Tiger Woods never did it. Neither did Jack Nicklaus, even before The Players Championship found its home in a former swamp now known as the TPC Sawgrass. This is the 50th edition of the PGA Tour's premier championship, and no one has ever defended his title.
Patrick Reed has not missed a major since he first became eligible for them at the 2014 Masters, a streak that now is in peril with the PGA Championship two months away. The PGA of America sent out its first batch of invitations, and Reed was not on the list. Joaquin Niemann received an invitation, having won the Australian Open and posting two other top-5 finishes in European tour-sanctioned events, along with a LIV victory.
In commemoration of its 50th Anniversary, THE PLAYERS Championship has revealed its military appreciation plans, aiming to pay tribute to the active-duty service members and veterans in Northeast Florida
Rory McIlroy is offering another proposal to golf's fractured landscape, suggesting that players need to give up their status as independent contractors unless they want to go back to competing for prize funds from 10 years ago. “Look at other sports — they can guarantee who is playing and where,” McIlroy told The Telegraph ahead of the Dubai Invitational.