The golfing world has experienced a whirlwind of changes in recent years, particularly with the rise of LIV Golf, and while it seems things may finally be settling, December proved to be just as action-packed both on and off the course. From thrilling victories and major announcements to shifts in leadership and debates over compensation, the sport continues to dominate the headlines. Let’s take a look back at the biggest stories that made waves in the global golfing community this month.
The World No.1 capped off 2024 with a commanding victory at the Hero World Challenge, successfully defending his title with a six-shot win over South Korea’s Tom Kim after an electrifying final round at Albany Golf Club.
Scheffler, who started the day one shot behind overnight leader Justin Thomas, wasted no time in taking control. He birdied three of the first four holes, quickly moving ahead of Thomas and gaining a two-shot lead of his own. It marked his eighth win of the year which included a gold medal as well as a Green Jacket – remarkable!
European Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm, Robert MacIntyre, and Tyrrell Hatton, alongside Major champion Adam Scott, are among the confirmed names for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic this month. PGA TOUR winner Akshay Bhatia will also make his debut at the iconic Emirates Golf Club from January 16-19.
These players will join defending champion Rory McIlroy, who is aiming for a record fifth win of the prestigious Dallah Trophy, and Olympic Silver Medallist Tommy Fleetwood, all part of a world-class field at the $9 million Rolex Series event, part of the DP World Tour’s 2025 Race to Dubai.
Tiger Woods has suggested that each American player at the 2025 Ryder Cup should receive $5 million and donate it to charity. The proposal comes after reports that the 12 US players at next year’s contest at Bethpage Black will each earn $400,000. Historically, players have never been paid for competing in the biennial event, which has raised millions in revenue over the years.
“We had the same conversation back in 1999,” Woods said. “We didn’t want to get paid. We wanted to give more money to charity, but the media turned it around against us and said we wanted to get paid.”
The 15-time major champion believes that the exclusivity of the team — with only 12 players selected — should be an opportunity to do more for charity rather than profit personally.
Greg Norman, the 69-year-old Australian and former world No. 1, has announced he will be replaced as the CEO of LIV Golf.
Norman has led the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway golf league since October 2021, overseeing its first official season in 2022. Known as a divisive figure in the ongoing rivalry between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, Norman’s departure marks a new chapter for the controversial circuit.
Despite stepping down from his role, Norman confirmed that he would still have a place within the organization. “Is there going to be a new CEO? Yes. There will be a new CEO. I’m fine with that. Will I always have a place and be involved with LIV to some capacity? Yes. I’ll always have that,” he stated.
Matthew Jordan and Romain Langasque have been selected as the final members of the Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe teams for the 2025 Team Cup, which will take place at the Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from January 10-12. The two players were chosen by European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald, who worked closely with Team Cup Playing Captains Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari in making the selections.
Both Jordan and Langasque earned their spots after finishing in a share of second place at the recent Nedbank Golf Challenge. Their impressive performance secured them a place in the highly anticipated event, which will see ten-man teams from both sides compete in a thrilling match play format.
