Outgoing DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley says unification between between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is “inevitable”, even if it takes 10 years.

Golf’s civil war has rumbled on for two years since LIV, the big-money Saudi breakaway venture, began tempting a host of top names with lavish paydays.

“Whether it be in six months, a year, two years or 10 years, I think people are coming to the realisation that a collective product is in the best interest of global golf,” Pelley told the Sunday Times.

“It is the only way growth and prize funds continue at this level. It is inevitable.”

Rory McIlroy said recently he fears golf will remain “fractured forever” unless the opportunity to create a more global game is embraced.

The four-time major winner, initially an outspoken critic of LIV, has suggested a world tour incorporating “corporate America” and Saudi Arabian investment, but one which also elevates historic national Opens in the likes of Australia and South Africa.

“I’m very much aligned with Rory,” added Pelley.

“Rory is the player I have leant on the most, going back to the beginning. You need people who aren’t afraid to say what they really think.”

Ireland’s Shane Lowry and England’s David Skinns both shot a five-under-par 66 to share the lead heading into the final round of the Cognizant Classic.

American Austin Eckroat is alongside them on 13-under-par at the PGA National in Florida – three clear of the chasing pack.

Former Open champion Lowry is looking for his third PGA Tour victory, while Skinns is yet to finish in the top 10 on the PGA Tour.

Lowry said he enjoys the “tough golf” after rain and wind made conditions difficult.

“I like when everything is on the line a lot out there,” Lowry said.

“I feel like I just know how to play the golf course. I feel like I’ve figured it out.”

Skinns hit five birdies without a blemish while Lowry mixed six birdies with a bogey.

Among five players three shots off the pace are Scotland’s Martin Laird – who hit seven birdies in a third-round 66 – and Australian Min Woo Lee.

Rory McIlroy, who started the day tied with Lowry and Skinns, dropped six shots off the pace with a 72.

Rory McIlroy carded a four-under-par 67 for the second successive day to finish three strokes off the pace following round two of the Cognizant Classic in Florida.

Northern Irishman McIlroy is among eight players tied for sixth place, alongside Ireland’s Shane Lowry and England’s David Skinns, after hitting six birdies and two bogeys on Friday.

McIlroy said that while he “didn’t get off to the greatest of starts”, he bounced back to finish strongly.

“I think it is just one of those courses where you have just got to stay super patient, knowing that the scoring is good, but people aren’t going to get away from you here,” he said.

“I think I did a good job of staying patient until the end and that patience was rewarded.”

Lowry has also posted consecutive scores of 67, while world number 278 Skinns, who is without a top-10 finish on the PGA Tour, posted a two-under-par 69 following his opening-day 65.

Bud Cauley leads the way on 11 under par, with fellow American Austin Eckroat and South Africa’s Garrick Higgo each one shot behind.

The last time Cauley was in the top five after any round was at the 2020 PGA Championship.

Belgium’s Thomas Detry is in last position – 11 over par – after he six-putted the 461-yard par-four sixth hole from 57 feet, despite knocking his first effort to eight feet.

The 31-year-old finished with a quadruple bogey and the most putts on one hole on the PGA Tour in four years.

Rory McIlroy hit five birdies as he opened the Cognizant Classic in Florida with a four-under-par 67.

A bogey on the 17th was the only blemish on McIlroy’s card as he finished three strokes off the pace on a day of favourable conditions at PGA National.

American Chad Ramey and South Korea’s SH Kim shared the opening-day lead with seven-under-par 64s – one clear of a group which included England’s David Skinns.

“It was so benign,” said McIlroy. “You’re not going to get this course much easier.”

Skinns, the world number 278 and without a top-10 finish on the PGA Tour, had a putt on his last hole for a seventh birdie and a share of the lead.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry was alongside McIlroy on four-under-par, part of a large group which also includes Sweden’s Alex Noren and France’s Victor Perez – the best placed of the final two groups who were unable to complete the final hole due to darkness.

England’s Harry Hall and Ben Taylor, Scotland’s Martin Laird and Austrian Ryder Cup star Sepp Straka were among an even larger group on three-under-par, which included American Daniel Berger who has recently returned to the tour after a 19-month injury lay-off.

