The third Major of the year is upon us and there's plenty to talk about ahead of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

We've got an iconic venue on Long Island but one that's seen controversy the last two times it's hosted America's national open, will the USGA learn from those lessons?

There's history on the line as Scottie Scheffler looks to join the Grand Slam club, but is his game in good enough shape?

Australian iron man Adam Scott is serving up another slice of history while at the other end of the spectrum one of the best college golfers of all time is preparing to start his pro career.

With Rory McIlroy looking to end a long drought in a tournament that arguably suits his game best, there's no shortage of storylines to keep us gripped this week.

Can Scottie Scheffler win the Grand Slam?

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler headlines at Shinnecock Hills as he chases the US Open title that will see him join Rory McIlroy and become the seventh man to win the career Grand Slam.

Although McIlroy joined last year and Jordan Spieth has a chance at the PGA Championship, don't underestimate the size of the task ahead - and why Scheffler will feel that extra weight of history.

Scheffler has already scouted Shinnecock Hills so knows his game will need to be on point - especially his short game and putting which will be key this week thanks to the devlish greens he'll face.

Scheffler's putting is the one chink in his armour in the big events - he ranked 72nd at the PGA Championship at Aronimink in putting and 51st around the greens, if he repeats that he'll have no chance at Shinnecock.

And for Scheffler he's on something of a drought, having 'only' won once this year, back in January, with his current 11 tournament winless run his longest for three years.

He's finished second three times with three other top fives so it's hardly a slump, and it'd surprise nobody if he lifted the trophy on Sunday, but he's clearly not quite at his brilliant best.

Can Rory McIlroy win perfect Major again?

The US Open was Rory McIlroy's first Major way back in 2011 when his game looked absolutely perfect for the test. It still does, and it's incredible to think he's not managed to pocket another one.

McIlroy's driving prowess should make the US Open right up his street, but in the immediate aftermath of his victory at Congressional he perhaps thought it would all come too easy for him.

The Northern Irishman earned just one top 10 and missed four cuts in the next seven US Opens, before the penny dropped about having to be more patient in what is often the toughest of the four Majors.

He then had a run of six straight top 10s including two near misses, in 2023 - chasing home Wyndham Clark in LA and his infamous 2024 meltdown at Pinehurst to allow Bryson DeChambeau to claims victory.

McIlroy's since won back-to-back Masters and is focusing more and more on the Majors, having already scouted out Shinnecock. It could be time for McIlroy to add another US Open to his trophy cabinet.

Will Shinnecock be hero or villain?

The Long Island venue is clearly one of the finest courses in the United States, but it's known more for the controversial last two US Opens at Shinnecock Hills - when the USGA was accused of losing the course.

The greens became borderline unplayable in both events, with Phil Mickelson infamously hitting a moving ball in 2018 while grounds crew had to water the greens during the final round in 2004.

The USGA’s chief championships officer John Bodenhamer has vowed to take a more hands-off approach this year, to "let Shinnecock be Shinnecock" and allow Mother Nature to provide the difficulty.

The fairways are wider than before but the greens remain as tough as you like, so both approach play and getting up-and-down will still be a problem - par will be a good score even without the USGA picking out the worst pin placements.

With strong winds expected organisers won't even have to get too tricky with the flags, and if Shinnecock is allowed to shine on its own this time it'll end up being the hero of the US Open instead of the villain.

Iron man Adam Scott joins rare century club

There's a big milestone being achieved at Shinnecock as Adam Scott makes his 100th consecutve Major appearance - joining Jack Nicklaus as the only men ever to reach three figures.

He's still got some way to go to catch the great man as Nicklaus made 146 consecutive Majors, but becoming just the second centurion is still a huge achievement for the Australian.

Being fit enough to play in 100 straight Majors is one thing, being good enough to get in to 100 straight Majors is something else, but Scott has been an ever present since making his second Open appearance in 2001.

Tom Watson managed 87 straight Majors and Sergio Garcia 86, which gives you an idea of the how tough it is to pile up 100 consecutive appearances in golf's biggest tournaments.

College superstar set to turn pro

One of the highest-rated college stars on record, Jackson Koivun will turn pro after the US Open, so all eyes will be on him at Shinnecock Hills in his last event as an amateur.

The 21-year-old led Auburn to two NCAA Championships in three years, and set all kinds of records in a college career to rival any of the greats

Data Golf had him as the highest rated amateur since it began tracking, and Koivun became the first man to win all three of college golf's top awards (Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus) on multiple occasions.

Now, one of college golf's greatest ever players will tee it up at the US Open before turning pro and hitting the PGA Tour at the Jon Deere Classic. He has a card through 2027 thanks to gaining enough points on the PGA Tour University’s Accelerated program.

He's had to give up a spot in The Open at Royal Brikdale to go pro, but you get the sense he won't have too many problems getting into the Majors in the future. The hype could well be real with this kid.

Although there are still ways to sneak into the fields throughout the season, there are some big names who are currently not in the field for the Signature Events on the PGA Tour this season.

And that means the thorny issue of sponsor invites is sure to be raised again, especially with big names like Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth currently on the outside looking in.

Both men finished outside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings last season, which gains automatic entry into every Signature Event for the 2026 season.

Playing well in upcoming PGA Tour events to get into the Aon Swing 5 or top 30 in the OWGR are both ways into the opening Signature Event at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.

But for big names like Scott and Spieth, sponsor invites will likely be waiting as a safety net.

With $20m prize pots up for grabs in the limited field tournaments, invites into Signature Events are huge deals - and they've cause controversy before for how they're distributed.

When Scott last missed out in 2024 he received five sponsor invites, the same number as Spieth had last year, while Rickie Fowler picked up six last season but made the top 50 this time around.

“I think sponsor invites are for purely who they think they want there, and I’m fine with that,” said Scott, who returned to action at the Sony Open and is playing at The American Express in a bid to play his way into the Pebble Beach field.

Scott will happily take a sponsor invite if it comes his way this year, but although he's applied for one for the Genesis Invitational he won't be seeking a free pass to every Signature Event.

“I didn’t apply for them all the last time, and I won’t be applying for them all this time. It’s not that I’m trying to share the love or expect to get them all, but I’ve got to make some plans. It was hard waiting around to see.”

Players who just miss out on qualifying often complain about sponsor exemptions, but as Scott points out they're down to tournament organisers to hand out.

Four spots in Signature Event fields are available to sponsors to dish out, and no doubt former World No.1 and Masters champion Scott or one of the biggest draws in the game Spieth will be high on the list again.

You'd imagine Brooks Koepka would be a huge draw, but under the terms of his return he is not eligible to receive a sponsor's invite - although he can play his way in.

Among other big names who are not currently in the Signature Events is 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark, who'll also no doubt be in line for an invite should he not qualify beforehand.

Tony Finau is another crowd favourite who is currently not in the Signature Event fields for the year, along with Max Homa who is looking to climb his way back up the rankings after his troubled spell.

Both Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard are outside the qualification spots as it stands while Michael Thorbjornsen's standing will have increased after appearing in TGL.

Gary Woodland has received seven sponsor invites over the last two seasons while another fan favorite currently not involved is Min Woo Lee, who would be a popular choice for an invite.

Big names not in Signature Events

• Adam Scott
• Jordan Spieth
• Wyndham Clark
• Tony Finau
• Michael Thorbjornsen
• Gary Woodland
• Rasmus Hojgaard
• Nicolai Hojgaard also not in Masters
• Max Homa
• Billy Horchel
• Jake Knapp
• Chris Kirk
• Brooks Koepka
• Min Woo Lee
• Marco Penge

It's been a tough year for Cameron Smith but it could have a happy ending after he not only made his first cut but is also right up there in contention at the Australian Open.

Smith was the only man to miss the cut at all four Majors in 2025 and also failed to make the weekend at the PIF Saudi International - there was no official cut at the shortened Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, but if there was Smith would've missed that as well.

The 32-year-old was clearly furstrated when missing the cut again at last week's Australian PGA, which meant he'd gone a year since surviving a cut line, at last year's Australian Open.

And that same event has seen a welcome return to form for Smith, who shot 65 at Royal Melbourne on Friday to finish on seven under - just two shots behind the leaders.

With Adam Scott also on seven under, and Min Woo Lee a shot better off in T3, the big Australian home hopes could give what's set to be a bumper crowd something to really cheer on over the weekend.

For Smith though, who has seen his form dip since joining LIV Golf, he's just happy to make a cut after such a long time struggling for his best golf.

"Really stoked," Smith said after his flawless 65 - containing six birdies and no dropped shots.

"It’s been a while, so I’m happy I’m up there. It was nothing special. I don’t think it was anything different to what I’ve been doing.

"It’s just a few putts went in and the momentum was up and felt really good."

Smith has never won his national championship - with his closest call coming with a playoff defeat to Jordan Spieth back in 2016.

There's been no Australian winner in the last three runnings, but three big hitters are lining up for a challenge - as Smith will play alongside former Masters champion Adam Scott on Saturday.

Scott shot 66 to sit on seven under alongside Smith, with the veteran looking for his second Australian Open title after lifting the trophy in 2009 - he's finished as runner-up three times since.

Min Woo Lee is the closest challenger to leaders Dan Rodrigues and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, sitting just a shot behind after matching Smith's 65 - carding four birdies and an eagle.

And Lee was very much looking forward to laying a challenge down for a first Australian Open title - to complete the set after winning the Australian PGA in 2013.

"It’s going to be unbelievable," said Lee. "I mean, if I keep playing like this, I’ll be pretty happy. Very solid golf, so it’s going to be fun.

"Hopefully make some birdies and not too many mistakes mate."

Australian and current World No. 42 in the Official World Golf Ranking Adam Scott, has enjoyed an incredibly illustrious professional career.

Turning professional in 2000 and gaining his PGA Tour card in 2003, Scott has won 14 events in America. He has also won 11 events on the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour, in that time too.

His most notable victory came at the 2013 Masters, where he beat Angel Cabrera in a playoff, to win his first ever Major title and become the first Australian to secure a Green Jacket.

How Much Money Has Adam Scott Earned?

Up until the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club, Scott's official career earnings are just over $81m according to Sportrac.

Scott's most lucrative season came in 2006, when the Australian made $4,978,858, marginally more than the $4,892,611 he made in 2013 when he won at Augusta.

During that season, he succeeded once on the PGA Tour, at the Tour Championship and once on the Asian circuit. In total, he picked up 14 top tens, with three second places as well.

Scott hasn't won a tournament since the PGA of Australia event, the Cathedral Invitational, in 2023. His last win in America was also a long time ago, at the 2020 Genesis Invitational.

Although lacking in wins over recent years, there is no doubt Scott is good enough to compete at the highest level still and potentially pick up a few more big trophies.

How Scott's earnings compare to rivals:

Scott currently sits seventh in the list of all-time top earners in professional golf and it's unsurprising who is at the top of the list.

Tiger Woods is first, with a staggering $120,999,166, and is followed closely in second by this years Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who has earned $104,967,688 across his career.

Scott isn't the only Australian on the list, with Jason Day in tenth.

Day gained his card five years after his compatriot and has a very similar list of accolades. He has won 13 PGA Tour events and also has one Major to his name, that coming at the 2015 PGA Championship in Whistling Straits.

PGA Tour Top 10 Career Earners:

• 1. Tiger Woods - $120,999,1662
• 2. Rory McIlroy - $104,967,6883
• 3. Scottie Scheffler - $86,352,2844
• 4. Jim Furyk - $71,507,2695
• 5. Vijay Singh - $71,281,2166
• 6. Adam Scott - $69,070,7987
• 7. Justin Rose - $69,060,0608
• 8. Justin Thomas - $68,500,8859
• 9. Jordan Spieth - $65,533,59110
• 10. Jason Day - $63,508,235

Playing in a Major Championship is a defining moment in any golfers career. To compete at them consecutively takes great consistency and skill. Currently, one man has done that far more than any other...

Australian Adam Scott has been a household name on the PGA Tour since he gained his card in 2003. He has 14 wins to his name in America, most notably the 2013 Masters, where he beat Angel Cabrera in a playoff.

Known for having one of the elegant swings in golf, Scott has 96 consecutive Major starts, which is the longest by some way.

This phenomenal record starts way back in 2001, when he came T47 in the 130th Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club. His only previous Major before then was in the same tournament the year previous.

Scott nearly doubles the tally of the player next on the list, Jordan Spieth, who has 49 consecutive Major starts. This dates back to the US Open in 2013 at Merion Golf Club where he missed the cut.

Spieth has found more success in his fewer starts, recording three Major wins in that time. However, the American has not lifted one of the four trophies since his 146th Open success in 2017.

Unsurprisingly, Rory McIlroy is next on the list at 39 weeks. It's hard to have a modern day records list without his name not on it.

After recently securing the grand slam at the 2025 Masters, the Northern Irishman's record began in 2015 at the PGA Championship where he came 17th.

McIlroy competed in 27 Majors before then, 26 of them consecutively. But, the streak was broken at the 144th Open at the Old Course in St Andrews due to rupturing ligaments in his left ankle.

This meant he could not defend the title he won the year previous, where he won by two shots at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, edging out Rickie Fowler and Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia.

Players With The Most Consecutive Major Starts:

• Adam Scott - 96 weeks
• Jordan Spieth - 49 weeks
• Rory McIlroy - 39 weeks
• Matt Fitzpatrick - 38 weeks
• Tyrrell Hatton - 36 weeks
• Tommy Fleetwood - 35 weeks

As a Player Director, Adam Scott was in the privileged position of attending the White House meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The Australian joined PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in the meeting with Trump, who had previously said he could sort out a deal with the Saudi PIF in 15 minutes.

It of course will take a little longer, but Trump's position as US President, his relationships with both sides and his passion for golf can all help accelerate the deal according to Scott.

Trump being invovled could also help with any possible problems arising from the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation into a potential deal to decide if it would cause any antitrust violations.

“It’s just a positive thing that the President of the United States is such a lover of the game of golf and understands some of the challenges facing the professional game at the moment,” Scott told the Golf Channel at the Genesis Invitational.

“Given how things are sitting with the Department of Justice among the professional game, this is all crazy stuff, he’s a lover of the game and hopefully will be very helpful for the professional game and help everybody move forward."

Rory McIlroy also talked about Trump's possible impact after playing golf with the President - saying he was on the PGA Tour's side.

Tiger Woods' involvement has also been crucial, with Trump naturally a big fan, but the President's PIF relationship could also be a big factor.

“The president is passionate about [golf], he owns several golf properties, fabulous destinations around the world," added Scott.

"He has a relationship with Saudi Arabia and the Public Investment Fund. I genuinely think he’s a fan of the PGA Tour, as well, and he’s certainly a fan of Tiger Woods, most people are.

“Given this has been tied up he can be very helpful.”

But it seems Scott's main takeaway from the meeting was how Trump could help with the DOJ investigation, and speed up that process.

It has been ongoing since before Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan made their famous TV announcement, and it could drag on if and when a final deal is signed.

Having the President of the United States involved, obviously, would help hurry up the process.

“The difficult thing for maybe the administrations to understand, why professional golf coming back together, working more harmoniously, let’s say, is not a breech of antitrust or anticompetitive issues. That’s what’s really been looked at,” Scott said.

“Hopefully this can be helped by the president and things can move forward at a faster pace.”

It would be fair to say that LAB Golf has experienced a meteoric rise in the putter industry over the past two or three years, with a growing presence both on global tours and at retail. Now very much among the conversation as some of the best putters in the game, players such as Adam Scott, Lucas Glover, Will Zalatoris, and Richard Bland are just a few of the high-profile names that have decided to “un-torque” themselves and experience the benefits of a truly lie-angle-balanced putter.

The success has been so great in fact, that a number of large, established equipment manufacturers have felt the need to react and respond with their own versions or interpretations of the L.A.B. Golf range. Odyssey Golf has recently released its Square-To-Square range, PXG has produced the Allan putter, and both Evnroll and Bettinardi have dipped their toe into the world of zero-torque putters amongst others.

Today sees the launch of two new L.A.B. models to sit alongside popular putters such as the DF3, LINK.1, and MEZZ.1, designed with significant input from 32-time tour-winner Adam Scott. The OZ.1 collection (from $499) will be available in two models, OZ.1 and OZ.1i, which features the company’s first ever face insert.

The OZ.1 design process started over a drink with Scott, where he offered two important pieces of feedback about the look he was seeking. He has a fondness for the back end of a certain 2021 high-performance German sports car, and that was where L.A.B Golf started with the back of the putter design. On the front side of the putter, Scott asked L.A.B Golf to reimagine one of the most famous mallet putters of all time (you'll have to use your imagination here).

Both putters feature a half-moon, mid-mallet style head that some may find somewhat more digestible than other less traditional offerings within the range, however the ‘i’ of the OZ.1i stands for insert. It features an aluminum body that is mechanically bonded to a fly-milled, medium-depth stainless steel insert to offer a firmer feel and faster ball speeds. Those preferring a softer feel may want to opt for the one-piece, all-aluminum OZ.1

An interesting development is that L.A.B. Golf has introduced a custom option of a 0-degree shaft lean option, which will please many. A number of the current L.A.B. Golf models are only available with a slight forward shaft lean which realistically limits consumers to the company's proprietary ‘Press’ grips that angle back the other way to still facilitate a neutral hand positioning.

Along with the shaft lean, L.A.B. continues to offer an exceptional range of customizable options from the obvious length and lie angle choices, to head weight, color, and alignment markings, making it one of the most genuinely customizable putters on the market.

In honor of Adam Scott’s contributions to L.A.B. Golf, the company has also launched an OZ.1 Special Edition. This limited-edition release is available now for a mere $1,750 and features L.A.B. Golf’s exclusive POLY ROO graphic on the sole, a tribute to Scott’s Australian heritage.

The green putters include a custom L.A.B. Golf x TPT Golf putter shaft with cream-colored graphics, a Seamus Golf headcover with a sheep wool interior, and packaging adorned with 32 L.A.B. Golf logos to celebrate Scott’s tour victories. This release is extremely limited however, so you will need to act fast if you want to get your hands on one.

Since the Presidents Cup was established in 1994, the International Team has generally struggled, with just one victory and one tie against the US, which has taken the title in the match's 12 other editions.

Given that, points tended to be hard to come by among the 72 players who had represented the International Team before the 2024 match.

Six of those - Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith, Emiliano Grillo, Li Haotong, Richard Sterne and Camillo Villegas - have failed to even get off the mark, although the Canadian pair of Conners and Pendrith will get another chance in their homeland at the 2024 edition at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

However, despite the International Team’s struggles in general, other players have fared far better, although only Steve Elkington, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen, Nick Price, Adam Scott, Vijay Singh and 2024 captain Mike Weir have reached double figures.

Of those, two share the lead as the International Team’s highest points scorer – South African Els, who racked up 21 points between 1996 and 2013, and Australian Adam Scott. The pair sit 0.5 points higher than Fijian Vijay Singh, who achieved 20.5 points in eight appearances between 1994 and 2009.

Scott qualified automatically for the 2024 Presidents Cup, meaning he will make his 11th appearance at the match, where another 0.5 points will give him the outright lead among International Team players, albeit after Els reached 21 points in just eight appearances.

