Days to the Masters Honorary Starters Ceremony: 63
Days to the Chevron Championship first round: 77
Days to the PGA Championship first round: 98
Days to the U.S. Women’s Open first round: 119
Days to the Curtis Cup opening session: 127
Days to the U.S. Open first round: 133
Days to the KPMG Women’s PGA first round: 140
Days to The Open first round: 161
Days to the AIG Women’s Open first round: 175
Days to the Walker Cup opening session: 212
Our long, international nightmare has…sort of ended.
The Official World Golf Ranking bestowed pseudo-legitimacy on LIV Golf the same week the Saudis give us golf-in-the-dark (with occasional help from green strobe lights). But you know how the old saying goes, Riyadh is best seen after dark…from thousands of miles away on Fox Sports 2.
In another desert far, far away, and where they don’t throw people screaming from buildings for daring to have an opinion, the PGA Tour makes its annual stop in Scottsdale. The golf and finishes are usually pretty revealing for Masters hopefuls and equally as embarrassing for all of the attending correspondents who show up and insist how “cool” it is to watch drunk losers wobble around while yelling vile things at pro golfers while committing assorted misdemeanors.
Alas, once Sunday’s (golf) lunar cycle gets us past this week’s embarrassments in Riyadh and Scottsdale—a.k.a. The Coveted Demo Desperation Super Bowls—it’s only a matter of time before the Tradition Unlike Any Other is upon us. Stay strong, Quadrilateralimagnolialaners. We’re almost home, but not before stops at Pebble, Riviera, and TPC Sawgrass to keep us from hating the overpaid C-levelers who give us weeks like this while seeming way too eager to sell out the game.
Speaking of those C-levelers, this week’s News & Notes includes plenty of news from the suites where so many dreadful ideas are hatched. Plus, we have actual on-course stuff to care about while featuring major ramifications.
Outpost Overseas, a Scotland-based Golf Tour Operator by UK Golf Guy David Jones, has been arranging bespoke tours for groups all over the world. As some friends of the Quad can confirm after a trip in 2023, Outpost blends the best-known bucket list courses with off-the-beaten-track gems thanks to David’s incredible eye for quality.
With 2027 bookings opening and filling up first in the UK and Ireland, now would be a nice time to check out their website or contact David at david@outpostoverseas, and he will work with you to put together a trip of a lifetime.
Different model, different treatment? That was the Official World Golf Ranking board’s rationale for only awarding points to the top-10 finishers and ties of LIV’s 57 player-stroke play events.
In announcing the long-awaited decision, the Board anticipated backlash from Saudi Arabia’s tour and took a notably aggressive tone in highlighting LIV’s deficiencies.
“The Board’s overriding aim was to identify an equitable way of ranking the best men’s players in the world, including the top performing players in LIV Golf, while taking account of the eligibility standards that LIV Golf does not currently meet and the fact that it operates differently from other ranked tours in a number of respects,” the statement said.
The rationale for limiting points to the top 10 and ties:
“This includes LIV Golf’s average field size of 57 for 2026 versus the minimum of 75 set out in OWGR Regulations.”
“Exclusively no-cut events”
“The restrictive pathways to join LIV Golf with two spots filled from the Asian Tour’s International Series and three from a ‘closed’ promotions event which does not offset the turnover of players exiting the league.”
“Self-selection of players with players being recruited rather than earning their place on the tour in many cases and, in recent days, the addition/removal of players to/from teams based on their nationality rather than for meritocratic reasons.”
The final point cited by the OWGR was noted recently in The Quad and was based on Bob Harig’s reporting last month involving the case of recently jettisoned Jinichiro Kozuma. His departure from LIV’s Korean Yacht and Hunt Club highlighted blatant discrimination based strictly on his Japanese heritage. And it happened despite Kozuma having a better year in fewer starts than several returning players.
Even with the OWGR decision looming and needing to get the LIV house in order before the board’s ranking-point decision, Kozuma was not retained. The notion that lavishly paid executives, reporting to His Almost Royal Worshipfulness Yasir Al-Rumayyan, failed to find a way to keep Kozuma in LIV via trade or as an individual participant speaks to a stunning level of incompetence. That their stupidity earned a note from the OWGR in its announcement suggests the move cost LIV dearly.
This did not stop LIV from issuing a whiny statement.
“Under these rules, a player finishing 11th in a LIV Golf event is treated the same as a player finishing 57th,” they said. “Limiting points to only the top 10 finishers disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold, as well as emerging talent working to establish themselves on the world stage–precisely the players a fair and meritocratic ranking system is designed to recognize.
