Opinion - Golf News

Iona Stephen would love to see Charley Hull play the social media poster who claimed he could finish in the top 20 on the LPGA every week.

Iona Stephen: “It’s laughable that a male amateur thinks he could compete on the LPGA!”

Written by Iona Stephen on Friday 15 September 2023

In her exclusive Today’s Golfer column, broadcaster and professional golfer Iona Stephen questions the social media trolls who criticize the quality of the LET and LPGA. I’d love to watch Charley Hull take apart the man who claimed he’d make every cut and be one of the best players on the LPGA. It would be outstanding entertainment. For those who haven’t seen...

Iona Stephen believes Europe will win their third successive Solheim Cup.

Iona Stephen: “Europe will complete the Solheim Cup threepeat”

Written by Iona Stephen on Monday 18 September 2023

Before hopping on the plane to the Solheim Cup, TG columnist and Sky Sports golf broadcaster Iona Stephen gives her insight on the biennial match between Europe and the USA and how she sees the 2023 clash going. It’s going to be an epic couple of weeks for golf with the Solheim and Ryder Cups being played just days apart for...

Iona Stephen shares her views ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup

Iona Stephen: “It’s time for Europe to seek Ryder Cup revenge”

Written by Iona Stephen on Monday 25 September 2023

TG columnist and Sky Sports golf broadcaster Iona Stephen shares her view on all the key talking points ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. Straight after watching Team Europe retain the Solheim Cup, I’m hot-footing it to the airport in Spain and heading to Italy for my first Ryder Cup. It’s like a fortnight sent from the golfing gods! I’m...

Iona Stephen has welcomed the potential end of division in the men's golf game.

Iona Stephen: “The Tours’ futures and histories were at risk and that would have been a tragedy”

Written by Iona Stephen on Thursday 22 June 2023

In her exclusive monthly column, Iona Stephen expresses her relief that the divide in men’s golf appears to be over with news of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the PIF, and questions how it will impact the women’s game. The broadcaster and former pro also reflects on Rory’s US Open disappointment, analyses the value of inexperience after another first-time...

Iona Stephen: Is a golf ball rollback what we need in the game right now?

Written by Iona Stephen on Thursday 20 July 2023

In her exclusive monthly column, Iona Stephen examines the pros and cons of a proposed golf ball rollback, and suggests some alternative courses of action. There has been many a hot debate in golf recently, often revolving around the LIV breakaway tour and more recently the merger of the PGA, DPWT and LIV. But let’s park that topic and focus on...

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston tells us about his journey back from injury and when he'll be making his return to the DP World Tour.

Beef: “I didn’t know if I’d ever play golf again”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Wednesday 11 October 2023

In the first of his guest columns, Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston tells us the impact of his long-term hand injury, how he feared for his career, and how he’ll be changing his approach when he returns to the DP World Tour in November. When John Robins beat me in a match on his YouTube channel last year, he and TG’s digital editor...

Jon Rahm has joined LIV Golf and Keith Pelley is leaving his role as Chief Executive, but Iona Stephen believes the DP World Tour's future remains bright.

Iona Stephen: “Loss of Pelley and star names is a blow, but DP World Tour’s future remains bright”

Written by Iona Stephen on Tuesday 6 February 2024

Iona Stephen explains why she’s excited about the DP World Tour’s future despite Chief Executive Keith Pelley’s resignation and players departing for LIV and the PGA Tour. Understandably there is some concern about the future of the DP World Tour after a tough couple of months. Big names Jon Rahm, Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert, and Tyrrell Hatton have all gone...

Rory McIlroy is being backed to win a Major in 2024 by Andrew 'Beef' Johnston.

Beef: “Rory McIlroy has freed himself of the stress and 2024 will be his year!”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Tuesday 6 February 2024

As we count down to the year’s first golf Major, Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston predicts who will lift the year’s biggest trophies, whether Tiger will win again, and who will be the breakout star. Two of the things I get asked the most are “Who’s going to win the Majors this year?” and “Who’s the next breakthrough star?”. So, to save me...

Anthony Kim returned to competitive action at LIV Golf Jeddah after 12 years.

Forget Rahm…it’s the return of golf’s forgotten man after 12 years who’s finally selling LIV!

Written by Ross Tugwood on Tuesday 27 February 2024

Greg Norman targets nostalgia in his quest to win over golf’s middle-ground and here’s why it’s a strategic masterclass. To the ocean’s King carnivore, the opportunity to dine on a delicacy once dubbed ‘the next Tiger Woods’, was not going to be left to the competition. The Great White took the bait again – and this time without guarantee of feeling...

Chubby Chandler says McIlroy is looking disinterested.