Remarkably, in one of those appearances, in 2000, Els even failed to take a point. However, heavy points accumulation in the other seven appearances, including his best haul of four in 2003, helped ensure that after his final appearance in 2013, he held the outright lead, which was finally matched by Scott in 2022.

Scott’s maiden Presidents Cup appearance came in 2003 when he claimed three points as the International Team tied the match with the US 17-17.

He did even better in 2005, with 3.5 points as his team lost 18.5 to 15.5. Two years later, at the venue for the 2024 edition, he accumulated 1.5 points as the International Team lost 14.5 to 19.5

In 2009, Scott won one point  in a 19.5 to 14.5 defeat, before he earned two points as the International Team lost again in 2011, this time by 15-19, while in 2013, he won 2.5 points in an 18.5 to 15.5 defeat.

The International Team came close to victory in 2015, helped by Scott’s two points, but ultimately, it lost yet again, this time by 14.5 to 15.5 points, while in 2017, Scott won just one point as the team suffered a 19-11 defeat to the US.

The US won again in 2019, this time by 16-14 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Scott’s homeland, where he won 2.5 points, before the International Team lost by 17.5 to 12.5 points at Quail Hollow in 2022, when Scott won two points to draw level with Els.

Given the 44-year-old has yet to draw a blank at a Presidents Cup, it would be a surprise if he didn’t move into the outright lead as the top International Team points scorer in 2024.

However, while that would be a big achievement for the Australian, he would still be some way short of the match's overall leading points scorer, Phil Mickelson, who achieved 32.5 in 12 appearances between 1994 and 2017.

After a nervy wait, Adam Scott managed to squeeze into the US Open field after all - meaning he'll keep his remarkable streak of consecutive Major appearances going.

Sergio Garcia was also left with a nervous wait after missing out on qualifying in a playoff, but he also made the final field to extend his own run of consecutive US Opens to 25.

Robert MacIntyre's place was officially confirmed as part of the final six players being named - with amateur Brendan Valdes, Otto Black and Maxwell Moldovan completing the 156-man field.

Scott agonisingly missed out on qualifying for the US Open at Pinehurst after losing a sudden death playoff against fellow Australian Cam Davis in Ohio, meaning he was in big danger of missing his first Major in 23 years.

However, despite slipping to 61 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) Scott has made the US Open field due to the USGA taking Grayson Murray out of the list after his tragic death.

Although he would have wanted to get in by other less tragic means, Scott is in, and he's already arrived at Pinehurst to prepare for his 92nd consecutive Major appearance.

It's an incredible achievement and keeps Scott on track to join Jack Nicklaus as the only two players ever to play in 100 consecutive men's Major championships.

It's hard to see anybody catching Nicklaus' record of featuring in 146 straight Majors, but Scott can now continue his bid to join the great man in the 100 club - as barring injury he's guaranteed to get another three under his belt.

After Pinehurst, Scott has already qualified to play in The Open at Troon and can play every year at The Masters as a past champion, so he'll get to 94 before he has to then worry about next year's PGA Championship at number 95.

The memorable run began at the 2001 Open at Royal Lytham, won by David Duval, with the last Major played without Scott in the field being the 2001 US Open just a month earlier at Southern Hills.

It's by far the longest active streak and just to show how impressive Scott's run is - the next best current streak is held by Jordan Spieth with just 44 consecutive Major appearances.

But it's becoming harder for Scott to continue this run unless his game improves - as he was so close to missing out on Pinehurst this year.

Scott has only had to go through qualifying once before for a Major, successfully bagging a spot via that route for the 2018 US Open - with the former World No.1 always being high enough up in the OWGR to get in.

Defeat by Davis this year though left the 43-year-old sweating as an alternate but also perched right on the bubble at No.60 in the OWGR.

Not playing at The Memorial meant he could not improve his ranking position, but by only dropping down to 61 that meant that with the USGA sadly having to remove Murray from the field list, Scott was the next man in.

Garcia, meanwhile, was just edged out himself in qualifying, but as a first alternate from his Dallas qualifier he was one of four added in to complete the field once all the exemptions were taken up.

The 44-year-od Spaniard will move to 10th on the all-time list of consecutive US Open appearances with his 25th straight showing at Pinehurst - as he managed to come through qualifying to play in LA last year.

And as a positive omen, Garcia's best US Open finish came at this week's venue Pinehurst No.2 back in 2005.

The 2024 men's US Open is taking place at Pinehurst No.2 in just over a week and a whole host of players were confirmed for the field in the final qualifiers.

Some big names competed across North America in ten 36-hole qualifiers including Major champions, tour winners and a number of LIV Golfers. One player to watch was Adam Scott, with the former World No.1 and 2013 Masters champion needing to qualify to keep his incredible 91 Major streak going. However, after 39 grueling holes, he lost to fellow Australian Cam Davis in a playoff. 

That leaves him needing one or two things to go his way between now and next week to have a chance of making it, including retaining his place in the top 60 of the world rankings.

A number of PGA Tour regulars made it through including Daniel Berger, Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Harry Higgs, Aaron Rai, Mark Hubbard, Seamus Power and Brendon Todd, while LIV Golfers Dean Burmester and David Puig also progressed.

While Burmester and Puig made it through, a number of LIV Golfers didn't. Joaquin Niemann came up shy to miss his first Major since the 2020 Masters while Harold Varner III, Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri, Graeme McDowell and Cameron Tringale also missed out.

US OPEN FINAL QUALIFYING: WHO HAS MADE IT

Cherry Hill Club, Ontario:

• Mark Hubbard
• Adam Svensson
• Rico Hoey
• Davis Thompson
• Greyson Sigg
• Aaron Rai
• Ashton McCulloch (a) 

The Bear's Club, Florida:

• Matt Kuchar
• Daniel Berger
• Dean Burmester
• Luke Clanton (a)
• Willie Mack III

The Golf Club of Georgia, Georgia:

•  Jackson Buchanan (a)
• Chris Petefish
• Frederik Kjettrup (a)

Woodmont Country Club, Maryland:

• Tim Widing
• Isaiah Salinda
• Wells Williams (a)

Canoe Brook Country Club, New Jersey:

• Benjamin James (a)
• Max Greyserman,
• Andrew Svoboda
• Jim Herman

Duke University Golf Club, North Carolina:

• Frankie Capan III
• Brian Campbell
• Sam Bennett
• Chesson Hadley
• Webb Simpson
• Carter Jenkins
• Harry Higgs

Ohio State University Golf Club, Ohio:

• Justin Lower
• Seamus Power
• Brendon Todd
• Gunnar Broin (a)
• Chris Naegel

Springfield Country Club, Ohio:

• Zac Blair
• Beau Hossler
• Carson Schaake
• Cameron Davis

• Lake Merced Golf Club, California:

• David Puig
• Omar Morales (a)
• John Chin
• Charles Reiter

Pronghorn Resort, Oregon:

• Joey Vrzch
• Colin Prater (a)

LAST WEEK'S QUALIFIERS:

Hino Golf Club, Japan:

• Ryo Ishikawa
• Riki Kawamoto
• Taisei Shimizu

Walton Heath Golf Club, England:

• Grant Forrest
• Richard Mansell
• Brandon Robinson-Thompson
• Sam Bairstow
• Robert Rock
• Tom McKibbin
• Edorardo Molinari
• Jason Scrivener
• Matteo Manassero

Dallas Athletic Club, Texas:

• Nicolas Echavarria
• McClure Meissner
• Eugenio Chacarra
• Takumi Kanaya
• Francesco Molinari
• Brandon Wu
• Michael McGowan
• Parker Bell
• SH Kim
• Sung Kang
• Logan McAllister

Live updates were from...

Hello and welcome to updates and scoring from the 2024 US Open qualifiers. We have ten active sites where dozens of pros and amateurs are vying for their spot at Pinehurst No.2.

Follow along for the latest updates and news from the Longest Day in Golf!

ADAM SCOTT LEADING

The Australian's streak of 91 Majors is in doubt - but he is currently on his way to Pinehurst No.2.

Scott is eight-under after 26 holes in Springfield, Ohio and currently two clear. There are four spots up for grabs.

DANIEL BERGER LEADING IN FLORIDA

The former World No.12 has had huge injury problems in recent years but he could be on for his first Major in two years.

He's leading at the Bear's Club in Florida, one clear of Matt Kuchar. Five players are progressing there - the course where Rory McIlroy practises and also lives.

BIG NAME LIV GOLFERS GOING WELL

Also at the Bear's Club, Dean Burmester (-4) and Joaquin Niemann (-2) are looking like they'll have great chances to qualify.

See live scoring from the Bear's Club

LIV GOLF'S DAVID PUIG MAKING HEADWAY

There are four places up for grabs at California's Lake Merced Golf Club, and David Puig is going well on four-under in a tie for fifth. 

2023 MASTERS LOW AMATEUR SAM BENNETT LOOKING GOOD

Sam Bennett won plenty of fans at the 2023 Masters with a T16 to win the Silver Cup. He followed that up with a T43 at the US Open, and he's looking good to make it again. He's T6 in North Carolina with seven places available.

STRUGGLES FOR LIV GOLFERS

The likes of David Puig may be fighting hard to make it to Pinehurst No.2, but it's not proving as productive a day for some LIV golfers. Branden Grace and Peter Uihlein have both had enough and withdrawn, while it's touch and go for Harold Varner III, who is currently three shots adrift of the cut line in North Carolina. 

CAN ERIK VAN ROOYEN'S CADDIE REACH THE MAJOR?

Erik van Rooyen's caddie Alex Gaugert would be one of the least likely qualifiers, but he's giving it a good go. He's one behind the projected cut line in the sole Canada event today at six under with just a few holes left to play.

See live scoring from the Cherry Hill Club

A GAMBLE THAT HASN'T PAID OFF FOR LAMPRECHT

Christo Lamprecht had already secured his place thanks to a win at the 2023 Amateur Championship, but he gave up the exemption by turning pro, which left him needing to go through final qualifying. It hasn't worked out. He's 10 shots adrift at The Golf Club of Georgia and almost certainly missing out on a maiden US Open start. 

MORE LIV GOLF HOPE

At Woodmont Country Club in Maryland, there is more LIV Golf interest, with Marc Leishman and Kieran Vincent in the hunt for two of three spots. They're both currently two behind the cut line.

See live scoring from Woodmont Country Club

TOUCH AND GO FOR THE 2012 US OPEN CHAMPION

Webb Simpson won the Major 11 years ago, but his hopes of making it to Pinehurst No.2 rest with the next hour or two. He's playing at Duke University Golf Club in North Carolina, and is -2, just one beneath the cut line heading deep into his second round. 

15-YEAR-OLD NEEDS SOMETHING SPECIAL

Miles Russell is competing at Duke University Golf Club for one of seven spots, but he has some work to do with just a couple of holes to play - he's three off the cut line, although his hopes were lifted by a birdie on the 15th.

PGA TOUR PROS GOING WELL IN OHIO

Justin Lower, Brendon Todd and Seamus Power are all looking good for qualification at Ohio State University Golf Club. There are five spots available there, and they are currently occupying the top three. 

See Ohio State University Golf Club live scoring

HERBERT IN THE MIX

Another LIV golfer vying for a place at the US Open is Lucas Herbert. The Ripper GC player is going along nicely enough at Woodmont Country Club in Maryland, and is currently two shots adrift with seven to play.

MUNOZ ON THE MOVE?

Sebastian Munoz is another LIV Golf player hoping to qualify. The Colombian's best finish at the Major came with a T14 at the 2022 edition. To be in with a chance of bettering that in 2024, he needs to take one of three spots at Woodmont Country Club. With three holes to play he's currently three adrift at -4 and will be looking to rally with a strong finish to have a chance. 

LOOKING GOOD FOR MATT KUCHAR

Matt Kuchar finished T6 at the US Open in 2010, and he's looking for another shot at a maiden Major title. He's part of a strong field at The Bear’s Club in Florida, and he's currently in one of five available qualifying places. He's -6 with seven to play, level with Daniel Berger at the top of the leaderboard, who's back at the clubhouse.

WORK TO DO FOR MCDOWELL

LIV golfer Graeme McDowell won the Major in 2010, but he has some work to do if he's to qualify 14 years on. The Smash GC player is currently even with three to play at The Bear's Club. That leaves him three shy of the projected cut line.

AUSTRALIANS LEADING THE WAY IN OHIO

Adam Scott had the outright lead not too long ago at Springfield, but he's now been joined at the top of the leaderboard by fellow Australian Cam Davis. The pair are on -8 chasing just four places. 

See Springfield Country Club live scoring

THE SCIENCE OF SUCCESS?

A fascinating story is developing at Pronghorn Resort in Oregon as amateur Colin Prater is leading the way. The golf coach and science teacher is closing in on an improbable appearance at Pinehurst No.2, although there's a way to go yet - he still has 14 holes to play. 

See live scoring from Pronghorn Resort

PLAYOFF ON THE WAY FOR NEW JERSEY QUALIFIER

For the Canoe Brook Country Club qualifier in New Jersey, only a few are still left to finish. However, four players - Raul Pereda, Jim Herman, Peter Bradbeer and Michael Miller - are heading for a playoff. One player who doesn't need to worry about that is amateur Benjamin James, whose rounds of 67 and 64 have seen him home at the top of the leaderboard with Max Greyserman. 

NERVY FINISH FOR SCOTT

It had been looking like a 92nd consecutive Major appearance for Adam Scott, but the former World No.1 has been slipping down the leaderboard as his marathon day (which comes immediately after appearing at the RBC Canadian Open) begins to wrap up. He's currently T3 with two others and only two left to play at Springfield - and just four spots available. 

See live scoring from Springfield Country Club

'THE FIRST TIME I'VE WALKED 36 HOLES IN THREE YEARS'

Daniel Berger has struggled in recent years with back injuries, but he looks to have put those issues behind him and is on the cusp of a Pinehurst No.2 place after heading back to the clubhouse top of the leaderboard at The Bear's Club in Florida. Afterwards, he explained to the Golf Channel what his mammoth day had meant to him, and said it had been "the first time I've walked 36 holes in three years."

AMATEURS THRIVING IN FLORIDA

Staying at The Bear's Club, it had a particularly stacked field, with the likes of Daniel Berger, Matt Kuchar, Dean Burmester and Joaquin Niemann all near the top of the leaderboard looking to claim one of the five places. It's been a good day for amateurs there too, though, with three - Luke Clanton, Brendan Valdes and Thomas Ponder - all above the cut line with a playoff looking highly likely.

AGONY AT THE LAST FOR PGA TOUR WINNER

There was joy for Chris Gotterup in May when he won his maiden PGA Tour title at the Myrtle Beach Classic, but there was no repeat of that at Canoe Brook Country Club, where he missed the cut by one - and it was a three-putt at the last that did for him!

JOY FOR JIM HERMAN

A four-for-one playoff involving Raul Pereda, Jim Herman, Peter Bradbeer and Michael Miller at Canoe Brook Country Club eventually saw Herman make it to the Major after he birdied the final playoff hole. The three-time PGA Tour-winning veteran will make his first US Open appearance since 2020. He joins Benjamin James, Max Greyserman and Andrew Svoboda at Pinehurst No.2.

HOPE FOR HIGGS

Harry Higgs was looking for a birdie to give himself a chance of a playoff at Duke University Golf Club and he held his nerve to keep his hopes alive. The American finished T4 at the 2022 PGA Championship but he's yet to appear at the US Open. He  is currently in a seven-way tie for the final spot!

2012 US OPEN CHAMPION SIMPSON BOOKS HIS SPOT

Webb Simpson has been battling for one of seven spots at Duke University Golf Club in North Carolina, and he's booked his place at Pinehurst No.2 thanks to rounds of 67 and 69. He finished T4 at Durham, and joins Chesson Hadley, Sam Bennett, Brian Campbell and Frank Capan III of the players to make it from the qualifier so far. 

THE WAITING GAME FOR ADAM SCOTT

After a shaky few holes, Adam Scott finished on -7 to head to the clubhouse one above the cut line in T3. With players still to finish their rounds at Springfield Country Club, but will it be enough, or is he heading for a nerve-jangling playoff as he looks to extend his run of successive appearances at Majors to 92? We'll know within the hour.

JUSTIN LOWER TO MAKE MAIDEN MAJOR APPEARANCE!

Justin Lower has yet to play in a Major, but that will all change in 10 days after he booked his place at the US Open after finishing top of the leaderboard at Ohio State University Golf Club. He'll be joined by PGA Tour winner Seamus Power.

POWER LEARNS HIS FATE!

Seamus Power joined Justin Lower at the tournament after tying the lead with him at Ohio State University Golf Club. As soon as he birdied his final hole, he checked online to ensure he really was heading to the Major...

AGONY FOR LIV GOLFERS IN MARYLAND!

Multiple LIV golfers were vying for places at the US Open via the Woodmont Country Club qualifier, but Lucas Herbert, Kieran Vincent, Marc Leishman and Sebastian Munoz have all narrowly missed out, leaving Tim Wilding, Isaiah Salinda and amateur Wells Williams to qualify. 

FOUR FACE A PLAYOFF AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY GOLF CLUB

The action has gone to a playoff at Ohio State University Golf Club, with  Brendon Todd, amateur Gunnar Broin, Chris Naegel and Otto Black battling it out for the three remaining spots.

ALL OVER IN CANADA!

There won't be a playoff at the one Canadian venue, Cherry Hill Club, with the seven to make the cut confirmed. Making their way to next week's Major will be Mark Hubbard, Adam Svensson, Rico Hoey, Davis Thompson, Greyson Sigg, Aaron Rai and amateur Ashton McCulloch. Matt Wallace and Keith Mitchell missed out by one.

Here's how the final leaderboard looks

PLAYOFF UNDERWAY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY GOLF CLUB

A 7-for-2 playoff is underway at Duke University Golf Club, and Spencer Oxendine, Harry Higgs, Matt McCarty and Carter Jenkins have made it through the first playoff hole with three eliminated. Onto the second extra hole we go...

TODD GETS OVER THE LINE IN PLAYOFF!

A 4-for-3 playoff at Ohio State University Golf Club has seen Brendon Todd make the US Open with a birdie after the first extra hole. Now it's a 3-for-2 playoff heading to the second extra hole...

HARRY HIGGS REACHES US OPEN!

At Duke University Golf Club, Harry Higgs has made it through the 7-for-2 playoff. He was joined there at the second extra hole by Carter Jenkins, with Matt McCarty, Spencer Oxendine, Ryan Gerard, Satoshi Kodaira and Rhein Gibson either eliminated at that stage or earlier.

BURMESTER MAKES IT!

LIV Golf's Dean Burmester has confirmed his appearance at the US Open after finishing T2 with Daniel Berger at The Bear's Club in Florida. Matt Kuchar finished top, while amateur Luke Clanton also made it, with three others facing a playoff for the final spot.

ALL OVER AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY GOLF CLUB

The Ohio State University Golf Club playoff has concluded after the second extra hole, with amateur Gunnar Broin and Chris Naegel joining Brendon Todd, who booked his slot after the first hole. Otto Black was the player to miss out.

