How We Got Here: A Timeline of LIV Golf's Creation and How the PGA Tour Reacted

How We Got Here: A Timeline of LIV Golf’s Creation and How the PGA Tour Reacted

How did professional golf's split come to life? Here's a timeline compiled by Bob Harig, from the initial reports of a rival league in January 2020 until now, one year after a "framework agreement" was supposed to unify the sport.

January: Reports first surface about the potential for a rival golf league that has been meeting with players and agents behind the scenes and touting an 18-event circuit with just 48 players, 12 teams and guaranteed pay. Initial ideas saw $10 million purses with no cuts and a windfall for 12 team captains. The concept was called the Premier Golf League.

Jan. 29: Phil Mickelson plays in the pro-am for the Saudi International, an event that is sanctioned by the European Tour. In his group is Majed Al-Sorour, CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation; Andy Gardiner, a director at Barclays Capital and a founder of the PGL; and Colin Neville of the Raine Group, also a backer of the PGL, which had Saudi Arabia backing as well through the Public Investment Fund.

Jan. 30: Greg Norman, who once tried to spearhead a rival league with the backing of Fox Sports, sees viability in the PGL a day after the pro-am in Saudi Arabia. “It’s just a matter of getting all the right components together, whether players stay together," says Norman, whose World Golf League in 1993-94 was thwarted by the PGA Tour. “With my original concept, some players loved it, and others didn’t like it. I had corporate, I had television but you need 100% of the pie to be together before we can bake it. From what I’m seeing here, this one has every chance of getting off the ground."

Greg Norman is pictured at the inaugural LIV Golf event in England in 2022.Greg Norman is pictured at the inaugural LIV Golf event in England in 2022.

Greg Norman tried to spearhead a rival league decades ago and is a central figure in one now.  / Reuters via USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 11: Speaking at the Genesis Invitational, Tiger Woods says he’s been approached about the PGL. “My team’s been aware of it and we’ve delved into the details of it and trying to figure it out just like everyone else. We’ve been down this road before with World Golf Championships and other events being started. There’s a lot of information that we’re still looking at and whether it’s reality or not, but just like everybody else, we’re looking into it."

Asked why he might even be interested, Woods said: “I think just like all events, you’re trying to get the top players to play more collectively. It’s one of the reasons why we instituted the World Golf Championships, because we were only getting (the top players) together five times a year, the four majors and the Players, and we wanted to showcase the top players on more than just those occasions. So this is a natural evolution, whether or not things like this are going to happen, but ideas like this are going to happen going forward, whether it’s now or any other time in the future."

Feb. 18: A week later at the WGC-Mexico Championship, Rory McIlroy seemingly deals the PGL a serious blow: “The more I’ve thought about it, the more I don’t like it. The one thing as a professional golfer in my position that I value is the fact that I have autonomy and freedom over everything I do. I pick and choose—this is a perfect example. Some guys this week made the choice not to come to Mexico. If you go and play this other golf league, you’re not going to have that choice.

"I read a thing the other day where it said if you take the money they can tell you want to do. And I think that’s my thing, I’ve never been one for being told what to do, and I like to have that autonomy and freedom over my career, and I feel like I would give that up by going to play this other league. For me, I’m out. My position is I’m against it until there may come a day that I can’t be against it. If everyone else goes, I might not have a choice, but at this point, I don’t like what they’re proposing."

Spring/Summer: Talk of the rival golf circuit dies down considerably amid the global Coronavirus pandemic. Talk shifts to when golf will resume and how it will take place amid a health crisis. The PGL idea goes into the background.

Fall: The PGL approaches the European Tour, now the DP World Tour, with a proposal to merge or cooperate. CEO Keith Pelley turns down the PGL and instead forms a "strategic alliance" with the PGA Tour that will see some crossover events, the Tour take an ownership stake in European Tour productions, and effectively—at the time—hold off the outside threat.

May 4: A report surfaces that a new Super Golf League has emerged and that it is either the new name for the PGL or something different. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson are among those linked to it. Sometime during the spring and summer of 2021, the PGL sees some of its personnel switch allegiances to a new entity that will have full Saudi backing and will come to be known as LIV Golf.

Oct. 27: At a private unveiling in New York, LIV Golf Investments is announced with Greg Norman as its CEO, with the idea of first helping to back golf in Asia with the $300 million investment in the Asian Tour, which will be used to finance a new elevated series of events called the International Series. It is eventually disclosed that Norman will also be the commissioner of a new tour called the LIV Golf League, with plans to launch in the spring of 2022.

Nov. 21: PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan sends a memo to players outlining how 55% of the Tour’s revenue will be paid out to players in the form of prize money, bonuses and other benefits—believed to be in response to Phil Mickelson saying on a podcast that only 26% of revenue was going to the players.

Feb. 2: While playing in the Saudi International for the third straight year, Phil Mickelson does an interview with Golf Digest in which he refers to the PGA Tour’s "obnoxious greed" as a reason why players might be interested in LIV Golf. He also maintains that the Tour is sitting on millions of dollars that should be going to the players. "It’s not public knowledge, all that goes on," Mickelson said. “But the players don’t have access to their own media. If the Tour wanted to end any threat, they could just hand back the media rights to the players. But they would rather throw $25 million here and $40 million there than give back the roughly $20 billion in digital assets they control. Or give up access to the $50-plus million they make every year on their own media channel."

Phil Mickelson at the inaugural LIV Golf event in England in 2022.Phil Mickelson at the inaugural LIV Golf event in England in 2022.

Phil Mickelson set golf ablaze with comments early in 2022 accusing the PGA Tour of "obnoxious greed," then after a hiatus emerged as one of LIV Golf's headliners. / Reuters via USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 17: Even Tiger Woods and the Genesis Invitational—where he is not playing—take a back seat to the drama that unfolds when Alan Shipnuck releases an excerpt from his soon-to-released biography of Phil Mickelson in which the golfer, among other things, says he is willing to use the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League as leverage against the PGA Tour and that he and other players paid attorneys to help LIV Golf develop its business plan.

Feb. 20: With Phil Mickelson’s comments the talk of the tournament, players such as Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau come out in support of the PGA Tour, viewed as a blow to LIV Golf. It is later learned that Mickelson’s comments and the subsequent back-tracking of several players who were interested in LIV set back the league’s plans and sent it into disarray.

Feb. 22: In the wake of his comments, Phil Mickelson offers an apology and says he will step away from the game for a period of time and offers to pause relationships with sponsors. “I have always known that criticism would come with exploring anything new. I still chose to put myself at the forefront of this to inspire change, taking the hits publicly to do the work behind the scenes.”

