President Trump Pardons Caddie For Historic Crimes And DP World Tour Creates Playoffs Plan B: This Week In Golf

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

Straight off the back of the DP World Tour's flagship event - the BMW PGA Championship - tour action returns in earnest around the world with tournaments on the LPGA Tour, Asian Tour and European circuit headlining the latest festival of golf.

And if that wasn't enough, a little something called the Presidents Cup is also on the agenda from one of the United States of America's most well-known layouts.

Outside of the fairways, plenty has already been going on while there's surely more to come over the coming days.

Below are some of the biggest stories in the game this week that you will want to know about.

PRESIDENT TRUMP PARDONS HARRIS ENGLISH'S CADDIE

Harris English's caddie Eric Larson has received an official pardon from US President Donald Trump decades after being convicted of dealing cocaine.

Larson served 11 years in prison more than 30 years ago and has consequently been prevented from entering the UK alongside English to work at the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship since 2024 when the British government changed its immigration laws.

As a result, it stopped the pro caddie from picking up a potential bonus of around $126,000 when English finished second at The Open in 2025.

But after a round with Trump last December, during which Larson is said to have explained his situation, the President issued a full and unconditional pardon.

Per the New York Post, which broke the story, the pardon was signed on September 3 and Trump called Larson to deliver the news.

The Appleton, Wisconsin native revealed to the New York Post he had previously made a formal application through the Justice Department’s pardon office and had submitted documents showing his prison work as well as letter vouching for him.

Speaking to the Post about his pardon, Larson said: “I’m very fortunate. I’m grateful. I got a chance now.

“I’ve met Trump before with the golfers. He loves golf. The Department of Justice went through all my paperwork and all my prison paperwork. It went through the process. I want it to be based on my merits, not because I know him.

“I’ve done all the right things since Day One, since my crime."

REPORT: DP WORLD TOUR MAKES ALTERNATIVE PLAYOFF PLAN

The DP World Tour has reportedly earmarked Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande in Spain as its alternative venue for the end-of-season championship should safety and security not be guaranteed in Dubai during November, according to a report from Spanish outlet Ten Golf.

The ongoing war in Iran has thrown the DP World Tour's plans up into the air regarding its end-of-term playoffs, with players such as Matt Fitzpatrick admitting he would "not be 100% comfortable" travelling to Dubai as things stand.

Fitzpatrick also suggested it is a "no-brainer" for the tour to switch host countries but acknowledged the matter is a complicated one.

Nevertheless, the DP World Tour understands the concerns of its members and has - per Ten Golf - rubber stamped an alternative plan which involves Sotogrande, the site of the Andalucia Masters.

The circuit's Plan B would also lead to the cancellation of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and see all 70 players who qualify for the Playoffs entered into a slightly larger field than normal for the DP World Tour Championship.

But as it stands, the DP World Tour will head to the Middle East in less than two months' time with the Sotogrande operation in place should it be required.

PRESIDENTS CUP CAPTAIN SAYS PGA TOUR 'SEPARATION' COULD BE BENEFICIAL

In the build-up to the 2026 Presidents Cup, International Team captain Geoff Ogilvy suggested his side having a little more separation from the PGA Tour could help the event grow in stature.

Currently, both teams are owned and operated exclusively by the PGA Tour, which Ogilvy said presents "obvious challenges."

Speaking to Front Office Sports, Ogilvy outlined his desire to hopefully one day choose any international player from any circuit - not just those with PGA Tour memberships.

He said: “I’m not very well-schooled in corporate structure, but it would be advantageous to the event, I think, to get a little bit more separation between the two teams.”

Currently, LIV players are not eligible to represent the International Team due to the PGA Tour's rules - a fact which has undoubtedly affected the strength of Ogilvy's side this time around.

The Australian - who won eight PGA Tour titles, including the 2006 US Open - is adamant he's happy with the roster at Medinah this week but went on to note he feels it would be helpful to have "access to all the players."

Ogilvy said: "It would be nice to have access to pick from them [LIV golfers]. But also not really because this group of players have been together, they play on the same tour—the PGA Tour—they have dinner, they play a lot of practice rounds, and it could upset the apple cart a little bit, too."

He continued: "Whatever the future looks like, hopefully it’s all lined up again and we get back to what it was like before, and we can have access to all the players."

PRESIDENTS CUP

The Presidents Cup takes place at Medinah Country Club's Course No.3 this weekend as the US Team takes on the International Team.

Brandt Snedeker leads the American side into battle in the four-day event while Geoff Ogilvy is his rival on the International side of the tee box.

The hosts have only ever failed to win two editions of the Presidents Cup since it began in 1994 - both of which were outside of the US - and are going for an 11th consecutive victory.

While still a team competition, the format of the Presidents Cup is different to that of the Ryder Cup with five fourballs matches taking place on Thursday before five foursomes matches on Friday.

There are then four fourballs matches and four foursomes matches on Saturday morning and afternoon, respectively, before all 12 players compete in singles matches to close it out.

There are 30 points to play for in total and the US only needs 15 to retain the Presidents Cup as defending champions.

LPGA Walmart Arkansas Championship

The LPGA Tour is back following a fascinating Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, with the LPGA Walmart Arkansas Championship resuming the schedule.

Jasmine Suwannapura technically won the 2025 version of this, although the tournament never made it past the first round due to terrible weather conditions in Rogers, Arizona.

With hopes of completing the 72 holes this time around, Pinnacle Country Club once again hosts as a number of the circuit's top Asian stars take their first opportunity to compete again in several weeks.

Miyu Yamashita and Rio Takeda top the bill alongside Charley Hull, with several other Solheim Cup stars teeing it up as well in the $3 million event.

FEDEX OPEN DE FRANCE

The big events keep on coming on the DP World Tour with the FedEx Open de France following the BMW PGA Championship in the Back 9 series.

A number of big names are in the field at Le Golf National, which returns to hosting duties following one year away.

Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Ryan Gerard, Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Smith are among the most notable entrants, as is defending champion Michael Kim.

There's a bit of a drop-off in the prize money this week with only $3.75 million on the line compared to $9 million last week, $6 million before that and $5 million next time out.

Nevertheless, valuable Race to Dubai points and Ryder Cup qualifying points are on the table, so there are plenty of reasons to do well over the coming days.

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• Bryson DeChambeau has revealed his $100,000 Backyard Games which will see 12 content creators playing one-hole matches in his garden until a three-hole final. If a creator wins the challenge, they take the money. But if DeChambeau wins, he has vowed to send one of his nearly 5 million Instagram followers the cash instead
• The Masters and The Open have revealed their qualifying pathways for next year's championships. Augusta National has not made any changes to this year while The R&A has made one key tweak in particular, with LIV Golf's exemption route under threat amid the circuit's ongoing uncertain future
• The Asian Tour's season continues with the Taiwan Masters days after the circuit's CEO announced this year's Q-School has been cancelled
• The US Team defeated the International Team 17.5 - 6.5 in the Junior Presidents Cup on Monday. It was the American's fifth win and marked the largest margin of victory in the tournament's history
• World No.14 Si Woo Kim has been announced in the field for the DP World Tour's Genesis Championship, which is due to take place at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club in South Korea from October 22-25