This Week in Golf: LIV Golf returns in Mexico, PGA Tour at AT&T Pebble Beach

Congratulations to Frenchman Pavon on winning the Farmers Insurance Open to become the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour since World War II

By Nick Tarratt / Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer

Published: Tue 30 Jan 2024, 4:27 PM

The LIV Golf season kicks off in Mexico this week with the $25 million LIV Golf Mayakoba in Mexico.

All the talk at the moment seems to be about who will be joining LIV Golf and who perhaps will not be. A Friday start this week for the 54-hole shotgun format – and there is still a lot of buzz over confirmation of the Teams etc.

Let’s hope all the noise can very soon be all about what is happening on the golf course – not what is happening off the golf course.

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Another big tournament takes place on the PGA Tour with the $20 million AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am – a Signature event with enhanced prize money and 700 FedEx Cup Points to the winner.

This column would not be complete without sending our congratulations to Matthieu Pavon (France) on winning the recent Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour with a Saturday finish that moved him up to number 34 in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR)

Pavon earned his playing privileges on the PGA Tour by finishing eighth on the 2022 – 2023 Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour. He becomes the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour since World War II.

Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard was second – just one shot back. It just shows the quality at the top of the DP World Tour – they are all ready to win on the PGA Tour and anywhere in the world.

The DP World Tour hops over the water to Bahrain, just over a one-hour flight from Dubai - for the $2.5 million Bahrain Championship at the Royal Club – with their fourth event in this region after two in Dubai and last week’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Golf currently seems to be focusing on FedEx Cup Rankings and Race to Dubai Rankings. Let’s hope the Official World Golf Ranking points can be aligned appropriately with the best players competing all over the world – so it becomes so much more relevant for the good of the game.

Schedule

LIV Golf

Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th February, 2024

LIV Golf Mayakoba

Venue: El Camaleon Golf Course, Mexico

Purse: $25 million

PGA Tour

Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th February, 2024

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Venue: Pebble Beach & Spyglass Hill.

Purse: $20 million

DP World Tour