For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we inch closer towards the holiday season.

1. Augusta National says it won’t ban LIV Golf players from 2023 Masters

Golf Digest’s Christopher Powers…”Augusta National announced Tuesday that it will not ban LIV Golf members from the 2023 Masters tournament.”

• “In a statement, Augusta National and Masters chairman Fred Ridley wrote that, “Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it.” However, while Ridley said he was “disappointed” in these developments, “our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers.”

• “Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament,” Ridley said. “As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April.”

2. An upcoming Ryder Cup locale?

Jamie Hall for Bunkered…“An English country estate has launched ambitious plans to host the Ryder Cup in 2031 or 2035. Proposals have been lodged with Central Bedfordshire Council to build a championship course at Luton Hoo with the aim of bringing the biennial clash back to the country for the first time in three decades.”

• “The estate’s owner Arora Group believes the venue could become a regular stop on the DP World Tour, according to Luton Today.”

3. Lavner: LIV has been good for PGA Tour

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Yes, it stings not to have Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau teeing it up in Tour events for the foreseeable future, but LIV’s disruption forced a steady but stale product to adapt. The best players are about to get generationally wealthy (if they aren’t already). A top-70 cutoff should lead to a more competitive and cutthroat conclusion to the regular season. And while next year’s schedule is a step in the right direction – elevated events with guaranteed top fields and $20 million purses, with the fall used solely for status qualifiers – 2024 should be even more streamlined as the Tour seeks to build on its strategic alliance with the DP World Tour. The Tour’s stated mission has been to create playing opportunities for its membership, but it’s simply bad business to treat Tiger Woods and Tyler Duncan the same. The Tour has finally begun catering to the biggest names, and that can only mean good things for the product in the future.”

It’s that time of year, GolfWRXers, when we take a backward glance at some of the best content published over the past 12 months.

• As 2023 approaches, we’re counting down the 10 most-read equipment stories of the year on GolfWRX. And after much internal discussion and impassioned debate (read: my editorial whims), we’ve decided to include WITB articles in the list.

• A few inclusions…10. TOUR REPORT: This dominant PGA pro is using hybrids (and irons) from 11 years ago…9. Best driver 2022: Most forgiving driver…8. Best fairway woods of 2022: By expert club fitters for you!

• Hit the link for the rest.

5. Rules controversies of the year

Assembled by Christopher Powers for Golf Digest…

• One of the most notable…

• “’You’re wrong’: Berger, Hovland and Dahmen get into spat at Players”

• “The situation: During the weather-delayed Monday final round of the Players Championship, Daniel Berger’s second shot on the par-5 16th hole at TPC Sawgrass was so wayward that he said “water ball” almost immediately after impact. That’s when things got real testy, real fast. Berger believed his golf ball had started left of the flag stick on the 16th green, therefore crossing land up near the putting surface, where he thought he was going to drop and have a decent chance at an up-and-down par save. His playing partner, Viktor Hovland, disagreed about the line and dropping it that close to the green in an all-time #protectthefield moment. Joel Dahmen, the third member of the group, sided with Hovland, both of them believing the ball had crossed land much further back than Berger had thought.”

• “To be honest with you, I’m not really OK with [the drop] being up there,” Hovland said. “That’s not really what I saw.”

• “The result: Given Dahmen and Hovland were in agreement, Berger decided to drop farther back than he thought he should (he could have played two balls or dropped from where he thought it last crossed, but may have run the risk of being DQ’d after the round if it was determined that was the wrong spot). “It’s a bad drop, that’s all I’m saying,” said Berger, who later added “you know what, I’m going to drop here for the sake of you guys, but you’re wrong.”

6. Millionaires abound

Tod Leonard for Golf Digest…”It’s inarguable. This year, there was more talk about money in professional golf than at any time in the sport’s history. It was a conversation thrust upon us by the arrival of Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf, whose investment of $750 million in its first year of existence changed the way that tours and fans viewed the value of the game’s top players—as well as those who are closer to a cushy retirement than they are contending in major championships.”

• “The dollar signs for LIV Golf were pretty staggering. Beyond the many millions numerous players are guaranteed simply to show up at events, those who performed the best earned incredible amounts. Dustin Johnson led all LIV check cashers with $35.6 million in eight starts, including an $18 million bonus for winning the season-long individual points title. Branden Grace was second by making a combined $16.6 million.”

• “The lowest earner among those who played at least seven LIV events? South Africa’s Shaun Norris, a 40-year-old one-time DP World Tour winner who made $1,006,000, good for 52nd place in the LIV money standings, in seven appearances.”

7. What the players think on LIV players in Masters

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Ahead of ANGC Chairman Fred Ridley’s announcement, Golfweek asked more than a dozen players, including past champions Jordan Spieth (2015) and Trevor Immelman (2008), whether LIV golfers should be allowed to play in the Masters. Here are their answers.”

• Trevor Immelman…“If they have qualified via various criteria, yes. It is an invitational though so the Masters can decide on its own criteria.”

• Justin Thomas…“If they’ve qualified, if they’re good enough. I don’t think it’s just a pity invite. DJ, Cam Smith, P Reed, Charl, they’ve earned it and they definitely deserve to play.”

• Xander Schauffele…“If they’ve qualified, I don’t see why they shouldn’t be allowed to.”

• Jim Furyk…“I’m definitely going to take the high road on this. It’s their tournament and at any private club you can invite who you want to join. In this case, it’s their tournament, their club, they started it and they can invite who they want. It’ll be interesting. They are the first major of the year and that will set a precedent, for sure.”

8. Six-year-old golf prodigy signs NIL deal with bag manufacturer

Our Jason Daniels…”Much has been written about the attention placed on Charlie’s shoulders at such a young age, something the 15-time major champ is keen to protect against, so imagine his thoughts at the news that a six-year-old golfer now has a NIL deal. Yes, SIX YEARS OLD!”

• Golf gear company Sunday Golf recently held a press conference showcasing Patton Green with his father Matt, discussing the revelation that the golf phenom has signed the Name-Image-Likeness deal, making this the youngest such partnership in sports history.

• Despite his tender years, Patton has already accumulated several titles, including the 2022 Southern California State Champion for Six and Under alongside nine other first-place finishes in competitive tournaments.

9. Bryson on Augusta’s decision