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M9: PIF chair being sued | On forgiveness and Grayson Murray | American Express photos

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as next up on the PGA Tour is the American Express.

1. PIF chair being sued

Adam Crafton for the Athletic…”Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the chairman of Newcastle United and LIV Golf, faces being sued for allegedly “having carried out the instructions” of the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), with “the malicious intent” of “harming, silencing and ultimately destroying” the family of the country’s former intelligence chief, Dr Saad Aljabri.”

  • “The claims are made in legal papers that were dispatched to Al-Rumayyan at multiple high-profile locations — including St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s home stadium, during the second week of January.”
  • “Al-Rumayyan is the governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the state’s sovereign wealth fund that acquired an 80 per cent stake in the English Premier League club Newcastle United in October 2021.”
Full piece.

2. On forgiveness and Grayson Murray

Golf Digest’s Joel Beall…”In a vacuum, it has the makings of a redemption narrative. Addiction issues are a beast so many battle in the shadows, and to do it on a public stage—and to come out the other side—is not only admirable but inspirational. Quick as sports fans are to judge, they are also happy to forgive, especially those who are contrite. Couple these serious affairs with the notion that golf loves its players who are able to return from a stay in the wilderness, Murray has all the makings of a tale worth rooting for.”

  • “In that same breath, it’s fair to wonder if Murray truly is a changed man. Did he find religion, did he find stability … or is he simply off social media, his abrasive, divisive and conspiratorial thoughts no longer amplified? It’s also easy to seem at peace after victory; will he still be the same guy we saw in Hawaii if he begins to miss cuts?”
  • “These are questions for Murray, but really they’re for us, those who watch this sport from close and afar. For all of its beauties, golf does not do well when things are not black-and-white, and you better believe Murray is painted in gray. And the short answer is, there is no universal answer, and that’s alright. We can admire the strength it takes to rebuild one’s life the way Murray has and hope that he can be a force of good while still being skeptical of how his life is lived. Or Murray can truly be clean yet still have a habit of making things a mess. These are not conflicting ideologies or mutually exclusive, for us or him. It’s OK to forgive, and it’s OK not to forget.”
Full piece.

3. Brutal DQ

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”According to a KFT media official – and first reported by Monday Q Info – Lyras teed off on No. 10 to begin his opening round at Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club. He hit his drive, and then his next shot found the water – or so Lyras thought. He dropped another ball, only for one of his playing competitors, who was closer to the green, to find Lyras’ original ball in play.”

  • “So, Lyras picked up the dropped ball and would eventually make bogey with his first ball.”
  • “Later on his first nine, Lyras realized he’d made a mistake, and a rules official was first notified, per the media official, with Lyras’ group walking to the 18th hole, their ninth of the day.”
  • “Initially, the rules official was unsure of the penalty, but after getting clarification, Lyras was disqualified because he didn’t play out the hole with his substituted ball, which was in play once he dropped it, and didn’t correct his mistake before teeing off on the next hole.”
Full piece.

4. Sergio doesn’t like Rory’s LIV take

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking on the “Stick to Football” podcast, Rory McIlroy suggested that LIV could become the “IPL of golf”.”

  • “To me, what I would LIV love to turn into is almost the IPL of golf”, McIlroy said.
  • “IPL in cricket – they take two months off the calendar. You’ve got four weeks in May and four weeks in November and you do this team stuff and it’s a bit different, a different format.
  • “If they were to do something like that, I’d be like ‘yeah, that sounds like fun’ because at least you’re working within the ecosystem. It’s not like the Saudis in football are trying to take over the entire sport, where the Saudis exposed some of the flaws in the structure of professional golf.”
  • “They’ve been able to completely disrupt our game with that money so it exposed some of those flaws so hopefully we can put our heads together and think about what is best for the game going forward.”
Full piece.

5. RTR

PGATour.com staff…“In an Instagram story posted by Justin Thomas on Monday, Burns is seen with “RTR” shaved into the hair on the side of his head.”

