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5:00 PM ET Associated Press KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia — Abraham Ancer had a 7-under 63 for a 1-shot lead over Sebastian Munoz after the first round of the Saudi International on the Asian Tour. Dustin Johnson, a two-time winner of the tournament when it was part of the European tour schedule, withdrew

They say the long bunker shot is the hardest shot in golf. And you know what? THEY are right. Long bunker shots are basically impossible. Do you take a mighty cut and try to blast it or do you try to pick it clean? And if you pick it too clean, you might hit one

4:54 PM ET Paolo UggettiESPN PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Reigning U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick said Wednesday he has been dealing with a neck injury that has prevented him from being fully healthy as he prepares to compete in three straight PGA Tour events, beginning with this week’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am. “I hurt my neck

PEBBLE BEACH — He is most comfortable when he’s uncomfortable. Jordan Spieth’s words, not ours, about himself and his game, although the man took that motto to the extreme in Monterey last season. For those who missed it—and if you have, we direct you to the video—Spieth defied science and gravity and mortality in hitting

7:01 PM ET Paolo UggettiESPN PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Jordan Spieth‘s daring second shot over a cliff at the par-4 eighth hole in last year’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am will be harder to replicate this year thanks to an adjustment by the resort in part due to guests attempting to recreate Spieth’s shot while playing the

11:36 AM ET With many of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars taking the week off before teeing it up in Phoenix during Super Bowl week, the golf world’s attention shifts back to the Middle East, where hopefully someone is shaking that palm tree to find Patrick Reed’s ball. A handful of PGA Tour members and

PEBBLE BEACH—This week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am coincides with the Saudi International, an Asian Tour event which is notably sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the primary backer of LIV Golf. The Saudi-backed circuit has spurred a schism in the professional game, leading to hurt feelings and contentious views on both sides of the

10:39 AM ET When defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler bumped into two-time winner Bubba Watson while on vacation in Tennessee late last year, he joked that he was going to have a separate table for him in a corner at the Champions Dinner at Augusta National Golf Club in April. Watson is among six former

With his mullet and his offseason longer than they’ve ever been, Cameron Smith cut a relaxed figure as he sat in the press conference Wednesday at the Saudi International. The Florida-based Australian had the air of someone who had gotten exactly what he had craved for years: some extended downtime in his homeland with family

PEBBLE BEACH — Ryan Palmer and Canelo Alvarez were named 2023 recipients of the Arnie Awards on Tuesday at Pebble Beach. The awards—which are presented by Golf Digest, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM—honor golfers who give back through charitable work. Palmer is a four-time winner

9:03 PM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Blue Bay LPGA has been canceled for the third time in four years because of ongoing COVID-19 matters, the association said Tuesday night in a short statement released from its headquarters. The decision came from the China Golf Association, which regulates golf in the country.

On a trip last fall to Augusta National Golf Club, Larry Mize played the member tees for just the second time since he stunned Greg Norman in a playoff to win the 1987 Masters Tournament. It was a revelation, of sorts. “It’s such a great golf course, and from the member tees … boy, it’s

9:51 AM ET Phil Mickelson said he’s as light as he has been in three decades and will be a little quieter on social media as he prepares to play in the LIV Golf League’s second season, which begins in Mexico next month. Mickelson, speaking to reporters Tuesday ahead of this week’s PIF Saudi International

Jon Rahm’s recent rampage has been one of the big storylines early in 2023—especially because it didn’t result in him moving back on top of the Official World Golf Ranking. It’s something that golf fans and Rahm himself haven’t seemed too pleased about. (Just ask him!) But had the Spaniard overaken Rory McIlroy, it’s McIlroy

1:23 PM ET The next event on the PGA Tour is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which begins Thursday. The tournament will take place in Pebble Beach, California and is the third straight PGA Tour event held in the Golden State. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am will use a three-course format, with Spyglass Hill Golf

Afterward, McIlroy acknowledged he felt extra motivation during the final round with Reed being the golfer making the charge. “Did I want to win? Yes. Was there added incentive because of who was up there? Absolutely.” Yet McIlroy hasn’t always had issues with Reed; he’s even been one of his bigger defenders over the years.

