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Executive Editor, Golf.com. Recovering Golf Magaziner. Founder and sole practitioner of the groundbreaking Stack & Duck™ swing.
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Articles by Alan Bastable
Sergio Garcia's LIV exit statement reflects his freighted legacy
The first time I saw Sergio Garcia play golf was in 1999, in Atlanta, right before the Masters, when he played in the Georgia Cup, an annual two-player amateur match in which the reigning British Amateur champion plays his U.S. counterpart. That year, El Niño — at 19, the kid already had a nickname and a presence — played Hank Kuehne, a long-hitting Texan from a famous golfing family. Garcia's parents were on the scene, hiking the hills at the sprawling Golf Club of Georgia.
Tiger Woods to design new golf course on Long Island Original
Most news stories about Tiger Woods these days involve speculation as to his playing future. Will he peg it in the Hero World Challenge next month? What about the Masters? Or the Old Course at St. Andrews, which will host the Open Championship in July? Those answers are TBD. Meantime, here’s something we know Woods will be doing: redesigning a golf course on Long Island.
Jon Rahm questions and great golf values: Tour Confidential Original
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, WTGL and more. 1.
American struggles in alternate shot? Wyndham Clark has fixes
You should be able to just pull names out of a hat, Wyndham Clark is told. After all, if you did over the past four men’s pro golf team events, the gap in average world ranking between the teams is eye-opening. At last month’s Presidents Cup, it was 35.7 (U.S. 15.1 and International 50.8). At last year’s Ryder Cup, it was 12.5 (U.S. 11.1 and Europe 23.6). At the 2024 Presidents Cup, it was 22.4 (U.S. 11.9 and International 34.3). At the 2023 Ryder Cup, it was 17.1 (U.S. 12.9 and Europe 30).
Judge to open ethics inquiry into Trump D.C. muni renovation
The legal battle over President Donald Trump’s efforts to renovate a Washington, D.C., municipal golf course has officially reached a new pitch. On Friday afternoon, a D.C. federal judge announced plans to investigate whether the Trump administration violated ethics rules in its efforts to start construction on the East Potomac Golf Links, a 36-hole muni facility in the capital city that has long welcomed the city’s diverse coalition of public golfers.
‘Has he got dementia?’: Pro blasts Sergio Garcia over LIV exit, Euro return
On Thursday, Sergio Garcia made it official: he was leaving LIV Golf to rejoin the DP World Tour, with hopes of parlaying that into a PGA Tour return. The irony of Garcia’s statement, in which he claimed he was “proud” to call the DP World Tour “home” again, was apparent to many who read it. You can count DP World Tour pro Eddie Pepperell among them. Shortly after Garcia’s announcement, Pepperell sharply criticized Garcia in a strongly-worded social media post of his own.
2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open Friday TV coverage: How to watch Round 2
The second round of the 2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open begins Friday morning at Vidanta Vallarta in Mexico. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament on Friday, including full VidantaWorld Mexico Open TV coverage, streaming details and complete Round 2 tee times. Max Homa could really use a win this week. The popular pro is a six-time PGA Tour winner, but he’s suffered through a lengthy slump in recent years. His last victory came all the way back in January of 2023.
Phil Mickelson has been lying low but his ex-caddie has a new job
Phil Mickelson will forever be associated with Jim "Bones" Mackay , the caddie-turned-broadcaster who toted Mickelson's clubs for 25 years and five of Mickelson's six major titles. For years on Tour, they were like peanut butter and jelly - you'd rarely see one on the course without the other. But even the most successful player-caddie relationships nearly always sour. Such was the case in 2021 when Phil and Bones parted ways.
He was 5th alternate. Now he’s in line for a massive payday
He shot 1 under par in his opening round, leaving himself squarely in the middle of the pack. But Nick Hardy left Thursday at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open a tournament winner. His story was first spotted by professional story-spotter Monday Q Info (the artist also known as Ryan French), who alerted the world to Hardy’s winning combination of good planning and good fortune in the post below.