PUIG POWERING ON

Over in California, things are still looking good for LIV Golf's David Puig. The Spaniard is looking to join fellow LIV Golf star Dean Burmester at the US Open, and after 13 holes of his second round, he leads by two in a qualifier with four spots available.

A LIFELINE FOR ADAM SCOTT!

Holy moly! Cam Davis has done his fellow Australian a favor by bogeying his final hole at Springfield Country Club. Had he made par or better, that would have all but ended Scott's chances of qualifying for his 92nd consecutive Major, but it now means he'll be in a playoff for the last of the four slots! Already confirmed as qualified from the contest are Zac Blair, Beau Hossler and Carson Schaake.

WILLIE MACK III BENEFITS FROM VALDES' BRUTAL LIP-OUT!

A marathon session has finally ended after a playoff at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, where Willie Mack III claimed the last of the five available places thanks to a painful lip-out from Brendan Valdes. He'll join Matt Kuchar, Daniel Berger, Dean Burmester and amateur Luke Clanton from the contest.

MORE LIV GOLF NEAR MISSES

Another story from The Bear's Club qualifier is the number of LIV golfers who narrowly missed out. Among them is the circuit's current money list leader, Joaquin Niemann, while Anirban Lahiri and Cameron Tringale also just came up short. For Niemann, it means the US Open will be the only Major he doesn't play this year, after he played in The Masters and PGA Championship, and has already confirmed his place at The Open next month.

ADAM SCOTT AND CAM DAVIS NECK-AND-NECK AFTER FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE

Wow! Adam Scott has chipped in for birdie on the first playoff hole at Springfield against Cam Davis to pile on the pressure. Could he respond? The answer is an emphatic yes, as he too has birdied to take the all-Australian contest to a second extra hole. Which way will it go?

WE'RE HEADING TO A THIRD PLAYOFF HOLE BETWEEN SCOTT AND DAVIS!

Adam Scott is battling hard to keep his long Major streak going in his playoff with Cam Davis, but his 30-foot put for birdie just went left. That left Cam Davis with his own putt for birdie to wrap it up, but he just missed too, leaving the Australians heading back to the 10th for a third extra hole. 

CAM DAVIS EDGES OUT ADAM SCOTT IN PLAYOFF AS LONG MAJOR STREAK LOOKS LIKE ENDING

After the 39th hole of the day for Adam Scott and Cam Davis, it is Davis who has triumphed against the former World No.1 helped by a beautiful second shot hit to within a foot or two of the hole. Scott couldn't get nearly as close, and Davis finished with a birdie as Scott settled for par. 

That almost certainly brings to an end a proud streak of 91 consecutive Majors for Scott, unless the current World No.60 remains that high in the rankings after the Memorial Tournament. The problem? Scott isn't playing in it.

STILL A CHANCE FOR SCOTT

While Cam Davis got the better of Scott in a playoff, the former World No.1's chances of reaching a 92nd consecutive Major aren't quite over just yet. He's first alternate for the US Open, while, as things stand, his world ranking is still enough - just - for him to qualify. Scott is currently World No.60, and he needs to not drop beneath that after the Memorial Tournament to claim his place.

EIGHT DOWN, TWO TO GO

Eight of the final qualifiers are now complete, with only the contests at Lake Merced Golf Club in California and Pronghorn Resort in Oregon to finish. In the first of those, four places are up for grabs, with LIV Golf's David Puig leading the way, while in Oregon, only two places are available. Joey Vrzich is top of the leaderboard at the moment.

'MY LEGS ARE REALLY SORE RIGHT NOW'

Cam Davis and Adam Scott took the notion of Golf's Longest Day to the extreme with 39 holes apiece finally ending with Davis emerging victorious from their 2 for 1 playoff. Afterwards, he described the grueling nature of the occasion to The Golf Channel...

JUSTIN LOWER GIVES EMOTIONAL INTERVIEW AFTER QUALIFYING

Justin Lower came through his qualifier to qualify for his maiden Major, and for the 35-year-old, the enormity of the achievement of reaching the US Open was clear to see as he explained how remembering his late father would be particularly poignant...

NOT TO BE FOR THE 2010 CHAMPION

The dust is beginning to settle on the qualifiers that have been completed, and one of the most notable players to miss out is 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell. The LIV golfer finished two-over for the 36 holes at The Bear's Club, five short of the cut line.

DAVID PUIG QUALIFIES

LIV Golf's David Puig has finished top of the leaderboard in California to qualify for his second US Open. The Spaniard headed back to the clubhouse after rounds of 68 and 64 to book his place. He joins Dean Burmester as the other LIV golfer to qualify today, after Eugenio Chacarra got through in one of three final qualifiers two weeks ago. 

ALL OVER IN OREGON

The two slots have been confirmed in Oregon, with Joey Vrzich reaching his first Major and golf coach and science teacher Colin Prater making it to the US Open after rounds of 68 and 73. 

THE FINAL QUALIFIERS ARE CONFIRMED IN CALIFORNIA

Joining David Puig from the California qualifier are amateur Omar Morales, John Chin and Charles Reiter, which confirms the 44th and final qualifier from today's events. 

That wraps things up for this evening's live blog. Thanks for reading.

Just 10 days before the first round of the third Major of the year, the US Open, players yet to earn a spot at the Pinehurst No.2 event have a last-ditch opportunity in final qualifying.

In total, 10 courses will host the 36-hole events next Monday on an occasion dubbed “golf’s longest day.”

Earlier this month, many players took part in the opening three qualifiers, with stars including Robert Rock, Matteo Manassero and LIV golfer Eugenio Chacarra booking their places, and more big names will be hoping to join them on the last day of final qualifying.

Arguably the highest-profile star competing will be 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott. The former World No.1, who also finished T4 at the 2015 US Open, has played in 91 successive Majors stretching back to the 2001 Open - the longest active streak in the men's game - and is looking to continue that as it edges closer to 100.

There is a chance Scott can confirm his place without needing to go through final qualifying, if he secures a place in the world’s top 60 a week before the event. However, he is currently just two places above the threshold and will be hoping for a strong performance at this week’s RBC Canadian Open to avoid a grueling process at Springfield Country Club in Ohio the day after.

Considering the importance of world rankings, it’s not surprising that LIV Golf stars who have seen their standings fall thanks to the circuit’s inability to offer ranking points feature prominently, too.

There’s even a former US Open winner among them - 2010 champion Graeme McDowell, and he’ll be joined by the likes of 2024 LIV Golf League money list leader Joaquin Niemann and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

Other LIV stars, including Matt Jones, Branden Grace, Peter Uihlein, Marc Leishman, Sebastian Munoz and Harold Varner III, are also set to take advantage of the League’s mid-season break to play.

Many more high-profile stars are also expected to compete, including three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington, former World No.1 and current Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, the man he outmaneuvered in last year’s match at Marco Simone, Zach Johnson, and one of Donald’s team, Robert MacIntyre.

Other big names include Webb Simpson, who won the 2012 US Open, 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink and 2013 PGA Champion Jason Dufner. PGA Tour winners competing include Matt Kuchar, Brice Garnett, Charley Hoffman, Chez Reavie, Ryan Armour, Bill Haas, Luke List, Andrew Putnam, Brendon Todd, Kevin Tway, Jhonattan Vegas, Cameron Davis, Nick Hardy and Troy Merritt.

There was uproar from some players after the announcement that the PGA Tour was in talks over a framework agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund  (PIF) that finances LIV Golf.

One of the main areas of contention was the lack of communication from the PGA Tour with the players on the arrangement, a situation that led to some calls for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to resign. 

However, as the two parties continue discussions over how they could coexist in the future, it appears this time, player directors of the PGA Tour Policy Board will have a say on the future of the elite game. As first reported by Golfweek, players are being encouraged to meet with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan in the coming days. 

That’s something former World No.1 Adam Scott, who is one of the six player directors, hopes comes to fruition, particularly after player involvement in the deal that saw the Strategic Sports Group [SSG] agree a $3bn investment in the PGA Tour in January.

The 2013 Masters champion told AP's Doug Ferguson: “Ultimately the players are some of the vote going into whether a deal will happen or not, just like it was with SSG. With the seriousness of what we’re voting on, I think it is important that we’ve all met no matter what anyone’s feelings are.”

“If PIF thinks it’s beneficial that we meet... as far as getting on with business, yeah, let’s get on with it. I would like to resolve this no matter what the outcome is. And we can all move on.”

After months of uncertainty since the 6 June 2023 announcement over the PGA Tour/PIF talks, there have finally been signs that a positive outcome could be reached. Before this week’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, Monahan revealed that talks negotiations were “accelerating.”

He said: “I recently met with the governor of the PIF, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and our negotiations are accelerating as we spend time together. While we have several key issues that we still need to work through, we have a shared vision to quiet the noise and unlock golf's worldwide potential.

"It's going to take time, but I reiterate what I said at the Tour Championship in August. I see a positive outcome for the PGA Tour and the sport as a whole."

One player who had been on the PGA Tour Policy Board is Rory McIlroy, but he resigned in November, with Jordan Spieth taking his place. The pair have been at odds over the importance of a deal, with the two even engaging in an hour-long phone call to discuss their differences of opinion after Spieth claimed at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am that a deal with the PIF may not be needed. 

However, Spieth confirmed during his press conference after becoming one of the big names to miss the cut at TPC Sawgrass that talks between the player directors - which also includes the hugely influential Tiger Woods - and the PIF are imminent. He said: “We are being encouraged to potentially meet with them at some point, yeah."

He continued: "I'm not sure that I can say much more other than we're being encouraged to potentially meet with them, but at the same time we probably feel like our membership should know timing and what could happen and, just in general, maybe it's just a meet.

"I think there's not a whole lot more I can say about that, but we are being encouraged obviously which I think is probably a good thing and the entire board should if there's going to be any potential for a negotiation."

Days after an inspired Nicolai Hojgaard claimed the DP World Tour Championship title, the 2024 schedule begins with two events – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and Joburg Open in South Africa.

The former takes place at Royal Queensland Golf Club and is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia, with 3,000 Race to Dubai points available as the challenge to reach next year’s season closer at Dubai’s Earth Course begins.

Last year, a purse of AUD $2m was available (approximately £1.05m or $1.31m), as Cameron Smith delighted the home fans to claim a winner’s cheque of AUS $340,000, and the LIV Golf player is back in his homeland for the chance to compete for an identical sum this year.

That will be the first prize money awarded of a record $148.5m for the 2024 season. The season will be separated into three phases, beginning with The Global Swings phase. That is in five sections, starting with the Opening Swing, which features six tournaments in Australia and Africa.

As well as the prize money for individual tournaments, there’s a $200,000 bonus to the winner of each of the five swings, while there’s another $1m to be shared between the 10 leading players at the conclusion of the phase. 

For now, players will be focused on the task at hand, namely getting their hands on a trophy and the AUD $340,000 prize money payout. The runner-up will earn AUD $220,000.

Below is the prize money payout for the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship.  

Fortinet Australian PGA Championship Prize Money Payout

Who Are The Star Names In The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship?

The player to beat is Cameron Smith. The 2022 Open champion moved to a career-high World No.2 following that win at St Andrews and would have likely enjoyed a spell at the summit by now if not for his move to LIV Golf.

The Australian has had a successful season on the circuit, with two wins to finish runner-up in the individual standings behind Talor Gooch. In 2022, he claimed a hat-trick of Fortinet Australian PGA Championship titles with a three-shot win over Jason Scrivener. Can he make it four here?

Smith’s LIV Golf Ripper GC teammates Jediah Morgan and Marc Leishman also play while another high-profile Australian in the field is World No.44 Cameron Davis.

Another local hero participating is Adam Scott, who has had a stint as World No.1 and has won the event twice. He is looking for his first win since the 2020 Genesis Invitational.

Other big names include Adrian Meronk, Robert MacIntyre, Min Woo Lee and Ryo Hisatsune, who were among 10 DP World Tour players to earn a PGA Tour card for their efforts in the previous season.

Alex Fitzpatrick, who finished T17 at the 2023 Open, two-time DP World Tour winner Eddie Pepperell, Rafa Cabrera Bello, who has four wins on the Tour, and LIV Golf players Mito Pereira and Joaquin Niemann also appear.

The Open Championship is one of the most historic tournaments in sport, with the event founded in 1860. Originally, it was held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, before being staged at some of the best golf courses the British Isles has to offer.

Not only does it bring the world's best together, but The Open has also created some of the most memorable moments in golf. Some are positive but a lot of them involve players trying to hold on coming down the stretch, something which, understandably, is hard to do. So, bearing this in mind, we have taken a look at the five worst Open chokes...

Jean Van de Velde, Carnoustie, 1999

Standing on the final tee, journeyman French golfer, Jean van de Velde, led The Open Championship of 1999 by three shots. What followed was the worst Open golf choke ever. “Here was a man who had a golf tournament won,” reflected Jack Nicklaus “and mentally and strategically played a hole so badly that it cost him the golf tournament.”

Van de Velde had won only once before on Tour - Roma Masters in 1993. This was one of the less prestigious events on Tour, with below-average prize money not drawing the best players and, consequently, it survived only two years as a European Tour event.

On the 487-yard par 4 of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie, Van de Velde took out his driver. Two of the three previous times he played this hole, he had made birdie; the other time it was par. Now, even a double bogey would see him home.

A wayward drive went over the burn on the right of the fairway, but found land. Rather than chip back on to the fairway and play to the green with his third shot, he went for the green with his 2-iron. This shot hit the greenside grandstand which, in itself would not normally have been a problem, as he would be given a free drop. However, the ball hit a rail on the grandstand and ricocheted back from it. That was bad break number one.

From there, the ball rebounded onto the stone wall of the Barry Burn and then bounced up and 50 yards backwards into knee-deep rough - bad break number two. With a third shot hacked out of the rough, he dumped the ball into the Barry Burn and, in comical fashion, Van de Velde followed the ball, having taken off his shoes and socks, before rolling up his trousers as he contemplated playing out of the water.

Sense soon prevailed and he took a drop. Now he needed to get up and down to win. His fifth shot went into a greenside bunker and, as he splashed out to six-feet, he managed to hole the putt to at least salvage something in that this left him in a three-way play-off. He ended up losing this to Paul Lawrie.

For a television advert for a putter, Van de Velde returned to Carnoustie that winter to replay the hole using only this putter to see if he could do it in the six shots he had needed. He did so at the third attempt.

Adam Scott, Royal Lytham & St. Annes, 2012

Australian Adam Scott had led at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in The 141st Open from the end of the first round until, well, virtually the very end. Standing on the 15th tee for the last time, in the final pairing, he was four shots clear, but he bogeyed these final four holes to let Ernie Els in to win his fourth Major.

At one stage on that final day, Els had been seven shots behind Scott, but the South African stormed through the back-nine in four-under-par. At the time, Scott was standing at 10-under par, one over for his round after 14 holes on Sunday, but he missed putts for par on 15 and 16. The one on 16 was from five-feet.

"The putt on 16 was huge for him to miss that," said Graeme McDowell, who was playing with Scott. As Scott was walking to his drive on the 17th, he heard a roar from the 18th; Els had just made birdie to finish on seven-under.

Striking his approach, Scott sent his 6-iron from 176 yards into the rough where it nestled down. "He hit a great drive down the middle of 17, and had half of England right of that pin, and he missed it left," recalled McDowell.

"I turned it over into the 17th," Scott said. "It wasn't a good shot." As Els admitted later, he was now hoping that he might make a play-off, just so long as Scott did not match Els’ birdie on the last. If Scott made par, Els and he would go to extra holes.

Scott hit his drive on 18 into a pot bunker. He chipped out and hit his approach to the par 4 to 12ft. He now needed to sink that 12ft putt to force a play-off with Els. He missed it left.

"I'm very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week I really shouldn't let this bring me down," said Scott in his post-round interview. "I know I've let a really great chance slip through my fingers today, but somehow I'll look back and take the positives from it. I am just numb at the moment."

Thomas Bjorn, Royal St George’s, 2003

When seeking putative Open chokes in the making at Royal St George’s in 2003, it would have been hard to know just where to look. It seemed to be that everyone who was getting close to winning had second thoughts about it.

Prime contender for one of the worst Open chokes would have been Ben Curtis. The 750-1 longshot had shot six-under in the first 11 holes on the final day, but then dropped four strokes in the next six. However, by sinking a 12ft putt for par on the final hole, he had at least made himself the clubhouse leader.

That hoover-up of Major titles, Tiger Woods, was hunting down another one before he dropped shots at the 15th and 17th to finish two shots off the title. Vijay Singh came up one shot short having also dropped shots down the stretch, but the man who suffered one of the biggest Open chokes was Thomas Bjorn. 

Bjorn had a three-shot lead with four holes to play. On the 15th though, his tee shot rolled into a pot bunker, from which he was forced to chip out sideways. A bogey was the eventual result. He again found a bunker from the tee on the par-3 16th, when the ball rolled off the green. Escaping from the sand, the ball landed on the green - and rolled back into the bunker. He tried again, and the result was identical.

Minutes later he was walking off with a five on his scorecard and was now only joint leader for The Open with clubhouse leader Curtis. On the 17th, he drove into the rough, and his approach fell short of the green. His chip went beyond the flag leaving him a 6ft putt for par. He missed it.

“When he got that bogey, I knew we had won,'' said Curtis' caddie, Andrew Sutton. Bjorn now had to birdie the final hole to force a play-off. Only one man had birdied that final hole all day and, when Bjorn made par on 18, it meant he had lost out on becoming the Champion Golfer of the Year by one stroke.

That 17th hole had been the undoing of Bjorn in more ways than one. Earlier in the tournament, in his frustration at his failure to escape the bunker, he slammed his wedge down in disgust thus incurring two penalty strokes for grounding his club. Two year years later, Bjorn stood on the 17th tee at K Club jointly leading the European Open. He took 11 on the hole and finished in 33rd position.

Leo Diegel, Royal Liverpool, 1930

Leo Diegel began caddying aged 10 and, seven years later, in 1916, won the Michigan Open. In 1920, he played in his first US Open and finished runner up, with Diegel securing two Majors in a career that was cut short by a shoulder injury. 

Both of these were in matchplay tournaments - the 1928 and 1929 USPGA Championship, with Diegel finishing in the top-10 eight times at the US Open or The Open, the only two strokeplay Majors during most of his career. 

Leo Diegel was an excellent striker of the ball, but he could struggle on the green. After some experimenting, he developed a way of putting which dampened his chance of calamity. He used an extra-long putter, a forerunner of the belly putter, which he pressed to his waist during the stroke. When he putted, he crouched over the ball, with his elbows jutting out so that his forearms pointed in a straight line parallel to the target.

His style caused much comment, but it had a lot to recommend it. He crouched so low that he looked straight down on the ball and a twist of head meant he looked straight down the target line. When the stroke was played with a pendulum motion, it is hard to twist the putter face out of perpendicular during the stroke.

Diegel’s Open golf choke came in the 1930 tournament. On the final green he had a tiddler to knock in for par and a share of the lead. Bernard Darwin described what happened as: “Finally he laid his putt apparently stone-dead in three at the ‘Home’ hole and missed the putt by the widest possible margin”.