Among those a short further back were Robert MacIntyre, who was among those yet to finish, and Justin Rose, whose 69 was highlighted by a par on the 13th after his tee shot came to rest against a mesh out of bounds fence.

Rory McIlroy has suggested there is a chance he could leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf.

McIlroy took a strident position against the big-money Saudi venture, which tempted a host of top names with lavish paydays and disrupted the established order of the PGA and European Tours.

But the world number two – who even claimed last summer that he would “rather retire” than become a LIV rebel – has softened his stance in recent months as Europe Ryder Cup team-mates Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton have made the switch from the PGA Tour.

McIlroy’s former agent Chubby Chandler has claimed the Northern Irishman could make a shock move to LIV Golf – and the four-time major champion did not completely dismiss the idea ahead of the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens.

Chandler put a potential switch at 10 per cent and, asked at a pre-tournament press conference whether he would put a percentage on him joining LIV Golf, McIlroy replied: “Somewhere in the middle maybe. Who knows?

“I think he’s writing a book, so there is that. I spoke to Chubby, I might have seen him in the Middle East at the start of the year.

“Never know. He might know a few things. Who knows?”

McIlroy began his 2024 campaign by finishing second to Tommy Fleetwood at the Dubai Invitational and then winning the Dubai Desert Classic for a record fourth time.

But it has not been plain sailing for the 34-year-old since returning to the PGA Tour this month.

McIlroy finished tied 66th at the rain-ruined AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and had a share for 24th at the Genesis Invitational.

“I feel like Pebble, the weather disrupted it and the courses were super soft,” said Florida resident McIlroy, who held off Tiger Woods at this event in 2012 to win and claim the world number one spot for the first time.

“I won the pro-am portion, so I guess it wasn’t all bad.

“And then Riv (Riviera Country Club) was pretty good. I made a mess of 15 and 16 on the first day but apart from that, I felt like I played some pretty good golf.

“I feel like my game is in pretty good shape. You know, it’s nice to stay at home this week and feel a little more I guess relaxed in the surroundings.”

On what he defines as a successful season, McIlroy, a 24-time PGA Tour winner, added: “I guess it comes down to wins and season-long titles and major championships.

“I can’t sit here and say that the last 10 seasons haven’t been successful because I haven’t won a major.

“But at the same time, I recognize that whenever all is said and done I’m going to be judged on those tournaments a lot.

“Hopefully among other things as well but, yeah, winning is always good. The more wins you can get the better.”

European captain Suzann Pettersen has named four vice-captains for the 2024 Solheim Cup, which sees England’s Mel Reid join the backroom team.

Dame Laura Davies, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Norwegian Caroline Martens were all part of the set-up for last year’s clash against the United States in Andalusia, which saw Europe retain the trophy after a thrilling 14-14 tie.

Reid was previously a vice-captain in 2019 and made four appearances as a player for Europe, winning seven-and-a-half points.

Pettersen feels she has pulled together a strong support group for when Europe face the US again at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia from September 13 to 15.

“With just over six months to go until the competition, I am thrilled to be able to name my backroom team for the 2024 Solheim Cup,” said Pettersen.

“After last year’s success, why change a winning team? I am excited to be able to have the same team by my side, but also with the great addition of Mel.

“It was a very natural choice for me and the rest of the team to bring Mel in alongside us in a vice-captaincy role. She has an immense passion and head for the Solheim Cup.

“She has the experience both from her time as a player and also being a vice-captain during the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. She is all over this task and we’re excited for her to join us.”

Reid, a six-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, is relishing the challenges ahead.

“Everyone knows how much the Solheim Cup means to me and how much I love being part of it and Team Europe. It brings out passion and shows the best of what golf has to offer,” the 36-year-old said.

“Being a vice-captain back in 2019 gave me a different perspective and it made me hungrier to be on the Solheim Cup team in 2021. It was what I needed at the time, and it was a huge honour to do that.