Trump's D.C. golf project moving forward, course will close, government confirms
Trump's D.C. golf project moving forward, course will close, government confirms Thu, October 29, 2026 at 3:35 PM EDT East Potomac Golf Links earlier this week.getty images When it came to the plans — or lack thereof — for the future of East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C,. a federal judge said last week that she didn't know who to believe: President Trump, who said that the course would close Nov.
Sergio Garcia announces post-LIV plans — and expresses Masters regret
Masters champion Sergio Garcia said Thursday he’s officially returning to the DP World Tour and added he’s open to rejoining the PGA Tour in the future. Garcia, 46, was among the first batch of notable pros to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022, but amid LIV’s recent bankruptcy Garcia had successfully asked a judge to terminate his LIV contract. “Next season I’ll be playing on the DP World Tour,” Garcia wrote in a social media post.
Inside Pinehurst No. 11, the resort’s ‘weirdly wonderful’ new addition
A touch of Tobacco Road with hints of an English heathland course, cut through corridors of Carolina pines. If you’ve been keeping count, you know that the cradle of American golf has welcomed yet another newborn. Pinehurst No. 11 is its name. How to describe it is another matter.
2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open Friday tee times: Round 2 groupings
The 2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open continues on Friday with Round 2 at Vidanta Vallarta. You can find full VidantaWorld Mexico Open tee times for Friday’s second round at the bottom of this post. Veteran PGA Tour pro Denny McCarthy had mostly disappointing results this season, but he did come close to earning his first Tour win in one instance. McCarthy finished T3 at the 3M Open in July, his only top-10 of the year so far.
50-cent green fees?! This historic golf course is offering insane deal
Fifty cents won't buy you much these days. A banana. A Tootsie Roll. If you're lucky, a game of pinball. This week, though, it'll also cover a round of golf. That's thanks to Stow Acres Country Club, a 27-hole public facility about 30 miles west of Boston, where weekday green fees on the 18-hole South Course are typically $50. To honor its 100th anniversary, Stow Acres is offering not only a throwback routing but also throwback fees. Two quarters for nine holes.
50-cent green fees? This historic golf course is offering insane deal
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50-cent green fees?! This historic golf course is offering insane deal
Fifty cents won’t buy you much these days. A banana. A Tootsie Roll. If you’re lucky, a game of pinball. This week, though, it’ll also cover a round of golf. That’s thanks to Stow Acres Country Club, a 27-hole public facility about 30 miles west of Boston, where weekday green fees on the 18-hole South Course are typically $50. To honor its 100th anniversary, Stow Acres is offering not only a throwback routing but also throwback fees. Two quarters for nine holes.
Trump calls East Potomac ‘extremely dangerous’ after judge halts renovation of popular D.C. muni
President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to renovate East Potomac Golf Links, a popular municipal golf course in Washington, D.C., hit a roadblock Monday when Judge Ana C. Reyes issued a preliminary injunction temporarily barring the Interior Department from making several changes to the course.
Why Barstool’s latest golf swing is about much more than virality
Last week, I was enjoying a quick afternoon drag on my generation’s preferred vice — vertical short-form video — when I saw something striking. A clip filmed at a recent PGA Tour Champions event with longtime pro (and former Ryder Cup captain) Zach Johnson. In the video, Johnson — the golfer who has won a green jacket and more than $55 million in his career — is asked a question of premeditated inanity. “Zach,” the host asks.
2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open: TV schedule, streaming, how to watch, tee times
The 2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open begins this week at Vidanta Vallarta in Mexico. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the PGA Tour tournament, including a full TV schedule, streaming information and complete tee times for the first and second rounds once they are released. We’re in the depths of the FedEx Fall series, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t exciting players and tournaments to watch.
Unusual warm-up prepped Austin Smotherman for sudden-death win
Pro golfers typically have only minutes to prepare for a sudden-death playoff. If they're lucky, they might sneak in a small bucket on the range - but often there's time enough only for an energy bar and quick hug from a loved one. But for Austin Smotherman and Seamus Power, that was decidedly not the case. Smotherman and Power finished the third round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Saturday tied atop the leaderboard at 16 under - a position in which they would remain for the next . . .