  • “I love your new haircut @samburns66,” wrote Thomas. “For sure didn’t lose a bet and did it on your own RTR.”
Full Piece.

6. Niemann hits out at ‘unfair’ OWGR

John Turnbull for Bunkered…”Chile’s Joaquin Niemann played twice in November, winning the ISPS Handa Australian Open in the process, and returns for another crack at rankings points in Dubai this week.”

  • “The 25-year-old, who is now ranked 70th in the Official Golf World Rankings (OWGR), has turned his attention to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, amid frustrations over an ‘unfair’ ranking system.
  • “It is pretty unfair right now what the world rankings shows,” Niemann told the Mirror.
  • “It says the top 100 players in the world right now, but I don’t think this is the right ranking…I am going to Dubai for the DP World [Tour] just because of [ranking] points and to try and get into the Masters.”
Full Piece.
7. Photos from The American Express

  • Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!
Full Piece.

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Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is wondering how many birdies other players have had in a round while still failing to break par. @Lalan45, unfortunately, asked the question after a unique experience of their own.

They wrote:

“Today I managed 8 birdies but still shot even par, could have been a round to remember! What’s the most birdies you’ve made in a round and still didn’t break par?”

Our members in the forum shared their own experiences with successful rounds that still resulted in a score over par. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • kwcsports: “I’ve had 5 a few times, still shot 80+ haha.”
  • jda: “I played a course for the first time, had 8 birdies, 9 doubles and an eagle. The infamous no-par round. I kept the scorecard. Every shot had a creek that I did not know about, or I was within 8-10 feet for a birdie look. To this day, I have no idea if I should be really jacked up or mad about that performance.”
  • jvincent: “I think my record is either 5 or 6. Probably shot 75.”
  • Instron4204: “3 birdies and shot a 92…man I suck!”

Entire Thread: “Most Birdies Without Breaking Par.”

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Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is asking for thoughts on the best stock shafts offered in 2026. Stock shafts are the shafts included with a club when it’s purchased from retailers or OEMs.

@DTorres asked:

The last couple years has seen a lot of updates and additions to no upcharge stock shafts, which do you think is the best offering in 2026?

Im a bit of a shaft nerd and recently during my Members Testing with the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond I found the updated Project X Denali Frost Black to be a fantastic stock shaft. I absolutely did not mesh well with the original Denali. Just curious what other people think are the current best Stock shaft offerings out with new models and stock Ventus options and LinQ options popping up here and there.

We were given the option for any stock shafts for our members review. I went with the 70g Black Frost 6.5 because it’s a shaft I don’t have, it’s an updated version of the original Denali and hear little about. I typically use a Diamana WB, GD VF or a HOF Raptor. I’m not saying it was neck and neck with any of those but it was a pleasant surprise I’m not accustomed to in stock shaft offerings.

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own thoughts on the best stock shafts available in 2026. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • rsballer10: “IMO – MCA Ka’ili White Darkwave, Tensei 1k Black/white, UST Lin-Q White. People are free to spend their money however they see fit, but for me personally the shaft catalogs these days have enough options that I don’t see the value of a $400 upcharge. I have never had a problem finding a no upcharge shaft that fits the bend profile and weight that I need. Whether the paint job is good enough or not is above my pay scale.”
  • bcflyguy1: “Project X Titan Black. I’ve had one in 60TX in my Quantum TD Max for several weeks now. Have to give Titlieist their flowers for finding a way to make it available as a featured option; very shrewd bit of business and one that I suspect will be duplicated by the other companies. TT/PX have a certified banger on their hands with Titan.”
  • CTG77: “Undoubtedly, it’s the Tensei 1K RIP shafts from Titleist. The Tensei line gives about 98% of the performance of a Ventus VeloCore+ shaft at a tiny fraction of the cost if you’re looking for a blue or red profile. The white is not an exact match for Ventus Black, but it’s closer to it than the non-VeloCore+ Ventus shafts that come from Callaway or formerly came from TaylorMade.”

Entire Thread: “Best current stock shaft 2026.”

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GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

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A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down. 

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

 

  • GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

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