The LIV Golf League is bankrupt, and the future of the rival league to the PGA Tour remains unknown.

LIV Golf was established in 2022 by the Saudi PIF, a public investment fund that backed the league and aimed to grow the game in a team format rather than the PGA Tour’s format. Former golfer Greg Norman was the face of the organization as its first CEO, and fan favorite Phil Mickelson was the first player to announce his support and became the league’s player face, even though he was in the back half of his career.

Since then, the league has signed many stars and split the sport into two leagues, and even though Mickelson has been absent lately, it was a big deal.

Stars such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm signed with the league over the years for amounts as big as $500 million.

Prize pools were much larger than the PGA Tour’s, as the Saudi PIF had unlimited resources to attract players, especially those in the back half of their careers.

The downfall began last year when Brooks Koepka exited the league; he originally joined because it got his brother, Chase Koepka, a spot as well, which got him off the mini tours. The mini tours are a tough life, so Brooks was happy to set his brother up for life, but when Chase was relegated, Brooks no longer needed to be there and left.

Earlier this year, the Saudi PIF pulled their funding from the league, leaving the already non-profit league in shambles. There were reports that new investors were coming in, but that seems unlikely now that the bankruptcy news has broken.

The future remains unknown, but this is likely the league’s final year. The league never made a profit on its sales, relying on unlimited PIF resources, so it is hard to see how it can survive without Saudi Arabian involvement.

Amateur golfer Zach Holland, a 2-handicap player who competed collegiately at William Carey University, has resigned his membership at WingHaven Country Club in O’Fallon, Missouri, after admitting he faked a hole-in-one during a members-only tournament.

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Security footage reviewed by club staff showed Holland driving near the par-3 fourth green before his scheduled tee time, where he placed a ball in the cup ahead of a hole-in-one prize pot tied to the event. Holland then told his playing partners he needed to step away for a phone call about his “ill grandmother,” teed off alone, and returned claiming he’d “thinned” his shot and lost track of the ball — only for his group to discover it in the cup and celebrate what they believed was a legitimate ace.

Confronted with the footage, Holland confessed to club officials and resigned. He later addressed the scandal in a Friday interview on 101 ESPN St. Louis’ The Morning After, calling it “complete stupidity” with “no motivation” beyond conceding two shots back to the field.

“There’s no excuse for what I did, and I was completely in the wrong,” Holland said, adding that the backlash has extended to his wife and two young children. “The golf is secondary,” he said, saying he’s more concerned about the “stigma” his family now faces.

Club Calls the Matter Closed

Nathan Charnes, WingHaven’s general manager and acting PGA of America president, confirmed the club “promptly addressed the matter” and considers the incident resolved.

“We care deeply about the integrity of the game and the experience we provide for our members and guests,” Charnes told GOLF.com. “Because this situation involved the actions of an individual and has been resolved, we consider it closed.”

The episode has since gone viral across golf media, reigniting debate over honor-system enforcement in amateur club events — and serving as a cautionary tale about what a single lapse in judgment can cost on and off the course.

Phil Mickelson has denied any wrongdoing after he was reportedly removed from The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, following allegations involving a female employee.

Mickelson, a six-time major champion, was accused by a female employee of non-consensual and inappropriate physical contact during an incident earlier this spring. The employee reportedly informed supervisors immediately after. Club officials then conducted an investigation, confronted Mickelson while he was playing a round of golf, and asked him to leave the property.
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The Farms Golf Club later confirmed Mickelson is no longer a member. In a statement, the club said it remains committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment and that it takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. The club also stated it conducted an independent investigation before taking action.

The report is significant because Mickelson has long ties to the club. The 55-year-old grew up in the area and has practiced and played at The Farms for decades. His connection to the club reportedly made the decision particularly noteworthy within the golf world.

The controversy comes during a difficult stretch for Mickelson. He has missed several tournaments in 2026, including major championships, while dealing with what he has described as a family health matter. His absence from competition has already raised questions about his return to professional golf.