“No other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction.”
Lee Westwood, sitting out this week’s opening event in rhapsodic Riyadh due to apparent injury, tweeted on behalf of the future generations.
“It’s the young guys that have chosen Liv as the pathway for their careers that will suffer most from this decision,” he wrote. “Still couldn’t quite manage to do their job and fairly rank the best players in the world could they?!”
Jon Rahm, Captain of the Lesions, also complained.
“It seems like the rules that have been in place aren’t really applied to us, with only 10 of us getting points,” he said. “It doesn’t seem fair.”
Instead of wisely staying quiet at what seems like a reasonable compromise given all of LIV’s loopholes, the PGA Tour inexplicably issued a statement almost immediately after the announcement was made. The statement exuded notes of collusion, arrogance, and whiffs of rank stupidity.
PGA TOUR Communications@PGATOURComms
Official Statement from the PGA TOUR
5:22 PM · Feb 3, 2026 · 513K Views
103 Replies · 22 Reposts · 775 Likes
Thanks. Great to know where you stand and maybe kiss Trevor’s ass a little less next time? Just a thought.
In a much more fan-friendly and historically fascinating bit of rankings news, Nosferatu highlighted an incredible feat that’s quietly playing out in this era of five-year careers:
Nosferatu@VC606
🚨NEWSFLASH
Rory is now in his 789th week among the top 10 in the world! #OWGR
Current standings:
1. @TigerWoods 906w
2. @McIlroyRory 789w
3. @TheBig_Easy 788w
4. @PhilMickelso 787w
If he continues to stay up there, he is due to catch Tiger on or around his 39th birthday!☘️💪
3:49 PM · Feb 3, 2026 · 4.49K Views
1 Reply · 3 Reposts · 22 Likes
Terry Clark, the latest PGA of America CEO
On cue, the organization has gone from elevating a former PGA of America professional before turning to someone with corporate world experience. This time, the cycle went a tad faster with last month’s surprise resignation of Derek Sprague.
The PGA of America announced UnitedHealthcare EVP Terry Clark as its new CEO on Wednesday. He begins the job on March 2nd. Current Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh will continue to serve as interim CEO until Clark assumes the role.
Clark has served as an independent director on the PGA of America Board since 2024 and has worked “across consumer and digital brands including Ticketmaster, Expedia, Hotels.com, and LendingTree.”
According to a speaker bio page, Clark is leaving a role with one of the longest titles in corporate history: “EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, UnitedHealth Group, Chief Marketing & Customer Officer, Optum.” Or, as they say internally, the CMOUHGCMACOO.
“In this role, Clark leads Optum’s marketing, digital, brand and customer teams to help create a simpler, more cost-effect and personalized healthcare experience,” the bio claims.
Cost effect? Throwing that “ive” onto the word is that painful in the world of corporatespeak?
Anyway…
“Previously, Clark served as chief marketing officer, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, leading UnitedHealthcare’s direct-to-consumer efforts.”
Pausing here to let your heart rate settle down at this thrilling hire.
Curiously, the PGA of America’s scripted quote pushed out to affirm Clark’s hiring came not from the current President Don Rea, but from the person next expected to take the lead job nine months from now in November.
“Terry has earned the Board’s trust through years of disciplined leadership, sound judgment, and a deep respect for the PGA of America, our Members, and our mission,” said Nathan Charnes, PGA of America Vice President, who is in line to become president of the Association in November. “As an independent director, Terry has developed a first-hand understanding of our strategic priorities and the critical role PGA of America Golf Professionals play at every level of the game. He brings a proven ability to lead complex organizations with clarity and rigor, while fostering collaboration and accountability across diverse stakeholders.”
Clark offered a vanilla quote to start off a tenure in which he’ll face pressure to find a functional venue for its 2027 championship, quiet down the exodus of staff, and face pressure to sell the organization’s stake in the Ryder Cup. Oh, and pick a Captain for the 2027 matches soon.
“Golf is a game with a rare and enduring impact on individuals, families, and communities, and the PGA of America sits at the center of that influence,” Clark said. “Our greatest strength is our PGA of America Golf Professionals – trusted leaders in their communities who introduce, teach, and grow the game in every corner of the world. At an important moment for golf, we have the right people, the right assets, and a meaningful opportunity to lead with purpose.”
I would have worked in a stakeholders in to get a 10 from the Russian judge, but you can’t get everything just right out of the C-speak gate.
The East Course at Royal Johannesburg
The Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational are underway at Royal Johannesburg’s East Course.