LIVE UPDATES: Bermuda Butterfield Championship sudden-death Monday playoff
Nae wind, nae golf, the Scots like to say. Turns out the opposite can also hold true. Too much wind, nae golf. Such has been the case at the PGA Tour’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal GC where wildly windy conditions, including gusts of up to 40 mph, led to the cancellation of the final round Sunday. None of the 72 players remaining in the field started their fourth round, and with the wind refusing to relent, the Tour decided to call it a day.
2026 Butterfield Bermuda Championship Saturday tee times: Round 3 groupings Original
The 2026 Butterfield Bermuda Championship continues on Saturday with Round 3 at Port Royal Golf Course. You can find full Butterfield Bermuda Championship tee times for Saturday’s third round at the bottom of this post. After firing rounds of 65-64, 25-year-old Kensei Hirata of Japan shares the 36-hole lead with Chandler Blanchet (62-67) at 13 under par heading into the third round in Bermuda. Just behind them, though, is a logjam of other contenders.
From bucket-list links to local faves, Dublin is the perfect gateway to an Irish golf adventure
Many consider Royal County Down the best golf course on the planet. The club drips with history, and the routing is sublime, a rolling, gorse-lined links framed by Dundrum Bay and the Mountains of Mourne. Rory McIlroy recently put the Northern Ireland masterpiece on his Mount Rushmore of favorite tracks. That makes it all the more surprising when you step off the 9th green in the misty morning light and discover … a food truck serving Transfusions.
‘I really let them down': Cult-favorite pro contrite after crushing WD
It's fitting that Thai golfer Kiradech Aphibarnrat's first of four career wins on the DP World Tour came at the weather-shortened 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open, because in the coming years he would take the golf world by storm. Other golfers have exhibited a taste for the finer things — Aphibarnrat's weaknesses have included Lambos, luxury watches and $25,000 sneakers — but not many have done so while skirting the gym and pulling on a vape pen between shots.
I really let them down: Cult-favorite pro contrite after crushing WD
It's fitting that Thai golfer Kiradech Aphibarnrat ‘s first of four career wins on the DP World Tour came at the weather-shortened 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open, because in the coming years he would take the golf world by storm. Other golfers have exhibited a taste for the finer things - Aphibarnrat's weaknesses have included Lambos, luxury watches and $25,000 sneakers - but not many have done so while skirting the gym and pulling on a vape pen between shots.
LIV’s latest court filings paint clearest picture of league’s lavish spending
Bankruptcy filings are notoriously cumbersome, but every bankruptcy judge would admit the tedious paperwork is necessary. If a company is declaring bankruptcy, and thereby seeking some sort of legal protection against its current state, it had better be able to explain why. But the process of doing so is a nightmare for lawyers as much as it is for their printers. It doesn’t take long for the number of pages to cross the threshold of tens of thousands.
This golf umbrella is my new favorite — and not only because of its low price
Welcome to I Tried It, a GOLF.com series about golf items — apparel, gear, accessories, etc. — that we’ve recently taken out for a spin. We’re here to give our honest, no-frills takes on the latest and greatest golf or golf-adjacent items. So, scroll down to read about what we love about golf’s newest (or new to us) products. One of the perks of living in Phoenix is the consistent weather: sun, sun and . . . yep, more sun. Some months are hotter than others, but rain is rare.
The war for East Potomac: Inside golf's most heated battleground
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Judge Ana C. Reyes might be helping decide the future of the beloved D.C. muni, East Potomac Golf Links, but she decidedly is not a golfer. "A good walk ruined," is how Reyes jokingly describes the game, borrowing from a line often incorrectly credited to Mark Twain.
How shared stewardship helps drive the game forward
This piece was first published on the USGA’s website. In 2009, World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson, then 59, was on the verge of becoming the oldest major champion in history. After a nearly perfect iron shot into the 18th green landed firmly and rolled over the putting surface, Tom made bogey and lost in a playoff. Even so, it was an incredible runner-up finish. Over the years, Tom and my dad, the longtime head golf professional at Delray Dunes Golf & Country Club, forged a strong friendship.