For many golf fans, the news marks another chapter in what could be the final phase of Mickelson’s career. Once one of the sport’s most popular figures, he has faced multiple controversies in recent years. There are no criminal charges in this matter, and it remains limited to the club’s internal investigation.

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Rory McIlroy found himself involved in a heated exchange with a fan during the final round of the PGA Championship after a disruptive “USA” chant from the gallery drew his attention during play.

McIlroy previously endured abuse from American fans at the Ryder Cup last November.

The incident occurred during a key moment of the round, when crowd noise from a spectator appeared to interrupt the atmosphere as McIlroy prepared for his shot. He reacted by turning to the gallery and addressing the fan, and the exchange quickly drew attention from those in attendance. Play continued shortly after, but the interaction became a focal point of discussion as the round progressed.

McIlroy remained in contention throughout the round, navigating and playing through a competitive field while dealing with the pressure of a major championship setting.

The incident occurred at a moment when the pro golfer’s composure and concentration were critical. This added another layer of difficulty in an already high-stakes situation. He continued performing as the tournament unfolded, with the incident serving as a notable moment during the final round.

The exchange also renewed discussion of fan behavior in golf, a hot topic historically. Crowd etiquette in golf is traditionally much more restrained than in other sports. Whenever there are loud crowds or disruptive behavior, it is frowned upon in the sport, and such behavior has become more common as of late. This has led to debate on how players and officials should react to such incidents.

As the tournament concluded, the moment remained a talking point among fans and analysts, highlighting the balance between crowd engagement and player concentration.

Aaron Rai has been one of golf’s finest talents.

Rai, who recently captured his first major championship, the PGA Championship, credited his wife, Bishnoi, as his biggest support system throughout his career.

“We practice quite a lot together. Honestly, she beats me more times than I beat her,” Rai said. “She is really that good.”

After he won the PGA Championship, he became the first English golfer to win the PGA Championship in more than 100 years. Rai praised his wife and parents for their dedication.

The couple currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where Rai trains near TPC Sawgrass. Rai is just getting started, and he will continue to grow and work on his game.

Bishnoi has an impressive golf résumé of her own. The Indian golfer became a professional in 2016 and has multiple victories on the pro golf tour while also competing on the European Tour.

Aaron came from very humble beginnings, and his family sacrificed a lot to put him in his position to help him learn to golf. His dad even quit his job to focus on helping his son improve his golf.

“It’s probably hard for me to express everything I feel towards them,” Rai said. “I think I’ll get way too emotional to speak.”

“Obviously, I’d want to share this with them. It would be amazing if they were here. I can’t put into words how much they’ve done in terms of support, in terms of care, in terms of love. Again, I wouldn’t be here without them at all.”

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LIV Golf is officially over after five years as a professional golf league funded by Saudi Arabia. The amount of money invested in LIV Golf is roughly $6 billion, which is clearly one of the worst investments in history.

Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund went all in on this league and has provided more than enough funding since it first arrived on the scene in 2021.

LIV would lure top PGA golfers with huge contracts, spreading $1.3 billion across the world’s top golfers. Former Master’s champion Jon Rahm jumped ship to LIV for $300 million.

Phil Mickelson was offered $200 million, but called the Saudis “scary motherf—ers.”

Before he returned to the PGA tour, Brooks Koepka’s deal with LIV was believed to be around $100 million, while the face of LIV golf, Bryson DeChambeau, is in the last year of his $100 million contract.

Another intriguing factor about LIV was the tournament purses, starting at $25 million in 2022 and rising to $30 million in 2026, with every participant going home with money. First-place prize money would be around $4 million, and last-place prize money would be $50,000.

The investment in this golf league turned out to be a poor one, with losses of over $1 billion, and people frankly did not care about it as much as they had hoped.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the golfers who jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV, but many of them will have to apologize to the guys who stayed on the pro tour.

