Sam Torrance: Jon Rahm is due another major as magical Masters week rolls around April 4, 2022 Masters week is always one of my favourites and I am really looking forward to watching the best players in the world, hopefully including Tiger Woods, grace Augusta National. Five-time winner Woods is set to make a last-minute decision on whether to play in his first 72-hole tournament since almost losing his leg in a [...]
The Tiger Effect: Why Woods comeback at Augusta would be good news for TV companies March 31, 2022 The Tiger Effect – the boost to the business of golf that Woods has provided during his 26-year pro career – is the stuff of sports industry legend. Woods’ swift ascent to godlike status brought an influx of new sponsors to the game and sent prize money skyward. Key to this virtuous cycle was that [...]
Tiger Woods tees up for competitive return at the Masters with Augusta practice round March 30, 2022 Tiger Woods has given the clearest indication yet that he hopes to enter the Masters next week by playing a practice round at Augusta National. Woods won the last of his 15 major titles at the Masters in 2019 but has not played a 72-hole tournament since a serious car crash last year. The 46-year-old [...]
Ashleigh Barty hints at career in new sport following shock retirement from tennis March 24, 2022 Women’s tennis No1 Ashleigh Barty has hinted she could take up another sport professionally following her shock retirement. Barty, 25, played cricket to a high level during a previous break from tennis, competing in the Women’s Big Bash. She is said to have a single-figure golf handicap and has also been linked with a move [...]
Inside the Super Golf League: Sean Bratches on LIV Golf’s mission to redesign the sport March 23, 2022 It was at the Ryder Cup in Wisconsin six months ago that Sean Bratches accepted Greg Norman’s invitation to join LIV Golf Investments, the vehicle behind long-rumoured plans for a Super Golf League. Former ESPN and Formula 1 executive Bratches had already been working with world No1 turned LIV Golf CEO Norman and the Saudi-backed [...]
Australian Cameron Smith lands golf’s biggest 72-hole payout with £2.8m Players win March 15, 2022 Australian Cameron Smith claimed record prize money for an 72-hole golf event of $3.6m (£2.8m) with victory at a weather-delayed Players Championship in Florida. The payout at the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament is bigger than that on offer at any of the four men’s majors or the DP World Tour’s lucrative finale in Dubai. Smith [...]
Sam Torrance: Man of the moment Scottie Scheffler has a wonderful golfing brain March 7, 2022 Until a few weeks ago, Scottie Scheffler was one of those players who you couldn’t believe hadn’t won on the PGA Tour yet. Now, suddenly, he is a two-time winner and up to No5 in the world rankings – but anyone who has been watching his progress won’t be surprised. Having got his first victory [...]
Asian Tour and Ladies European Tour team up for mixed golf tournaments March 7, 2022 The Asian Tour and Ladies European Tour have joined forces to organise two mixed gender tournaments this year. The Asian Mixed Cup and Asian Mixed Stableford are both scheduled to take place in Thailand next month. Each will feature 60 Asian Tour players and 60 Ladies European Tour players playing for the same trophy and [...]
KPMG ditches golfer Mickelson over Saudi breakaway tour row February 23, 2022 KPMG has terminated its long-standing sponsorship of Phil Mickelson in the wake of the US golfer’s comments supporting a proposed Saudi-backed tour. Mickelson apologised on Tuesday for remarks in which he pushed the case for a new circuit despite acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s “horrible record on human rights”. KPMG on Mickelson’s cap has been one of [...]
Sam Torrance: Fearless Joaquin Niemann is part of a classy new guard February 21, 2022 Joaquin Niemann has long been tipped for the big time, the former world No1 amateur mentioned alongside Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland as stars of the next generation. Were it not for the extraordinary success enjoyed by two-time major winner Morikawa and world No4 Hovland, Niemann’s own very promising first few seasons as a professional [...]