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There were some comfortably familiar names lurking near the top of the Honda Classic’s first-round leaderboard. The likes of Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner were within a couple shots of longtime PGA Tour stalwart Billy Horschel’s co-lead at five-under. And then there was one old name sporting with a new twist: Pierceson Coody. Pierceson and

9:30 AM ET Paolo UggettiESPN LOS ANGELES — As the Southern California sky slowly fades to black on Friday night, Marcus Byrd paces back and forth just outside the players’ locker room at the Riviera Country Club. At 6 over after 34 holes, Byrd is going to miss the cut at the Genesis Invitational, where

I know the people behind the eight-part Netflix documentary golf series worked hard. I saw them in action, and inaction. Making a documentary eats time more ruthlessly than the DMV. It’s a difficult artform, making movies that tell the truth and reveal a deeper one. The guys who made Hoop Dreams spent three years just

3:58 PM ET Associated Press Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, double major winner Dottie Pepper and swing coach Butch Harmon were among 12 finalists announced Wednesday for the 2024 class of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The 31-member nominating panel whittled the list down to four men, four women and four contributors. A 20-member

MAYAKOBA, Mexico — Dustin Johnson didn’t mince his words. The two-time major winner was conducting a press conference Wednesday at the opening event of LIV Golf’s second season when he was asked if he had watched the episode of Netflix’s “Full Swing” docuseries in which he’s featured. “I have not,” Johnson said flatly. Then came

LIV Golf players will be able to compete at all four majors this year. The PGA of America announced its eligibility requirements for the 2023 PGA Championship on Wednesday, and despite past signals about LIV defectors possibly jeopardizing their status for the tournament, members of the Saudi-backed circuit will indeed get to compete for the

10:00 AM ET The new mixed event that is replacing the QBE Shootout will include 16 teams of players from the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour competing in a three-day tournament for a $4 million purse. The Grant Thornton Invitational will be played Dec. 8-10 at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida, according to a

LIV Golf has added its first official sponsor ahead of this week’s season-opening event. The Saudi-backed circuit announced that EasyPost, a logistical and commerce company, will be the league’s global partner. EasyPost already had a presence in LIV Golf, as the entity is a sponsor of Patrick Reed. “We are thrilled to sponsor LIV Golf

4:25 PM ET Qualifying LIV Golf members will be allowed to compete in the 151st edition of The Open this summer at Royal Liverpool, the R&A announced on Tuesday. Some of the more notable LIV golfers exempt into the July 20-23 tournament include past Open champions Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson of Sweden, Louis Oosthuizen of

Adidas Golf has split with Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia ahead of LIV Golf’s second season. The news, first reported by ESPN, was confirmed to Golf Digest by an Adidas spokesperson. Johnson and Adidas mutually decided to end the arrangement, according to a statement from Adidas Golf president Jeff Lienhart. “For more than 15 years,

After a memorable West Coast Swing, the PGA Tour makes the move across the country to the Sunshine State for a four-week run in Florida that begins with this week’s Honda Classic. Sepp Straka, after a five-shot comeback in the final round last year, will have the chance to become the first repeat winner of

1:49 PM ET For the first time as a professional, former world No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson won’t be wearing an Adidas logo on his shirt this season, the apparel company told ESPN on Tuesday. Johnson, who captured LIV Golf’s inaugural individual championship and led his 4Aces GC to a team title, is ending his

The R&A announced exemptions for the 151st Open on Tuesday. Following the lead of the Masters and U.S. Open, LIV Golf members will be able to compete in the championship. In releasing its schedule for the qualifying events and exemption categories for the 2023 event, the R&A listed the players that have already earned an

8:24 PM ET The LIV Golf League announced its final four team rosters Monday, and Phil Mickelson‘s HyFlyers GC is undergoing a makeover with the circuit set to begin its second season this week. Mickelson’s squad has two new members joining holdover Cameron Tringale: three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele and James Piot, who won