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is planning to withdraw financial support from LIV Golf. 

The wealth fund announced its $1 trillion five-year spending plan. The fund’s governor said that his focus was on increasing efficiency in the fund’s investments.

Saudi Arabia already has many long-term investments. They will be hosting the World Expo in 2030 and the World Cup in 2034.

No official source has given a reason for the LIV Golf funding specifically being cut. However, the head of the fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, gave reasons for the general cuts.

“There needed to be a reconsideration of the timing of some investments,” Al-Rumayyan said, speaking during a news conference in Riyadh, the kingdom’s capital.

The fund has made major investments in Uber, SoftBank and the English Premier League in recent years. 

LIV Golf has been one of their least successful ventures. It’s estimated that the league has cost Saudi Arabia around $5 billion since its initial $2 billion investment.

This $2 billion investment turned a lot of heads. The PGA Tour is estimated to make $400 million in profits. Even if Saudi Arabia thought their league could overtake the PGA, there was no world where they’d make $2 billion or more. 

LIV Golf did put this massive investment to use. They signed notable golfers like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brook Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Phil Mickelson. 

Mickelson was the most notable name to join LIV. He won 45 PGA Tour events and six championships. In 2021, he became the oldest player to win a PGA Championship at age 50. 

If the league disbanded, the golfers would need to return to the PGA Tour to continue golfing. Golfers may face suspensions for leaving the league or will need to requalify on the Korn Ferry Tour. 

The 2026 Masters was once again won by defending champion Rory McIlroy as he took home his second straight green jacket and some big prize money for his performance at Augusta National Golf Club.

The prize money is one of many perks to being a Masters champion, along with getting a lifetime membership to Augusta.

McIlroy took home $4.5 million for his efforts last weekend, a pretty nice chunk of change for a weekend’s worth of golf.

The players who made the cut split a pot worth $22.5 million; below is the prize winnings for every golfer who finished in the top 50, including ties.

1st — $4,500,000 — McIlroy
2nd — $2,430,000 — Scottie Scheffler
3rd — $1,530,000 — Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley, Justin Rose, Cameron Young ($1,080,000 each)
4th — $1,080,000
5th — $900,000
6th — $810,000
7th — $753,750 — Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns ($725,625 each)
8th — $697,500
9th — $652,500 — Max Homa, Xander Schauffele ($630,000 each)
10th — $607,500 
11th — $562,500 — Jake Knapp
12th — $517,500 — Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Patrick Cantlay, Jason Day ($427,500 each)
13th — $472,500
14th — $427,500
15th — $405,000
16th — $382,500
17th — $360,000
18th — $337,500 — Maverick McNealy, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick ($315,000 each)
19th — $315,000
20th — $292,500
21st — $270,000 — Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Åberg, Keegan Bradley ($252,000 each)
22nd — $252,000
23rd — $234,000
24th — $216,000 — Chris Gotterup, Adam Scott, Sam Stevens, Brian Campbell, Matt McCarty, Michael Brennan ($182,250 each)
25th — $198,000
26th — $180,000
27th — $173,250
28th — $166,500
29th — $159,750
30th — $153,000 — Alex Noren, Harris English, Shane Lowry ($146,250 each)
31st — $146,250
32nd — $139,500
33rd — $132,750 — Tommy Fleetwood, Dustin Johnson, Brian Harman, Ben Griffin, Gary Woodland ($121,500 each)
34th — $127,125
35th — $121,500
36th — $115,875
37th — $110,250
38th — $105,750 — HaoTong Li, Ryan Gerard, Jon Rahm ($101,250 each)
39th — $101,250
40th — $96,750
41st — $92,250 — Justin Thomas, Kristoffer Reitan, Sepp Straka, Nick Taylor, Jacob Bridgeman ($83,250 each)
42nd — $87,750
43rd — $83,250
44th — $78,750
45th — $74,250
46th — $69,750 — Sungjae Im
47th — $65,250 — Si Woo Kim
48th — $61,650 — Aaron Rai
49th — $58,500 — Marco Penge, Corey Conners ($57,600 each)
50th — $56,700
51st — $55,350 — Kurt Kitayama
52nd — $54,000 — Sergio Garcia
53rd — $53,100 — Rasmus Hojgaard
54th — $52,200 — Charl Schwartzel

