American professional golfer; major champion
Infortar Estonian Challenge winner Martin Franssen has claimed a 19-under total to win the DP World Tour’s HotelPlanner Tour event in Tallinn, edging England’s Andrew Wilson by three shots. Franssen, an Inverness-born, St Andrews-based player, secures his first Scottish title on the circuit, after a season of steady progress and a breakthrough victory the previous year.
LIV Golf has signed an agreement with a lead investor approved by its board to fund the league beyond 2026, pledging to make players majority equity holders and to reduce to a 10-event calendar from 2027. CEO Scott O’Neil has said the transaction aims to close in September and that multiple parties have shown interest as minority investors.
The PGA Tour has announced a major revision to its postseason format beginning in 2028: the BMW Championship will lead 90 players into a two-week, group-stage followed by a four-day match-play Tour Championship. The top 32 will advance; the final week is a four-day match-play bracket to crown the season-long champion.
The breakaway LIV Golf has filed for bankruptcy protection in New Jersey as it plans a restructuring and a return in a new form. Rahm has signalled he may return to the PGA Tour if opportunities open, and European hopes hinge on next year’s Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
The PGA Tour has detailed a two-tier framework, introducing a Championship Series and Challenger Series from 2028, with a Last Chance Series offering three cards. The DP World Tour’s role in the new system remains under discussion as talks continue. Exemptions for past major winners are extended; DP World Tour players face a new pathway question.
LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, leaving a path unclear for star players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith. The PGA Tour states it is not planning a returning-member program this year, while discussions with the DP World Tour over how players may progress to the US circuit continue. The saga signals a shift in leverage as the sport reorganises for a possible 2028 structure.
Top golfers have expressed reservations about the UAE season-ending events amid regional conflict. The DP World Tour says it remains intent on staging the Abu Dhabi Championship and the Dubai Championship, but players are weighing safety and personal circumstances. Decisions are being monitored as new developments unfold.
JJ Spaun has won the DP World Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth, finishing two strokes ahead of Manuel Elvira and Rory McIlroy. Spaun’s late surge and Elvira’s costly finish define a dramatic finale on a glowing autumn day in Surrey.