Kevin Kisner has hit out at Rory McIlroy's comments about wanting to play more global golf, claiming he's only at this week's DP World India Championship to collect a large appearance fee.

Appearing on the Fore Play podcast, Kisner chimed in on the subject of McIlroy playing at the India Championship this week, mocking any notion of the Northern Irishman heading to Delhi for any other reason than money.

The American was also rather uncomplimentary about the course at Delhi Golf Club and the reported use of appearance fees on the DP World Tour.

Six-time Major champion McIlroy has continuously spoken about his desire to play a more global schedule and has called for more big international events to be part of golf's future.

But Kisner emphatically rubbished that talk, and said McIlroy was playing in India for one reason only.

"That is such a dog s*** comment," Kisner said on the Fore Play podcast. "But I guess for the right price we could all say that.

"He doesn't want to globally expand in India, he wants to get his $10m and go play in India."

There's a stellar field for the India Championship in New Delhi, with the likes of Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry all teeing it up, while three of this year's four Major champions are playing with McIlroy joined by Ryan Fox and Aaron Rai.

There's just one event after India, the Genesis Championship in Korea, before the DP World Tour Play-Offs so it's also well positioned in the calendar.

But Kisner and his Foreplay colleagues didn't think too much of the tournament, claiming the big names were only there for the cash.

"I know there’s a pile of guys that got paid for that event," claimed Kisner. "How else would you get that event in India with eight billion people in the middle of the city?"

And Kisner was also not particularly keen on Delhi Golf Club, seemingly because of the fact that McIlroy was not using his driver again this week in the tournament.

It's a tight course but not overly long so accuracy off the tee is paramount, but Kisner feels that it's not a course McIlroy would normally relish.

"Rory’s not even hitting a driver this week," said Kisner. "You think he wants to go play a tournament where he can’t use his number one weapon? So give me a break.”

Kisner forthright views also included his thoughts on comments players make when venturing into new territory, joking that "as part of your appearance fee, here’s your script for altruism".

In the end though, he did admit it was all: "Totally fine, I’d do it too, and all of us on this podcast would."

Patrick Reed faces a long and anxious wait to see if he will make the cut at the DP World Tour Championship, which could cost him top spot in the Race To Dubai standings.

Reed has led the Race To Dubai since February but his challenge is faltering down the stretch with Eugenio Chacarra and Rory McIlroy in hot pursuit and both doing well in India.

A five-hour weather delay in New Delhi on Thursday means the tournament is running way behind schedule so although Reed has completed two rounds both Chacarra and McIlroy still have plenty of their second rounds left to play.

And both men could potentially overtake Reed with high finishes at the weekend, setting up what's sure to be a thrilling climax to the Race To Dubai in the play-offs.

Reed did give himself a fighting chance on Friday as he followed up Thursday's disappointing 75 with a second-round 69 to finish on level par through 36 holes - crucially just one shot above the current cut mark.

McIlroy was two under through four holes and four under for the tournament (T17) when Friday's round was halted due to darkness, with Chacarra in fifth place on seven under after just five holes.

Play at Delhi Golf Club was suspended at 6pm local time, with the remainder of the second round resuming at 6.45am on Saturday - meaning Reed will have a long wait to see if he can play the weekend.

He'll also be keeping an eye on where his two rivals finish as they could really eat into his lead or possibly even knock him off top spot in the standings.

Chacarra is in second place and just 165.73 points behind so would need a solo top-six finish in Delhi to go above Reed into the lead, while McIlroy is further behind (307.76pts) in third so would need to come in the top three to overtake the American.

Race To Dubai going down to the wire

Reed is bidding to become just the second American to win the Race To Dubai after Collin Morikawa in 2021, and end McIlroy's run of four straight victories - while the Northern Irishman hopes to equal Colin Montgomerie with an eighth year as European No.1.

Reed looked to have the Race To Dubai all sewn up thanks to those two wins at the start of the season, while a T2 at the Irish Open gave him a nice buffer over McIlroy and the chasing pack.

However, a wrist injury forced him out of the BMW PGA Championship, with McIlroy collecting bumper points by finishing second.

Reed then missed his chance to increase the gap again when he missed the cut at the Open de Espana - where Chacarra defied a fractured toe to finish second to add to a T3 at the Open de France to come flying up on the rails and turn what was a two-horse race into a genuine three-way battle.

So while Reed tries to find his form again after injury he's seen his lead disappear and could even find himself down in third by the end of the tournament.

Whatever happens though, there'll be an almighty battle for the Race To Dubai title when the DP World Tour heads to the Middle East for the two play-off events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai with all to play for.

Race To Dubai Standings

The DP World Tour Play-Offs are set to go ahead as planned, despite the continuing tensions in the Middle East and the recent Asian Tour postponement in Saudi Arabia.

A recent attack on Riyadh airport played a part in the Asian Tour's decision to postpone its season-ending PIF Saudi International event.

Political tensions remain in the area due to the USA's conflict with Iran, which has seen the United Arab Emirates suffer missile and drone attacks earlier this year.

The region is still on high alert but despite some initial concern from players, the DP World Tour is planning to stage the two play-off events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai after taking expert advice.

The DP World Tour will continue to pay close attention to any developing problems in the area, but for now the tournament builds at both the Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship are progressing well.

Obviously things can change quickly, but the battle for the Race To Dubai title between Patrick Reed, Rory McIlroy and Eugenio Chacarra looks set to be played out as planned.

A DP World Tour spokesperson told Golf Monthly: “It is our intention to play the two play-off events as scheduled in the UAE next month, but we continue to monitor the situation and take advice from our international travel advisors.”

Matt Fitzpatrick initially said he was "not comfortable" with the prospect of going to the Middle East right now, before softening his stance somewhat.

Fitzpatrick was later happy enough to rely on the DP World Tour, while Rory McIlroy has continued to back playing the events in the UAE.

"If the local governments feel like it's safe to put on these events, they are not going to put their citizens or people visiting in harm's way," said McIlroy.

Open champion Ryan Fox has previously said he is happy to trust the DP World Tour and their evaluation of the situation, even if he understands player concerns.

"Obviously there are some concerns," said Fox. "I'm obviously of the opinion that the Tour is doing their due diligence. If they feel like it's safe for us to go, I'm willing to support that.

"But I can understand, also, why guys have some reservations. I'll keep monitoring it. If I feel like it's not the right decision, I might not go but at this point I trust the Tour's decision in that regard."

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The 2027 Myrtle Beach Classic will take place as scheduled despite the PGA Tour severing ties with joint title sponsor ONEflight International.

The PGA Tour has parted ways with the Colorado-based luxury travel company which is facing a number of federal fraud lawsuits after suddenly ceasing operations in September.

But although ONEflight has been dropped, the other co-main sponsor Visit Myrtle Beach will continue to support the event and there'll be no change to tournament prize money next year.

This year's event, won by Brandt Snedeker, had a $4m prize fund and featured Brooks Koepka, Tom Kim and Aaron Rai who finished fifth before going on to win the PGA Championship.

Steve Mays was announced as the new tournament director on Thursday and immediately insisted that the 2027 tournament would be going ahead just as planned without ONEflight involved.

“We’re gonna move forward as the Myrtle Beach Classic with Visit Myrtle Beach as our title sponsor," said Mays, as quoted by WMBF News.

"There’ll be no change to the purse or to the tournament.”

Stuart Butler, president of Visit Myrtle Beach, also confirmed the event would go ahead with his company as the sole title sponsor for now.

"Visit Myrtle Beach is excited to continue its sponsorship of the tournament in 2027 and looks forward to working with the PGA Tour, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, SportFive and the local community to build upon the success the event brings to our region," said Butler in a statement.

The 2027 event is set to take place 13-16 May at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, with 45-year-old Snedeker the defending champion after his eye-catching victory this year.

Veteran Snedeker claimed his first PGA Tour title in 2,821 days with final round of 66 giving him his first trophy since the 2018 Wyndham Championship.

While it's too early to say if another title sponsor will come in, Mays is comfortable the event will not suffer with the loss of ONEflight, who not only put up half of the $4m purse but also helped bring in A-lister celebrities for the Wednesday Pro-Am.

Mays says he will "have a lot of focus on the fan experience" as well as showcasing the golfing hotspot that is Myrtle Beach.

It's crunch time for PGA Tour events with the upcoming changes from 2028 onwards, so if Myrtle Beach organisers have desires on staging on event on the new calendar they'll hope 2027 goes off without a hitch.

Two more players have reportedly ruled out playing on LIV Golf 2.0, with both Thomas Pieters and Charles Howell III seemingly eyeing the DP World Tour next season.

The current 25 October deadline is closing in for LIV Golf boss Scott O'Neil, and players are currently deciding if they're in or out for the new 2.0 version of the league.

Howell III has been with LIV Golf from the very start in 2022 and played with Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC for the last four seasons.

Belgian Pieters joined LIV in February 2023 and after initially playing for Bubba Watson's RangeGoats he moved to join Dustin Johnson at the 4Aces.

Both players are seemingly targeting the DP World Tour next season but they'll have to head to Qualifying School with neither holding any status currently.

The SBJ's Josh Carpenter is reporting that 47-year-old American Howell III will not be signing with LIV 2.0 and will leave with one individiual victory under his belt from Mexico in 2023.

The report says Howell III "intends to compete on the DP World Tour in 2027" but he'll have to rely on invites or go through Qualifying School as he has no status on the tour.

Howell III played in this year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in what was just his second ever DP World Tour start outside of the Majors and WGC events - the other being the 2001 Heineken Classic in Australia.

Pieters is also leaving LIV Golf, according to Flushing It Golf, with the 34-year-old also hoping to make a return to the DP World Tour.

The Belgian is a six-time winner on the DP World Tour and made a stellar Ryder Cup debut in 2016 when going 4-1-0 at Hazeltine as a rookie - in what turned out to be his one and only appearance to date.

Like Howell III, though, Pieters doesn't hold any status so will need to play his way to a card or get plenty of sponsor invites for 2027.

Pieters has played in just one DP World Tour event this year at the recent Open de France, after five appearances last season, and he may be hoping to get some sort of deal lined up with officials at Wentworth to get a decent amount of tournaments next season.

It's a tricky road that these and other LIV players have to go down though as they look at there best options when leaving the team based tour.

Recent Open de España champion Grant Forrest is one of three players to have withdrawn from this week's DP World India Championship prior to round two.

Forrest completed a memorable victory in Madrid just days ago, bringing an end to a woeful run of form in 2026 which saw him miss nine of his previous 12 cuts before lifting the trophy.

As a result of his success, he earned spots at The Masters and The Open Championship in 2027 while securing his future at the top level for at least a couple more seasons.

However, for the second time since August, Forrest ended up pulling out of a tour event.

A DP World Tour spokesperson confirmed it was due to injury on this occasion, with the Scot obviously hopeful the injury is not too serious - not least because the DP World Tour Playoffs are only a few weeks away.

He had fired a disappointing six-over 78 on Thursday, with a birdie on the first his only highlight.

Joining Forrest in an early exit from the tournament was England's Andy Sullivan.

The four-time DP World Tour winner shot a seven-over 79 in round one but felt he could not continue due to illness and informed the tournament committee of his decision prior to teeing off alongside Scott Jamieson and Angel Ayora on Friday.

Sullivan hadn't withdrawn from an event since, coincidentally, the Hero Indian Open of 2024. He was T3rd at DLF Golf and Country Club earlier this season, however.

The third and final withdrawal so far this week was Australia's Anthony Quayle. The 32-year-old has endured a rotten season filled with 16 missed cuts in 25 starts and now his first WD.

A DP World Tour spokesperson confirmed Quayle had pulled out due to injury, with his season likely over now due to languishing just inside the top-150 on the Race to Dubai and only the top-100 retaining full status for the subsequent campaign.

Denmark's Niklas Norgaard led the way after round one thanks to an excellent 66 (-6) which featured an eagle, two bogeys and six birdies.

Day one was heavily disrupted due to storms, with around five hours of play lost, but the tournament is returning to normal ahead of the cut being made later on Friday.

Jon Rahm will give up the millions of dollars left on his LIV Golf contract in order to walk away from the league - in exchange for securing his image rights and those of his Legion XIII team.

Rahm has officially ruled himself out of playing in LIV Golf 2.0 and is now seeking a full separation from the league and the cancellation of his current contract.

And it seems he's prepared to write off whatever guaranteed money remains on the contract in order to make a clean break and also regain his exclusive image rights.

Some reports suggest Rahm is still owed as much as $100m from the huge contract the Spaniard signed in December 2023, said to be worth over $300m in total, but what we do know for a fact is that he is currently owed $7.47m as LIV's largest unsecured creditor according to court papers filed in its bankruptcy case.

However, according to the seperation agreement filed during LIV's latest bankruptcy hearing, Rahm is prepared to release LIV from "all monetary and economic claims" arising from his contracts in what will be "a complete economic walk-away” between the two parties.

The terms include any outstanding prize money, bonus money of annual payments due to Rahm for the remainder of his contract, which would certainly get LIV off the hook in one respect given how much cash was reportedly still left on his deal.

