Masters Hole Tweak And LIV Course Deal: This Week In Golf

A general image of Rory McIlroy and Corey Conners walking up the 17th hole at Augusta National during the final round of the 2025 Masters — (Image credit: Getty Images)

This Week In Golf: Our regular look at the biggest stories in professional golf, tournament previews and other key details you need to know.

Joining Kim in the winner's circle was Collin Morikawa - who last tasted success in 2023 - thanks to his one-shot victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

There was no action on either the LPGA Tour or DP World Tour last week, but that will change over the coming days as LIV enjoys its first break of the new campaign.

Below are the biggest stories that have either already happened or are set to unfold in golf this week.

AUGUSTA NATIONAL HOLE TWEAK

Scottie Scheffler hits a drive off the 17th tee at Augusta National during the 2025 Masters

Augusta National's par-4 17th hole has been lengthened by 10 yards ahead of The Masters in 2026, taking it from 440 yards to 450 yards.

This has been achieved by 12 yards being removed from the front of the tee box and the championship tee marker relocating.

The most recent change to the 17th arrived in 2014 when the famous Eisenhower Tree was removed following damage sustained in an ice storm. Before that, it was lengthened by 10-15 yards in 2006.

The total length of the championship course at The Masters will now be 7,565 yards.

LIV AGREES COURSE-STANDARDS DEAL WITH USGA AND R&A

Cameron Smith putts in front of The Beach Club at LIV Golf Adelaide 2026

The LIV Golf League has agreed a deal with the USGA and The R&A to help improve course standards across each of its 14 events.

In a press release, LIV shared that The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service and the USGA Green Section will work with it to "advance agronomic standards" by "implementing a unified agronomic evaluation and preparation framework."

LIV said that by drawing on the expertise of the two consulting services, it will be able to "elevate host courses to peak competitive condition in an environmentally responsible way and deliver championship-caliber playing standards worldwide."

CHARLIE WOODS SIGNS WITH FIRST AGENT

Charlie Woods looks to the right during the Junior PGA Championship in 2025

Last week, Charlie Woods verbally committed to Florida State University. This week, the son of 15-time Major champion Tiger has signed with his first agency.

Per Sports Business Journal, Woods jr. has linked up with Players Group Management and will be represented by Allen Hobbs. Dad Tiger's agency is Excel Sports Management.

PGM is also Miles Russell's agency - the No.1 junior golfer in the world who attends FSU - as well as representing pros like Sahith Theegala, Will Zalatoris and Caleb Surratt.

TIGER WOODS 'NOT RULING OUT' MASTERS APPEARANCE

Tiger Woods speaks at a Genesis Invitational press conference

Tiger Woods may well compete at The Masters in 2026.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of the Genesis Invitational - a Signature Event that he hosts - Woods gave an emphatic "no" when asked if he was ruling out playing Augusta National this year despite having not played competitively since The Open Championship in 2024.

JUSTIN THOMAS TO RETURN

See y'all Monday 😏 pic.twitter.com/5nRBQepWR8February 17, 2026

Justin Thomas is ready to come back to pro golf. In something of a gentle warm-up to a full event, Thomas will compete for Atlanta Drive in next Monday's TGL clash against Boston Common.

The two-time Major winner has been out of action since undergoing microdiscectomy surgery after the Ryder Cup in September, but he announced last week that he had been cleared for all golf activity and his tour-golf comeback was imminent.

Thomas had previously said that his aim was to return "at some point" during the PGA Tour's Florida Swing, which begins next week with the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.

CHARLEY HULL REACHES HIGHEST-EVER ROLEX RANKING

Charley Hull during the Grant Thornton Invitational

What a few days for England's Charley Hull. She won the PIF Saudi Ladies International and scored a check for $750,000 on Sunday, and then moved up to a career-best third in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings on Monday.

The 29-year-old - who is behind only Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda in the rankings - now has nine professional wins and will be considered among the favorites for the five Major championships once again in 2026. She is currently one of the best players in the game without a Major, but surely that will change this year?

MARCO PENGE WINS SEVE BALLESTEROS AWARD

Marco Penge poses with the Spanish Open trophy after winning at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid

Marco Penge has won the 2025 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year by his fellow DP World Tour pros.

In just his second full campaign on the European circuit, Penge won three times and finished as the leading player in the race for a PGA Tour card by ending the year second in the Race To Dubai.

Penge also moved inside the world's top-30 and will play at The Masters for the first time in April.

The Englishman said: “I feel incredibly honoured to have won this prestigious award. I had a great season last year on the DP World Tour, but to have that recognised by my fellow competitors really means a lot. I want to say a big thank you to all of them.

“To go from fighting to keep my card to winning an award that carries Seve’s name in the space of a year is something I’m incredibly proud of, and I’m grateful to my team for their support - it gives me huge confidence and motivation to keep pushing for more this season.”

NO NELLY KORDA AS LPGA TOUR RETURNS

Nelly Korda at the CME Group Tour Championship

The LPGA Tour returns this week with the Honda LPGA Thailand on the Old Course at Siam Country Club. The field consists of several high-class Asian players, but it's a couple of the absentees which have raised eyebrows.

While World No.1 Jeeno Thitikul and World No.5 Miyu Yamashita lead the charge, Nelly Korda, Charley Hull and Minjee Lee - the World No.2, 3 and 4 - will be elsewhere for the week.

Hull won in Saudi Arabia just days ago, so her absence could be excused, but the fact that Korda is opting to miss a 19th-straight Asian event has led to questions about her legacy - specifically whether she will only be seen as a home-turf hero rather than a world-wide winner.

DP WORLD TOUR IS BACK

Jacques Kruyswijk holds the Kenya Open trophy

After a one-week hiatus, the DP World Tour has returned and the Magical Kenya Open will resume the action.

Played at Karen Country Club in Nairobi, the tight old-school layout is always worth tuning in for as players navigate the awkward yet beautiful course to be crowned champion.

South Africa's Jacques Kruyswijk reigned supreme last year, and he's back in the field to try and defend his crown.

MINI TWIGS - WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

Brooks Koepka committed to the Texas Children's Houston Open, adding another pre-Masters event to his 2026 schedule
Genesis renewed its deal with the PGA Tour until 2030, remaining as title partner of this week's PGA Tour Signature Event
Riviera's par-3 4th hole has been extended by 40 yards to now measure over 270 yards for the 2026 Genesis Invitational
Anthony Kim has made a massive jump in the OWGR, moving up over 600 spots to just outside 200th in the world

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time.

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