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Grayson Murray Claims Sony Open Title After Dramatic Playoff

The American won his first PGA Tour title since 2017 after a stunning 38-foot putt beat Keegan Bradley and Byeong Hun An

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Grayson Murray claimed his first PGA Tour title in almost six years after beating Keegan Bradley and Byeong Hun An in a playoff at the Sony Open . 

A glance at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round gave an indication of how tight the contest had been to that point, with Murray and Bradley leading the way and five players tied for fourth just three shots behind.

However, if it was difficult to call a winner at that stage, it tightened even further during the final round with the lead changing hands several times throughout the day.

JT Poston was one of the early pacesetters, helped by a run of five birdies and an eagle between the sixth and 12th holes, while another player firmly in contention was Carl Yuan. The Chinese player had been set for PGA Tour Q school after finishing one place beneath the cut off in the FedEx Cup standings, but earned his PGA Tour card after Jon Rahm moved to LIV Golf .

He took advantage of the unexpected opportunity, too, remaining firmly in the reckoning for a maiden PGA Tour win, helped by an eagle on the ninth. That was a feat matched by Russell Henley on the same hole not long after, which earned him a share of the lead, and before long, Poston joined them with his sixth birdie of the day before eventually heading to the clubhouse at 15-under after a stunning career-low round of 61.

By that time, Henley had moved into the outright lead on 16-under, but he was soon joined at the top of the leaderboard by Yuan after a confident 34-foot putt for birdie at the 14th.

Others also had their eye on the top of the leaderboard, including An, who moved to within one of the lead after recovering from a wobbly start that included two bogeys in his first three holes.

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Overnight leaders Bradley and Murray, meanwhile, were in the mix too, along with the likes Mathieu Pavon and Nick Taylor, as the top of the leaderboard remained as congested as ever with all those in contention by now on the back nine.

Keegan Bradley was looking for his first win since the 2023 Travelers Championship

Henley’s excellent form continued with his third successive birdie on the 13th to move him one clear of Murray at the top, who was having a solid if less spectacular round of his own, with birdies at the ninth and 10th keeping him firmly in the hunt.

Just when it looked as though Henley may open up a bigger lead, he bogeyed the 16th, which saw Bradley, Murray, Yuan and An join him at the top, as a clear favourite still stubbornly refused to emerge.

Yuan was then granted free relief rather than a penalty stroke on the 18th, which proved controversial as his ball had appeared to sail out over the stand, but was deemed to have landed in it, even though it wasn’t found. In the end, he made par to head to the clubhouse tied for the lead at 16-under.

Soon, Bradley had the outright lead after he drained a putt from 21 feet for birdie at the 15th. Once again, though, it didn’t prove decisive, with An the next to share the lead after he birdied the 18th to leave him back at the clubhouse tied at the top with Bradley.

Could Bradley birdie the last to claim victory? Not quite. He placed his 23-foot putt to win it to the left and seconds later, Murray, who earlier in the week had opened up about 'multiple low points' in recent years, holed a birdie to move him into a three-way playoff with Bradley and An.

Back at 18, Murray sent the crowd into raptures with a stunning 38-foot putt for birdie, and Bradley, whose nerves had shown in a wayward approach to the green, which required free relief, couldn't match Murray's feat as he rolled his putt wide from 17 feet.

Grayson Murray celebrates after his birdie putt at the first playoff hole of the Sony Open

Next, it was An's turn to try and extend the playoff, this time from just five feet, but he also missed, leaving Murray to claim his first win on the PGA Tour since the 2017 Barbasol Championship.

39 FEET FOR THE WIN! Grayson Murray is victorious @SonyOpenHawaii in dramatic fashion! pic.twitter.com/C86sTS4O7a January 15, 2024

Thanks to his win, Murray is now in all the PGA Tour's Signature events for the rest of 2024, and he admitted the future is looking bright. He said: "It's a lot for my career. I knew today was not going to change my life. My fiancée changed my life, Jesus Christ changed my life. Today wasn't going to change my life, but it did change my career a little bit, and I'm excited."

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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PGA Tour: Grayson Murray snatches Sony Open win after beating Byeong Hun An, Keegan Bradley in play-off

Grayson Murray made a huge birdie on the first play-off hole to defeat Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley in Hawaii and claim a second PGA Tour title; Victory moves Murray inside the world's top 50 for the first time in his career;

Monday 15 January 2024 07:58, UK

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Grayson Murray ended a six-and-a-half-year winless run on the PGA Tour by snatching a dramatic play-off victory after a remarkable finish to the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Murray birdied his final hole to close a bogey-free 67 on the final day at Waialae Country Club, seeing him join former PGA champion Keegan Bradley and South Korea's Byeong Hun An on 17 under.

The trio replayed the par-five 18th in the play-off, where Murray holed a birdie putt from nearly 40 feet - as his playing partners could only make par - to earn him his second PGA Tour title and move him inside the world's top 50 for the first time in his career.

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"I was at peace with the 40-footer in the play-off," Murray said. "I expected Ben [Byeong Hun An] to make it. This game is crazy, but I knew I had to give it a chance. I wasn't going to leave it short! Obviously 100 per cent of the putts that you leave short don't go in. I just gave it my best stroke, and obviously it went in."

Murray comes out on top in Hawaii

An set the initial clubhouse after recovering from bogey-birdie-bogey start to his final round to post a six-under 64, playing a three-hole stretch in four under from the seventh before adding three more birdies on his back nine.