“What the team did in Spain last year was amazing and I am excited to be able to join Suzann, Caroline, Laura and Anna on this journey as we prepare to go for more history at the 2024 Solheim Cup in the US.”

As a former Masters champion, Danny Willett will definitely be at Augusta National for the first major of the year.

Whether he is there just to sample the delights of Jon Rahm’s menu for the champions dinner or swinging a golf club in anger is less certain as he battles to regain full fitness following shoulder surgery.

Willett looked set to challenge for a second BMW PGA Championship title in September when he covered his first 12 holes in six under par, only to aggravate a shoulder tear after hitting his tee shot on the 15th.

The 2019 champion played through the pain barrier and completed all 72 holes at Wentworth but underwent surgery the following week and faces a race against time to compete at Augusta, where he won in dramatic style in 2016.

“The surgery went really well, I’m back hitting balls right now but Augusta is six weeks away. It’ll be very, very close,” Willett told the PA news agency at the launch of Prostate Cancer UK’s fundraising challenge, The Big Golf Race.

“It’s been a long time rehabbing it just to get it up to strength to be able to take the capacity and the load that it needs to. We’ll know more when we start practising in America as to how we’re getting on.

“The beauty of potentially playing [the Masters] is the fact that I know the golf course that well I’m probably not going to be slogging around 18 holes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in practice rounds.

“I’ll be able to take it a little bit easier but I also don’t want to go there and just make up the numbers.”

Willett had been managing his shoulder problem for several months before it flared up at Wentworth and the extent of the damage was only discovered when he went under the knife.

“We thought there was one tear and when the surgeon went in he realised there were two tears and a good bit of damage around the cartilage and a few cysts he had to clear out,” Willett said.

“It’s a pretty intrusive surgery and it was a bit scary when I first came out and I could barely lift my own hand. You wonder if you’ve done the right thing but now it feels pretty good.

“Ultimately I’m only 36 so I’ve still got a hell of a long time left in my career, so to have this time out now will hopefully mean I can come back and prolong my career and have another good 10 or 15 years at it.”

Willett is now into his fourth year of supporting Prostate Cancer UK’s fundraising efforts and raised £38,000 as host of the British Masters for two years as title sponsors Betfred donated £1,000 for every birdie he made.

The 36-year-old admits it was “staggering” to learn that prostate cancer affects one in eight men in the UK and is backing this year’s The Big Golf Race, which challenges golfers to play 36, 72 or even 100 holes in a day.

“It’s a great charity to support,” Willett said. “As men, if something’s not right or we don’t feel well, very rarely do we go and get it sorted so it was about making people aware to go and get checked.

“One of my old England coaches Steve Rolley was diagnosed and fortunately they got it early enough and he’s now fine. It’s amazing how many people it has affected that you know, but how little information there was out there about it.”

::: Danny Willett is supporting Prostate Cancer UK’s golf fundraising challenge, The Big Golf Race, which is calling on golfers to take on 36, 72 or 100 holes in a day to raise money and help save men’s lives. To sign up, visit prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/activity/golf/the-big-golf-race

Rookie Jake Knapp held on to claim his maiden PGA Tour title, despite seeing his four-shot overnight lead wiped out early in the final round of the Mexico Open.

The 29-year-old American’s level-par 71 was enough to hold off the challenge of Finland’s Sami Valimaki, who hit a closing 69 to finish two shots back.

Knapp saw his four-shot buffer halved as he bogeyed two of the first three holes, Valimaki moving within one with a birdie on the fourth.

The Finn eagled the short par four seventh to draw level as Knapp claimed his first birdie of the day.

He added just one more on the 14th, but Valimaki had dropped three shots by then and could not close the gap again.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre finished six shots back in a tie for sixth after a closing 69, but England’s Matt Wallace – who shared the halfway lead – slipped to tied 33rd with a 74.

Knapp’s win earns him a place at the US Masters, PGA Championship and the five signature events remaining on the PGA Tour.

Rookie Jake Knapp made 11 birdies to take the third-round lead in the Mexico Open as Matt Wallace’s challenge faded away.

Knapp had seven birdies as he carded a 63 to move to 19-under-par at Vidanta, four clear of fellow PGA Tour newcomer Sami Valimaki of Finland.