Mickelson said that he offered the brands with which he was associated “the option to pause or end the relationship as I understand it might be necessary given the current circumstances.” KPMG and Amstel Light end their relationships with Mickelson, and a few days later, Callaway announces that it is pausing a relationship that dates to 2004.

March 8: With Phil Mickelson missing—and, later it was learned, suspended—PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan addressed the media at the Players Championship. A typical state-of-the tour-type news conference turned into questions about Mickelson and LIV Golf. "The PGA Tour is moving on," he said. "We have too much momentum and too much to accomplish to be consistently distracted by rumors of other golf leagues and their attempts to disrupt our players, our partners, and most importantly our fans from enjoying the Tour and the game we all love so much.

"I am grateful for the strong support our top players have shown recently and publicly, and I’m extremely proud that we’ve turned the conversation around to focus on what we do best: delivering world-class golf tournaments with the best players to the best fans, all while positively impacting the communities in which we play. We are and we always will be focused on legacy not leverage."

March 16: Despite numerous setbacks, LIV Golf announces an eight-tournament schedule to begin in June. It won’t be the LIV Golf League, as planned, but the LIV Golf Invitational Series. Purses will be $20 million for the individual portion with $5 million more set aside for the teams. At the time, LIV Golf was unsure if it would be able to fill a 48-player field so it announced that the entire purse would be paid out regardless of the number of players who started. Total prize money for the eight events was set at $255 million, with $50 million set aside for a season-ending Team Championship.

May 10: PGA Tour players and Korn Ferry Tour players interested in competing in the first LIV Golf event outside of London in June need to seek conflicting event and/or media releases but are denied. The Tour tells players it is not an authorized event. Greg Norman, the LIV Golf commissioner, pushes back. "Sadly, the PGA Tour seems intent on denying professional golfers their right to play golf, unless it’s exclusively in a PGA Tour tournament. This is particularly disappointing in light of the Tour’s non-profit status, where its mission is purportedly to promote the common interests of professional tournament golfers.

"Instead, the Tour is intent on perpetuating its illegal monopoly of what should be a free and open market. The Tour’s action is anti-golfer, anti-fan, and anti-competitive. But no matter what obstacles the PGA Tour puts in our way, we will not be stopped. We will continue to give players options that promote the great game of golf globally.”

May 31: Dustin Johnson, a two-time major winner who has 24 PGA Tour titles, headlines the field announced for the first LIV Golf event to be played at The Centurion Club outside of London. Others listed are past major winners Sergio Garcia and Louis Oosthuizen, as well as Kevin Na, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.

June 6: Phil Mickelson ends a four-month hiatus in which he missed the Masters and defense of his PGA Championship title, emerging as LIV Golf’s latest signee who is set to compete later in the week at the first tournament. At a news conference prior to the tournament, Mickelson is asked several times about his past comments regarding Saudi Arabia, its human rights record and the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, believed by U.S. government officials to have been carried out by the Saudi regime.

“Well, certainly, I've made, said and done a lot of things that I regret, and I'm sorry for that and for the hurt that it's caused a lot of people. I don't—I don't condone human rights violations at all. Nobody here does, throughout the world. I'm certainly aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi, and I think it's terrible. I've also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history, and I believe that LIV Golf is going to do a lot of good for the game as well. And I'm excited about this opportunity. That's why I'm here."

June 9: Within minutes of the first tee shots being struck at the first LIV Golf event, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan issues a memo in which players who are participating are told they are being suspended.

Charl Schwartzel salutes the crowd after winning the inaugural LIV Golf event in 2022.Charl Schwartzel salutes the crowd after winning the inaugural LIV Golf event in 2022.

Charl Schwartzel owns a unique piece of golf history: winner of the first LIV Golf event. / Reuters via USA TODAY Sports

June 11: Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, wins the first LIV event, holding on for his first victory anywhere in nearly six years. The win was worth $4 million from the $20 million purse and because Schwartzel’s team, Stinger GC, won the team competition, he pocketed another $750,000 from the $3 million paid to the winners.

June 21: Following other players who committed to play for LIV during or after the first LIV event, then-four-time major champion Brooks Koepka is announced as the latest addition. He joins the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Pat Perez, Patrick Reed and Abraham Ancer as those who were now set to play in LIV’s second event.

June 22: During a news conference at the Travelers Championship, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan outlines a plan that will see the PGA Tour return to a calendar-year schedule in 2024 while also increasing the purses substantially at eight events, including the legacy events for Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The FedEx Cup season is also changed to see smaller fields at the first two playoff events.

Aug. 2: Eleven LIV golfers sue the PGA Tour to challenge suspensions and claim a restraint of trade. Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau are among those named in the suit. Three other players—Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones—seek a temporary restraining order so they can play in the FedEx Cup playoffs. (The restraining order is denied on the eve of the FedEx Cup playoffs.)

Aug. 16: Tiger Woods flies to Delaware and heads a players-only meeting at the BMW Championship along with Rory McIlroy where details are hashed out that will lead to substantial purse increases and benefits for players. It would later commonly be referred to as "the Delaware Meeting."

Aug. 24: On the back of the Delaware meeting, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announces a hastily-devised plan that will see eight tournaments in 2023 with boosted purses. First called designated events, these tournaments would have $20 million purses except for the Sentry, which will be $15 million. For several of the events, the result means more than doubling the purse. For the legacy events, it means adding $8 million per event. And the first two playoff events will also have $20 million purses.

Aug. 30: Just more than a month after his victory at St. Andrews, British Open champion Cam Smith becomes the latest player to join LIV Golf, doing so in time for its event in Boston. Smith is joined by Joaquin Niemann, who attended the Delaware meeting, along with Marc Leishman, Harold Varner III, Anirban Lahiri and Cameron Tringale. At the time, it gave LIV Golf six of the top 30 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Cameron Smith talks to media after winning the 150th British Open in 2022.Cameron Smith talks to media after winning the 150th British Open in 2022.

One month after winning the 150th British Open, Cam Smith left for LIV Golf. / Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 5: LIV Golf announces a strategic alliance with the MENA Tour, a developmental tour that has had Official World Golf Ranking accreditation since 2016. LIV Golf incorporates its events into the MENA Tour schedule and says it believes it should be granted OWGR immediately due to the association. The move is scoffed at as an end-around to try and obtain points and the OWGR does not grant points to LIV Golf.

Oct. 29: Martin Slumbers, the CEO of the R&A, makes it clear that the British Open is not going to ban LIV golfers who are otherwise eligible for the 2023 championship. "We are not going to abandon 150 years of history have the Open not be open," Slumbers said.

Oct. 30: LIV Golf completes its first season with Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces team winning the team championship in Miami. The four team members share a $16 million payday.