“McIlroy looks disinterested – Tiger and Nicklaus would never have sacrificed a year of their careers like he did”

Written by Ross Tugwood on Wednesday 13 March 2024

Speaking ahead of the 50th Players Championship, agent Chubby Chandler questions Rory’s love for the game and says the PGA Tour is “devoid of superstars.” Not known for holding back, Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler lived up to his reputation in a frank interview with BetIdeas in which he gave his two cents worth on McIlroy’s struggles, the personality-lacking PGA Tour, and the...

Iona Stephen is backing Ludvig Aberg to win a Major in 2024.

Iona Stephen: Who I’m backing to win the Majors in 2024

Written by Iona Stephen on Wednesday 3 January 2024

Forget New Year’s resolutions, for golf fans January marks the countdown to the Majors and as you read this, it’s less than three months until the opening tee shots at the Masters! You’ll all have opinions on who will win the biggest events in 2024, and I’d love to hear them, but for now, I’ve looked into my crystal ball to...

An easy and affordable route into golf is key for the future of the game.

“Golf has to do more to make itself accessible – not let public courses close”

Written by Iona Stephen on Thursday 4 April 2024

Iona Stephen believes her life would be very different were it not for a public golf course in Edinburgh – and wants potential golfers to have an easy and affordable route into the game. Accessibility is, by definition, the practice of making environments (and other things) useable for as many people as possible. In golf, this ultimately relates to...

Iona Stephen wants to play in the 2024 AIG Women's Open at St Andrews.

Iona Stephen: “I want to play in the 2024 AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews”

Written by Iona Stephen on Wednesday 6 December 2023

When the AIG Women’s Open arrives at St Andrews in 2024, Iona Stephen is hoping to have swapped her microphone for her golf clubs and be teeing it up alongside the world’s best. As the new year hurtles towards us, we’ll all be setting golf goals for 2024. Mine? I want to play in the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews! I...

Beef returned to action at the 2023 Investec South African Open.

Beef: “I took being a golfer for granted, but I’m so glad to be back”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Wednesday 6 December 2023

Returning to competitive action on the DP World Tour, Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston is thankful for another shot on the game’s biggest stage and is determined to do more than ‘make up the numbers’. It was so good to finally tee it up on Tour again. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great time doing the podcast and getting my broadcasting...

Beef: “I’m all for the golf ball rollback – it will save some classic courses”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Wednesday 6 December 2023

Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston weighs in on the golf ball rollback debate and wants to see more strategy and control back in the game with greater risk-reward for pulling out the driver. Any professional complaining about the golf ball rollback should’ve played my comeback event in South Africa. My caddie and I barely had to speak on the tees… the course was...

Beef describes how he would solve the merger issue in the men's professional game.

Beef: “Put me in charge of the merger and everyone will be happy”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Tuesday 14 November 2023

As he prepares to return to DP World Tour action this week in South Africa, Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston explains how he’d take men’s professional golf forwards if he was in charge of the proposed merger. With the merger of the men’s professional game seemingly up in the air, I’m putting myself in charge of the situation because I’ve had the perfect...

Patrick Cantlay was at the center of a storm at the Ryder Cup after allegedly wanting to be paid to play, a move which Iona Stephen disagrees with.

Iona Stephen: “If you want to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup then it isn’t for you”

Written by Iona Stephen on Tuesday 17 October 2023

Should players be paid to play in the Ryder Cup? Not if Iona Stephen has her way. In her exclusive Today’s Golfer column, the broadcaster dives into the Patrick Cantlay cap and cash furore, calls for an end to tied matches, backs “two more years” of Luke, suggests a change to the singles that would create more drama, and hopes for...

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston has urged us all to look after each other after fellow golfer Grayson Murray's tragic suicide.

Beef: “People assume that being a professional golfer makes us immune from life’s stresses”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Thursday 30 May 2024

Perspective. It’s something golf has desperately needed over the last couple of years. It’s heartbreaking that it’s taken the death of one of our own to highlight that truly. Grayson Murray’s passing is a tragedy. Not because he was a golfer, but because he was a human being. A young man who was trying to fight his demons. The fact taking...

Nelly Korda celebrating her 2024 Chevron Championship win

Iona Stephen: “Nelly Korda can be golf’s Caitlin Clark”

Written by Iona Stephen on Tuesday 30 April 2024

All the ingredients are there for Nelly Korda to set the same trailblazing path as basketball superstar Caitlin Clark, and take women’s golf to the next level says Iona Stephen. Some champions come into their sport and capture the imagination. Charisma and character charming fans around the world on and off the field. Partner charisma with the ability to win and...

Beef says the crazy money being handed out in golf is detrimental to the game

Beef: “It’s no wonder viewers are switching off. Golf has got to stop handing out crazy money”

Written by Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston on Thursday 2 May 2024

As TV audiences continue to dwindle, Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston blames golf’s obsession with making the ‘rich richer’ and questions whether a divided sport can ever provide the drama fans once craved. I’m starting to wonder how the PGA Tour differs from LIV Golf. I remember when LIV arrived on the scene and Jay Monahan said his Tour prided itself on being...