Later, the notion took hold that Diegel had missed the ball altogether, that an attack of the yips caused him to whiff the ball; that is, play an air shot. These days there would be definite proof by way of television pictures, but then, there was just eye-witness accounts, reportage and anecdote.

In Golf Between Two Wars, Darwin said that Leo had utterly failed to hit it, which was interpreted that Diegel had actually missed the ball, a horrendous case of the yips if so. But, of course it could just mean that Diegel had not committed to the shot, and badly mis- or under-hit it.

Air shots at The Open are not unknowns, Hale Irwin missed a tap in from three inches in The 1983 Open. This cannot be classified as a Open Golf choke for our list, however, as it was in the second round, and a result of carelessness. Why Irwin’s is so well remembered, is that it cost him his chance of the title as he finished one shot behind winner Tom Watson. Had he made that 3-inch tap-in two days earlier, he would have been in a play-off with Watson.

Doug Sanders, St Andrews, 1970

Having saved par from the bunker on the Road Hole, Doug Sanders stood on the 18th tee of the 1970 Open holding a one-shot lead. His drive from the tee was long and took him to within 75 yards of the green.

He knew the distance to the green as he had paced it out before playing his approach shot, but this shot was over-hit, coming to rest at the back of the green and leaving him a downhill putt.

This putt came up three-feet short, with the resulting putt meaning that, if it dropped it would win The Open. He took a long time reading the putt, and then settled down to play the shot. At address, he then he stopped to flick a bit of debris off the line.

The watching Ben Hogan said under his breath: "Back away, back away," but, rather than walk away and re-start his pre-shot routine, Sanders played and pushed it right. "I never got set," Sanders admitted afterwards. 

This took him into an 18-hole play-off with Jack Nicklaus, who went on to win the seventh of his 18 Majors. Sanders’ choke meant he settled for his fourth runner-up finish in a Major, and the second time at The Open.

Sanders was born into a poor family, picked cotton as a youth and was self-taught as a golfer. "If I had made that putt, all the endorsements, the clothing lines, the golf-course designs," Sanders reflected later in life on his Open golf choke. "It's like buying a lottery ticket worth $200 million and then dropping it in the can and watching the numbers wash away. I felt like I cheated myself. But measure my worth in friendships and I'm rich. This game has given me the opportunity to play golf with presidents and kings."

In 2000, on the 30th anniversary of his Open Golf choke, Sanders told an interviewer: “It doesn't hurt much anymore. These days I can go a full five minutes without thinking about it.”

As things stand we are in the middle of a proposal to bring in a Model Local Rule (MLR) which would allow tournament organisers to use golf balls that have been tested under modified launch conditions to curb the impact of distance in the game.

In short, golf balls that conform must not exceed the current Overall Distance Standard limit of 317 yards (plus three yards tolerance) with a clubhead speed of 127 mph, 11 degrees of launch, and 2,200 rpm of spin. It's thought that drives would be reduced by around 20-25 yards.

Adam Scott is the chairman of the Player Advisory Council on the PGA Tour and he has already stated that there will likely be some pushback from the membership on a potential rollback. The 42-year-old was speaking on The Smylie Show podcast and he had a lot of interesting things to say about the driver, rather than the golf ball.

"The golf romantic in me likes the idea of bringing it (the ball) back. I'm just not sure throwing a blanket just on the golf ball is really the way to do it and I don't really love bifurcating either.

"It's not just the ball that goes long. We've chased distance, tees going way back and they're asking us to hit it further and guys have found ways to do that. It's kind of the chicken-and-egg thing but we can't have 800-yard holes and we've got to stop somewhere," the 42-yea-old explained.

"The biggest fundamental change in the game since I’ve been a pro is traditionally the driver has been the hardest club to hit in the bag, and now it’s the most forgiving. And, that’s the biggest evolutionary change in the golf bag to me, out of the equipment.

"The ball is the ball. But the driver went from the hardest club to hit to now the most forgiving and the go-to club for guys if they are nervous. The penalty for missing a driver just isn’t high enough any more, in my opinion, at the top level. I’d like to maybe address that first and see what knock-on effects that has. If guys want to swing at it 130mph, with a tiny driver head, then good luck.”

The Australian's first year as a pro was in 2000 which coincided with the advent of the Pro V1 and the 2013 Masters winner looks back on that time as being a watershed moment in the game.

"I'm probably the last of the guys who turned pro using a Balata wound ball and, towards the end of my first year as a pro, the Pro V1 was introduced and that was really kind of a revolutionary ball. All the other manufacturers spent a few years trying to catch up to where the Pro V1 was, that was a huge advantage if you were a Titleist player at that time as it was clearly a better golf ball.

"The distance thing started happening around that time, much more calmly for quite a few years and, over the last 10 years, it's kind of exploded. We've seen a few guys push the limits a few times, going back to Rory McIlroy in 2013-14, all of a sudden he had bulked up with speed and was launching drivers.

"Then Bryson (DeChambeau) a few years ago when he went crazy and just pushed it even further. I also see the younger kids and Gordon Sargent is the best example, they have this easy speed in the 190s which is so wild. We're becoming better athletes and we shouldn't stop that."

Manufacturers and golf stakeholders are able to provide feedback until August 14 2023 and, if adopted, the proposal would take effect in January 2026.

How To Watch Genesis Scottish Open Live Stream 2023

Rory McIlroy, who has not won in Scotland in his career, leads going into the final round by one a shot after a three-under par third-round. He was four under after 11 holes but, in his own words, “made that first bogey on 12 and it was a little scrappy coming in from there.”

It is congested at the top of the leaderboard with 17 players within 5 shots of the lead. There is a competition-within-a-competition in that the final three qualifying places for The Open will go to the three highest finishers at the Genesis Scottish Open who have not already qualified. Eric Cole and Byeong Hun An lead the chase for these places.

To make sure you miss none of the action, below are all the streaming and broadcast details on how to watch a Genesis Scottish Open live stream from wherever you are, as well as today's tee times.

The Genesis Scottish Open boasts a stellar field including defending champion Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Jordan Spieth. Eight of the world’s top-10 ranked golfers will be playing with only Jon Rahm and LIV Golf’s Cam Smith absent. The field also includes the current US Open champion, and world number 11, Wyndham Clark, and past Major champions Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Adam Scott.

The Genesis Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. This, allied to it being played the week before the Open Championship with a prize fund of $9,000,000, has attracted many top golfers from the US circuit.

It is a modern course on the East Lothian coast adjacent to Muirfield, designed by American Tom Doak. It opened in 2008, and was extensively remodelled a few years later. Built with the intention of attracting top professional events, it has been home to the Scottish Open since 2019, and has also hosted the 2017 Scottish Senior Open and the Ladies Scottish Opens of 2019 and 2020.

The course is “packed with variety, originality and wow-factor,” according to our reviewer Rob Smith. Although not a true links course, it does blend aspects of links and inland golf, as it runs through and beside ancient pine woodland, along cliffs and over drystone walls. It opens with several holes carved through the forest before heading towards the Firth of Forth where the best holes are found around the turn.

If you're looking for a Genesis Scottish Open live stream, the article below will tell you how to watch the latest tournament from the DP World Tour.

UK TV Schedule – How To Watch Genesis Scottish Open Live Stream

All times BST

Thursday, July 13: 8am-6.30pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, July 14: 8am-6.30pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, July 15: 7am-2pm (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, July 16: 7am-2pm (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking to sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Genesis Scottish Open Live Stream Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else but you won't be able to tune into your regular streaming service if you're away from home because of geo-blocking. Fortunately, VPNs allow you to tune in from abroad and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule – How To Watch Genesis Scottish Open Live Stream

All times EDT

Thursday, July 13: 8.30am-12.30pm (Golf Channel)

Friday, July 14: 8.30am-12.30pm (Golf Channel)

Saturday, July 15: 4am-6am (Golf Channel)

Sunday, July 16: 4.30am-6.30am-12pm (Golf Channel) 

NBC's Golf Channel will televise the action from the Genesis Scottish Open. If you already have the Golf Channel as part of your cable TV package, then you're all set.

No cable? No problem. Try a cord-cutting TV service such as fuboTV ($74.99), AT&T TV Now ($80/m) or Sling ($51/m) to watch the Golf Channel. There are no long contracts with these services. You can try them and cancel whenever you've had enough. FuboTV has a 7-day free trial.

For Sling you'll need the Sling Blue package plus the Sports Extra add-on which usually has a very reasonable introductory price for your first month. Again, just cancel when you're done.

Australia TV Schedule – How To Watch Genesis Scottish Open Live Stream

All times AEST

Thursday, July 13: 5pm-3.30am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Friday, July 14: 5pm-3.30am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Saturday, July 15: 7.30pm-5am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, July 16: 7.30pm-5am Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from North Berwick here, it also has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also good value at either $25 for Kayo One, $30 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 7-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favourite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their Tour live stream of choice.

Genesis Scottish Open tee times and pairings: Round 4

Leading players’ tee times (in PT/ET/BST/AEST) and scores:

* = not currently qualified into this year’s Open Championship

• 12.02am/3.02am/8.02am/5.02pm Xander Schauffele (-7), Tyrrell Hatton (-8), Sebastian Soderberg* (-8)
• 12.13am/3.13am/8.13am/5.13pm Joakim Lagergren* (-8), David Lingmerth* (-8), Robert MacIntyre (-8)
• 12.24am/3.24am/8.24am/5.24pm Max Homa (-9), Harry Hall (-9), Tom Hoge (-9)
• 12.35am/3.35am/8.35am/5.35pm Byeong Hun An* (-10), Scottie Scheffler (-10), Shane Lowry (-10)
• 12.46am/3.46am/8.46am/5.46pm JT Poston (-10), Eric Cole* (-10), Brian Harman (-11)
• 12.57am/3.57am/8.57am/5.57pm Tommy Fleetwood (-11), Tom Kim (-12), Rory McIlroy (-13)

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example

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Min Woo Lee's season is going from strength to strength though his success at last week's US Open has come at a price, of sorts.

The Aussie was all set to go from LA Country Club to this week's KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol where his sister, Minjee, is going for her third Major.

Everything was all sorted and then a closing 67 in Hollywood saw him into a tie for fifth with Tommy Fleetwood and Rickie Fowler and the top 10 gave him a spot in this week's designated event at the Travelers where he began his week with a 66.

His friend Adam Scott spurred him on with the offer of a place on his private plane if he made it into the top 10 and so Lee made his way to Connecticut rather than New Jersey.

"Yeah, I was supposed to go. Everything was booked. Booked a house and media stuff, too, for this week at the KPMG, and obviously ended up top 10ing into this tournament. Sorry, sis. Had to come play here. She's probably happy. I annoy her too much."

In an interview with Golf Monthly we asked Lee how the siblings differ and who takes after who?

"If we had a hybrid of both of us it would be pretty special, mum and dad should have made another baby! My sister is very level-headed and doesn’t get emotional, she hits every shot good, she’s like a robot and then she holes the putts. I try to make golf fun for myself and you can see the emotion and you can tell how I’m playing whereas with my sister you wouldn’t know if she was 10 under or 10 over," Lee explained.

"Off the course I’m more like my dad and my sister is more like my mum. I'm like a lot of younger brothers where the older sister gets annoyed. Our mum, Clara Lee, was a golf pro and we would go and hang out while she was teaching and learn a little bit like that. She was on the Korean tour and then we moved to Australia before my sister was born."

Lee is now moving in elevated company these days and he's now up to 49th in the world. He now has special temporary membership on the PGA Tour and his star is on the up.

"There was a bit of pressure just after The Players because I just missed out by a shot (on the temporary membership) or something like that. After I got it, it was fine. Nothing really has changed. Still trying to have fun and enjoy it, and just really I guess the only thing that's changed is my golf ball. When it did get windy I did struggle, so we had to look at options with my golf ball.

"I changed, and ever since then it's been pretty solid, since PGA. I changed just at the beginning of the PGA Major and I just ended up playing good, so it was a really good change."

Denny McCarthy very nearly pulled off the most remarkable finish to a round of golf and join a very exclusive club of golfers who have broken 60 on the PGA Tour.

The 30-year-old came to the 9th hole (his 18th) at TPC River Highlands, scene of Jim Furyk’s 58 in 2016, needing an eagle to post the magic number and he came within inches of it. To date there have been 11 59s on the PGA Tour along with Furyk's 58.

On the dogleg closing hole McCarthy struck a 7-iron that caught the edge of the green and took the break towards the hole. For one moment it looked like it was going to drop but it missed the hole by fractions before running to five feet – McCarthy holed the putt for the 60 and a two-shot lead over Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley at the Travelers Championship.

His 60, which was 10-under on the card, consisted of two nines of 30. His day began with four straight birdies, there would be another at the 6th, and his front nine began with a hat-trick of birdies. That took him to eight-under, another birdie followed at the 6th and then came the closing three which was so nearly a two.  

“I had 170 (yards) to the hole. Wind was supposed to be a puff in off the right and I wasn't feeling much. Could have just been just like a good hit 8-iron. I had been hitting a nice little cutty shot all day with mid-irons, so I just gripped down on a 7-iron and I was trying to cut in there, and just leaked it a little, saw it kick, and couldn't see the rest,” explained McCarthy.

“We were just going off the crowd's reaction at that point. Obviously it came pretty close to going in. In the air I wasn't expecting it to be anywhere close to going in but obviously it was exciting that it had a chance. I wasn't thinking it was going in but obviously the crowd made me think otherwise.”

Scott was nine-under when his approach found the water at his 17th hole while Bradley went out in 29 en route to his opening round of 62. The shot of the day came from Rory McIlroy who holed-in-one at the 214-yard 8th as he began with a 68. It was his first ace on the PGA Tour and his second as a pro after making one in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

McCarthy, who is yet to make his breakthrough on the PGA Tour, added that he fancied a low one from on a course that he enjoys.

“I felt positive from the second I woke up this morning. Everything just kind of clicked. It was gettable. We've played some hard golf courses the last few weeks. My last two events have been US Open and Memorial, so coming into a place that doesn't quite beat you up as much, it's a little bit of a mindset change.

“The back nine here is one of my favourite nine holes on Tour. It's very risk-reward. If you're playing well you can shoot 5, 6-under; if you're not playing well it can beat you up. I like the back nine a lot so I came out firing and was playing really well to start. I was just out there playing golf. Patton (Kizzire) is a good friend of mine so it was a nice comfortable pairing. We were talking down a lot of fairways. I was just kind of just playing a round of golf with the buddies and playing really freely.”

Adam Scott is one of the PGA Tour’s most senior players and is chairman of the Player Advisory Council. However, even with that status, he has admitted that he feels “in the dark” about details surrounding the Tour’s merger with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The Australian is preparing to play in this week’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, but before that, a player meeting was held where the deal that shocked the golf world was the subject of discussion.

That followed a similar meeting immediately after the announcement, which was held before the RBC Canadian Open earlier in the month. On that occasion, there were reportedly calls for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to resign. However, this time, Scott admitted it had been a less volatile affair.

He said: “I think the player meeting went well last night from where the player meeting was two weeks ago. I think some of the emotions have cooled.”

Still, he admitted that there could be some way to go before clarity on the future direction of the elite game is forthcoming. He continued: “There are still lots of questions to be answered because we really only have this framework that was announced. So although that seems fairly simple, I think the deal sounds quite complex and this could take a long time.”

When LIV Golf, which is financed by the PIF, was recruiting players from the PGA Tour, Scott appeared reluctant to dismiss the possibility of moving to the big-money circuit. Even as far back as September, he said it was not “pure evil.” However, his appointment to the PAC in January closed the door on the likelihood of him joining.

Nevertheless, the Australian admits his decision to remain on the PGA Tour has left him plenty to process with the likelihood of LIV Golf players who want to return to the Tour being allowed to: “I'm caught up emotionally because I stayed on the PGA Tour and this looks… and it was put to us that if we left we were never coming back, and it seems there is going to be pathways back,” explained Scott.

“You know, eventually we'll find out if that's the best for the game and how we feel. So I have some emotions about that, but kind of time often plays a big part in these things so see how it advances.”

Scott then admitted he felt “left in the dark” on the plans and revealed plenty of players still need questions answering. He said: “Some emotions are stirred up, and I think you can't help but feel - you can't help but feel left in the dark even though I don't expect to run the PGA Tour and them to run everything by me.

“It was just sooner than maybe anybody thought. That's all. I think, yeah, things have calmed down and things were more calm in the meeting yesterday. Guys still have tons of questions. Hopefully they're answered in time.”

'I'm On The Outside Looking Into The Playoffs'

Scott is currently 82nd in the FedEx Cup standings, 12 lower than the position he needs to reach the season-ending playoffs, and he admits he wants to make the most of the upcoming tournaments. 

He said: "I'm on the outside looking into the playoffs at the moment, so really want to take advantage of every start I have and certainly this week with a strong field, moving into kind of the summer of golf which finishes our season."

The 2013 Masters champion has three top-10 finishes this season, but he missed the cut at the US Open, and hopes to out that behind him this week. He continued: "Yeah, brushing off last week, I just didn't play well, but I've been playing well certainly the last couple months since the Masters, and that's where my top 10s came recently.

"Last week was a little bit of a surprise. But, it can happen at Majors and certainly U.S. Open. But I have to brush that off and come in here."

The 2023 Travelers Championship is the final designated event of the PGA Tour season and will take place this week at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Due to its elevated status, 14 of the top 20 ranked golfers in OWGR are set to compete in an absolutely loaded field. TPC River Highlands consistently delivers a great atmosphere from its fans, but it also will feature way more red scorecards than we saw during the U.S. Open at LACC during Wyndham Clark’s win this past weekend.

DFS slates will once again have a ton of value to acquire on the lower salary brackets, as well as offering up plenty of blue-chip prospects to insert into lineups, albeit at a premium. Two of our recommended plays last week, Tommy Fleetwood (T5) and Wyndham Clark (1st), provided a significant return on investment, which we love to see. While others, like Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koepka, made the cut but couldn’t put together a complete round. Adam Scott missed his first cut, and Max Homa, who was a trendy pick due to setting a course record at LACC during his collegiate career, also joined Scott with a missed cut. Overall, it was a mixture of good and bad results, so we’ll attempt to piece together stronger overall lineup suggestions at the Travelers Championship this week.

TPC River Highlands has small Poa Annua and bentgrass greens, measuring 12 feet on the Stimpmeter and 5,000 square feet on average, rewarding ball strikers. It also has tough scrambling conditions and more water hazards than we’ve seen at recent events, alongside four-inch Bluegrass rough in the penal areas flanking tree-lined fairways. Players with hot putters are always a commodity, but inserting a prospect who is dominant off-the-tee, tee-to-green, and around the green will net just as much production in DFS lineups this week. 

Let’s get into six of my favorite players to target when constructing DraftKings and FanDuel PGA lineups ahead of Thursday’s opening round at the 2023 Travelers Championship.

Before we get into our Travelers Championship DFS Picks and Targets, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 Travelers Championship selections this week.

