Planet Golf News - February 17, 2024

Atlanta Falcons owner and PGA Tour investor Arthur Blank claims that the rival LIV Golf League only has seven of the best players in the world. Blank, a member of the consortium that struck a $3bn deal with the PGA Tour, believes the switch to a for-profit model is positive for the game. However, LIV fans argue that the Official World Golf Ranking is no longer relevant and point to other ranking systems that place LIV with 18 of the top 100 players in the world. [golfmagic.com]

Billy Horschel, the winner of the WM Phoenix Open, reflects on the mayhem that occurred during the tournament and suggests a playful punishment for fans who heckle players. The tournament organizers acknowledge the difficulties faced and promise to make necessary changes for future events. Horschel's idea of reversing roles and having players heckle fans at their jobs is met with amusement. Another suggestion is to ban cellphones to prevent disruptive behavior. [golf.com]

Sangmoon Bae, a two-time PGA Tour winner, saved a restaurant worker's life by administering CPR in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bae, who was trained in CPR during his military service, quickly revived the unconscious employee. Bae's heroic act received praise and recognition from fellow golfers and witnesses at the scene. [golfmonthly.com]

Tiger Woods showcased his new clothing and lifestyle brand, Sun Day Red, during the Genesis Invitational golf tournament. The brand, created in partnership with TaylorMade, offers performance wear and premium fashion for golf players. Woods wore pieces from the brand during the tournament, including a logo-embroidered cashmere sweater and a navy polo. Sun Day Red marks a new era for Woods, as he ended his 27-year partnership with Nike. The brand will officially launch on May 1. [ca.news.yahoo.com]

Lydia Ko, a prominent figure in women's golf, reflects on her Olympic experience and highlights the "coolest" part of it, which was having other athletes, including gold medalists, come to watch her play in Rio. She also discusses the pressure she felt as the top-ranked player at the time and expresses her hope to represent New Zealand again in the upcoming Paris Olympics. [golf.com]

Laurie Canter, a star in LIV Golf, praises the impact of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, and Henrik Stenson on his career. Canter describes his experience playing with his golf heroes as the best he has ever had, and believes that being around them has improved his game and strengthened his belief. Despite the tough season for his team, Canter feels more confident in his golf game and is grateful for the generosity and advice from Westwood, Poulter, and Stenson. He also expresses disappointment that some of the best European golfers are not playing in the European Tour. [mirror.co.uk]

Justin Thomas made a hole-in-one during a pro-am at The Riviera Country Club using the new 2023 edition of the Titleist Pro V1x golf ball. Thomas, known for his iron play, has lost count of his holes-in-one but estimates it to be around 25. After switching to the new golf ball, Thomas has had a successful start to 2024 with three consecutive top-12 finishes. The new ball has provided him with more reliability and control with his irons, especially in windy conditions. [pgatour.com]

Padraig Harrington reveals that playing on the PGA Tour Champions has given him a "second lease on life" and kept his competitive fire burning. He explains that many of his peers burned out after about 15 years, but the Champions Tour has reignited his interest in winning and competing. Harrington credits the tour for helping him avoid burnout and even getting through a bout of pneumonia. He also shares a story about Arnold Palmer finding renewed excitement and a "secret" while playing on the Champions Tour. [golf.com]

Prominent YouTube golf creators will compete for an unrestricted sponsor exemption in the PGA TOUR's Myrtle Beach Classic. The 16-player field includes well-known golf content creators, and the winner will earn a spot in the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic. The tournament will be held at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, and the shootout will take place on March 4 at TPC Myrtle Beach. The event will not be open to the public, but a video will be released on Play Golf Myrtle Beach's YouTube page, and the creators will document their experiences on their respective channels. [pgatour.com

Phil Mickelson is running out of time to achieve his goal of matching Tiger Woods' major championship grand slam, particularly in the US Open where he has had six second-place finishes. Despite his recent successes, Mickelson's ranking has dropped, and his window of opportunity is closing. He is hoping for a positive resolution to the proposed merger involving the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which could reopen the door for LIV's stars to play in the majors. However, time is running out, and Mickelson's chances of completing the career grand slam are slim. [mirror.co.uk]

Garage Beer is offering golfers the chance to win a round of golf with Paige Spiranac through their Playing With Paigesweepstakes. The experience includes on-course contests, beer, hot dogs, and banter with Paige herself. Contestants are expected to behave appropriately. [golfdigest.com]

American Golf has announced English pro golfer Andrew 'Beef' Johnston as their newest ambassador. As part of the deal, customers who book a free custom fitting session at American Golf stores from March to May will have the chance to play a round of golf with Johnston in July. American Golf will also sponsor Johnston's clothing and host collaborative activities throughout 2024. They will become the headline sponsor for 'Beef Stock', a day-long festival, and release new episodes of 'Beef's Golf School'. The partnership aims to increase player participation and make golf more accessible. [golfmagic.com]