Nov. 15: At the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, Rory McIlroy says it is time for golf’s warring factions to figure something out. But he says it needs to happen without LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman. “Greg needs to go. He needs to exit stage left. He’s made his mark but I think now is the right time to say you’ve got this thing off the ground but no one’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that actually try to mend fences."

Nov. 29: At his Hero World Challenge event in the Bahamas, Tiger Woods also says that Greg Norman needs to go. Woods had been planning to play for the first time since the British Open but withdrew due to plantar fasciitis. “I think (Greg Norman) has to go, first of all, and then obviously the litigation against us and then our countersuit against them. Those would then have to be at a stay as well, then we can talk, we can all talk freely. Right now as it is, not right now, not with their leadership, not with Greg there and his animosity towards the tour itself. I don’t see that happening. But why would you change anything if you’ve got a lawsuit against you? They sued us first."

Tiger WoodsTiger Woods

At his Hero World Challenge in 2022, Tiger Woods said Greg Norman would have to depart before a discussion could take place between the rival tours. / Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 16: Only a year into the job, the Chief Operating Officer for LIV Golf leaves his position. Atul Khosla was hired by LIV Golf in December 2021 from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL team, where he held the title of chief corporate development and brand officer. Khosla was also chief operating officer for the Chicago Fire soccer club in the MLS and also worked for General Electric and NBC Sports. In his role at LIV Golf, he reported to CEO and commissioner Greg Norman. His role was taken over by executives of the Performance 54 agency and not filled for nearly a year.

Dec. 20: Augusta National makes clear it will be inviting those eligible for the Masters to participate. “Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it," Masters chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement. “Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April.”

Jan. 19: LIV Golf announces it has a long-awaited television partner after its events were available only via streaming in the first year. The CW Network—the C is for CBS, the W for Warner Media—enters into a multi-year agreement to televise LIV Golf tournaments. The deal will not see LIV Golf get paid a traditional rights fee but that is "mutually financially beneficial." It is believed that LIV will share advertising revenue with the CW and will also likely be expected to shoulder a good bit of promotional work.

Jan. 24: Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley recuse themselves from reviewing LIV Golf’s application for Official World Golf Ranking points. Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, and Pelley, the CEO of the DP World Tour, are two of the seven members of the OWGR board of directors that ultimately decides the fate of tours seeking accreditation. Keith Waters, who heads up the International Federation of PGA Tours and is the DP World Tour’s chief operating officer, also recused himself from the application.

“I have not looked at the LIV application," Pelley says during a session with reporters in Dubai. “So I can’t give an opinion on an application I have not seen. It is in the hands of the technical committee. On the advice of legal counsel, myself and Jay recused ourselves from the separate committee. Representatives of the four majors will now determine the LIV application. We are not involved and we have no influence on what transpires as far as LIV goes."

April 5: The DP World Tour wins an arbitration case against LIV Golf players who were seeking to play the former European Tour. The arbitration panel rules that the DP World Tour had the right to fine and suspend players for violating its membership regulations in order to compete in LIV Golf events. Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and 10 other players had brought the action in response to fines levied for not being granted permission to compete in LIV Golf events. A separate antitrust case between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour is still scheduled for 2024.

May 4: Amid its investigation of former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, the Department of Justice looks specifically at his dealings with LIV Golf, according to the New York Times. Two of Trump’s courses hosted events in 2022 with three scheduled to do so in 2023.

June 6: The golf world is stunned to learn that secret negotiations have been taking place and resulted in a "framework agreement" between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Public Investment Fund. Initially said to be a "merger," it is later reframed as an agreement that would see the entities have an alliance. The biggest part of the news is that all of the lawsuits have been dropped. The idea is to have a final deal by Dec. 31, 2023.

As more details emerge, it is learned that PGA Tour Policy Board members Jimmy Dunne and Ed Herlihy secretly met with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF, for several weeks prior to the announcement. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan also had clandestine meetings with Al-Rumayyan. On the day of the announcement, they appeared together on CNBC.

June 7: While surprised that everything came together so quickly, Rory McIlroy says that the PGA Tour’s partnership with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia will ultimately be good for the game of golf. Speaking after his pro-am round at the RBC Canadian Open, McIlroy learned of the agreement shortly before the rest of the world but said much of it has been mischaracterized and that it should not be viewed as a merger with LIV Golf.

“LIV has nothing to do with this. It’s the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund that are basically partnering to create a new company. That’s where I was a little frustrated. All I’ve wanted to do was protect the future of the PGA Tour and protect the aspirational nature of what the PGA Tour stands for. I think this does this. If you look at the structure, this new company sits above everything else. (PGA Tour commissioner) Jay (Monahan) on top of that. Technically, anyone involved with LIV would answer to Jay. The one thing whether you like it or not, the PIF were going to keep spending money in golf. At least the PGA Tour controls how that money is spent. You’re dealing with one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds in the world. Would you rather fight against or have them as a partner?"

June 7: Although not involved in the negotiations, LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman has a positive message for the staff. Norman, who was not mentioned in any of the news releases associated with the agreement, tells more than 100 people on a 30-minute call that LIV will see no operational changes and that work is already being done on a 2025 schedule. “The spigot is now wide open for commercial sponsorships, blue chip companies, TV networks. LIV is and will continue to be a standalone enterprise. Our business model will not change. We changed history and we’re not going anywhere."

PGA Tour commissioner Jay MonahanPGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan

Eight days after appearing with Yasir Al-Rumayyan on CNBC to announce the "framework agreement," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan took a leave of absence for health reasons. He later took responsibility for an "ineffective" rollout of the agreement which caught most PGA Tour players by surprise. / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

June 14: On the Tuesday of the U.S. Open week, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announces through the Tour a health-related leave of absence that will see Tour executives Ron Price and Tyler Dennis take over his duties.

July 7: In a memo to players, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says he will return from his leave on July 14, which is the Monday of British Open week.

July 9: Randall Stephenson, a longtime member of the PGA Tour and former head of AT&T, sends a resignation letter to Monahan and the board and specifically cites his displeasure with the framework agreement.

July 11: Among wish-list ideas proposed by the LIV Golf League in the time leading up to the framework agreement was giving Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy LIV Golf League franchises and seeing them compete in LIV Golf events. It was just one of the ideas that discussed by the parties as part of documents released by a Senate subcommittee during a hearing in Washington, D.C., led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). The PGA Tour rejected it as part of the negotiation.

The committee is concerned about the foreign involvement in an American sports league as well as possible antitrust violations. Some of the ideas include having a "World Golf Series" team event that would be played in Saudi Arabia; LIV operating as it is but being played in the fall or with the idea of LIV coexisting along with the PGA Tour; two of the PGA Tour’s designated events that would be branded by the PIF or the Saudi Arabia oil company, Aramco.

