Planet Golf News - Weekend Tour Edition - January 28, 2024

Matthieu Pavon becomes the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour, securing a one-shot victory in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines South with a dramatic birdie on the 18th hole. [thespec.com]

Matthieu Pavon, a Frenchman and rookie on the PGA Tour, defied the odds of +15000 and +20000 to win the Farmers Insurance Open with a 3-under final round. This marks the fourth consecutive PGA Tour win by a longshot, following wins by Nick Dunlap, Grayson Murray, and Chris Kirk. The streak of unexpected winners at the start of the season has left golf fans wondering what's next. [actionnetwork.com]

Shane Lowry made a rare albatross at the Farmers Insurance Open, hitting his approach shot on the par-5 6th hole right at the pin and watching it drop into the hole. This was the first albatross at the Farmers in eight years and the second double eagle of the season on the PGA Tour. Lowry has been on a roll with hole-outs recently, including an ace at the Players Championship in 2022. [golf.com]

Matthieu Pavon becomes the first French winner on the PGA Tour since World War II, claiming victory at the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open. Pavon secured his maiden PGA Tour victory by finishing one stroke ahead of Nicolai Hojgaard. With this win, Pavon earns invitations to prestigious events like the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the Players Championship. Other notable performances include Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele finishing T6 and T9 respectively, while Collin Morikawa missed the cut. [cbssports.com]

Mathieu Pavon wins the Farmers Insurance Open, his first PGA Tour event. Trevor Immelman breaks down the victory in a video analysis. [cbssports.com]

Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele struggled with their putting during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open. Both players had difficulty finding rhythm on the greens, resulting in missed opportunities. Despite their putting woes, they finished within the top 10, showcasing strong performances in other aspects of their game. [sbnation.com]

Thomas Detry faced a setback at the Farmers Insurance Open after a mishit in the third round led to an unexpected collapse. Despite playing well throughout the tournament, Detry struggled on the 18th hole, needing seven shots to complete it and finishing one stroke over par. He expressed disappointment with his performance and currently sits in solo fourth place. [sportskeeda.com]

Nelly Korda leads the LPGA Drive On Championship by four strokes after three rounds. The 25-year-old golfer, who was born near the Bradenton Country Club where the tournament is held, has maintained her lead despite a slow start in challenging conditions. Lydia Ko is in second place, and a victory for her would secure her induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame. [heraldtribune.com]

Nelly Korda holds a four-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship. Here are the tee times and groupings for Sunday at Bradenton Country Club in Bradenton, Florida. [nbcsports.com]

Lydia Ko is tied for second place at the LPGA Drive on Championship in Florida, with a four-shot deficit behind Nelly Korda. Ko recorded three birdies and an eagle in the third round to reach a total score of 9-under 204. [rnz.co.nz]

Watch highlights from Nelly Korda’s third round 68 at LPGA Drive On Championship [lpga.com]

Watch highlights from Ayaka Furue’s third round 69 at LPGA Drive On Championship [lpga.com]

Watch highlights from Lydia Ko’s third round 69 at LPGA Drive On Championship [lpga.com]

Nelly Korda, a professional golfer, faced frustration at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions but managed to bounce back with the help of her coach. In an interview at the LPGA Drive-On Championship, Korda revealed how her coach's advice to "groove out" on the greens helped her regain her form. Currently, she is performing well at the ongoing LPGA Tour event and is aiming for her first win in over a year. [essentiallysports.com]

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is the second Signature Event of the PGA TOUR season, featuring top players competing on historic courses. The field includes the top 50 in last season's FedExCup standings, top 10 finishers in the FedExCup Fall standings, and top five FedExCup points earners in recent tournaments. Notable players in the field are Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler. Sponsor exemptions and additional criteria are also considered to fill the field. [pgatour.com]

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a four-day 72-hole golf tournament featuring 80 professional and 80 amateur players. It will take place at the Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course from February 1 to February 4. Tickets are available for purchase on the official website, with prices ranging from $75 to $425. The tournament will have a prize pool of $20,000,000, with the winner receiving $3,600,000. Top players confirmed to participate include Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, and Nick Dunlap. [thesportsrush.com]

The LIV Golf Mayakoba event has a total purse of $25 million, with the winner receiving $4 million. The prize money distribution for the event has been provided, with payouts ranging from $2,125,000 for second place to $120,000 for 48th place. The tournament features 13 teams with four players each, including notable players like Jon Rahm. The per-player prize money payout is subject to change based on the final field and prize money confirmation. [sportskeeda.com]

The PGA Tour is nearing a deal with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of US sports owners, to invest in the Tour's newly-created for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises. The deal will help cover the domestic rights deal and is expected to be worth less than the original $3 billion. The ongoing negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will not be affected, and both parties hope to reach an agreement before the Masters in April. [golfmonthly.com]

Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake are moving forward with their plan for the New Picture House in St. Andrews, despite opposition from locals. The proposed conversion of the cinema to a sports gastropub has garnered over 11,000 signatures on a petition. However, the plans for the project are still progressing, with the cinema set to close soon. Woods's venture aims to add to the local community and preserve the legacy of the cinema. [essentiallysports.com]