If the agreement gets final approval at a 5 November court hearing, Rahm will be released from his contract and thereby free to enter negotiations with the other parties, including the PGA Tour even though Brian Rolapp has stated there'll be no returning member program this time around.

Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith all turned down the last offer that Brooks Koepka took up to secure his PGA Tour return - but Rahm can play on the DP World Tour and a full schedule in Europe looks his most likely outcome for 2027.

Rahm, who has made around $107m just in on-course earnings in this three seasons on LIV, will next appear in action in the DP World Tour Play-offs at the Abu Dhabi Championship and season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Rahm retains Legion XIII rights

Rahm will leave some cash on the table and also equity in his Legion XIII team, which all captains had as part of their deals - though he does retain image rights.

He has his own Jon Rahm and 'Rahmbo' rights restored to himself personally, and he also now has possession of the Legion XIII trademark - although interestingly there's a special clause in the papers preventing him from using it in another team league.

Notably, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods' TGL is mentioned, with Rahm specifically prevented from using the Legion XIII marks if he one day appears in the hi-tech simulator golf league.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil has until 25 October to get enough players signed up for 2.0 to enable the $300m investment deal from BC Partners to be completed - although that deadline can shift if needed.

And LIV Golf insiders remain bullish on the chances of the new league going ahead, with confidence high that a 'critical mass' of signings will be made to satisfy BC Partners that the deal is worth making.

Officials were fully prepared for Rahm to leave, and the focus now is on securing enough players to be able to get 2.0 off the ground next season.

The Asian Tour has announced the postponement of the PIF Saudi International scheduled for November due to security concerns in Saudi Arabia.

A statement from the Tour said the event would not go ahead following "an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament".

It had previously said it was monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia with the backdrop of political tension and attacks on Riyadh's international airport from the Iran-backed Yemen group the Houthis.

The country remains on high alert following the last attack on 10 October, which killed at least 13 and injured over 300, and it's now been decided not to stage the Tour's biggest tournament as a result.

The Saudi International was due to take place the week after the DP World Tour's closing Tour Championship in Dubai, but both that and the preceeding Abu Dhabi Championship are still set to go ahead as planned - with Sotogrande in Spain lined-up as a back-up plan if needed.

Scheduled to take place 18-21 November at Riyadh Golf Club, the Saudi International was the flagship event on the Asian Tour schedule with a $5m payout far outweighing the usual prize purses on offer during the season.

A social media post says the Asian Tour "remains in direct contact with its players and members regarding the schedule and next steps" but with no hint that the tournament would be rescheduled.

It's another big blow to the Asian Tour in a season that saw its lucrative partnership with LIV Golf come to an end, in what CEO Cho Minn Thant told Golf Monthly had been "devastating to our tour."

Remaining International Series events had to be cancelled due to the loss of LIV funding and now the marquee tournament left on the schedule has been lost.

The Asian Tour described the Saudi International as one of the biggest events on the schedule and suggested it would remain part of its plans moving forward.

“We would like to thank Golf Saudi for its continued support and valued partnership," said Asian Tour commissioner & CEO Cho Minn Thant.

"The PIF Saudi International is one of the most important events on the Asian Tour calendar and we look forward to seeing our players compete in Riyadh in the future.”

Following the collapse of the LIV funding, the Asian Tour signed a deal with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour which will see some historic national open around the world become co-sanctioned tournaments.

With that, and the departure from funding LIV Golf, just what that means for the Saudi PIF's involvement in the Asian Tour and the sport as a whole remains to be seen.

PGA Tour Champions players have reacted furiously to news that the $8m pension fund for the senior tour is being scrapped.

Previously, the PGA Tour handed out a $10m pension pot to the senior circuit before it was cut to $8m last year, but now it's being axed completely.

PGA Tour Champions president Miller Brady relayed the news at a players meeting, saying the seniors tour would try and stand on its own two feet financially moving forward.

There's $69m in prize money on offer this season on the PGA Tour Champions, but the removal of the long-standing pension program has not gone down well at all with the over-50s on the tour.

"It went from $10 million to $8 million and now it's zero," Billy Andrade told Golfweek.

"You've got all these millions flowing everywhere for Championship Series, this series, that series, for all these leagues this guy [Brian Rolapp] is creating, and then they're taking this money that has been designated to these Champions players.

"These are the players who helped make the Tour what it is today and helped create the jobs that executives and current players enjoy. It's actually criminal."

Those sentiments were echoed by David Toms, who added that the PGA Tour was: "playing for $20 million almost every week and they can't afford $10 million for our pension?

"It's a bad look, in my opinion, and I think most of the guys out there feel that way."

And Scott McCarron added: "It's absolutely terrible what they did to us Champions Tour players.

"To just take it away and not have a way to get it back, I think is terrible. I'm really upset with the leadership of the PGA Tour, [Commissioner] Jay Monahan and Brian Rolapp in particular."

Can seniors circuit survive financially?

The pension scheme dates back to 1985 when $250,000 was allocated to the senior tour, as most of the players had other benefits to keep them going from playing on the PGA Tour.

More money has come in though in recent times with 29 events on the 2026 schedule and prize purses around $1.8-$2.2m for the majority of those outside of the Majors.

The new Portugal Invitational this year and next year's inaugural Sony Championship Open in Hawaii both have $3m prize purses and Brady feels that growth can continue to help the senior circuit stand on its own.

"We've gotten to the point where we are making money for the organization, and if we can do better, we can reinvest in ourselves," Brady said. "It may take a while, but the financial performance of this tour is as good as it has ever been.

"While you never want to take anything away from the players, they also understand. They get it. I told the guys, it's my job to raise prize money over time, and we've slowly started to do that. For a long time, we were just happy to renew sponsors."

And with the likes of Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Padraig Harrington winning tournaments this year there's plenty of big names on the PGA Tour Champions to attract fans and sponsors.

Of course, if Tiger Woods could manage to get back on the course the seniors could be a spot for his competitive return, while Phil Mickelson may need somewhere to play once he's back in action.

Those two over-50s could catapult the tour into a different stratosphere.

Will Zalatoris will miss the entire 2027 season due to upcoming back surgery, which he hopes will end the "four years of hell" he's experienced with constant injuries.

Zalatoris will play in the upcoming Austin Championship in November in what will be just his fifth PGA Tour start of the year and first since the Valero Texas Open in April.

The three-time Major runner-up has suffered from a torn labrum this year but the majority of his injury problems all stem from his back issues, which have required two previous operations.

That will become his third back surgery as, speaking at the media event for the Austin Championship, Zalatoris revealed he'll have a spinal fusion operation in November.

"I've been through four years of hell, so it's good to have something that will hopefully correct it," said Zalatoris.

"It's not something you want to do, but when you have three tour physical therapists tell you it needs to be done at some time, you go ahead and do it."

It means Zalatoris will have to sit out the 2027 campaign while he recovers from this major procedure, but he hopes it will final rectify the back issues that resulted in him having a microdiscectomy in 2023 and a disc replacement in 2025.

"I'm the oldest 30-year-old you will ever meet," Zalatoris, who turned 30 in August, joked about his medical history.

"It's all connected together, and I just want to get it fixed," he added about his injuries. "I can't promise anybody anything because of what I've been through."

Cruel injuries scupper Zalators career

Back problems have so far ruined what looked a hugely promising career for one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour - who received Rookie of the Year honors for the 2020-21 season despite only playing on a special temporary membership.

He has just one PGA Tour victory, at the 2022 FedEx St Jude Championship, but looked a Major champion in waiting after going close on a number of occasions.

Zalatoris finished second on his Masters debut in 2021 before then losing a playoff to Justin Thomas for the 2022 PGA Championship and finishing tied second behind Matt Fitzpatrick at the following US Open.

His sparkling iron play was largely behind his Major brilliance, with just the putter letting him down on the odd occasion so he could already have had a couple of Majors in his pocket.

He had six top-eight finishes, three of those second place, in his first 10 Majors before injuries forced him out of the game for long spells.

At Augusta National in particular he thrived with 2-T6-T9 finishes in his first three before missing the cut at his fourth appearance in 2025.

The recoil in his golf swing for someone as slightly built as Zalatoris put too much strain on his back though and he now hopes this latest surgery can finally cure his long run of problems. Still only 30 there's still plenty of time for him but he faces another tough road to recovery.

Lawyers for LIV Golf have accused the DP World Tour of "a clear attempt to interfere with our process" in terms of signing up players for the new 2.0 version of the league.

At a US bankruptcy court hearing on Wednesday, LIV Golf's attorney Rob Fitzgerald voiced his "concern" at the DP World Tour's stance on players hoping to rejoin the European circuit.

DP World Tour boss Guy Kinnings told the BBC on Monday that "players need to make a choice" between rejoining his tour or playing in LIV Golf 2.0.

Fitzgerald claims that giving players that ultimatum raised "anti-competitive concerns" over player freedom - and the court judge in the case agreed that Kinnings' comments "do raise concerns".

While telling the court that LIV Golf would know whether 2.0 could go ahead by the end of the month, Fitzgerald wanted to raise the point of the DP World Tour toughening its position on players returning.

And in particular it was the timing of Kinnings' comments that LIV Golf believes to be a deliberate attempt to derail the 2.0 version of the league.

"We're continuing to monitor this situation very closely and we're quite concerned by it frankly," Fitzgerald said of Kinnings' comments on the DP World Tour's position.

"The timing in particular strikes us as a clear attempt to interfere with our process with our players and potentially our reorganisation writ large.

"It also raises a lot of the same anti-competitive concerns that LIV has expressed previously regarding the way competing leagues have sought to box out and punish market participants, namely these players, from participating in LIV and really only LIV."

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil has until 25 October to achieve a "critical mass" of player sign-ups to get an investment deal with BC Partners over the line.

Jon Rahm has ruled himself out of joining 2.0, but most players are still deciding who is in and who is out for the new LIV Golf league format.

Rahm and the likes of Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin and others played on the DP World Tour and LIV last year after agreeing a deal with Wentworth officials, but that same deal is not on the table next season.

With a Ryder Cup coming up and now the DP World Tour's toughening stance it's made the decision even harder for big European names hoping to make the team at Adare Manor.

But that's something LIV Golf's legal team argue is unfairly restricting the freedom of players who want to play on both tours.

"Player freedom is the reason LIV Golf was created, and it's the foundation of LIV Golf 2.0, a league built around its players," Fitzgerald added.

"LIV has been vocal in its belief in free agency and that the best players should have greater flexibility to compete across the ecosystem. It's unfortunate that another tour is taking an opposite view and pressuring our players with false choice."

Interestingly, judge Michael B. Kaplan, who is hearing the case in the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court, agreed with LIV's arguments, or at least agreed that the comments from the DP World Tour could be worth a further look.

"The comments I have read do raise concerns," said the judge.

O'Neil has insisted that the new LIV mantra is to "complete not compete" with the established tours, and has voiced his willingness to try and fit into the current ecosystem around PGA Tour and DP World Tour events.

But that's not how the DP World Tour see things, as the organization's Ben Cowen recently outlined the constant battle with LIV Golf for tournaments and sponsors.

These latest comments in court suggest that the battle between the two parties may yet take on a legal format going forward depending on how LIV Golf 2.0 player sign-ups go before the deadline.

Golf Monthly has contacted the DP World Tour for comment.

A data center worth $10 billion is being built on the site of a popular public golf course in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Dauphin Highlands opened during the Labor Day weekend of 1995 and had welcomed countless amateur golfers before opening for the final time on Monday, October 12, 2026.

The 18-hole parkland layout was designed by Bill Love and possesses lovely views of the nearby Susquehanna River, with the land and clubhouse operating as a corporate retreat for Bethlehem Steel Corporation employees in a former life.

However, according to the Dauphin County General Authority - which owned the course - it was steadily losing money over the years and had accrued $13 million of debt, so the decision was made to sell.

When the call was made to put the land on the market, six companies which build data centers submitted proposals - highlighting just how popular and important sites near energy and water sources are at this time.

In the US and UK alone, there could be as many as 6,000 active data centres and that number is only expected to grow in the coming years, meaning more golf courses could be under threat.

The 228-acre plot in central PA was officially sold in December 2025 to Harrisburg I, LLC, which is owned by Dallas-based Provident Realty, for $45.6 million - around 10 times the recorded value of the land.

In an attempt to defend the decision, local government officials argued the deal "will result in tens of millions of dollars worth of community benefits for the local township, including public safety and municipal infrastructure improvements."

Speaking to Golf.com when the sale went through last year, golf-club regulars explained the move was disappointing but understandable in most people's view.

Rick Simonic, who had played at Dauphin Highlands for more than 25 years said: "You can’t fight city hall is kind of how our guys look at it.

“There are other courses in the area; it’s just we’ll lose one of the better ones. We’re kind of resigned to our fate.”

More than 300 people turned out on Monday for one final round, with some of those claiming to be on the tee sheet for opening day more than 30 years ago. A handful of golfers with emotional ties to the course even took away pin flags as a momento.

Another long-time member, Doc Greenlee, told WGAL-TV it will be tough to lose a course he grew up playing on - especially one in such good shape.

Greenlee said: "This is like a top-tier public course. Like, you can compare this to a lot of other areas in Pennsylvania… this is up there on layout and conditions and the way they take care of it. So, it's going to be a little bit of a shame to see this go.