2017 Masters Winner Sergio Garcia had a rough weekend at Augusta National Golf Club, opening his final round with a bogey before he arrived at the second hole and hit a poor drive into the fairway bunker.

Garcia was so unhappy with the drive that he decided to take out his frustration on the tee box and his driver, having a major meltdown that is rarely seen at the Masters. Garcia broke his driver after smashing it into a cooler after slamming his driver in the tee box, creating a huge divot.

A meltdown like this is not common, especially at a prestigious tournament like the Masters. The tantrum was not appreciated by the ANGC, which handed Garcia a code-of-conduct warning on the fourth tee. For someone who has won this tournament before, it was not a good look.

The divot was very noticeable for the rest of the way for the golfers teeing off behind Garcia.

Forty-eight hours after completing his final round at Augusta, Garcia issued an apology for his actions, saying, “I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday at The Masters tournament.”

“I respect and value everything that The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club are to Golf. I regret the way I acted, and it has no place in our game. It doesn’t reflect the respect and appreciation I have for The Masters, the patrons, tournament officials and golf fans around the world.”

Kai Trump, the granddaughter of President Donald Trump, was at the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club and snagged a photo with Bryson DeChambeau.

Vanessa Trump, Kai’s mother, is currently dating golf legend Tiger Woods. Woods was absent from the tournament completely, as he is currently in treatment for substance abuse issues. 

Kai has taken up golf herself. She is committed to the University of Miami as a member of the incoming freshman class. She has received a full-ride athletic scholarship for golf. Getting a chance to see the Masters Tournament in person is a rare experience for an amateur golfer. 

“What a special place,” Kai said. 

She posts photos and videos of her golf career on her social media accounts. She has golfed with her grandfather. During their golf trip, she did a question-and-answer session where her fans got to ask the president questions about his life and career.

Although Kai made headlines with her commitment to Miami, she’s not the only amateur golf star who’s starting their college career. Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, committed to Florida State University as part of the incoming freshman class. Coach Trey Jones has led a consistently good program at FSU. 

Both Kai and Charlie have had some struggles in their young golf career. Both finished last in their respective most recent golf tournaments. Although some have used this to criticize them, calling them “nepo” babies, it’s important to remember they’re just teenagers. They have pressure on them that most professional golfers will never face, let alone amateurs. 

Despite that, plenty of professional golfers faced pressure to try to dethrone Rory McIlroy as the defending Masters Tournament champion. Although McIlroy struggled at first, as he was only up by two after six holes, he led after each round, making it one of the most dominant performances in Masters Tournament history.

Rory McIlroy became the first golfer since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back Masters Tournaments.

It took Mcllroy a decade to win his first masters, which completed his Grand Slam run. A Grand Slam in golf is when a golfer wins the Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. He was the sixth golfer to ever accomplish the Grand Slam. Now, just a year later, he won another masters tournament.

“I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam, and then this year I realized it’s just really difficult to win the Masters,” McIlroy said. “I tried to convince myself it was both.”

McIlroy was in the lead during each round of the masters. This makes him the fourth golfer in the past 40 years to lead or co-lead after each round of the Masters.

He also established his name in foreign history books as well. The Irish-born McIlroy won his sixth major championship, placing him second all-time in major championship wins among European golfers. First place is Harry Vardon, who was an English golfer from 1896 to 1914. 

Despite leading after every round, the Masters Tournament win didn’t come without competition. After the sixth hole, Cameron Young was only two shots behind him. McIlroy admitted that his cold start had him worried. 