DRAFTKINGS $50,000 MAXIMUM SALARY

Viktor Hovland ($9,900)

My favorite blue-chip prospect at this elevated event is Viktor Hovland, who recently just secured his first outright win at the Memorial Tournament, another designated event. The 25-year-old Norwegian is ranked 17th or better in strokes gained approaching the green, tee-to-green, and off-the-tee while ranking fourth in total driving. He’s improved his putting ability, which led to his outright win at Muirfield, but his salary is cheap for a top prospect on DraftKings due to his quiet 19th-place finish at even par during the U.S. Open. Hovland logged a T11 finish during his last appearance at TPC River Highlands in 2021, so don’t miss out on the bounce-back from one of the outright betting favorites this week.

Harris English ($7,700)

Harris English won the 2021 Travelers Championship, and he’s been playing excellent golf lately, logging finishes of T3, MC, T12, T52, and T8, entering Thursday’s first round at TPC River Highlands. English is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour this season, ranking 14th in strokes gained putting while sinking 18 birdies during the U.S. Open last week en route to a T8 finish. While he is lacking in other areas, English is 29th in strokes gained around the green and ranks 30th in scrambling, which will be a massive skillset to possess at a course that is more difficult than normal when it comes to saving par after missing the greens. At a mere $7,700 salary, English is an automatic insert into DraftKings lineups this week, especially at a course where he’s comfortable, securing the outright win in 2021 and finishing T19 in 2022. 

Brian Harman ($7,500)

I’ve been favoring Brian Harman more in DFS contests lately, and he has not disappointed. Harman has yet to secure an outright win at TPC River Highlands, but the Georgia native has four T10 finishes in his last five appearances at Travelers, plus he’s coming off of a 14-birdie outing at the U.S. Open. Yes, he’s averaging just 59.3 FPPG this season, but Harman does some things very well, including ranking 39th for greens in regulation, 14th scrambling, and 20th in sand save percentage. Plus, he’s equipped with an accurate driver that will keep him away from errant lies, which is key to maintaining the production we’ve seen from Harman at recent events. Based on his current form and comfort level at this event, this could be his best finish since a T7 at RBC Heritage. Grab Harman and plug him into your lineups without hesitation. 

FANDUEL $60,000 MAXIMUM SALARY

Scottie Scheffler ($12,300)

I wanted to emphasize Viktor Hovland as my favorite blue-chip prospect, but Scottie Scheffler continues to stay cemented in the top five no matter which event he’s competing in. The 26-year-old Texan and World No. 1 ranked golfer is firing on all cylinders when it comes to his irons, ranking first in total strokes gained, including first tee-to-green, off-the-tee, and approaching the green. He’s also ranked second in total driving, so his only liability is the putter, which we’ve seen heat up slowly over the last couple of events. Yes, Scheffler is the most expensive player on FanDuel’s slate this week, but we cannot blame them due to his consistency and the massive floor he provides. Anchor your FanDuel lineups with Scheffler and watch him continue to work magic with his irons at the final elevated event of the 2023 PGA Tour season.

Denny McCarthy ($9,200)

Denny McCarthy has been on fire lately, despite falling short against Viktor Hovland at the Memorial Tournament a couple of weeks ago. The 30-year-old has finishes of T25, T8, T29, T73, and T20 since the RBC Heritage, using his incredible putting ability, ranked fourth in strokes gained putting, to generate production and stay near the top of leaderboards. Plus, McCarthy ranks seventh in scrambling and averages 69.8 per round, ranked 16th lowest on the PGA Tour this season. McCarthy has not fared well at TPC River Highlands in 2021 and 2022, but I’m confident he’ll continue to linger around a T25 finish or better based on his current form. $9,200 is a good value on FanDuel, especially when spending up for Scheffler, so go ahead and get McCarthy into your lineups with confidence.

Justin Suh ($8,300)

This is my first time this season recommending Justin Suh, but his results are consistent and create a high floor to chase at a low salary. Suh is another quality putter, ranked 11th in strokes gained putting this season while ranking 18th in three-putt avoidance. Suh tends to start hot, scoring a lot of birdies early, so you don’t have to worry about a missed cut. He’s gone T25, T8, T29, MC, 2nd, and T20 leading up to Travelers, so let’s ride his current form, despite not flashing in other areas, and land an easy return on value investing in Suh’s putting prowess at the final designated event of the year.

Scoring records are being broken left, right and center at the US Open this week as Los Angeles Country Club poses slightly less of a stern test that many are used to in America's national open.

Considered to be 'golf's toughest test', the 123rd US Open has been somewhat of a birdie-fest at the top of the leaderboard, with Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele becoming the first players in history to shoot 62s in a US Open. Fowler tied the 36-hole scoring record and also made 18 birdies in his first 36 holes, the most ever in a US Open.

Not everyone has been tearing it up though, with LACC still able to catch out players with its fast, sloping fairways and greens as well as thick rough. The golfers who didn't quite bring their 'A games' have struggled, and there's plenty of big names who are heading out of Los Angeles early.

The top-60 and ties make it through to the weekend at the US Open, and the cut mark fell at two-over-par, meaning that anyone at +3 or worse missed out.

Perhaps the biggest and most notable name is Phil Mickelson, who has finished runner-up six times in the US Open and only needs the fabled trophy to complete the career grand slam.

Lefty was one-under-par after 18 holes but a 74 on Friday meant he missed the cut for the third time in the past four years with a score of three-over-par, agonisingly just a single stroke shy of making it to the weekend.

The most surprising performance came from Justin Thomas, with the two-time Major winner finishing towards the bottom of the leaderboard after two days at 14-over-par. It hasn't exactly been a stellar year for Thomas so far, after missing the cut at The Masters and now US Open to go with his T65th at the PGA Championship.

Thomas reportedly said his score was "humiliating and embarrassing" and described his performance as the "lowest I’ve felt."

Justin finished 36 holes a total of 24 strokes behind his close friend Rickie Fowler, and another close friend of theirs, the 2015 US Open winner, Jordan Spieth also missed the cut. Spieth joined Mickelson at three-over to miss out by a single stroke.

Another big name Max Homa, playing in his home city, also missed out on four-over. Justin Rose also posted four-over despite a valiant effort on Friday. He shot a two-under 68 but the damage was done on Thursday with a 76.

Other Major winners to be going home early are Justin Rose, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer, Francesco Molinari and Keegan Bradley.

Notable players to miss the cut at the US Open:

• +3 Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth
• +4 Max Homa, Justin Rose
• +5 Adam Scott
• +9 Jason Day
• +14 Justin Thomas

View all the scores on the US Open website

The 2023 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is set to get underway at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Patrick Cantlay will try to secure his third outright win at the Memorial Tournament in the past five years. He’s currently 10/1 to pull off the win, which would be his first of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. Of course, Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked golfers in the world, sit atop the outright betting leaderboard. 

It’s a newly Designated event, which means the 120 golfers in the field are among the best on the Tour. We get action from all of the top performers, plus a ton of value on quality players that are flying under the radar based on current form or historical performances at Muirfield. Jack Nicklaus designed this course in his hometown of Dublin, Ohio, and he’s made continuous tweaks to it over the decades since its inception on the PGA Tour in 1976. 

Precision will continue to be the way to stay atop the leaderboard at this course, as the doglegged fairways, fast-paced Bentgrass greens, and various hazards will challenge all phases of a player’s game. It will be worth it, with an elevated purse worth $20 million with $3.6 million reserved for the outright winner, plus 550 FedExCup points that will be crucial down the stretch with only a dozen events remaining before the FedExCup playoffs invite the top 70-ranked players on the PGA Tour later this summer. 

Before we get into our picks for the Memorial Tournament, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. We have teamed up with OddsChecker to ensure that you turn $6 into $400 worth of guaranteed bonuses, or you can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 Memorial Tournament selections this week.

Memorial Tournament Betting Odds

2023 Memorial Tournament Betting Preview

Previous Winners

• 2022 - Billy Horschel (-13)
• 2021 - Patrick Cantlay (-13)
• 2020 - Jon Rahm (-9)
• 2019 - Patrick Cantlay (-19)
• 2018 - Bryson DeChambeau 

Relevant Betting Stats

• Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green
• Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee
• Driving Accuracy percentage
• Scrambling
• Sand save percentage

Course Layout

Muirfield Village Golf Club is a par 72 that tips over 7,500 yards. Designed by Jack Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead and opened nearly 50 years ago, this course has undergone several restoration efforts to implement a modern feel on a track that was inspired and named after Nicklaus' Open Championship win several decades ago. The greens are now fully Bentgrass, removing the old Poa Annua mixture, while several tee boxes have been adjusted with moves closer and further from certain holes. The final five holes on the back nine at Muirfield will be the toughest test, with what’s known as the hardest hole saved for last on the par 4 18th. 

There are four par 5s this week, creating more birdie and eagle opportunities, while the greens are roughly 5,000 square feet in regulation, putting them on the smaller side of average on the PGA Tour. The rough is nearly four inches in some spots, while water hazards, including a few creeks, rear up along and across certain fairways. High temperatures should keep the Bentgrass moving quickly, while the fairways will need to be hit to avoid deep rough that could create havoc on approach shots. Ultimately, precision off the tee and approaching the green will be paramount to success. Unless of course, players can navigate the high-velocity Bentgrass with their putter. 

Top Players To Bet For Outright Memorial Tournament Winner

Patrick Cantlay (+1000) (Bet $100 to collect $1,100) Get the best Patrick Cantlay odds at FanDuel

It might be a bit too obvious, but taking Patrick Cantlay’s outright odds at 10/1 feels like a steal, especially since he’s won twice in the past four events at Muirfield Village. The Californian is still seeking his first outright win of the season, but he’s collected seven T10 finishes, including a T9 at the second major during the PGA Championship. There are numerous metrics backing Cantlay this week, whether he’s ranked fourth in total strokes gained, seventh tee-to-green, first in total driving, and finding greens in regulation at over a 70 percent clip. Confidently back Cantlay’s precise irons and accurate putting into getting him his third win at The Memorial Tournament since 2019. 

Jason Day (+2800) (Bet $100 to collect $2,900) Go to FanDuel for the best Jason Day odds

Jason Day hasn’t won at The Memorial Tournament, but he came close in 2020, drawing a T4 finish here in July 2020. The 35-year-old Aussie just ended his five-year win drought at the AT&T Byron Nelson, so expect his confidence and game to be fully dialed in and rolling at one of the most difficult par 72 courses that he’ll face this season. Day is ranked 13th in strokes gained putting, 16th in total driving, and second in scrambling, and averages 4.36 birdies per round, which is seventh-best on the PGA Tour. At 28/1, we’re getting fantastic value betting on Day to collect his 14th career win, his second outright of the year, and first at Muirfield Village.

Sahith Theegala (+6000) (Bet $100 to collect $6,100) FanDuel has the best Sahith Theegala odds

Sahith Theegala is due for his first outright win on the PGA Tour. He’s earned seven T10 finishes this season and secured a T5 finish at Muirfield Village in 2022. The Californian has slipped outside the top 50 in his last two events played, including the second major of the season at the PGA Championship, which is why Theegala is such an immense value at 60/1 entering this Designated event. His metrics aren’t as eye-popping as other players. Still, Theegala had a lot of success at The Memorial Tournament in his debut last year and should rebound nicely, so don’t hesitate to sprinkle on his longshot 60/1 odds for his first career win on the PGA Tour. 

 Macade Four-Way Stretch Jogger Review

There’s no denying that golf fashion has dramatically changed over the past five years. Some of the best golf hoodies are now worn by players on the PGA Tour and the golf joggers have quickly followed suit in becoming a main-stay in many of the top players' wardrobes. While there’s no doubt we would all give anything to look as slick as Adam Scott in his cashmere sweaters and pleated pants, the younger generation on tour are certainly redefining the meaning of cool with their attire. One of the players spearheading this movement is South African Garrick Higgo, who certainly turns heads while striding the fairways in his Macade golf gear.

Macade is a Swedish brand that offers premium modern golf apparel via its website, releasing clothing in seasonal drops so you better act fast if you want to get your hands on this stylish gear. The men's Macade Four-Way Stretch Jogger is one of the brand’s premium priced items retailing at £95, but for the quality on offer, I have to say I feel they’re worth it.

• Visit the Macade Site

Despite growing up playing all sports and finding myself living in joggers, I admit I wasn’t such a fan when joggers first were introduced to golf and liked how traditional some of the best golf trousers looked. But the more I saw some of my favorite players wearing them on tour and then wearing the Macade Four-Way Stretch Joggers for myself, I was quickly converted into a super fan.

The lightweight four-way stretch material offers superb flexibility and movement throughout the swing and when reading putts. The tapered fit and elasticated cuffed ankles provide a smart-casual look that I really like, although the slimmer fit may not be to everyone's taste. There is plenty of stretch through the waistband and like all the best golf pants, silicone gel is found on the inside to help your shirt remain in place.

• Visit the Macade website

One of the most impressive things about the Macade Four-Way Stretch Joggers is how versatile they are and could easily be worn alongside some of the best golf sneakers out with friends or to dinner, due to their smart yet sporty/casual style. They are available in multiple colorways and what's more impressive is the sizing options on offer. There are plenty of waist size options, but I really like the fact there are three leg size options to help you find the perfect fit. Many golf joggers do come in a one size fits all option, so having the opportunity to select leg size is a big win for Macade.

The Four-Way Stretch Jogger is certainly an statement piece for Macade, but their innovative and modern look will surely see the rest of the brand's collection become easily recognized on the fairways in the near future.

• Visit the Macade Site

The 2023 PGA Championship is set to get underway this week from Oak Hills Country Club in Rochester, New York. We haven’t seen this site host the PGA Championship since Jason Dufner’s win a decade ago. There are plenty of talented veterans still competing in the field this week from 2013, including Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Adam Scott. Oak Hills CC is a demanding par 70 that runs nearly 7,400 yards. Two par 5 holes evenly distributed along the front and back nine are the only birdie opportunities. Still, even these holes run long and have the Bentgrass greens flanked by undulations and relocated sand bunkers.

Don’t expect a flurry of birdies from any player consistently through four rounds. The winning scorecard in 2013 was -10-under-par from Dufner, who went a scorching -7-under-par in Round 2 to climb into the lead and never look back. Scott managed a T5 finish, while McIlroy and Day wound up with T8 finishes in 2013. McIlroy won the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014 but has yet to secure an outright win at Oak Hills. LIV golfers Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka are also the betting favorites to be competitive atop the leaderboard throughout the weekend. We saw Koepka and Jon Rahm battle throughout the weekend at Augusta National, with Rahm producing more birdies and clutch shots than Koepka down the stretch on Sunday to win the first major of the season.

The second major of the PGA Tour season means we’re getting a loaded field to construct our DFS lineups. The number of birdies we’re accustomed to seeing from players will likely drop, while the bogeys could go up. Fortunately, in DFS, bogeys are not penalized as much as birdies and eagles are rewarded, so scrambling to save par may wind up being the new premium for this week.

I’ve identified six of my favorite prospects to target on DraftKings and FanDuel ahead of the first round on Thursday. Keep reading to find out which golfers should be prioritized in lineups to help cash a few DFS contests at Oak Hill during the 2023 PGA Championship. 

Before we get into our PGA Championship DFS Picks and Targets, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 PGA Championship selections this week.

DraftKings $50,000 Maximum Salary

Jon Rahm ($11,400)

No surprise to anyone, World No. 1 ranked golfer Jon Rahm is the outright betting favorite and the most expensive player to roster in lineups on DraftKings. The 28-year-old star golfer has four outright wins and earned his first win at The Masters just over a month ago to secure the first major of the season. Rahm’s game is impeccable. Whether he’s crushing the driver, dialed in with precision irons, or sinking a 20-foot putt, the Spaniard is on top of his game and tends to start and finish with a lot of red numbers. At $11,400, we’re paying a premium to get Rahm into our lineups, but I’d prefer his skillset and current form to anyone else in the field at this salary. 

Xander Schauffele ($9,900)

Xander Schauffele has quietly been stacking better and better finishes in his last five solo events played. The 29-year-old Californian has improved from a T39 at Arnold Palmer Invitational in early March to T19, T10, fourth, and runner-up, most recently during the Wells Fargo Championship. Schauffele has managed to collect 15-19 birdies in each of his last four events played and has logged at least 107 fantasy points in DraftKings lineups across his last two events. Schauffele went T13 at Southern Hills last season, and his precise irons ranked fourth in total strokes gained will make him an asset in every DFS lineup this week. He’s a no-brainer in lineups at under a $10,000 salary on DraftKings.

Adam Scott ($7,800)

The 42-year-old Aussie has logged consecutive T5 and T8 finishes at the Wells Fargo Championship and AT&T Byron Nelson, going -8-under-par in the final round at the latter event this past weekend. Scott is available to roster at a ridiculously low salary, plus he managed a T5 finish here at Oak Hills during the 2013 PGA Championship. Adam Scott ranks inside the top 40 for strokes gained around the green and off-the-tee while also ranking highly in sand save percentage, which may wind up being a necessary skillset to possess with the relocated bunkers at Oak Hill CC. Scott has the current form and course history of being appealing, so factoring in his low salary of $7,800, he becomes a must-add prospect in DraftKings lineups.

FanDuel $60,000 Maximum Salary

Patrick Cantlay ($11,300)

One of my favorite prospects in DFS and from an outright betting context is Patrick Cantlay. He’s been consistently producing T25 finishes or better across his last six events, including three finishes inside of the top five, which means the California native is getting closer to winning his first career major. Cantlay has won eight times in his career, including the BMW Championship during the FedExCup playoffs last August, but adding the Wanamaker Trophy to his collection would be a huge achievement. Cantlay is ranked sixth in total strokes gained, including eighth tee-to-green and third off-the-tee, while also ranking second in total driving and 18th in strokes gained putting. With hardly a flaw in his game, other than pace of play, Cantlay is a nice value and a quality blue-chip to lock into FanDuel lineups this week at Oak Hills. 

Jason Day ($9,900)

We just watched Jason Day end his five-year win drought with a one-stroke win at -23-under-par during the AT&T Byron Nelson this past weekend. The Aussie golfer has 13 career wins, including the 2014 PGA Championship, which means Day is built for big moments against loaded fields. Don’t expect 156 fantasy points on FanDuel based on what Day produced at the AT&T Byron Nelson, but he’s recorded four T25 finishes, including three T10 finishes, across his past six events played. Whether we focus on his 11th-ranked strokes gained putting, 16th strokes gained approaching the green, or 15th in total driving, Day is the complete package and has a ton of confidence entering this major at Oak Hills CC, so we are obligated to invest accordingly at under $10,000 on FanDuel.

Adam Svensson ($8,400)

We’re landing a cheap salary for Canadian golfer Adam Svensson ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship. Svensson’s last four finishes have gone T52, MC, T41, and T27, so there isn’t a lot of optimism at the moment, which is captured by his reduced salary on FanDuel. He has two T10 finishes, including outright at the RSM Classic in late 2022, while he’s collected five T25 finishes in 19 events, missing four total cuts. As bad as his finishes have been recent, Svensson is ranked 33rd in total strokes gained, including 40th putting, while ranking 16th in scrambling. Scrambling will be vital at Oak Hills to save par while battling small square footage Bentgrass greens, which is a big reason why I’m recommending investing in Svensson as a strong salary-saving option at $8,400 on FanDuel this week.