"I owe a lot to this course and it's sad to see it go, but it's one of the best in the area by far. It's bittersweet. It's kind of like a funeral out here."

While test drilling has already begun in the area, actual construction of the new data center isn't set to begin until 2027. By that point, there is every chance other golf courses will have begun to suffer the same fate as Dauphin Highlands.

Rory McIlroy will once again take on the challenge of the DP World India Championship without a driver...or even 3-wood.

The World No.2 headlines the field at Delhi Golf Club in the $4m tournament's second edition, where players get to tackle one of the most unique courses on the tour.

The old school Delhi GC, founded in the 1930s and redesigned by the legendary Peter Thomson in 1977 and then Gary Player Design in 2019, is one of the shortest layouts on the circuit at just 6,912 yards.

Its tight, treelined fairways and doglegs mean a number of players take driver out of the bag, with 58 of last year's 138 players not carrying one.

Patrick Reed told the DP World Tour the course feels 'claustraphobic' and has the 'narrowest fairways' he has ever played, while Open champion Ryan Fox is playing without a driver for the first time in his career.

McIlroy confirmed he will go with the same strategy as last year, with 5-wood and 2-iron as his longest clubs.

"It is in the locker, maybe not even in the locker, in the hotel room so I'm not even tempted to go and get it," McIlroy said in conversation with Sir Nick Faldo on the DP World Tour's 'The Locker Room' program.

"Yeah, absolutely [on whether he could win with just irons]. 5-wood might be necessary for maybe a couple of second shots into par 5s or there's a couple of doglegs on the front nine where you can maybe get a bit of height with 5-wood and hit it over the corners.

"I'll probably go 5-wood, 2-iron, which go about the same distance but just different trajectories, and then 3-iron through [to the end of the bag]."

"Just as tight as I remember from last year. It's definitely a different golf course than what we're used to playing. It doesn't offer you a lot of room off the tee. A lot of irons and strategic play with your tee shots," McIlroy told the DP World Tour.

Rory McIlroy's bag at last year's DP World India Championship:

Ryan Fox is another of the big names in the field this week, and he is one of many players opting to take the driver out of the bag as the risk of wayward tee shots is too high.

"It's a fun golf course to play, it's very different than what we play week-in, week-out. Like I don't have a driver in the bag this week and I can't say I've had that in any tournament," Fox told the DP World Tour.

"I heard so much last year that guys had done it and you're like 'maybe there's one or two holes.'

"I played nine holes a day Monday and Tuesday and I played the pro-am today and I think on Monday there was a couple of holes you get on the tee and 'maybe I can get one down there' and you walk down the fairway and you're like 'nope, it's not worth the risk.'

"It's one of those ones where if you get it in play off the tee, you can kind of be aggressive into the greens on a lot of holes and you've got some short clubs in.

"I like being aggressive, I've just got to temper that off the tee a little bit and just pick and choose the right iron shots to be aggressive with. It's very different and it's a fun test in that regard."

Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed is also in the field this week as he looks to stay on top of the pack, having won twice earlier this season.

The American says he has never played fairways so narrow in his career but is keeping the driver in the bag and will be ready to "send it" if an opportunity arises.

"The golf course is really interesting. It's not what I expected. You don't really ever hit driver, and I'd have to say it's probably the most narrow fairways I've probably played ever," he said.

"I'll always have a driver in the golf bag. It'd feel weird for me play a round of golf without the driver.

"For me it'd be two clubs, you have a 7-wood or a 2-iron that are interchangeable, but they go the same distance. For me I think it's pointless having two clubs that go the exact same distance in the bag.

"So yeah for me it's kind of just the normal setup, go out there and play and if I feel comfortable and there's a hole or two I feel like I can hit the driver then I'll obviously send it and if not it's just gonna be sitting there looking pretty in the golf bag and not coming out."

"I played two par fives so far this week backwards. I hit 2-iron off the tee and then 3-wood into the green," Reed later said to illustrate just how unique Delhi GC is.

The DP World India Championship gets underway on Thursday. It's set to be very fun viewing once again.

• Read more: DP World India Championship tee times
• Read more: Bazza's Best Bets at the DP World India Championship

This Week In Golf: Our regular look at the biggest stories in the game as well as other key details you need to know from around the world.

It's the time of year in golf that often produces far more stories away from the course as opposed to on it, and this week seems to be no different.

The PGA Tour is taking a brief hiatus before a sprint to the finishing post anyway, and while there is still LPGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour action to focus on over the coming days, much of what has made the cut for This Week In Golf is not related to any of that.

So, with further ado, here are some of the most notable storylines from around the world of golf this week.

GEORGIA CLUBHOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE

A fire has completely destroyed the clubhouse at Reynolds Landing in Greensboro, Georgia.

The fire, which was reported to have been started accidentally via an outdoor fireplace involving propane, began on Saturday night before eventually being fully extinguished by the Greene County Fire Rescue team by Sunday. No casualties were reported by local authorities.

Reynolds Landing features seven golf courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio and is located around an hour east of Atlanta. An eighth course was due to open later this year.

TIGER WOODS ON SITE FOR TGR JR INVITATIONAL

Tiger Woods has been on the Monterey Peninsula in California this week for the annual TGR Jr Invitational and TGR Invitational.

It marks the 50-year-old's latest public appearance after a crash in his home state back in March - an incident which led to him receiving a five-year driving ban.

The 15-time Major winner took part in a Q&A session alongside Max Homa following a special dinner on Sunday night while he later accompanied Billy Horschel and Homa for a clinic on the range on Tuesday.

Following clips of Woods hitting full shots in practice, fans on social media expressed their hope of seeing the Californian return to action at either the PNC Championship or Hero World Challenge in December or TGL early next year.

2026 SKINS GAME LINE-UP REVEALED

Following the relaunch of The Skins Game in 2025, where Keegan Bradley scooped the most money from a $4 million purse, it has been announced the iconic match will take place once more.

Three Major champions and a richly-talented rookie will go head to head at the Atlantic Fields Club in Hobe Sound, Florida for the $4 million purse on Friday, November 27th.

Brooks Koepka is perhaps the most eye-catching name, and he will go up against fellow US Ryder Cup teammates Justin Thomas and Wyndham Clark as well as a guy who he may end up on a team with one day - Jackson Koivun.

Koivun already showed what he's made of at the recent Presidents Cup so shouldn't be overawed by the situation and may even fancy his chances of taking some money off of three guys who have earned more than their fare share over the years.

Streamed exclusively live on Amazon Prime Video, organizers have done away with the reverse purse idea from last year where all four players started on $1 million. This time, everyone starts on $0, so the stakes are higher (and clearer) from the off.

ASIAN TOUR 'CLOSELY MONITORING' FINALE SITUATION

The Asian Tour has said it is "closely monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia" before deciding whether or not to go ahead with its season finale in the country.

The PIF Saudi International has closed the campaign in recent years and is set to do so once more this year at the Riyadh Golf Club from November 18 to 21.

However, political tension in the area and attacks on Riyadh's international airport of late have led to Asian Tour officials beginning to weigh up their options.

In a statement to Reuters, an Asian Tour spokesperson said: "The Asian Tour is closely monitoring the situation in Saudi ​Arabia and we are discussing the developing situation with our partner Golf Saudi with respect to hosting the PIF Saudi International in ​Riyadh in November.

"Any changes to the schedule will be announced as soon as we have determined the right course of action for our players, fans and partners.

"The PIF Saudi International is incredibly important to the Asian Tour as our season finale, however the ​safety of our players, staff and service teams is always our number one priority."

It has been a tough season for the Asian Tour generally with the cancellation of its International Series, led by the departure of the Saudi PIF from golf.

In a recent interview with Golf Monthly, Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant said losing the circuit's strategic partnership with LIV Golf has been "devastating to our tour."

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• Jon Rahm has committed to make his debut at the upcoming Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on the DP World Tour, days after announcing he would not be a part of LIV Golf 2.0
• Rory McIlroy has signed a "multi-year" contract with sponsor DP World to become a global ambassador. As part of the deal, DP World has agreed to transport two hi-tech personalised fitness and recovery trailers between his events all around the world on both the European and PGA Tour

TOUR GOLF EVENTS THIS WEEK

• PGA Tour: None
• LPGA Tour: Buick LPGA Shanghai
• DP World Tour: DP World India Championship
• Asian Tour: Macau Open
• Ladies European Tour: None

It's the second edition of the DP World India Championship and there is once again a star-studded field assembled at Delhi Golf Club.

Just like last year, Rory McIlroy headlines at the historic, tree-lined venue while Tommy Fleetwood is back to defend his crown.

There's a big $4m purse in what is the penultimate event of the regular season before Korea next week and then the Play-Offs, where only the top 70 in the Race to Dubai standings will progress.

So, who are the star names in Delhi? Let's take a look:

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy is back at Delhi Golf Club this week to headline the field once again.

The back-to-back Masters champion has played a more global schedule in recent years, and he has further starts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Australia lined up to close out his 2026 season.

The World No.2 has not won since successfully defending his Masters title in April so he is overdue another trophy, especially as he was T2nd in his last outing at the BMW PGA Championship.

He is currently third in the Race to Dubai standings behind Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra, both of whom are playing this week, with the title set to go right down to the wire.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing a global schedule so I was excited to visit India for the first time last season to be part of the inaugural DP World India Championship," McIlroy said.

“The golf fans in India were so welcoming, and the whole experience was truly memorable, so it’s a pleasure to be returning to Delhi in October.”

Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood defends the title he won last year, when he finished at 22-under-par to beat Keita Nakajima by two strokes.

That was the Englishman's second win in four starts after securing the Tour Championship, and FedExCup, with his long-awaited maiden PGA Tour victory.

The World No.6 is winless so far in 2026 but, like McIlroy, arrives in good form after a T4 at the Dunhill Links two weeks ago.

“I had an incredible week at the DP World India Championship last season. There is so much to enjoy about being in India, from the warmth of the people, the atmosphere in the city, to the food, and playing at such a challenging and strategic course," he said.

"But what made the week particularly special for me was having my family there to celebrate the win on Sunday."

Justin Rose

Justin Rose is another European Ryder Cup stalwart in the field, with the Englishman making his debut in the event.

The World No.18 won in record-breaking fashion at the Farmers Insurance Open in January but he arrives in Delhi after back-to-back missed cuts in his last two starts. He hasn't had a top-10 since June's US Open so he'll surely be keen to put in a good performance this week.

“I’ve played all over the world over the course of my career, and I’m excited to get the chance to add India to the list this season," Rose said.

“I’ve heard so much about the country and how passionate the golf fans are, so I’m very much looking forward to teeing it up in the DP World India Championship for the first time and experiencing what Delhi has to offer.”

Ryan Fox

The DP World India Championship features three of this year's four men's Major winners, and Champion Golfer of the Year Ryan Fox is one of those.

The New Zealander birdied the 72nd hole at Royal Birkdale for a stunning Claret Jug victory, and he is set to make his debut this week.

“I’m excited to play in India for the first time, and especially after hearing such great things about the DP World India Championship," Fox said.

"It sounds like a fantastic event, played on an interesting, historic course, and I’m looking forward to everything about the week.”

Aaron Rai

Rounding out the Major champions is Aaron Rai, who emphatically strode over the line in May's PGA Championship.

Rai has both Kenyan and Indian heritage so it's set to be a special week for him as he makes his tournament debut. The Englishman was T2nd at Wentworth last time out and his accurate play should put him among the favorites for the title this week.

“I’m excited to travel to Delhi for the DP World India Championship this year. I’ve heard a lot about the event, and with connections to India throughout my family, there is a lot to look forward to across the week," he said.

Patrick Reed

It's a huge week at the top of the Race to Dubai standings and Patrick Reed, making his India debut, will be keen to challenge for the title.

Reed withdrew from the BMW PGA with injury and then missed the cut last time out at the Spanish Open, so his incredible season has hit a slight hiccup.

Still, he remains at the top of the rankings ahead of the final push.

“I really enjoy playing all over the world and I’m looking forward to teeing it up in the DP World India Championship for the first time," he said.

"It looks like a great event and field, and it comes at an important time in the season, so I’m excited to see what we can do in Delhi.”

Shane Lowry

Yet another Ryder Cup stalwart in the field is Shane Lowry, the man who clinched the victory for Team Europe last year at Bethpage Black.

Lowry recently won the Irish Open by an incredible 11 strokes and he played well here last year in finishing T3rd.

“I was pleased with how the week went at the DP World India Championship last year, and the fans gave us a such a warm welcome," he said.

"It was enjoyable to be part of the first edition of the event, and I look forward to more of the same this October.”

Robert MacIntyre

Robert MacIntyre is another big name joining his European teammates in the field for his debut in the DP World India Championship.

The left-hander is winless in 2026 but does have a runner-up, a third-place and six top-10s, including a T6 at the Dunhill Links in his last start and a T10 at the BMW PGA Championship the week before.

He hadn't originally planned to play this week but at 58th in the Race to Dubai rankings, he is hoping to make the top 50 for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Bubba Watson

Another big name left-hander making his debut is Bubba Watson.

The LIV Golf star and two-time Major champion makes his fourth DP World Tour start of the season after playing in Denmark, Scotland and Spain.

