Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - February 17

Reporting live from the first hole, where we are ready to tee off and hammer away with this week’s breaking news in the vast green landscape of golf. My name is Tessa Lapradez, and I am here to give you an update about the sport and all things golf on and off the court. With the 2024 end-of-the-year TV deal secured between LIV and FOX Sports and the debut of TGL, this is the year of innovation for golf. Off into the course we go! 

Politics and Putts:

Northern Irish royalty and 27-time PGA Tour winner Rory McIlroy revealed that he shared a round with President Trump last month in South Florida. The World No. 3 stated that the current president is not a fan of the current format used by LIV. 

Trump’s connections to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the directors critical to the merger between PGA and LIV make him essential to the negotiations. Players realize that, and maybe that’s why they are sticking freakishly close to him.

“He has direct access to Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s boss; not many people have that,” McIlroy said.

Rory may think that Trump is siding with the PGA, but who can know for sure?

Slow Pace:

Pace of play may not be an issue with LPGA players anymore!

After receiving a notice that there will be repercussions and fines given to players who take too long, the professional golfers worked to speed up their game and finished with a median round more than 40 minutes less than the previous two days.

Stacy Lewis, 13-time LPGA Tour winner, was a part of the committee who worked on the pace-of-play policy being implemented in March. 

“I just think everybody knows that we need to play faster,” said Lewis. 

More than the Game:

Before the Genesis Invitational from Feb. 13-16, the namesake company announced an $8 million donation to California wildfire relief, which includes both monetary funds and 100 vehicles. Genesis, TGR Live, and PGA Tour are collaborating to give back to Los Angeles with the “California Rises” initiative, which will give proceeds to World Central Kitchen, American Red Cross, California Fire Foundation, and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation. 

The Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades has historically been home to the tournament.