July 18: Masters champion Jon Rahm says he has no trust issues with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan—unlike several of his peers—and suggests time is needed. “As it comes to what he's been doing for us and the PGA Tour, I think he's done a fantastic job. I would say it was unexpected what happened. I think what the management of the PGA Tour, the turn they took without us knowing was very unexpected, but I still think he's been doing a great job. And right now after that happened, I only think it's fair to give them the right time to work things out. I still think they have the best interest of the players at heart."

Rahm, speaking before the British Open, also reiterates he is not interested in LIV Golf. “We all had the chance to go to LIV and take the money and we chose to stay at the PGA Tour for whatever reason we chose. As I've said before, I already make an amazing living doing what I do. I'm extremely thankful, and that all happened because of the platform the PGA Tour provided me. As far as I'm concerned they've done enough for me, and their focus should be on improving the PGA Tour and the game of golf for the future generations."

Aug. 1: Tiger Woods is named to the PGA Tour Policy Board, giving the players a power boost as he becomes the sixth player director on the board. Part of the move includes a stipulation that will see a change in PGA Tour governance that means the player directors will have final say in any decisions going forward.

Aug. 8: PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan speaks with reporters for the first time since his leave and after returning to work and takes responsibility for the way the negotiations for the “framework agreement" were secretly handled and the subsequent rollout. “It was ineffective and as a result there was a lot of misinformation. And anytime you have misinformation that can lead to mistrust. And that’s my responsibility. That’s me and me alone. I take full accountability for that. I apologize for putting players on their back foot. But ultimately it was the right move for the PGA Tour. I firmly believe that as we go forward time will bear that out. It was the right move and obviously we’re now in a position with NewCo (PGA Tour Enterprises) that provides the opportunity to have productive conversations."

Oct. 19: On the eve of LIV Golf’s final event of 2023, CEO and commissioner Greg Norman speaks with reporters publicly for the first time since the agreement was announced and says he has "zero" concern about the future of the league, regardless of what happens with the “framework agreement."

“All indications are showing that the position of LIV has never been stronger and that the success of our players and our brand has never been in a better place. And as we look forward into 2024, we’ve got a full schedule. We’ve got some places we’ve been to before, but we’ve got some new venues as well and we’re reaching different regions."

Nov. 28: Tiger Woods speaks publicly for the first time since the framework agreement was announced and he joined the Policy Board, touching a variety of subjects including outside Public Equity Investment in the PGA Tour, the Public Investment Fund and LIV Golf. He calls the ongoing negotiations "murky" and says "I would have to say there's a lot of moving parts on how we're going to play. Whether it's here on the PGA Tour or it's merging, or team golf. There's a lot of different aspects that are being thrown out there all at once and we are trying to figure all that out and what is the best solution for all parties and best solution for all the players that are involved.’’

He says during the week and again two weeks later at the PNC Championship that he is focused on a deal getting done or some resolution by the Dec. 31 deadline.

Dec. 7: After weeks of speculation, Jon Rahm is announced as the newest member of LIV Golf. The two-time major champion, who on numerous occasions had expressed his disinterest in LIV due to the format, among other things, makes it official in New York where he said the lucrative offer was difficult to ignore and he had come to terms with the format. He also said his decision had nothing to do with any animosity or issues wit the PGA Tour.

“I’m forever grateful to the PGA Tour and the platform they allowed me to be on. I have nothing bad to say about them. They allowed me the opportunity to play in some great events and allowed me to make a mark."

Dec. 31: The agreement deadline comes and goes but the PGA Tour says there is "meaningful progress" and that negotiations will continue into 2024.

Jan. 31: The PGA Tour announces the formation of PGA Tour Enterprises in a partnership with Strategic Sports Group, a group of investors from a number of professional sports. The deal, worth $3 billion, is said to allow nearly 200 PGA Tour players access to $1.5 billion in equity over time. The deal states that it allows for co-investment from the PIF in the future.

March 12: Speaking with reporters for the first time since August, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said negotiations with the PIF are “accelerating” and that he and PGA Tour Policy Board members met with Yasir Al-Rumayyan in January, but did not offer specifics.

May 9: Rory McIlroy reveals that he is part of a subcommittee including Tiger Woods and commissioner Jay Monahan that is tasked with working directly on a deal with the PIF.  The seven-man committee also includes Adam Scott, player liaison Joe Ogilvie, Joe Gorder, a board member from Valero Energy, and John Henry from Strategic Sports Group.

May 13: Jimmy Dunne, one of the architects of the June 6, 2023, agreement, resigns from the PGA Tour Policy Board. In a letter to the board, he wrote that “no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with PIF,” and that ever since players seized control of the board and cut him out of negotiations, “my vote and my role is utterly superfluous.”

The 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team Still Lacks a Captain, But Now Has a Manager

The 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team Still Lacks a Captain, But Now Has a Manager

The U.S. Ryder Cup team has yet to pick a captain for 2025. But it does have a team manager, a new role created recently and announced last week by the PGA of America.

The person taking on the task called it a “dream job,” although it has never been a job until now.

And yet, John Wood—former caddie, current on-course TV reporter—seems perfect for the role that the PGA said would be one of consulting with the captain, assistants, players and PGA of America management on strategy and operational issues.

As someone who has been involved in nine Ryder Cups, including six as a caddie, Wood sees himself as perhaps a missing piece that saves time for those doing the heavy lifting at a Ryder Cup.

“I think something as simple as scheduling the week of (the Ryder Cup) can be streamlined,” Wood told Sports Illustrated. “Something like even team pictures being done before a practice round that always seems to take longer than it should.

“That can be done the first evening they are there, so as not to disrupt any practice schedules or training that the players are used to doing. And depending on the captain, I think there will be things I can be a sounding board on long before the assistants are chosen.

“And I think I will be able to plan ahead more, especially from a year out.”

Wood was undoubtedly chosen because he has a good relationship with those involved in the Ryder Cup, including Tiger Woods, who may or may not be the captain, with a decision imminent.

At the PGA Championship, Woods expressed concerns about the time demands of the captaincy given his own priorities, including being on the PGA Tour Policy Board. It appears that the PGA of America and CEO Seth Waugh are willing to give Woods the time he needs to make a decision.

There have been no obvious backup choices, although Stewart Cink—who was an assistant to Zach Johnson last year in Rome—and even Fred Couples, a three-time Presidents Cup captain and an assistant on numerous teams, have been mentioned.

Wood, in theory, could alleviate some of the duties that take up time for a captain.

He said he was first approached by the PGA of America a few months ago and the initial inquiries, he believed, were more centered on who he might advocate for the role or what the job could entail.