“It’s always fun to play in new events and this is one that I was happy to be able to add to my schedule," he said.

"I’ve heard that Delhi Golf Club is a great test, and golf fans in India are very passionate, so I’m looking forward to the week.”

• Read more: DP World India Championship tee times
• Read more: Bazza's Best Bests for the DP World India Championship

Other notable names in the DP World India Championship:

• Luke Donald
• Min Woo Lee
• Eugenio Chacarra
• Adrian Meronk
• Anirban Lahiri
• Tom McKibbin
• Elvis Smyle
• Byeong Hun An

The second edition of the DP World India Championship has arrived and there is an incredible list of big names in the field at Delhi Golf Club.

From Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood to Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Aaron Rai and Anirban Lahiri, they are just a few of the game's titans on show for fans at this unique layout in the heart of the country's capital.

It was Fleetwood who reigned supreme 12 months ago, with son Frankie running onto the green to greet him in those memorable scenes once the final putt was holed.

The Englishman has been grouped with two of his Ryder Cup-winning teammates to start this year as well, in McIlroy and Robert MacIntyre, but they're not the only star-studded tee time on the sheet.

Check out the full list of round one and round two tee times for the 2026 DP World India Championship below.

DP WORLD INDIA CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE TEE TIMES

Hole 1

All times local (note: Delhi is 4hrs 30min ahead of BST, 9hrs 30mins ahead of ET)

• 6:25am - Nathan Kimsey, Filippo Celli, Ben Schmidt
• 6:35am - Jeong weon Ko, Veer Ahlawat, Tom Vaillant
• 6:45am - Manuel Elvira, Jason Scrivener, Angad Cheema
• 6:55am - Ugo Coussaud, Kshitij Naveed Kaul, Ewen Ferguson
• 7:05am - Elvis Smylie, Pablo Larrazabal, Jordan Gumberg
• 7:15am - Brandon Robinson Thompson, Romain Langasque, Rafa Cabrera Bello
• 7:25am - Frederic Lacroix, Darius Van Driel, Rashid Khan
• 7:35am - Dylan Frittelli, Rikuya Hoshino, Om Prakash Chouhan
• 7:45am - Ivan Cantero, Sean Crocker, Anthony Quayle
• 7:55am - Manoj S, Mohd Azhar, Subash Tamang
• 8:05am - Hugo Townsend, Sebastian Soderberg, Jack Senior
• 8:15am - Rocco Repetto Taylor, Sebastian Garcia, Ross Fisher
• 11:10am - Freddy Schott, Stefano Mazzoli, Akshay Sharma
• 11:20am - Oliver Lindell, Joakim Lagergren, Bernd Wiesberger
• 11:30am - Thriston Lawrence, Daniel Hillier, Byeong Hun An
• 11:40am - Jacob Skov Olesen, Jayden Schaper, Shubhankar Sharma
• 11:50am - Adrian Meronk, Anirban Lahiri, Casey Jarvis
• 12:00pm - Ryan Fox, Patrick Reed, Aaron Rai
• 12:10pm - Antoine Rozner, Matteo Manassero, Khalin H Joshi
• 12:20pm - Martin Couvra, Yurav Premlall, Joost Luiten
• 12:30pm - Adrian Otaegui, Maximilian Steinlechner, Kota Kaneko
• 12:40pm - Manu Gandas, Junghwan Lee, Daniel Rodrigues
• 12:50pm - Kiradech Aphibarnrat, David Law, Eddie Pepperell
• 1:00pm - Joshua Berry, Quim Vidal, Karandeep Kochhar

Hole 10

All times local (note: Delhi is 4hrs 30min ahead of BST, 9hrs 30mins ahead of ET)

• 6:25am - Dan Bradbury, Davis Bryant, Jorge Campillo
• 6:35am - Scott Jamieson, Angel Ayora, Andy Sullivan
• 6:45am - Saptak Talwar, Tom McKibbin, Grant Forrest
• 6:55am - Luke Donald, Shane Lowry, Thomas Detry
• 7:05am - Justin Rose, Eugenio Chacarra, Min Woo Lee
• 7:15am - Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre
• 7:25am - Laurie Canter, Nacho Elvira, Danny Willett
• 7:35am - Honey Baisoya, Niklas Norgaard, Marcus Armitage
• 7:45am - Joel Girrbach, Michael Hollick, Richard Sterne
• 7:55am - Yuvraj Sandhu, Dylan Naidoo, Johannes Veerman
• 8:05am - Ricardo Gouveia, Euan Walker, Jens Dantorp
• 8:15am - Jamal Hossain, Ryan Peake, Shaurya Bhattacharya
• 11:10am - Cameron Adam, Albin Bergstrom, Dhruv Sheoran
• 11:20am - Felix Mory, Yuto Katsuragawa, Zander Lombard
• 11:30am - Todd Clements, James Morrison, JC Ritchie
• 11:40am - Angel Hidalgo, Marcel Siem, Guido Migliozzi
• 11:50am - Gregorio De Leo, Nicolai Von Dellingshausen, Niklas Lemke
• 12:00pm - Julien Guerrier, Sachin Baisoya, David Ravetto
• 12:10pm - Shiv Kapur, Ryggs Johnston, Francesco Laporta
• 12:20pm - Marcus Kinhult, Oihan Guillamoundeguy, Matthew Baldwin
• 12:30pm - Shubham Jaglan, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Viraj Madappa
• 12:40pm - Amardeep Malik, Stepan Danek, Kartik Singh
• 12:50pm - Tobias Jonsson, Daniel Young, Renato Paratore
• 1:00pm - Vishesh Sharma, Anshul Kabthiyal, Andreas Halvorsen

DP WORLD INDIA CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND TWO TEE TIMES

Hole 1

All times local (note: Delhi is 4hrs 30min ahead of BST, 9hrs 30mins ahead of ET)

• 6:25am - Cameron Adam, Albin Bergstrom, Dhruv Sheoran
• 6:35am - Felix Mory, Yuto Katsuragawa, Zander Lombard
• 6:45am - Todd Clements, James Morrison, JC Ritchie
• 6:55am - Angel Hidalgo, Marcel Siem, Guido Migliozzi
• 7:05am - Gregorio De Leo, Nicolai Von Dellingshausen, Niklas Lemke
• 7:15am - Julien Guerrier, Sachin Baisoya, David Ravetto
• 7:25am - Shiv Kapur, Ryggs Johnston, Francesco Laporta
• 7:35am - Marcus Kinhult, Oihan Guillamoundeguy, Matthew Baldwin
• 7:45am - Shubham Jaglan, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Viraj Madappa
• 7:55am - Amardeep Malik, Stepan Danek, Kartik Singh
• 8:05am - Tobias Jonsson, Daniel Young, Renato Paratore
• 8:15am - Vishesh Sharma, Anshul Kabthiyal, Andreas Halvorsen
• 11:10am - Dan Bradbury, Davis Bryant, Jorge Campillo
• 11:20am - Scott Jamieson, Angel Ayora, Andy Sullivan
• 11:30am - Saptak Talwar, Tom McKibbin, Grant Forrest
• 11:40am - Luke Donald, Shane Lowry, Thomas Detry
• 11:50am - Justin Rose, Eugenio Chacarra, Min Woo Lee
• 12:00pm - Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre
• 12:10pm - Laurie Canter, Nacho Elvira, Danny Willett
• 12:20pm - Honey Baisoya, Niklas Norgaard, Marcus Armitage
• 12:30pm - Joel Girrbach, Michael Hollick, Richard Sterne
• 12:40pm - Yuvraj Sandhu, Dylan Naidoo, Johannes Veerman
• 12:50pm - Ricardo Gouveia, Euan Walker, Jens Dantorp
• 1:00pm - Jamal Hossain, Ryan Peake, Shaurya Bhattacharya

Hole 10

All times local (note: Delhi is 4hrs 30min ahead of BST, 9hrs 30mins ahead of ET)

• 6:25am - Freddy Schott, Stefano Mazzoli, Akshay Sharma
• 6:35am - Oliver Lindell, Joakim Lagergren, Bernd Wiesberger
• 6:45am - Thriston Lawrence, Daniel Hillier, Byeong Hun An
• 6:55am - Jacob Skov Olesen, Jayden Schaper, Shubhankar Sharma
• 7:05am - Adrian Meronk, Anirban Lahiri, Casey Jarvis
• 7:15am - Ryan Fox, Patrick Reed, Aaron Rai
• 7:25am - Antoine Rozner, Matteo Manassero, Khalin H Joshi
• 7:35am - Martin Couvra, Yurav Premlall, Joost Luiten
• 7:45am - Adrian Otaegui, Maximilian Steinlechner, Kota Kaneko
• 7:55am - Manu Gandas, Junghwan Lee, Daniel Rodrigues
• 8:05am - Kiradech Aphibarnrat, David Law, Eddie Pepperell
• 8:15am - Joshua Berry, Quim Vidal, Karandeep Kochhar
• 11:10am - Nathan Kimsey, Filippo Celli, Ben Schmidt
• 11:20am - Jeong weon Ko, Veer Ahlawat, Tom Vaillant
• 11:30am - Manuel Elvira, Jason Scrivener, Angad Cheema
• 11:40am - Ugo Coussaud, Kshitij Naveed Kaul, Ewen Ferguson
• 11:50am - Elvis Smylie, Pablo Larrazabal, Jordan Gumberg
• 12:00pm - Brandon Robinson Thompson, Romain Langasque, Rafa Cabrera Bello
• 12:10pm - Frederic Lacroix, Darius Van Driel, Rashid Khan
• 12:20pm - Dylan Frittelli, Rikuya Hoshino, Om Prakash Chouhan
• 12:30pm - Ivan Cantero, Sean Crocker, Anthony Quayle
• 12:40pm - Manoj S, Mohd Azhar, Subash Tamang
• 12:50pm - Hugo Townsend, Sebastian Soderberg, Jack Senior
• 1:00pm - Rocco Repetto Taylor, Sebastian Garcia, Ross Fisher

LIV Golf's all-time wins leader Joaquin Niemann is reportedly ready to become the latest big-name pro to walk away from the team-based circuit ahead of its second launch in 2027.

Jon Rahm, Adrian Meronk and David Puig have already confirmed they will definitely not be a part of 'LIV 2.0' while several others appear to be leaning towards departure as well.

Sergio Garcia appears destined to join that list after having his original LIV contract terminated, with a handful of others potentially looking to do the same.

While we wait to find out who is in and who is out of the new-look LIV Golf League, it has been reported by Handicap 54 on X that Niemann will play elsewhere in 2027 - very likely to be the DP World Tour.

The account, which is run by Matías Miguel Torge, claimed all signs point to the nine-time LIV winner leaving and more information is not widely available at this stage due to the Chilean and his team attempting to understand how much money he will receive from the total LIV currently owes him.

Meanwhile, Sports Business Journal's Josh Carpenter posted on social media to share sources have informed him Niemann's Torque GC teammate Abraham Ancer will also not play in LIV Golf 2.0.

Carpenter said Ancer's deal with LIV expired at the end of this campaign anyway and the Mexican had decided much earlier this year that he would play elsewhere from 2027 onwards.

While the plan is likely to be the DP World Tour as well, Ancer does not currently possess status in Europe and will have to rely on bosses at the Wentworth-based circuit cutting a deal which would offer former LIV players a guaranteed number of starts next year.

According to Today's Golfer, that is in the pipeline so the DP World Tour could benefit with the addition of some huge names on its roster once the new term starts in late-November.

Two names who have committed to the new version of LIV Golf are Richard Bland and Cameron Tringale, though they are the only players to have publicly declared their intention to stick around at this stage.

For everyone else who is yet to choose their future, they have until Sunday, October 25th to commit one way or the other.

Signing up to LIV once more means playing in the schedule of 10 worldwide events and becoming a partial owner of the circuit, with up to $300 million in funding from BC Partners helping it off the ground.

The second stage of the LPGA Tour's Q-School was postponed on Sunday due to 'unplayable courses', less than two days before the event was due to begin.

Both courses at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice, Florida were set to be used by more than 200 competitors between October 13th and 17th but have been hit by heavy rain in the immediate build-up and over the past few months.

Per a report by Golfweek's Beth Ann Nichols, the golf club has received seven inches of rainfall in recent days while the wider area has seen more than 50 inches of rain since June.

As a result of "washed-out bunkers, standing water in the fairways and unpassable cart paths", the LPGA Tour made the decision to call off this key event after most of the field had arrived on site.

Ryan French of Monday Q Info also reported that one of the two courses at Plantation G&CC had seen wide-scale green renovations since June which have led to knock-on issues.

French reported the course is still not open to its own members at this stage due to a combination of the rain and said ground work, with the very first rounds on the new-look layout planned to be completed by Q-School players this week.

In addition, the reporter shared an email was sent around to entrants warning them of several areas which would be marked GUR, though he was told conditions had "improved greatly over the last few weeks."

To add insult to injury in what is already a tough situation, several players opted to miss out on competing in the Aramco Korea Championship on the Ladies European Tour - a $2 million event which finished last weekend - in order to adequately prepare.

Once the decision was made, a notice from the Epson Tour's chief business and operations officer Jody Brothers was sent out to each entrant on Sunday.