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The 32-year-old had to settle for a two-putt birdie at the par-five last after reaching the green in two but missing his 15-foot eagle try, which would have earned him outright victory, while Bradley also failed to convert a putt for the win on his final hole.

Bradley and Murray both missed the fairway with their drives at No 18 and both punched out. Murray, who was one off the pace at the time, hit to inside three feet and tapped in for birdie to join the leaders as Bradley missed from just under 25 feet to win the tournament in regulation.

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Murray's drive hooked left in the play-off and appeared to hit palm trees on its way down, leaving him only able to punch out onto the fairway, with the American then finding the green with his third shot but around 38 feet from the hole.

With his win at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Grayson Murray is eligible for all remaining Signature Events in 2024, but is counted in the Aon Swing 5 because that is a higher eligibility category than current-season tournament winners in the priority ranking for Signature Events. — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) January 15, 2024

Bradley's second shot sailed into the grandstand and required a drop, before he pitched to around 20 feet with his third, while An appeared to be the most likely victor when he chipped from the greenside rough to within four feet of the cup.

Murray put pressure on his playing partners by draining the long-range putt, which was enough for victory when Bradley missed his birdie effort and An's putt to extend the contest trickled past the hole.

"It was a great week. I played great. I played good enough to win," Bradley said. "But sometimes it's just not quite good enough, and that was one of these weeks."

Russell Henley and China's Carl Yuan finished a shot back in tied-fourth ahead of J.T Poston, who charged up the leaderboard on the final day with a nine-under 61, while Canada's Nick Taylor shared seventh with Argentina's Emiliano Grillo. and France's Matthieu Pavon.

Murray takes inspiration from Kirk

Murray stopped drinking alcohol last year to try and improve himself and cited Chris Kirk, who previously took time away from the PGA Tour to address mental health and addiction concerns and won The Sentry the previous week, as an inspiration.

"I would drink during tournament weeks," Murray admitted. "It was my outlet. I thought I was invincible coming out here as a 22-year-old, winning as a rookie, played three days hungover when I won.

"Best thing and worst thing that ever happened to me was winning my rookie year but also feeling like I was invincible. It took me a long time to get to this point.

"I'm a different man now. I would not be in this position right now today if I didn't put that drink down eight months ago."

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Grayson Murray Rallies Late to Win Sony Open in a 3-Way Playoff

Grayson Murray is the Sony Open winner after two birdies on the 18th hole

Grayson Murray holds the trophy after winning the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

HONOLULU (AP) — Grayson Murray is a PGA Tour winner again and feels better than ever about his future. The gold trophy he won Sunday at the Sony Open with a 40-foot birdie putt in a playoff is only a small reason for that.

Murray has been sober for eight months, tired of alcohol fueling his arrogance in public and making him feel like a failure for wasting talent in his private moments.

He feels renewed through Christianity and is getting married in April to a woman that became a big part of a small support group.

No, winning didn't change his life. But it sure provided a big boost to his career.

“My story is not finished. I think it’s just beginning,” Murray said. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues.”

Murray always looked like the odd-man out in a three-way battle at the end of the Sony Open until he delivered the goods.

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His wedge into a breeze to a back pin to 3 feet gave him a birdie on the par-5 18th for a 3-under 67 and allowed him to join a three-way playoff with Keegan Bradley and Byeong Hun An. And then he buried a birdie putt from just inside 40 feet with An facing a 4-foot birdie.

Bradley missed from 18 feet. An's short putt grazed the lip. Murray had another PGA Tour title, the other coming more than six years ago at an opposite-field event when he was a rookie.

The timing couldn't be better.

Murray, who earned his way back to the PGA Tour with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour last year, now can bank on his first trip to the Masters in April and a spot in the seven remaining signature events with their $20 million purses.

“I knew today was not going to change my life,” he said. “But it did change my career.”

As big as the win was for Murray, it was a tough loss for Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley.

An hit a 3-iron to just inside 15 feet on the 18th in regulation, the best shot of the day on Waialae's closing hole, and two-putted for birdie an a 64 to be the first to post 17-under 263. In the playoff, he hit a superb pitch from the thick collar below the green to 4 feet, only to miss .

“Just a poor putt and poor read at the end which could have happened on any holes during 73 holes,” An said. “It’s a shame it ended that way. It hurts, but what are you going to do?”

Bradley broke away from a five-way tie for the lead with a 20-foot birdie on the 15th, but he had to settle for pars the rest of the way. He missed the fairway on the 18th and had to lay up, hitting a pedestrian wedge to 20 feet. The winning putt in regulation narrowly missed.

In the playoff, he was in the best position in the fairway. But he pulled his fairway metal into the grandstand, chipped only to 18 feet and missed after Murray had made birdie.

“I played good enough to win. But sometimes it’s just not quite good enough, and that was one of these weeks,” said Bradley, who called it one of the toughest losses of his career.

Murray, who earned $1,494,000, moves into the top 50 for the first time and has reason to believe the path leads only higher.

He ran into trouble with PGA Tour discipline three years ago in Honolulu. He later took to social media to criticize the tour for not helping him with his drinking. There also was a social media spat with Kevin Na when Murray poked fun at Na's pace of play.

He was angry and his career was going nowhere. The winner's lei around his neck was a sweet smell and allowed time to reflect even in the immediacy of winning.

“It's not easy, you know?” he said. “I wanted to give up a lot of times — give up on myself, give up on the game of golf, give up on life at times. When you get tired of fighting, let someone fight for you.

