OPTUM GOLF CHANNEL GAMES
By design, the Optum Golf Channel Games never stopped moving on Wednesday night, under the lights at Trump National Jupiter, where Scottie Scheffler’s team edged Rory McIlroy’s squad by the slimmest of margins.
Follow Clanton through Tuesday of the GC Games
Follow Luke Clanton from the leadup to and through Tuesday at the Golf Channel Games, where he had his first production meeting, shared his thoughts on playing with Scottie Scheffler, tried some lefty shots and more.
Up Next
Scottie Scheffler nipped Rory McIlroy in a playoff to win the inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games. See how the event played out in Jupiter, Florida.
CHALLENGE EXPLAINERS
-
Power and precision takes center stage in the first competition of the Golf Channel Games, where each team will go head-to-head driving six balls to earn points.
-
Poise and precision take center stage in the second competition of the Golf Channel Games, where each team will go head-to-head chipping and pitching before racing to the green to show off their putting skills.
-
Teamwork and speed will be the name of the game during the third competition of the Golf Channel Games, an exciting team relay.
-
Competition 4 of the Golf Channel Games features a 14-Club Challenge, where strategy meets skill as players get one shot with one club to get as close to the pin as they can, earning points in the process.
-
The Captain’s Challenge of the Golf Channel Games features Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy going head-to-head hitting 10 shots from various locations to gain the most points.
TEAM SCHEFFLER
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler leads a team of four Americans against Rory McIlroy’s international squad.
Keegan Bradley, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, will team with three other Americans against Rory McIlroy’s international team.
Burns, a five-time PGA Tour winner, is part of captain Scottie Scheffler’s team at the Optum Golf Channel Games.
Clanton, a former world No. 1 amateur, is part of captain Scottie Scheffler’s team at the Optum Golf Channel Games.
TEAM MCILROY
World No. 2 McIlroy leads a team of four international players against Scottie Scheffler’s American squad.
Donald, the two-time winning European Ryder Cup captain, will be part of Rory McIlroy’s international team.
Lowry, who sealed the Ryder Cup for Europe, will join good friend Rory McIlroy as part of the international team.
Li, a four-time DP World Tour winner from China, is part of Rory McIlroy’s international team.
MORE NEWS
Davis Riley’s second shot to the par-5 18th, his ninth hole in Round 1 of the Sony Open in Hawaii, was headed way left, until bounding off the grandstands and into eagle range on the green.
Keegan Bradley, J.J. Spaun, and Ben Griffin spoke to the Golf Channel ahead of the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club.
Under the terms of the Returning Member Program, Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champ, would’ve also been eligible for immediate reinstatement to the PGA Tour, in hindsight, had he accepted a lucrative LIV offer two years ago.
Tiger Woods turned 50 years old on Dec. 30. Here’s how he celebrated the occasion.
First-round tee times, groupings and how to watch the PGA Tour’s season debut at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
With Woods’ backing, the Tour took a major step in unifying the sport again by creating the Returning Member Program and welcoming back Koepka.
Russell Henley will win 2026’s first tournament, the oddsmakers predict. And if Henley falls short in Honolulu this week, then bettors should look to back a pair of major winners in Hideki Matsuyama and J.J. Spaun.
DeChambeau said during Tuesday’s LIV Golf preview day that he was contracted through 2026 with the Saudi-backed tour and that while he can’t predict the future beyond that, he would not be joining the PGA Tour this year.
Billy Horschel is no stranger to sitting outside the top 50 rankings when the calendar flips. Two years ago, he went from No. 63 in the world in January to Open Championship runner-up that summer.
Jordan Spieth’s last trip through Waialae Country Club saw the Texas native tie for a first-round lead before posting six bogeys and missing the cut. The former world No. 1 sits outside the top 50 after missing fall events.