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.

Former professional golf icon Jack Nicklaus won a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Nicklaus Companies, a Florida jury ruled this week.

The 85-year-old filed the lawsuit, claiming that defendant Howard Milstein and other company partners spread false information about a $750 million deal for the golfer to join the LIV Golf League.

The jury found the Nicklaus Companies had damaged the former golfer’s reputation and exposed him to “ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt.”

Milstein and company executive Andrew O’Brien will not be held personally liable for the damages.

“It’s always hard in a defamation case to prove damages to reputation, because, in particular, for a guy like Jack, it’s always such a good one,” Nicklaus’ attorney, Eugene Stearns, said on Monday to ESPN. “But I think what was important was the dispute that arose three and a half years ago when the company told the world that Jack was selling out to the PGA Tour for the Saudi golf, when it was not true. So we’re happy that Jack’s been vindicated.”

Nicklaus is regarded as one of the best golfers of all time. During his career, he’s won multiple events at the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. In 1974, Nicklaus was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

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.”

Every year, the Masters, largely considered the most anticipated golf tournament in the world, provides fans with something unexpected.

This year, that something is a golfer urinating in the open in the middle of a round.

Jose Luis Ballester, an Arizona State golfer who won the U.S. Amateur, decided to relieve himself in a creek on the 13th hole.

Ballester, who was playing with Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas, decided to “sneak in the river” and go to the bathroom.

Fans at the hole took notice.

“They clapped for me,” Ballester said. “Probably one of the claps that I really got today real loud, so that was kind of funny.”

Ballester made headlines not just for going to the bathroom, but for his attire. He decided to wear an Arizona State cap with the letters on it upside down.

Ballester has no regrets from his actions on Thursday.

“It was not embarrassing at all for me,” Ballester said. “If I had to do it again, I would do it again.”

Ballester finished the day shooting +4.

The Masters has long eluded Rory McIlroy. Since winning the Open Championship in 2014, achieving victory at three of the four majors, McIlroy had been searching for a green jacket.

Now he finally has one of his own.

In what is considered one of the best Masters tournaments in history, McIlroy defeated Justin Rose in a play-off to win the Masters. Both golfers sat at 11 under going into the playoff, following a bogey on 18 from McIlroy and a birdie from Rose on a 20-foot putt to force a play-off.

McIlroy watched a lead that at one point was as large as five strokes, wilt away as Rose inched closer to him.

An approach shot from McIlroy during the play-off that landed a couple of feet from the hole sealed the deal.

In addition to completing the grand slam, McIlroy ended his 11-year major drought with his win at Augusta.

McIlroy was emotional following his victory, collapsing to his knees after his final putt went in.

“Never give up on your dreams,” McIlroy said to his daughter, Poppy, when giving a speech following his win. “Keep coming back and keep working hard. When you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

The tournament was hardly smooth sailing for McIlroy. After the first day, he shot a 72, tied for 27th in the standings. After shooting six under on day two, he had put himself in 3rd place, but he still had to overtake both Rose and Bryson DeChambeau.

McIlroy finished day three two strokes ahead of DeChambeau and held the top position throughout most of the fourth round to win his Masters.

McIlroy embraced his family after the win and now gets to head home as one of six men to achieve the grand slam.

Charlie Woods, son of golfing legend Tiger Woods, qualified for his first USGA Tournament on Wednesday. The 15-year-old had the best qualifying score ahead of the U.S. Junior Amateur next month.

“I didn’t play great my first two holes, but I played really good for the last 16,” Woods told reporters. “I just told myself not to make any more bogeys or doubles, and I took advantage of some nice birdie looks when I had them.”

Woods has been in the public eye since his earliest days playing golf. At the 2024 Masters, he served as his father’s swing coach, likely an honorary title but a lofty one for the young man. As the son of one of the sport’s legends, he has remained in the back of fans’ minds for a long time as he makes his way through the amateur levels of the sport. At 15, he seems to be well on his way.

On Wednesday at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, Florida, Woods overcame a rocky start to finish 1-under 71 and qualify for his first Junior Amateur. Tiger Woods qualified for his first Junior Amateur at 14 and went on to win the event three times before turning 19. 

The U.S. Junior Amateur has produced countless PGA players since it was first held in 1948. Tiger Woods stands out as the only three-time winner, but Jordan Spieth won the event twice in 2009 and 2011, while Scottie Scheffler won in 2013.