Wood caddied for Mark Calcavecchia at the 2002 Ryder Cup, Chris Riley (2004), Hunter Mahan (2008, 2010 and 2014) and Matt Kuchar in 2016. He also worked as a team assistant in 2018 and then the last two Ryder Cups on TV.

After some of those Ryder Cups, Wood offered some of his thoughts to the PGA in writing. It might typically be difficult for a caddie to speak up in such situations, but sometimes their perspective can be overlooked but valuable.

“Woody is one of the smartest guys I know,” Calcavecchia says. “He’s a great caddie. Great on TV. Just so knowledgeable about the game. I loved the three years he caddied for me. Such a perfect spot and honor for him and I know how passionate he is about the Ryder Cup. He’ll be amazing at whatever they need him to do. Love the guy to death.”

Wood will continue in his role with NBC Sports as an on-course reporter, but will not be part of the broadcast next year at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.

“There is nothing in my career I’ve been more passionate about than the Ryder Cup,” he says.

The Americans have failed to win a road Ryder Cup since 1993 and are coming off a big defeat to Europe last year in Rome. But they’ve won the last two home Ryder Cups in 2016 and 2021. The Europeans will be looking to win their first road Ryder Cup since 2012 at Medinah.

Golf’s D-Day anniversary

The RBC Canadian Open managed to escape the week without the off-course drama that has enveloped it in recent years. The tournament was not played in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, it was the played the same week as the first-ever LIV Golf event in London. Last year it followed the announcement of the June 6 “framework agreement” that dominated discussion during the week.

The one-year anniversary of that momentous announcement falls this week during the Memorial Tournament. The events have switched dates since the Memorial became a signature event and the PGA Tour wanted to move it to the week prior to the U.S. Open.

There figures to be plenty of discussion about the agreement this week, even though nothing has been completed. Plenty has changed in the golf world—the PGA Tour went ahead with plans to form a for-profit arm called PGA Tour Enterprises, got $1.5 billion of investment from a private equity company called Strategic Sports Group and outlined plans for players to get equity shares in the company over the next eight years.

But nothing has been decided with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, negotiations that are said to be ongoing as LIV Golf also plays its next event this week in Houston.

“Obviously a year later you would have thought we had a bit more clarity on that,” said Mackenzie Hughes, who has said previously he thinks all of the chatter is not good for the fans who want a resolution. “There’s not really much there. I think eventually when we get through this situation, I think golf will be in a great spot. But there’s a lot of hurdles to get over right now.”

Mackenzie Hughes is pictured at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open.Mackenzie Hughes is pictured at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open.

Mackenzie Hughes acknowledged that fans are tired of hearing about pro golf's off-course battle. / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

One, of course, is all the money talk. LIV Golf is backed by the PIF, a $700-billion-plus fund. The $1.5 billion in equity PGA Tour Enterprises is getting could grow to $3 billion and is meant to grow the business so players can cash in on their equity shares, with players being in line for millions down the road.

So far, nothing has been done to greatly enhance the product. And the top players are competing against each other only at the major championships.

“I think one of the biggest things I think about is the fan and how the fan has been affected by all this,” Hughes said. “The fans are just tired of hearing about it, tired of hearing about the money. I don't think the money that's going around is sustainable for golf. I would love for the game to kind of come back a little bit where it's like we're just, we're talking about the golf now, we're not talking about LIV, we're not talking about the money and these purses and all that sort of stuff. Because people don't care. People don't want to hear it. I've said this many times to, you know, the media, the Tour ... I feel like we're shoving it down people's throats.

“This (the Canadian Open) is a big tournament for me, I would say far bigger than the one next week (the Memorial), but next week’s worth $20 million, this one's worth, I don't know how many, whatever, but that's not something that I care or think about, but I'm here to win this trophy, it wouldn't matter if it was for a thousand bucks or a million bucks, I'm here to play well and win this tournament. I think it's become so much about the money and, again, I would say 99 percent of the people don't care, they don't want to hear it. So I think the state of the game, I would say right now it's not super healthy, because of the things we're focused on, but I think once we can kind of get past this stuff and maybe the deal happens or it doesn't happen, but we kind of get some clarity there, then we can kind of go forward.”

Golf’s longest day

The U.S. Open is next week at Pinehurst No. 2 but nearly one-third of the field is still to be determined. A good number of those players will come from final qualifiers at 10 North American locations on Monday, with one in Canada and the rest in the U.S.

There have already been 23 players who made it into the field via qualifying in Dallas, London and Japan on May 20. Another 44 players are expected to advance through on Monday, with the United States Golf Association holding a few spots back for players who can still make it via the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of June 10.

There are likely to be some withdrawals but for now there are 518 players are the 10 qualifying spots, with 84 players at a qualifier near San Francisco and 84 in Durham, N.C., having the most and Oregon, with 44, the least. The spots assigned to each site will not be disclosed until just before the events begin.

The Florida qualifier at the Bear's Club has 73 players, nine of whom play for LIV Golf including Joaquin Niemann, Branden Grace, Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel. European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is also at the Florida qualifier.

Stewart Cink, 51, is among those at the qualifier in Canada. Cink has played in 23 U.S. Opens. Charley Hoffman is also at that site.

LIV players Matt Jones and David Puig are at the qualifier in Lake Merced, Calif. Bill Haas and Webb Simpson are entered in the Durham qualifier, as is LIV player Harold Varner. Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington is among those at the Columbus, Ohio, qualifier.

Adam Scott, who has played in 91 consecutive majors dating to 2001, fell out of the top 60 in the OWGR again after his finish at the Canadian Open. He is scheduled to play in Springfield, Ohio.

The fields and scoring for all of the sites can be found here.

A bittersweet U.S. Women’s Open for Lexi ... and other notes

Lexi Thompson’s 18th U.S. Women’s Open did not go as she had hoped during a week in which she said this would be her last full season on the LPGA Tour. Thompson, just 29, played in her first U.S. Women’s Open at age 12. She turned pro at 15 and won as a teenager.

But she made clear last week that the demands of professional golf and expectations associated with it took a toll. She alluded to difficulty dealing with some of the criticism that often came her way. And she said the lifestyle can be lonely.

Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club proved to be difficult for numerous players and her scores of 78-75 missed the cut.

"Minus the golf, it was amazing,” Thompson said. “It wasn't the golf that I wanted to play honestly, but it was a special week, of course, with announcing what I did. To see all the parents out there and just to hear their chants and like 'Go Lexi's' made me smile every single shot even if I kept bogeying. It was a special week.”

Thompson said she appreciated the support.

“It's meant the world to me; like I said earlier in the week, this is where my whole dream got started,” she said. “When I was 12, I knew when I teed it up first at Pine Needles, that's where I wanted to be and playing against the best.