“My life is so good right now. I wouldn't trade anything," he said. “Everyone in my life right now who is close to me who has been through the struggles with me. All of them are part of this. I think this is just the start of something really special.”

Carl Yuan and Russell Henley each closed with a 63 and had their chances.

Henley was at 17 under until he pulled his tee shot left on the 16th, made a strong recovery but ultimately missed a 4-foot par putt. On the closing par 5, his drive went into such a deep lie in the rough he had no chance to get near the green and missed a 10-foot birdie chance.

Yuan made his mistake on the par-3 17th, missing the green left and missing a 4-foot par putt to fall out of the lead. And he appeared to get a break on the 18th when his second shot sailed into the hospitality area.

The ball was never found, but officials interviewed spectators and determined with “virtual certainty” it was in a large part of a compound that included tents and restrooms and other structures. He got a free drop and escaped with par.

J.T. Poston finished alone in sixth with the round of the week. He closed with a 61 and was among seven players who had a share of the lead at one point.

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PGA Tour veteran details ‘sobriety’ and low points in life, leads Sony Open

Grayson Murray co-leads the Sony Open headed into Sunday as the PGA Tour player reflected on his journey ahead of possible win.

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Share All sharing options for: PGA Tour veteran details ‘sobriety’ and low points in life, leads Sony Open

Grayson Murray and Keegan Bradley co-lead the Sony Open in Hawaii at 14-under. Murray fired off a bogey-free 64 on Saturday to move up three spots. It’s been quite the journey for Murray though.

He recorded his only PGA Tour win in his 2017 rookie season at the Barbasol Championship.

Following his round on Saturday, Murray reflected on that tumultuous journey.

“Over the years, I’ve given in, and right when I try to give up, someone gives me a little more inspiration, saying, ‘Hey, you got it, you can do it.’ Those are the people that are close to me that I lean on in hard times,” Murray said. “I got to keep pushing through. That’s the only way I know how.”

Murray hasn’t been the perfect example of a professional athlete in his career. There have been multiple incidents that left people questioning him. Little did many of them know, he was struggling with his sobriety, calling them his low points.

“My scooter accident in Bermuda was really a low point in my life,” he said. “I’ve obviously been vocal about the alcohol use in the past. I’m over eight months sober now. I have a beautiful fiancée that I love so much and who is so supportive of me. My parents are so supportive of me. My caddie, Jay, is one of my biggest cheerleaders.”

Finding peace inside the ropes again. After overcoming past struggles, Grayson Murray will contend for victory tomorrow @SonyOpenHawaii . pic.twitter.com/LfYpHkBrcX — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2024

Murray details his support system that has kept him on the path he wants to be on.

“Makes everything so easy when I got out here inside the ropes when everyone in my circle was pulling for me,” Murray said. “They’re right there with me when I have those hard days, and I still have hard days, but I feel a lot more at peace inside the ropes now.”

Having that group of people there for you can really make a difference. It’s hard to fathom how professional golfers handle the pressure. Not all handle it the right way, but Murray appears to be someone changing his mindset.

Fellow PGA Tour player and last week’s winner at The Sentry, Chris Kirk , is someone else who has been open about his sobriety. He won the PGA Tour Courage Award in 2023.

“Chris is an inspiration,” Murray said. “You can see the success after he got sober, how quickly he had success out here on Tour, became the player that he was before and even better.”

“I think Chris and I are both not going to have great days, like any of you guys. We’re still going to have tough days. Lord willing, doing the right things each and every day and never giving up, and that's just giving all the glory to God.”

There are 18 holes that stand between him and his second PGA Tour victory and his fifth professional win.

Grayson Murray adds his name to the top of the leaderboard! He will seek his second TOUR victory tomorrow @SonyOpenHawaii . pic.twitter.com/WzChJXU4C6 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2024

Murray has survived some tough times in his life.The way he’s playing golf right now could see him finally get over that hump again.

“I know how to win. I mean, I’m not afraid of the moment,” Murray said. “I’m not going to back down. I’m going to give it my best, and if I don’t win tomorrow, it’s not from a lack of giving it my all or being scared out there.”

Murray recorded two victories on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 at the AdventHealth Championship in May and the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation in September.

In the 13 PGA Tour events he played in 2023, he recorded two top 10s at the John Deere Classic and Barbasol Championship. The 30-year-old also finished T15 at the Puerto Rico Open.

It will be easy for fans watching and in attendance to root for Murray come Sunday evening.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Keegan Bradley, Grayson Murray lead PGA Tour's Sony Open

• Associated Press

HONOLULU -- The hard work is not over for Grayson Murray , in golf or in life. The final round of the Sony Open might give him a good idea of how far he has come.

Murray got up-and-down from a bunker on the par-5 18th on for birdie and a 6-under to share the lead with Keegan Bradley going into the final round at Waialae in a Sony Open that is hardly a two-man race.

Bradley, a former major champion who has played in two Ryder Cups, is going for his third PGA Tour title in the last 16 months.

Murray's only PGA Tour win was an opposite-field event more than six years ago. He might be best known for a rant against the tour when he was coping with a drinking problem in 2021, accusing of the organization of not providing support. He also had a spat with Kevin Na on social media over Na's pace of play. And then there was the scooter accident in Bermuda in the fall of 2022 that injured him. It's been a lot.

Murray dedicated himself to the Korn Ferry Tour last year, won and was among the top 30 who earned PGA Tour cards. In the first full-field event of the year, he's in the right place.

"My rookie year was 2017. I was young and thought I was invincible. Wasn't doing the correct stuff off the course to really give myself the best chance to succeed out here," Murray said.