For Charlie, winning an event of this caliber should not necessarily be the expectation, though he has stated that that is his intention. His USGA debut will likely represent another step on a path that many fans hope will lead to a highly successful career in the sport. These are very early days yet.

Tiger Woods, 48, is grappling with a series of setbacks in his golf career but finds solace and hope in his 15-year-old son, Charlie Axel Woods. Woods is reportedly “frustrated” with his current form but sees potential in Charlie to carry on his legacy.

Woods’ struggles were evident when he missed the cut at the PGA Championship earlier this month. “It’s setback after setback for him, and it’s really weighing heavily on him,” a friend told The New York Post. “He’s really frustrated as he figures out how to come back.”

The legendary golfer has faced a challenging year, crashing out of the Genesis Invitational in February and struggling at the Masters in April. Ongoing health issues have further complicated his efforts to regain his former prowess.

Despite these personal challenges, Woods is cautious not to impose undue pressure on Charlie, who is carving his own path in the sport. This week, Charlie is competing in the Adam Scott Junior Championship in Lake Worth, Florida, a prestigious event featuring top junior golfers from the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA).

“It’s almost funny to watch Tiger sometimes,” said the insider. “He gets so excited watching. If there’s a bad shot, he’ll wince. But he holds his tongue a lot; his dad was legendary but pushed Tiger maybe too much. Tiger wants to be a balance of pushing, but also supporting and nurturing.”

Woods is intent on fostering a supportive environment for Charlie and avoiding the intense pressure his own father, Earl Woods, exerted on him. 

Woods admitted to reporters that his game was not up to par at Valhalla during the PGA Championship. “It was a great week being here at Valhalla, but unfortunately, my scores did not indicate how the people treated me and how great a week I had,” Woods said. “Unfortunately, I hit too many shots.”

Woods’ next professional appearance is slated for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No.2, his first at the tournament since 2020. Woods remains determined to end his career on a high note despite his recent struggles.

Meanwhile, the golfing world watches Charlie closely, recognizing the immense expectations placed on his young shoulders. 

As Woods navigates his career, he continues mentoring Charlie, hoping his son will carry forward the family’s golfing legacy with support and encouragement.

The recent arrest of world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler by Detective Bryan Gillis has led to scrutiny of the officer’s extensive disciplinary record.

On May 17, Scheffler was handcuffed when attempting to enter Valhalla Golf Club, where police were investigating a nearby fatal accident. Scheffler contends that he was following police instructions while arresting officers claimed otherwise.

Charges against Scheffler were dropped last week. 

Further complicating the situation, Gillis did not activate his body-worn camera during the encounter. The only available footage comes from a squad car dashboard camera and a roadside pole, neither of which captures the incident leading to Scheffler’s handcuffing.

Personnel records released by the Louisville Metro Police Department reveal that Gillis has a checkered history with multiple suspensions and reprimands. His disciplinary issues date back over a decade, including a five-day suspension in 2013 for “conduct unbecoming” after driving an intoxicated civilian and performing “donuts” in a parking lot. In 2021, he was disciplined for pursuing a vehicle without a violent felony or warrant, reflecting poor judgment in the line of duty.

Gillis was also found at fault in several vehicular accidents, which resulted in oral reprimands and mandatory driver’s training. His attendance record shows repeated failure to appear in court, leading to multiple suspensions. Gillis received a commendation in 2021 for his performance in a traffic enforcement operation, where he issued 108 citations in four hours.

The incident with Scheffler has raised questions about Gillis’ conduct and the decision-making processes within the Louisville Metro Police Department. The failure to activate his body camera and the subsequent reliance on unclear footage complicate the case.

The River City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 614, which represents LMPD detectives, has not yet commented.

The PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club took a turn on Friday morning as Louisville Metro Police arrested World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler. The incident unfolded in the aftermath of an accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian struck by a shuttle bus.

Scheffler faces charges, including second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals. The assault charge, a felony, overshadows the others, which are misdemeanors. The arrest has disrupted Scheffler’s participation in the tournament and cast a pall over the event.

The series of events began early Friday morning when a man was struck and killed by a shuttle bus near the golf course entrance. Traffic had been halted, creating a scene that led to Scheffler’s encounter with law enforcement. According to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, Scheffler attempted to navigate around the crash site by driving on a median. Despite clear instructions from an officer to stop, Scheffler continued toward the entrance, resulting in a confrontation.

Maj. Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, Jason Logsdon, confirmed Scheffler’s release shortly after his arrest, allowing him to return to Valhalla for his scheduled tee-off. Scheffler later issued a statement expressing his confusion and regret over the situation, showing that he misunderstood the officer’s instructions.

