pga tour players are pissed

8 Most Disliked PGA Tour Players: Mishaps of the Top Hated Golfers

The most disliked PGA Tour players may seem tame to football or basketball fans. However, golf fans like myself are a passionate bunch, and I can name a few pro golfers I love to root against when I’m watching tournaments. My golf students also have their own golfers they love to hate, so I polled my friends and have a list of some golfers to keep your eye on.

Who are the most disliked PGA Tour players? 

• Patrick Reed
• Rory Sabbatini
• Ian Poulter
• Vijay Singh
• Phil Mickelson
• Bubba Watson
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Tiger Woods?

Any golf fan will want the details about why these top golfers are unpopular. Read on to learn the details of some key events for each PGA golfer, which probably led to their demise.

1. Patrick Reed

2. rory sabbatini, 3. ian poulter, 4. vijay singh, 5. phil mickelson, 6. bubba watson, 7. bryson dechambeau, 8. tiger woods, related articles, 8 most disliked pga tour players.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Patrick Reed (@preedgolf)

The cockiness of Reed has put him in the front line of disliked golfers on the tour.

He made his first mistake after winning a tournament early in his career, the 2014 WGC Cadillac Championship.

Tiger was at the top of his game then, but this did not stop Reed from claiming to be one of the top 5 players on tour.

He further stated that future tournaments would end up with him and Tiger fighting for the win.

Jordan Spieth shares this story when playing with Tiger and Patrick on the Ryder Cup:

“Tiger goes, ‘Don’t worry, Patrick, you only need 74 more wins and 14 more majors.’ And then I go, ‘Patrick, you can’t talk sh#! to him, because you can’t even talk sh*! to me. You need two more majors and four more wins to get to me!'” – Jordan Spieth

During the Ryder Cup , he tangled with the crowd, and that was another nail in his coffin.

Of late, he has been involved in a few rule infringements or taking advantage and bending the rules to suit his purpose.

Trust and honor don’t seem to be part of his game plan.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Oahu Golf Apparel (@oahugolfapparel)

Although Rory goes out of his way to support the Military Veterans, he has undone his reputation by some on and off-course actions.

He famously walked to the next hole while Ben Crane still lined up his putt on the green.

In mitigation, they had been put on the clock, and Crane is possibly the slowest player on the circuit.

He holds the distinction of heading a random poll on “who the least favorite playing partner” was on the tour.

His head-strong, arrogant manner does not sit well with the spectators who jeer him on course.

He split from his wife recently, and her revelations have only helped Rory Sabbatini’s hated reputation.

Read more: The Most Forgiving Putters

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Ian Poulter (@ianjamespoulter)

Ian Poulter has been described as a “douchebag,” which in American slang is an obnoxious, arrogant individual.

Excessively self-obsessed is another way he has irritated the golfing public.

Always immaculately dressed , with his designer clothing range, he struts around the course in a manner that is not liked by the fans.

When things are going well on the course, he reminds many of a “peacock” with its feathers splayed.

On other occasions, he is grumpy and sour when things don’t go his way on the course.

But he is the player many golfers would stake their lives on to nail a 5-foot putt under pressure.

He has proved that in the Ryder Cup, but still, he has many detractors in the crowd.

Looking to upgrade your own putter? Check out the in-depth review of the best putters this year.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Vijay Singh (@vijaysinghgolf)

But, in the caddie enclosure, he is the one golfer no one wants to caddy for.

He has probably hit more golf balls on the range than any professional golfer of the modern era.

He sometimes does not greet his long-standing caddy in the morning before play!

Out on the course, his cold demeanor and open displeasure don’t build his fan base.

His dislike of the press and refusal to interview do not endear him to the media.

It is sad, but a fact of life in the golfing world that bad form and the lost ability to reach the golfing heights of days gone by, must create huge frustration.

Maybe he should be given the benefit of doubt!

Read more: What To Wear While Golfing

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Phil Mickelson (@philmickelson)

A surprise addition to this group, but the public loves or despises him.

Many fans describe Phil as “larger than life” and insincere.

He is a big man, and his skill, especially his flop shots, leaves fellow players in awe.

That he creates time for his family, irrespective of circumstances, is also seen by some fans as over-the-top and orchestrated.

Undoubtedly he would have dominated world golf had it not been for Tiger.

When he started playing, he earned the nickname Figjam.

Many fans also accuse him of faking his smile when walking the course.

The term “whiner” is another tag from the golfing public.

Professional golf is a tough way to make a living, and the press and public believe they own a part of the golfer.

Phil would also feature as the most liked golfer of his time by some.

Many think he is great for golf and fits the mold with the likes of Sevy and Greg Norman.

Attacking play was their mantra, and they produced spectacular shots that excited all who watched them.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson)

A player that the fans love to hate!

All the fans do not appreciate his unconventional style of attacking play.

A few incidents over the last few seasons may have dented his reputation.

Refusal to enter a long driving competition before a tournament started upset many of his fans.

The players on the tour have huge respect for him, and his willingness to assist various charities comes across strongly.

Not sure he or Phil deserves to be on this list, but then fans have their own ideas!

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondechambeau)

Lastly, Bryson has been the talk of the golfing world over the last season on the tour.

He pioneered equal-length irons throughout his set.

He works on theories and studies greens and their contours in a  “professor-like” manner.

His attacking style and “goffer” mentality have revolutionized the game.

He lengthened his driver and hits the ball prodigious distances off the tee.

Attacking a huge dogleg over water the other day while leading the tournament, he hit a 500-yard tee shot to pin-high in the rough.

Standing on the tee, the spectators urged him to take the risk (he won the tournament to the delight of the fans).

The PGA wants to change some rules to negate his length by making adjacent fairways OB at certain tracks!

Finally, it is understandable that not too many players want to be paired with him.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Tiger Woods (@tigerwoods)

Many claim he is the greatest golfer ever, but he must still beat Jack Nicklaus’s record of major wins to wear that mantle.

He came onto the scene and produced golf, inspiring many to take up the game.

His following at the majors was a distraction for his playing partners.

His playing ability is not doubted, but then arrogance crept into his life, both on and off the course.

The clandestine off-course demeanors with plenty of women from various walks of life hit the headlines.

His wife kicked him out, but that did not stop him.

Lately, he has suffered injuries, mainly to his back.

Many feel that he has “used” the injuries in an attempt to win back the adoration that once followed him.

Like any top sporting personality, he has had his fair share of altercations with players and the press.

The saying “live by the sword, die by the sword” is apt.

Read more: Wondering what’s in Tiger Woods’ bag ? Read the full article.

Final thoughts.

