I had the opportunity to attend an event this week with Siobhan Hughes, a Wall Street Journal reporter. Much of what she described, both during the fireside-chat and audience-question portions of the event, focused on the independence and integrity of the reporter. Present facts, do not take sides, do not attempt to influence. This is what preserves and restores faith of the people in the free press. Without it, I shudder to think, even in golf.

It was a busy week for professional golf tours (finally!) So you might need a second cup of coffee to enjoy during this session. The Florida branch of the PGA Tour continued on, while the LPGA moved from Singapore to Hainan Island. The DP World Tour competed in South Africa, while the Korn Ferry celebrated the Chile Classic. PGA Tour Champions held a get-together in Arizona, while TGL firmed up its playoff quartet in south Florida. Finally, LIV held its third event of 2025.

We weren’t kidding; that’s a lot of golf to run down. No one better than this guy, though, to tie on the feedbag and get to munching. Fluff the pillow, fill the mug, and enjoy the first extended version of Tour Rundown 2025.

BREAKING NEWS: the PGA Tour even played a concurrent event, in Puerto Rico. Karl Vilips of Australia won by three over Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen. Literally no bandwidth for that one, but we will leave you with a YouTube of the conclusion.

PGA Tour @ Arnold Palmer: What’s in this season? Henley

It’s like asking, “What rhymes with orange?” How do you work the Henley collar and weave into a golf recap? Well, you don’t, but Russell Henley stood tallest, longest, at Bay Hill. He finished on eleven-under par, one shot clear of Collin Morikawa. Here are some notions from apres-golf in Orlando North (aka, Buffalo)

1. This was an international finish. USA, Austria, Korea, USA, Canada, England, USA, Ireland, Australia, USA, in no particular order;
2. Victory finds a way to excuse Collin Morikawa. He has four regular Tour wins and two majors, but it feels like he should have twice that number of regular joints;
3. What is it about these Twitter-Berkeley boys? First Max Homa, now Michael Kim. Recipe includes trend up on social, and your game will follow? Paging Michael Weaver;
4. In 1963, the aforementioned King was the last playing Captain for Team USA in the Ryder Cup. Anyone paying attention to Captain America, aka Keegan Bradley? 29th a week ago, and placed T5 this week.

Anyhoo, this was a Bay Hill that we haven’t seen in … ever. Gnarly rough and at least two, possibly three, greenside cuts. Arnie always loved the air game, and this version of Bay Hill was not about the ground game. Fly it there and land it soft, or else. On to StA and the Players.

LPGA @ Blue Bay: Her name is Rio

… and she dances on the sand … and the tees, and the fairways. On Sunday in the South China Sea, Rio Takeda danced her way to a round of 64. It was the low tally of the day by three swings, and featured eight birdies and nary a bogey. Third-round leader Nasa Hataoka had 70 for day four but was helpless as her countrymate surged beyond all competition. The victory was Takeda’s second LPGA win since November, and she wrote her name in the breakout-prediction column for 2025.

Australia’s Minjee Lee, the 2022 US Open champion, busted out that 67 we alluded to and moved all the way to second place, a distant six shots behind the champion. Lee edged out Ayaka Furue for the silver medal, a co-leader after round one, by one shot. The LPGA takes a fortnight hiatus, returning in two weeks’ time at the Ford in Arizona.

DP World Tour @ Joburg Open: Hill nails victory down 

Jacquest Kruyswijk hoped to earn a second DPWT win in three weeks, while Shaun Norris had his sights on hanging on for a shot at the title. Kruyswijk posted 67 on Sunday, but a pair of bogeys held him at 14-under par. Hill blistered the Houghton course with ten birdies but also accepted bogey on two occasions. His 62 was electric, but served only to tie him on fourteen deep.