An officer, identified in the arrest report as Bryan Gillis, was reportedly dragged by Scheffler’s car, suffering injuries that necessitated hospital treatment. The narrative of Scheffler’s non-compliance was the officer’s claim that Scheffler’s car “accelerated forward,” causing his fall and subsequent injuries.

Scheffler’s attorney, Steven Romines, argued that the golfer was following previous instructions to access the golf club, unaware of the recent fatal accident. Romines suggested a miscommunication with the police officer who was not regularly assigned to the event’s traffic detail, contributing to the unfortunate escalation.

The PGA Championship, already delayed due to the shuttle bus incident, faced additional strain following Scheffler’s arrest. The PGA of America issued a statement mourning the pedestrian’s death and extending condolences to his family, highlighting the events that had occurred.

Scheffler’s arrest, combined with the earlier fatality, has brought a level of tension to the championship. This situation displays the unpredictable nature of public events and the profound impact such incidents can have on both participants and organizers.

Tiger Woods posted his lowest-ever round at the Masters on Saturday after cutting by five strokes on Friday. At +1, there was still hope that Tiger could pull off another historical major win against all odds on the weekend, but a ten-over 82 put him at +11 and out of contention heading into the final round.

2022 Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler held a one-stroke lead heading into the final round and held on for his second career masters championship. After the round, defending masters champion Jon Rahm slipped Scheffler into the green jacket, just as Scheffler had done for Rahm when Rahm won in 2023.

Scheffler finished at -11, and Woods finished at +16, the lowest and highest scores that made it through the final round. Woods made a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at the Masters after playing 23 holes on Friday because of a round suspension on Thursday due to darkness. Rahm finished in a tie for 45th position at +9 overall.

Woods told reporters that he was still suffering from the leg injuries he sustained from his car accident in 2021 and that Friday’s 23 holes had tired him out physically, not to mention his fused back that he has been swinging with ever since.

“I was not hitting it very good or putting well … Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn’t hit it. And I missed a lot of putts. Easy, makable putts,” he said.

Before the tournament began, the certainty of Scheffler winning was only theoretical. The Masters had brought some of the greatest comebacks and unlikely stories to the PGA, and for a world number one to win multiple majors is something only Woods had done in PGA history.

“I think his superpower is people that are super powerful are good at everything,” Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, said. “And he seems to be good at everything. He doesn’t really have a weakness.”

“I feel like I’m playing really good golf right now,” Scheffler said. “I feel like I’m as in control of my emotions as I’ve ever been, which is a good place to be. I feel like I’m maturing as a person on the golf course, which is a good place to be.”

Scheffler will want to be more mature once he becomes a father with his wife, Meredith Scheffler, who is due with their child any day now. Scheffler’s life will change dramatically, but that doesn’t mean he won’t stop competing in professional golf.

“Golf will probably now be fourth in line,” Scheffler said of his priorities. “But I still love competing, and I don’t plan on taking my eye off the ball anytime soon.”

International soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed on Dec. 30 that he was signing with Al-Nassr FC, a Saudi Pro League team, for $200 million per year through 2025. The Portuguese forward signed with the team after an underwhelming showing in the World Cup and a months-long feud with Manchester United.

Ronaldo is the latest prominent athlete to join the growing world of Saudi Arabian sports. Most organizations in the country are directly or indirectly controlled by the Saudi government, which has begun offering athletes massive sums of money in an attempt to gain more international recognition. Many Western commentators have given this practice a name: “Saudi-washing.”

From a geopolitical standpoint, critics of Saudi Arabia’s recent athletic ventures argue that the nation is attempting to overcome its history of human rights violations and other totalitarian transgressions by tying its reputation to beloved sports figures and brands. For athletes who receive an offer, however, the debate is more personal. The unprecedented contracts come with obvious strings attached.

Before Ronaldo left his European career behind and accepted the Saudis’ eye-watering proposition, there’s one person who could have given him some direction.

When the Kingdom came to this person, he declined. He’s grappled with the triumphs and trials of greatness. He’s made mistakes. He’s had ego problems. He’s old now. But when it came to his sport, he understood what his name meant and knew what he wanted to stand for.

No one is saying that Tiger Woods is a moral authority. His controversies over the years are exhaustively well-documented. But there’s a distinct overlap between the legendary golfer and Ronaldo.

