Sunningdale Confirmed For AIG Women's Open Return, Alex Fitzpatrick Accepts PGA Tour Membership And NFL Draft Pro Called On The Course: This Week In Golf

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

The back end of last week produced some incredible stories in the world of golf such as Nelly Korda lifting her third Major championship, Alex Fitzpatrick teaming up with brother Matt to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, and Bernd Wiesberger roaring back to triumph at the DP World Tour's Volvo China Open - his first success in five years.

But this sport doesn't stand still for very long and everyone involved in the pro game is already looking forward to what might happen next.

Luckily for them, the possibilities appear almost endless this week with one of the busiest starts to a week we've seen in a long time.

Below are some of the biggest storylines in golf this week as well as a look back at what has already occurred.

Cadillac Championship

The PGA Tour is back with yet another $20 million Signature Event as Trump National Doral's Blue Monster course welcomes some of the circuit's very best to the Cadillac Championship.

And it will only be some of the best as the event's position in the schedule has caused it to be skipped by five of the world's top-15 as well as a handful of other big names.

Although there won't be any sign of Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick or Xander Schauffele in Miami, Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa are all primed to try and win the next big PGA Tour event.

But in order to do so, they better be able to hit it a long way. Per the PGA Tour: "at 7,739 yards, the stock par 72 trails only the South Course at Torrey Pines as the longest hosts this season." Good luck, fellas.

Turkish Airlines Open

For fans of the DP World Tour, your serving this week is the Turkish Airlines Open at National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya - a switch from Regnum Carya (you know, the one with the swimming pool underneath the villa-roof tee box).

A new course will present plenty of challenge to those contending for not only the title but a place in the top-three of the Asian Swing rankings.

It's the final event before the European Swing starts, and the three leading players on the Asian Swing after Sunday's play has concluded will earn starts at the upcoming PGA Championship.

Not only that, but the man who tops the standings will earn exemptions into each of the Back 9 events and walk away with a $200,000 bonus check.

Riviera Maya Open

The second edition of the LPGA Tour's Mexico Open is taking place at Mayakoba's El Camaleon Golf Course - home to the PGA Tour for many years and site for LIV Golf's Mexican stop in 2023 and 2024.

Chizzy Iwai romped to victory by six strokes in the inaugural running last year, so officials will hope for a slightly closer contest this time around.

Nelly Korda leads the field alongside the Iwai sisters - Akie and defending champion Chizzy - as everyone battles it out for the lion's share of a $2.5 million tournament purse.

Sunningdale Returns as Major venue

Sunningdale's world-famous Old Course has been confirmed as the host of the AIG Women's Open in 2028.

It will mark the first time in two decades the Golf Monthly Top 100 layout has been given the honor, with Jiyai Shin winning when Sunningdale last hosted in 2008.

Mark Darbon, chief executive of The R&A, said in a press release: “Sunningdale continues a run of world class venues for the AIG Women’s Open. Venue selection is incredibly important to The R&A and AIG as we remain committed to making the AIG Women’s Open one of the world’s leading women’s sports events.

“With a track record of producing outstanding champions, Sunningdale will provide a fantastic test of golf and we look forward to an exciting AIG Women’s Open in 2028.”

The AIG Women’s Open will be played at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2026 before heading down to Royal St George’s in 2027.

Nelly Korda returns to World no.1

Nelly Korda won the Chevron Championship at a canter on Sunday, producing some video-game golf at times to earn the third Major of her career.

In doing so, Korda returned to the summit of world golf - replacing Jeeno Thitikul - for the first time since August 2025.

Given the standings in the women's game are much closer than on the men's side, expect this tussle for supremacy to continue for many years to come.

AIG Women's Open Prize Money Reaches $10 million

For the 50th edition of the Women's Open later this year, the championship will feature a $10 million prize money payout for the first time.

In 2020, the tournament purse was less than half that figure at $4.5 million, but The R&A have committed to raising the payout once more despite CEO Mark Darbon admitting the championship is not currently profitable in comments to BBC Sport.

In a press release, Darbon said: “This is the sixth consecutive year that the AIG Women’s Open prize fund has been increased.

“These consistent and sustainable investments in the prize fund clearly demonstrate The R&A and AIG’s commitment to elevating the Championship on the global stage.”

Speaking to BBC Sport, Darbon said: "At the moment [the AIG Women's Open] is not profitable. We treat it as an investment into the game, but an absolutely critical investment.

"Our focus actually is around audience growth. We think if we're going to be true to that notion of inspiring millions of people around the world, we need to grow the audience for this championship and the women's game more broadly."

Fitzpatrick accepts PGA Tour membership

Matt Fitzpatrick is very much a PGA Tour regular with three wins in his past four starts and up to World No.3 with over $10 million in tournament earnings so far this year.

However, his younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick is hoping to start his own journey now after the pair of Englishmen won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Sunday.

Alex, who still holds DP World Tour status and recently won the Hero Indian Open on one of the toughest courses in the game, has now accepted PGA Tour membership and will go straight into the field for this week's Cadillac Championship.

The 27-year-old is eligible for the remaining three Signature Events and has slotted in at No.45 on the FedEx Cup standings as he chases a playoff spot and the vastly superior riches on offer compared to his time in Europe.

NFL player drafted on the golf course

Quite often in the NFL Draft, fans see new recruits called at home surrounded by friends and family just praying the phone will ring and their dreams will begin.

That wasn't quite how it unfolded for new Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Kaden Wetjenwas, though.

The Iowa product was playing golf when his new boss Mike McCarthy made contact, sparking a sweet moment where Wetjenwas and a few friends gathered around a phone by the side of the fairway to watch the draft (which just so happened to be taking place in Steel town).

As the wideout had his name called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, he swiped away a flurry of messages that were pouring in and celebrated with a potential new celebration dance before presumably carrying on with his round. Because the hard work never stops for golfers.

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• The Golf Monthly Tour Issue podcast has launched, with our team of experts looking back on the weekend's golf, discussing the biggest stories and talking points in the game, answering your questions and previewing the upcoming tournaments every week
• The R&A CEO Mark Darbon has said players could face up to a two-stroke penalty for misconduct at The Open Championship in July as the game's governing bodies look to crack down on unsavory moments out on the course
• Local qualifying for the US Open continues this week with 20 sites hosting events between Monday and Thursday
• In a rare incident, the OWGR has recognized there are two World No.67s. Jordan Smith and Max Greyserman have the same number of average points over the relevant period, so there is no World No.68 as a result
• Following swiftly on from the Senior PGA Championship, the next PGA Tour Champions Major takes place this week with the Regions Tradition
• On the Asian Tour, The 45th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship begins on Thursday at Namseoul Country Club in South Korea
• Royal Lytham & St Annes has been confirmed as the host venue of The Open Championship in 2028
• Justin Rose and Michelle Wie have joined McLaren Golf as global ambassadors, with Rose using the new brand's irons at the Cadillac Championship this week. Ian Poulter has also shared he is using the irons
• Ryder Cup legends Bernhard Langer, Padraig Harrington, and Jose Maria Olazabal have been added to the PGA Tour Champions' Portugal Invitational field later this year, joining former teammate Thomas Bjorn and Major champions David Duval, Retief Goosen, and Angel Cabrera
• Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has once again committed to the DP World Tour's British Masters later this year
• Rory McIlroy has been confirmed for his first start since winning The Masters at next week's Truist Championship, played at Quail Hollow Club, an event he has won four times