TGL Season 3 unveils 2027 rosters (including first trade!) and new additions
TGL, the simulator golf league co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, returns this winter for its third season after a successful inaugural campaign that proved the concept and a second season that added new holes, tweaked gameplay and built momentum. TGL’s third season will see a new team enter the mix, too, as Motor City GC will be the league’s seventh franchise.
Hero World Challenge field announced, but will Tiger Woods play? Original
The field for this year’s Hero World Challenge is mostly set, with few surprises, although now the big storyline is if the tournament host will tee it up as well. Seven of the top 10 players in the world will compete at the Tiger Woods-hosted Hero World Challenge Dec. 3-6 at Albany in the Bahamas, and no, Woods is not in the 20-player field. At least not yet.
Inside golf's most heated battleground
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President Trump’s golfing roots at center of East Potomac controversy
“I had friends who would tell me they’re into gardening,” Donald Trump told me. It was years before his first term as president. This was one of his regular themes in our lengthy conversations/interviews. “I never got it. It seemed so boring. But when I started building golf courses I did.
Pro golf’s return to the Middle East off to treacherous start
There was some sort of exhale eight months ago by the people who orchestrate the biggest golf tournaments across the Atlantic Ocean. The kick-start of the war in Iran began on Feb. 28, just two weeks after the DP World Tour finished the last of four consecutive tournaments in the region.
2 more LIV players head for exit, eye DP World Tour futures
LIV Golf has taken blow after blow in recent weeks as it races to secure its future. Since the start of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy hearings, the league has seen several pros abandon it. After the DP World Tour announced LIV players would be banned from its events next year, the departures accelerated. Most of those players are eyeing the DP World Tour for playing time in 2027, with the PGA Tour out of reach, for now.
'Tightest golf course I've ever played': Pros face suffocating test this week
Patrick Reed has made 448 starts in his professional golf career, from California to Qatar to Kawagoe (that's in Japan) - and everywhere in between. But even for the well-traveled Masters champ, this week's stop is a new one. "Never come around a golf course like this before," he said Wednesday. "It's one of those that it's completely different than I would expect." Reed was referencing the Lodhi Course at Delhi Golf Club, site of this week's DP World India Championship.
Will Zalatoris to miss entire 2027 season with spinal-fusion surgery
AUSTIN — Will Zalatoris, who has battled injuries for much of his promising PGA Tour career, shared more bad news Wednesday. Zalatoris said he will undergo spiral-fusion surgery in Dallas next month to correct ongoing back issues and will miss the entire 2027 PGA Tour season. “I’ve been through four years of hell so it’s good to have something that will hopefully correct it,” Zalatoris said during media day for the Austin Championship.
‘They didn’t give a s—‘: Pro slams LIV players trying to make DP World Tour return
The DP World Tour’s decision to ban LIV Golf pros from its tournaments in 2027 was a win for those who wish to see LIV end. And the European circuit stands to benefit from an influx of LIV stars as a result of that decision. But not everyone on the DP World/PGA Tour side of golf’s civil war is happy with the outcome. Joost Luiten is one of those people.
Their golf course is becoming a data center. But first, an emotional farewell
Alan Bastable Tue, October 13, 2026 at 10:54 PM EDT 4 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Add Yahoo on Google From left: Fred DeCock, Tim Birney and Joe Navin at their beloved Dauphin Highlands. Dauphin Highlands, a popular public golf course near Harrisburg, Pa., opened on Labor Day weekend in 1995. Tim Birney, now 77, was on the tee sheet that day.
Rory McIlroy’s chasing his next big goal. In his way? Patrick Reed Original
Rory McIlroy is in India this week. So is Patrick Reed. They’re meeting on a new battleground. And with something decidedly different at stake. We’re now a decade into the McIlroy-Reed rivalry. The two tangled in singles at the 2016 Ryder Cup and in the final group at Augusta National in the 2018 Masters. They chose opposite sides in the LIV Golf-PGA Tour saga. Reed’s lawyer subpoenaed McIlroy on Christmas Eve in 2022. Things got chippy on the driving range in Dubai in 2023.