“To continue to do so and to be playing my 18th, though it wasn't the way I wanted to end it, it was always special every time I teed it up at the USGA events, so I cherished every moment that I had. I'm so blessed and grateful for the family I have.”

Thompson she hopes to make the U.S. Solheim Cup team and could still play selected events going forward. She has an app called “Lexi Fitness” that she is developing.

And a few more things

Robert MacIntyre’s victory at the RBC Canadian Open was his first on the PGA Tour after coming over this year via the DP World Tour exemption category. The win moves him well inside the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking and means he can avoid Monday’s 36-hole final qualifier he had signed up for in Canada. ... The Canadian Open was also a Open Qualifying Series event for the British Open at Royal Troon, with the top three players not otherwise exempt getting in the field. Those spots went to Ben Griffin, who finished second, and Mackenzie Hughes and Maverick McNealy, who tied for seventh. ... This week’s Memorial Tournament will offer one spot in the Open. The conclusion of the Memorial will also be a cutoff point for top 60 OWGR not otherwise exempt into the U.S. Open. ... Laurie Canter’s first victory on the DP World Tour at the European Open puts him in position to earn a PGA Tour card via the top 10 in the Race to Dubai not otherwise exempt. Canter is currently eighth after his victory. He’s also a reserve player for LIV, having competed in two events this year but none since February. The PGA Tour has stuck to a rule that makes you wait a year from your last LIV event to be able top play in a PGA Tour-sponsored event. ... The first round of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 is in 10 days.

 

Fact or Fiction: Brooks Koepka is LIV Golf’s Best Hope for a Major This Year

Fact or Fiction: Brooks Koepka is LIV Golf’s Best Hope for a Major This Year

Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we hope the finish of next week's PGA Championship in Kentucky is as great as the Kentucky Derby.

Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.

Brooks Koepka won the LIV Golf Singapore event, turning around a slow season just in time for his PGA Championship defense. He is LIV’s best candidate to win a major this year. 

Bob Harig: FACT. Based on his major promise and a confidence-boosting performance, Koepka will head to Louisville as LIV’s best hope. But don’t count out Cam Smith, who seems to have his game coming around as well.

John Pluym: FACT. Koepka’s at his best in the majors despite his recent Masters performance. Whether that’s enough to overtake Scottie Scheffler (Yes, I think he wins the PGA), we’ll see. But he’s definitely LIV’s best hope in Louisville. 

Brooks Koepka stands with the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

A week in Singapore appears to have turned around Brooks Koepka's outlook for his PGA Championship defense.

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Ritter: FACT. He’s the most proven major champion on the LIV circuit aside from Mickelson’s six titles, and Koepka may be putting it together just in time to pick off one more this summer and match Mickelson. 

John Schwarb: FACT. This is a nod to Koepka but also acknowledgment that Jon Rahm still hasn’t rediscovered the top gear he had before going to LIV. He’s actually second in season points (well behind Joaquin Niemann) but his best finishes are a pair of thirds; wasn’t he supposed to dominate and be at the top of any major discussions?

Koepka became the first to win four times in LIV Golf. He also has four titles on the PGA Tour (not counting majors). Koepka’s career will ultimately have more LIV wins than Tour wins.   

Bob Harig: FACT. This is likely inevitable. Koepka seems certain to win more times on LIV Golf and his future with the PGA Tour seems murky at best.

John Pluym: FACT. I don’t think there’s any doubt that he wins more tournaments on LIV Golf than the PGA Tour. 

Jeff Ritter: FACT. Perhaps someday there will be a path back to the PGA Tour for Koepka and his fellow LIV’ers, but at the moment it looks like he’ll lift more LIV trophies from here on out.  

John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. Two possible paths for Koepka to go back to the PGA Tour: some kind of reunification or he returns after not signing a second LIV contract (he’s believed to be signed through next year). I wouldn’t put money on either but somehow I don’t think he’s done winning regular Tour events. 

Tiger Woods accepted a special exemption into next month’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst. The 15-time major winner is entitled to an unlimited number of special exemptions.

Bob Harig: FACT. Have been saying this and writing this for years. There was going to come a time where Tiger would need an exemption and—if he’s willing and able—he will get as many as he wants. It’s unlikely Woods would attempt to play if he felt he was was unworthy. He deserves to make that call. And if Jack got eight exemptions and Arnie got five, there’s no reason why a nine-time USGA champion—including three U.S. Opens—wouldn’t get an abundance of special invites.

John Pluym: FACT. Jack Nicklaus won 18 professional majors in his career, including four U.S. Open titles. He received a record eight special exemptions, including five in a row until he stopped playing the U.S. Open after 2000 at Pebble Beach. So as long as Tiger wants to play in the U.S. Open, he should get as many as he wants. He’s the only golfer in recent history to be on the same level as Nicklaus. As such, the USGA should keep giving him special exemptions.

Tiger Woods talks to reporters following his second round at the 2020 U.S. Open.

Tiger Woods's last U.S. Open appearance was in 2020 at Winged Foot.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Ritter: FACT. This shouldn’t even be controversial. (Is it controversial?) Woods made the tour what it is today, and although he’s diminished he can still play, as evidenced by that recent made-cut at Augusta. Is there any special exemption that will do more to boost fan interest and overall buzz than Tiger Woods?   

John Schwarb: FACT. What Woods has done to earn multiple exemptions isn’t up for debate, and the truth is he is highly unlikely to take as many as Nicklaus and play U.S. Opens into his late 50s. Not sure he’ll even match Arnie’s five. Golf fans need to just enjoy these moments.

Speaking of major exemptions, Talor Gooch received a special exemption to the PGA Championship but said in Singapore that he’s not going through qualifiers for the U.S. or British Opens. That has ruined his reputation as a competitor.

Bob Harig: NEUTRAL. This all depends on where you sit on this issue. Certainly, not even trying to qualify doesn’t help Gooch’s cause. He could use it as motivation. He’s only hurting himself here. If he believes himself to be a major player—why wouldn’t he?—he should do everything he can to get in the majors, even if he disagrees with the process.

John Pluym: FACT. His Official World Golf Ranking is No. 644, and he had only one PGA Tour victory before joining LIV. So based on the facts, he is only hurting himself by not going through qualifying. And, honestly, he hasn’t proved to be good enough to be deserving of a special exemption. 

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Skipping major qualifying is good headline fodder but it doesn’t change how I perceive Gooch at all—he has shown all of us that when it comes to career decisions, his top priority is cash. Since he didn’t give a reason, I assume he is skipping the lower-paying USO to stay fresh for the $4 million top prize at LIV Golf Nashville the following week. 

John Schwarb: FACT. I don’t think many fans begrudge pro golfers getting their bags of cash like other athletes but a lack of effort or caring is where they draw the line. Not attempting to qualify for our national championship is a betrayal of one's talent.

