• Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour has discussed a major change that could alter the landscape of professional golf
    Business Insider

    Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour has discussed a major change that could alter the landscape of professional golf

    World No. 8 Rory McIlroy believes that big changes could be on the way for professional golf. Appearing on the "No Laying Up" golf podcast, McIlroy said that "discussions have taken place" regarding a merger between the US-based PGA Tour and the England-based European Tour, the top two professional golf circuits in the world. Both tours hold weekly tournaments and are in a constant battle for ratings and marquee players. "To have all these tours competing against each other, and having to change dates, it's counter-productive," McIlroy said. "I think everyone has to come together." Professional golfers are independent contractors, meaning they get to choose where and when they play. Most of the

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  • Matthew Euro Solheim captain in native Scotland
    Golf Channel

    Matthew Euro Solheim captain in native Scotland

    Catriona Matthew will lead the European Solheim Cup team when the 2019 matches are staged in her native Scotland, the Ladies European Tour announced on Thursday. Matthew, 48, is one of the best European Solheim Cup players ever, ranking third in European victories by an individual. She is 18-11-8, a record bettered only by Annika Sorenstam (22-11-4) and Laura Davies (22-18-6). Matthew is the only Scot to win a women’s major. She won the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2009, one of her four LPGA titles and six LET titles. “It’s a great honor and a dream come true to be the captain at home in Scotland,” Matthew said in a statement. “Scotland will provide the perfect stage for the 2019 Solheim Cup

  • How to enjoy yourself in the NFL’s rapidly emptying stadiums
    Golf Digest

    How to enjoy yourself in the NFL’s rapidly emptying stadiums

    Generally speaking, you can expect stadiums to be jam-packed full of teeming and gross humanity: Cheering, screaming, singing throngs of people who have gathered together to pay $75 for parking and sit in four hours of endless postgame gridlock to enjoy the communal experience of things like rooting for the Cleveland Browns, I guess. What happens when you find yourself in a stadium that’s mostly empty, because the team is hot garbage, because they got bounced out of the playoff race, because they play football in Los Angeles, because you elected to buy Indiana football season tickets for some reason? It’s an eerie feeling, sitting in a place designed for tens of thousands and being surrounded by a couple hundreds, with every whistle, boo and call echoing off the empty seats.