Shared by Golfweek, it read: "We've worked through every scenario with the superintendent and the maintenance team, including the rain dates built into this week's schedule.

"However, the golf courses are unplayable due to washed bunkers, standing water in the fairways, and unpassable cart paths.

"To confidently move forward with play under fair conditions, moving to Nov. 1-6 gives the staff the time they need to prepare the courses to the standard this competition deserves."

The late cancellation understandably caused plenty of frustration among those signed up as they lost out on potential earnings elsewhere as well as suffering the cost of booking travel, accommodation and other necessities - money which is unlikely to be insignificant to those hoping to fulfil their dreams.

However, as a show of good will, the LPGA Tour reportedly sent an email to the players informing them they would each receive $1,000 off of their Q-Series entry fees.

Finances aside, the pushed-back date now means that for whoever progresses into the third stage, the final two hurdles of a particularly taxing process will be very close together.

The final stage of LPGA Tour Q-School has been held during December in previous years, but it's been moved up to November 19-23 in 2026 in a bid to avoid the bad weather which has affected the event in Mobile, Alabama historically.

Another key issue with the rearranged date is that it falls directly on the next $2 million tournament in the LET's schedule - the Aramco China Championship - so players will have another potentially career-defining decision to make.

Golf Monthly has contacted the LPGA Tour for comment.

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This time, it's all about the futures of Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and LIV Golf'.

It's set to be a critical next few weeks for LIV Golf and its hopes of a '2.0' version coming to fruition, with its bankruptcy case rolling on and players deciding whether to commit or go elsewhere.

We've already had Jon Rahm, David Puig and Adrian Meronk leave, and there could be more to come following the big news from the DP World Tour that it will not allow LIV players to be members in 2027.

LIV has a number of players who compete on the DP World Tour, including eight who agreed a conditional release agreement earlier this year and later Rahm, who we now know will not be a part of the team league next season.

While it has been a run of bad news for LIV, the circuit is still fighting hard for its future and one huge name who could save it is Bryson DeChambeau. The two-time Major winner is a big supporter of the tour and could well be the man to take it into phase two next year.

So, with plenty of topics to choose from this week, our editor joins our news team regulars to try their best in answering a few different LIV-related questions in this latest edition of Inside The Ropes.

See below for our answers, and let us know your views in the comments section below.

Could this DP World Tour news be fatal for LIV Golf?

Not necessarily. The question is: What is LIV Golf?

It's hard to say without knowing their plan. If LIV is going to be a premier golfing tour with top level players then it certainly doesn't help.

There's a lot of other things that have been damaging to LIV Golf. This doesn't help, but it strikes me as being something that doesn't quite signal the end as it completely depends on what they want to be.

Ultimately if LIV is only ever going to be a lower tier tour then it doesn't necessarily mean it's fatal. If it's a satellite tour then it can continue to exist.

If the intention is to be a premier tour alongside the PGA Tour and others then this makes it very difficult, if not impossible.

I'm not sure it will be immediately fatal as certain big-name players will undoubtedly stick around to see it off the ground.

However, unless the finances dramatically improve within the next three years, I can't see LIV remaining anything like a threat to the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.

Most players with a choice between LIV in its current state and the DP World Tour are likely to choose the latter - if only for stability's sake - with Jon Rahm's exit possibly seen as an early indicator for the ultimate direction of this once powerful league.

It has been setback after setback for LIV Golf over the past five years, and it always seems to bounce back and survive. Can it come back from Jon Rahm, and potentially all of its DP World Tour members, leaving? I think it probably can, but, like Jonny, I don't think it will thrive.

Rahm leaving likely came as no surprise to BC Partners, which surely knows what it is getting itself in for. The $5bn of debt was supposedly a big benefit for private equity, so it is still likely fully committed to go ahead.

However, even with Rahm and DeChambeau, and the Saudi PIF billions, LIV struggled to gain sustainable viewership and fandom so its future doesn't look too bright. In my opinion, at least.

The facts are that it has lost Jon Rahm and its Asian Tour feeder system, and potentially further losses are still to come like Hatton and a number of other players, its OWGR points and Major pathways.

DeChambeau committing his future could be a life-saving win for the league, and aside from its DP World Tour players there are still another 40+ accomplished golfers who might sign on.

We don't know who is in and who isn't, yet, though, so I'd say it's future remains on a knife-edge.

It can still produce big crowds and entertainment on-site in places like Adelaide and South Africa, but I do struggle to see it being a golf tour that captivates the masses on TV and has relevance within the men's professional golf pyramid.

Should the PGA Tour welcome Jon Rahm back?

I think the PGA Tour should allow Rahm straight back in.

The Spaniard is one of a shrinking number of needle-movers in the world of golf. As much as it might put some players' noses out of joint, the truth is people pay their TV subscriptions and purchase tickets to watch players like Scheffler, McIlroy and Rahm.

Very few that can claim to do that at that level, and Rahm genuinely can. When he's in full flow, he's one of the best players in the world.

As much as it might put a stick in some players' craws, they should just let him straight back in - that's the nature of modern day sport.

The PGA Tour is in a position of real strength so they might not allow it, but ultimately he's going to want to compete there when that opportunity arises. If they are looking out for their product then making sure the best players are competing on their tour is the way to go.

I honestly think the PGA Tour should leave Rahm on the DP World Tour for a season.

Rahm will inevitably gain his PGA Tour card the right way anyway and the PGA Tour has coped perfectly well without him for three years so far, so what's one more?

Plus, it offered him a route back previously and he turned it down, so I think it puts the tour in a position of strength if they effectively turn around and say 'no, you had your chance and you didn't take it. But if you earn your card the right way, we'll welcome you back with open arms.'

Like I said, Rahm will almost certainly return to the PGA Tour in time for its big new Championship Series lift-off in 2028, so I don't think there's any reason for the PGA Tour to make a knee-jerk reaction.

I think Brian Rolapp should welcome Rahm back, as he would increase eyeballs on the PGA Tour and ultimately make the circuit better and more competive.

I don't think that will happen, though, for two reasons.

Firstly, the PGA Tour board likely won't allow it. Rahm burned a lot of bridges when he controversially left in December 2023, and I am sure certain players on the board would not be willing to offer Rahm an olive branch.

Secondly, I don't think Rahm would accept any punishments to return, anyway.

We saw how stubborn he was to pay fines and agree a deal with the DP World Tour, and the sanctions would likely be significantly higher for the PGA Tour.

Brooks Koepka paid a $5m charitable donation, was ineligible for sponsor's invites into Signature Events and FedExCup bonus money, and he also wasn't allowed into the equity program for five years.

Rahm declined those terms earlier this year, and they'd likely be even harsher next time around.

Should Bryson DeChambeau seek a PGA Tour return?

Similar to Rahm, Bryson is clearly one of those players fans will turn their TVs on to watch and pay for tickets to see.

I think he probably needs to think about whether he wants to be renowned as a great golfer or a great content creator.

I'm not sure you can do both, and he is unique in that he is trying to do both. If that ends up costing him 3-4 Majors across the course of his career, the question is would that be worth it?

From a pure sporting perspective, I'd prefer him to concentrate on the golf but I can see the appeal of the content side as it allows to show off his personality and reach a wider, younger audience.

I'd like to see him focus on competing because I think he could win potentially up to 6-7 Majors. Could he do that while also being a content creator, though?

The demands may be too difficult but if he thinks he can then good luck to him. To be a consistent force in the Majors he needs to be a force on the PGA Tour.

On the surface, it makes the most sense for Bryson DeChambeau to seek a PGA Tour return. But I don't think he will.

What could work instead is DeChambeau follows in Rahm's footsteps for a season and enjoys a global schedule which helps him earn a PGA Tour card that way.

Given he's such a popular figure on YouTube and social media, can you imagine what an asset he'd be to the DP World Tour, which itself is such good entertainment on social media?

In an era where nothing seems to be off the table, I'd love to see Bryson DeChambeau sign up for a year on the DP World Tour and let his career take the course it will naturally take. That could be fun for everyone.

I agree Jonny, seeing Bryson playing a full DP World Tour schedule would be electric.

I am sorry to say, as it could spell the end of LIV Golf, but I would love to see DeChambeau return to the traditional ecosystem.

He is one of the world's best golfers and it would be a huge shame to see him continue to miss out on competing against the likes of Scheffler, McIlroy and the PGA Tour's best in what are his prime years.

The PGA Tour is the best golf tour in the world but fans are missing out by not getting to watch DeChambeau teeing it up week-in, week-out in its biggest events. We'd all love to see Bryson playing at Riviera, TPC Sawgrass and regularly being back on NBC and CBS in the biggest tournaments against the biggest names.

For whatever reason, he seems set on choosing a different path and you have to respect that. But I think Rolapp should at least try to have a conversation with him.

What are your views on the DP World Tour news and the futures of LIV, Rahm and DeChambeau? Join the conversation below...

The DP World Tour will not allow any golfer involved in the new version of the LIV Golf League to obtain membership on the European circuit from 2027, Golf Monthly understands.

First reported by BBC Sport, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings is on record as saying "players must make a choice" in terms of where they will play next season and beyond.

As it stands, it is possible for many LIV golfers to hold a DP World Tour card as well and compete without fines or sanctions after the Wentworth-based circuit granted eight conditional releases back in February.

However, much has changed since then - not least the Saudi PIF confirmed it would be withdrawing its financial support of LIV Golf, plunging the breakaway tour into a state of marked uncertainty.

Months after the April announcement by the PIF, a report by The Athletic in August said the DP World Tour was considering reintroducing heavy fines and sanctions for DP World Tour members competing in LIV Golf events from next year.

Now, though, quotes from Kinnings suggest the DP World Tour is taking a real hardline stance over its membership. Either you're in or you're out.

Kinnings said: "We have rules and regulations which are there to protect our tour and which our members must all abide by.

"Players who are not willing to comply with our rules and regulations should not be seeking to join our tour."

The call comes at a particularly interesting time in the golfing landscape, with the next few weeks featuring the deadline to sign up for 'LIV 2.0.'

By making that choice, golfers such as Tyrrell Hatton will effectively decide whether they can or cannot be a part of Team Europe at next year's Ryder Cup in Ireland. Only players who hold DP World Tour membership will be eligible for Adare Manor.

Roughly 15 players are likely to be affected by this decision, with stars such as Jon Rahm, Victor Perez and Tom McKibbin joining Hatton as Europeans with status on both tours.

However, Rahm is among the early few to have categorically ruled himself out of the new-look LIV Golf League, so it seems almost guaranteed the Spaniard will return to the DP World Tour full-time in 2027.

For players like Joaquin Niemann and Thomas Pieters, who do not hold any DP World Tour status, they would have to enter Q-School or commit to an agreement with the European circuit whereby they would receive a guaranteed number of invites.

Yet, that would be totally dependent on ruling themselves out of playing in LIV 2.0.

Golf Monthly understands that should a player claim they will not play in the LIV Golf League but then go on to do so, that would constitute grounds on which to have their DP World Tour membership cancelled with immediate effect.

LIV recently announced it had secured a possible $300 million in funding to move forwards with the next iteration of the league, a month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

After a lengthy 2026 season, where players battled it to further their careers, the PGA Tour now has 20 new members for 2027.

Offering more prize money and opportunities to earn Major starts, the jump between the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour is a sizeable one, hence why many will be relieved to secure their playing privileges on the latter for next year.

Prior to the Korn Ferry Tour Championship finale, which took place at The Federal Club, multiple names were already Tour bound and, following the conclusion of the event, we now know who is among the full list of players that find themselves inside the top 20.

Ross Steelman topped the final points list, while Sandy Scott, who claimed back-to-back wins in his last two starts, was runner-up.

Joined by Alistair Docherty and Ian Holt, the fifth place player in the points list was Alvaro Ortiz, who is the younger brother of LIV Golfer and former PGA Tour winner, Carlos.

There are always big winners when it comes to final events of the season and, arguably, the biggest winner of the week was Austin Hitt, who won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship by two shots and vaulted from outside the top 20 into sixth.

One name to look out for next year will be 19-year-old Blades Brown, whose consistent season of 12 top 25s was rewarded with a top 10 finish in the points list. In the process, the American becomes the youngest player to earn a PGA Tour card via the Korn Ferry Tour.

Carson Young and Taylor Dickson, who lost their PGA Tour cards in 2025, have bounced back on to the circuit after a strong year, while Davis Lamb jumped three spots in the overall standings to secure the 20th and final spot.

His run to 20th position was helped by a solo eighth finish at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, highlighted by a three-under 68 on Sunday.

Check out the 20 names who will be PGA Tour members for the 2027 season below...

Which Korn Ferry Tour Players Secured 2027 PGA Tour Cards?

• 1st: Ross Steelman
• 2nd: Sandy Scott
• 3rd: Ian Holt
• 4th: Alistair Docherty
• 5th: Alvaro Ortiz
• 6th: Austin Hitt
• 7th: Cole Sherwood
• 8th: Doc Redman
• 9th: Blades Brown
• 10th: Tommy Morrison
• 11th: Cooper Dossey
• 12th: Hunter Eichhorn
• 13th: Dylan Menante
• 14th: Michael Johnson
• 15th: Jeremy Gandon
• 16th: Taylor Dickson
• 17th: Ian Gilligan
• 18th: Davis Shore
• 19th: Carson Young
• 20th: Davis Lamb

Players splitting with caddies is nothing new in the professional game but, in the last month, we have seen two players split with their loopers mid-event.