Both are undeniable stars, athletes so recognizable that they’ve transcended their sports. People don’t have to watch the Premier League or the Masters to know Ronaldo or Woods. They’re the sort of individuals that Saudi Arabia is looking for — and they were more than willing to pay.

In June, reports emerged that Woods declined a deal worth $700-800 million to compete in LIV Golf, the new Saudi Arabian rival of the PGA Tour. He wasn’t the only one to turn them down, but no one else received his offer either. Phil Mickelson signed for $200 million. For Woods, the decision came down to loyalty and an understanding of his self-worth.

By the time LIV came to Woods, he was at a point in his career where he no longer had a need or desire to play golf full-time. As one of the few billionaires in sports, money wasn’t enough of a motivating factor. His values were more important.

By denying the Saudi organization, Woods wasn’t attempting to make a political statement or moral stand against tyranny, though those motivations could have played a minor part. His primary objective was to establish that he was more interested in competition than money, and that the best players competed in PGA Tour events. It was an act of loyalty to an organization he has spent his entire career in.

Some of Woods’ reasonings may have swayed Ronaldo and others probably would not have. Woods plays in an individual sport while Ronaldo was in the midst of a dispute with his Premier League club. He had more reasons to leave the team from a competitive standpoint.

But in terms of money, Ronaldo is in a nearly identical position to Woods, and has made enough as a professional and international player to last several lifetimes. More importantly, however, Ronaldo is as indistinguishable from modern European soccer as Woods is to the PGA Tour.

Even if he wanted to leave Manchester United, remaining in one of the European leagues could have firmly established Ronaldo’s belief in the competitive spirit of soccer within the continent. Instead, he left in what could easily be construed as an attempt to validate his own self-worth.

At the tail end of his full-time career, Woods overcame injuries from a car accident and a tattered reputation to win the 2019 Masters at astronomical odds. He beat the very best players to do it. At the back end of his own career, Ronaldo is making the decision to become the highest-paid soccer player on the planet. His old foes will be a world away.

Representing Portugal at the World Cup, Ronaldo sat on the bench and later at home while Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe ran the table and faced off in the final. After the tournament, Messi turned down a record-breaking offer to play in MLS in the United States, instead agreeing to enter extension negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain. At age 35, he’s proven that he can still compete at the highest level, and he wants more time in Ligue 1. What does that tell you?

The LIV Golf International Series has poached yet another star golfer from the PGA Tour. Brooks Koepka will join the series and compete in LIV Golf events for the foreseeable future. Koepka is one of the higher-profile golfers to leave the PGA tour. LIV Golf is expected to announce his addition to the series in the coming days.

He is now the eighth Top 50 ranked player to sign with LIV Golf. Koepka was anticipated to participate in LIV’s upcoming event in Portland while he was still signed with the PGA Tour.

Tour commissioner Jay Moynahan had said that those slated to participate in the event without a conflicting-event release would face suspension. Other Top 50 players such as Bryson DeChambeau (30th) and Patrick Reed (38th) are also expected to compete in the event, but it is unclear if they plan to resign from the PGA Tour.

It was also rumored that 20th-ranked Abraham Ancer would also leave the PGA in favor of LIV as well as 4th-ranked golfer Collin Morikawa.

Morikawa tweeted out a statement denying those rumors expressing that he is “here to stay” with the PGA Tour.

Koepka is a four-time majors winner and was recently ranked number one in the world before a slew of injuries caused him to have a shaky finish at three majors this season, missing the cut at the Masters, and placing 55th in the PGA Championship and last week’s U.S. Open.

At the Open, Koepka waved off any questions about his rumored intention to join LIV Golf. “I’m here at the U.S. Open,” he said. “I’m ready to play the U.S. Open, and I think it kind of sucks, too, you are all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. It’s one of my favorite events. I don’t know why you guys keep doing that. The more legs you give [LIV Golf], the more you keep talking about it.”

Moynahan is expected to speak with the media on Wednesday. It is unclear whether he will deal out punishment for the other golfers who have not been suspended. Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have already been indefinitely suspended.

The first U.S.-based LIV Golf event will take place on June 30 in Portland.

On its way to being recognized as a legitimate league, the LIV Golf Invitational Series will apply for Official World Golf Ranking Points this week. CEO of LIV Golf Greg Norman said that the tour has a “very compelling” case to be granted points to allow their golfers to be officially ranked within the Official World Rankings.