He said he has been sober for eight months. The only social media account he keeps is Instagram and he keeps that quiet. And he has a good support system.

"I have a beautiful fiancée that I love so much and who is so supportive of me, and my parents are so supportive of me," Murray said. "Just makes everything so easy when I got out here inside the ropes when everyone is just in my circle just really pulling for me.

"They're right there with me when I do have those hard days -- and I still have hard days, but I feel a lot more at peace inside the ropes now."

He might need that in what figures to be a wide-open final round.

Six players were within three shots of the lead, typical for Waialae. It was so chaotic on a gorgeous afternoon up the shores from Waikiki that 10 players had at least a share of the lead at some point in the third round.

Getting some separation was tough, though Bradley and Murray at least got a little.

Bradley hit a cut 6-iron to a back pin to 6 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th, and then his tee shot on the par-5 closing hole avoided the bunker. He had a good enough lie to get it on the green for a two-putt birdie.

That put him at 14-under 196, and Murray soon joined him. They led by one shot over Sam Stevens , who had a 63.

Among those still in the mix is Chris Kirk (67). He won The Sentry last week and at three shots behind can still entertain hopes of joining Justin Thomas in 2017 and Ernie Els in 2004 to sweep the Hawaii swing.

Murray thinks he has turned the corner, and he took plenty of inspiration from Kirk, who had to step away from golf in 2019 to address alcoholism and depression.

"Chris is an inspiration," Murray said. "I think he's been pretty vocal about his story as well. You can see the success after he got sober, how quickly he had success out here on tour, became the player that he was before and even better."

The group at 11-under 199 includes Taiga Semikawa of Japan, playing on a Sony Open sponsor exemption. He is among 21 players on the Japan Golf Tour with the name Taiga. It doesn't translate to "tiger" but it is pronounced that way, and it's no coincidence.

The majority of those players are 26 or younger, which dates to 1997, when Tiger Woods shattered records and brought new energy to golf.

"Yes, I was named after Tiger Woods and I kind of took on the way he plays," Semikawa said through a interpreter. "I grew up watching his aggressive style, and I think that kind of fits my personality and is something I try to replicate in my own game."

One example was from a fairway bunker on the 14th that Semikawa hit out of to 10 feet. That started a closing stretch of four birdies over his last five holes.

Semikawa never bothered looking at a leaderboard during or after his round. He celebrated his 23rd birthday on Thursday and would appear to be having the time of his life.

For so many others, Sunday will be a time to make birdies and keep going.

"It's a tricky thing because you can't be staring at the leaderboard all day," Bradley said. "If you make a bogey or a few pars in a row, you can go from leading to 12th in a second. I've got to go out tomorrow and probably shoot another pretty low one to win."

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Grayson Murray overcomes playoff, personal struggles to win Sony Open

Grayson Murray worked hard to get back to the PGA Tour winner's circle.

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

More than two years ago, when Grayson Murray took time away from the PGA Tour, few could have envisioned him winning the 2024 Sony Open .

On Sunday, after Murray’s wayward tee shot on the 72nd hole — and with his playing partner looking to make birdie for the win — few could have envisioned Grayson Murray winning the 2024 Sony Open.

After another wayward Murray tee shot on the first playoff hole, one that clipped a tree and wasn’t even picked up by ShotLink, few could have envisioned Grayson Murray winning the 2024 Sony Open.

But with 106 yards to the flag for his third shot on that hole — and both his opponents, Keegan Bradley and Ben An , in trouble around the green — Murray’s caddie, Jay Green, pressed his man for some motivation.

“Show me something,” Green said to Murray. It took another shot for Murray to follow through, but, boy, did he deliver.

After pulling his wedge approach some 39 feet left of the hole, Murray drained the ensuing birdie putt and then watched as both Bradley and An missed their shorter putts to match, giving Murray the Sony Open title.

“A lot of hard work pays off,” Murray said when asked about Green’s comment. “It’s not easy, you know. I want to give up a lot of times, give up on myself, give up on the game of golf, give up on life at times. Just persevere, and when you get tired of fighting let someone else fight for you. That’s what happened.”

Addiction wrecked his golf career. Now he’s on the brink of a PGA Tour victory

It’s Murray’s second PGA Tour title after the 2017 Barbasol Championship, but this comes with far more benefits. He’s into the Masters for the first time in his career, as well as the Players, PGA Championship and the seven remaining Signature events on the PGA Tour calendar.

“I knew today was not going to change my life,” Murray said. “My fiancée changed my life, Jesus Christ changed my life. Today wasn’t going to change my life, but it did change my career a little bit, and I’m excited.”

As unlikely as the circumstances were surrounding how Murray snatched the tournament from as many as four other players who were at one point tied for the lead Sunday, his simply being in Hawaii for the event was even more improbable.

Murray entered 2023 with his PGA Tour status in question. He took a hiatus from the game in 2021 as he entered a treatment facility for help with alcohol dependence. He then had a start-and-stop year in 2022 before a return to form in 2023. He won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour to secure his status for 2024 and also notched two top-10s on the PGA Tour.

After controversy and personal strife, refocused pro regains PGA Tour card

Murray’s final round was flat for much of the day. He picked up two just birdies, at 9 and 10, until he arrived at 18 — not exactly the firepower he needed to emerge from a crowded leaderboard on a day when contenders were posting a 61 and several 63s and 64s.

He blew his drive right at the par-5 but laid up in the fairway. From 78 yards, he stuffed his third shot inside three feet and converted to tie Bradley and An at 17 under.