After Ryder Cup eligibility changes, Justin Rose sees ‘different’ team ahead
Don’t look now, but the next Ryder Cup is only 300-some days away. OK, so maybe it’s not that close, but that didn’t stop European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and a handful of Ryder Cup hopefuls from taking a recent scouting trip to Adare Manor in Ireland.
‘Situation is very dynamic’: LIV pro breaks silence on league’s dire future
On Monday, the DP World Tour made a declaration that could prove to be the death knell for LIV Golf. The tour said that any player who signed on to play with LIV next year would be banned from DP World Tour events in 2027. The move put any player considering signing on for LIV 2.0 in a difficult position. Either you play on LIV in 2027 or you play on the DP World Tour. You can’t do both.
Jon Rahm set to make post-LIV return to pro golf
Just last week, Jon Rahm made it clear that he would not be joining LIV 2.0. Now, the two-time major champion is set to make his first start since leaving the upstart league he joined in late 2023. Rahm has committed to play next month’s Abu Dhabi Championship, the second-to-last event of the DP World Tour season. The news came one day after that tour made a major anti-LIV move of its own. Here’s what you need to know.
‘You did your absolute worst': Work on Trump's D.C. muni enrages judge
A 'furious' judge on Monday lit into the Trump administration for removing more than 400 trees from East Potomac Golf Links, the historic Washington, D.C., muni of which the Department of Interior controversially took control late last year. The judge's ire stemmed from a previous court order by which she had instructed the Interior Department to provide advance notice of substantive construction work on the property, including any plans to fell 10 or more trees.
‘You did your absolute worst’: Work on Trump’s D.C. muni enrages judge
A ‘furious’ judge on Monday lit into the Trump administration for removing more than 400 trees from East Potomac Golf Links, the historic Washington, D.C., muni of which the Department of Interior controversially took control late last year. The judge’s ire stemmed from a previous court order by which she had instructed the Interior Department to provide advance notice of substantive construction work on the property, including any plans to fell 10 or more trees.
‘Bit of disbelief': Pro's ‘toed' tee shot results in perfection - and $160,000 bonus
Daniel Hillier, a 28-year-old pro from New Zealand, has made some memorable swings in his career. In 2023, he made two eagles in his last four holes at the British Masters to secure his first DP World Tour win; he has played in three of the four majors (still working on the Masters); and earlier this year, in the wake of his New Zealand Open win, he broke into the top 100 in the world ranking.
USGA bolsters future U.S. Open venues with fourth anchor site
And then there were four. The United States Golf Association announced its fourth U.S. Open anchor site on Thursday, adding historic Merion Golf Club to an impressive list that already includes Pinehurst, Oakmont and Pebble Beach. Merion, located in Ardmore, Pa., outside of Philadelphia, has already hosted five U.S. Opens on its East Course, most recently in 2013, when the championship was won by Justin Rose.
Jon Rahm’s LIV exit a reminder that greed is, in fact, not good
Michael Douglas — actor, golfer, producer, writer — has a new memoir out, called “One Helluva Ride.” In it he reveals that he and his wife, the actor Catherine Zeta-Jones, play golf every afternoon. Douglas is way into it.
‘Definitely’: Sergio Garcia envisions possible PGA Tour return after LIV termination Original
Last week, Sergio Garcia’s lawyers spoke on behalf of the former major champion. In LIV bankruptcy court, they asked permission for Garcia to terminate his contract. Then on Wednesday, Garcia spoke for himself.
5 golf training aids to help you stay sharp this offseason
The offseason might not seem like prime time for improvement, but it’s when many of the best golfers make their biggest gains. With fewer rounds on the calendar, there’s finally time to focus on the things that get pushed aside during the season: speed, tempo, mobility and putting. Many of the world’s top players rely on training aids to get there, and they often use them in the same places you and I do: the garage, the gym, a sim room, even the backyard or living room.
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