The final threesome had its issues, but from that triumvirate, Norris was able to hold the rudder steady and post a score of 70. Mind you, he needed two birdies over the final three holes to do so, but he joined the aforementioned duo at 266, necessitating a three-man playoff to determine the champion. After pars on two playoff holes, the trio returned once more to the 18th. Norris went out first, hitting from a fairway bunker into the water that guarded the green. Kruswijk went out next, three-putting the green from a fair distance. It was left to Hill to get up and down from greenside back, to complete the greatest, final-round comeback in Joburg Open history. In two week’s time, the DPWT returns to action in Singapore, for its four-week Asian Swing.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Chile Classic: Logan’s Run

The 1976 movie, adapted from an eponymous novel, allows that life ends at 30 for humans. If that were the case, the Prince of Wales Club in Santiago, Chile, would have had no concern about its contenders this season. Winner Logan McAllister (25), Davis Chatfield (25), Kensei Hirata (24), and Matthew Anderson (24) featured in this week’s top five. McAllister closed with 64 to edge past Chatfield’s 66, after third-round leader Cole Hammer (25) faltered on day four.

McAllister posted 32 on the inward half, marred only by a bogey at the 15th hole. Chatfield had birdies at the 70th and 72nd holes, but came up one shot shy of a playoff. Old Man Hank Lebioda (31) scorched the front nine in 30, but a bogey and double coming home, undid his loosely-tied knot, relegating him to T3 with Anderson and Hirata.

PGA Tour Champions @ Cologuard: Alker in the end

Steven Alker is the epitome of the guy who tried, but didn’t get it done, in his first lease. In the second lease, he has thus far, overachieved. Alker availed himself of round-two leader Greg Chalmers’ 71, and shot one shot past, into first position. Unfortunately for him, American Jason Caron also posted 66, and completed play on the same number. The pair went to overtime, where Alker won the big payday with birdie on the 18th hole.

It was a big finish for the Men At Work, aka Down Under, aka the Men from Oz. In addition to Alker’s extra-holes victory, countryman Rod Pampling closed with 67 to tie for third, one shot out of the playoff. His mate at -11? The aforementioned Greg Chalmers, also a native of the continent of Australia. Both Pampling and Chalmers will certainly rue the missed opportunities coming home Pampling made bogey at the 17th, to fall out of a tie for the top spot. Chalmers had a pair of bogeys on an inward 37, his worst nine of the week.

TGL @ Week Eight: And then, there were four

Let’s take a moment and hand it to the men of Gotham. Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, and Cameron Young had destiny in their hands on Monday the 3rd against Boston, and they delivered a 10-6 victory. The win propelled the New York Golf Club into the semifinals of TGL 2025: Season 1. NYGC will face off against the top seed from the regular season, Los Angeles Golf Club.

New York took an early lead against hapless Boston, but went behind when Keegan Bradely, aka Captain America, won the 11th hole against Fowler. In the blink of an eye, Schauffele won two points off a hammer challenge against Adam Scott, and Young claimed the 13th hole against Rory McIlroy. With the hammer tossed on the final hole, Schauffele surged past Scott for the final two points. Boston 0-4-1 on the season. In Tuesday’s match, playoff-bound Atlanta raced past the home squad, Jupiter Golf links. Jupiter finished 1-4 on the season, despite having Tom Kim and Tiger Woods on the team.

TGL will take Players Championship week off, and return in a week, to see NYGC and LAGC on Monday, March 17th, with The Bay and Atlanta locking horns on Tuesday the 18th, in the second semifinal.

LIV @ Hong Kong: Garcia grabs first 2025 win

Sergio Garcia showed that there’s fight left in the dog, coming from the top tier tie on day three to win LIV Hong Kong at Hong Kong Golf Club. Peter Uihlein held the day-two lead with the Spaniard and Paul Casey, but was unable to go low, posting even par to finish seven shots behind his playing partner. He tied for sixth with Sebastian Muñoz, Jon Rahm, and Tom McKibbin.

At the top of the board, Dean Burmester gave chase with the low round of the day. His eight-under 64 served to elevate him beyond all but the winner. Finishing in third position was Phil Mickelson, followed by Lucas Herbert in fourth, and the aforementioned Casey in fifth spot. LIV returns to action this week in Singapore.