Murray’s drive on 18 in the playoff, however, clipped a tree not far from the tee. Somehow, his ball made it past the majority of the palm trees and settled in the rough, giving him an angle for the layup.

It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t matter. Murray is a champion again.

“It took me a long time to get to this point,” he said. “I’m a different man now. I would not be in this position right now today if I didn’t put that drink down eight months ago.”

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Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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With first PGA Tour Signature event upcoming, here's a primer on how players can get access

Players can get into the field at pebble beach based on their finish at the farmers insurance open in la jolla, calif..

The PGA Tour’s first “Signature Event” will be next week at Pebble Beach. 

The Farmers Insurance Open this week in La Jolla, Calif., is the first test of players using tournaments before Signature Events to gain access through their performance on the FedEx Cup points list. 

The top 50 from last year’s points list is automatically in all seven Signature Events, which are limited-field tournaments with purses of at least $20 million. All are no-cut, except the three player-hosted tournaments, the Genesis Invitational (Tiger Woods), the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Memorial (Jack Nicklaus). 

The AON Next 10 is the top available players from the FedEx Cup points list who are not otherwise in pending Signature Events. The AON Swing 5 are the top five players in FedEx Cup points between Signature Events. 

Beau Hossler, Ludvig Aberg, Ben Griffin, Taylor Montgomery, Matt Kuchar, Nick Hardy, J.J. Spaun, Sam Ryder of Atlantic Beach, Luke List and Alex Smalley are the AON Next 10 for both Pebble Beach and the next Signature Event, the Genesis, based on the FedEx Cup Fall.

 That list will be re-set to the current FedEx Cup standings after Genesis. 

The AON Swing 5 is currently Grayson Murray, Christiaan Bezhuidenhout, Justin Thomas, Kevin Yu and Carl Yuan of Jacksonville.  

Pebble Beach will have a field of 80 players. Last week’s winner, Nick Dunlap, will have to turn pro and accept his PGA Tour membership that is waiting for him to be able to play in the Signature Events. 

The other Signature Events this season are the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship and The Travelers. 

Ko gets closer to LPGA Hall 

Lydia Ko's 20th LPGA title on Sunday in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournaments of Champions at Lake Nona in Orlando leaves her with one more victory left to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. 

If Ko wins before July, she would be the youngest to ever qualify for the LPGA Hall through its points system for victories, player of the year awards and scoring titles. She has 26 points and needs 27. 

Inbee Park was the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Hall in November of 2015. 

Ko is the seventh player in LPGA history to win 20 times before the age of 27, and all are in the World Golf Hall of Fame: Nancy Lopez, Karrie Webb, Seri Pak, Mickey Wright, Lorena Ochoa and Kathy Whitworth. Her $225,000 first-place check also made her the fifth woman to past $17 million in career earnings. 

Champions Cup to return 

The World Champions Cup, a match-play event among PGA Tour Champions teams from the U.S., Europe and internationally, will return to The Concession in Bradenton in 2024, 2025 and 2028. The two years being left open are giving interests in Europe and other countries to obtain a spot to which to rotate the tournament. 

The U.S., captained by Jim Furyk of Jacksonville won the first event with 221 points under a format of awarding points per hole won for a series of six nine-hole matches. Team International scored 219 points and Team Europe 208 points. 

Jerry Kelly led the U.S. team with 61 points, followed by Billy Andrade with 57.5 and Steve Stricker with 56.5. 

Betting right on Dunlap 

Nick Dunlap had 500-to-1 odds on winning The American Express last week. 

One bettor had faith in him. 

FanDuel posted on its X feed that a bettor in Iowa laid $300 on Dunlap to win. When Dunlap made a 6-foot par putt on the final hole to beat Bezuidenhout by one shot, the bettor made $300,000. 

Dunlap is the first amateur since Phil Mickelson in 1991 to win on the PGA Tour. 

Jackie Burke words of wisdom 

Jackie Burke Jr., packed several lifetimes and a book’s worth of wise and witty sayings in his 100 years before the two-time major champion passed away last week in Houston. 

One of them can be appreciated by all golfers. 

“Why did golf give us 34 rules when God only gave us 10 Commandments,” he said. 

Event: Farmers Insurance Open, Wednesday-Saturday, Torrey Pines Golf Club, South Course La Jolla, Calif. 

At stake: $9 million ($1.62 million and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner. 

Defending champion: Max Homa. 

TV:   Golf Channel 

Area players entered: Tyson Alexander, Harris English, Lanto Griffin, Billy Horschel, Keith Mitchell, Raul Pereda, Sam Ryder, Greyson Sigg, Davis Thompson. 

Notable: Homa shot 66 in the final round and defeated Keegan Bradley by two shots. ... Leading the field are Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Zander Schauffele, Jason Day and Ludvig Aberg. ... This is the final tournament for players not otherwise eligible to make the field through the FedEx Cup points list for the season’s first Signature Event next week at Pebble Beach. 

Event: Drive On Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Bradenton Country Club. 

At stake: $1.75 million purse ($262,500 to the winner). 

Defending champion: Celine Boutier. 

TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 12-3 p.m.; Saturday, 4-5 p.m.; Sunday, 2-5 p.m.). 

Area players entered: Auston Kim, Mel Reid. 

Notable: Boutier birdied the first playoff hole to beat Georgia Hall after both finished at 20-under-par 268. 

ROAD TO THE PLAYERS  

Dates: March 14-17.  