“I needed to know where I was in the tournament, and after the sixth hole I was like, ‘OK, if I can get back to even par for the day,’ which I did with the birdies on 7 and 8, I knew I was going to be right in there going into the back nine. I was keeping an eye all day.” He said. 

The next PGA Tour event is the RBC Heritage tournament from April 16 to 19. 

Comedian Kevin Hart was a caddie for Bryson DeChambeau during the Masters Par 3 Contest. 

The Masters Par 3 Contest precedes the Masters Tournament. Many golfers see the contest as a bit of a warm-up, which can lead to players being laid back. 

During the ninth hole of the contest, Hart took a shot for fun. He told DeChambeau, “I was built for this.”

Hart took his shot, but it inevitably ended up in the water. At first, fans made an “aw” sound to showcase their disappointment, as they would do with an actual golfer. However, fans quickly changed to cheering on Hart. DeChambeau ran up to Hart and hugged him. Everyone was having fun with the moment. 

DeChambeau had a +2 score in the contest. In golf, the lower your score, the better. Aaron Rai from England won the contest with a score of -6. This gives DeChambeau an overall score of 28 for the tournament, one of the highest scores. 

This tournament was the first one after the cuts. If a golfer fails to finish in the top 50 in the first 36 holes, they are eliminated. After the second round, 15 players were eliminated.

This is why the Masters Par 3 Contest is more laid-back. There are no longer the stakes of being eliminated. However, the final Masters Tournament hasn’t happened yet. That’s how you get moments like Hart taking a shot. 

Hart, despite being 5-foot-2 and a comedian, has an athletic history. Hart played basketball in high school. He was only 4-foot-11 in high school. Despite this, he still provided energy for his team. SportsCenter aired a segment in which Hart reacted to his high school tape. Despite his height, he managed to get a chase-down block. 

In his adult years, he became known for his play in the NBA Celebrity Game, where he holds the record for most MVPs.

5’2” Hart later posed with 7’1” Shaquille O’Neal at any afterparty, inspiring many hilarious comments on social media.

Jordan Spieth will be rocking some new shoes as he walks onto Augusta National this weekend in hopes of winning his second career Masters tournament.

The 2015 green jacket winner opened up these new Under Armour shoes on his Instagram, showcasing a new pair of special-edition Drive Pro Clone shoes. The special part about these shoes is that they have printed azaleas on the tongues and azalea prints around the heels. The golfer will also be rocking an azalea-printed shirt this weekend, along with the shoes.

It has been almost a decade since Spieth captured major glory, his last major championship coming in 2017 when he won the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Spieth is currently +4200 to capture the green jacket and is -350 to make the cut according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spieth tees off on Thursday at 1:20 p.m. Eastern time for the first round of the Masters, and he will be paired with Justin Rose and Brooks Koepka.

Tiger Woods will step away from golf after his alleged DUI.

Woods was investigated by police after an accident in Jupiter, Florida, on March 27. Although he passed a Breathalyzer test, the police reported that he looked visibly intoxicated. They asked him to do a urine test, which he refused. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and for refusing to do a lawful test.

On March 31, Woods finally spoke out about the incident.

“I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health,” Woods said. “This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”

If Woods was driving under the influence, this wouldn’t be the first time. He was arrested in 2009 and 2017 for DUI. After the 2017 DUI, he told reporters he’d seek professional help.

For a while, it looked like Woods’ substance issues were behind him. However, in 2021, he was in a non-DUI-related accident. This accident nearly killed him, and it took him more than 15 months to fully recover.

Woods had to go back on pain medication to deal with his injuries. Although there are no reports of him abusing the pain medication, a relapse is always possible. 

Before his official announcement, many people suspected Woods could step away from golf. Former golfer Brandel Chamblee urged Woods to retire from golf in a March 29 interview. 