The first came back at the Biltmore Championship in September, when Alejandro Tosti's caddie, Cliff Ellis, walked off midway through the first round, with the other occurring at this week's Baycurrent Classic.

Taking place in Japan, the 72-man tournament was won by Michael Brennan, who secured a one stroke win over Keith Mitchell and Jacob Bridgeman.

Less than 12 hours on from the win, though, news broke that one player in the tournament had split with his caddie prior to a ball being struck on the final round on Sunday.

First reported by Golfweek, the player in question was David Lipsky, who finished the event in a share of 54th position, carding a three-under tournament total at Yokohama Country Club.

According to Golfweek, Lipsky's caddie, Darren Woolard, reportedly had enough of working with the American, with a source telling the outlet that "Woolard essentially told Lipsky to find someone else to carry his bag for Sunday's final round."

It's unclear as to who took over the bag for the 38-year-old on Sunday, with some claiming it was Lipsky's trainer, as the player carded a one-under 70 for the final round.

Previously caddying for the likes of PGA Tour winners KH Lee and Scott Piercy, Woolard has been a bagman for some time, while Lipsky has made 160 starts on the PGA Tour, accumulating $8 million in prize money.

As mentioned, the split comes just a month after Tosti and his caddie, Ellis, split mid-round, as Ellis was seen removing his caddie's bib halfway through the first day of the Biltmore Championship.

It's not quite now or never for those in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, but a year might feel like forever if they're not able to earn promotion to the PGA Tour on Sunday.

The 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season is about to conclude at The Federal Club in Glen Allen, Virginia with 59 players having completed three quarters of their battle for the title.

Blades Brown led the way through 54 holes and appears set to earn enough points to fulfil his PGA Tour dream on a permanent basis.

For everyone else, it's a case of finishing as high up the leaderboard as possible to ensure they clinch one of the few remaining PGA Tour cards on the table - an achievement which could dramatically change their annual earnings.

Strangely, this is one of the few weeks of the season where the prize money is not the golfers' primary focus.

They each want to secure as many Korn Ferry Tour points as possible to finish inside the season's top-20. Should that happen, they will be PGA Tour bound and able to compete at the highest level in 2026.

Nevertheless, taking away as much of the $1.5 million total prize purse as possible will undoubtedly be something of a driving factor.

The winner will receive $270,000 while the remainder of the pot will be shared out among the other 58 players.

Below is an approximate prize money total for each position based on the 2025 purse. This will be updated once the event has concluded.

Korn Ferry Tour Championship Prize Money Breakdown

Former PGA Tour pro Tyler McCumber was docked two strokes for a possible rules violation during round three of the WA PGA Championship on Saturday.

McCumber - who finished 99th in the FedExCup during the 2020-21 campaign - was flying high at the PGA Tour of Australasia's latest event thanks to rounds of 70 and 69, placing him in a share of second midway through.

Yet, a tough moving day saw the University of Florida alumnus drop down the leaderboard - not helped by a potential mistake on the second hole.

Playing alongside Todd Sinnott in round three, McCumber marked his ball on the green and then correctly shifted it one putter head to the side to allow his partner a fair shot at the hole.

However, tournament director Heath McLeod explained afterwards that the man who won six pro titles across the PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica during the mid-2010s was unsure if he'd moved his marker back on the second hole to play from the correct spot.

Speaking ahead of round four, McLeod said: "Following Tyler's round yesterday, he came into scorecard return and he was a little unsure about whether or not he'd moved his marker back on the second green.

"He moved it across one putter head to allow Todd [Sinnott] to putt and Tyler was unsure whether he'd put it back.

"We checked the vision and the vision was a bit inconclusive. But Tyler in himself was unsure and didn't feel right so he opted to take a two-stroke penalty, which you can do there for playing from the wrong place and not returning his ball-marker."

The incident ensured McCumber ultimately signed for a four-over-par 76 and dropped him right down the leaderboard prior to the final round.

His disappointing weekend failed to improve thereafter either with a two-over-par 74 seeing him finish T26th in the $250,000 tournament, which was won by Justin Warren on 11-under.

Remarkably, it is not the first time McCumber has been involved in a rules incident on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

During the 2024 Victorian PGA Championship, McCumber was docked two strokes while his playing partner Anthony Quayle was penalized seven shots after the pair mistakenly believed the tournament had preferred lies in operation.

The American had queried whether preferred lies were in place during round one and Quayle confirmed they were, only to later realize this was not the case.

However, Quayle had committed the rules violation on multiple occasions by that time so saw his chances of victory go up in smoke on the spot while McCumber faced a far less punishing sanction.

Nevertheless, both players ultimately had their penalties to thank for denying them victory as McCumber finished second to Cory Crawford by a single stroke and Quayle was solo third.

The DP World Tour is in Spain this week, in what is the final European event of the circuit's calendar.

Taking place at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, the Open de Espana is one of the oldest national opens in golf and, for 2026, we have an exciting finish in store.

Marco Penge defends after his victory 12 months ago, with the Englishman joined by a number of star names like Shane Lowry and Ludvig Aberg.

This year, the tournament purse has seen a significant rise, jumping from $3.25 million to $3.75 million, an increase of $500,000.

Whoever comes out victorious in Madrid will pocket a nice paycheck for $637,500, while the runner-up will still bank $412,500 for their efforts. In fact, those who finish inside top-seven this week will secure a six-figure payday.

Attention, though, will be on the winner of the tournament and, going into Sunday, several players could wrap up the win, as Joe Dean and Grant Forrest share the lead at 13-under.

Behind them, three players are 12-under, while the top 10 is separated by six shots. The eventual champion won't just net the money, but also two very lucrative Major spots.

Claiming the $637,500 first prize, the winner will also secure important Race to Dubai points, as well as book their place at next year's Masters and Open Championship.

The move comes as part of the change to qualification criteria announced by Augusta National and The R&A in August, with this week’s champion earning an invite to Augusta National, while the leading player, not otherwise exempt, will earn a spot at St Andrews through The Open Qualifying Series.

Check out the full prize money breakdown for the Open de Espana below...

Open de Espana Prize Money Breakdown

For the third straight season, the Ladies European Tour returns to South Korea for the Aramco Korea Championship.

In those two editions, it has been Hyo-Joo Kim who has dominated, claiming the inaugural event in 2024 and securing a two shot victory in 2025.

For 2026, the South Korean is in contention once again, starting her final round six shots back of leader Miyu Yamashita, who is looking to claim her fourth win of 2026, having won twice on the LPGA Tour and once on the LPGA of Japan Tour.

Yamashita leads Yani Tseng by a single stroke going into Sunday, with the five-time Major winner hoping to add to her Wistron Ladies Open win from 2025, which was her first professional victory in 11-years.

A number of names are in contention at New Korea Country Club and, like other PIF Global Series events, there is a large tournament purse up for grabs, with $2 million being distributed among those who place.

At the PIF London Championship, which Anna Huang won in dramatic circumstances after Charley Hull's collapse on the 18th hole, the winner earned $300,000, with that number also going to the winner this week.

Along with the money, which is increased for PIF-backed events on the Ladies European Tour, there's also the small matter of points towards the Order of Merit and World Rankings.

Currently, it's unclear as to how many points are up for grabs but, given the inflated purse, it will possibly be considerably more than the regulation events.

Check out the full Aramco Korea Championship prize money breakdown below...

Aramco Korea Championship Prize Money Breakdown

Michael Brennan has claimed the third PGA Tour title of his fledgling career at the 2026 Baycurrent Classic in Japan.

The American carded a final-round 68 (-3) at Yokohama Country Club to triumph by a stroke, holding off Keith Mitchell and Jacob Bridgeman by the narrowest of margins in just his 33rd tour start.

Xander Schauffele, Brian Harman and Ryan Gerard were also in the group that finished T4th as a bunched leaderboard tried to deny Brennan.

Yet, the 24-year-old stood strong and backed up rounds of 68-67-65 to secure the title.

He's now won the Baycurrent Classic and Wyndham Championship in 2026, adding on to his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship. In all three, he held the 54-hole lead and went on to convert.

Brennan's latest achievement secures him one of his biggest-ever pay checks, too.

The most lucrative FedExCup Fall tournament offers up a total prize purse of $8 million, with Brennan collecting almost $1.5 million before various factors reduce how much he really earns.

He also bagged another 500 FedExCup points to strengthen his position inside the top-50, too.

For everyone else, the rewards aren't quite as heavy but they're still very much worthwhile. Below is the full prize money breakdown for each player and position at the 2026 Baycurrent Classic.

Baycurrent Classic Prize Money Breakdown

Golf has the tendency to throw up some surprises and even the world's best aren't immune from some relatable moments.

Just ask Sahith Theegala who, on Friday at the PGA Tour's Baycurrent Classic, not only found his golf ball stuck up a tree, but later, his umbrella.

Starting his second round, Theegala carded a one-under-par front nine to sit two-over-par for the event, as he made his way to the par 4 11th at Yokohama Country Club, the hardest on the layout.

Pulling his tee shot left, the ball never dropped back down on to the fairway and, as Theegala and his playing partners Jordan Smith and Tomohiro Ishizaka walked up to the tree, it was believed the ball had stayed up in the branches.

In the video posted to the PGA Tour's social media channels, Theegala explains the debacle that occurred, with the PGA Tour winner stating: "We all heard it hit the tree really loud, but nobody ever saw the ball come down.

"I didn't really think it would get stuck in the trees. I guess it popped up in the air and just embedded itself in some leaves and branches."

What then followed can only be described as golf being a 'normal sport', as Theegala called a Rules Official over, before his caddie then attempted to knock the ball out of the tree with an umbrella...

Something that ended with a humorous outcome.

Being told by the Rules Official that he must identify the golf ball stuck in the tree, Theegala then proceeds to look through his rangefinder and, although he "marks a large portion of his golf ball," he couldn't see any markings on the ball.

The solution? Well, that involved Theegala's caddie, Carl Smith, throwing an umbrella up into the tree, with Jordan Smith's caddie, Josh, joining him in the event.

Eventually, after numerous attempts, the caddies did take enough of the tree down for Theegala to identify his golf ball, but only after his caddie got his umbrella stuck on the branches in an attempt to knock the ball down.

Upon identifying the ball, Theegala took an unplayable ball as, under Rule 19.2c, specifically 'Reference Point', it states: "When the ball lies above the ground, such as in a tree, the reference point is the spot directly below the ball on the ground."

A one-shot penalty occurred for the American who, after taking the drop, fired his iron to the left-side of the green, before two-putting for a bogey five.

Going on to shoot a one-over-par back nine, Theegala then followed that up with a two-over-par third round on Saturday, as he dropped into 69th spot at five-over-par, just three places above Aldrich Potgieter, who is at the foot of the leaderboard.

The PGA Tour is in Japan this week for the Baycurrent Classic, with a 72-man field competing at Yokohama Country Club.

After three rounds of action, it's Michael Brennan, Zach Bauchou and Jacob Bridgeman who lead at 13-under, as Major winners Adam Scott and Justin Thomas are among a five-way share of fourth at 12-under.

Nine players sit within a single shot, while Ryan Gerard, Mac Meissner and Max Homa are 10-under and defending champion, Xander Schauffele, joins Sungjae Im, Brian Harman and Michael Kim at nine-under.

It means we have a potential thrilling final day in store in Japan, where players are looking to earn as much prize money and FedExCup Fall points as possible in the third Fall event of 2026.

In terms of tee times, the three leaders, Brennan, Bauchou and Bridgeman, are the final group off at 2.21am (GMT+1), with there being a two tee start on Sunday.

Check out the full tee times for the final round of the Baycurrent Classic below...

Baycurrent Classic Tee Times: Final Round

All times GMT+1

*denotes a 10th tee start.

• 12.20am: Ren Yonezawa, Yusaku Hosono, Billy Horschel
• *12.20am: Kristoffer Ventura, Collin Morikawa, Nico Echavarria
• 12.31am: Andrew Putnam, Lee Hodges, Denny McCarthy
• *12.31am: Taylor Moore, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Jackson Suber
• 12.42am: Patrick Rodgers, John Parry, Hideki Matsuyama
• *12.42am: Ricky Castillo, Tomohiro Ishizaka, Nick Taylor
• 12.53am: Doug Ghim, Keegan Bradley, Michael Thorbjornsen
• *12.53am: Matt Wallace, Tony Finau, David Lipsky
• 1.04am: Takumi Kanaya, Beau Hossler, Ryo Hisatsune
• *1.04am: Johnny Keefer, Jinichiro Kozuma, Pierceson Coody
• 1.15am: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Min Woo Lee, Ben Kohles
• *1.15am: Yoshinori Fujimoto, Chandler Phillips, Davis Thompson
• 1.26am: Kevin Roy, Kosuke Sunagawa, Jordan Spieth
• *1.26am: Keita Nakajima, Kevin Yu, Taylor Pendrith
• 1.37am: Brian Harman, Sungjae Im, Michael Kim
• *1.37am: Aguri Iwasaki, Matt McCarty, Max Greyserman
• 1.48am: Mac Meissner, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele
• *1.48am: Maverick McNealy, Wyndham Clark, Alex Smalley
• 1.59am: Stephan Jaeger, Keith Mitchell, Ryan Gerard
• *1.59am: Sang-hee Lee, Hiroshi Iwata, Kurt Kitayama
• 2.10am: Adam Scott, Jordan Smith, Justin Thomas
• *2.10am: Rickie Fowler, Koshin Nagasaki (a), Sahith Theegala
• 2.21am: Michael Brennan, Zach Bauchou, Jacob Bridgeman
• *2.21am: Steven Fisk, Tom Hoge, Aldrich Potgieter

Players at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship are looking to earn the golden ticket of PGA Tour cards this week, with one of those being former champion, Adam Hadwin.