Who are the most disliked PGA Tour players? Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed are a couple of them. I highlighted some modern-day golfers and some of their most spectacular controversies.

Unfortunately, where huge sums of money are at stake, jealousy and contempt creep into the game.

No doubt, looking further back in history, Ben Hogan was seen as aloof, Arnold Palmer was seen as arrogant, and even Sevy had his detractors.

Tom Watson, Lee Travino (who never stopped talking while playing), Gary Player, and even the greatest golfer, Jack Nicklaus, were accused of being arrogant.

Nick Faldo was not everybody’s favorite, but time heals many rifts.

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Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.

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PGA Tour players ‘disgusted’ after being left in dark with LIV Golf merger

By cody williams | jun 6, 2023.

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced a shocking merger on Tuesday, and most players appear to have been left in the dark about it, leaving them ‘disgusted’.

Painted rightfully — at least given what we’ve known up until Tuesday — as bitter rivals embroiled in legal controversy, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), the primary investor behind LIV Golf, would become the primary sponsor and investor in the PGA Tour. There is a merger between the two tours that also involves the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) as well.

This news came as a shock to everyone as there were no signs of peace coming. And in reality, the ultimate result of the merger could be a good thing for golf. The divide between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf created a sport that was, in itself, divided too. Moreover, fans were robbed of seeing the best players in the world  all playing together outside of four major championships.

But before we end up where things are good, that is not the general reaction right now.

As it turns out, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan did not inform any of the players — an odd choice for a player-run organization — about this coming deal and merger. And essentially, players who were praised for loyalty to the Tour and for not taking money from LIV Golf were then hung out to dry so that Monahan and the Tour could take the Saudi Arabian money in the end.

Not shockingly, this has gone over like Nolan Ryan throwing a brick through a glass art gallery.

Initial feedback is that the TOUR players are *not happy*. They turned down cash, changed their own schedule, stuck their necks out against LIV for two years and now they are finding out about a merge in real-time on Twitter. — Rick Gehman (@RickRunGood) June 6, 2023

PGA Tour didn’t communicate this to players at all. They found out same time we did. “Shocked and confused.” “Disgusted. They didn’t tell us anything.” — Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 6, 2023

Spoke to an agent. Some of their players are asking if they can take legal action against the decision. "some players don't care - some are pissed." This is the wildest day in golf. And its not even lunch yet. — Jared Doerfler (@DoerflerJared) June 6, 2023

Phil Mickelson, Collin Morikawa, PGA Tour pros react to LIV Golf merger

From cracking jokes about LIV Golf joining, to passive aggressiveness, to outright anger, you could see the emotions of this seminal moment in golf and how it clearly bothered the PGA Tour players that they played no part in the decision.

I love finding out morning news on Twitter — Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) June 6, 2023

Now that we’re all friends, is it too late for us to workshop some of these team names? pic.twitter.com/O8EDVqKClz — max homa (@maxhoma23) June 6, 2023

Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right? 🤷🏻‍♂️ — Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 6, 2023

I’ve grown up being a fan of the 4 Aces. Maybe one day I get to play for them on the PGA Tour! — Joel Dahmen (@Joel_Dahmen) June 6, 2023

I’m guessing the liv teams were struggling to get sponsors and pga tour couldn’t turn down the money. Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years — Byeong Hun An (@ByeongHunAn) June 6, 2023

pic.twitter.com/dndiYfJ12u — Tyrrell Hatton (@TyrrellHatton) June 6, 2023

Tell me why Jay Monahan basically got a promotion to CEO of all golf in the world by going back on everything he said the past 2 years. The hypocrisy. Wish golf worked like that. I guess money always wins @PGATOUR — Dylan Wu (@dylan_wu59) June 6, 2023

Reaction from Sahith Theegala. Players just in absolute shock. pic.twitter.com/E8rCLvOtCi — Gabby Herzig (@GabbyHerzig) June 6, 2023

I feel betrayed, and will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time — Wesley Bryan (@wesleybryangolf) June 6, 2023

Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with. — Mackenzie Hughes (@MacHughesGolf) June 6, 2023

Was having quite the nice practice session this morning too pic.twitter.com/qWBKuM2yHO — Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) June 6, 2023

Meanwhile, it appears that Phil Mickelson might’ve known this was coming, which would help to explain his combative and trolling Twitter activity recently. He started by tweeting that this was awesome news before then replying to a supposition that everyone was left in the dark by saying “not exactly”.

Awesome day today 😊 https://t.co/qUwVJiydym — Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2023

Not exactly — Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2023

And in the same vein as Mickelson, Brooks Koepka had an admittedly hilarious reaction as he wondered how Golf Channel personality Brandel Chamblee, who is embroiled in a nasty feud with Mickelson, was holding up.

Welfare Check on Chamblee — Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) June 6, 2023

Despite all of these reactions, the one that everyone has to be waiting on is that of Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy was put in the crossfire of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf feud throughout at the proverbial loyal mouthpiece against the Saudi-backed league. Curiously, he’s backed off of that in recent months. But now it appears that Monahan simply threw arguably his most popular player on the PGA Tour to the wolves to take all of the bullets for the commissioner, most likely without Rory’s knowledge.

While this merger may, in the long term, be the right move for golf to no longer divide the game and the best players in the world, the way things have transpired is truly unacceptable for a player-run organization’s leadership, which is Monahan with the Tour.

If only the 4 p.m. ET players meeting with him at the RBC Canadian Open were able to be broadcast.

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PGA Tour pros sound off on obnoxious fans at Phoenix Open: “I’m just sick of it”

Golfers have become tired of unruly fans during this week’s WM Phoenix Open, as some even voiced their displeasure during play.

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PGA Tour players are becoming sick and tired of the antics that have taken place at TPC Scottsdale this week.

Zach Johnson , who led the U.S. Ryder Cup team this past fall, was caught on video early Sunday saying, “I’m just sick of it. Just shut up.”

Johnson likely received jabs about Team USA’s disappointing loss at Marco Simone, but he was not the only one who lectured the crowd on how to conduct themselves on Sunday.

Billy Horschel , who has seven PGA Tour victories to his name, blasted a few fans who could not keep quiet during a shot.

“Buddy, when we’re playing a shot, shut the hell up, man,” Horschel said immediately after playing partner Nicolo Galletti hit.

“He’s trying to hit a damn golf shot here. It’s our f***ing job.”

zj was tired of hearing about his ryder cup captaincy I guess. pic.twitter.com/Fm9SrNlqtC — Masters Burner (@ANGC_burner) February 11, 2024

Billy Ho pic.twitter.com/8tjHPUhKc6 — user2123 (@user212369) February 11, 2024

The WM Phoenix Open prides itself on having more fans than any other PGA Tour event. It is also famous for its 16th hole, which a 20,000-person stadium encloses. Fans cheer, jeer, and chant as the atmosphere resembles an Arizona State sporting event more than a professional golf tournament.

