Tiger Woods-Backed Company Bought For $530M, 15 Players Earn Last-Gasp Major Spot And LIV Winner Withdraws From The Open: 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 about the days ahead.

It was an unusually quiet week for this stage of the season last time out with only two tournaments and the US Senior Open on the biggest men's circuits and only one event in the women's game.

Nevertheless, there were exciting finishes in the John Deere Classic and BMW International Open as well as runaway victories for Carolina Chacarra on the LET and Padraig Harrington at the US Senior Open.

This time around, the number of tournaments on the schedule remains modest but there are a couple of huge events to sink your teeth into coming up.

And as always, there's plenty going on away from the course too as plans for the rest of this year and beyond begin to take shape.

So, without further ado, here is what is coming up in golf this week as well as a handful of key storylines to have already taken place.

TIGER WOODS-BACKED COMPANY SOLD

First reported by Front Office Sports' David Rumsey, Golf simulator company Full Swing has been sold to Versant - the parent company of Golf Channel - for a cool $530 million.

Full Swing, which saw investment from Tiger Woods back in 2015 and has boasted the 15-time Major winner as an ambassador ever since, has been used in TGL during its first two seasons and received a mixed response from players and fans alike due to its perceived lack of accuracy in some cases.

The official simulator of the PGA Tour, which welcomed investment by Jon Rahm too, has been owned by Bruin Capital since 2021, when it purchased Full Swing for $160 million.

SERGIO GARCIA PLANNING DP WORLD TOUR RETURN

Sergio Garcia announced plans to make his latest DP World Tour return in 2027 at the BMW International Open last weekend.

Garcia, who originally left for LIV Golf in 2022 before dropping his DP World Tour membership - only to re-apply ahead of the 2025 campaign and once again rescind it at the end of the year - confirmed his plans after missing the cut in Germany.

The 2017 Masters champion also revealed he plans to play a few more events this season, which is likely to include the Spanish Open in October.

Speaking to reporters on-site at the BMW International Open on Friday, he said: "It’s obviously something that I’ve always said that I wanted to do and I’m trying to do the best I can there.

"Obviously, at 46, I can’t play 30 events a year, but I’m going to make an effort to see if I can at least play a handful and try to do my best there.”

Garcia is the latest European legend to pursue re-joining the DP World Tour after Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter settled significant fines earlier this year.

LIV WINNER WITHDRAWS FROM THE OPEN

LIV Golf Riyadh winner Elvis Smylie has withdrawn from The Open Championship next week.

Smylie, who claimed his maiden LIV title on debut in Saudi Arabia in February, has endured a tough season otherwise and last played at the European Tour's Italian Open a fortnight ago where he ended T41st.

The left-hander was due to make his third consecutive Open appearance at Royal Birkdale, but a possible injury may have robbed him of the chance in 2026.

Smylie made his Open debut at Royal Troon in 2024 but has missed the cut in both Major appearances on links golf courses, with further disappointment arriving at Royal Portrush last year.

15 PLAYERS EARN OPEN SPOTS

A group of 15 golfers, including Sahith Theegala, Max Homa and David Puig, have earned spots into The Open Championship through the OWGR.

The late confirmations were the highest placed non-exempt players in the Official World Golf Ranking as of Monday, 6 July.

The full list includes; Sam Stevens, Nico Echavarria, Pierceson Coody, Ryo Hisatsune, Michael Brennan, David Puig, Tom Kim, Eric Cole, Keith Mitchell, Matt Wallace, Sami Valimaki, Max Homa, Thomas Detry, Max Greyserman and Sahith Theegala.

At this stage, the reserves for The Open are Aldrich Potgieter and Matti Schmid. There will also be three places at Royal Birkdale up for grabs via the Genesis Scottish Open this week.

Meanwhile, the final place will be on offer at the Last-Chance Qualifier at Royal Birkdale on Monday, July 13.

THE OPEN TICKET BALLOT IS LIVE

The 154th Open is yet to take place at Royal Birkdale, but the ticket ballot for the 155th Open at St Andrews is already live.

Anyone who is a One Club member, The R&A's free-to-join membership program, can apply for tickets until 3pm BST on Friday, July 24, 2026. You are able to apply for up to four tickets per day, which includes adult, youth, junior and carer passes.

According to The R&A, adding on a practice day may improve your chances of success, but applications can still prove to be fully successful, partially successful or completely unsuccessful, depending on ticket availability.

Under-16s are free throughout the week, while junior prices start from £20 and increase all the way to £95 on Championship Sunday. Adult tickets cost between £40 and £190, depending on the day you apply for.

GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN

A bumper field is ready to compete at the Genesis Scottish Open this week as the PGA Tour and DP World Tour collide outside of a Major.

The co-sanctioned event features a $9 million tournament purse and provides players with a competitive taste of what's to come at Royal Birkdale where the final men's Major of the season is on the line.

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is at The Renaissance Club, as are Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, but there are a number of big names missing the Genesis Scottish Open this time around.

In addition, Jon Rahm heads a long list of LIV golfers who will be making their first PGA Tour start since departing the tour, adding more intrigue to an already fascinating tournament.

AMUNDI EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Following a superb conclusion to the Amundi Evian Championship in 2025, where Grace Kim stunned Jeeno Thitikul in a playoff, expectations are high regarding another immensely entertaining event in France this year.

The season's fourth and penultimate women's Major began life on the biggest stage in 2000, where it has since been won by the likes of Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Lydia Ko.

Kim defends at Evian Resort Golf Club while Thitikul will be hoping to break her curious Major duck at the championship at which she has come closest so far.

To do so, the Thai star will have to hold off World No.1 Nelly Korda as well as other powerhouses such as Hyo Joo Kim, Charley Hull and Lottie Woad.

There is also a $9.1 million tournament purse up for grabs, which is slightly higher than the amount on offer in the PGA Tour and DP World Tour's Genesis Scottish Open.

ISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

Playing opposite the Genesis Scottish Open this week is the ISCO Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club in Lousiville, Kentucky.

Anyone who is a member of the PGA Tour or DP World Tour and doesn't qualify for the links-based tournament has the option of competing on US soil instead.

There are six players inside the world's top-100 teeing it up at the $4 million event, with Max Homa, Patrick Rodgers and Lucas Glover leading the charge.

Defending champion William Mouw is also playing, as are Ben Kohles and Lee Hodges, both of whom came close to earning a maiden PGA Tour victory at the John Deere Classic last week.

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• Ian Poulter's son Luke has earned his first PGA Tour start next year after a successful week at the Arnold Palmer Cup
• Chris Gotterup is back inside the World's top-10 and up to seventh following his win at the John Deere Classic
• Tony Finau was among six players to withdraw from the Genesis Scottish Open in the build-up
• Joaquin Niemann returned to the world's top-50 for the first time in three years following his latest top-10 on the DP World Tour
• The 12-man field for The Open's Last-Chance Qualifier has been announced, with names such as Wesley Bryan, Angel Hidalgo and Aldrich Potgieter involved