Norman also referenced the fact that he is unsure if PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monohan would exclude himself from voting on LIV Golf’s application. Monahan is one of the eight members of the OWGR board of governors. “It’ll be interesting to see if Jay Monahan recuses himself from that vote because of what he said on television with Jim Nantz the other day,” Norman said. “So, it’s very interesting and it’s sad to be, you know, putting that additional exerting pressure on it because our tour is a good tour. It’s supported, it’s got an incredible field. Our point should be that if we get the OWGR points, then everything else takes care of itself.”

Monahan had been steadfast in his opposition to the newly formed LIV Golf Series. He has already suspended 17 players who have left the PGA Tour to join the Saudi-financed league. Reportedly, there will be additional PGA Tour players, including 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed and 2020 U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau will be playing in LIV Golf’s first United States event on June 30. These players haven’t formally left the PGA Tour, however, Moynahan said that their informal absence from PGA events would bring about the same punishment that the 17 suspended players received.

“Why do they need us so badly? Because those players have chosen to sign multiyear lucrative contracts to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over and over again. You look at that versus what we see here today and that’s why they need us so badly. You’ve got true, pure competition. The best players in the world are here at the RBC Canadian Open, with millions of fans watching, and in this game, it’s a true and pure competition that creates the profile in the presence of the world’s greatest players. And that’s why they need us. That’s what we do. But we’re not going to allow players to free-ride off of our loyal members, the best players in the world,” Moynahan said in a June 12 interview with CBS Sports.

If LIV were granted recognition by the OGWR, it is likely that its players would receive fewer points due to its difference in format from the PGA Tour. The PGA consists of 72 holes with 156-man fields while the LIV only has 54 holes in 48-man fields.

The U.S. Open was hanging in the balance as the golfers approached the 18th hole. With the prospect of a playoff on the horizon, Matt Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris approached the 18th hole with the dream of a U.S. Open title on the line. The two had come out of a group full of top players, with the top six going into the 15th hole all being top 20 World Ranked golfers.

In the twilight of the round, Zalatoris and Fitzpatrick were faced with similar circumstances. With each of their balls in precarious positions, Fitzpatrick’s was in the fairway bunker and Zalatois’s not even on the fairway, a birdie would win the Open outright but a par would trigger a playoff. For both golfers, whatever they did next would define their legacies and clinch an all-important major championship. Fitzpatrick delivered, though, with a beautiful shot that secured him the lead in the championship and a putt that secured him a par. Zaaltoris had a chance to keep the round going, however, he narrowly missed a birdie putt, clinching the win for Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick’s par on the 18th was only a tidbit of the greatness that he showed all day long. He has hit 17 of 18 greens in the final round, something only two other golfers have done in the last three decades. Nick Faldo did it in the Masters in 1996, and Brooks Kopek did it in the 2017 U.S. Open.

“It’s one of the best shots I’ve hit of all time,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ll be honest, I’ve really struggled with fairway bunker shots all year. I’m a fast player, and when I look back on it, it all happened so fast. The natural ability just kind of took over. I just played the shot that was at hand. It came out as a kind of a squeezy fade. It was amazing.”

This is Fitzpatrick’s first major championship, and he said that he’s been working hard to get to form since 2020. “I’ll be honest, it’s worked wonders, maybe three years ago, if I was in this position and I was playing with Will in the final group, I’d be concerned I was going to be 15 or 20 behind him all day,” he said. “I felt comfortable knowing I was going to be past him, which obviously gave me confidence going into the next shot. When you’re hitting it past people, it’s obviously quite nice.”

For Zalatoris, however, this was his third second-place finish at a major championship.

Of all the sights and sounds seen and heard Thursday at Augusta National on Day 1 of the Masters, only one truly mattered: Tiger Woods mashing golf balls.

We now know which way the game-time decision went.

It was a refreshing scene, as inarguably the world’s most famous golfer almost lost his leg in a serious car accident in early 2021. The five-time Masters champion, who had rods and screws inserted into his right leg after the crash, finished -1 at 71. His scorecard had three birdies and two bogeys, and what it doesn’t show, though, is the 30-footer for birdie on 16.

“If you would have seen how my leg looked to where it’s at now—to get from there to here, it was no easy task,” said Woods, who last won the Masters in 2019.

“Just the fact that, one, he’s alive, considering what that accident was about,” fellow golfer Zach Johnson said. “Two, that he’s made a comeback to this point to be able to compete, it’s phenomenal. Now, it’s also a situation where you’re talking about an individual that, I mean, are we really that surprised? He’s the best player I’ve ever played with, and I say that in all aspects. He is the best competitor I’ve ever witnessed.”