Woods’ post only implies a short-term absence. Woods had recently returned to golf after a two-year absence at the TGL indoor golf league finals. His last victory was in 2019. This gave him his 82nd career win, tying Sam Snead for the all-time record. The chase for the all-time record could be a big reason Woods wants to keep playing. 

Retired golfer Brandel Chamblee urged Tiger Woods to retire after his DUI. 

Woods was arrested in Jupiter, Florida, for driving under the influence. His car rolled over after a crash. Although his Breathalyzer test came back negative, police reported he showed signs of impairment. Woods was detained after refusing a urine test. He is also charged with refusing to submit to a lawful test. 

Wood’s mugshot showed him with bloodshot eyes. If he were driving under the influence, it wouldn’t be the first time. He was arrested in 2009 and 2017 for accidents caused by being under the influence. 

Woods has had a long, documented history of abusing pain medication. This is exactly why Chamblee believes that his continued playing career is putting Woods in danger.

“Those surgeries and injuries come along with prescribed pain medication,” Chamblee said. “And unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the last 20 to 30 years, you can connect the dots to the pain medication and the addiction to the pain medication.”

Woods told reporters that he was going to seek professional help for his addiction after his 2017 accident. However, a non-DUI accident in 2021 forced him back on the painkillers. The injuries nearly killed him, and it took him 15 months to fully recover. 

Although there were no reports of Woods dealing with addiction in recent years, relapses are always possible.

Woods’ last match was in the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon. He missed the cut for the event. His last PGA Tour victory was in the ZOZO Championship in 2019. This gave him 82 career victories, tying him for the all-time record. 

The chase for the all-time record could be a major reason Woods is trying to get back on the golf course. Along with that, his son, Charlie, has recently started his college career after committing to Florida State. 

Golf star Justin Thomas called Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, a “little punk” in an interview with The Smylie Show.

The Smylie Show, a golf podcast run by former PGA golfer Smylie Kaufman, frequently has current and former golfers on the show.

Kaufman asked Thomas if he wanted to be a mentor to Woods. 

“I wanna be if he wants me to be,’ Thomas said. ‘I was very lucky to have some people like that in my life and I know how helpful that was… I wanna help in any way I can.” 

After answering the question, he added on with a joke about Woods.

“He’s grown up a lot,” Thomas said. “He’s still a little punk but not a total punk kid. He can beat me up, so I can’t say too much.”

Despite some harsh word choices, it was clear that Thomas wishes Woods the best in his golf career.

Woods recently committed to Florida State. This comes despite finishing last in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in South Carolina.

Woods’ father hasn’t officially retired yet. His last tournament was the Open Championship in 2024. He is recovering from an Achilles and back injury.

The odds that the Woodses ever play in the same tournament are unlikely, but not impossible. LeBron James and Bronny James made history in 2024 by becoming the first father-son duo since Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. 

Despite having the name recognition, Woods is currently outside of the top 50 in high school golf rankings.

Woods has 87,100 followers on Instagram, making him one of the most followed non-professional golfers. His father helped significantly increase golf’s popularity in his prime, and many are hoping his son can do something similar. 

The college golf season will begin in September. The season ends in April after a break for the winter. 

Golfer Rory McIlroy refused to play at the U.S. Ryder Cup over the weekend because of “unacceptable and abusive behavior” toward himself and his wife, Erica.

Throughout the weekend, many players on the European team suffered from vulgar taunts and deeply personal insults.

On Saturday, the comments seemed to get worse after police officers brought dogs with them onto the course for protection.

“The amount of security presence was insane,” McIlroy said.

In viral videos circulating on the internet, McIlroy refused to putt on the 6th hole after being subjected to chants from American fans.

During the 16th hole in the foursome game Saturday, McIlroy told fans to “shut the f— up.”

That same day, Erica was seen getting hit in the head with a can.

“Erica is fine. She’s a very, very strong woman.” McIlroy said on Sunday.

