This Week in Golf: A global feast awaits as stars set to dazzle across tours this week
In the spotlight at LIV Golf – Hong Kong, Dubai residents Adrian Meronk (Cleeks GC) and Anirban Lahiri (Crushers GC) will tee it up at the historic Hong Kong Golf Club. Meronk, currently leading the LIV Golf 2025 Standings, is riding high after his triumph in Riyadh last month.
However, with Jon Rahm (Legion XIII) and Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC) hot on his heels, the competition is sure to be fierce as players chase the $25 million purse.
Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour, the legendary Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill promises another thrilling chapter. With $20 million on the line and the world's best players vying for the title, expect fireworks in Orlando.
The DP World Tour makes a stop in Johannesburg for the Joburg Open, while veterans of the game battle it out in Arizona at the PGA Champions Tour's Cologuard Classic.
On the women's circuit, the LPGA heads to China for the Blue Bay LPGA, where elite talent will compete at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course, and the LET's Australian WPGA Championship offers rising stars a chance to shine.
The next generation of talent will also be in action on the Korn Ferry Tour, as hopefuls fight for career-changing opportunities at the Astara Chile Classic in Santiago.
With world-class golf being played on nearly every continent, this week is a testament to the sport's global appeal. Wherever you are, there's a tournament worth following—if you can find it on TV!
Golf Tournaments This Week (March 6-9, 2025)
PGA Tour – Arnold Palmer Invitational
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Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Joaquin Niemann becomes the voice of LIV Golf's fight for World Ranking Points
The divisions in golf's most contrasting viewpoints have rarely been more evident, and now Joaquin Niemann has stepped firmly into the spotlight to address these differing perspectives. The 26-year-old LIV Golf standout has been on a roll in 2025, winning nearly half of his starts and emerging as one of the game's most dominant players. Yet in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Niemann sits at a distant No. 103, a number he believes says more about politics than his performance. Recommended For You 'I feel like the ranking system is not up to me, it's up to them,' Niemann said at last week's LIV Golf Chicago. 'I'm expecting they're going to do the right thing for golf.' In short, Niemann is saying that he trusts the golf authorities will make fair decisions that protect the integrity of the sport and ensure healthy competition, even though those choices could impact his own ranking and career. From Niemann's perspective, awarding world ranking points to LIV Golf events is important, although it has not yet led to a step towards the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Because LIV events don't currently count toward the rankings, Niemann's only ranking points this year have come from a tie for third place at an Asian Tour event and an eighth-place finish at the PGA Championship. Stark disparity The disparity is stark: five victories in 11 LIV events, yet a world ranking that keeps him well outside the sport's elite on paper. It's a gulf that frustrates many LIV players, not least because it affects eligibility for majors and other marquee events. Still, Niemann says chasing points isn't what drives him. 'It's not something I think about to tell myself in the mirror, 'Joaco, you are No. 5,'' he said. 'I'm just here to do my best, make as many birdies as possible, and make the crowd enjoy us playing golf around the world.' The individual race in LIV's inaugural 2025 season remains alive, with Jon Rahm still capable of catching Niemann over the final two events. Rahm, another high-profile figure in the OWGR debate, has suggested that format tweaks, such as adding a fourth round or introducing a cut, could help LIV's case. For now, Niemann is not lobbying for structural change; he's lobbying for recognition. With his record, he believes the argument is already made, and that the next move belongs to golf's power brokers. 'Do the right thing,' he says. 'For the good of the game.' By the Numbers: Joaquin Niemann vs. the OWGR (Same as graphic) 2025 Season (LIV & select other events) LIV Golf events played: 11 LIV Golf victories: 5 Top-5 finishes: 8 Total tournaments worldwide: 15 Worldwide wins: 5 LIV win percentage: 45% Current OWGR position: No. 103 Highest career OWGR position: No. 15 Most recent OWGR points earned: 3rd place at Asian Tour event (Feb 2025) Major performance this year: T8 at PGA Championship, MC at final two majors
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's Rayhan Thomas falls victim to shock admin error on PGA Korn Ferry Tour
Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas saw his hopes dashed at the $1 million Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Woodhouse last week, not by his game, but by a stunning administrative error. The 25-year-old, who turned professional in June 2024 and represents Dubai Creek Resort and Dubai Golf, had been allocated the first reserve spot for the Korn Ferry Tour event at Indian Creek Golf Club in Nebraska. His father, John, even flew in from Dubai to watch him compete. Thomas waited patiently all Thursday, hoping for a last-minute withdrawal to open the door. It never came - or so it seemed. Ironically, four players did pull out, but only after they had begun their first rounds. Phone Call Brings Shock News Then came the twist. On the drive back to his U.S. base in Oklahoma, Thomas's phone rang nonstop. When he picked up, he learned the truth: a clerical error had cost him his place in the field. South African MJ Daffue, who should have been listed as an alternate, was wrongly entered ahead of Thomas due to a ranking category misallocation. Daffue, 36, had earlier played the ISCO Championship on the PGA Tour under a medical exemption, which had expired. His ranking shifted to the Korn Ferry Tour, but a category reshuffle placed him higher than he was eligible for. Thomas, ranked 107th, should have taken the final available spot. Instead, Daffue played and finished tied 39th with rounds of 67, 66, 73, and 72, earning $5,100 and moving up to 107th in the standings. Speaking to Khaleej Times from the U.S., Thomas said: 'Apparently, I will receive some spots as part of the compensation for the error. I am now placed 113 in the Points table. We will see how those conversations go along with my management. Staying Focused Amid Setback 'It is obviously disappointing and one of those things that is unfortunate and out of my hands. Every week, at this time of the season, is very important. I will focus on my golf and, if I play well, everything will take care of itself.' His father was equally pragmatic: 'Rayhan needs to make the top 75 to make the Finals and retain his full card - he has four events left before the Korn Ferry Championship, and if he does well, none of this will matter. He is a strong lad, and let's hope so.' This week, Thomas is confirmed as an entry for the $1 million Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron in Idaho. With the top 20 in the Korn Ferry Rankings at season's end earning PGA Tour cards for 2026, the stakes couldn't be higher. Good luck to Rayhan, and let's hope this is a season-defining moment in a positive sense for him. He deserves it. For the records, South African Christo Lamprech, won the tournament, earning $180,000 with rounds of 67, 67, 65 and 66 for a 72-hole total of 265, to be 19 under par. He moves up to 10th place in the Korn Ferry Rankings. We thank Monday Q for their cooperation with this article.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
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LIV Golf standings explained: The winners, losers, and what's next after Chicago
Dean Burmester (Stingers GC) took the spotlight at LIV Golf Chicago, held at Bolingbrook Golf Club, winning both the individual title and helping his Stingers GC teammates, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, and Branden Grace, claim the team crown. Burmester, who was born in Zimbabwe but represents South Africa in golf, secured his second individual title of the season with a birdie on the first playoff hole against Jon Rahm and Josele Ballester. In a separate playoff, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace each birdied the 18th to seal the team victory over Torque GC. Chicago marked the penultimate regular-season event for LIV Golf. Next week brings the LIV Golf Indianapolis tournament, followed by the LIV Golf Team Championship in Michigan. In the season-long individual standings, Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann will take a 12.27-point lead over Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm into Indianapolis, the regular-season finale that will decide the Individual Championship. Niemann and Rahm are the only players still in contention. Niemann sits on 208.43 points after tying for 17th in Chicago, while Rahm, now on 196.16 points, closed the gap with his tie for second. Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau (140.74 points) is holding onto third, the final bonus-paying spot, but could still be overtaken by Burmester, Smash GC's Talor Gooch, or 4Aces GC's Patrick Reed. Points for LIV Golf events are awarded as follows: winner 40, second 30, third 24, scaling down to one point for places 21st–24th. While Niemann remains favourite, Rahm, still chasing his first individual title of the season, cannot be counted out. The season-long prize fund for the top three is $18 million, $12 million, and $4 million, respectively, making every shot in Indianapolis crucial. The LIV Golf Zones Lock Zone (Top 24): Dubai-based Adrian Meronk (Cleeks GC) and Anirban Lahiri (Crushers GC) sit in 19th and 23rd place. Tyrrell Hatton (Legion XIII) has slipped to 25th. Drop Zone (49th and below): Mito Pereira (Torque GC), Andy Ogletree (HyFlyers GC), Ian Poulter (Majestics GC), Yubin Jang (Iron Heads GC), and Frederick Kjettrup (Cleeks GC) are in danger of relegation — a career-defining prospect. With just 54 holes left in the regular season, the pressure is at its peak. Team Standings After Chicago: Stingers GC's win in Chicago makes them only the fifth different team to win this season. Legion XIII has four wins, Crushers GC and Fireballs GC have three each, and Ripper GC has one.