Site: Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach.  

Purse: $25 million ($4.5 million and 750 FedEx Cup points to the winner.  

Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler. 

Days until the first round: 50.  

Tour events until The Players: Eight.  

Notable: This will be the 50 th Players Championship. 

Information: theplayers.com.  

Players trivia:  The par-5 ninth hole remains the only one on the course to have never yielded a 2 (an Albatross). Every par-4 hole has been eagled and there has been a hole-in-one on every par-3 hole.

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Rory McIlroy Was Told To 'F— Off' by Another PGA Tour Player During Tense Meeting With Commissioner

• Author: Mike McDaniel

Tuesday was a monumental day in professional golf as the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia agreed to come together to form a new worldwide commercial golf entity .

The PIF, which is the funding source for the LIV Golf endeavor, will bring LIV together with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour as part of the new agreement.

The news came seemingly out of nowhere and shocked the golf world. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan kept his circle close as he negotiated the agreement with the other two entities, and as a result, did not inform any current PGA Tour players of the impending merger. Players found out the news on social media, and details on the agreement (as limited as they may be at the moment) were discussed officially in a players-only meeting with Monahan. 

In that meeting, which was understandably tense as players were blindsided by the news, Grayson Murray, the 227th-ranked player in the world, shouted for Monahan to resign from his post as PGA Tour commissioner.

“We don’t trust you, Jay! You lied to our face,” Murray reportedly shouted at Monahan, according to The Telegraph . In response, Rory McIlroy told Murray, “Just play better, Grayson.”

Murray, taken aback by McIlroy’s comment, told him to “f— off.”

Golf Channel first reported the tense exchange between McIlroy, Murray and Monahan, and was confirmed by The Telegraph.

Tour player Wesley Bryan, who was also in the meeting, confirmed the exchange but tweeted that there was no bad blood between McIlroy and Murray.

“Confirmed,” Bryan tweeted in response to the report of McIlroy telling Murray to play better. “They were cordial and pleasant post meeting. We chatted as a group of players and we were laughing about the comment. No beef or hard feelings either way.”

McIlroy served as the PGA Tour’s figurehead in the year-long fight against LIV Golf, only to go notably silent on the topic in recent weeks as he turned his focus back to golf. 

Although McIlroy reportedly did not know about the impending agreement between the three entities, his decision to turn back to golf may have been a blessing in disguise given the PGA Tour’s decision to reverse course and come together with the PIF.

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2024 Zurich Classic odds, field: Surprising PGA picks, predictions by model that's nailed 11 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the zurich classic of new orleans 2024 10,000 times and revealed its pga golf picks.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay look to reclaim some team magic when they pair back up for the 2024 Zurich Classic. The PGA Tour's yearly team event tees off Thursday at TPC Louisiana in New Orleans, and 80 two-man teams will be in attendance for tee off on Thursday. Schauffele and Cantlay were the winning duo back in 2022 and they are the 5-1 favorites on the 2024 Zurich Classic odds board. Should you back this pair of California natives with your 2024 Zurich Classic picks? Or should you back Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry at 8-1 odds?

Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala are listed at 11-1 in the lastest 2024 Zurich Classic odds, and Collin Morkiawa and Kurt Kitayama follow at 16-1. Defending Zurich Classic champions Nick Hardy and David Riley are 80-1 longshots to have repeat success. Before making any 2024 Zurich Classic picks, be sure t o see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up more than $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model correctly predicted Scottie Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, and the RBC Heritage this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Jon Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 11 majors entering the weekend and hit the Masters three straight years. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the Zurich Classic 2024 field is finalized, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2024 Zurich Classic predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Zurich Classic 2024: McIlroy and Lowry, who've combined for 26 wins on the PGA Tour, barely crack the top five. McIlroy is set to play in his fourth consecutive event when he tees off at TPC Louisiana. He's failed to crack the top-10 in seven of his eight starts on the PGA Tour this season, while Lowry has finished T-19 or worse in six of his past eight events. 

Both players have struggled mightily on the green this season. McIlroy enters the 2024 Zurich Classic ranked 78th in strokes gained: putting (0.119) and 72nd in putting average (1.758), a big reason why he ranks 98th in scoring average (70.44). Lowry, meanwhile, ranks 99th in strokes gained: putting (-0.012) and 143rd in putts per round (29.38), which doesn't bode well for their chances to finish on top of the leaderboard this week. 

Another surprise: Rasmus Højgaard and Nicolai Højgaard, 35-1 longshots, make a strong run at the title. The twin brothers have a much better chance to win it all than their odds imply, so they're a target for anyone looking for a huge payday.

The Danish twosome has been making headlines abroad for years now, becoming the first brothers to ever win events in consecutive weeks on the European Tour back in 2021. They are now making noise on the PGA Tour as Nicolai finished second at the Farmers Insurance Open back in January and finished T16 in his first ever Masters appearance earlier this month. Nicolai also played this event last year, so his experience makes the duo an under-the-radar competitor at the 2024 Zurich Classic.  See who else to pick here . 

How to make 2024 Zurich Classic picks

The model is also targeting three other teams with odds of 35-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 Zurich Classic, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the Zurich Classic 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected Zurich Classic leaderboard , all from the model that's nailed 11 golf majors, including the last three Masters.

2024 Zurich Classic odds, field

Get full 2024 Zurich Classic picks, best bets, and predictions here .

