This week’s edition recaps the top stories from the past couple weeks in golf. Including confirmed rules changes for the 2026, Tiger turning 50 & Rory back in the news.
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📘 PGA Tour Rule Changes for 2026
The PGA Tour has confirmed six rule changes that will apply from the start of the 2026 season. Each of the six updates is broken out below across the newsletter.
1. Ball Moves Without Player Knowing
If a player causes their ball to move but was genuinely unaware it moved, the penalty is reduced from two strokes to one. The ruling is based on what the player reasonably knew at the time.
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2. Free Relief From Another Player’s Pitch Mark
In 2026, players will be allowed to take free relief if their ball finishes in any unrepaired pitch mark in a fairway, not just their own. This change removes a ruling that was often difficult to judge consistently.
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🐅 Tiger’s 300-Guest Birthday Bash
Tiger Woods will mark his 50th birthday with a 300-guest celebration on January 14 at The Breakers in Palm Beach. The event will feature a Jon Bon Jovi performance, a Masters-inspired dinner, and a “touch of red” dress code, while also launching the TGR Foundation’s 30th anniversary campaign.
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3. Internal Out of Bounds Limited to Tee Shots
In 2026, players will only be subject to internal out of bounds for strokes played from the teeing area. Once the ball is in play, those same boundaries will no longer restrict recovery shots.
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⛳️ Akshay Bhatia Turns Down LIV Move
Akshay Bhatia has turned down a lucrative offer to join LIV Golf and will remain on the PGA Tour in 2026. The 23-year-old, two-time Tour winner has reached the Tour Championship in each of the past two seasons and currently sits inside the top 50 in the world, choosing stability over the ongoing movement between tours.
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4. Extra Relief Near Greens From Immovable Obstructions
In 2026, players will be able to receive relief when immovable obstructions near the putting green interfere with their line of play from the apron or fringe, subject to committee adoption.
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🔁 LIV Adds Detry and Smylie Ahead of 2026
LIV Golf is set to sign Thomas Detry and Elvis Smylie ahead of the 2026 season, according to reports from The Times. Detry, the 2025 WM Phoenix Open winner, is expected to join Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC, while Smylie is likely headed to Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC. The moves continue LIV’s offseason activity as it prepares to launch a new four-day, 72-hole format next month in Saudi Arabia.
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5. Damaged Clubs Can Be Repaired or Rebuilt Mid Round
In 2026, players will be allowed to repair or replace a significantly damaged club during a round using spare components carried in the bag, provided the damage was not caused by abuse.
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🗣️ Rory on Bryson and a PGA Tour Return
Rory McIlroy says he would be open to LIV players returning to the PGA Tour, including Bryson DeChambeau, arguing that golf needs its best players competing against each other more often. While acknowledging LIV has elevated the majors and Ryder Cup, McIlroy believes the sport risks losing relevance without regular head to head competition, adding that any return would ultimately be a decision for the PGA Tour membership as a whole.
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6. Preferred Lies Relief Area Reduced
In 2026, players will be required to place the ball within a scorecard length when preferred lies are in effect, rather than a full club length.
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That’s a wrap on this week’s issue.
Got a moment, meme, or story we should include next time? Hit reply and drop it in — we read every one.
– Team Zire
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