2024 PGA Championship Field Includes Tiger Woods, All of World's Top 100 Players

2024 PGA Championship Field Includes Tiger Woods, All of World’s Top 100 Players

The field is out for next week’s PGA Championship, and as expected the top 100 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are all on the list.

Actually, the top 103 in the world are in the 156-player field for Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., as well as a couple of intriguing names at No. 644 and No. 801 in the world.

No. 801 is Tiger Woods, the four-time PGA champion who won in 2000 at Valhalla in a thrilling playoff over Bob May. Woods set the consecutive-cuts-made record last month at the Masters before fading on the weekend to 60th, but left Augusta National optimistic for the rest of the majors this season. He accepted a special exemption to the U.S. Open last week.

No. 644 is LIV Golf’s Talor Gooch, who confirmed his special exemption from the PGA of America on Monday via his social media. His spot appears to underline the PGA of America’s desire to have the strongest possible field in its major; Gooch was a three-time winner and LIV Golf’s player of the year in 2023.

LIV Golf’s David Puig and Dean Burmester also received exemptions. Puig has won twice on the Asian Tour in the last seven months and is 106th in the world, while Burmester won back-to-back DP World tour events to end 2023 and won on LIV last month in Miami.

There are 15 LIV golfers in the field. Brooks Koepka is the defending PGA champion, a three-time PGA winner overall and coming in off a win last week in Singapore. Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith are other past major champions from LIV Golf in the field.

Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 who won last month at the Masters, is scheduled to compete but is on baby watch at home with wife Meredith. He is skipping this week’s Wells Fargo Championship, a signature event on the PGA Tour.

As usual, the field also includes 20 PGA professionals who qualified via the annual PGA Professional Championship. The total PGA professional count is 21, as Michael Block returns after a T15 finish last year at Oak Hill which earned him a spot at Valhalla.

The winners of this week’s Wells Fargo and Myrtle Beach Classic on the PGA Tour will receive spots in the field if they’re not in already.

Below is the full field for the the PGA Championship, which is May 16-19.

Åberg, Ludvig - SWEDEN
An, Byeong Hun - REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Beem, Rich - Austin, TX
Bevell, Josh - Nashville, TN (CFT)
Bezuidenhout, Christiaan - SOUTH AFRICA
Bhatia, Akshay - Wake Forest, NC
Björk, Alexander - SWEDEN
Blair, Zac - Orem, UT
Block, Michael - Mission Viejo, CA (CFT)
Bowser, Evan - Naples, FL (CFT)
Bradley, Keegan - Woodstock, VT
Burmester, Dean - SOUTH AFRICA
Burns, Sam - Shreveport, LA
Cantlay, Patrick - Jupiter, FL
Clark, Wyndham - Denver, CO
Cole, Eric - Tequesta, FL
Cole, Preston - Charlotte, NC (CFT)
Collet, Tyler - Vero Beach, FL (CFT)
Conners, Corey - CANADA
Daly, John - Cleawarter Beach, FL
Davis, Cameron - AUSTRALIA
Day, Jason - AUSTRALIA
DeChambeau, Bryson - Dallas, TX
Detry, Thomas - BELGIUM
Dobyns, Matt - Glen Head, NY (CFT)
Donald, Luke - ENGLAND
Dufner, Jason - Auburn, AL
Dunlap, Nick - Tuscaloosa, AL
Eckroat, Austin - Edmond, OK
English, Harris - Sea Island, GA
Finau, Tony - Lehi, UT
Fitzpatrick, Matthew - ENGLAND
Fleetwood, Tommy - ENGLAND
Fowler, Rickie - Murrieta, CA
Fox, Ryan - NEW ZEALAND
Garnett, Brice - Gallatin, MO
Glover, Lucas - Jupiter, FL
Gooch, Talor - Oklahoma City, OK
Griffin, Ben - Chapel Hill, NC
Grillo, Emiliano - ARGENTINA
Gross, Larkin - Center Cross, VA (CFT)
Hadwin, Adam - CANADA
Harman, Brian - Saint Simons Island, GA
Harrington, Pádraig - IRELAND
Hatton, Tyrrell - ENGLAND
Henley, Russell - Columbus, GA
Herbert, Lucas - Orlando, FL
Hisatsune, Ryo - Japan
Hodges, Lee - Athens, AL
Hoffman, Charley - San Diego, CA
Hoge, Tom - Fort Worth, TX
Højgaard, Nicolai - DENMARK
Højgaard, Rasmus - DENMARK
Homa, Max - Scottsdale, AZ
Horschel, Billy - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Hoshino, Rikuya - JAPAN
Hossler, Beau - Mission Viejo, CA
Hovland, Viktor - NORWAY
Hubbard, Mark - The Woodlands, TX
Hughes, Mackenzie - CANADA
Im, Sungjae - REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Jaeger, Stephan - GERMANY
Johnson, Dustin - Jupiter, FL
Jones, Jared - Houston, TX (CFT)
Kanaya, Takumi - JAPAN
Kaymer, Martin - GERMANY
Kellen, Jeff - Rockford, IL (CFT
)Kim, Si Woo - REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Kim, Tom - REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Kirk, Chris - Watkinsville, GA
Kitayama, Kurt - Las Vegas, NV
Knapp, Jake - Costa Mesa, CA
Kobori, Kazuma - NEW ZEALAND
Koepka, Brooks - West Palm Beach, FL
Kohles, Ben - Dallas, TX
Lawrence, Thriston - SOUTH AFRICA
Lee, Kyoung-Hoon - REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Lee, Min Woo - AUSTRALIA
List, Luke - Augusta, GA
Lowry, Shane - IRELAND
MacIntyre, Robert - SCOTLAND
Malnati, Peter - Knoxville, TN
Marek, Brad - Berkeley, CA (CFT)
Matsuyama, Hideki - JAPAN
McCarthy, Denny - Jupiter, FL
McIlroy, Rory - NORTHERN IRELAND
McNealy, Maverick - Stanford, CA
Mendoza, Kyle - Oceanside, CA (CFT)
Meronk, Adrian - POLAND
Micheel, Shaun - Colliersville, TN
Mickelson, Phil - Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Mitchell, Keith - Saint Simons Island, GA
Molinari, Francesco - ITALY
Montgomery, Taylor - Las Vegas, NV
Moore, Taylor - Southlake, TX
Morikawa, Collin - La Canada, CA
Mueller, Jesse - Phoenix, AZ (CFT)
Murray, Grayson - Raleigh, NC
Nakajima, Keita - JAPAN
Niemann, Joaquin - CHILE
Noren, Alex - SWEDEN
Norrman, Vincent - SWEDEN
Oakley, Zac - King of Prussia, PA (CFT)
Ogletree, Andy - Alpharetta, GA
Olesen, Thorbjorn - DENMARK
Otaegui, Adrian - SPAIN
Pavon, Matthieu - FRANCE
Pendrith, Taylor - CANADA
Perez, Victor - FRANCE
Phillips, Tracy - Tulsa, OK (CFT)
Polland, Ben - Teton Village, WY (CFT
)Poston, J.T. - Sea Island, GA
Puig, David - SPAIN
Putnam, Andrew - University Place, WA
Rahm, Jon - SPAIN
Rai, Aaron - ENGLAND
Reed, Patrick - The Woodlands, TX
Rodgers, Patrick - Avon, IN
Rose, Justin - ENGLAND
Schauffele, Xander - San Diego, CA
Scheffler, Scottie - Dallas, TX
Schenk, Adam - Vincennes, IN
Scott, Adam - AUSTRALIA
Shattuck, Braden - Aston, PA (CFT)
Smith, Cameron - AUSTRALIA
Smith, Jordan - ENGLAND
Soderberg, Sebastian - SWEDEN
Somers, John - Clearwater, FL (CFT)
Speight, Josh - Dallas, TX (CFT)
Spieth, Jordan - Dallas, TX
Straka, Sepp - AUSTRIA
Stricker, Steve - Madison, WI
Svensson, Adam - CANADA
Svensson, Jesper - SWEDEN
Svoboda, Andy - Oak Brook, IL (CFT)
Taylor, Nick - CANADA
Theegala, Sahith - Spring, TX
Thomas, Justin - Louisville, KY
Todd, Brendon - Watkinsville, GA
Tosti, Alejandro - ARGENTINA
Valimaki, Sami - FINLAND
van Rooyen, Erik - SOUTH AFRICA
van Velzen, Ryan - SOUTH AFRICA
Villegas, Camilo - COLOMBIA
Walker, Jimmy - Terrell Hills, TX
Wallace, Matt - ENGLAND
Wells, Jeremy - Estero, FL (CFT)
Widing, Tim - SWEDEN
Woodland, Gary - Topeka, KS
Woods, Tiger - Jupiter, FL
Worthington II, Wyatt - Las Vegas, NV (CFT)
Yang, Y.E. - REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Young, Cameron - Jupiter, FL
Zalatoris, Will - Dallas, TX