The 16th is a sight to behold.

Yet, crowds became so unruly and overwhelming during Saturday’s play that tournament organizers closed the entrance gates to patrons.

The tournament also stopped selling alcohol around 2 p.m. MT and suspended the sale of booze for the remainder of the day.

Byeing Hun An, who shot a 4-over 75 on Saturday, put it rather bluntly with a social media post late Saturday evening:

Shitshows. Totally out of control on everyhole https://t.co/GnPZdqAyHB — Byeong Hun An (@ByeongHunAn) February 11, 2024

Perhaps the lengthy weather delays throughout this week have led to unruly behavior. Fans had to withstand a 3-hour, 30-minute delay on Thursday, and then a frost postponed the start of play on Friday and Sunday.

Saturday also saw a 21-minute delay early in the morning thanks to “unplayable conditions.”

But all signs point to the WM Phoenix Open wrapping up by Sunday evening, even though it will likely bleed into the Super Bowl.

That will satisfy numerous players in the field, including Johnson, Horschel, and An, who likely are eager to get out of town.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

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The PGA Tour-LIV deal stunned pro golfers — and upset more than a few

A little over a year after LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded breakaway league, divided the sport’s professional ranks by offering some of the world’s best players outrageous sums to play less frequently, PGA Tour golfers were apparently left stunned Tuesday by the announcement that the entities would merge parts of their operations .

Mackenzie Hughes, a Canadian on the PGA Tour who is ranked 67th in the world, summed up how the news was revealed and the sour feelings among tour players when he tweeted , “Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.”

PGA Tour agrees to partner with Saudi-backed LIV Golf, ending bitter feud

Phil Mickelson, who sacrificed much of his popularity when he left the PGA Tour for a hefty paycheck from LIV, tweeted simply, “An awesome day today.”

The agreement comes after months of hard feelings and back-and-forth litigation between LIV and the PGA Tour. In their announcement, the sides agreed to end “all pending litigation.”

“I think that what’s transpired the last year and a half,” PGA Tour veteran Adam Hadwin said at a news conference Tuesday, “and the rhetoric, not only on this side but on that side as well — I think it’s difficult to look at that and say, ‘How did we get here now?’ ”

The news was announced Tuesday morning as PGA Tour players prepared for this weekend’s Canadian Open in Toronto, where a meeting was held that afternoon between players and Commissioner Jay Monahan, who brokered the deal largely in secret with his Saudi counterparts. Hadwin told TSN beforehand that he anticipated “a lot of screaming and yelling and complaining” at the meeting, and Monahan subsequently described the encounter as “intense, certainly heated.”

Tell me why Jay Monahan basically got a promotion to CEO of all golf in the world by going back on everything he said the past 2 years. The hypocrisy. Wish golf worked like that. I guess money always wins @PGATOUR — Dylan Wu (@dylan_wu59) June 6, 2023

I’m guessing the liv teams were struggling to get sponsors and pga tour couldn’t turn down the money. Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years — Byeong Hun An (@ByeongHunAn) June 6, 2023

“The guys who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour, it’s kind of a kick in the teeth to them,” PGA Tour player Callum Tarren said on Golf Channel . “Obviously Rory [McIlroy] was a huge advocate of the PGA Tour, and now it kind of looks like all his hard work and sticking up for the PGA Tour was left by the wayside.”

What questions do you have about the PGA-LIV partnership? Ask The Post.

Players such as McIlroy surely had plenty to discuss in Toronto, including how the news came to them. “I love finding out morning news on Twitter,” tweeted Collin Morikawa, a two-time major champion. Mark Hubbard tweeted that he was as much in the dark as anyone, writing , “I find out all of my information from text chains and ESPN alerts like the rest of you so stop texting me.”

pic.twitter.com/dndiYfJ12u — Tyrrell Hatton (@TyrrellHatton) June 6, 2023

What’s happening? — David Lingmerth (@dlingmerth) June 6, 2023

The immediate responses were by turns salty, snarky and serious about just how golfers who took massive amounts of money to jump to LIV will return to the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour had banned players who defected to LIV, but the organizations now “will work cooperatively and in good faith to establish a fair and objective process for any players who desire to reapply for membership,” Tuesday’s announcement read.

Common sense has prevailed!!! — Bernd Wiesberger (@BWiesberger) June 6, 2023

I’ve grown up being a fan of the 4 Aces. Maybe one day I get to play for them on the PGA Tour! — Joel Dahmen (@Joel_Dahmen) June 6, 2023

Brooks Koepka, who earned a symbolic victory for LIV when he won the PGA Championship last month , took a poke at Brandel Chamblee, the Golf Channel commentator who recently called out the Saudis for using golf to “sportswash,” a term used to describe creating a distraction from the country’s human rights abuses.

Welfare Check on Chamblee — Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) June 6, 2023

Chamblee appeared on Golf Channel later Tuesday and said he was “completely shocked” by the news. “After the shock sort of ebbed away, I was hugely disappointed,” Chamblee said . “I think this is one of the saddest days in the history of professional golf. I do believe that the governing bodies, the professional entities, have sacrificed their principles for profit.”

LIV star Bryson DeChambeau saw things in a more positive light.

“There’s been too many times where it’s been frustrating, not being able to say certain things,” he said on SiriusXM Radio , “but then all of a sudden we all come together and it’s like, ‘Let’s put down our weapons and figure this out.’ … Could things have been handled differently on both sides? For sure, but we’re now at the point where we’re merging together, and we’re making this for the best interests of the fans and for the game of golf in general.”

Former president Donald Trump , whose Trump National Golf Club hosted a LIV tournament in Northern Virginia last month, praised the agreement on Truth Social, his social media platform. “Great news from LIV golf,” Trump posted. “A big, beautiful and glamorous deal for the wonderful world of golf. Congrats to all!!!”

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) mentioned his recent meeting with PGA Tour officials, tweeting : “So weird. PGA officials were in my office just months ago talking about how the Saudis’ human rights record should disqualify them from having a stake in a major American sport. I guess maybe their concerns weren’t really about human rights?”

Augusta National — host of the Masters, which, like each of the sport’s major tournaments, allowed LIV golfers to participate this year — remained neutral in a statement it released Tuesday afternoon. The Georgia-based club echoed sentiments expressed by the USGA, LPGA and Britain’s R&A that the day’s developments served as an important step toward bringing cohesion to, as the women’s tour put it , a “fractured ecosystem.”

