🏌🏻 Top Players Withdraw From WM

Good morning. A rising Golf star and high-profile withdrawals from the WM Phoenix Open make our top stories today alongside the PGA vs LIV Golf debate which is making headlines all over again.

That, and a tip to hit powerful and accurate straight drives in today's edition of Golf Reporter.

Here’s what we’re covering today:

• Tournaments This Week

• Ludvig Aberg Nearly Matches Woods But Remains Ignored

• Stars Withdraw From WM Phoenix Open

• Legacy vs LIV Golf

⛳ This day in history: On this date in 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first man to hit a golf ball on the moon. He hit a couple of golf balls with a makeshift 6-iron on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 space mission. Shepard later donated the club he used to the USGA Golf Museum.

NEXT ON THE TEE
Tournaments This Week

PGA Tour: WM Phoenix Open

📍 When and Where: Feb. 8-11, TPC Scottsdale - The Stadium Course
💰 Purse: $8.8 million
🏌🏻 Headliners: Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick

DP World Tour: Commercial Bank Qatar Masters

📍When and Where: Feb. 8-11, Doha Golf Club, Qatar
💰 Purse: $2.5 million
🏌🏻 Headliners: Rasmus Hojgaard, Thorbjorn Olesen, Pablo Larrazabal

LIV Golf: LIV Las Vegas

📍 When and Where: Feb. 8-10, Las Vegas Country Club, Las Vegas
💰 Purse: $25 million
🏌🏻 Headliners: John Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann

ALBATROSS
Ludvig Aberg Ignored, Nearly Matches Tiger Woods

Ludvig Aberg has been making massive strides in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) over the last few months. A runner-up finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has now propelled him to World No 11.

Aberg has played only 18 events since turning Pro last year but has created history by becoming the second-fastest golfer ever to reach a world ranking of 11. Tiger Woods achieved the feat in 17 events and occupies top spot ahead of Aberg (18) and Morikawa (28).

Despite being a consistent performer on the PGA Tour, Aberg appears to remain ignored by the big brands. He signed for Adidas in 2023 and earns only $4 million per year as part of his current deal.

To put it into perspective, Jordan Spieth, who happens to be five places below Aberg in the OWGR, earns $30 million from Adidas annually.

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
Stars Withdraw From WM Phoenix Open

The WM Phoenix Open has lost two of its top-10 ranked players, just two days before it tees off at TPC Scottsdale. Viktor Hovland (WR4) and Xander Schauffele (WR5) have withdrawn from the field and will be replaced by Victor Perez and Alexander Bjork.

Hovland withdrew because “he didn’t feel comfortable” with how he was playing and “wanted to figure out” his swing. He has opted to take a week of training in Florida before returning to competition in the Genesis Invitational.

Schauffele plans to rest in the run up to the Genesis Invitational.

The competition will not be short of big names in the absence of Hovland and Schauffele though.

Five top-10 players including two-time defending champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler. No 6 Wyndham Clark (last week’s winner), No 8 Max Homa, No 9 Matt Fitzpatrick and No 10 Brian Harman are set to tee off on Thursday.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

Jessica Korda: LPGA Tour winner Jessica Korda announced on social media that she and her husband, Johnny DelPrete, had their first child, Greyson John DelPrete, this past Saturday. Jessica last played on the LPGA Tour in May 2023.

TaylorMade Collab: Tiger Woods and Nelly Korda have come together for a TaylorMade advertisement which has gone viral on social media. Apart from Woods and Korda, golf stars like Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler are also present in the collaboration.

Major Missing: Joaquin Niemann won the LIV Mayakoba event past weekend but regrets not being a part of the 'Majors'. LIV is still denied world-ranking points and if things don't change, Niemann won't be able to participate in this year's Masters or the US Open.

LPGA Tour: The LPGA and Epson Tour have announced changes to how LPGA Tour cards will be allotted for the 2025 season. At the end of the 2024 LPGA Q-Series competition, the top-25 finishers and ties will earn LPGA status in Category 14 for the 2025 season. The Epson Tour, the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA, will now award five additional LPGA Tour Cards in Category 15 through the new points-based ranking system.

Nike To Quit Golf? Nike is planning to cut around $2 million in costs over the next few years, and golf could be the sport where it reduces the funds. The company began its foray into golf in 1984 but it could all be over in the next couple of years.

BIRDIE
Legacy vs LIV

The PGA vs LIV debate has sparked all over again after the comments of Wyndham Clark and Jon Rahm following the conclusion of the latest PGA Tour and LIV Golf events.

Clark won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am while Rahm's Legion XIII won the LIV Mayakoba team event on debut and they didn't hold back from taking a dig at their respective rival leagues.

Wyndham Clark Chose ‘Legacy’ Over LIV

Pebble Beach Champion Clark revealed that he held meetings with LIV Golf this year but opted to choose 'legacy' and remain loyal to the PGA Tour at least for 2024. He stuck with the PGA Tour with the goal of chasing records and improving his position in the world ranking.

Clark did drop a hint though that he is open to joining LIV in the future.

Jon Rahm 'Happy' With Transition To LIV

Rahm is already grateful for LIV Golf's dual-competition format after the sting of a painful end to the individual competition was eased by a debut triumph for Legion XIII in the team event at LIV Golf Mayakoba. He also took a subtle dig at the PGA Tour following the cancellation of the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

DRIVING RANGE
Straight Drives

In this video, we bring to you tips to hit your driver straight consistently. This will help you to hit powerful and accurate shots and improve your overall game.