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Good Monday morning, golf fans, as the Hero World Challenge field release has got people chattering about a possible Tiger return.

1. Hero field announced. A spot open for Tiger?

Golf Digest’s Tod Leonard…”Tiger Woods announced the field for the 2023 Hero World Challenge on Monday, and at the end of the impressive list that includes eight of the top-10 ranked players in the world was “TBA tournament exemption.” Could that spot be for the tournament host himself?”

• “It would seem to be a possibility, though Woods has not indicated anything yet. He hasn’t played in a tournament since April’s Masters, after which he underwent ankle surgery. Speculation about Woods possibly playing at the Hero in the Bahamas, Nov. 30-Dec. 3, heated up when he was videotaped hitting a shot on The Hay course at Pebble Beach while he hosted his TGR Jr. Invitational.”

2. Brooks takes aim at Wolff again

GolfWRX staff report…”Brooks Koepka has been enjoying plenty of individual success this year, but when it comes to the team aspect of LIV, the 5-time major champ clearly feels let down by one individual.”

• “Earlier this year, Brooks hit the headlines for tearing into his LIV teammate Matt Wolf, saying he had “given up on him” and questioning his work ethic.”

• “Wolff since responded, calling the criticism “heartbreaking”, and over the weekend, Brooks made it clear that he was still firmly unimpressed by the 24-year-old, failing to even acknowledge him when speaking to reporters about the team:”

• “There’s only three of us on our team. I mean, obviously, I’m pretty tight with my brother, and I’ve been pretty close with Jay for maybe the last three years. I’ve enjoyed being around him. He’s a good player, super talented. It’s been fun to be around him, and he’s played pretty solidly this year. Yeah, I can’t say anything bad about him.”

3. LIV OWGR point battle not over?

ESPN’s Bob Harig…”the biggest reason LIV’s bid has so far failed: it is considered a closed shop. The avenues on and off the league are not believed sufficient by the OWGR. LIV has plans to “relegate” four players to the Asian Tour—Chase Koepka, Jed Morgan, Sihwan Kim and James Piot—with three advancing from a Promotions event (or Q School) and a fourth coming via the top player from the International Series (who right now is Andy Ogletree). The four players who finished outside of the top 44 in season-long points can also participate in the Promotions event, to be played in December but not officially announced.”

• “But the league has no weekly qualifying and has a number of “contracted” players who cannot be dropped.”

• “Simply put, the board committee does not believe it is equitable to thousands of players who strive every day to get starts in OWGR eligible tournaments to have a tour operate in this mostly closed fashion,” Dawson wrote.”

• “This is fair point and one that appears fixable if LIV is willing to make the changes and the OWGR signs off on them. In fact, Dawson said that LIV could resubmit its application. LIV Golf has previously said it has offered to alter its format but wants to know what will and won’t pass muster. Without that guidance, it seems, the League doesn’t want to make a change, only to be denied anyway.”

• “That would suggest its time for both parties to come together and figure it out: if LIV is willing to change, then be serious about change; if Dawson and the OWGR are really at odds with the idea that there are several LIV players not properly ranked because they can’t earn points, then it needs to offer LIV a specific path to compliance.”

4. Angel Yin’s inspiration

Audrey Vick for Golf Channel…”Following her triumph at Qizhong Garden Golf Club, Yin spoke of a change in mindset, particularly with her emotions on the golf course where the long-hitting Yin is normally the opposite of her bubbly personality off the course.”

• “Where Inkster comes in is some advice Yin’s former Solheim Cup captain has given her in the past.”

• “I’ve been speaking to Juli Inkster about it. I don’t really feel much emotions on the golf course,” Yin explained. “She was like, ‘No, that’s not good. I want you to get mad again.’ I got a lot of emotions and I think started doing again and I started playing well. That helped me a lot, to be able to be expressive and not just flat lining on the golf course.

• “Growing up everyone taught me to be stone faced, no emotions, poker face. I don’t think that fits me. What fitting me right now is I’m doing to express myself.”

5. RIP Ivor Robson

Ben Parson’s for Bunkered…”Ivor Robson, the former voice of The Open, has died aged 83.”

• A legendary and much-loved figure in golf, Robson was the official starter at The Open for 41 years before retiring at St Andrews in 2015.

• Robson sent the world’s best players on their way in golf’s oldest major for over four decades – from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, from Arnold Palmer to Seve Ballesteros and from Tom Watson to Rory McIlroy.

6. Spikemark struggles continue

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Spikemark’s big rankings reveal is delayed.”

• “The NCAA’s new scoring and rankings partner was slated to roll out its first rankings for Divisions I, II and III, men’s and women’s, on Oct. 15, but that deadline came and went with coaches around the country receiving no explanation.”

• “Crickets,” texted two different D-I coaches when asked Monday morning if they’d heard from Spikemark or the NCAA. Several other D-I coaches shared something similar with Golf Channel.

• “Spikemark’s debut has been widely considered disastrous, as the company, founded by former UCLA coach Derek Freeman, has fallen short in many areas since being announced as the replacement to longstanding Golfstat in July. Its live-scoring product malfunctioned on Day 1 and remains down. Its website also experienced a cyber-attack at the start of the fall season and still lacks many of the features it promised when handed the NCAA contract.”

7. Pennsylvania University adds women’s golf as a varsity sport

Todd Kelly for Golfweek…”More opportunities in women’s college golf have opened up.”

• On Monday, Saint Joseph’s University, located in Philadelphia, announced the addition of women’s golf as a varsity sport for the Hawks. The team will begin competing fall of 2024.

• “We are extremely excited to announce the addition of one of the most popular sports for high school girls and college women with the addition of women’s golf,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Jill Bodensteiner said in a post on the university’s website. “During my time on Hawk Hill, I have had more inquiries about starting a women’s golf program than any other sport. I am delighted to offer additional participation opportunities for female student-athletes to receive a Jesuit education at this great institution.”