The American opened with a pair of birdies and added five more in six holes to reach the turn in 28.

Wallace had started the day alongside Knapp in a four-way tie for the lead, but the Englishman could only manage a level par 71 to finish the day eight strokes off the pace.

He was joined at 11-under par by Scotland’s Robert MacIntrye, who shot a 65 with four birdies topped off by an eagle at the 18th.

Canada’s Ben Silverman, Sweden’s Henrik Norlander and Chan Kim were on 12-under-par, completing a top five without a win on the PGA Tour.

Matt Wallace added a second round 65 to his opening 66 to take a share of the halfway lead in the Mexico Open.

The Englishman played his last nine holes in 30, including an eagle three at the sixth hole in between a pair of birdies, as he moved to 11-under-par.

He is joined by Finland’s Sami Valimaki, who shot 67, American Jake Knapp and Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz, who both carded a 64.

They are one shot ahead of the first-round leader Erik van Rooyen from South Africa, who added a 69 to his opening 63 thanks to a pair of late birdies.

There is then a two-shot gap back to American duo Andrew Novak and Mark Hubbard with defending champion Tony Finau among an 18-strong group five strokes off the pace.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre moved to five-under-par with a 66, one ahead of England’s Aaron Rai and Irish veteran Padraig Harrington.

Golfing great Tiger Woods survived a potentially lethal car accident in California, on this day in 2021.

Woods was recovering from back surgery and had been travelling alone at 7am local time when his SUV veered off the road at high speed, colliding with the centre kerb and a tree before rolling several times at the road side.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva reported that the incident would have been fatal if not for the interior unit of the vehicle, which remained intact and shielded Woods from the worst of the damage.

The 15-time major winner was found conscious and communicative at the scene, but still suffered multiple injuries and required an emergency operation at the nearby Harbor UCLA Medical Centre.

Woods later revealed the extent of the injuries to his right leg, which needed to be stabilised with a metal rod, screws and pins, and admitted amputation had been “on the table”.

He remained in hospital for three weeks before being released to continue rehabilitation at home in Florida and was inundated by public messages of support. He went on to thank fellow PGA Tour members for their acts of solidarity, which included several high profile players taking to the course in his trademark Sunday red.

Initially wheelchair bound, he later began walking with crutches but ruled out a full-time return to competitive golf during his first public press conference later that year.

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“After my back fusion, I had to climb Mount Everest one more time. This time around, I don’t think I’ll have the body to climb Mount Everest and that’s OK,” he said.

“I can still participate in the game of golf. But as far as climbing the mountain again and getting all the way to the top, I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation of me.”

Nine months after his accident he competed at the PNC Championship alongside son Charlie. Woods set his sights on appearing at the 2022 Masters in Augusta and took the field for his big comeback.

Despite talking up his chances of a barely believable victory at the tournament, making the cut and finishing 47th on Sunday evening represented a significant success.

Tiger Woods’ son Charlie endured a testing round to finish 16-over as his hopes of qualifying for next week’s Cognizant Classic came up short.

The 15-year-old took part in Thursday’s pre-qualifier at Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, which is one of four pre-qualifying sites for the upcoming PGA Tour event.

Approximately 25 players and ties will advance to the full qualifier on Monday February 26, from which four players will earn places in the Cognizant Classic, which runs from February 29 to March 3 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens.

Charlie Woods, though, did not make the top five at Lost Lake, where he had teed off at 7:39am local time and was accompanied to the course by his mother, Elin Nordegren.

Competing in a twosome alongside Olin Browne Junior, Woods – carrying a tiger-striped headcover like his father often keeps in his golf bag – struggled at points during his round on the par-70 course.

After making par on the opening hole and then a double-bogey seven on the par-five fifth, it was the seventh which would prove most costly, where the teenager made a 12.

Although he did not produce a birdie, Woods managed 11 pars in total, including a run from the eighth to 13th as well as the final two holes to finish on 86.

Charlie Woods has competed in the last four editions of the PNC Championship alongside his father, who was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational last week due to illness.