Claiming the Valspar Championship on the top circuit in 2017, the Canadian failed to keep his PGA Tour card last year, after making just 17 cuts in 29 starts.

At the Korn Ferry Tour Championship this week, Hadwin needs to win the tournament to regain his playing rights on the PGA Tour, but a penalty during his first round could be a massive moment in his quest to get back on the circuit.

Playing his opening round on Thursday, the 38-year-old was assessed a two-stroke penalty on the par 3 second hole for playing from the wrong place.

Because of the weather at The Federal Club, preferred lies were in effect, meaning players could pick the ball up and place it within a scorecard’s length of relief per MLR E-3.

Playing the par 3 second, Hadwin's tee shot came up short of the green and on the fairway. Entitled to lift, clean and place his golf ball, instead of a scorecard length of relief, Hadwin instead took a full club-length of relief, which is against the rules.

Following the incident, Hadwin self-reported the infraction to a Rules Official; this came after he saw his playing partners take the scorecard relief. Eventually, he was given a two-stroke penalty for his actions.

The penalty meant his par changed to a double bogey, with Hadwin going on to shoot a one-under-par round of 70.

At the beginning of 2026, it was announced that a new local rule change came into effect, whereby players will only be able to move their ball within a scorecard length instead of a club-length when preferred lies are in operation.

The enforcement was due to the fact that it would stop players from gaining more of an advantage, with PGA Tour winner, Michael Kim, praising the decision as he posted on social media: "It will provide fairer outcomes during competition."

In fairness to Hadwin, he went on to card a four-under-par round of 67 on Friday, following the incident, meaning he finished the day in a share of 24th.

If he hadn't received a penalty, he would be seven-under and narrowly outside the top 10, some six shots back of halfway leader, Blades Brown.

So far, in 2026, he has made seven cuts in 13 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, producing a runner-up finish at the Panama Championship.

Currently sitting 54th in the season-long points' list, the top 20 will earn PGA Tour cards for the 2027 season. If Hadwin were to not make it into the top 20, he could secure a card via PGA Tour Q-School, which takes place 10-13th December.

We nearing the final stretch of the DP World Tour season and again there was a stellar field battling it out at the Open de Espana in Madrid.

And along with the chance to win a big national open there's also places at stake in the season-ending playoffs, while a PGA Tour card for 2027 is up for grabs.

But there's an early exit for some of the top players on the DP World Tour who failed to make the cut at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.

Here's the big names who missed the cut at the Open de Espana.

Patrick Reed (+2)

A hammer blow for Patrick Reed who was looking to extend his lead over Rory McIlroy in the Race To Dubai standings with a strong finish in Madrid - but after missing the cut could now even be knocked off top spot.

That's because Eugenio Chacarra, despite a broken toe, is challenging for his national open title in his own backyard. Only a victory will be good enough for the Spaniard to overtake Reed but a second or third will be enough to overhaul McIlroy and go into second.

For Reed, who is recovering from the injury that forced him out of the BMW PGA Championship, it's another week without points and he'll hope to get right for what will be a nervous battle down the stretch.

Reed improved on Friday with a level-par round of 71, but his opening 73 on Thursday ultimately cost him as he missed out by a stroke.

Justin Rose (+2)

Justin Rose had a decent finish on the PGA Tour when coming in T18 at the Tour Championship, but his return to Europe hasn't gone so well.

Rose finished T51 at the BMW PGA Championship and then missed the third-round cut at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

So it's now back-to-back missed cuts for the Englishman after shooting 72-72 for a two over total - which saw him agonizingly miss out on the weekend by just a shot.

Jayden Schaper (+2)

After a stunning start to the season it's all just fizzling out a bit for Jayden Schaper with the South African missing his second cut in a row and third in four starts.

Schaper won back-to-back tournaments at the start of the season at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and Mauritius Open but only a T36 at Wentworth has kept him going of late.

He entered the week in seventh in the Race To Dubai but after shooting 73-71 he's another player to just miss out on the weekend.

Bubba Watson (+3)

Bubba Watson's debut in the tournament didn't go as planned as he opened up with a four-over round of 75 in Madrid on Thursday to give himself an uphill battle immediately.

The two-time Masters champion improved on Friday with a one-under 70 but he was still left a couple of shots short of making the cut. Watson also missed the cut last week at the Dunhill Links.

Tom McKibbin (+3)

Tom McKibbin found a nice bit of form on the DP World Tour with a T6 and T5 at the British Masters and Irish Open in successive weeks, but that form has deserted him.

The Northern Irishman has now missed the cut in his last two events after also failing to make the weekend at Wentworth.

Nicolai Hojgaard (+4)

Even a hole-in-one on Friday couldn't save Nicolai Hojgaard as his wretched run of form continued with a fourth missed cut in a row on the DP World Tour.

He was badly out of sorts again and pretty wayward during his opening 74 and despite the ace on the third hole the Dane couldn't break par on Friday as he finished with a four over total.

Hojgaard started the week down in 100th in the Race To Dubai standings so faces a huge task to make the season-ending play-offs.

Adrian Meronk (+5)

Last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship winner obviously carried over a bit of a hangover so it was no real surprise to see the big Pole struggle in Spain.

An opening 72 wasn't too bad but he couldn't get anything going on Friday with a 75 condemning him to a missed cut the week after tasting victory. Just shows how tough it is to win out here.

Tyrrell Hatton (+6)

With Jon Rahm hitting the headlines by quitting LIV Golf, his Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton may well follow suit - for now he's focused on the DP World Tour but things didn't go so well in Spain.

An opening 76 on Thursday did all the damage and he was nowhere near getting in touch of the cut mark despite a much improved 72 on Friday.

That's now back-to-back missed cuts for the Englishman.

Andy Sullivan (+9)

Former Ryder Cupper Andy Sullivan was ninth in the Race To Dubai heading to Spain despite withdrawing from the French Open on his last start.

And he made a horror start on his return to action in Madrid with an opening round of 78, meaning his 73 on Friday did little but offer at least some slight improvement.

It's crunch time for LIV Golf 2.0 with deadline day fast approaching for players to sign up to the new league in order to secure its financial future.

Charles Howell III and Thomas Pieters are the latest players to rule themselves out, but the majority of the roster are playing their cards close to their chest with regards to their playing futures.

CEO Scott O'Neil has a current deadline of 25 October to get enough players on the roster to secure the investment deal from BC Partners - although there is the provision for that to be extended.

So right now it's crucial how many players agree to stay on for the new version of LIV Golf, and just who those players are.

The headlines so far are of course Jon Rahm annoucing that he won't be taking part, which is undoubtedly a blow but one LIV officials were expecting.

The league's hopes are more likely pinned to Bryson DeChambeau, who has always been heavily involved and a huge vocal supporter of the league.

DeChambeau is reportedly looking to play more on the DP World Tour next season but that may just be as an add-on to LIV 2.0's proposed 10-event schedule. We await definitive news on DeChambeau.

We do know Rahm's fellow Spaniard David Puig is also out, reportedly so is Poland's Adrian Meronk, with both men holding full DP World Tour cards helping make the decision easier.

Veteran Richard Bland was the first man to officially confirm he'll sign up for LIV 2.0, with the two-time senior Major winner admitting he has "nowhere else to play" apart from the Legends Tour, US Senior Open and Senior PGA Championship.

It was then reported that Cameron Tringale has also committed.

And then on to those still on the fence, with plenty of uncertainty swirling around it's proving tough for players to commit officially, but what do we know?

Latest LIV Golf 2.0 player news

Well, Sergio Garcia was the first to get his contract terminated to ensure he's a free agent and able to talk with any interested party about his future.

Garcia is leaving the door open for LIV, but after voicing his itention to play on the DP World Tour and also his desire to make the European Ryder Cup team it certainly seems he's edging towards a no.

Being Fireballs GC captain and a close friend of Puig may also be a hint.

Joaquin Niemann voiced his uncertainty over LIV 2.0, while the likes of Cameron Smith, Byeong-hun An, Marc Leishman, Cameron Tringale and Matthew Wolff have all had lawyers in bankruptcy court looking to have their contracts terminated similar to Garcia.

That doesn't mean they want to leave LIV, more like they're keeping their options open, but as time ticks away without any firm comitments the more fears will grow about the future.

Rahm's exit surely casts doubt on the rest of his Legion XIII team. Tyrrell Hatton struck a deal to play on the DP World Tour this season and with the Ryder Cup next year it'd make sense if he followed Rahm's lead.

Tom McKibbin will also have an eye on Adare Manor and a home Ryder Cup, and he too signed a DP World Tour deal this season. Caleb Surrat joined LIV from college so has only ever known pro life with the team tour - that may count for more when decision time comes.

We'll update our lists as and when we get confirmation of LIV 2.0's possible line-up.

Who will play in LIV Golf 2.0?

• Richard Bland
• Cameron Tringale

Who will not play in LIV Golf 2.0?

• Jon Rahm
• Andrian Meronk
• David Puig
• Charles Howell III
• Thomas Pieters

Australian veteran Wade Ormsby has shared details of a gruesome hand injury that has resulted in him having a partial amputation of his finger.

The 46-year-old showed off the damage on Instagram where he displayed a heavily bandaged hand after having surgery to repair his finger following a freak accident at home.

Ormsby returned home after he missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and then suffered the horror injury when trying to attach a trailer to the back of his car.

While thanking doctors for rebuilding his finger, he revealed he'd had a partial amputation of the ring finger on his left hand.

Surgeons have rebuilt his finger though and although the injury sounds horrible, Ormsby posted that he hopes to return to competitive golf as soon as possible.

"Wednesday morning after returning home from Dunhill, I had an accident putting a trailer on the car resulting in partial amputation of L ring finger," Ormsby wrote on his Instagram Story.

"Thanks to Mannum ER @sahealth... Dr Nick Smith and the team at @gripsurgery for rebuilding my finger.

"Sadly I won't be at Macau and Hong Kong Opens... but I'll work hard to be back asap."

Ormsby has made 15 LIV Golf appearances while playing on and off since its inception in 2022, and has been playing mainly on the Asian Tour outside of the team based outfit.

The current World No.445 moved up into 12th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with a runner-up finish at the Taiwan Masters and was hoping to improve his position at the upcoming Macau Open and Hong Kong Open.

We've only seen Bryson DeChambeau on YouTube recently, but with Jon Rahm ruled out of LIV Golf 2.0 the entire future of the league could now rest on his shoulders.

But the latest signs don't look particularly promising as DeChambeau's legal team have been seeking clarity over his contract in bankruptcy court while his management are reportedly sounding out the DP World Tour about playing more tournaments.

It may not be full-time status DeChambeau is looking for but seeing what tournaments would be available to him on the DP World Tour could be a hint as to his thinking about LIV Golf.

LIV CEO Scott O'Neil has until 25 October to get enough players to pledge their future to 2.0 to complete the proposed finance deal with investors BC Partners.

Rahm's exit has been followed by Adrian Meronk and more recently fellow Spaniard David Puig, but despite this LIV Golf sources have told us that confidence is still high that 2.0 will go ahead, and that crucially conversations with players over next season remain fully on track.

But whether DeChambeau's latest move of seeking more playing time on the DP World Tour will shake that confidence inside LIV HQ remains to be seen.

DeChambeau was one of a number of players who had legal representation at the latest bankruptcy court hearing, where they were seeking clarity on their contracts and chasing a similar outcome to Sergio Garcia, who had his deal terminated to ensure he's a free agent and able to negotiate possible deals with other tours and sponsors.

Garcia himself said that it doesn't mean he has made a decision about his LIV 2.0, but the clarification just ensures he is free to at least hold talks about his future - which is a point the DP World Tour and PGA Tour have made when asked about LIV players returning.

The more troubling news for LIV Golf is the report by the Telegraph's James Corrigan that DeChambeau's team has been speaking with the DP World Tour about tournaments available for the two-time US Open champion next season.

DeChambeau hasn't played competitively since LIV Indianapolis at the end of August, with his next start coming on the DP World Tour at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa in December.

It will be DeChambeau's first non-Major start on the DP World Tour since 2022 but it could lead to a few more next season - one may include the Dubai Desert Classic where he's a past champion.

It could be a huge year for the tour with big-name LIV golfers looking for somewhere to play - Rahm will presumably be a full-time member given he's leaving LIV but will have to serve a PGA Tour suspension until August, but also having DeChambeau in select events would be another huge boost.