Patrick Cantlay / Xander Schauffele +500 Rory McIlroy / Shane Lowry +800 Will Zalatoris / Sahith Theegala +1100 Collin Morikawa / Kurt Kitayama +1600 Tom Hoge / Maverick McNealy +2500 Matt Fitzpatrick / Alex Fitzpatrick +2500 Taylor Pendrith / Corey Conners +3500 Rasmus Højgaard / Nicolai Højgaard +3500 Taylor Montgomery / Ben Griffin +4000 Sepp Straka / Brice Garnett +4000 Nick Taylor / Adam Hadwin +4000 Keith Mitchell / Joel Dahmen +4000 Brice Garnett / Sepp Straka +4000 Thomas Detry / Robert MacIntyre +4500 Doug Ghim / Chan Kim +4500 Davis Thompson / Andrew Novak +4500 Daniel Berger / Victor Perez +4500 Kevin Yu / C.T. Pan +5000 Billy Horschel / Tyson Alexander +5000 Beau Hossler / Sam Ryder +5000 Andrew Putnam / Joe Highsmith +5000 Aaron Rai / David Lipsky +5000 Thorbjorn Olesen / Matt Wallace +6500 Taylor Moore / Matt NeSmith +6500 K.H. Lee / Michael Kim +6500 Greyson Sigg / Chesson Hadley +6500 Gary Woodland / Lee Hodges +6500 Garrick Higgo / Ryan Fox +6500 Austin Eckroat / Chris Gotterup +6500 Steve Stricker / Matt Kuchar +8000 Nate Lashley / Rafael Campos +8000 Luke List / Henrik Norlander +8000 Kevin Streelman / Martin Laird +8000 Dylan Wu / Justin Lower +8000 Davis Riley / Nick Hardy +8000 Chandler Phillips / Jacob Bridgeman +8000 Carson Young / Ben Martin +8000 Ben Silverman / Kevin Dougherty +8000 Zach Johnson / Ryan Palmer +10000 Vincent Norrman / Jorge Campillo +10000 Nico Echavarria / Max Greyserman +10000 Alex Smalley / Matti Schmid +10000 Thriston Lawrence / Aldrich Potgieter +13000 Ryan Brehm / Mark Hubbard +13000 Justin Suh / Rico Hoey +13000 Jhonattan Vegas / Bronson Burgoon +13000 J.J. Spaun / Hayden Buckley +13000 Erik Barnes / Harrison Endycott +13000 Chad Ramey / Martin Trainer +13000 Carl Yuan / Zecheng Dou +13000 Sam Stevens / Paul Barjon +15000 Peter Malnati / Russell Knox +15000

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Rory vs. Grayson: A nearly forgotten exchange takes on new meaning—and turns golf on its head

In one of the more notorious scuffles in the immediate wake of the June 6 “framework agreement,” Grayson Murray let loose on PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in a players' meeting at the RBC Canadian Open. His exact words aren't clear, but they were something to the effect of, "We don’t trust you, Jay—you lied to our face."

That would be remarkable all on its own, but after a few more testy exchanges, Rory McIlroy—who had positioned himself as the tour's No. 1 defender and spokesman throughout the LIV schism—yelled back at Murray: "Just play better, Grayson."

Murray's rejoinder was about as simple as it gets: "F*** off."

In the moment, it would seem obvious that most sympathy would extend to McIlroy. Aside from Tiger Woods, Rory might be the most beloved golfer in the world (provided you're not a LIV Golf supporter), popular with fans, his peers and the media. Murray, on the other hand, was largely known for controversial tweets (political, golf-related and, uhhhh, personal ), and before his recent return to top form, had taken time off from the pro golf to handle issues related to alcoholism and mental health. Interestingly, though, while accounts of the fallout from that exchange are limited, McIlroy's "just play better" taunt didn't necessarily go over well with every player. Many felt the same shock as Murray, and questions of trust with Monahan and his handling of the PGA Tour/PIF saga linger still today.

Regardless, the McIlroy-Murray spat seemed a flash-in-the-pan story, juicy but with no real legs and destined to be forgotten as the drama in professional golf only became more pronounced with summer turning to fall. But it was brought back to mind this past Sunday, when in the kind of happenstance that would seem too strange for fiction, both men found themselves in contention to win a tournament, albeit thousands of miles apart.

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At the DP World Tour’s Dubai Invitational, McIlroy lived out a nightmare, with a three-putt from two feet on the 14th hole and a tee shot on 18 that hooked into the water. What looked like a win became a collapse, and Tommy Fleetwood stole the victory . Meanwhile, at the PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Hawaii, Murray made the right shots at the opportune moments, and buried a stunning 38-footer on the first playoff hole to win his first Tour event since 2017. ("Play better," indeed.)

Afterward, speaking to Todd Lewis, it was hard not to feel moved by the emotion Murray showed—and impressed by his resilience—as he described fighting through some very low moments, even if you weren't a Murray fan and even if you're still dubious about his character.

The fact that these two golfers commanded the day's biggest stages just a few hours apart is, of course, a cosmic accident. We shouldn't read into it very deeply on any level, karmic or otherwise, or we risk mis-defining a pure coincidence. But it does give us a chance to examine what these two golfers represent.

Beyond his personal foibles, and his personal redemption, Murray is a stand-in for the PGA Tour everyman, insofar as you can use that word to describe people playing a sport for millions of dollars. The 30-year-old from North Carolina is the quintessential "mule," the low impact player who feels he has been left behind as the tour combats LIV Golf by giving more and more to its top players. Even as purses have grown, the move toward smaller fields with no cuts in certain events has led players such as Murray to feel that opportunities have dried up and that they're being treated by their own organization as afterthoughts. (Murray is among a group of 20 tour members who signed a letter in December seeking more information about the investment proposals that the tour was reviewing .) When he told McIlroy to "f*** off," it probably resonated on a gut level for those like him who feel ignored as professional golf races for the dizzying heights.

