieh

Britons Charley Hull and Georgia Hall set for Riyadh showdown at Aramco Team Series

Updated 17 October 2024

Arab News

October 17, 2024 15:41

Britons Charley Hull and Georgia Hall set for Riyadh showdown at Aramco Team Series

With nine top 10 finishes in 10 Series appearances, Hull is eager to convert her strong performances into a win
Hall, motivated by a narrow playoff loss in London, is determined to claim first individual Series title

Updated 17 October 2024

Arab News

October 17, 2024 15:41

RIYADH: Charley Hull is determined to end her 2024 season with a win as she prepares to go head-to-head against Major winner Georgia Hall at Riyadh Golf Club from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

The duo, who represented Team Europe in 2024’s Solheim Cup and Team GB in Paris, join Alison Lee of the United States and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit as headline players in an electrifying conclusion to the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF, organized by Golf Saudi.

Hull has an impressive track record in the Series, notching up nine top 10 finishes in just 10 appearances. This includes a triumphant individual title win in New York in 2021.

“Competing in Riyadh at the Aramco Team Series this year is a fantastic opportunity for me,” said Hull. “After finishing second in both Tampa and Korea I feel my game is in great shape, and I’m eager to turn those near-misses into a win.”

Since the inception of women’s professional golf in the Kingdom in 2020, Hull has competed in Saudi Arabia eight times.

Reflecting on her experiences, Hull, who became a Golf Saudi ambassador this year, said she had noticed the remarkable growth of golf in Saudi Arabia since her first appearance.

“The work that Golf Saudi continue to do in introducing more women and girls to the game through these events and beyond is inspiring, and the legacy they are creating is one I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of,” she said.

“The sport has grown (in) leaps and bounds here. Last year, we saw the move of the tournaments to Riyadh which I think really shows the Kingdom’s increasing passion for the sport, with more and more fans coming to watch us.”

Meanwhile, Hall has proven her ability to lead a team to victory, winning the 2023 Aramco Team Series presented by PIF in London. She has also enjoyed individual success on Saudi soil, capturing the Aramco Saudi Ladies International 2022 title in Jeddah.

This year, she narrowly missed repeating her team success in London, losing in a thrilling three-hole playoff for the team title, and she remains determined to capture her first individual title in Riyadh.

“The playoff loss in London was hard, especially after coming so close to defending our team title, but it’s moments like those that fuel my determination,” she said.

“I’m more motivated than ever to secure another Aramco Team Series title, and Riyadh is the perfect stage for that. I’m looking forward to the challenge and putting on a great performance for the fans.”

The final showdown of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF will see the player and fan-favorite format return to Riyadh, with 28 teams competing over three days.

Topics: golf Saudi Aramco Team Series

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LIV Golf Houston to showcase elite field ahead of US Open

LIV Golf Houston to showcase elite field ahead of US Open

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