LIV movement starts, Tiger suppressor, Ryder Cup details

Welcome back to Monday Finish, where nothing goes together like rounding off the week with the Hero World Challenge. In the news!

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I LOVE GOLF EQUIPMENT

Speaking the language.

I had the opportunity to preview the Ryder Cup documentary on Team Europe, You have a familywhich will be released for the first time tomorrow (12/3). And although I won’t give anything away I will just say that watching the film took me back to the opening ceremonies in Rome, where the European captain. Luke Donald I entered the stage and greeted the crowd (which sounded to me, a non-Italian speaker) in perfect, flowing Italian.

It ended up being a reminder for the following week. The European team has over prepared every little thing and treated every detail as very important. That extends to the action of the lesson; they did the little things to win games and their collective preparation and attitude elevated the experience of their players and fans, too. When we’re asked a lot to explore different types of golf competition and content, that’s something I find appealing over and over again: If you care as a competitor, I care about you as a spectator.

Taking the time to learn the language — those are the things about golf that I love.

THE WINNER

Who won the week?

This was the first week of the off-season for both the PGA and LPGA Tours, but never fear: there’s always championship golf.

Ryggs Johnston won the ISPS Handa Australian Open, turning his new DP World Tour card into the biggest win of his young career in his second start on tour.

Peter Uihlein won the International Series Qatar on the Asian Tour, his second International Series win of the year; he jumped to No. 1 in the standings as a result. (More on that in a second.)

Again Shaun Norris won the season-ending Golf Nippon Series JT Cup on the Japan Golf Tour, marking an emotional end to the South African tour’s three-year title drought.

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NON-WINNERS

A few golfers who didn’t win but still do.

Marc Leishman he finished T3 at the Australian Open, earning a spot in next year’s Open Championship as a result. Time to play at Royal Portrush ensures the Aussie will play in the majors for the first time in three years as he has seen his opportunities dwindle since joining LIV Golf.

Anthony Kim jumped almost 2300 places in the OWGR after scoring his first world points in twelve years; his T37 finish in Qatar earned him 2,314.

And these aren’t the winners as much as the visitors: PGA Tour stars Max Homa, Corey Conners, Will Zalatoris and Mackenzie Hughes headline the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the DP World Tour. Throw in top local talents Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Thriston Lawrence and Team Europe Ryder Cup hopefuls like Thorbjorn Oleson, Jordan Smith, Nicolai Hojgaard and more and you have a respectable field for the first week of December.

THEY DON’T HIT SHORTS

LIV makes moves.

-The picture seems to be getting clearer and clearer Greg Normanas LIV Golf CEO; SPort Business Journal first reported that LIV was expected to hire former Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO Scott O’Neil for the position.

–Thomas Peters was sold from Father Watson‘s Range Goats to Dustin Johnson‘s 4 Aces in the first official activity of LIV’s offseason; said the Range Goats’ GM Sports Illustrated the move was made to free up space for another free agent. A number of Internet artists have made a connection between that location and the fact that. Tony Finau withdrew from the Hero World Challenge without explanation. It’s always wise to wait for details when it comes to LIV’s hot stove, but there’s no doubt that more news will emerge.

-There is an interesting ripple effect Peter Uihlein lead in international series; if he sticks to that spot it will almost certainly ensure his return to LIV 2025. Ever since LIV left the chase for world ranking points they have been looking to increase the power so teams can sign whoever they want; the only other “liberated” venue will be the Q-School tour this month. I’m waiting John Catlinwho has played as LIV’s underdog in the past and is now number 2 on the International Series list, so he will find a home in LIV no matter how the season ends — but this is a reminder that LIV is really trending in the league in almost every free service.

–Bryson DeChambeau again Phil Mickelson they have been busy in this season which will begin to exceed the limits of the tournament play; DeChambeau’s golf chase was perhaps the biggest golf news of the week, his Break 50 challenge with Tom Brady wasn’t far behind and Mickelson made waves with the announcement that he and Grant Horvat would be teaming up for another challenge. I wrote about this over the weekend but until there’s a big solution in the pro game it feels like we’re looking at an increasing game. Especially in the offseason, of course…

LIV’s Promotions event will run from December 12-14 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the same venue; it will be interesting to see who signs and, naturally, who emerges.

ONE THOUGHT

From Mark Blackburn.

You’ve certainly heard golfers talk about using the ground for power, but what’s the easiest way to explain how they do that? Enter the top 100 teachers and travel coach Mark Blackburn.

“By pulling our foot back and pushing our lead foot forward, that creates a rotation,” Blackburn said here. “The best players step back hard with their trail foot and push forward with their lead foot.”

Easier said than done, of course. But that’s at least a simple idea to start with.

ONE BIG QUESTION

Who will succeed the LPGA commissioner?

Mollie Marcoux Samaan resigned Monday as LPGA commissioner after three and a half years in the role, and his resignation was unplanned but not shocking. His tenure was marked by ups and downs; he has overseen fund increases, health care funding and increased tourism funding, making a real difference to players’ lives. But there was a sense that the league hadn’t quite come together in moments of opportunity, like him Nelly Kordathe history of consecutive victories or a bad moment turned bad in the Solheim Cup, and Marcoux Samaan did not say a clear way to take this journey to the next level.

So what’s next? It feels like the LPGA Tour is at a crossroads. This is the time of opportunity for a popular game with super powerful players. But it’s also a league that needs its own sense of occasion big — faster, more amazing and better TV access. Perhaps in time Marcoux Samaan will be seen as a successful bridge from Mike Whan, who has worked for more than ten years since 2010, to the next inspired thought of the trip. I have a question, but not an answer: Who will that be?

ONE THING YOU DON’T WATCH

Press Tiger Woods on Tuesday.

It’s time to be Tiger Woods‘ of the year (half year, if you count the Genesis address) of Simo Se Ngga, which will take place in the Bahamas on Tuesday before this week’s Hero World Challenge. We may have received a lot of non-answers about the status of negotiations between the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund – but that doesn’t mean we won’t learn anything. Woods is near the center of all things professional golf, which means it will be a lot of fun to read between the lines. What he says or can’t say should tell its own story.

I also want to hear him outline his schedule for the PNC Championship and the rest of 2025. How involved are you in TGL? How likely is he to play Genesis? Where is his life now compared to the last year, or two, or three? We haven’t seen much of Woods since the Open Championship; even as a tournament host, golf will be happy to have him.

NEWS FROM Seattle

Monday Finish HQ.

I have concluded that the most important factor for offseason golf is the wind. sunny and windy? Bro. Will it be cloudy and windy? Double Brr. Are you drooling and calm? We can make that work. Thank goodness for the sunshine here, though. It’s easy to get out and about without stuffing.

See you next week.

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Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.