It’s time for the second major of the 2023 PGA Tour season! Oak Hill Country Club is the site for this event, located in Rochester, New York. The last time we saw the PGA Championship played at Oak Hill CC came back in 2013 when Jason Dufner recorded a monstrous -7-under-par second round to climb up the leaderboard early and hold onto the lead for the final two rounds. Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Jason Day, and Dustin Johnson were some notable names who managed a T10 finish here a decade ago, so it will be interesting to see how well each of these golfers performs throughout the week.

As it goes with nearly all PGA Tour majors, birdies will be much harder to come by compared to recently played events like the AT&T Byron Nelson, Wells Fargo Championship, and Mexico Open at Vidanta. A big reason for minimal red scorecards can be attributed to the numerous par 4 holes that tup well over 400 yards, opening with back-to-back par 4s on the front nine while closing out the back nine with three more par 4s that all exceed 460 yards. Distance and accuracy will be premium skills to possess off the tee and approach the green. Bentgrass greens mean putting surfaces will run fast, while the square footage of these greens is on the smaller side, flanked by relocated white sand bunkers and undulations surrounding the greens.  

The field is loaded with talent, just like every major, led by Jon Rahm at 7/1 and Scottie Scheffler close behind at +750. Let’s look at the outright betting odds, course layout, and players who possess the skill and form to raise the Wanamaker Trophy at the 2023 PGA Championship during the second of four majors scheduled on the PGA Tour. 

Before we get into our picks for PGA Championship, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 PGA Championship selections this week.

PGA Championship Betting Odds

2023 PGA Championship Betting Preview

Previous Winners

• 2022 - Justin Thomas (-5)
• 2021 - Phil Mickelson (-6)
• 2020 - Collin Morikawa (-13)
• 2019 - Brooks Koepka (-8)
• 2018 - Brooks Koepka (-16)

Relevant Betting Stats

• Greens in Regulation percentage
• Scrambling
• Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee
• Sand Save percentage
• Strokes Gained Putting

Course Layout

Oak Hill Country Club East Course is a par 70 that tips just south of 7,400 yards. Designed by Donald Ross, the course underwent updates in 2020, adding exclusively Bentgrass greens and bunker relocations, while also incorporating a new drainage system and reducing the number of trees on the property. Oak Hill CC last hosted the PGA Championship in 2013, meaning golfers who have prior experience here like Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott could be facing several new elements that will force them to adapt during the first couple of rounds. 

Only one par 5 exists on the front nine and back nine, with four par 3s evenly distributed, creating challenging conditions to maintain a red scorecard. Players will face five consecutive par 4s from Hole 6 - Hole 10 while closing out with three consecutive par 4s on the back nine. The fairways are more open than we've seen in recent events, but the greens are on the smaller side, so players who can find greens in regulation or scramble consistently will climb the leaderboard. While there are a limited number of water hazards to navigate, doglegged fairways and small Bentgrass greens will demand precision all weekend.

Top Players To Bet For Outright PGA Championship Winner

Jon Rahm (+750) (Bet $100 to collect $850) FanDuel has the best Jon Rahm odds

This isn’t a surprising pick, in fact, it is considered a chalky investment to back Jon Rahm. Even with all of the labels you can put on betting the outright favorite, Rahm has hardly any flaws in his game this season. Whether it’s his driver, irons, or putter, the 28-year-old Spaniard seems to have no trouble producing red on his scorecard. He’s battled through adversity, too, getting off to sluggish starts or a poor round in the middle of an event, only to wind up storming back with four outright wins and eight T10 finishes in 12 events this year. Rahm went out quietly at Southern Hills during the 2022 PGA Championship, but I expect a vastly improved result in 2023. Hop on 7/1 odds now before they shorten in the coming days.

Brooks Koepka (+2100) (Bet $100 to collect $2,200) Go to FanDuel for the best Brooks Koepka odds 

We could wind up seeing Brooks Koepka battling Jon Rahm for the outright win, just like we saw during the first major at The Masters a month ago. The LIV golfer has won two of the previous five PGA Championship events, winning consecutively in 2018 and 2019. Back and knee injuries have hampered Koepka, but he’s still one of the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. If he can sink a few more putts on the Bentgrass surface, which wound up being a huge obstacle down the stretch at Augusta National, then Koepka will return huge value at 20/1 odds, which is essentially 3x value we’re landing betting on Rahm.

Matthew Fitzpatrick (+3300) Bet $100 to collect $3,400 Head to BetMGM for the best Matthew Fitzpatrick odds

I don’t often back Matthew Fitzpatrick, but his game is built for a course like Oak Hill. The 28-year-old Englishman just beat Jordan Spieth during a multi-hole playoff at RBC Heritage, and he earned his first career win during the U.S. Open last year, so Fitzpatrick is rounding into form nicely ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship. He logged a T5 finish at Southern Hills last year and could be in store for another strong finish this time, ranking 21st in total strokes gained, including 23rd putting and 24th in total driving, which combines accuracy and distance. Fitzpatrick is also a top-20 scrambler, which will be a massive asset to lean on during the rigors of Oak Hill. I love the value we’re getting at 28/1 for Fitzpatrick’s outright odds this week, so don’t hesitate to lay a unit accordingly. 

Sam Burns (+4600) (Bet $100 to collect $4,700) For the best Sam Burns odds go to FanDuel

Sam Burns is a highly volatile player who can be frustrating to bet on because he looks untouchable when he’s dialed in. Last year, the 26-year-old Louisiana native logged a T20 finish at Southern Hills and had finishes of sixth, T29, and T15 until missing the cut at Wells Fargo Championship a couple of weeks ago. Burns is ranked fifth in strokes gained putting, which will come in handy on the Bentgrass surfaces, while he ranks 21st in total driving. Around the green and par 3 holes tend to be obstacles for Burns, but he is ranked 57th in scrambling, which is good enough to overcome errant approach shots. It’s 50/1 for a reason, but I like the strengths Burns possesses and acknowledge that if he can gain momentum early, he’ll be a riser up the leaderboard once the cut line is enforced and the field is whittled in half on Saturday. It helps that he converts 36.7 percent of his birdie attempts, which is eighth-best on the PGA Tour, while also ranking fifth in one-putt percentage. A slow start typically eliminates Burns from contention, but at a course where birdies will be fleeting, Burns has a chance to gain the edge with his powerful driver and accurate putting. 

After a stop in North Carolina for latest designated event the Wells Fargo Championship, the PGA Tour heads to Texas for the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch.

Last year, K.H. Lee successfully defended his title in a low scoring final day when he edged out Jordan Spieth by a shot. The South Korean returns for this year’s event hoping for a hat-trick of wins. The man he beat last year had been in the field, too, but he has now withdrawn due to injury.

After opting to skip last week’s event, World No.2 Scottie Scheffler appears in his home state. The 26-year-old has been in excellent form this year, with wins in the WM Phoenix Open and Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass the standouts in a string of impressive results. 

Tyrrell Hatton put in a strong performance in last week’s event, finishing tied for third, and he will be keen to keep that momentum going before preparations begin for next week’s second Major of the year, The PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.

Elsewhere, rising star Tom Kim has gone off the boil a little in recent months, and is without a top-10 finish since January’s tie for sixth in The American Express. The World No.19 will be hoping this is the week his form heads back towards its best in time for next week's Major.

Another high-profile player eager to go into next week’s event in good form will be 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama. This will be the Japanese player’s first start since his tie for 15th at this year’s Augusta National tournament, as he goes in search of his first win since January 2022.

Sung Kang won the tournament in 2019, and he is looking for his first win since, while 2018 winner Aaron Wise also plays.

Other players to keep an eye on include Australian former World No.1s Jason Day and Adam Scott. Each has won the tournament, with Day achieving it in 2010 and Scott winning two years before him. World No.30 Tom Hoge, who finished tied for third in the Players Championship, appears too.

While it’s not a designated event, this week’s tournament should still have an excellent atmosphere thanks to the introduction of stadium hole similar to those at TPC Scottsdale for the WM Phoenix Open and the Grange Golf Club for LIV Golf Adelaide.

Players are competing for a purse of $9.5m, of which the winner will earn $1.71m.

Below is the full breakdown of the prize money and field for the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson.

AT&T Byron Nelson Prize Money Breakdown

AT&T Byron Nelson Field

• Alexander, Tyson
• An, Byeong Hun
• Armour, Ryan
• Baddeley, Aaron
• Bae, Sangmoon
• Barnes, Ricky
• Bezuidenhout, Christiaan
• Blair, Zac
• Blixt, Jonas
• Bramlett, Joseph
• Brehm, Ryan
• Brown, Scott
• Bryan, Wesley
• Byrd, Jonathan
• Chalmers, Greg
• Champ, Cameron
• Chappell, Kevin
• Cink, Stewart
• Cole, Eric
• Cone, Trevor
• Coody, Parker
• Coody, Pierceson
• Cook, Austin
• Crane, Ben
• Daffue, MJ
• Day, Jason
• Dou, Zecheng
• Dufner, Jason
• Duncan, Tyler
• Eckroat, Austin
• Endycott, Harrison
• Ernst, Derek
• Frittelli, Dylan
• Garnett, Brice
• Gerard, Ryan
• Ghim, Doug
• Gligic, Michael
• Glover, Lucas
• Gómez, Fabián
• Gordon, Will
• Goya, Tano
• Grant, Brent
• Gribble, Cody
• Griffin, Ben
• Haas, Bill
• Hadley, Chesson
• Hadwin, Adam
• Hahn, James
• Haley II, Paul
• Hall, Harry
• Harrington, Scott
• Hatton, Tyrrell
• Herman, Jim
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgo, Garrick
• Higgs, Harry
• Hoffman, Charley
• Hoge, Tom
• Hubbard, Mark
• Hughes, Mackenzie
• Jaeger, Stephan
• Kang, Sung
• Killeen, J.J.
• Kim, Michael
• Kim, S.H.
• Kim, Si Woo
• Kim, Tom
• Kizzire, Patton
• Knauth, William
• Knox, Russell
• Kodaira, Satoshi
• Kraft, Kelly
• Kuchar, Matt
• Kuest, Peter
• Laird, Martin
• Lamely, Derek
• Landry, Andrew
• Lashley, Nate
• Lebioda, Hank
• Lee, K.H.
• Lee, Min Woo
• Lipsky, David
• List, Luke
• Long, Adam
• Lower, Justin
• Matsuyama, Hideki
• Matthews, Brandon
• McGirt, William
• McGreevy, Max
• McNealy, Maverick
• McNeill, George
• Meissner, Mac
• Merritt, Troy
• Micheluzzi, David
• Montgomery, Taylor
• Moore, Ryan
• Mullinax, Trey
• Murray, Grayson
• NeSmith, Matthew
• Noh, S.Y.
• Norlander, Henrik
• Norrman, Vincent
• Novak, Andrew
• Núñez, Augusto
• O'Hair, Sean
• Ogilvy, Geoff
• Palmer, Ryan
• Pan, C.T.
• Percy, Cameron
• Piercy, Scott
• Points, D.A.
• Power, Seamus
• Rai, Aaron
• Ramey, Chad
• Redman, Doc
• Riley, Davis
• Roy, Kevin
• Scheffler, Scottie
• Schenk, Adam
• Schmid, Matti
• Schwab, Matthias
• Scott, Adam
• Shelton, Robby
• Sigg, Greyson
• Sloan, Roger
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin
• Spaun, J.J.
• Stallings, Scott
• Stanley, Kyle
• Stevens, Sam
• Streb, Robert
• Stroud, Chris
• Stuard, Brian
• Suh, Justin
• Thompson, Davis
• Trahan, DJ
• Trainer, Martin
• Tway, Kevin
• Van Pelt, Bo
• Van Rooyen, Erik
• Walker, Jimmy
• Watney, Nick
• Werbylo, Trevor
• Werenski, Richy
• Westmoreland, Kyle
• Whaley, Vince
• Wise, Aaron
• Wu, Brandon
• Wu, Dylan
• Young, Carson
• Yuan, Carl

The closing hole at Quail Hollow is one of the toughest on the PGA Tour circuit and, on Saturday afternoon, Adam Scott found that out with his tee shot at the 18th going just 35-yards.

Now, Scott is arguably one of the bigger hitters in the game, with the Aussie ranking 45th on the PGA Tour in driving distance, averaging 305.2 yards off the tee. However, as he played the last, his tee shot clattered into the trees directly in front of him and, via the shot tracking app on the PGA Tour website, it was worked out that his drive went 35-yards.

You can watch the video here but, if you want a description of the tee shot from the man himself then Scott simply stated: "Yeah, I tried to cut one off the creek, and I pulled it, and it hit the tree right off the tee and just dropped in front of the tee box. It's a long par 4 that way."

Following the tee shot, Scott still had over 400-yards to the flag and, after still not finding the green with his third shot, he eventually made an up-and-down for bogey which, in the end, wasn't so bad!

Despite the tee shot, he will start round four in a share of third place with Tyrrell Hatton, five shots back of third round leader Wyndham Clark. "I feel like last year I really worked hard to kind of climb myself back into a good spot, and this year has been slow to get going, calendar year-wise certainly," Scott said following his third round.

"This is the best performance for three days of a tournament so far, so I'm looking for a really good back half of this season. It's been hard not to be frustrated because there isn't one thing that I can really put my finger on why I'm not getting better results."

He then went on to add a harsh reality of life on the PGA Tour, with the former Major winner claiming that: "I play okay every week and okay kind of sucks on the PGA Tour, so I'm nowhere with anything. This business is all about results, so that's what I'm looking for tomorrow."

What Is Adam Scott's Net Worth?

Adam Scott is one of the most well-known and successful golfers in the game and has been for a number of years now since he burst onto the scene in the early 2000's. But how much is he worth? Well numbers and estimates vary but it has been reported as around the $60 million mark. 

Speaking of $60 million, Adam Scott has made more than that in official PGA Tour earnings, since joining in 2003 and playing in 375+ events. 

His best season on the PGA Tour came in 2015/16 in which he won twice, has two runner-ups and nine top-10's. In total he has had 14 PGA Tour wins along with 11 DP World Tour wins as well. 

A few notable victories include the 2013 Barclays (now called FedEx St Jude), in which he won $1,440,000, and then he won the same amount for his sole Major win, at the 2013 Masters. Interestingly his career is a good illustration of how much money has gone up in the game of golf. He has won the Genesis Invitational twice, back in 2005 when it was called the Nissan Open, and then in 2020. The former victory earned him $864,000 and the latter $1,674,000.

Scott has had a variety of sponsors throughout his career. He used to have an equipment contract with Titleist and this lasted for many many years, but we believe he is no longer a staffer for the brand. As such Scott's WITB includes several different brands right now including TaylorMade, Miura, Mizuno and L.A.B. Golf. He does still have a shoe partnership with FootJoy, and he also wears the brands gloves too. 

Scott then wears Uniqlo clothing and has done for a number of years. In fact he signed with the Japanese brand a week before Scotts triumph at the 2013 Masters. Scott also used to have sponsorships with Mercedes and Rolex but we believe this is no longer the case.

For more content on the Australian, learn about his wife Marie Kojzar, or his caddie situation as well.

The 2013 Masters is best remembered as the year Adam Scott claimed his first maiden Major win with a playoff victory over Angel Cabrera. 

However, another, less celebrated player, made headlines of his own that week – Chinese player Guan Tianlang.

The amateur, who qualified for the tournament following a win in the 2012 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, made the cut and claimed the Silver Cup at Augusta National, eventually finishing 58th, but there was something even more extraordinary about that achievement – he was just 14-years-old at the time.

In fact, Tianlang made history just teeing it up in the tournament. In doing so, he became the youngest player to appear in The Masters, before going on to become the youngest to make a cut in a Major or PGA Tour event. 

The fact those records have yet to be broken a decade later highlights just how remarkable they were. But what became of the teen who beat the previous youngest player to make the cut in a Major, Matteo Mannessero, by almost two years? 

Two weeks after his record-breaking feats at Augusta National, Tianlang appeared in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on a sponsors exemption. However, despite once again making the cut, this time his finish wasn’t as impressive, coming last in the field.

Beyond that, other high-profile appearances, including a tie for 70th in the 2015 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, followed, although his career failed to take off in the manner many had assumed it would.

One of Tianlang’s most powerful attributes in 2013 was his success with anchoring the putter. Indeed, he found it so to his liking that he didn’t have a single three-putt during the tournament. Then, in 2016 came an amendment to the Rule 14-1b of the Rules of Golf, which approved an anchor ban that had initially been announced in 2012 and one of Tianlang’s most potent weapons was no more. 

Could this have hindered Tianlang’s progress, or was it just a case of too much, too soon for the youngster? It’s unclear. However, what we do know is that in 2017 Tianlang joined the University of Arizona’s Wildcats golf team and still showed signs of progress, including recording the seventh best overall performance through the year by a Wildcats freshman. 

After his sophomore year, he eventually turned pro in 2020 and began playing on the PGA Tour Series China and China Tour. The former tour disbanded in 2020, and Tianlang has more recently been found on the latter. Among his highlights has been a tie for fourth in the 2020 Volvo China Open. He also made six appearances on the Tour last year, the most recent of which came in December 2022, when he finished tied for 20th in the Chongqing Open.

Will Tianlang emerge from the shadows to reclaim a place in the spotlight in the years to come? It’s not impossible. After all, even now he is only 24, while there are routes to both the DP World Tour and Asian Tour from the China Tour. 

However, at World No.2883, it’s probably safer to assume that, for one of the players who shone brightest in that memorable Masters 10 years ago, it may just have been as good as it would ever get.

Angel Cabrera's longtime friend and coach has revealed the 2009 Masters champion plans to resume his golf career when he is released from prison.

The two-time Major winner was jailed for two years in 2021 for assaulting, threatening and harassing a former partner, before a further 28 months was added to his sentence when he was found guilty of assaulting another ex-partner.

During his second trial, Cabrera told local press: "Many say prison is bad, but it's not the case, prison has done me good."

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Charlie Epps, a friend and coach to Cabrera reiterated that message, before adding that the 53-year-old still harbours ambitions of a return to professional golf.

"It’s been a rough go,” Epps said. “He was in prison in Brazil and then Argentina. He’s weathered the storm and it’s taught him a couple of very important lessons. He’s admitted that.

"He’ll probably get out some time in the summer and he’s already at a halfway house. He wants to continue his golf career, the good Lord willing. I always welcome him. We’re just waiting for him to come home."

Cabrera won the first of his two Majors at a brutal US Open in 2007. He outlasted Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk at Oakmont to become the first South American to lift America’s national championship. 

Despite his lack of regular titles on the PGA Tour and European Tour, Cabrera once again showed his Major pedigree at the 2009 Masters, overcoming Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in a playoff to win South America's first Green Jacket.

Four years later, he was back in the hunt, hitting an iconic shot into the 72nd hole at Augusta National that set up a birdie and got him into a playoff with Adam Scott. However, this time he was beaten, as Scott clinched Australia's maiden Masters title on the second hole of the sudden death playoff.