CFT -- Corebridge Financial Team/PGA Professionals

Tiger Woods Accepts Special Exemption to U.S. Open at Pinehurst

Tiger Woods Accepts Special Exemption to U.S. Open at Pinehurst

Tiger Woods is heading to Pinehurst in June.

The United States Golf Association announced Thursday that the three-time U.S. Open champion has accepted a special exemption to the 124th edition of the championship, to be held June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

The Hall of Famer was not exempt for the tournament, the first time since the 1996 PGA Championship that he had not been exempt for a major. He got a five-year exemption into the U.S. Open for winning the 2019 Masters, which began with the 2019 edition and ended last year. 

“The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career,” Woods said in a USGA release. “I’m honored to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game.”

Woods won the U.S. Open in 2000, 2002 and 2008. He last played it in 2020, missing the cut at Winged Foot in New York in a U.S. Open moved to September due to COVID-19.

“The story of the U.S. Open could not be written without Tiger Woods,” said USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer. “From his 15-stroke victory at Pebble Beach in 2000 to his inspiring win on a broken leg at Torrey Pines in 2008, this championship is simply better when Tiger is in the field, and his accomplishments in the game undoubtedly made this an easy decision for our special exemption committee.”

Woods played in last month’s Masters and finished 60th, last among players who made the cut after a weekend of 82-77. He has not officially committed to the PGA Championship in two weeks but an unveiling of his Sun Day Red apparel line is believed to be a clue that he will tee it up at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky. 

The 15-time major winner is exempt for life into the PGA and the Masters and exempt until age 60 in the British Open. 

Tiger Woods and Jimmy Fallon Shared a Laugh Over Tiger Tree Memes

Tiger Woods and Jimmy Fallon Shared a Laugh Over Tiger Tree Memes

Tiger Woods is making the rounds promoting his new clothing line this week. On Tuesday he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. After explaining why his clothing line is called Sun Day Red (He wears red on Sunday. Get it?), Woods and Fallon looked at some tree memes.

Tiger was back on NBC on Wednesday morning for an interview with Carson Daly on TODAY. It turns out that Woods and Daly are old golf buddies. If you didn't know that then Daly leading off the interview saying "we have so much history together," must have been surprising to hear.

Woods also explained the meaning of his new logo, saying that the tiger, which he describes as "nice and clean," has 15 stripes to represent each of the major championships he has won. He also said that his goal is to ruin the logo by winning another.

It sounds like he'll take his next shot at making his logo irrelevant later this month at the PGA Championship. Woods didn't specifically commit to any events, but Daly asked if he was still planning to play a tournament a month this year Tiger said, "I have basically the next three months. So I have three majors and hopefully, you know, that all kind of works out."

If he doesn't capture his first win since the 2019 Masters, he should at least try to create another memeable moment so he has something fresh to talk about the next time he has to promote his clothing line.

Tiger Woods Launches New Apparel, Offering Big Hint at Major Championship Plans This Summer

Tiger Woods Launches New Apparel, Offering Big Hint at Major Championship Plans This Summer

Tiger Woods has yet to officially say if he is playing in the PGA Championship, which begins May 16 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

But a pretty good hint came on Wednesday with the unveiling of the new product line that was first announced in February.

Woods, who appeared on the Today Show on Wednesday morning to promote it, saw Sun Day Red launch its initial run of golf, training and lifestyle apparel and accessories.

As the company said in a new release, the first iteration is called “The Hunt” and previews the colors Woods will be wearing at the PGA Championship. The brand will follow up with other releases throughout the month.

Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla in the midst of a historic run that saw him win his third consecutive major championship on his way to what came to be known as the “Tiger Slam” when he added the 2001 Masters.

Last month, Woods made the cut at the Masters for the 24th consecutive time, setting a tournament record, before shooting his worst score ever at Augusta National in the third round. He finished 60th and last among those who made the cut.

“I'm going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst, Valhalla and Troon, but that's kind of the game plan,” Woods said after the Masters, referring to the venues for the U.S. Open, PGA and British Open, respectively. “It's always nice coming back here (Augusta National) because I know the golf course, I know how to play it. I can kind of simulate shots. Granted, it's never quite the same as getting out here and doing it.

“Same thing, I heard there's some changes at the next couple sites. So got to get up there early and check them out.”

Since making the announcement about Sun Day Red along with TaylorMade Golf in advance of the Genesis Invitational in February, Woods has been wearing Sun Day Red apparel and footwear.