Tiger Woods and son Charlie are in a three-way tie for first place at 13-under par after the opening round of the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.

• The Woods duo is tied with Bernhard and Jason Langer, as well as Vijay and Qass Singh after all three teams shot a 59 in the scramble format. The two-day 36-hole tournament concludes Sunday.

  Heading into the final round with a share of the tournament lead is as significant to Tiger Woods as it is to his 15-year-old son. Woods, who turns 49 this month, has not played more than a handful of events in a given PGA Tour season since a single-car crash in February 2021 nearly cost him his right leg.

  Saturday was Woods' first competitive round since the Open Championship last July, where he missed the cut. He has since undergone another back surgery, and he elected not to play earlier this month in his foundation's event in the Bahamas, the Hero World Challenge.

  The 15-time major champion said there were "moments" when he thought he might not be able to participate in this weekend's event.

  Team Woods matched its second lowest round in the event after shooting a 57 in the final round in 2021. The duo is competing in the PNC Championship for the fifth time, with its best finish a runner-up result in 2021.

  Team Langer matched its lowest round in the event, marking the fifth time the duo has shot a 59. Bernhard Langer is seeking a sixth PNC Championship title, while winning three times with son Jason and twice with son Stefan.

  Bernhard Langer is tied for the all-time record in victories in the event with Raymond Floyd.

  Team Singh matched its lowest round in the event, shooting a 59 for the fourth time. The duo won the tournament title in 2022.

  Team Lehman (Tom and Sean) and Team Harrington (Padraig and Paddy) are tied for fourth place at 12-under, one shot ahead of Team O'Meara (Mark and Shaun) and two shots ahead of Team Kuchar (Matt and Carson) and Team Annika (Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee).

  --Field Level Media

Derek Sprague, a former president of the PGA of America, was hired as the organization's chief executive officer on Friday.

• He takes over the position from interim CEO Kerry Haigh, who was on the job since Seth Waugh resigned in June. Waugh had held the role since August 2018.

  Sprague is the general manager of TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home of The Players Championship, one of the most prestigious events in professional golf. He previously was managing director of Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., when that course hosted the Presidents Cup in 2017.

  "Derek is the consummate PGA of America Golf Professional," PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. said in a statement on the organization's website. "His dedication to the Association, his passion for empowering PGA of America Golf Professionals and his service as an Officer position him for success as CEO.

  "To have a leader at the helm who knows every detail of the Association and what it means to be a PGA of America Member will enable our Association to succeed far into the future. We are also grateful to Kerry Haigh for his excellent leadership during our period of transition."

  Sprague added in a statement, "Throughout my career I have made it a priority to bring people together around a common cause. At a time of profound change in golf, there is also great opportunity for our Association and our Members.

  "I have cherished being a PGA of America Golf Professional, and serving our Members and Associates as a Board Member and Officer. To now serve the Association as CEO is a tremendous honor. It is my task, alongside the Officers and Board, to elevate the profession of our more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals while ensuring the health of the Association and its relationships within our industry."

  The appointment comes at a time of rapid change at the top of a number of major golf organizations.

  PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced this week the intention of hiring a CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises, the circuit's for-profit wing established last year.

  LIV CEO Greg Norman is exiting, reportedly to be replaced by Scott O'Neill.

  LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan announced earlier this month that she is stepping down, and in July Mark Darbon was named as Martin Slumbers' successor as chief executive of the R&A, which oversees golf outside of the United States and Mexico.

  --Field Level Media

The PNC Championship, a two-day team golf tournament that pairs major champions with a family member, allows competitors to use golf carts, unlike a typical PGA Tour event.

• Yet in the event's pro-am Friday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla., Tiger Woods took the opportunity to walk all 18 holes.

  Woods' ability to walk the entire course opened some eyes, as he's said in the past that it is a greater obstacle for him at this point than hitting the shots he wants to hit.

  Woods, who turns 49 this month, has not played more than a handful of events in a given PGA Tour season since a single-car crash in February 2021 nearly cost him his right leg.

  Friday was Woods' first time playing golf in public since the Open Championship last July, where he missed the cut. He has since undergone another back surgery, and he elected not to play earlier this month in his foundation's event in the Bahamas, the Hero World Challenge.

  "Yeah, my leg is what it is. It's still here. It is what it is," Woods told reporters Friday. "But this year I struggled a lot with my back, and it's a lot better, but I still have a long way to go. ... The recovery has gotten to be the hardest part."