PGA Tour pros Tyrrell Hatton and Wyndham Clark, who were rumored to be signing with LIV Golf, have been confirmed to participate in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. While Adrian Meronk is expected to join LIV, Hatton and Clark have decided to stay with the PGA Tour. LIV Golf has also pursued Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard, but both players have declined the offer. [golfmonthly.com]

Max Homa trolls LIV Golf while commenting on Anthony Kim's potential return to professional golf. Homa humorously imagines negotiations between PGA Tour and LIV, highlighting the competition between the two circuits. Despite recent talent departures to LIV, reports suggest that Kim will not join the Saudi-backed tour. Golf fans are hopeful for Kim's successful comeback after his career was derailed by injuries. [sbnation.com]

Brandel Chamblee joins Max Homa in criticizing LIV Golf amid talks of Anthony Kim's potential return to competitive golf. Chamblee criticizes LIV Golf and praises the PGA Tour for offering Kim the chance to be part of something greater and reconnect with the audience. Kim is reportedly in talks with both circuits. [sportskeeda.com]

Dustin Johnson admits to making a choice that affected his performance in the second season of LIV Golf. He expresses determination to improve and mentions the importance of putting in more work and time. Johnson also acknowledges Patrick Reed's dedication despite not achieving a victory in the two seasons. In the inaugural season, Johnson had strong finishes, including a victory, but his performance in 2023 was not enough to lead his team to glory. [essentiallysports.com]

Rory McIlroy has strategically planned his 2024 season to end his Major drought and win the Masters. He plans to play more golf before the Masters to get into good form. McIlroy will participate in several PGA Tour events, including the AT&T Pebble Beach and the Cognizant Classic. He has expressed optimism about competing in at least nine to ten tournaments before the Masters in April. [sportskeeda.com]

Tiger Woods had expressed concerns and expectations to Nike regarding comfort in his apparel, but it seems his plea went unnoticed. This revelation challenges previous suspicions that the split between Woods and Nike came after the 2022 Masters Championship. [essentiallysports.com]

Harold Varner III engaged in a heated exchange on social media over allegations of driving while impaired. Varner was arrested in late December with a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit. The incident has sparked criticism and discussions about LIV Golf's association with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. [golfmagic.com]

Anthony Kim is reportedly making a comeback in professional golf after a long hiatus due to injuries. Fans have mixed reactions to a recent clip of him practicing his swing, with some expressing excitement and others questioning his ability to perform in professional events. Kim's last competitive golf appearance was in 2012, and he had to withdraw from several events that season. He has three wins on the PGA Tour and achieved a third-place finish at the 2010 Masters Tournament. [sportskeeda.com]

Viktor Hovland has once again denied rumors of joining the LIV Golf league, refuting speculations in a tweet where he stated, "Not true." [essentiallysports.com]

Rickie Fowler reminisces about his wild rookie days with LIV Golf Pro, including fun times on jet skis. Fowler and Cameron Tringale lived together in Florida for several years, enjoying their bachelor pad near the beach. Fowler also shared memories of his motocross accident in high school, which led him to focus solely on golf. [essentiallysports.com]

Thorbjørn Olesen is on track for his eighth DP World Tour win in Ras Al Khaimah, according to an article by Peter Wolf on Independent.ie. The article provides information about the tournament and includes a photo of Olesen during the third round of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship. [independent.ie]

Kristalle Blum takes the lead at the Webex Players Series Victoria with a course record 62, pushing James Marchesani into second place. Blum's round included nine birdies and a hole-out eagle, while Marchesani delivered an impressive 8-under round. The tournament is off to a low-scoring start with favorable conditions. [pga.org.au]

Annabel Wilson and Emma Fleming secured top-10 finishes at the 94th Portuguese Ladies Amateur Championship. Wilson finished 8th with a level-par 73, while Fleming shot a three-under 70 to claim a share of 10th place. Germany's Helen Brief won the championship with a final round of 73, finishing 4 shots ahead. [irishgolfer.ie]

Troy Mullins, the on-course commentator and feature reporter for LIV Golf, has announced her departure from the role after two years. Mullins confirmed her decision on Instagram and expressed gratitude to the players, teams, and production crew. She previously had aspirations to play professionally on the LPGA Tour but was hindered by a hamstring injury. LIV Golf's 2024 season is set to begin next week in Mayakoba.

PGA Tour pro Ryan Palmer will continue his long-standing tradition at the Waste Management Phoenix Open by handing out 'beer-balls' to fans at the 16th hole. The beer-balls are golf balls wrapped in $10 notes that fans can use to purchase a beverage of their choice. Palmer started this tradition in 2015 and has carried it on since then. Other players, such as Matt Fitzpatrick and Bubba Watson, have also engaged with the crowd in unique ways at the tournament. [golfmonthly.com]

Renegade Golf CEO Kenneth Duncan discusses the meaning behind the company, and how they want to continue to grow and diversify the game in a significant way. [nbcsports.com]

The PGA Show in Orlando had a new buzz this year, reflecting the growing interest in golf participation in the US. In addition to the usual golf products, there were unexpected items like portable AC-type coolers, silk scarves, and pocket squares. Lee Trevino's Super Mex Golf line was a hit, featuring headcovers, tees, hats, and polos with his distinctive sombrero and golf club logo. Another highlight was the hand-painted watercolor designs printed on silk scarves and pocket squares by Grey Hall Design. They also offer custom designs that can be made into various printed items. [progolfnow.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.