“As we have expressed previously, what makes golf special is its rich history and ability to bring people together,” Augusta National’s statement read. “We are encouraged by this announcement, which represents a positive development in bringing harmony to men’s professional golf. Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament are — and will remain — devoted to developing the game and celebrating its many virtues.”

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Pga players pissed over merger w/ liv golf after orgs end bitter dispute, pga tour, liv golf end bitter dispute, merge 🤝 ... players pissed.

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4:02 PM PT -- While some fans don't necessarily love the PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger, legendary golf broadcaster (and longtime tour player) Gary McCord believes the new organization will be a net positive for the game.

After more than a year of bitter arguing that included lawsuits and public feuds, PGA Tour is merging with Saudi-backed LIV Golf ... and a lot of the players are pissed!

The stunning announcement was made Tuesday morning, with the companies saying they'll form a new, yet-to-be-named organization -- news that some of the PGA Tour players say totally blindsided them.

Collin Morikawa , the 18th-ranked player in the world, clearly had no idea the merger was in the works, Tweeting ... "I love finding out morning news on Twitter"

Another pro, Wesley Bryan , expressed anger over the merger.

"Love finding out info on twitter. This is amazing. Y’all should be ashamed and have a lot of questions to answer."

Tiger Woods Rejected $700-$800 Million Offer From LIV Golf, Greg Norman Says

Bryan fired off another message ... "I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time"

Tuesday's announcement was especially shocking because of the disdain the organizations have had for one another since LIV launched.

Aside from just being a business dispute, a lot of Americans were against LIV because of its tie to the Saudi Arabian government. In fact, LIV Golf is backed by Saudi's Public Investment Fund (PIF), controlled by the Crown Prince. A majority of the 9/11 hijackers (15 of 19) were from the country.

"Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan comments on players joining LIV Golf. pic.twitter.com/MeHAbR1qQL — TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 12, 2022 @TSN_Sports

Jay Monahan , Commissioner of the PGA Tour, once posed the question ... "Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?," in response to blowback on American golfers who took large checks from LIV.

Monahan was talking about several high-profile former PGA Tour players who bolted for LIV, including Phil Mickelson who reportedly received around $200 million to join the org. Dustin Johnson left too, reportedly getting $125 million. Brooks Koepka reportedly got $100 million.

Not all players took the big money ... Tiger Woods reportedly turned down a whopping $800 million offer, while Rory McIlroy reportedly said no to $500 million.

As for Toger, Rory and the other players who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour and turned down millions, Cheerios gotta be tough to swallow this morning ...

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Nate Lashley has the receipts and he didn’t waste any time sharing them with everyone.

The PGA pro revealed the PIP payouts from the tour from this past year, which is $100 million distributed to 20 players.

The PGA Tour emailed players the info on Wednesday.

The payouts reward players for boosting engagement and publicity for the tour.

Lashley was not pleased with how the money was distributed.

“How many golf fans actually know what the PIP on the PGA Tour is?” Lashley wrote. “Would love to hear from golf/PGA fans if they think this $100 million was spent well?

“There’s 150-200 members of the PGA Tour and they just spent $100 million on 20 players. Seems a little ridiculous. Time for new leadership on the PGA Tour. This is an absolute kick in the face to the rest of the PGA Tour players.”

Rory McIlroy topped the list and earned $15 million, Tiger Woods — who missed most of the season after needing ankle surgery after The Masters — earned $12 million and Jon Rahm got $9 million.

The frustration over the disparity between what the top players earn versus the average ones has become a growing topic in the sport.

The disparity will only grow in 2024 with eight signature events that will have fields between 70 and 80 players, leaving out some of the more marginal players on tour.

Each of those events has a $20 million purse with $4 million of that going to the winner.

The change in format is seemingly in response to LIV Golf as the PGA Tour is trying to keep its biggest stars from defecting to the rebel league for massive paydays.

The PIP payouts are based on a number of factors, according to Golf Digest:

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Lashley, 40, is the 170th-ranked golfer in the world.

The Nebraska native, who has been on the PGA Tour since 2018, has nearly $7 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.

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LPGA Player Reveals Why Mickelson Is Pissing Off Other Tour Pros

Meghan MacLaren was highly critical of Mickelson's latest comments regarding players' media rights

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Meghan MacLaren believes Phil Mickelson has shown a “lack of appreciation” towards the PGA Tour after the six-time Major winner claimed media rights revenue was being wrongly withheld from players.

In an excerpt from an upcoming book , titled ‘Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar’, author Alan Shipnuck revealed that Mickelson, who has earned nearly $95 million in PGA Tour earnings alone, feels he is entitled to a bigger share of the pie.

“The Tour is sitting on multiple billions of dollars worth of NFTs,” Mickelson said. “They are sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of digital content we could be using for our social media feeds. The players need to own all of that. We played those shots, we created those moments, we should be the ones to profit.”

His latest remarks in light of the rumoured Saudi-backed Super Golf League have drawn widespread criticism, with MacLaren among those to be disappointed at Mickelson’s inability to see the bigger picture.

In a quote tweet linking to Shipnuck’s article, MacLaren wrote: “Again.. I think the thing that pisses off a lot of the rest of us is his apparent lack of appreciation for what the PGA tour has done for his career.

“Yes players hit the shots, but it’s not them singularly that “create moments”. There’s a whole infrastructure that’s done that.”

Again.. I think the thing that pisses off a lot of the rest of us is his apparent lack of appreciation for what the PGA tour has done for his career. Yes players hit the shots, but it’s not them singularly that “create moments”. There’s a whole infrastructure that’s done that. https://t.co/Qc2utb81ji February 18, 2022

As well as MacLaren, Justin Thomas has also been critical of Mickelson, brandishing his comments as "egotistical" , while World No. 1 Jon Rahm recently told the press he doesn't agree with his friend. And this all comes after the left-hander slammed the PGA Tour for its "obnoxious greed" ahead of the Saudi International - an event at which he picked up a seven-figure fee just for attending.

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As a result of his tirade, it was thought that Mickelson was one of the driving forces behind the SGL, but even that is in doubt after it came to light that he is merely using the prospective series as a way to gain leverage over the PGA Tour . In fact, he went as far as to say: "I’m not sure I even want [the SGL] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.”

With most of the best players in the world officially ruling themselves out of the breakaway circuit in favour of the PGA Tour, it remains to be seen where Mickelson chooses to ply his trade going forward. Whatever the case, we're likely to find out soon as an announcement is rumoured for the week of the Players Championship .

A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he decided to go freelance and now covers a variety of topics for Golf Monthly. 

Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.

As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.

What's in Andy's bag?

Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)

Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)

Irons: Mizuno mp32 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

Alison Root tries out the new, luxurious Boat Neck Sweater from PXG.

By Alison Root Published 1 May 24

Roderick Easdale puts TaylorMade's new ultra light golf bag to the test to see if it delivers.

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Gary Player: ‘Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour career completely ruined’ amid “wrong decision”

Gary Player joined the German KW Golf YouTube channel to discuss various topics, including his health, fantastic golf courses, exercise, golf coaches and the difference between pros and amateurs.

But most interestingly, he voiced his opinion on Tiger Woods' career and how the Big Cat’s choices saw him underachieve, relatively speaking of course.

Starting at 8:45 in the video, Player dropped the microphone.

“Tiger Woods had his career ruined, completely ruined,” Player said. “He won the 14th major at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He won by 14 shots. The next week, he’s having a lesson from a man who, I don’t know if he played in the Masters, couldn’t break 80, but he’s having a lesson from this guy.”

He did not stop there. The 88-year-old explained how Woods continued to make what he deemed poor decisions.

“Then he goes to another guy who couldn’t break probably 85 in the Masters, with the pressure or the British Open or the PGA on the final day, and he’s having lessons from them,” he said. “Why did Tiger do that? He was so good, but I understand he wanted to get better. If he went along and never changed, he would have won a minimum of 22, maybe more.”

“He would have gone down as the greatest athlete the world has ever seen, man or woman on the planet, but he made the wrong decision,” Player said.

Player goes on to state there are at least 20 players that have screwed up their game because of their swing coach choices. He named Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir, Michael Cameron and Woods as a few examples.

Tiger won his 15th major in 2019 at the Masters, taking home the green jacket for a fifth time. After that, the horrific 2021 car crash set him back.

“Unfortunately, he’s hurt his leg so badly. Whether he’ll win another tournament or not is debatable,” Player noted.

The 24-time PGA Tour winner explained how he will always root for Tiger because of how he changed golf.

Player did not drop any swing coaches’ names, but those who have followed Tiger’s career likely know who he is hinting at ruining the 82-time winner’s career. Regardless, he voiced a strong opinion that will certainly create some discourse.

Did Woods ruin his career by changing his swing so many times, or were injuries and other elements causing him to underachieve as a golfer? Sound off in the comments, and let us know what you think.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Report: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy among big PGA Tour payouts

Rory McIlroy explains why the PGA Tour's equity figures are insufficient to compete with LIV Golf's payouts. (0:19)

• ESPN News Services

Tiger Woods , Rory McIlroy and other PGA Tour stars are about to receive massive bonuses for their loyalty.

The Telegraph reported Wednesday that Woods will receive up to $100 million in equity as part of the newly created for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises, with McIlroy getting about half that amount.

The payouts, which are set to be disclosed to the players by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan on Wednesday, are a way to thank players for sticking with the PGA Tour instead of jumping to the rival LIV Golf League and huge paydays from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Nearly 200 players will receive a stake, with $750 million of it going to the top 36 players based on a formula that weighs career success and cultural popularity, according to The Telegraph. Other notable payouts include $30 million each for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas , while $75 million is targeted to go to notable retired players.

To receive the money, players would have to continue to remain loyal to the PGA Tour, with the funds vesting over the next eight years, according to The Telegraph. And going forward, the PGA Tour plans to award $100 million per year to the players.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked Wednesday how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

"I think the one thing we've learned in golf over the last two years is there's never enough," said McIlroy, who also said that he's interested in returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, as has been reported and is pending a board vote that could take place this week.

"At the end of the day, it's not quite up to me to just come back on the board," McIlroy said. "There's a process that has to be followed."

The other board members are Patrick Cantlay , Peter Malnati , Adam Scott , Spieth and Woods.

PGA Tour Enterprises received an investment of up to $3 billion earlier this year from Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of sports team owners that includes the New York Mets ' Steve Cohen and the Atlanta Falcons ' Arthur Blank.

A week later, Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

A source with knowledge of the Player Equity Program told The Associated Press that the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com, which received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players, reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

The 36 players from the top tier were judged on "career points," such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories, Golf.com reported.

"It's really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal," Jason Gore, the tour's chief player officer, said in one of the videos obtained by Golf.com.

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

The PGA Tour and LIV are in merger talks, but they have been protracted, with no clear end in sight. Both tours have continued to operate independently, keeping many of the top names in golf from competing against one another for most of the golf calendar -- major tournaments (Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship) excepted

"I think I could be helpful to the process," McIlroy said of a formalized unification of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. "But only if people want me involved."

He said he aims to promote compromise while also trying "to help people see the benefits of what unification could do for the game and what it could do for this tour in particular."

"We obviously realize the game is not unified right now for a reason, and there's still some hard feelings and things that need to be addressed," McIlroy said. "But I think at this point, for the good of the game, we all need to put those feelings aside and all move forward together."

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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PGA Tour players learn how much loyalty is worth in new equity program

Tiger Woods waves after his final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, waves after making a putt on the sixth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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Players who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour amid lucrative recruitment by Saudi-funded LIV Golf are starting to find out how much that loyalty could be worth.

The PGA Tour on Wednesday began contacting the 193 players eligible for the $930 million from a “Player Equity Program” under the new PGA Tour Enterprises .

The bulk of that money — $750 million — went to 36 players based on their career performance, the last five years and how they fared in a recent program that measured their star power.

How much they received was not immediately known. Emails were going out Wednesday afternoon and Thursday informing players of what they would get. One person who saw a list of how the equity shares were doled out said the names had been redacted. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because many details of the program were not made public.

The Telegraph reported Tiger Woods was to receive $100 million in equity and Rory McIlroy could get $50 million, without saying how it came up with those numbers.

Commissioner Jay Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players, a week after Strategic Sports Group became a minority investor in the new commercial PGA Tour Enterprises.

The private equity group, a consortium of professional sports owners led by the Fenway Sports Group, made an initial investment of $1.5 billion that could be worth $3 billion. The tour is still negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — the financial muscle behind the rival LIV Golf league — as an investor.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

Another person with knowledge of the Player Equity Program, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the dealings, said the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players and reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

It also reported how the 36 players from the top tier were judged on “career points,” such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories.

Jason Gore, the tour’s chief player officer, said in one of the videos, “It’s really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal.”

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

LIV Golf lured away seven major champions dating to 2018 since it launched in 2022, all with guaranteed contracts and most of them believed to have topped $100 million.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

“I think the one thing we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is there’s never enough,” McIlroy replied.

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Brooks Koepka Not Sounding Optimistic With PGA Championship Looming: 'Trying to Find Some Answers'

The 2023 PGA Champion cites his putting as the problem so far in '24, where he hasn't won on LIV Golf and was T45 at the Masters.