  Woods was asked how close he was to not playing this weekend.

  "I had moments," he said. "That was one of the reasons why I had the surgery done earlier, so that hopefully I could give myself the best chance to be with (son Charlie Woods) and be able to play. I'm not competitively good right now, but I just wanted to be able to have the experience again. This has always been one of the bigger highlights of the year for us as a family, and now we get to have that moment together again."

  Without giving any indication of where he stood for the 2025 PGA Tour season, he added that the process of getting ready for competitive golf takes him months, "but it starts with each and every day."

  "Unfortunately I've gone through this process a number of times," the 15-time major champion said. "It's frustrating. It's hard. But I have an amazing team, amazing support. But I have to do the little things on a daily basis and away from everybody."

  The PNC Championship begins Saturday and concludes Sunday. Tiger and Charlie Woods were the runners-up in 2021 and tied for fifth last year, but they are still searching for their first win in the event.

  --Field Level Media

Cleeks GC announced the addition of Denmark's Frederik Kjettrup to its 2025 LIV Golf League roster on Friday.

• A three-time All-American at Florida State, Kjettrup won three times in eight events on the PGA Tour Americas in 2024 after turning pro.

  Kjettrup, 24, joins captain Martin Kaymer, Richard Bland and Adrian Meronk in the Cleeks GC lineup.

  "Frederik is one of the brightest young talents in the game," Kaymer said. "His impressive track record and fearless approach make him a perfect fit for our team. I'm looking forward to seeing him thrive within the competitive atmosphere of LIV Golf."

  Cleeks GC finished eighth out of 13 teams in the 2024 standings.

  The fourth season of LIV Golf tees off on Feb. 6 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

  --Field Level Media

Nick Dunlap has earned the Arnold Palmer Award as the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year for 2024.

• Dunlap became the first player in Tour history to win as an amateur and a professional in the same season.

  At 20 years old, the Alabama native is alo the youngest rookie award winner since Jordan Spieth in 2013.

  "Nick carved out his place in the PGA Tour record book," commissioner Jay Monahan said in a news release on Thursday. "To begin 2024 as a collegiate golfer and end it with two PGA Tour victories and among the top-50 players in the FedExCup is truly impressive."

  The award is voted on by PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 events during the 2024 season. Dunlap received 57 percent to finish ahead of fellow nominees Max Greyserman, Jake Knapp and Matthieu Pavon.

  As a sophomore at the University of Alabama, Dunlap won The American Express in January to become the first amateur winner on tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991. He turned professional four days after the victory.

  Dunlap added to his historic season with a victory at the Barracuda Championship in July.

  He finished No. 49 in the FedExCup standings, qualifying him for the Tour's Signature Events in 2025 by virtue of finishing among the top 50.

  Dunlap ended his amateur career as the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He won the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2023 U.S. Amateur, joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win each title.

  --Field Level Media

The DP World Tour suspended England's Marco Penge on Wednesday after an independent disciplinary panel found that he placed bets on multiple golf events.

• Penge, 26, will serve a three-month ban that began last Friday, however one month has been suspended for one year pending further breaches of the integrity program. He is eligible to return to action on Feb. 13, 2025.

  Penge also was fined approximately $2,500.

  Per the European circuit, Penge "did not bet on himself or on the progress of tournaments during days when he was participating, leading the panel to find that the integrity of such events had not been compromised."

  The panel also noted that Penge's "immediate admission of breach and cooperation throughout the investigation warranted mitigation reflected in the eventual sanction imposed."

  Ranked 414th in the world, Penge missed 19 cuts in 28 events this year. He most recently played at the Australian Open in November, finishing in a tie for 27th place.

  --Field Level Media

The PGA Tour's C-suite is going to get a little bigger.

• Commissioner Jay Monahan revealed Tuesday that the tour plans to hire a CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises, its for-profit wing established last year.

  Monahan shared the news during a town hall meeting Tuesday morning and in a video directed to fans published on social media.

  Monahan, among the highest-paid commissioners in American pro sports at $23 million last year, will keep his job and help lead the search for the CEO.

  "We're bringing new perspectives onto our team to help us realize the incredible opportunities ahead for our sport, including launching a search for a CEO of the PGA Tour," Monahan said. "We can learn so much from across the world of sport and entertainment, and I'm excited to meet candidates for this important new role."