Jon Rahm's Ryder Cup teammate, Shane Lowry, has warned him not to criticize other rival tours following his move to LIV Golf. Rahm joined LIV Golf in December, signing a record-breaking deal worth £450 million. Lowry encouraged Rahm to go gracefully and not "s***" on other tours like some players did. Rahm broke the news to his Ryder Cup teammates, and Lowry issued the same plea to Tyrrell Hatton, who also joined LIV Golf. It is expected that Rahm and his LIV colleagues will have a pathway to regain their playing rights in the future with the PGA Tour. Rahm expressed his desire to maintain his status in both LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. [mirror.co.uk]

Rory McIlroy has shifted his stance on LIV Golf and left the PGA Tour's Policy Board to avoid off-course politics. Shane Lowry believes this change will help McIlroy focus on winning the Masters and thinks McIlroy is annoyed by the differing opinions of PGA Tour stars. McIlroy is determined to prioritize his gameplay and aims to win the Grand Slam at Augusta. [irishstar.com]

Patrick Cantlay remains skeptical of the golf ball rollback rule change, stating that more people are excited about golf now and that the emphasis should be on the game's growing popularity. Cantlay expressed disagreement with the measure, believing it would not be good for the game. He also discussed the reasons behind players achieving scores under 60s, attributing it to better conditions, improved skills, and a generation of golfers influenced by Tiger Woods. [sportskeeda.com]

Yana Wilson, the 2022 U.S. Girls' Junior champion, emerged as the winner in a Cactus Tour event, beating the pros with a strong finish. Wilson made birdies on the final three holes to secure a two-shot victory over Antonia Malate. Despite a slow start, Wilson's impressive performance included 14 birdies and a comeback on the back nine. Sophia Popov, the 2020 Women's Open Champion, finished in fourth place, six shots behind Wilson. Wilson will be attending Oregon in the fall after graduating. [amateurgolf.com]

Golf Canada has released its full 2024 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions, as well as qualifiers for USGA Championships. The schedule features 11 National Amateur Championships, six NextGen Championships, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship. Additionally, Golf Canada will conduct qualifiers for the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women's Open. A new addition to the schedule is the She Plays Golf Championship Series, marking the rebirth of a professional women's golf tour in Canada. [golfcanada.ca]

The International Series unveils its new campaign, 'This IS... Everything', highlighting the significance of the series as a pathway to the LIV Golf League. The series offers opportunities for players of all levels and has distributed $30 million in prize money across 17 events. It provides a clear pathway to the LIV Golf League roster, with the overall rankings leader securing an automatic berth. The series also emphasizes corporate social responsibility by contributing to causes in host communities. The 2024 schedule begins at Al Mouj Golf, Muscat on February 22-25. [livgolf.com]

Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, stars of LIV Golf, are at risk of being locked out of the majors due to their participation in the breakaway tour. The lack of ranking points and a satisfactory qualifying process in LIV Golf has caused their rankings to plummet. Unless a solution is reached between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's backers, they may face exclusion from major championships. [mirror.co.uk]

Tiger Woods has ended his $500 million endorsement deal with Nike and announced a new partnership with TaylorMade, which appears to include co-ownership and an ownership stake in his brand. This differs from his previous partnership with Nike, where he did not have an ownership stake. The new venture, named "Sun Day Red," marks the end of one of the most lucrative sports-endorsement deals in history. [businessinsider.com]

The launch of Tiger Woods' apparel line, Sun Day Red, led to a significant increase in traffic for Chris Wright's website, Sunday Red Golf. Wright's community of golfers, which started with a group of friends, has now grown to nearly 5,000 members. The similarity in names between Woods' brand and Wright's website resulted in a surge of approximately 50,000 visitors to Wright's site from Tuesday to Thursday. [golf.com]

Tiger Woods' new apparel brand, Sun Day Red, has unexpectedly boosted the online traffic of the U.K.-based golf community website, Sunday Red Golf. This surge in attention is attributed to the similarity in names and highlights the enduring influence of Woods as a golf icon. The launch of Sun Day Red marks a significant shift in Woods' branding strategy after parting ways with Nike, and the unintended impact on Sunday Red Golf presents opportunities for collaboration and growth. [bnnbreaking.com]

Doug Bell joins Brandon Baylor to discuss why golf fans should root for Gary Woodland. [cbssports.com]

Click to see the entire PGA Tour Schedule for 2024 including the Previous winners and Purse.

Click to see the entire LIV Tour Schedule for 2024 including the Previous winners and Purse.

Click to see the entire LPGA Tour Schedule for 2024 including the Previous winners and Purse.