And McIlroy, who was positioned perhaps incorrectly as the martyr carrying the tour's cross before being betrayed, has made out well for himself. His profile and his talent ensured that while the 34-year-old from Northern Ireland very much put himself out on a limb and likely subjected himself to stress that hurt his game, he wasn't about to emerge from the chaos with nothing. He still belonged to a class of athlete far beyond the Grayson Murrays of the world. The larger purses, the signature events, the surge in PIP money (in which McIlroy took first place), and the general flow of cash upward all benefited him, and along with leaders like Tiger, he had a major hand in creating them. (On the extreme side of the spectrum, there are emphatic quotes from current LIV players, including a former Ryder Cup teammate , essentially saying that Rory was out for himself just like they were, but that his money "came from the other side.") His defense of the tour, sincere as it was, came with opportunities even as he seems to be entering a reconciliation phrase, essentially saying that he's finished fighting the tide (having stepped down from the PGA Tour Policy Board), and positioning himself for whatever comes next.

That is what any intelligent person of his stature would do; there was real morality in the stance he took publicly while others were content to remain behind the camera, but there's an undeniable practicality, too. And it's a kind of practicality that isn't quite available to people like Grayson Murray, the forever outsiders, limited to shouting at men like Monahan, cursing at the upper crust, but increasingly without voice in the big fight of our time and ultimately dependent on the tour's mercies to secure their futures.

That's the realpolitik of the world as it exists in professional golf, and a reflection of forces that have seemed, for years now, inevitable. But what makes sport so fascinating is not the opaque business side, or class divisions, but the uncertainty of the game itself, and the meritocracy of the simple win and loss.

For one bizarre Sunday, the tenuous connection between these two players borne from a fleeting incident at a players meeting was carried forward onto the field of play, and the synchronicity was turned briefly on its head. Inevitability became uncertainty. And it was a reminder of the appeal of simple competitive drama, where who you love and who you hate can be rendered irrelevant in the face of the bracing knowledge that the McIlroys of the world don't always win, and the Murrays don't always lose.

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2024 RBC Heritage prize money payouts for each PGA Tour player

It pays to play well on the PGA Tour. Just ask  this week’s winner, Scottie Scheffler .

The 27-year-old won the 2024 RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, on Monday after play was suspended for two-and-a-half hours on Sunday due to inclement weather and then later for darkness. The win is the world No. 1's fourth in his last five starts and 10th of his PGA Tour career.

Last week Scheffler won $3.6 million at the Masters and he earned another $3.6 million for his win this week in the PGA Tour's latest big-money signature event. Sahith Theegala, who finished three shots back in second, banked a hefty $2.18 million for his runner-up showing. Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark, who finished T-3 at 15 under, each banked $1.18 million.

With $20 million up for grabs, check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage in Hilton Head.

Prize money payouts

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 2024 RBC Heritage prize money payouts for each PGA Tour player

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McIlroy’s proposed return to boardroom ‘incredibly positive’ for PGA Tour

• New chief executive of European Tour group welcomes move
• McIlroy motivated by desire to end split in elite men’s golf

The newly installed chief executive of the European Tour group, Guy Kinnings, has urged the PGA Tour to seize the opportunity provided by Rory McIlroy’s willingness to return to the boardroom to help heal divisions in the game.

The Guardian revealed on Monday that McIlroy will assume roles on the PGA Tour’s policy board and the PGA Tour Enterprises board, subject to a vote on Wednesday. McIlroy is motivated by a strong desire to end the current split in elite men’s golf, where the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Tour are essentially operating independently of each other.

“I would welcome it wholeheartedly,” said Kinnings, who succeeded Keith Pelley this month, of a McIlroy return to a position of power. “It would be an incredibly positive move for the PGA Tour to take but it would be great for everyone.”

Golf’s key constituent parts now involve various tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV. McIlroy enjoys positive relations with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the head of the PIF.

“He takes an interest in so many aspects of the sport,” Kinnings added. “I have known him for a very long time and he is so thoughtful. You think you know what is going on in the game and then you listen to Rory and say: ‘Wow, he has put that so well.’

“You want to have people who are ready to apply that kind of knowledge, experience and thinking. He is very well connected with people at the PGA Tour , the DP World Tour – we rely on him hugely – and also the PIF. He is the right person with those connections [and] would be a huge asset.”

Kinnings is adamant that a “united, global” route is necessary for the sport. “I see this as an amazing opportunity,” he added. “We truly have that, with the right people and voices to help shape it. Tiger [Woods] is involved, I am delighted Rory is looking at this. These are the people who should be helping to shape the game they have given so much to.

“I think it needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed quickly. You need the right people round the table, giving it thought because this is complicated.”

McIlroy would become the only European voice on these PGA Tour committees, which itself is notable. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have a strategic alliance but there has been general concern about European golf being left behind, with focus on the US. “I was always delighted to have European representation,” said Kinnings. “I think it is far better to have a global view and Rory truly has that.

“It is such an important time and he is passionate about reaching this solution that we all agree is in the best interests of the sport globally. So I think he would be so valuable, so constructive. Personally and on behalf of this tour, I would be delighted if he was back playing a very significant role in the important discussions that are ongoing.”

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• European Tour

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