LIV Golf is rolling out its teams and rosters this week on the eve of the circuit’s second season. Rather than announce its members at once for the 2023 campaign, the Saudi-backed league sent out a press release stating its players and squads will be trickled out just days before the 14-event season begins in

As we speak, the traveling circus that is the PGA Tour is packing its bags and setting a course for points eastward, bound for Florida, the second swing of the calendar year as men’s pro golf marches on toward April and Augusta. For now, while we have a second to reflect on 2023 so far,

7:18 PM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Jon Rahm returned to No. 1 in the world Sunday by winning the Genesis Invitational with a performance that left no doubt who’s playing the best golf. Caught in a battle with hometown favorite Max Homa at Riviera, Rahm delivered two big moments with a 45-foot

Many golf fans would see Will Zalatoris shooting the best round of the day (64) at Riviera Country Club to backdoor an impressive fourth-place finish at the Genesis Invitational and think, he’s back. Apparently, he’s not quite back though. Almost, but not quite. “It was fun,” Zalatoris said Sunday at Riviera. “[But] it was kind

Woods’ presence in the game remains insurmountable and all-consuming. The crowds this week and the attention he still garners proved as much. Yet as his career has entered a new stage, where his attendance in tournaments will be few and far between, the constant search for his heir apparent seems to have shifted into an

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen says that only two athletes have ever made him nervous. The late Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was one. On Sunday at the Genesis Invitational, Allen was able to meet the other—Tiger Woods. After Woods put the final touches on a Sunday 73 at Riviera Country Club, he and

World No. 1 Lydia Ko​’s hot streak continues after capturing a win in her first start of 2023. The newlywed took home her second Aramco Saudi Ladies International title with a final-round 68 and a one-shot victory over Ladies European Tour stalwart Aditi Ashok​ ​at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. It’s the 26th victory

12:28 PM ET Associated Press KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia — Lydia Ko began the new year the same way she ended 2022, with a big win and a big check as she closed with a 4-under 68 to win the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. Ko, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, held

Another week, another designated event on the PGA Tour? Yes and no. Technically speaking the Genesis Invitational at famed Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles is indeed one of the tour’s new big-money tournaments, offering an overall prize money payout of $20 million with the winner cashing a tour-record tying payday of $3.6 million. Jon

9:11 PM ET Paolo UggettiESPN LOS ANGELES — When the idea of a PGA Tour-designated event first originated, it might have been difficult to dream up a better reality than the one that has played out through three days at the Genesis Invitational. With 23 of the top 25 players in the world in attendance,

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — There are two things guaranteed to send Golf Twitter into a tizzy every week: 1. Too many commercials/not enough golf shots being shown during a broadcast window, and 2. An iffy rules situation that involves a player “taking advantage” of the rules and escaping with minimal, and sometimes zero, damage. Given

Thomas Pieters is expected to sign with LIV Golf, according to a report from Sports Illustrated. A source close to LIV Golf confirmed to Golf Digest the Belgium star has signed with LIV. Pieters, 31, is a six-time winner on the DP World Tour, and captured the 2012 NCAA individual championship at the University of

11:36 AM ET Two more PGA Tour members and one of the best players on the DP World Tour are joining the LIV Golf League, sources told ESPN on Saturday. DP World Tour star Thomas Pieters, ranked No. 34 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and past PGA Tour winners Danny Lee and Brendan Steele

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — When you’re a top two player in the world (top one just five days ago), nothing you do on the golf course is done “quietly.” But when you’re a top two player in the world playing alongside Tiger Woods and his good buddy Justin Thomas, it can feel that way. That’s

9:30 PM ET Mark Schlabach Close Mark Schlabach ESPN Senior Writer Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia Paolo Uggetti LOS ANGELES — After dazzling the crowd at Riviera Country Club on Thursday with three straight birdies in his final three holes to shoot 2-under

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — If it wasn’t abundantly clear, Max Homa is comfortable playing golf in California. Specifically, in Southern California. More specifically, at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. The 2021 champion, Homa, who has recorded three straight top-10s at the Tiger Woods-hosted event, took the outright lead at 10-under par after round