6 articles
AP's July 19, 2026 close-call report plus current R&A TIO guidance and Open local rules checked July 22 show Scottie Scheffler's relief at Royal Birkdale was allowed, which is exactly why the rule now feels too generous.
The USGA's July 1, 2026 clarification update replaced Model Local Rule M-4 for players using wheeled mobility devices. It is a small but meaningful example of golf writing a rule around reality instead of pretending every lie is equally playable.
The June 17, 2026 rollback reset is more than a delay. It is a pretty direct admission that golf's attempt to protect the one-ball ideal while barely touching elite distance was not solving enough.
Current June 17, 2026 reporting on a joint statement from the USGA, The R&A, PGA Tour, and DP World Tour shows the phased rollback plan is out, no ball change starts before 2030, and alternative distance ideas are back on the table.
The new $10 million purse and 34-hour TV plan for the 2026 AIG Women's Open is not charity or symbolism. It is what a serious major championship is supposed to look like.
The R&A and AIG announced on April 28 that the 2026 AIG Women's Open will carry a $10 million purse and expanded broadcast windows, pushing the major to 34 live hours across four days.