Charlie also took part in last year’s Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, with his father acting as his caddie, and finished tied for 17th in the boys 14-15 division.

Tiger Woods’ son Charlie will attempt to qualifying for next week’s Cognizant Classic, PGA Tour officials have revealed.

The 15-year-old will compete in Thursday’s pre-qualifier at Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, which is one of four pre-qualifying sites.

Approximately 25 players and ties will advance to the full qualifier on Monday, February 26, from which four players will earn places in the Cognizant Classic from February 29 – March 3 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens.

The tournament has a prize fund of £7.1million and boasts a field which includes the likes of Rory McIlroy and Ryder Cup team-mates Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Charlie Woods has competed in the last four editions of the PNC Championship alongside his father, who was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational last week due to illness.

Charlie also competed in last year’s Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, with his father acting as his caddie, and finished tied for 17th in the boys 14-15 division.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama fired a stunning final round of 62 to win the Genesis Invitational and secure his ninth PGA Tour title.

Matsuyama carded nine birdies at Riviera Country Club to finish 17 under par, overturning a six-shot deficit to overnight leader Patrick Cantlay to claim his first win in two years.

The former Masters champion birdied his first three holes in a front nine of 32 and started the back nine with another hat-trick of gains to move into a five-way tie for the lead.

But the best was yet to come as the former world number two – who had slipped to 55th in the rankings – hit his approach to the 15th to eight inches, his tee shot on the next even closer and also birdied the 17th to effectively seal victory with several groups still out on the course.

“I wasn’t striking the ball really well but my chipping and putting was working a lot this week, especially the second shot on 15 was one of the best I had. That really helped,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter.

“I think it’s really important for me to keep this momentum, especially going to Augusta, so hopefully I can keep that.”

Will Zalatoris and Luke List shared second place on 14 under par, List having held a two-shot lead on 16 under after racing to the turn in 30, only to struggle home in 38.

Zalatoris carded four birdies and two bogeys in his closing 69, while 54-hole leader Cantlay could only manage a final round of 72, which included a birdie from 50 feet on the 18th.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood finished in a tie for 10th after a closing 67, with Rory McIlroy joint 24th following a final round of 70.

“I think that I’m close. I’m not quite where I want to be,” McIlroy told CBS.

“It’s one of these courses where you know that precision is so important and putting your ball in the right areas and if you’re just slightly off your weaknesses sort of get magnified this week.”

Tiger Woods is said to be feeling “much, much better” after the 48-year-old was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational in California due to suffering flu-like symptoms.

The 15-time major champion, tournament host this week, returned to the PGA Tour on Thursday, finishing his opening round at the Riviera Country Club on one-over par.

But the American could not back that up a day later as he withdrew after six holes due to illness.

Rob McNamara, executive vice president of TGR Ventures, told PGATour.com Woods had started feeling flu-like symptoms on Thursday night.

“He had a little bit of a fever and was better during the warm-up, but then when he got out there and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy,” McNamara said.

“Ultimately the doctors are saying he’s got some – potentially some type of flu and that he was dehydrated. He’s been treated with an IV bag and he’s doing much, much better and he’ll be released on his own here soon.”

Woods is still adapting to ankle fusion surgery, having undergone treatment in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round and he did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December.

He had suffered from a back spasm towards the end of his first round, shanking his second shot on the 18th from the fairway over into the trees on the right, eventually sinking a two-putt bogey to make a five.

Woods started in fine form on Friday, producing a birdie on the first, but back-to-back bogeys arrived from the fourth and he called it a day after a third par on the sixth left him one over for his round.

He was driven back to the locker room by a rules official.

Following Friday’s play, it was also announced that Jordan Spieth was disqualified for signing for an incorrect scorecard.

In a statement on X, the PGA Tour said: “Jordan Spieth has been disqualified from The Genesis Invitational for signing for an incorrect scorecard.

“Spieth signed for a 3 and made a 4 on No. 4.”

American Patrick Cantlay takes a five-shot lead into the weekend at 13 under, while Rory McIlroy fights to beat the cut after following up Thursday’s 74 with a flawless 66.

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