  Arthur Blank -- owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and chair of PGA Tour Enterprises' management, development and compensation committee -- will also sit on the search committee, along with player directors Tiger Woods and Adam Scott and others.

  The role figures to be crucial as the tour navigates its negotiations with LIV Golf and its financial backers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The PIF is reportedly nearing a deal to purchase a minority stake in PGA Tour Enterprises.

  Monahan also said in his video that "everything is on the table" as the tour seeks ways to evolve its product, including "looking hard at new formats that make our game even more engaging."

  --Field Level Media

LIV Golf and Fox Sports have engaged in "high-level discussions" toward a television contract for the 2025 season, Sports Business Journal reported Tuesday.

• More specific details weren't clear, including which Fox property would broadcast the tournaments and whether Fox would pay a fee for the rights, per the report. What is clear is that if a deal is reached with a major network, it would give LIV Golf increased exposure and credibility.

  The CW Network has aired LIV Golf the past two seasons though its viewership has been low. Per Golfweek, fewer than 100,000 people tuned in to watch Jon Rahm win the 2024 individual championship.

  LIV Golf has scheduled its 2025 individual championship for Aug. 15-17 at The Club at Chatham Hills, near Indianapolis. Such a schedule wouldn't conflict with either NFL games on Fox or college football games airing on Fox or the network-owned FS1.

  --Field Level Media

High school junior Blades Brown, the top-ranked golfer in the Class of 2026, announced Tuesday that he's turning pro.

• In a lengthy post on Instagram, Brown said he won't play college golf and will make his PGA Tour debut at The American Express at La Quinta, Calif., in January.

  "I am ready to begin the next chapter of my golf career and will be competing as a professional in 2025," he wrote.

  "This is not a decision that I take lightly, and I have spent the past months weighing all possible options before deciding on what I know is best for me. While I am proud of the accomplishments of my amateur career, I am focused on the future and getting off to a strong start in my professional career."

  Brown, from Nashville, joined Tiger Woods and Bobby Clampett last summer as the only players to win a medal in both U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior competitions.

  In 2023, Brown became the youngest medalist in a U.S. Amateur and the youngest since 18-year-old Bobby Jones did so in 1920.

  Brown played in one PGA Tour event under a sponsor exemption this year, finishing 10-under par and tied for 26th in the Myrtle Beach Classic in May.

  This fall, he failed to make it out of PGA Tour qualifying school but already has a number of sponsor exemptions in hand for 2025, Yahoo Sports reported.

  In July, The Tennessean reported that Brown no longer would be attending Brentwood Academy and would take online courses to fit around his golf schedule.

  --Field Level Media

The PGA Tour announced its 2025 FedEx Cup Fall schedule on Tuesday, and a trip to Las Vegas is not on the slate for the first time since 1982.

• The seven-tournament stretch begins two weeks after the Tour Championship with a date at the Procore Championship on Sept. 11-14 in Napa, Calif. The schedule takes a two-week break that includes the Ryder Cup and resumes on Oct. 2-5 at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss.

  The PGA Tour's event in Japan with a new title sponsor and home begins with the Baycurrent Classic on Oct. 9-12 in Yokohama.

  The FedEx Cup Fall schedule is used to determine PGA Tour eligibility for the following season.

  "Building on an incredibly compelling FedExCup Fall, the upcoming eligibility changes further heighten the drama and excitement for fans, with more at stake for players than ever before," said Tyler Dennis, PGA Tour chief competitions officer.

  "With events in four U.S. states, Japan, Mexico and Bermuda, the conclusion to the 2025 golf calendar promises to be exciting for our fans worldwide, while also providing a lasting impact in the communities where we will play."

  The Black Desert Championship in Southern Utah will be contested from Oct. 23-26, however the Shriners Children's Open -- a PGA Tour staple since 1983 -- is no longer on the schedule. Shriners withdrew as title sponsor in October.

  The tournament began in 1983 as a five-round event known as the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro-Celebrity Classic, and Fuzzy Zoeller was the winner at Las Vegas Country Club. The next year, with the name changed to the Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational, Zimbabwe's Denis Watson was the champion as the event became the first in PGA Tour history to offer a $1 million prize pool.

  The event was cut to 72 holes starting in 2004.