Sungjae Im, who placed second at the 2020 Masters, came out as the first-round leader at 5-under, with Cameron Smith second at 68.

“At the beginning I noticed that there was a lot of people,” said Joaquin Niemann, one of Woods’ Thursday partners. “But then I was trying to talk to my caddie, and I couldn’t hear anything that he was saying.”

“This is only one round,” Woods said. “We’ve got three more to go.”

Tiger Woods has said it will be a “game-time decision on whether I compete” at the Masters this year.

“I will be heading up to Augusta today to continue my preparation and practice,” he tweeted on Sunday. “It will be a game-time decision on whether I compete. Congratulations to 16-year-old Anna Davis on an amazing win at the @anwagolf and good luck to all the kids in the @DriveChipPutt.”

Woods indeed arrived on Sunday and had a practice round. He’s on the pre-tournament interview schedule for 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Woods has not played in a tournament since suffering a serious injury to his right leg in a February 2021 car accident. His last official event was the 2020 Masters, which was pushed to November due to COVID-19.

Despite popular opinion, sports aren’t a life-or-death matter. Though the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am almost became so this weekend.

Jordan Spieth got as close to the cliffs at Pebble Beach as he possibly could in the third round on Saturday afternoon, and he eventually saved par in what was “by far the most nerve-wracking shot I’ve ever hit in my life.”

So nerve-racking, in fact, that he had to take off running backward after his shot just so he didn’t fall the nearly 70 feet down onto the rocks and beach below.

Spieth’s drive on the par-4 eighth hole landed just a few inches from the edge of a 68-foot cliff.

We don’t suggest approaching any such approach shot.

The shot itself wasn’t great, it landed long of the green in the rough, but he was potentially facing a 70-foot death drop. Let’s see you make solid contact in that situation. And, as we mentioned, he even saved par.

Furthermore, Spieth nearly set the course record as the 28-year-old posted a 9-under 63 to jump up more than 30 spots on the leaderboard and get within one stroke of the leader(s) headed into Sunday’s final round.

Collin Morikawa shot nearly perfectly in the second round of the Open Championship. He was just a stroke away from matching the record at Royal St. George.

Morikawa now leads Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes. Oosthuizen is set to start later in the afternoon.

Morikawa nearly matched the course record for strokes at 63, but a putt on the 18th hole clipped the lip of the hole and ricocheted out, denying him the chance to tie the record. If he had sunk the putt, it would have tied him with Greg Norman who set the stroke record in 1993.

Funnily, Morikawa’s masterful performance was arguably not the most noteworthy happening on the course today. Tyrrell Hatton had a meltdown on the 11th hole after a double-bogey performance, using middle-finger gestures and expletives to describe his unhappiness with his play.

Morikawa entered the clubhouse at the top of the leaderboard. He will attempt to win the British Open in the final two rounds of play this weekend.

Rory McIlroy was certainly not pleased when a spectator at the Scottish Open removed clubs from the golfer’s bags and proceeded to take practice swings with them.

The fan did so at the 10th tee as McIlroy and his retinue looked on in disbelief. Security quickly came and removed the fan from the venue.

McIlroy is focused now on winning the tournament. He started off shooting a 70, six strokes behind first.

A suspect has been arrested and charged in the triple homicide that killed pro golfer Gene Siller on Saturday.

Bryan Anthony Rhoden, 23, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. EST. on Thursday in Chamblee, Georgia. According to Chief Tim Cox of the Cobb County Police Department, Rhoden has been charged with three counts of murder, three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of kidnapping.

The triple homicide took place at the Pinetree Country Club near Kennesaw, Georgia. Siller was the director of golf at the country club.

Police arrived at the scene at about 2:20 p.m. local time on Saturday. Authorities found the body of Siller at the 10th hole with an “apparent gunshot wound to the head,” police said in a previous press release. The authorities found the bodies of Paul Pierson and Henry Valdez in the bed of the white pickup truck nearby, also with apparent gunshot wounds. Pierson was the owner of the truck.

Authorities said that around 2 p.m. on Saturday, Siller was walking towards the 10th hole at Pinetree when he saw a white Ram 3500 pickup truck on the course. The gunman shot Siller in the head and fled, leaving the truck on the course, authorities said. Police said that Siller was not the target but was killed because “he witnessed an active crime taking place.”

“We definitely feel confident there was no relationship between the shooter and Mr. Siller,” said Cox during Thursday’s news conference.

Siller is survived by his wife and two children, aged 6 and 7. A Gofundme was set up for the family and has since raised more than $656,000.