7:16 PM ET Associated Press A federal judge denied a request by LIV Golf to expand discovery in its antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour to include communication with 10 Augusta National members, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. LIV Golf had issued subpoenas to five PGA Tour board members and Tim Finchem, the

After a tumultuous year that included playing a key part in the launch of LIV Golf, Phil Mickelson is excited about 2023 and beyond—even if that future doesn’t ever include another PGA Tour appearance or participating again in the Ryder Cup. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig, the six-time major champ discussed

10:34 AM ET The ongoing battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf for the best players in the world seems to have reached the pettiness phase, and boy, it’s hard to turn away. With LIV players, Rory McIlroy and others hooking up in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic this past weekend, there were plenty

DUBAI, U.A.E. — Adding yet another entry to his list of brushes with the Rules of Golf—and another twist to an already chaotic week at the DP World Tour event—Patrick Reed found himself involved in what turned into an unusual discussion/decision when playing the 17th hole at the Emirates Club during the Sunday’s third round

6:03 AM ET Associated Press Rory McIlroy overcame a final-round charge from Patrick Reed to win the Dubai Desert Classic in a tense Monday duel between players who were involved in a pre-tournament spat. World No. 1 McIlroy rolled in a birdie putt from around 15 feet at No. 18 for a 4-under 68 that

11:14 AM ET Patrick Reed‘s week in Dubai started with him throwing a tee at Rory McIlroy in disgust on the practice range in an incident that was widely dubbed “tee gate.” On Sunday, Reed was embroiled in another controversy when his tee shot on the 17th hole of the third round of the Dubai

SAN DIEGO — Marcus Byrd was like a bunch of other kids who played golf and idolized Tiger Woods in his prime. When the superstar was competing at Congressional Country Club outside Byrd’s hometown of Washington, D.C., he attended with his father, decked out in Tiger’s signature red and black. At the rope line, young

As he was driving to his home in Glendale, Ariz., from TPC Scottsdale after his second round in the 2015 WM Phoenix Open was suspended by darkness, Michael Hopper saw that his phone was blowing up with calls and text messages. Friends were telling him that he had appeared on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” and he thought

11:22 AM ET Associated Press Rory McIlroy delivered an exhibition of short iron play to shoot 7-under 65 in his third round and build a 3-stroke lead at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. Top-ranked McIlroy made eight birdies at Emirates Golf Club — four in a row from No. 1, three straight from No.

DUBAI, U.A.E. — It wasn’t the third round draw the more tabloid-minded members of golf’s audience was hoping for. But it was surely the next best thing. In the absence of a Rory McIlroy/Patrick Reed head-to-head, the sight of European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald walking the fairways in the third round of the Hero

8:56 PM ET Associated Press SAN DIEGO — Southern California native Max Homa came from five shots off the lead to win the Farmers Insurance Open by two strokes over Keegan Bradley on Saturday at Torrey Pines, where Jon Rahm imploded early and missed a shot at winning his third straight start and moving to

SAN DIEGO — The world knows how off-beat funny and observant Max Homa is with the 240 characters provided him on Twitter. If there were trophies handed out for droll asides, he’d need a building the size of The Met to house them. What we’ve found out more and more—first with a now-defunct podcast and

DUBAI, U.A.E. — Most of the Thorbjornsens in the world are to be found in Norway. But not this one. Michael, born in Ohio, resident in Massachusetts and a junior at college in California (Stanford), is currently in the United Arab Emirates. And he’s doing rather well, too. Rounds of 70 and 64 over the

12:42 PM ET Associated Press Top-ranked Rory McIlroy and rival Patrick Reed were two shots off the lead at the halfway point of the Dubai Desert Classic on Saturday. Richard Bland, Thomas Pieters and amateur Michael Thorbjornsen all reached 10-under overall at Emirates Golf Club for a share of the lead after two rounds of