  The final three official events will be the World Wide Technology Championship (Nov. 6-9) in Los Cabos, Mexico, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship (Nov. 13-16) and the RSM Classic (Nov. 20-23) at Sea Island (Ga.) Golf Club.

  --Field Level Media

Payment packages approved by the PGA of America for United States Ryder Cup participants are set at $500,000, including a $200,000 stipend.

• Approved in a vote and confirmed Monday, PGA of America also increased the amount awarded to a player's charity of choice to $300,000 for the total of $500,000.

  "We added the $200,000 stipend out of respect for the players so the players could have a say in where the money goes," PGA of America president Don Rea said in a letter to previous Ryder Cup captains. "It's recognition for all the players have done for the Ryder Cup over the years."

  Every player and team captain Keegan Bradley will receive a $200,000 stipend plus expenses starting at Bethpage in 2025, in addition to the charitable donation. Bradley said he is already committed to donating the full amount, stipend included, to charity.

  The rule change has been on the table for months, Bradley acknowledged, and diverts from the rules established in the first Ryder Cup competition in 1927.

  To date, European members are not paid for their participation in the Ryder Cup.

  In Rome in 2023, the $200,000 per player on the United States roster went to charity. Players and captains for both teams were paid at the Presidents Cup in Montreal.

  But captain Luke Donald and multiple players implied last month that European Ryder Cup golfers will not be paid, pointing to "passion" for golf and country.

  "It's one week where you play for more than yourself," Donald told The Telegraph. "It's ... not about money or points, it's about coming together as a team and the fans feed off that -- it's all passion. I don't think we should ever get paid."

  Rory McIlroy said team Europe would not be impacted by the PGA of America payment vote. The DP World Tour represents the European players on Ryder Cup matters.

  "I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup," McIlroy said in a BBC Sport interview last month. "The two purest forms of competition in our game right now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it's partly because of that -- the purity of no money being involved."

  McIlroy said he understands the "other side of it" because of the amount of money made on the event. He said Donald huddled players to discuss their stance after learning the direction American golfers were leaning. But McIlroy said the consensus for Team Europe was to donate the sum to the DP World Tour for other purposes.

  "That $5 million would be better off spent elsewhere on the DP World Tour to support other events or even to support The Challenge Tour," McIlroy said.

  "I think we would all welcome money if it didn't change the dynamic, but the money really would change the dynamic. That's why I think everyone is like -- let's not do that."

  --Field Level Media

Chieh-po Lee won the 36-hole LIV Golf Promotions event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, cementing his spot on the league roster in 2025.

• Lee, who also goes by the English name Max Lee, mixed nine birdies and two bogeys in the opening round with five birdies and two bogeys in the second to finish 10-under par for the event.

  Lee, 30, will be the first player from Chinese Taipei to compete full-time in the LIV Golf league.

  He topped fellow Asian Tour player Taichi Kho and Branden Grace, who was relegated by LIV Golf after his 2024 performance, by two strokes.

  The week started with 92 players vying for the sole LIV slot, and the field was whittled to 20 for the final rounds on Saturday.

  Grace hoped he would have another shot with LIV Golf. He finished 51st out of 57 players this season.

  "Played good, gave it everything," said Grace, a 36-year-old South African. "It was a good go. Now I'll go home and have a holiday."

  All players in the Top 10 on the leaderboard will receive exemptions into the 10 tournaments on The International Series.

  Rounding out the Top 10 were American Ollie Schniederjans and Australians Brett Coletta and Jack Buchanan (5 under); Max Rottluff of Germany (4 under); and South Korea's Soomin Lee, David Horsey of England, Suteepat Prateeptienchai of Thailand and Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent.

  Lee said he hoped his win would inspire other golfers in Chinese Taipei.

  "It means a lot for our players," Lee said. "LIV Golf, I think it's many players' dream. I go there and they will come."

  --Field Level Media

Branden Grace of South Africa and brothers Scott and Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe are among the 20 players who qualified for the final day of the LIV Golf Promotions event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• The event began Thursday, but Grace and the Vincents were among 29 players exempt into the second round Friday. All three are former full-time LIV Golf members who were relegated at the end of 2024.

  A 15-time winner worldwide, including one LIV event, Grace's claim to fame is as the first player to shoot a round of 62 at a major championship (2017 Open Championship).

  Scott Vincent shot the best round of the day at Riyadh Golf Club, an 8-under-par 63.