"To follow up one victory at Augusta with two [would have been memorable], but he was totally happy with Adam’s victory," Epps added. "He’s got a lot of respect for his fellow golfers. That’s Angel."

Despite his troubled history, Scott admitted he'll always have respect for Cabrera for the magnanimity he displayed in defeat at the 2013 Masters, and for the belief he had in the Australian following a difficult period in his career.

"I told him, 'I haven’t forgotten what you said to me'," Scott said. "To kind of have a guy like that who’s won a couple of Majors wanting me to believe and do it myself, it was a nice thing to share and I have huge respect forever for him for doing that."

Throughout its history, there have been 27 holes-in-one at The Masters, with Augusta National yielding a number of aces since its first tournament in 1934.

It's one of the most special events played throughout the year, with players taking time out of their schedules well before the tournament date to prepare for Augusta National. For Adam Scott, who won the Green Jacket in 2013, his preparation seems to be going rather well, with the Aussie making a hole-in-one at the sixth hole during a practice round!

Speaking in an interview ahead of the 10-year anniversary of his 2013 Masters victory, Scott said: "That was fun. I guess good things do happen to past champions."

He then added "I was in wet weather gear, because it had been raining heavily. I had about 183 yards and I hit a 7-iron. I hit it nicely. The member we were playing with said, after I hit it, ‘That'll land past the hole and spin back in.’ And it did. The greens were a little soft because of the rain, so I flew the ball about five yards past, it came back down the hill into the hole on the left side of six. It was a front left pin."

Usually, if players were to make an ace during tournament play at Augusta National, they would receive a lovely piece of crystal to reward their achievement. In Scott's case, he didn't, with the 42-year-old stating "you get a high five!” However, there were some positives for Scott as he "won the hole, which was good. Patrick made birdie, so that felt good to get that hole from him.”

Scott wasn't the only player to make a hole-in-one at Augusta National recently though, with Augusta National Women's Amateur player, Amelia Jane Williamson, producing an ace at the iconic 16th hole.

The 16th is the par 3 which has seen the most aces throughout the history of The Masters, with there being currently 18 recorded. Although it occurred in the practice round, one of the most memorable aces came from Jon Rahm, who skimmed his ball across the lake at the 16th, with it eventually dropping in the hole.

Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele are the latest high-profile PGA Tour players to join Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s tech-focused TGL, which will take place in a two-hour prime-time TV slot on Monday nights starting in January 2024.

That brings the total to 11 for the competition, which will feature six teams of three PGA Tour players in head-to-head 18-hole match play tournaments, They will be played on a virtual course at a custom-built arena in Palm Beach.

Rose will be competing in this week’s Genesis invitational at Riviera Country Club and, speaking to the media in the build-up to the tournament, he joked of his involvement with TGL: “Obviously for a guy who's been on tour for a long time like myself, I'm just trying to be cool in my household with a teenage son and obviously trying to sort of stay relevant with the young folk."

Rose then explained the format attracted him to the proposition. He said: "I think it's just a new exciting format, an exciting way to see guys compete together in maybe an informal environment but where there's the opportunity to have a little bit of banter and obviously some team spirit and camaraderie. To do it in a way that doesn't detract from, I think, championship golf. I think it's just a beautiful blend and something I'm really excited to be a part of.”

As well as winning an Olympic gold medal in 2016, Rose is a former World No.1 and was also the US Open champion in 2013, so he will be in good company alongside four-time Major winner McIlroy, 15-time Major winner Woods, 2021 US Open champion Jon Rahm, two-time Major winners Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa, 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott and current US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Like two other players confirmed for the competition, Max Homa and Billy Horschel, Schauffele has yet to win a Major, but he still has an outstanding PGA Tour pedigree, with seven wins. Like Rose, he is also an Olympic gold medal winner, which he claimed in the Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021. That means he adds further quality to a line-up that grows more impressive all the time. With just seven more places up for grabs, the anticipation for the its debut is only likely to grow from here.

Tiger Woods was spotted on a scouting mission at this year's US Open venue Los Angeles Country Club ahead of the venue's debut men's Major in June.

The 15-time Major champion makes his first regular PGA Tour start this week at the Genesis Invitational since October 2020's Zozo Championship. It's his first competitive start on the PGA Tour since last July's 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

Woods confirmed his participation in this Genesis Invitational on Friday, posting on social media: "I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv."

Having previously said he would play in the Majors and two or three other tournaments this year, it seems clear he is planning for a return to the US Open for the first time in three years.

He missed 2021's tournament following his car accident and then decided to miss last year's event in preparation for the Open Championship after struggling with his body during the PGA Championship in May, where he withdrew after a poor third round.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner was spotted at LACC on a scouting trip, where he was pictured with his Scotty Cameron in hand alongside close friend and colleague Rob McNamara as well as Hero CEO Dr Pawan Munjal, whom he hosts the Hero World Challenge with each December in the Bahamas.

According to Golfweek, Woods received a US Open yardage book and went for a ride around the course in a cart without his clubs.

Adam Scott also played on Monday, with six-to-ten PGA Tour pros said to be expected at the exclusive Beverly Hills club. Matt Fitzpatrick was one of them, who was also reportedly there for a USGA photoshoot.

A number of PGA Tour pros also had a look at LACC either before or after the recent Farmers Insurance Open, which took place two weeks ago at Torrey Pines, just south in San Diego.

LACC is also planning to have a champion's locker room according to Golfweek, where the likes of LIV US Open winners Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau will rub shoulders with PGA Tour stalwarts Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The US Open takes place between June 15-18, with Matt Fitzpatrick defending the title he won at Brookline.

Woods has won the US Open three times: in 2000 at Pebble Beach, 2002 at Bethpage State Park and 2008 at Torrey Pines.

After being launched last August, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s tech-focused golf league, TGL is rapidly gaining momentum, and has now confirmed half of its participants with the additions of Max Homa and Billy Horschel.

The news comes hot on the heels of last week’s announcement that US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick would join the founders, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Adam Scott and Collin Morikawa for the league, which is being launched by McIlroy and Woods’ TMRW Sports in conjunction with the PGA Tour and begins next January.

Following the announcement, Woods welcomed the pair, who were teammates during last year's Presidents Cup, with a Twitter message reading: “The @TGL roster continues to get even stronger, with the most recent additions of @maxhoma23 and @BillyHo_Golf. Welcome to the league boys.”

Unlike the other confirmed participants, neither Homa nor Horschel has a Major win, but they still boast impressive pedigrees. Homa has racked up six PGA Tour wins in less than four years, including the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in his most recent appearance. Meanwhile, he currently stands at a career-high World No.12. Horschel isn’t too far behind Homa, at World No.19, and has one more PGA Tour win, albeit over a longer timeframe, with his most recent victory coming last June in the Memorial Tournament. He was also the 2014 FedEx Cup champion.

On his involvement in the league, Homa wrote on Twitter: “Thanks for having me! Stoked to join TGL and be a part of this exciting new format that will introduce the game to a whole new set of fans.”

The competition will feature six teams of three PGA Tour players in head-to-head 18-hole match play competition on a virtual course. Meanwhile, the tournaments will be played on prime-time TV in two-hour slots in 15 regular-season matches followed by the semi-finals and final. The action will take place in a purpose-built arena in Palm Beach, Florida.

Matt Fitzpatrick has been named the seventh player to join Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods’ tech-focused TGL, with the announcement made via an Instagram live event introduced by popular YouTube coach Rick Shiels.

The Monday night golf league, which is being launched by McIlroy and Woods’ TMRW Sports in conjunction with the PGA Tour, had previously announced Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Adam Scott and Collin Morikawa. The addition of US Open champion Fitzpatrick to compete alongside those players and the co-founders is another significant coup and continues a run of every player confirmed so far being a Major winner. 

Fitzpatrick explained he finds the concept appealing. The 28-year-old said: “I’m excited, it’s obviously a really exciting concept. I think to be able to play some virtual golf, competing with the best guys out there, it’s going to be something different and something exciting so I’m looking forward to it.”

The league, which launches in January 2024, will feature six teams of three PGA Tour players in head-to-head 18-hole match play competition on a virtual course. The tournaments will be played on prime-time TV in two-hour slots in 15 regular-season matches followed by semi-finals and finals. Meanwhile, the action will take place in a purpose-built arena in Palm Beach, Florida.

Fitzpatrick admitted the idea of playing virtual golf in a team is interesting – and that he expects there to be a good atmosphere at the tournaments. He said: "I imagine it’s going to be loud, which is exciting. It’s a different format, virtual golf and I think it’ll be interesting, that’s for sure. The team aspect is nice. Teams of three is nice - not too big, not too small so yeah, it’ll be really interesting to be part of it."

When TGL was launched last August, Woods said: "TGL is the next evolution within professional golf, and I am committed to helping lead it into the future. Embracing technology to create this unique environment gives us the ability to move our sport into primetime on a consistent basis alongside so many of sport's biggest events."'

Meanwhile, McIlroy was equally enthusiastic about the venture, saying: "I’m excited about blending golf with technology and team elements common in other sports. We all know what it’s like to be in a football stadium or a basketball arena where you can watch every play, every minute of action unfold right in front of you. It’s something that inherently isn’t possible in traditional golf - and an aspect of TGL that will set it apart and appeal to a new generation of fans."

Padraig Harrington is one of the most successful European golfers to grace the game over the previous 25 years, winning three Major championships, 15 European Tour titles and featuring on four winning Ryder Cup teams.

The Irishman has played alongside some of the greatest players of the modern era, although he has revealed the most impressive driver he has played with following a Twitter exchange with Eddie Pepperell and it's not one of his era's greats like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott or Ernie Els.

Pepperell tweeted ahead of this week's Dubai Desert Classic that he was set to play with two mighty drivers of the ball in Nicolai Hojgaard and Harrington, who has increased his ball speed despite turning 50 last year.

 “First week this week with a driver back in the bag… And I’m paired with Nicolai and Padraig… Play your own game play your own game play your own game don’t get depressed," Pepperell wrote.

The Irishman then replied detailing his admiration for the Dane: “There are levels and neither of us are on Nicolai’s. So there’ll be two of us feeling inadequate. He’s the most impressive driver I’ve played with.”

High praise for Nicolai Hojgaard indeed, and the 21-year-old has certainly justified the comments from Harrington, especially with his driving statistics over the previous few years.

In 2020, his first full year on the DP World Tour, he ranked third for driving distance, averaging 327.34 yards, while 2021 and 2022 saw the youngster rank fifth with 314.8 and 322.23 yards respectively.

Hojgaard is a two-time DP World Tour winner, with victories coming at the 2021 Italian Open and 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Nicolai and his twin Rasmus made history in 2021, winning DP World Tour titles in consecutive weeks. A week after Rasmus won the European Masters, Nicolai triumphed at the Italian Open, and the twins certainly look like they could be part of many European Ryder Cup teams over the next decade or so.

With Luke Donald hoping to usher in a new era for team Europe, the 2023 edition could see a major changing of the guard. Previous stalwarts such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, and Ian Poulter are unlikely to claim the required qualification points, while Donald looks certain to utilise his captains picks on players who are committed to the DP World Tour and not LIV Golf.

It’s testament to how good Nicolai is that a three-time Major winner feels inadequate playing with him and if he continues his upward trend – alongside his brother – then the future looks bright.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's upcoming Monday night golf league, TGL, which is being launched by the pair's TMRW Sports in conjuntion with the PGA Tour, has already recruited some big-name players. 

Now, along with the previously confirmed Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas, two more high-profile players have been added to the roster for the tech-focused golf league – 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott and 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa.

Tiger Woods welcomed the announcement on Twitter, writing: "Thrilled to welcome @collin_morikawa and Adam Scott ro @TGL. Our roster of players keeps getting better and better, and I can't wait to square off against these two when the league debuts next year."

Earlier, Sports Illustrated reported that the involvement of Woods was pivotal in Scott’s decision to sign up. Citing the 15-time Major winner’s influence on the game, Scott said: “We never saw much ‘side-taking’ from Tiger during his career. That’s fair enough, he was a competitor and he was interested in what he was doing. Now, he’s showing his feelings on things. Creating something like TGL with Rory is just another example of how he is having an impact on the game. Certainly when Tiger goes in on something, it’s going to have an impact no matter what.”

There is certainly plenty of anticipation for the new team-based league, which is scheduled to begin in winter 2024. It will feature six teams of three PGA Tour players in head-to-head 18-hole match play competition on a virtual course. The season, whose tournaments will be played on prime-time TV in two-hour slots, will feature 15 regular-season matches followed by semi-finals and finals, with the action taking place in a special arena in Palm Beach.

Scott explained that the league comes along at a good time given the growing appetite for simulator golf around the world. He said: “I’ve seen an uptick in simulator golf when I travel outside of the United States, especially through Asia. There are tournaments with thousands of entrants playing against each other. It’s simple, not everyone can access a golf course.

“Looking at the younger generation - there are so many people into gaming. It’s kind of like a hybrid of gaming, but you’re not playing strictly on a console. Seeing how quickly it’s been picked up overseas, TGL will really compliment everything I’m seeing and it will have a huge impact certainly with the names that are behind it.”

Last week, it was revealed Scott closed the door on LIV Golf after joining the PGA Tour’s PAC. He thinks that new role, combined with his involvement in TGL, will help him have a greater influence of the direction of the game. He said: “Although they’re very separate things, if you’re going to try to have a voice that has any influence at all, amongst the members of the PAC or even the Tour members as a whole, I think you have to lead by example. To be on the PAC and sit there and talk a big game is one thing, but maybe some of these other things I’m doing will help me be a voice of reason on these committees going forward.”

With the addition of Scott and Morikawa to the league, that means the six players it has recruited so far have amassed 24 Majors between them, with five achieving the World No.1 position. With 12 more players to come, it looks like living up expectations as one of the most intriguing and anticipated events of 2024. 

Paul Azinger has described his 13 years on the PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council as a "colossal waste of time."

The 12-time PGA Tour winner, now a broadcaster for NBC/Golf Channel, made the controversial comment whilst on air during the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Hawaii.

He and co-commentator Dan Hicks were discussing the Player Advisory Council while commentating on Adam Scott, who has recently joined the PAC to all-but close the door on LIV Golf.

"PAC is that first step towards consulting the PGA Tour board and the Commissioner on issues dealing with the Tour," Hicks said before Azinger replied: "I was on that PAC for 13 years, I thought it was a colossal waste of time."

Hicks sounded very surprised, asking: "Really?" To which Azinger replied: "Yeah."

"Well you're sitting in that chair to be honest," Hicks said.

These aren't the first controversial comments made by Paul Azinger whilst in the booth, after describing the DP World Tour as "that European Tour" in March 2020 when speaking about Tommy Fleetwood's career victories.

"You can win all you want on that European Tour, international game and all that. But you have to win on the PGA Tour," the 1993 PGA Champion said of Fleetwood, a then-five-time DP World Tour winner who at the time had the 54-hole lead at the Honda Classic.

Azinger was met with severe backlash from the European game, most notably from Ian Poulter who described the comments as "embarrassing."

The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council is made up of 17 players. It is co-chaired by Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson and includes the likes of Billy Horschel, Jon Rahm and Will Zalatoris. It works under the Player Directors, who are James Hahn, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Kisner and Rory McIlroy.

It seems that Adam Scott has put to bed any rumours of a move to LIV Golf as, on Friday, the former Masters champion confirmed that he will be joining the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council.

The Council, which is a 16-player committee made up of players on the PGA Tour, advises and consults with the PGA Tour Policy Board (Board of Directors) and Commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the Tour, with Scott the newest addition to it.

Scott is arguably one of the most experienced individuals when it comes to the PGA Tour. Joining the Tour in 2003, his 20-year long career on it has seen him secure 14 titles, including the Masters in 2012, as well as the 2004 Players Championship and multiple WGCs and Tour Championship trophies.

Now, at the age of 42, he joins the PAC alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Max Homa, with Scott stating: "I'm more interested in what the Tour is planning on doing with the Tour than how we're fighting a lawsuit. I couldn’t care less about that to be honest. I'm more interested in what the future of the Tour looks like. I convinced myself that it was worth diving into that to see what's going on.”

He went on to add: “I think seeing Rory (McIlroy) taking a leadership role, I feel, potentially, like a few other notable players—if I can call myself a notable player—can assist him moving things in the direction it seems to be. It's an important time for the Tour to kind of map out the next decade and beyond, what playing the PGA Tour kind of is working towards and what that looks like.

"As well as everyone out here probably wants to know, full schedule and beyond. But it is a critical, critical … it's just a time of change. And, yeah, big decisions are going to be made and they need to be the right ones."

The move means that any possibility of Scott joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League has been quashed. Previously, the Aussie admitted the (LIV) schedule is very appealing, and then declared it was not pure evil as recently as September.

Since then, though, Scott has revealed ambitions of winning more Majors, with the 42-year-old claiming that LIV Golf players who miss out on tournaments because of issues with their World Ranking have to accept the situation, as he stated: "They’ve made their decisions."

Sony Open 2023 Live Stream

The PGA Tour stays in Hawaii this week for the Sony Open, and the tournament celebrates its 25th edition with Sony as the title sponsor. 19 of the 39 players who competed at the Sentry Tournament of Champions will make the island hop for the Sony Open.

Big name wise, Jordan Spieth sits atop the tree closely followed by Hideki Matsuyama, Tom Kim, Adam Scott, Billy Horschel, as well as Presidents Cup players Corey Conners, K.H. Lee and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. 

The course in question is Waialae Country Club measuring at just over 7,000 yards. Designed by Seth Raynor and recently renovated by Tom Doak, the course features tree-lined fairways and as many as 83 bunkers. 

Below are all the broadcast and streaming details you need to make sure you miss none of the action.

Sony Open Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2023 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs.

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule - 2023 Sony Open

All times EST

Thursday, January 12: 7pm-10.30pm (Golf Channel)

Friday, January 13: 7pm-10.30pm (Golf Channel)

Saturday, January 14: 4pm-6pm (NBC), 6pm-8pm (Golf Channel)

Sunday, January 15: 4pm-6pm (NBC), 6pm-8pm (Golf Channel)

NBC's Golf Channel will televise action during the week along with NBC itself over the weekend. Bearing this in mind you can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial. While fuboTV also offers the Golf Channel and 100+ other channels and also has a 7-day free trial.

UK TV Schedule - 2023 Sony Open

Thursday, January 12: 5pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, January 13: 6pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, January 14: 8pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, January 15: 6pm-12am (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2023 Sony Open

Friday, January 13: 6am-2.30pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Saturday, January 14: 6am-2.30pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, January 15: 11am-2.30pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Monday, January 16: 10am-2pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The PGA Tour coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch early in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from Hawaii here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $25 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service) 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. 

Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. 

Michael Castillo will make his long-awaited PGA Tour debut at the Sony Open this week at the grand old age of 60, and that isn’t even the most remarkable thing about his appearance.

Following a five-year battle with colon cancer that spread to his lung and back to his liver, his hopes of playing on the PGA Tour had long but faded, until his assistants at Kapalua – where Castillo is the head pro – convinced him to play this year as the Section PGA Championship was at Poipu Bay, a course where he held the same position for 12 years.