Despite the behavior from American fans, Team Europe won 15-13 against Team USA, making this Team Europe’s sixth Ryder Cup out of the eight competitions they have played in.

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said. “Golf has the ability to unite people. It teaches you how to respect people.”

The 45th Ryder Cup was played in Farmingdale, New York.

J.J. Spaun, who entered the week ranked outside of the top 20, won the U.S. Open and did it in incredible fashion.

Entering the 72nd hole of the weekend, Spaun was up one stroke on Robert MacIntyre and needed a par on the hole to hold his lead.

Spaun opted for a birdie instead, draining a 64-foot putt and walking off the hole with his first career major championship.

“With the rain and everything, and then the putt. You couldn’t write a better story,” Spaun said. “I’m just so fortunate to be on the receiving end of that.”

Spaun started Sunday bogeying five of the first six holes, shooting a 40 on the front nine. After a rain delay, Spaun kicked into high gear, shooting a 32 on the back nine and finishing his round with back-to-back birdies.

He joins Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Jon Rahm as the only golfers to win a U.S. Open with a birdie-birdie finish.

Spaun entered the weekend with 120-1 odds to win the U.S. Open. His only previous PGA Tour win was the 2022 Valero Texas Open.

In addition to the winner’s share of $4.3 million, Spaun’s name will forever remain among the greats in the history of the tournament.

The PGA Tour is changing the format to its season-ending Tour Championship, which is dropping the controversial “starting strokes” system that has been in place since 2019 despite the pushback from players and fans.

At the season-ending event at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, all 30 players who qualify for the tournament will have a chance to win the Tour Championship and thus the FedEx Cup by winning the tournament.

There is no advantage for players based on their FedEx Cup points going into the event. Starting in 2019, the tournament saw the leader start at -10 with second-place starting at -8 and going down to even par for the last five players in the field.

The Tour has vowed to make East Lake a more stringent test as the change was approved Tuesday by the PGA Tour Policy Board.

“We want the Tour Championship to be the hardest tournament to qualify for and the FedEx Cup trophy the most difficult to win,” said reigning FedEx Cup champion Scottie Scheffler in a statement released by the Tour. “Shifting the Tour Championship to a more straight-up format with a tougher course setup makes it easier for fans to follow and provides a more challenging test for players–which brings out the best competition.”

The FedEx Cup bonus structure will likely change, although the Tour has yet to announce what the changes will be.

Last year, the bonus pool for the FedEx Cup was $100 million, with $25 million going to the winner and $7.5 million to second place. The bonus money is expected to be altered to reward season-long play as well as the significance of the FedEx Cup.

The Tour surveyed fans last year as part of its Fan Forward initiative and got considerable feedback on the FedEx Cup format. Players were also heavily involved in the issue.

“Our Fan Forward initiative has helped us evaluate each part of the PGA Tour season and today’s announcement is an important first step in the evaluation of our postseason,” commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. “The Player Advisory Council led a thorough process to respond to what our fans are asking for: the most competitive golf in the world, played for the highest stakes, in the most straightforward and engaging format.”

Charlie Woods, 16, won’t be playing in the U.S. Open this year.

Woods shot three-over-par 75 at Wellington Golf Club in Florida last Thursday, seven strokes over the qualifying score of 68. While he missed out for the second consecutive year, he did improve from his previous year’s total of 9-over 81 at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.

Following his failure to qualify in 2024, Woods was able to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur, although he missed the cut there by 18 strokes.

He was one of 10,202 entries for the U.S. Open, which is scheduled for June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. And he’s not the only Woods to be missing out – his father and three-time U.S. Open winner, Tiger, announced in March that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon while training.

Charlie has been following in his father’s footsteps from a young age. He and Tiger have competed as a father-son duo at the PNC Championships four times, in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024, finishing as high as second place.

While neither Woods will be playing in the U.S. Open this year, their story is far from over.