Latest news with #Whan
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
At Oakmont, Mike Whan doubles down on golf ball rollback: 'We're full-speed ahead'
At Oakmont, Mike Whan doubles down on golf ball rollback: 'We're full-speed ahead' Mike Whan made it clear that despite resistance from the PGA Tour and equipment manufacturers, the governing body is moving forward. With the U.S. Open returning to Oakmont Country Club this week, USGA CEO Mike Whan made it clear that despite resistance from the PGA Tour and equipment manufacturers, the governing body is moving forward with its plans to roll back golf ball performance beginning in 2028. Speaking Wednesday during a pre-tournament press conference, Whan acknowledged the anxiety and controversy surrounding the USGA and R&A's distance-reducing protocols — but he also emphasized the industry needs to take a long-term view. 'We're full-speed ahead on what we've announced,' Whan said. 'Those decisions have been made.' The goal, Whan reiterated, is not to take anything away from the game now but to slow the pace of distance gains that have steadily reshaped men's professional and elite amateur golf over the past decades. 'I get this isn't easy, and everybody has got their own constituents.' What said. 'As an industry, we have to be able to make small adjustments that are in the best interest of the game long-term, that we all know would be better 40 years from now if we were smart enough to make them today.' What's actually changing — and why it matters Starting in January 2028, golf ball manufacturers will have to design their balls to comply with new testing parameters under the Overall Distance Standard (ODS). Instead of testing at a clubhead speed of 120 mph, with a launch angle of 10 degrees and spin rate around 2,520 rpm, the new protocol, the test robot will swing a titanium test club at 125 mph, create an 11-degree launch angle and 2,200 rpm of spin. Under the 2028 testing guidelines, nearly all of today's premium golf balls would be non-conforming, so manufacturers will need to create new balls before 2028 that are slower or produce less distance in order to be deemed conforming and legal for play. To ease the transition, amateur golfers won't be held to the new rules until January 2030, allowing manufacturers and retailers time to adjust stock. Pushback from the pros Since the plan was announced in December, 2023, the idea of changing how golf balls are tested and mandating the use of reduced-distance golf balls has drawn criticism from several corners of the golf world. The PGA Tour, which initially supported a previous version of the rollback under a Model Local Rule, has seemed to reverse course and has not publicly endorsed the finalized rule. Golfweek's Adam Schupak spoke in March with PGA Tour player Brian Harman, who is a member of the tour's Player Advisory Board, and he said, 'I think it's a bad idea. I can't get on board. There are so many more steps we can take to mitigate distance with golf course setup, driver set up before you force companies to R&D a bunch of things.' Whan, who previously served as commissioner of the LPGA Tour and who was an executive vice president with TaylorMade, didn't downplay the tensions involved. But he said discussions between governing bodies and stakeholders have been productive. 'I'm encouraged by the collaborative nature of the discussions,' he said. 'Not everybody will like it. It'll be high anxiety until we get there. But nobody is going to die. The game is going to be great.' A move for the future Whan was asked directly whether the USGA would move ahead with the rollback even if professional tours and ball manufacturers don't support it. His answer left little room for ambiguity. 'This is our job as governance,' Whan said. 'We don't have the same conflicts and contracts and biases. And it's not a fun one.' Whan referenced conversations he's had with Jack Nicklaus, a longtime proponent of rolling back distance in golf. While Nicklaus recently said he'd be willing to 'freeze' current performance levels rather than roll them back, Whan suggested the USGA's plan essentially accomplishes that — just over a longer time frame. 'If you want to keep the distance where it is today, this action that we're talking about is essentially that,' Whan said. 'Maybe in 10 or 15 years, it will feel like the growth of that curve is pretty slow as opposed to the pace we're dealing with today.' Holding the line At its core, Whan said, the USGA's motivation isn't about nostalgia or pleasing any one constituency. It's about taking the long view, even if the benefits won't be obvious for a decade or more. 'We'll be handing [future generations] something we could have made small adjustments on,' Whan said. 'And we will.' The first U.S. Open where the rollback would take effect is expected to be in 2028 — at Pebble Beach, one of the shortest courses on the current major championship rotation. For Whan, the message is clear: The rollback is coming, and the USGA isn't waiting for everyone to agree.
Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
USGA commissioner on golf ball rollback: ‘We're full speed ahead'
USGA CEO Mike Whan speaks to the media prior to the 125th US Open. PHOTO: AFP OAKMONT – Despite opposition from professional players, USGA commissioner Mike Whan said on June 11 that the governing body is 'full speed ahead' on its plan to 'roll back' the golf ball. Whan spoke with reporters at Oakmont Country Club ahead of the first round of the US Open on June 12. Forthcoming equipment regulations were one of the chief topics he addressed. In December 2023, the USGA and R&A announced they will change the speed standard they use to test golf balls beginning in January 2028. The changes will 'only minimally' affect the recreational golfer starting in 2030, they said at the time. The PGA Tour and PGA of America opposed the move, but Whan said that recent 'stakeholder meetings' at The Players Championship and the Masters left him feeling encouraged. 'I get this isn't easy and everybody has got their own constituents,' he said. 'I'll just say what I said yesterday again, as an industry we have to be able to make small adjustments that are in the best interest of the game long-term, that we all know would be better 40 years from now if we were smart enough to make them today. 'We'll make those. Not everybody will like it. But nobody is going to die. The game is going to be great. We're full speed ahead on what we've announced. Those decisions have been made.' Asked if the USGA and R&A have a Plan B, Whan countered: 'We've announced our plan.' Ultimately, the goal is to decrease a player's driving distance, which leaders have agreed is necessary for the long-health of the game. For now, golf ball manufacturers are in the research and development phase and submitting prototypes to the governing bodies. Whan said the USGA will 'stay open-minded' to new data that could change its position – in short, that the current chase for distance off the tee is not sustainable for the future of golf – but it has yet to encounter such data. Whan and USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer covered a number of other issues, including: – The rough this week at Oakmont will be a bit longer than five inches, and dense. Players practising on the course have had trouble simply punching the ball out of the rough at all. 'We have plenty of spotters, but no guarantees we won't lose a golf ball or two, but we're going to do everything we possibly can not to do so,' Bodenhamer said. 'But we feel good about that. As I said, I think the rough, players that drive the ball in the fairway will have an advantage, no question about it.' Oakmont long has been considered the toughest test of championship golf in the US, and Whan said of the 1,385 golfers who have played a Major championship at Oakmont, 27 finished under par after four days – less than 2 perccent. 'Frankly, we give the players all of – we're pretty transparent,' Whan said. 'We show them what our plans are for green speeds, rough height, everything, our cutting document. We think that's the right thing to do.' – Phil Mickelson has been transparent about the likelihood that this week could mark his final US Open. He was granted a special exemption into the 2021 US Open, but rendered that moot when he won the PGA Championship at 50 years old, assuring himself of invitations into the next five US Opens. That runs out this week in Pennsylvania. Bodenhamer did not rule out the idea that the USGA would grant Mickelson a special exemption again next year. 'It's like anything; we would review things for Shinnecock ahead of next year and look at all of those possibilities and evaluate it from there,' he said. 'I think the way that we would also think of Phil is we hope he earns his way in, and I think he'd tell you the same thing.' Mickelson has won six Major tournaments, with only the US Open eluding him. He has finished second or tied for second six times at the event. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
NBC Sports
12-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Plan B? No, the USGA is moving forward with ball roll back
Ahead of the U.S. Open, Fred Perpall, Mike Whan and John Bodenhamer of the USGA address weather concerns, the "dense" rough at Oakmont, why drivers fail testing, the USGA's next media rights deal and more. OAKMONT, Pa. – Mike Whan is one of golf's most dynamic and engaging leaders as the USGA's CEO. He's also one of the game's most verbose executives, which makes his response Wednesday to a follow-up question regarding the association's plan to roll back the ball the ultimate tell. 'Is there a plan B?' a member of the media asked regarding a possible plan for the USGA to pivot if resistance to the roll back continues to mount. 'We've announced our plan,' Whan said simply. The not-so-subtle message was that the USGA and R&A intend to forge ahead with the roll back, which will begin in 2028 for elite professionals and 2030 for recreational players. 'We've given manufacturers dates that we know they're working on. They're submitting prototypes and have R&D efforts,' Whan said. 'I guess would you say, set in stone? Could we come across something that would make us feel like our decision needs to be altered? Could. We're definitely going to stay open-minded to that. But we have yet to see anything that would suggest that.' While some in the industry, specifically the PGA of America, have pushed back on the roll back, Whan is confident the move is the right decision for the long-term health of the game. 'Listen, I get this isn't easy and everybody has got their own constituents. As an industry, we have to be able to make small adjustments that are in the best interest of the game long-term, that we all know would be better 40 years from now if we were smart enough to make them today,' Whan said. 'We'll make those. Not everybody will like it. It'll be high anxiety until we get there. But nobody is going to die. The game is going to be great.'