• Author: Bob Harig

With his PGA Championship title defense looming, Brooks Koepka is searching for the game that saw him win a fifth major championship last year at Oak Hill Country Club.

He didn’t sound extremely confident during a news conference Thursday in advance of the LIV Golf Singapore event, which begins Friday morning (9:15 p.m. ET Thursday).

“Clearly not very good,” Koepka said when asked how his game was trending in advance of the PGA at Valhalla, which begins May 16. “With Augusta the way that it went, I kind of felt like I wasted all the time from December until then. Just keep grinding away, keep doing the work, and hopefully something will turn around.”

Brooks Koepka shot four over-par rounds at the Masters and finished T45.

Michael Madrid, Michael Madrid / USA

Koepka was referring to the Masters, where he tied for 45th and was never really in the tournament after tying for second last year. He opened with a 73 and added rounds of 73, 76 and 75.

That came after weekend rounds of 78-78 in LIV’s event in Miami the weekend prior.

Koepka lamented his putting, which caused a putter switch a few weeks back. Although he tied for 19th in the putting stats at Augusta National, he believes that’s been the main source of his trouble.

He switched to a mallet putter recently.

“It’s been in the bag two weeks before Augusta, I haven’t even putted with that other putter, the one I’ve putted with for—the button back I’ve probably putted with for 12, 14 years, I haven’t putted with it since then,” he said.

“I can’t find the hole at all, to be honest with you. Something we’ve just been putting some work into, so trying to find some answers.”

Asked what the main issue is, Koepka said: “Ball doesn’t go in the hole, that’s usually one of them. I don’t know how else to simply put it. I feel like I’m hitting good putts, they just keep burning lips. Eventually it starts to wear on you after a while. All you can do is hit a good putt and see where it goes from there. Hopefully they start falling soon.”

In six LIV Golf events so far this year, Koepka has only been on the fringe of contention, with two top 10s, including a tie for 10th on Sunday in Adelaide.

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2024 zurich classic of new orleans prize money payouts for each pga tour player, share this article.

It pays to play well on the PGA Tour. Just ask  this week’s winners, Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy .

The Ryder Cup teammates won the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana in Avondale on Sunday after a one-hole playoff against Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer. The win is the 25th of McIlroy’s career and third of Lowry’s on the PGA Tour.

McIlroy and Lowry will each bank $1,286,050, while Ramey and Trainer will earn $525,100 as a consolation prize. Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard finished a shot back in third and will take home $343,763 a piece.

With $8.9 million up for grabs, check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Prize money payouts

More pga tour, cj cup byron nelson 2024 friday tee times, pga tour pairings and how to watch, matt wallace leads, jason day lurks in title defense and jordan spieth's 'reset' among 5 things to know at cj cup byron nelson 2024, jack nicklaus knows what tiger woods is going through, because age always wins, 2024 cj cup byron nelson merchandise: where's lord byron.

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2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson odds, field: Surprising PGA picks, predictions from model that's nailed 11 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the cj cup byron nelson 2024 10,000 times and revealed its pga golf picks.

The PGA Championship is just a few weeks away, so many of the big names in golf are sitting out of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, which begins Thursday at 7:45 a.m. ET. However, with golfers like Jordan Spieth and Jason Day in the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson field, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about the TPC Craig Ranch-hosted event. Spieth is the 12-1 favorite in the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson odds, followed by Day (18-1), who is the defending champion. Si Woo Kim is third on the odds board at 22-1, while Sungjae Im, Alex Noren and Adam Scott are each in the next tier of 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson contenders at 25-1.

Spieth has finished second and ninth in his two professional starts at TPC Craig Ranch, so is he a golfer that you should target with your 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson bets? Before making any 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

SportsLine's proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up more than $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model correctly predicted Scottie Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, and the RBC Heritage this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Jon Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 11 majors entering the weekend and hit the Masters three straight years. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2024 field is finalized, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2024: Day, the defending champion and one of the top favorites, stumbles and barely cracks the top five. Day got off to a hot start this season when he posted three top-10 finishes in his first five tournaments, but he has struggled since then. He has finished outside the top 15 in his last five events, including a missed cut at the Texas Children's Houston Open at the end of March. 

Day ranks 183rd on the PGA Tour in approach shots from more than 200 yards, which will be a shot that he has to take throughout this tournament. He is also ranked 133rd in green in regulation percentage (63.62%) and 152nd in strokes gained: approach to green (-0.380). Day is not in strong form right now, so the model is looking elsewhere with its pick to win this tournament. 

Another surprise: Maverick McNealy, a 50-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win it all than his odds imply, so he's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. The former No. 1 ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking is still seeking his first win on the PGA Tour.

He is off to a strong start in 2024 though, making the cut in nine of his 11 events while posting a pair of top-10 finishes. McNealy finished T6 in the WM Phoenix Open in February, T13 in the Mexico Open and T9 in The Players Championship, which was the best result of his career. Despite his hot start to the year, he is still flying under the radar due to his lack of victories, making him an excellent longshot pick against a weaker field this weekend.  See who else to pick here . 

How to make 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson picks

The model is also targeting three other golfers with odds of 28-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected CJ Cup Byron Nelson leaderboard , all from the model that's nailed 11 golf majors, including the last three Masters.

2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson odds, field

Get full 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson picks, best bets, and predictions here .

Jordan Spieth +1200 Jason Day +1800 Si Woo Kim +2200 Sungjae Im +2500 Alex Noren +2500 Adam Scott +2500 Tom Hoge +2800 Min Woo Lee +2800 Byeong Hun An +3000 Stephan Jaeger +3000 Keith Mitchell +3500 Tom Kim +4000 Thomas Detry +4500 Patrick Rodgers +5000 Maverick McNealy +5000 Mackenzie Hughes +5500 Adam Schenk +5500 Aaron Rai +6000 Beau Hossler +6000 K.H. Lee +6000 Davis Thompson +6500 Taylor Montgomery +6500 Seamus Power +7000 Mark Hubbard +7000 Luke List +7500 Doug Ghim +8000 Ryan Fox +8000 Kevin Yu +8000 Ben Griffin +8000 Jake Knapp +9000 Taylor Pendrith +9000 Daniel Berger +9000 Thorbjorn Olesen +9000 C.T. Pan +10000 Alejandro Tosti +10000 Matt Kuchar +10000 Sam Stevens +10000 Nate Lashley +10000 Peter Kuest +10000 Chan Kim +10000 Joseph Bramlett +10000 Michael Kim +11000 Greyson Sigg +11000 Andrew Novak +11000 Matti Schmid +11000 Justin Lower +11000 Max Greyserman +11000 Chesson Hadley +11000 Cameron Champ +11000 Charley Hoffman +11000 Garrick Higgo +11000

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PGA Championship 2024: Here's everyone who has qualified for the field at Valhalla (so far)

There are two weeks until the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship gets underway at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., and the full field for the second men’s major of the year is starting to take shape.