A birdie on his final hole in qualifying sent him into this week's event, in a field which features Tom Kim, 40 years his junior. Castillo clearly has absolutely nothing to lose this week in what has become a wonderful feel-good story.

“It is really cool,” Castillo said. “And it’s the first time our family will all be together in 10 years. So that’s exciting to get together as a family.”

His family have a long history with the competition, with his father and two brothers playing in the event in the past without making the cut as the tournament reserves a spot for the PGA professional in that section.

“I thought that opportunity had passed many years ago,” Castillo said. “I only played in the section championship because it was at Poipu. The guys said, ‘You’ve got to play.’ I played well, putted good, it was 25 mph wind and I birdied 18 to win.”

Following his cancer diagnosis five years ago, Castillo has undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy twice each and ahead of the Aloha Section Championship in September, he knew he needed more treatment.

“I knew in September I needed radiation for cancer on my liver,” the 60-year-old said. “I waited until that tournament, went to New Mexico for the Senior PNC (Professional National Championship) with my sister, Lori, on the bag, and then did treatments.

“I went with radiation and I’ll know next month if it was successful,” he said. “In December, it cleaned my body out and I feel pretty good. I’m ready for the Sony.”

Castillo even played nine holes with former World No.1 and 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott on Tuesday, and the Aussie thinks it is a great story for the oldest man in the field, saying: “Yeah, that's why. I'm getting those young vibes. Most weeks it seems like I'm the oldest man on the tour or in the field these days,” Scott said.

"I think it's a great story. He qualified at 60 years old for his first Sony Open and asked Tom a hit with me today. He's doing that, so I'm excited to do that. I think it's a great story about the game of golf. It's like Fred Couples who is obviously a superstar, but shoots 60 -- how would he is, 63? It's a great game when stuff like this happens. Regardless of his performance this week, to share the moment with his family will be more than enough for Castillo.

“I think I certainly embrace celebrating Mike's achievement of getting in and getting to play PGA Tour event at 60.”

Adam Scott has explained that LIV Golf players who miss out on tournaments because of issues with their world ranking have to accept the situation. 

LIV Golf players know more than most the impact of not having a regular schedule of OWGR tournaments to draw from. However, as well as issues including eligibility for Majors in doubt, another consideration is Olympic qualification. Even World No.3 Cameron Smith could miss out on the Australian Olympic team for next year's Games in Paris if his OWGR slips too far, but that’s something his compatriot Adam Scott thinks he should be aware of, even though it would be unfortunate for him and the team.

Scott, who is preparing to play in the Sony Open in Hawaii, said: “I think it would be unfortunate. However, again, like everyone said, they’ve made their decisions, and some of those decisions - well, that decision may come with some sacrifice in the short or long term. In the short term, it was sacrificing the ability to have world ranking points. If they didn’t know that, then they’re realising that’s the case at the moment. So I think it would be unfortunate, yes, for Australia and their team.”

Scott appears to have weighed up the pros and cons of joining LIV Golf for many months. Almost a year ago, he admitted the schedule is very appealing, and then declared it was not pure evil as recently as September. He has since said he harbours ambitions of winning more Majors, which appears to have left him focused on his PGA Tour career, at least for the time being.

According to Scott, though, his compatriots who have left for LIV Golf seem to have been more emphatic on their reasons for joining – regardless of where it left their eligibility for other tournaments. He said: “Cam also made these decisions as did Leish [Marc Leishman] and Matt Jones and any other Aussie who has gone on there. There may be some sacrifice. Seems like they’re OK with living with that mostly, at least the Aussies seem that way."

Smith and Leishman were in the Australian Olympic team for the 2020 Tokyo Games. However, the men’s team finished well outside of the medals reckoning, with Xander Schauffele claiming gold for the USA.

YouTube sensation and Golf Monthly top 50 coach Rick Shiels took on PGA Tour star Rickie Fowler at Medalist Golf Club in Florida - his home course - in the latest of Shiels’ 10 shot challenges.

The challenge was to see if he could beat Fowler by starting at 10-under par while the American started at level par in a straight-up stroke play match up over 18 holes around the stunning, private Floridian course.

Shiels has previously taken on this challenge with three other professionals, Adam Scott, Lee Westwood, and Tommy Fleetwood, losing to all three and despite Fowler having a relatively quiet last few seasons on tour, it would be an exceptional difficult task trying to beat the five-time PGA Tour winner around his home club.

It's the latest of many high-profile videos filmed on Rick Shiels' YouTube channel this year, which has amassed over 2.4m subscribers. He also filmed with Sir Nick Faldo, Tom Watson and Good Good in 2022 among many other big names.

Check out the video below to see how the Englishman fared against Rickie Fowler:

An ominous start saw Shiels slip back to six-under after two holes, while the deficit was already down to just five after three, following an early Fowler birdie.

The American also hit two eagles during his round and despite Shiels’ slow start, the challenge went all the way down to the wire. He ended up bogeying the final hole and Fowler faced a birdie putt to win, which he sank and condemned Shiels to the narrowest of defeats.

Fowler hasn’t won on tour since claiming the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open and his struggling form meant he eventually missed the Masters in 2020 for the first time in a decade, along with failing to qualify for the US Open or the Open Championship during the same year.

The early stages of his 2023 season have already offered some positive signs that he can return to winning ways, with the 34-year-old coming T2nd at the Zozo Championship in October.

He shot a third round 66 to head in the final day one shot clear of Keegan Bradley at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club on the outskirts of Tokyo, although the 2011 PGA Championship winner would eventually prevail and Fowler would have to settle for second.

Adrian Meronk stormed clear of the Australian Open field, beating home favourite Adam Scott by five shots en route to making history by becoming the first Polish player to win the tournament.

The two-time DP World Tour winner won the event in outstanding fashion, by ending his final round with an eagle-putt from off the green at the 72nd hole to close out the tournament with a four-under par 66.

Scott had every chance going into the final round as leader, but a frustrating two-over 72 ended all of his hopes to win his second title in the tournament. There were also frustrations for Scott’s compatriot, Min Woo Lee, who ended his challenge with a one-under 69.

The leaderboard was all change from the first hole, as Scott’s bogey opened the door for Meronk to tie the lead after the Pole’s birdie on the same hole. Scott did regain the advantage though, after back-to-back birdies on the 4th and 5th.

Min Woo Lee looked to make it a three-way battle as he reduced his deficit to two shots, but a bogey on the 8th left him four-shots off the pace before the turn. The back-nine began with trouble for Scott, as he dropped two shots on the 9th and 10th which allowed Meronk to take over the lead again.

After becoming the first Pole to win on the DP World Tour just over six months ago at the Irish Open, he has added another record to his portfolio and has joined a host of golf legends by winning the Stonehaven Cup.

“To finish like that on the 18th hole, it’s just unreal. I’m so grateful, thank you for all the support and I've enjoyed this week so much. I felt really good again today. I just kept doing what I've been doing the last two days and just worked pretty well. I’m super proud of me and proud of my team and yeah, I'm happy right now.”

In the women's event, it was recent AIG Women's Open winner, Ashleigh Buhai, who added another victory to her 2022 season, with the South African claiming a one shot victory from Jiyai Shin, while Kipp Popert dominated in the all-abilities category, as he cruised to a seven shot win over Kurtis Barkley.

Having claimed a third Australian PGA Championship last week, Cameron Smith may have been forgiven for having a slight hangover as he featured in the Australian Open in Melbourne.

And, after carding a "rubbish" second-round of 73 to sit at two over par, the current Champion Golfer of the Year could also be forgiven for thinking that his tournament was over. However, after conditions worsened in the afternoon, Smith found himself heading for the weekend, something which he may not have expected as he was in the pub at the time!

"I wasn't really expecting it, to be honest," stated Smith, who was recorded celebrating his Australian PGA Championship in a bar last week. He went on to add: "I was pretty quick to the pub, and yeah, was probably a few too many beers deep and then I realised we had an early tee time, so I got back on the waters and was a good boy the rest of the night."

Although the Australian made it into Saturday's play, he would subsequently miss the cut, due to the tournament having a second cut after the third round, with his one-over total of two shots too many to make it into the final day.

Currently, Adam Scott leads by one stroke from Poland's Adrian Meronk, with Jiyai Shin holding a one shot lead in the women's division from AIG Women's Open winner, Ashleigh Buhai.

Looking for the perfect gift for the festive season? Check out the best Christmas Golf Gift Ideas

ISPS HANDA Australian Open 2022 Live Stream

A week on from the Australian PGA Championship, the DP World Tour heads to Kingston Heath and Victoria for the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, which will be the historic first mixed-gender Open. With men, women and All Abilities players all competing on the same stages at the same time, the Open will return after two years’ absence.

Last week's winner Cameron Smith will look to go back to back, and other well-known players in the field include Marc Leishman, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, the Hojgaard twins, Ryan Fox, Adrian Meronk and Adam Scott. 

I am particularly excited to see Kingston Heath, widely regarded as one of the best golf courses in the world thanks to the work of the Sand Belt land, and Dr Alister MacKenzie. Victoria Golf Club is also going to be an interesting test mainly because no consecutive holes are played in the same direction.

So to make sure you miss none of the action, below are all the streaming details. 

ISPS HANDA Australian Open Live Stream: How to watch from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch golf in 2022 including in the US, UK and almost anywhere else in the world. Below we have a full list of options but anyone away from their home country can still watch the action by using VPNs.

VPNs allow you to get around any geo-blocking and and let you watch the same legal, high-quality golf live stream you would at home.

ExpressVPN is one of the best out there. It's easy to use, boasts strong security features, is very easy to setup and is compatible with most major streaming devices, including the  Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation.

Best of all, ExpressVPN comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. This is the #1 rated VPN in the world right now. You can try it out for a month for free or sign up for an annual plan and get 3 months absolutely free.

US TV Schedule - 2022 ISPS HANDA Australian Open

All times EST

Wednesday, November 30: 8pm-1am (Golf Channel)

Thursday, December 1: 8pm-1am (Golf Channel)

Friday, December 2: 8pm-1am (Golf Channel)

Saturday, December 3: 8pm-1am (Golf Channel)

NBC's Golf Channel will televise all the action during the week. Bearing this in mind you can access the Golf Channel through streaming options such as AT&T TV Now and fuboTV.

AT&T TV Now starts at around $55 a month but does have a 7-day free trial. While fuboTV also offers the Golf Channel and 100+ other channels and also has a 7-day free trial.

UK TV Schedule - 2022 ISPS HANDA Australian Open

Thursday, December 1: 1am-6am (Sky Sports Golf)

Friday, December 2: 1am-6am (Sky Sports Golf)

Saturday, December 3: 3am-8am (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, December 4: 1am-7am (Sky Sports Golf)

In the UK, Sky Sports should be your first port of call as Sky Sports Golf will televise action from the event. At the moment Sky has some great deals on Sky Sports for those looking to upgrade and those looking sign up to Sky for the first time.

You can get all eight Sky Sports Channels in HD for just £25 a month which not only includes all the golf action, but you can also watch the football, cricket, Formula 1, NFL and a whole host of other sporting events.

Australia TV Schedule - 2022 ISPS HANDA Australian Open

Thursday, December 1: 12pm-5pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Friday, December 2: 12pm-5pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Saturday, December 3: 2pm-7pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

Sunday, December 4: 12pm-5pm Kayo Sports (Fox Sports)

The coverage in Australia obviously means getting something great to watch in the morning. As ever in Australia the most comprehensive golf coverage is offered by Kayo Sports where you can watch Fox Sports that broadcasts the PGA Tour coverage. Not only can you watch the action from Australia here, it has all the PGA Tour, DP World Tour events and the Majors. It also has events on the LPGA as well.

It of course also offers access to over 50 sports live and on-demand, with some its big name channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, and beIN Sports.

It's also fantastic value at either $25 for Kayo Basic or $35 for Kayo Premium. Basic lets you stream sport on two devices at once, while Premium allows you to watch on up to three screens simultaneously, so it represents great value if your household has different sporting tastes or you're splitting the cost of the subscription. There's even a free 14-day trial.

As ever, Aussies out of the country can access their favorite streaming service just like they would at home can use a VPN to watch their PGA Tour live stream of choice.

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service) 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. 

Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. 

Adam Scott says the PGA Tour and LIV Golf should "get on with what they're doing" amid talks of the two organisations entering discussions and working together.

Tiger Woods was adamant that Greg Norman "has to go" and legal action be "stayed" for the two tours to work together, echoing Rory McIlroy's words from earlier in the month at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

However, Adam Scott - who seems loyal to the PGA Tour in his bid to win more Majors - doesn't seem to think that LIV and the PGA Tour need to do anything other than focus on their own businesses.

“I guess they’re speaking for the PGA Tour somewhat these day it seems,” Scott said of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods at this week's Australian Open. "But I don’t know what this coming together is. I don’t know, is someone making that up? Like, is that a possibility? I don’t know.

“I really am not involved at that level at all and it seems like all speculation to me. I genuinely feel like LIV should get on with what they’re doing and the PGA Tour should get on with what they’re doing and it will all sought out, whether that’s together or not, I have no clue.

“But I don’t necessarily think that it has to be together or not together for the good of the game. I think the good of the game will prevail, but it’s a big shake-up and we’re not used to that. And that’s where I think it’s at at the moment.”

Scott's compatriot Marc Leishman, who joined LIV Golf at the end of August, said that Greg Norman has "done a good job" and admitted that players are entitled to their opinions on the future of the LIV CEO.

“I think Greg’s done a good job, he’s got the players," Leishman said. “I think it’s something that everyone’s got an opinion on and they’re certainly entitled to that. I’m just enjoying where I’m at at the moment. I’m happy to go about my career quietly, not get into all that stuff.”

This week's men's Australian Open takes place alongside the Women’s Australian Open at the same time and at the same venues - Victoria Golf Club and Kingston Heath.

Looking for the perfect gift for the festive season? Check out the best Christmas Golf Gift Ideas

Friday saw the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship turn yellow as players and fans turned out to honour the late Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle.

Yellow is the chosen colour to support Jarrod’s Gift which helps to continue the late golfer’s work in raising funds for the charity Challenge, which helps children and their families living with cancer.

Lyle’s wife Briony says that Yellow Day at the Australian PGA is the finishing touch for a fundraising campaign supported on social media by the hashtag #DoingItForJarrod.

Lyle was just 36 when he sadly passed away after suffering with cancer, and there was plenty of yellow on show at Royal Queensland to showcase just what a popular pro he was on the circuit.

“It’s growing rather than diminishing and that makes me very proud,” said Briony. “There are always spectators in their yellow Hawaiian shirts. The fans get involved as much as the pros.

“Jarrod’s friends from the pro tour make a point of saying they have a yellow cap or shirt packed in their luggage just for this day.

“This year, we have on-course volunteers in yellow polos, yellow caddie bibs and signage that can be flipped to display in yellow.”

Various yellow-themed golf items have been on sale at Royal Queensland, from bucket hats to headcovers, with proceeds going to Challenge.

Briony Lyle was also a special guest announcer at Royal Queensland as she welcomed the marquee grouping of Adam Scott, Cam Smith and Ryan Fox to the first tee box on Friday.

Lyle passed away in 2018 after a second recurrence of the leukemia he suffered as a teenager – with the first coming in 2012 before treatment enabled him to return to golf.

Lyle famously hit a hole-in-one at the famous 16th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2011, and the tournament paid tribute the year after his death by placing his golf bag and a commemorative plaque on the tee box at 16 at TPC Scottsdale.

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Cameron Smith has admitted that he isn’t sure whether compatriot Adam Scott will join him on LIV Golf.

Smith is competing in the DP World Tour this week as he aims for his third Fortinet Australian PGA Championship win. Before doing so, though, he commented on the possibility of Scott joining him on LIV Golf. He said: “I’m really not sure on what his stance is. I obviously can’t talk for him, he’s kind of been in the middle for so long he’s just going with whatever happens. I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

Video: What Is LIV Golf?

Scott has been non-committal on his stance with LIV Golf over recent months. Before September’s Presidents Cup, the 42-year-old explained why he hadn’t joined, saying: “Why I am still on the PGA Tour is because it suits me best to be on the PGA Tour. It’s as simple as that, really. There’s one thing I think I haven’t grasped is giving up my entire professional life of trying to achieve these things here and just leaving it behind. I’m obviously not ready to do that. I may never be, as well, to be clear. I just think that seems to be a hurdle that - well, it hasn’t really presented itself to me anyway.”

Later that month, Scott appeared to leave the door to signing for LIV Golf further ajar by declaring it is “not pure evil” and adding: “I believe the PGA Tour has to do what’s best for their product and LIV is going to do what is best for their product. I don’t have a problem with either of them.” He also said: “As far as Cam and Leish [Marc Leishman] recruiting me, they’ve got plenty of cash now so they’re more than welcome to make me an offer... I probably haven’t been able to put myself in a position where I’m willing to give up trying to win Major championships.”

Perhaps Scott’s final comment gives the greatest indication of his plans. Scott has reunited with the caddie who helped him claim his only Major win to date, the Masters at Augusta National in 2013. Meanwhile, he has also revealed that he is targeting a career Grand Slam – an ambition that could be beyond him if he were to sign for the PGA Tour’s bitter rival.

Another of Scott’s LIV Golf compatriots, Smith’s Punch GC teammate Marc Leishman, admitted earlier in the week that he is fine with the possibility that his Masters days could be over as a result of his decision to join the Saudi-funded organisation.

Check out the Golf Monthly website for all the latest news, reviews and the best Black Friday golf deals as we approach Christmas.

Adam Scott is in his native Australia this week as he aims to win the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship for the third time. 

Beyond that, though, he has far greater ambitions - winning the three Majors that have so far eluded him for a career Grand Slam. Scott’s only Major win to date came in the 2013 Masters. At that point, he was only 32, and the following year, he became World No.1, which suggested it might be a matter of time until he added to his tally. 

However, while another Major win has failed to materialise so far, the 42-year-old still thinks he can win the remaining three. Speaking before this week’s tournament at Royal Queensland, he said: “I guess I wanted to win all the Majors, and that sounds like a lot, but really it’s three more events. It’s just got to be the right week. I have all the tools. I’m still very healthy. I’m still moving the golf ball well, and I have a lot of experience, and I’m just trying to put it all together.”

Scott has certainly come close to more Major wins, suggesting that if he can recover his best form, he can achieve his ambition. Following his win at Augusta National, Scott tied for fourth at the 2015 US Open before tying for third in the 2018 PGA Championship. He also finished runner-up in the Open in 2012. 

Scott has also reunited with Steve Williams, the caddie he had for his Masters win nine years ago. With the tweaked setup in place, the World No.34 seems determined to make the most of his remaining competitive years. He said: “I don’t live in the States, but I’m going to spend way more time in the States next year to compete seriously. I can’t be flying all around the world playing against guys who don’t. 

"I’ve shifted my focus as well. I want to fulfil my dreams and goals as a player and time is less and less on my side. I have to do everything I can to make sure I give myself the best chance. I still haven’t achieved all the things I want to achieve in my own career.”

Check out the Golf Monthly website for all the latest news, reviews and the best Black Friday golf deals as we approach Christmas.