  There isn't room enough for both Vincent brothers in the 2025 LIV Golf season; only the top finisher after Saturday's 36-hole final will qualify for next season.

  "Of course I want him to do really well," Scott Vincent said of his brother, "but at the same time I want to be just one step ahead of him, and I'm sure he wants the exact same thing."

  Kieran Vincent shot a 65 Friday and Grace had a 66. Kieran Vincent earned a promotion into the league at this event last year, when three spots were available.

  The only American to qualify for the final day was Ollie Schniederjans, who won a 6-for-1 tiebreaker in three playoff holes.

  "I want to play against the best players in the world again," said Schniederjans, a former top-ranked amateur. "I think I'm coming back to -- I'm fully healthy. I've been through a lot, and I just want to prove myself again and get that opportunity."

  Among the former LIV players who did not play well enough Friday to move on were Finland's Kalle Samooja and American wild card Hudson Swafford.

  The 20 players headed into the 36-hole final day are as follows:

  --Jack Buchanan, Australia

  --Ben Campbell, New Zealand

  --Gunn Charoenkul, Thailand

  --Brett Coletta, Australia

  --Branden Grace, South Africa

  --Jeongwoo Ham, South Korea

  --David Horsey, England

  --Taichi Kho, Hong Kong

  --Lee Chieh-Po, Taiwan

  --Daihan Lee, South Korea

  --Richard T. Lee, Canada

  --Soomin Lee, South Korea

  --Steve Lewton, England

  --Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Thailand

  --Max Rottluff, Germany

  --Ollie Schniederjans, U.S.=

  --Kieran Vincent, Zimbabwe

  --Scott Vincent, Zimbabwe

  --Borja Virto, Spain

  --Jeunghun Wang, South Korea

  --Field Level Media

The R&A is joining other major golf organizations in enacting what it calls a "fair competition policy" regarding transgender athletes.

• Last week, the LPGA and USGA announced eligibility requirements for transgender women, and the R&A followed suit Thursday. Next year, the organization said in a statement, anyone seeking to compete in "female professional and elite amateur championships organized by the R&A must have been female at birth or transitioned to female before the onset of male puberty to be eligible to compete."

  The R&A rule aligns with policies of the LPGA and USGA that also dictate that players who were assigned the male gender at birth must have a limited concentration of testosterone in their serum.

  The organization, which runs The Open Championship, said the policy doesn't apply to players in recreational competitions.

  "We have carefully reviewed the best available medical and scientific advice relating to participation in elite and scratch level golf competitions by transgender athletes and decided that updating our entry conditions to preserve fairness in our female professional and elite amateur championships is the right thing to do," R&A CEO Martin Slumbers said in a statement. "While we believe that golf should be open to all and are committed to developing the sport, we recognize that we have a duty to ensure that in our elite competitions players can compete fairly and equally."

  --Field Level Media

The Skins Game, once an annual highlight during the PGA Tour season, will be returning in 2025.

• The event will be held next Black Friday and staged by Pro Shop, a golf media company.

  The first Skins Game was played in 1983 and featured four of the game's biggest names in history: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson. The players vied for cash prizes on each hole -- also known as a "skin" -- and trash talking became a staple. Player won the first Skins Game and $170,000.

  As the contest grew through the years, so did the prizes, with Fred Couples hauling in five victories and more than $4.4 million before the final event in 2008.

  "The Skins Game embodies everything we strive for at Pro Shop -- celebrating the rich traditions of golf while creating premium experiences that resonate with today's modern audience," said Chad Mumm, the executive producer the Netflix documentary "Full Swing" and the head of Pro Shop.

  The exact format hasn't been disclosed. Neither has the location for the Skins Game, which traditionally was held in a desert location, nor who will compete and for how much in prizes.

  One PGA Tour official is happy to see the event return

  "Reimagining an iconic event like the Skins Game in a retro-modern way that engages today's sports fans is exactly why the PGA Tour has partnered with Pro Shop," said Chris Wandell, the senior vice president of media for the PGA Tour. "We look forward to seeing how the newest iteration of the Skins Game unfolds."

  --Field Level Media

Tony Finau pulled out of the Grant Thornton Invitational citing a knee injury on Tuesday, two days before the start of the combined PGA Tour/LPGA event at Naples, Fla.

• Finau was scheduled to team with women's world No. 1 Nelly Korda after the pair tied for fourth in the tournament last year. Instead, Daniel Berger will enter as an alternate to be partnered with Korda.