Sixteen past champions are expected to compete in the event. Among them is Brooks Koepka, winner a year ago at Oak Hill when he shot a closing 67 to outpace Viktor Hovland and win the Wanamaker Trophy for the third time in his career. Included as well is Justin Thomas, a winner in 2017 at Quail Hollow and 2022 at Southern Hills who will be playing in his hometown of Louisville.

We also are listing Tiger Woods as “expected” to compete. A four-time PGA winner, including memorably in a playoff over Bob May at Valhalla in 2000, Woods has not officially announced if he will be playing or not. That said, while promoting his new clothing line Sun Day Red this week, he did indicate his hope to compete in the three remaining majors.

Woods did not compete at last year’s PGA after undergoing fusion surgery on his right ankle a month earlier. He has made only two starts in PGA Tour events since the surgery: the Genesis Invitational in February, where he withdrew because of the flu during the second round, and the Masters last month, where he made his record-breaking 24th straight cut at Augusta while finishing 60th. His most recent PGA Championship start was 2022, where he made the cut at Southern Hills but withdrew after the third round.

Much of the qualifying criteria for this year’s PGA Championship officially closes on Monday, when the PGA of America is expected to reveal an official list of participants. Pending that announcement, we’ve put together an unofficial list of all those players who have earned spots based off the 14 qualifying criteria listed in the 2024 PGA Championship media guide.

Come back next week, when we’ll update the list further to have you ready for all the action at Valhalla.

Valhalla Golf Club

Louisville, ky.

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

1: All former winners of the PGA Championship

Brooks Koepka Justin Thomas Phil Mickelson Collin Morikawa Jimmy Walker Jason Day Rory McIlroy Jason Dufner Keegan Bradley Martin Kaymer Y.E. Yang Padraig Harrington Tiger Woods Shaun Micheel Vijay Singh John Daly

Phil Mickelson celebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

Patrick Smith

2: Winners of the last five Masters (2020-2024)

Scottie Scheffler Jon Rahm Hideki Matsuyama Dustin Johnson

3: Winners of the last five U.S. Opens (2019-2023)

Wyndham Clark Matt Fitzpatrick Jon Rahm Bryson DeChambeau Gary Woodland

4: Winners of the last five Open Championships (2018-2023)

Brian Harman Cameron Smith Collin Morikawa Shane Lowry Francesco Molinari

5: Winners of the last three Players Championships (2022-2024)

Scottie Scheffler Cameron Smith

6: The top 3 on the the International Federation Official World Golf Ranking List (as of April 29)

Keita Nakajima (Japan Golf Tour) Andy Ogletree (Asian Tour) Ryan van Velzen (Sunshine Tour)

More PGA Championship coverage

7: Winner of the 2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship

Steve Stricker

8: The top 15 finishers and ties from the 2023 PGA Championship

Brooks Koepka Viktor Hovland Scottie Scheffler Bryson DeChambeau Kurt Kitayama Cameron Davis Sepp Straka Rory McIlroy Justin Rose Patrick Cantlay Cameron Smith Victor Perez Corey Conners Shane Lowry Eric Cole Michael Block Tyrrell Hatton

9: The top 20 finishers from the 2024 PGA Professional Championship

Ben Polland, Shooting Star of Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Andy Svoboda, Butler National Golf Club, Oak Brook, Ill. Jared Jones, River Oaks Country Club, Houston John Somers, Southern Hills Plantation Club, Trinity, Fla. Jesse Mueller, Grand Canyon U. Golf Course, Phoenix Tyler Collet, John’s Island Club, Vero Beach, Fla. Brad Marek, Corica Park, Berkeley, Calif. Evan Bowser, LaPlaya Golf Club, Naples, Fla. Jeremy Wells, Cypress Lake Golf Club, Estero, Fla. Jeff Kellen, North Shore Country Club, Glenview, Ill. Josh Speight, The Club at Viniterra, Locust Valley, Va. Larkin Gross, Westwood Country Club, Fairfax, Va. Preston Cole, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte Tracy Phillips, Cedar Ridge Country Club, Tulsa, Okla. Josh Bevell, Profectus Golf, Nashville, Tenn. Matt Dobyns, Meadow Brook Club, Jericho, N.Y. Zac Oakley, Bidermann Golf Club, King of Prussia, Pa. Kyle Mendoza, Hacienda Golf Club, Oceanside, Calif. Braden Shattuck, Rolling Green Golf Club, Ashton, Pa. Wyatt Worthington II, Eastside Golf, Las Vegas

10: The top 70 players who are eligible and have earned the most PGA Championship Points from the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge through the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (ending May 5, 2024)

11: playing members of the last-named u.s. and european ryder cup teams (2023) provided they remain within the top 100 on the official world golf rankings as of may 6, 2024.

Sam Burns* Patrick Cantlay Wyndham Clark Rickie Fowler Brian Harman Max Homa* Brooks Koepka Colin Morikawa Xander Schauffele* Scottie Scheffler Jordan Spieth* Justin Thomas Ludvig Aberg Matt Fitzpatrick Tommy Fleetwood* Tyrrell Hatton Nicolai Hojgaard* Viktor Hovland Shane Lowry Robert MacIntyre* Rory McIlroy Jon Rahm Justin Rose Sepp Straka

*All are expected to be inside the top 100 on May 6

12: Winners of PGA Tour co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, from the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge through the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship and the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic

Emiliano Grillo Viktor Hovland Nick Taylor Wyndham Clark Keegan Bradley Rickie Fowler Sepp Straka Rory McIlroy Vincent Norrman Brian Harman Akshay Bhatia Lee Hodges Lucas Glover Sahith Theegala Luke List Tom Kim Collin Morikawa Erik van Rooyen Camilo Villegas Ludvig Aberg Chris Kirk Grayson Murray Nick Dunlap Matthieu Pavon Hideki Matsuyama Jake Knapp Austin Eckroat Scottie Scheffler Brice Garnett Peter Malnati Stephan Jaeger Billy Horschel

13: The PGA of America reserves the right to invite additional players not included in the categories listed above (traditionally the top 100 in the OWGR not already in the field)

Joaquin Niemann

*More players expected after the May 6 OWGR listing

14: If necessary to complete the field, those players beyond the top 70 players who are eligible and who have earned the most PGA Championship Points from the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge through the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (ending May 5, 2024), in order of their position on such list.