The men’s field of 72 competitors faces a 36-hole cut to 40, with the winner awarded an exemption to The Open at Royal Birkdale. He will also receive invitations to the Investec South African Open Championship, Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq (a.k.a the WCTOCPBA), The Amateur Championship, and The Alfred Dunhill Championship in St Andrews.
The field is headlined by South Africa’s Daniel Bennett (WAGR No. 17); Kenya’s John Lejrma (No. 67), and Michael Karanga (No. 74), and Zambia’s Michael Chuma (No. 111).
The women’s field of 21 will play 54 holes with the winner receiving exemptions into the Joburg Ladies Open, The Investec South African Women’s Open, Waterfall City Tournament of Champions hosted by Attacq, The Women’s Amateur Championship, and Final Qualifying for the 50th AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham. Top players (via World Amateur Golf Ranking) are Uganda’s Peace Kabasweka (No. 249) and Meron Kyomugisha (No. 420); Morocco’s Salma El Hali (No. 354) and South Africa’s Bobbi Brown (No. 313), Lisa Coetzer (No. 389), and defending champion Gia Raad (No. 361).
The series continues with a look at a place Bobby Jones said “had been lying here for years, just waiting for someone to lay a golf course upon it.” As always, they’ve woven in some history of the grounds with rarely-seen imagery and fresh perspectives.
Enjoy!
Justin Rose on how majors motivate him at age 45. “I’ve achieved a lot in the game, but I’ve achieved a lot of it just once…if I look at my career, I’ve been really close to the Open, I’ve been really close to the Masters. The dream of winning all four was obviously the ultimate goal since I’ve been a kid. But it seems a long way off to think that way, but if you think about some of the results I’ve had in the last year or 18 months, I’m not that far away, so may as well keep believing.”
Bryson DeChambeau on LIV’s move to 72-hole events this week. “I’ve got a contract for this year, and we’ll go through it there and see what happens after that. Look, it’s 72 holes, it’s changed, but we’re still excited to play professionally and play for what we’re doing and go across the world. I think it’s going to be great for our team. Is it what we ultimately signed up for? No.”
Tiger Woods on a possible return. “As far as competitive golf, it’s still some time.”
Viktor Hovland on what he thinks upon hearing about the return of LIV golfers to the PGA Tour. “I just see the news and I go, ‘oh, that’s interesting,’ and then I just go about my day. I got stuff to do, things to figure out, so that’s about the amount of calories I’m spending on reacting to things like that.”
Scottie Scheffler on Augusta National. “There is a bit of a learning curve on that golf course. I think there are certain places where you have to play to and there are certain pins you can get at and there are certain pins you can’t quite get at. A lot of is being be patient and continuing to get better.”
Scheffler on the return of Hogan Koepka and Reed to the PGA Tour. “There’s just been a lot of noise, and so I think getting those guys back is another step towards us just being able to play golf again. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”
Football great Gareth Bale on wanting to see The Open come to Wales. “I’d love for The Open to come to Wales….It’s definitely one of the best links courses in the world. And I definitely think it’s of a Major championship standard. If we could somehow make that happen, that would be incredible. It would be a massive feat for Wales to be able to host the Open.”
José Morgado@josemorgado
From Alcaraz’s last Insta dump. 🔥
6:33 PM · Feb 3, 2026 · 286K Views
43 Replies · 222 Reposts · 7.79K Likes
Golf House Pinehurst (Ted Fitzgerald/The Pilot)
🤔 Meg Atkins on the bizarre messaging sequence of the LPGA’s cancelled final round in Orlando.
🤕 Beth Ann Nichols on hearing the new fear-of-injury claims by LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler in justifying the cancellation of Sunday’s final round.
🇸🇦 Bob Harig on what finally getting world ranking points means for LIV going forward.
⛳️ Lorne Rubenstein on a round of golf with Tom Doak.
🏌️ Adam Schupak talks to Ryan Moore, who thinks the PGA Tour is making it up as they go.
🏴 John Glover on the poor reception surrounding a tax designed to hit visitors to St Andrews.
🫘 Anna Byrne on how eating beans boosts your brain health and happiness.
🎥 Michael Schulman on whether an A.I. restoration of Orson Welles’ “The Magnificent Ambersons” will right a historic wrong or desecrate a classic.
🐾 Bryan Armen Graham on Penny the Doberman, this year’s top canine at the Westminster Kennel Club show.
😹 Rachel Syme on the late, great Catherine O’Hara.
🤣 Seth Ambramovitch interviews Mel Brooks upon the recent release of a sensational two-part-Judd Apatow-directed doc on the 99-Year-Old legend.