  "I am disappointed to have to withdraw from the Grant Thornton Invitational as I continue to recover from my knee injury," Finau said in a statement issued by the PGA Tour. "Playing with Nelly in 2023 was one of the highlights of my year. I look forward to cheering her on this week and am thankful for her support and understanding as I work on getting fully healthy."

  Finau previously withdrew from last week's Hero World Challenge in Nassau, Bahamas, due to the same ailment. Although he is rumored to be exiting the PGA Tour to join the rival LIV Golf circuit, he maintained that he was merely resting his left knee, on which he had surgery in mid-October.

  He told GolfWeek he will be "ready to rock and roll" at the PGA Tour's season-opening The Sentry event, which runs Jan. 2-5 in Lahaina, Hawaii.

  Finau, 35, is ranked No. 26 in the world. He finished in the top 10 in five events this year, topped by a tie for second at the Houston Open and a tie for third at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

  He owns six career wins on the PGA Tour, most recently the 2023 Mexico Open.

  --Field Level Media

The PGA Tour and Baycurrent Inc. announced a multi-year agreement on Wednesday that positions the Tokyo-based consulting firm as the title sponsor of the reimagined Baycurrent Classic in Japan.

• The event will relocate to Yokohama Country Club and be contested as part of the PGA TOUR's FedExCup Fall.

  "Since 2019, the PGA Tour's first and only official event in Japan has played a pivotal role in further connecting the PGA Tour and our players to the passionate golf fans of this great country," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said.

  "The pride Baycurrent holds for both its home country and the game of golf will ensure this tournament continues to make meaningful contributions to our game's growth in Japan and across Asia while showcasing the world's best to a global audience. We are also excited about the event's new home, Yokohama Country Club, one of Japan's premier golf clubs located in close proximity to Tokyo's city center."

  The PGA Tour debuted its first annually sanctioned tournament in Japan in 2019, with Tiger Woods recording a dramatic victory at the inaugural event.

  "We are thrilled to announce our title sponsorship of the Baycurrent Classic in collaboration with the PGA Tour," said Yoshiyuki Abe, Baycurrent president and representative director. "We have been fortunate to be associated with the PGA Tour's global brand for a number of years. We are confident that through golf, a sport beloved across borders, generations, and genders, we can further enhance our recognition and corporate value both domestically and internationally."

  --Field Level Media

Following arguably the most dominant year of golf since Tiger Woods was in his prime, Scottie Scheffler received the PGA Tour Player of the Year award on Tuesday night.

• It's the third straight year Scheffler has won the honor, and the World No. 1 joins Woods as the only players to win the Jack Nicklaus Award three years in a row.

  The award is determined by a vote of PGA Tour members. According to a news release, Scheffler received 91 percent of the vote, with Xander Schauffele and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy the only other nominees.

  Scheffler, 28, was the first player to win seven official PGA Tour events in a calendar year since Tiger Woods in 2007. Those victories were at some of the most prestigious events on the schedule, against some of the most elite fields.

  He became the first player to go back-to-back at The Players Championship, won his second career major title at the Masters and earned his other five wins at signature events: the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial Tournament, the Travelers Championship and the season-ending Tour Championship.

  Though not a tour event, Scheffler captured the Olympic gold medal for men's golf at the Paris Games. He also helped the United States defeat the International team at the Presidents Cup in Montreal.

  "Scottie took on challenges from the best players in the world on the biggest stages all season, and being honored as PGA Tour Player of the Year is the ultimate sign of respect from his peers," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement.

  --Field Level Media

LIV Golf has yet to officially poach a marquee name away from the PGA Tour ahead of the 2025 season, but the Iron Heads Golf Club did announce the signing of Yubin Jang, the No. 1 golfer on the Korean Tour, on Tuesday.

• Jang, 22, will join captain Kevin Na's team, which has also re-signed Danny Lee and Jinichiro Kozuma.

  Jang is a three-time winner on the Korean Tour, where he is coming off a season in which he led the tour's money list while also posting the most top-10 finishes.

  "As a promising young talent from Korea, I've been following his career for years and have had my eye on him to join the team," Na said in a statement. "The Iron Heads needed young talent like his to push our veterans, and I'm confident he has what it takes to become a world-class golfer.

  "Yubin's presence shows young Korean golfers a clear path to competing globally against the best, and with an event in Korea this year, his addition is a major boost for our team. It's an incredibly exciting time for Korean golf!"