The big question is whether DeChambeau is looking for DP World Tour events to add to his schedule alongside the proposed 10 events on LIV 2.0 or instead of them.

It could well just be a way for DeChambeau to fit in more global tournaments to make up for the drop in LIV's schedule from 14 down to 10 - but there has to be a worry it means more.

As with Rahm gone DeChambeau is by far the biggest star left on the LIV roster, with a global footprint, marketing value and online presence that far outweighs anyone else.

LIV officials insist the new league is based on the team principal and goes beyond just one player, but it really is hard to see such a big financial deal not being reliant on a golfing superstar like DeChambeau being involved.

David Puig is the latest player to rule himself out of playing in LIV Golf 2.0, with the Spaniard keen to play a full schedule on the DP World Tour next season.

Hot on the heels of Jon Rahm declaring he's out, his compatriot Puig has made the decision not to play in the proposed new version of LIV Golf.

It's another blow for LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil, who has a deadline of 25 October to get enough players signed up in order to complete a finance deal with investors BC Partners.

Richard Bland is the lone voice to delcare he's definitely in for the new LIV Golf, but publicly at least most players are remaining non-committal while they wait on more details.

Puig, though, has followed Rahm in confirming he won't be playing in LIV Golf next year, and instead wants to play full-time on the DP World Tour - with the fact he holds a full card helped him make the decision.

“I don’t see myself playing in the LIV 2.0," Puig told reporters after the first round of the Open de Espana. "It’s a decision I’ve made.

"I hope to play the European Tour next year, which I really enjoy, with a fuller schedule.”

Losing Puig is a big blow for LIV, with the 24-year-old one of the game's brightest young talents who claimed his maiden DP World Tour victory at last November's Australian PGA Championship.

Puig is teeing it up on the DP World Tour for the 12th time this season at the Open de Espana, while also playing the full campaign on LIV Golf.

And Puig says having the chance to play on both tours this year has made him a better golfer.

“It’s been wonderful," Puig added. "Being able to play in the Spanish Open, winning on the European and Asian tours, being in the top 100 of the rankings. It's made me a better player. I’ve been surrounded by incredibly talented players and I’m very grateful."

Puig's departure may be a sign of which way his Fireballs GC captain and close friend Sergio Garcia will go as he wieghs up his options for the future.

Garcia had his LIV contract terminated to ensure he's a free agent and he's already said he'll play on the DP World Tour next season with an aim of making Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team.

So Bland is in, Rahm, Puig and Adrian Meronk are out, while the likes of Garcia, Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann and a host of others remain on the fence about playing in LIV 2.0.

But the biggest name of all is still Bryson DeChambeau, who has remained quiet of late and only been seen on YouTube - the league's future may now rest on his shoulders.

Eugenio Chacarra gave another example of why 'beware the injured golfer' is a saying in the sport as he shot 66 at the Open de Espana despite limping around with a broken toe - which could still yet cost him a chance to win his national open.

It's a special tournament for Chacarra with the event being staged at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid and the 26-year-old being born and raised in the Spanish capital.

So as a local, the proud Spaniard has even more appetite for his national open this week - but sitting in third in the Race To Dubai standings he also has the chance to cut the gap or even overhaul Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed.

With McIlroy not playing in Spain and Reed struggling to a two-over 73 in his first round, Chacarra's battling five under put him second on the leaderboard and in a great position to cut the 600-point gap on the Race To Dubai leader.

He could even move to the top of the Race To Dubai standings with a win, which makes the fact he may have to pull out due to his broken toe even more painful - in more ways than one.

Chacarra broke his toe in a freak accident at home, kicking his own sofa while up in the middle of the night, and said the pain was so bad heading to the event that if it wasn't his national open he wouldn't have even teed off on Thursday.

To start so well despite the injury probably makes matters even worse now for him, with not only that national title but also the very real prospect of moving up the Race To Dubai standings looking within his grasp.

But Chacarra is scheduled to play in all four remaining events of the season after Spain, heading off to India and Korea before the play-offs in the Middle East, so a decision has to be made.

"It's just been tough," Chacarra told the DP World Tour after his round.

"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow but I need to take care of myself and obviously I got a good round but just how I feel physically it's not great.

"It's just hard. It's a struggle. It doesn't really hurt when I'm swinging, that's the only good thing, that's why I can still make a score but it's just been really tough to walk.

"I made it today but the pain I had in the last 12 holes walking is something that I don't know if it's worth it because I've got a lot to play in the next couple of weeks, so I'll just sit down with the team and see what we decide because it was tough."

Chacarra, like all the Spaniards in the field, are always keen to do well in the Open de Espana, and he says if it wasn't his home event this week he wouldn't have even put himself through the pain of playing.

"I got 24 hours to rest now and see how it feels in the morning, I dont know if it's worth it to feel this pain and I've got four weeks to play that are important," he added about deciding between playing now and risking the remainder of the season.

"But this one's important to me, that's why I can tell you right now if it was another event I wouldn't tee it off this week.

"So I just need to see with the team, the doctor and my physio and see what we can do."

Although Jon Rahm has confirmed he's out and many more players are still on the fence, one man who fully intends to sign up to LIV Golf 2.0 is Richard Bland.

And it's no surprise really, as Bland has been a huge beneficiary of playing on LIV Golf after joining up from the very start in the UK in 2022 - the year after he finally got his first DP World Tour win on what was his 478th start.

The 53-year-old hasn't won a LIV Golf title but has made around $20m from his five seasons and outside of that he made a scintilating impact on the seniors circuit in the USA when winning back-to-back Majors.

With a deadline set for players to sign up, Bland is one of the few to officially confirm that he's willing to play for LIV Golf 2.0 - if it goes ahead.

Bland won the 2024 Senior PGA Championship and followed up with the US Senior Open title, but was unable to try and add the Senior Open as he hadn't paid his DP World Tour fines at that point in time.

Opportunities are still limited for Bland, who can play on the Legends Tour in Europe but not the PGA Tour Champions in the United States - and he has no desire to have to play his way back to the DP World Tour through qualifying.

So with LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil facing a deadline to get players signed up, although Rahm has ruled himself out and other players want their contracts terminated to become free agents, Bland is ready and willing to sign up for 2.0.

“Well, apart from the Legends Tour, I have nowhere else to play,” Bland told Flushing It golf on X.

“I'm banned until next August on the PGA Tour Champions, and I don't have the desire to go back to the DP World Tour and start from the bottom again. I'm too old for that.

“I'm 54 next year and I'm done chasing after the game and trying to work my way up the ladder. I've done that for 25 years.

“The last few years on LIV have been absolutely brilliant and if LIV doesn't come off, I'll play the senior Majors.”

Sergio Garcia successfully had his LIV contract terminated so is a free agent as he looks to sort out his future - which could yet involve sticking with the team tour.

The likes of Cameron Smith, Byeong-hun An, Marc Leishman, Cameron Tringale and Matthew Wolff are looking to go the same way, which leaves their options open regarding where they will play next.

The finance deal with BC Partners is dependent on O'Neil getting enough players signed up by 25 October - although the financers have retained the right to extend that deadline further.

O'Neil is required to get at least two-thirds of the voting creditors from at least 50% of the total claims signed up for the new league format to go ahead, so as Bland himself previously said it looks like it's all down to the players now.

"The funding is all there," he told BBC South Today. last month. "Once everything does get sorted out with LIV 1.0 it's then down to player support and who is going to sign up for the new league.

"Even though the funding is there, theoretically there's no guarantee that LIV 2.0 will continue if they don't have the player support."

The upcoming Link Hong Kong Open has received a major boost with the news that Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Anthony Kim have all committed to playing in the event.

The 65th edition of the tournament will be played at Hong Kong Golf Club from 22-25 October and the field has been give a jolt by the addition of three star names in world golf.

The tournament had been part of the Asian Tour's International Series the last three years, played in association with LIV Golf before the Saudi PIF withdrew funding meaning the current season could not be completed.

The Hong Kong Open is going ahead though and interest is high among LIV golfers as victory also brings with it an invite to the 2027 Masters at Augusta National and a place at next year's Open Championship at St Andrews.

The likes of Talor Gooch, Harold Varner III, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester are all in the field so far.

Next year's Hong Kong Open will return to the DP World Tour after the Asian Tour did a deal following LIV's financial collapse - and having some big names playing this year will help in this transition renewal.

Former World No.1 Westwood is one of the many LIV golfers contemplating his future, and is happy to be making a return to Hong Kong while the team based league's future is sorted.

“It has been a long time since I competed at the Hong Kong Open, and I cannot wait to return to compete against the strong field of players who have signed up this year," said the 53-year-old.

"While I have not played this tournament for nearly 20 years, I have visited this beautiful city many times during this time. I enjoy the energy of Hong Kong very much, and I always have the best experience when I am there.”

Fellow Englishman Casey also missed the event for two decades before making his return last year, and is back for successive appearances.

Kim produced one of the storylines of the season back in February when he completed his remarkable comeback to pro golf by winning LIV Golf Adelaide in front of a bumper crowd.

The 41-year-old has played numerous events on the Asian Tour as he worked his way back into the pro ranks following a 12-yeart hiatus, and he's been a regular in Hong Kong at both the LIV event and the national open recently.

“I always have a great time playing in Hong Kong and enjoyed my four rounds at the Link Hong Kong Open last year," said Kim. "This year has been unbelievable for me, and I am so grateful to be back playing full time.

"Golf has given me so much and I will give it my all with this second opportunity that has been presented to me. I look forward to catching up with my fans in Hong Kong and showing my appreciation for their support.”

The battle to win the Race To Dubai on the DP World Tour looks set to go down to the wire as Rory McIlroy needs to overhaul Patrick Reed to claim a record-equalling eighth title.

Reed will look to increase his lead of 308 points at this week's Open de Espana with McIlroy not playing in Madrid, but there's plenty of points on offer down the closing stretch of the season.

After neither man played in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship it left just five events remaining on the DP World Tour schedule for the No.1 to be crowned.

McIlroy has won the last four Race To Dubai titles in a row and seven overall - with one more drawing him level with Colin Montgomerie on a magnificent eight.

Collin Morikawa was the last man to stop McIlroy topping the standings, and after a fast start to the season Reed is now looking to become just the second American to claim the title on this side of the Atlantic.

Reed will play one more tournament than McIlroy down the stretch, at the Open de Espana, with the two of them scheduled to face-off at the DP World India Championship before heading into the play-offs.

So where will McIlroy and Reed be playing? How many points are up for grabs and is it just a two-horse race or are there any other contenders? Let's take a look...

Reed v McIlroy - story of the season

Patrick Reed left LIV Golf in January and took up full-time DP World Tour membership - wasting no time in kick-starting his bid to play his way into a PGA Tour return while he served out his suspension.

Reed won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January and the Qatar Masters in February either side of a playoff defeat at the Bahrain Championship to deny him a rare hat-trick of tournament wins.

A T12 at The Masters and T10 at the PGA Championship followed in the Majors before his form cooled off in the summer, aside from a T13 at the Genesis Scottish Open.

He hit back with a T11 at the Omega European Masters before that T2 at the Amgen Irish Open showing he was back in form before injury struck just at the wrong time at Wentworth.

McIlroy's season obviously has all been about going back-to-back at The Masters - but he also finished T7 at the PGA Championship just a month later.

He's played a light schedule but finished strong on the PGA Tour when coming third at the BMW Championship then T4 at the Tour Championship.

A runner-up spot at the BMW PGA Championship gave McIlroy a big boost in points to cut the gap on Reed ensuring that the race to be European No.1 will go down to the wire.

Race To Dubai current standings

What are McIlroy & Reed's schedules?

Reed is playing at the Open de Espana this week where he'll look to increase his lead, but he's not far enough ahead to relax and it looks like the Race To Dubai battle will come down to three head-to-head meetings.

Both McIlroy and Reed are in the field for the DP World India Championship when they'll get to spar once more to try and get the upper hand before heading to the DP World Tour Play-Offs in the Middle East.

There had been some worries over player safety due to the ongoing war in Iran, but both the events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai now look set to go ahead as planned and both men are in the fields.

And looking at the bumper Race To Dubai points up for grabs in those two events then everything could change in heartbeat - so this race really does look like going to the final event.

Can anyone else win the Race To Dubai?

It's far from a two-horse race of course with some bumper Race To Dubai points on offer in the two DP World Tour Play-Off events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that finish off the season.

Eugenio Chacarra is around 300 points behind McIlroy so around 600 off the leader - that's quite a gap he has to close up on, but as we've said the bumper points allocations on offer in the last two events mean big things are possible with big finishes.

There's 1,500 points for the winner in Abu Dhabi and 2,000 for the Dubai champion so winning one of those with the current gap would see him go very close if Reed or McIlroy finish down the field.

Chacarra will also play one more event, as he's in the field for both Spain and India but also the Genesis Championship in Korea - where if he keeps the current gap similar a top-two finish there could make things very interesting heading to the Middle East.

It would take something seriously special for the likes of Aaron Rai or Ryan Fox to make a late bid but they are Major champions so winning one of the big ones would be no surprise.

Race To Dubai points allocations for remaining events