*Note: The PGA Championship points list is compiled of Official Money earned in PGA Tour events within the defined period in 10 and 14 above and is available on www.pgatour.com.

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The list of top 18 money winners in PGA Tour history has plenty of surprises

There’s a lot of money to be made in professional golf.

Tiger Woods maintains his overall lead atop the PGA Tour’s all-time money list. He is the first golfer to surpass the $120,000,000 mark in on-course career earnings and the only one over the $100 million mark. Phil Mickelson, before departing for the LIV Golf League, surpassed the $90 million mark. Rory McIlroy is third on this list as he has gone past $80 million.

With the bigger pots at stake in the PGA Tour’s signature events, expect a lot of movement up in the next few years on this list.

With that in mind, let’s look at the top money earners of all-time, as measured by on-course winnings. Some of the names may surprise you.

Editor’s note: This list is updated through the 2024 RBC Heritage.

Ernie Els - $49,385,600

Rickie fowler - $49,651,954, hideki matsuyama - $50,171,691, jon rahm - $51,6036,851, sergio garcia - $54,576,690, justin thomas - $57,057,380, matt kuchar - $58,849,967, jason day - $59,384,085, scottie scheffler $61,258,464, jordan spieth - $62,180,604, justin rose - $62,481,391, adam scott - $64,290,490, vijay singh - $71,281,216, jim furyk - $71,507,269, dustin johnson - $75,417,837, rory mcilroy - $81,810,229, phil mickelson - $96,644,310, tiger woods - $120,999,166.

Source: pgatour.com

Story originally appeared on GolfWeek

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Jack Nicklaus changes 16th hole at Muirfield to make life easier on PGA Tour players

Jack Nicklaus got the message loud and clear. And the Memorial Tournament host and founder has acted upon the criticism he heard by changing the 16th hole at Muirfield Village Golf Club into something less detestable to PGA Tour players. 

“The guys kept talking to me about it, and I sat down with Jordan Spieth about it and maybe (Justin Thomas)," Nicklaus said Wednesday. "And we sat down, and I said, ‘Guys, you’re only playing an 8 or 9-iron into ( a 220-yard par-3 ).' Then I looked at the stats. And 36% of the guys hit the green on Saturday and 28% hit it on Sunday.”

Those low numbers told the Golden Bear he needed to make another change to a hole that has seen plenty of alterations through the years.

“I said, ‘It’s not shame on you, it’s shame on me,” Nicklaus said. “If the course is not playable from that standpoint, for an 8 or 9-iron to only hit the green a third of the time the last two rounds, that’s not them. It’s me.”

It didn’t help the hole’s high Sunday scoring average (3.39) that a strong northeast wind made for only three birdies on the day. (There were only 21 for the entire tournament.) But wind or no wind, Nicklaus knew something had to be done.

The Upper Arlington native decided to make 16 play more like No. 16 at Augusta National, home of the Masters, where the pond punishes players only when they hit a really poor tee shot. Nicklaus moved the tee box 30 yards to the players’ right, which straightens the hole and takes the pond more out of play. He also removed the bunker from the front right of the green and replaced it with a slope to the green.

“I’ve given them the opportunity to play into the front third of the green without any problems,” he said. “But if they want to challenge the back pin placements, then they’ve still got a challenge to do that. I haven’t changed that.”

The 16th has received strong criticism since 2011, when Nicklaus redesigned the hole to include a lake guarding the left side of the green and bunkering behind the green.

Phil Mickelson soured early on the par-3, complaining that as a left-hander he had to draw his tee shot over the pond to a green that did not hold. Bubba Watson, another lefty, despised the hole, saying it did not fit aesthetically with the other 17. 

The criticism reached a crescendo last year when Westerville resident Jason Day called No. 16 a “stupid hole,” while Thomas said it was “not a great hole in pretty much everyone’s opinion that’s playing today.”

One caddie bluntly summed up the situation: “It was a crap hole before, and it’s a crap hole now.”

Nicklaus no fan of name, image, likeness

Nicklaus watches Ohio State play football on TV every chance he gets, but don’t ask him how good the Buckeyes will be next season. 

“I have no idea what you have for a football team this year with NIL,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t like NIL at all. I think it’s horrible for college sports. It makes them all professionals.”

Nicklaus said his opinion was informed by conversations with his grandson, Nick, who coaches tight ends at Florida State as a consultant. 

“Recruiting trips are no more fun,” Nicklaus said. “He says, ‘You used to talk to a kid about what the school can do for you and why you’d want to come to Florida State.’ Now it’s, ‘Go talk to my dad and see how much money we can get.’ ”

Despite his frustration with NIL , Nicklaus remains a fan of the Buckeyes.

“Other schools are doing exactly the same thing, and Ohio State has a lot to offer,” Nicklaus said. “You’ve got a great program and a great coach in Ryan Day and all the tools to have a great team.”

Nicklaus agreed that his NIL value would have been high when he played for Ohio State (1958-61).

“I suppose so, but my belief in college sports is the kid should get a stipend, whether that’s $12,000, $15,000, $20,000, whatever it is. Today, without that, the kids can’t go home, can’t take a date out. It’s always worrying about who’s going to buy you lunch. You’re always worried about NCAA rules. So to have a little bit of independence, and they can do that in college sports pretty easily.”

Smaller Memorial field coming June 6-9

As a signature event, the Memorial will see a reduced field, from 120 to between 70-74 players, which Nicklaus said will offer some flexibility with weather. The smaller field, which will be further reduced to the top 50 and ties, or those within 10 shots of the lead after the cut, also means players will go off in twosomes so the TV broadcast can extend until about 6 p.m.

Tournament director Dan Sullivan likes the idea of all players teeing off on No. 1, instead of split tees on No. 1 and No. 10, which means the back-nine will be packed with spectators later in the day.   

Nicklaus wouldn’t mind seeing more than 74 players in the field, but thinks the tour is on the right track with offering opposite-field events the same week as some of the signature tournaments.

“What the tour has done … is really good,” he said. “That gives an off tournament an opportunity to have some really good players and develop their own stars.” 

Nicklaus shot 269 at Augusta 

After the Masters ended, Nicklaus stuck around to play the course over three days.

“I shot 88, 90 and 91; that’s a 269 for three rounds, which is a pretty good four-round score,” he quipped. “That’s what I play anymore. They don’t have any forward tees at Augusta. I can’t play 6,400 yards. I hit the ball 190 yards anymore, if I kill it. I played once last year, once the year before, and I’ve played four times this year already.

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