  Iron Heads entered this year's team championship as the lowest seed, but upset the top-seeded Crusher GC en route to tying for second behind Cam Smith's Ripper GC.

  With its 2025 roster now set, the Iron Heads will begin their two-week training camp in Palm Springs, Calif., ahead of the season-opening event at LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6-8.

  "We're thrilled to re-sign Danny and Jini, who were pivotal to our strong finish last season," Iron Heads general manager Martin Kim said. "Danny is a proven winner in this league with great energy and Jini's emerging talent will be essential as we strive to become a contender at every event.

  I'm really loving our roster with the addition of our new young gun (Jang). It's going to be a fun ride next season."

  --Field Level Media

Tiger Woods and son Charlie Woods will return to the PNC Championship, the annual family team exhibition next week in Orlando, Fla.

• Despite Tiger Woods still not being "tournament sharp" as he recovers from a September back surgery, he and his son will make their fifth appearance at the PNC Championship, which is 36 holes and allows players to use golf carts.

  The father-son duo tied for fifth last year and placed second in 2021, but they've yet to win the event.

  The 15-time major champion has been noncommittal about his playing future, saying last week before his foundation's tournament that "the fire still burns to compete" but his body doesn't recover from surgery the way it once did.

  Woods turns 49 later this month.

  The PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Club features PGA and LPGA Tour stars past and present playing with a parent or child. German legend Bernhard Langer and his son Jason Langer won last year's title. They will be back this year, as well as Fiji's Vijay and his son Qass Singh, Nelly and her father Petr Korda, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam with son Will McGee and John Daly and son John Daly II.

  --Field Level Media

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia -- the money behind LIV Golf -- is nearing the acquisition of a small share of PGA Tour Enterprises, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.

• The PIF, per the report, is set to take a 6 percent ownership stake in the organization, which is the for-profit branch of the PGA Tour. The two sides have been negotiating an alliance for more than a year.

  Strategic Sports Group, a consortium made up largely of owners of pro sports franchises, already has an investment in PGA Tour Enterprises and is set to put in as much as $3 billion. Bloomberg did not pin a dollar figure on a potential PIF investment but pegged the value of PGA Tour Enterprises at about $12 billion.

  A representative of PGA Tour Enterprises declined to comment to Bloomberg.

  LIV Golf began in 2022 after the PIF invested hundreds of millions of dollars into luring big-game golfers, including Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson, away from the PGA Tour.

  Following lawsuits and countersuits, the two sides agreed to discuss an alliance -- and a way for LIV golfers to play in big PGA Tour events beyond the four majors.

  A PIF investment in PGA Tour Enterprises would be a positive step for the tour, which doesn't want to see more golfers abandon it for LIV Golf.

  Any deal would require regulatory approval.

  --Field Level Media

LIV Golf on Monday announced the 93-player field for its second-ever Promotions event, set for this Thursday through Saturday at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia.

• Branden Grace of South Africa is the most recognizable name in the field, and he'll attempt to re-qualify for the league after being relegated at the end of 2024. A 15-time winner worldwide, including one LIV event, Grace's claim to fame is as the first player to shoot a round of 62 at a major championship (2017 Open Championship).

  Other relegated golfers trying to play their way back in are Finland's Kalle Samooja and Zimbabwean brothers Kieran and Scott Vincent. Hudson Swafford, who played the LIV circuit as a wild card in 2024, will also attempt to qualify for a full-time spot.

  The three-day competition features a unique structure with 29 players earning an automatic bye into the second round. The relegated players are among those exempted into Round 2, as well as certain amateurs and the top three players from the Japan Golf Tour, Korean Tour, Sunshine Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia.

  In the first round, 64 players will play 18 holes of stroke play, and the top 20 players plus ties will advance to Round 2. They'll be joined by the 29 auto-qualifiers, scores will be reset and after another 18 holes of stroke play, the top 20 players after tiebreakers will advance to Saturday.

  With Friday's scores wiped off the board, the final day consists of 36 holes of stroke play for those 20 golfers. The winner will receive $200,000 and qualify for the 2025 season of LIV Golf.

  Additionally, the top 10 finishers plus ties will be fully exempt into the 2025 International Series sanctioned by the Asian Tour.