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
2025 U.S. Open: Complete Record-Matching $21.5M Prize Purse by Place
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. While speaking on the eve of the 125th U.S. Open, United States Golf Association (USGA) CEO Mike Whan officially revealed that the event's purse will be $21.5 million, with $4.3 million going to the winner. This is the same amount allocated for the 2024 edition, tying the record for the largest purse distributed at any major championship in history. "Our purse is $21.5 million. Winner's check is $4.3 [million]. We didn't raise our purse this year," Whan said. "When I started at the USGA just four years ago, our purse was $12.5 [million], so I feel comfortable that we've been a leader in moving fast and bigger." The U.S. Open Trophy seen at Oakmont Country Club on May 4, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Open Trophy seen at Oakmont Country Club on May 4, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images As for the winner's paycheck, it ranks as the second-highest for an individual professional golf event, behind only the $4.5 million awarded to the winner of the PGA Tour's PLAYERS Championship. It's certainly come a long way since the $150 Horace Rawlins received for winning the event's foundational edition in 1895. The US Open winner's paycheck reached $1,000 for the first time in 1929, but the winner was the legendary Bobby Jones, who didn't collect the prize money because he played as an amateur. The $10,000 barrier was broken in 1959, when Billy Casper received $12,000 for his victory. Just 26 years later, the $100,000 barrier was surpassed, as Andy North received $103,000 when he won in 1985. It couldn't be anyone but Tiger Woods who was the first to receive $1 million for winning the US Open, which he did with his epic victory in 2000. US Open prize money payout This is how the 2025 US Open purse will be distributed. The amounts may vary depending on ties: 1 $4,300,000 2 $2,322,000 3 $1,445,062 4 $1,013,040 5 $843,765 6 $748,154 7 $674,491 8 $604,086 9 $546,720 10 $502,174 11 $458,280 12 $423,729 13 $394,829 14 $364,407 15 $338,332 16 $316,602 17 $299,218 18 $281,834 19 $264,450 20 $247,067 21 $232,073 22 $217,080 23 $202,521 24 $189,048 25 $177,314 26 $167,319 27 $159,713 28 $152,977 29 $146,458 30 $139,939 31 $133,420 32 $126,901 33 $120,382 34 $114,515 35 $109,735 36 $104,954 37 $100,391 38 $96,045 39 $91,699 40 $87,353 41 $83,007 42 $78,661 43 $74,315 44 $69,969 45 $65,623 46 $61,712 47 $57,801 48 $54,107 49 $51,934 50 $49,761 51 $48,457 52 $47,370 53 $46,501 54 $46,067 55 $45,632 56 $45,197 57 $44,763 58 $44,328 59 $43,894 60 $43,459 61 $43,024 62 $42,590 63 $42,155 64 $41,721 65 $41,286 66 $40,851 67 $40,417 68 $39,982 69 $39,548 70 $39,113 More Golf: Scottie Scheffler reveals Venmo payments from fans, requests for cash
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
USGA says no driver worry despite Scheffler, McIlroy test failures
The USGA has no concerns over rules compliance at this week's US Open despite Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy's drivers failing tests last month, CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday. Scheffler and McIlroy's clubs were found non-compliant ahead of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. World number one Scheffler went on to win the title, but McIlroy finished tied for 47th and has been struggling to find a replacement. McIlroy was upset that news of his driver test leaked to the public but other results, like Scheffler's, did not. "I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this 'incredible' advantage, we would change the degree in which we test," said US Golf Association boss Whan. "If we saw a trend that was alarming in terms of either how many or how far they were moving beyond, we would change the way we approach it. But with what we're seeing... the juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze." The testing measures the time a ball spends on a driver club face and that typically grows with wear and use. "In terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town," Whan said. "When you talk about a rules violation or somebody who's playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality." There will be testing this week ahead of the 125th US Open at Oakmont, but it is the least of players' worries compared to the sloped, lightning-fast greens and thick rough on the iconic layout. The rough is already to the point where they are worrying about lost balls. "We have plenty of spotters," USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said. "No guarantees we won't lose a golf ball or two, but we're going to do everything we possibly can not to do so." This year's purse will be the same as last year's payout, the USGA announced, at $21.5 million overall with $4.3 million to the winner. Crowds of about 40,000 people a day are expected during the tournament. Whan also said he met on Tuesday with golf stakeholders such as manufacturers about USGA ball rule changes to pull back distance, saying: "I'm encouraged by the collaborative nature of the discussions." Whan, a member of the official world golf rankings board, said he was unaware of Saudi-backed LIV Golf submitting a new plan to have its events earn ranking points. "I know there has been dialogue with LIV about the concept of resubmitting," Whan said. "But I don't think that has happened." js/iwd/jc