  "Building on our first and highly successful LIV Golf Promotions in 2023, the interest has only increased this year as one deserving player will earn the chance to compete in the LIV Golf League," LIV Golf commissioner and CEO Greg Norman said in a press release. "The strong interest underscores the significance of creating more opportunities in our global sport to ensure current and rising stars of the game can build their careers and compete at the highest level."

  --Field Level Media

With his status for the 2025 LIV Golf season up in the air, RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson told a UK golf site that he wants to play despite finishing in the relegation zone this season.

• "My dream scenario is play next year," the two-time Masters champion told Bunkered this week. "I'm the owner, if I really want to I can put myself in there. We've got to just see what's out there, what's available."

  Watson, 46, hasn't finished in the top 10 of a LIV event since May 2023 and missed the cut at this week's Saudi International on the Asian Tour, which features 41 other LIV Golf members.

  As for why LIV has yet to sign marquee players this offseason, Watson said multiple teams are competing for one player.

  "People want a lot of money. After we took the chance, we did all the stuff to make the league start, people think they're owed as well," Watson said.

  "There's a few (names) out there. There's a couple teams battling for the same person. We're looking everywhere, the best amateurs. I'm not looking just for an American. Someone who can help us going forward. I would love to see a bit more youth on my team ... we've got to make moves fast."

  Watson jokingly said that if his team were to sign Rory McIlroy, he would step aside for the four-time major champion.

  "Rory (McIlroy) might call me and say, ‘Hey man, can I have a spot?'" Watson said. "That's what I'm saying. We've got to wait and see."

  Along with Watson, Pat Perez of the 4Aces faces an uncertain future. The 48-year-old Perez, whose contract expires on Jan. 1, didn't have a top-10 finish at any 2024 event and missed the Saudi International cut at Riyadh Golf Course.

  Recent 4Aces acquisition Thomas Pieters of Belgium, 32, posted consecutive rounds of 67 and is tied for 11th at the Saudi event.

  --Field Level Media

Kevin Kisner, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, was named lead analyst for NBC Sports' golf coverage alongside commentator Dan Hicks.

• Kisner, 40, made his debut as an analyst for NBC in 2024, working in the booth for the Phoenix Open, The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

  A native of Aiken, S.C., Kisner still will maintain a limited playing schedule on the PGA Tour. He participated in 23 events in 2004 and made the cut six times, while finishing 198th in the FedEx Cup points standings.

  "I'm humbled and grateful to have the chance to sit in the seat that many legends like Johnny Miller and Paul Azinger have sat in before me on NBC," Kisner said in a release. "I'm looking forward to offering a different voice and adding a new dynamic to the broadcasts, hopefully reaching more fans and telling things like it is. That's what I think I do best."

  Kisner's most recent PGA Tour victory came in the 2021 Wyndham Championship when he bested Branden Grace, Si-woo Kim, Kevin Na, Adam Scott and Roger Sloan in a playoff.

  Kisner also earned wins at the 2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, the 2017 Dean & DeLuca Invitational and the 2015 RSM Classic. He has earned $29.3 million since first joining the tour in 2011.

  --Field Level Media

Tony Finau cleared the air Wednesday amid rumors that he was leaving the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, Golfweek reported Wednesday.

• Finau withdrew from this week's Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and was not yet registered to play at The Sentry, the 2025 season-opening event at Maui next month. That fueled false rumors that the No. 26 player in the world was leaving the PGA Tour.

  In a conversation with Golfweek, Finau said Wednesday that his absence in the Bahamas this weekend is due to a recent "standard" cleanup procedure to repair a torn meniscus and remove cartilage in his left knee. He previously had a similar issue with his right knee.

  The additional recovery time this week will indeed allow Finau, 35, to be ready for The Sentry from Jan 2-5 at Kapalua, Hawaii.

  "I'm more than happy where I'm at on the PGA Tour and looking forward to 2025," Finau told Golfweek. "When I tee it up in Maui, (the rumors) will all go away, so I don't worry about it one bit."

  In 22 events in 2024, Finau did not record a tournament victory but had one runner-up finish, five top 10s, and 15 events where he finished in the top 25. He finished the season No. 23 in the FedEx Cup standings.

  Since 2015, Finau has six tournament victories, with 11 runner-up finishes while making $43.1 million in earnings. Finau has not won a major tournament but has a top-five finish in all four majors, including third-place finishes in the 2024 U.S. Open and the 2019 Open Championship.

  --Field Level Media