TFC Week In Review 08-22-2025

THIS WEEK'S EDITIONS OF THE FIRST CALL

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

With the U.S. Ryder Cup team's six automatic qualifiers determined, who should round out captain Keegan Bradley's 12-player squad?

Send replies on this question or other topics and questions you would like to have asked to shall@buffalogroupe.com. For a response to be published, you must include your first and last name, along with the city and state of residence.

> Last week's question: What has been the most surprising story in golf in 2025? | Read

The Starter: A lot of unanswered questions as tour seasons end like a TV drama

Tour Championship, Ryder Cup, 2026 PGA Tour schedule, LIV Golf, slow play ... where to start unpacking?

BUSINESS

Five Iron Golf: Reopens Baltimore Harbor East location

The site underwent a full-scale renovation that enhances its technology, design and hospitality

Golf Space Collective: Launches GSC XCLR8

New venture program, designed to accelerate golf brands, names 4ORE Hydration as inaugural partner

PGA Tour: RBC extends title sponsorship of RBC Heritage, RBC Canadian Open

RBC to continue sponsorship of PGA Tour signature event and golf’s third-oldest national championship in multi-year agreement

PGA Tour: Names Skechers as title sponsor of World Champions Cup

The PGA Tour Champions event supporting Shriners Children’s will be played Dec. 4-7 at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, Florida

Stewart Golf: WalkingGolfer.com returns

Website relaunches and serves as the online destination for golf enthusiasts who embrace the health and wellness benefits of walking the golf course

CLUBS / COURSES

Storm King GC: Announces fall previews, 2026 opening

A new golf experience opens 56 miles from New York City

The Club at Starr Pass: Opens Creosote — Sonoran Kitchen & Cocktails

New era of dining, golf and lifestyle begins at the Tucson, Arizona, club

COMPETITION

Horseshoe Bay Resort: To host the Folds of Honor Legacy Cup

Second annual central Texas Folds of Honor event on Oct. 27 will honor and support military and first responder families

Kroger Queen City Championship: World's top 4 head early commitments

Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, reigning champion Lydia Ko and Minjee Lee will be in the field, along with sponsor invites Maria Fassi and Women’s Western Junior Championship winner Vidhi Lakhawala

PGA Tour: 2026 schedule celebrates FedEx Cup's 20th year

Regular season features return to Trump National Doral, one of nine courses to currently host the PGA Tour for more than half a century

TGL: Championship rematch opens 2nd season on ABC

TGL champion Atlanta Drive GC takes on New York Golf Club on Dec. 28 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC

DESTINATIONS

Marriott Golf: Resort at Pelican Hill hosts charity event

Newport Coast, California, destination partners with Play Yellow and will host a fundraising tournament on Sept. 29

Marriott Golf: Unveils Puerto Vallarta package

Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa's three-night offer features golf, spa treatments and breakfast

EVENTS

Five Iron Golf: Launches year-round junior clinics

Developed by Five Iron’s coaching team, the year-round clinics give youth players a fun, supportive and skill-building start in golf

GEAR

True Linkswear: Releases fresh-white ‘Glacier Pack’ footwear

The expanded color story — a distinctively crisp, clean white and light blue design with a unique translucent tread — is available in the Vacay Breeze, OG Cush and FS Slide

WMX Grips: Introduces Hyper Midsize grip

Offering weighs just 50 grams, the same as the Hyper Standard size

PEOPLE

APGA Tour: Chase Johnson earns $7,500 bonus in developmental program

Johnson leads the APGA’s 2025 World Wide Technology Player Development Program and will join John-Baptiste Hakizimana, Aaron Beverly, Troy Taylor II and Kevin Hall in receiving berths in the Monday Qualifier for the PGA Tour’s 2025 World Wide Technology Championship

APGA Tour: Cisco Cup awards $150K in career-boosting bonuses

Marcus Byrd receives the top prize of $60,000; APGA to cover 2025 PGA Tour Q-School entry for the top 10 in the Cisco Cup

Epson Tour: Erika Hara secures 2026 LPGA Tour card

Hara is the fourth player to secure her card, joining Melanie Green, Gina Kim and Briana Chacon as guaranteed members of the 2025 Epson Tour graduating class

PGA of America: Foundation announces PGA WORKS scholars for 2025-26

Fifteen students from nine schools are named the REACH Foundation's John and Tamara Lundgren Scholars and each earn $8,000 scholarships

PGA Tour: Emilio Gonzalez secures 1st PGA Tour card

Gonzalez earns Tour membership for the 2026 season following Sunday’s victory at the Korn Ferry Tour's Albertsons Boise Open

U.S. Ryder Cup: Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau qualify

The trio join Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun and Xander Schauffele as the six automatic qualifiers

USGA: Final 5 players named to USA Walker Cup team

International Team Selection choices solidify team ahead of Match at Cypress Point

PHILANTHROPY

Coca-Cola, PGA Tour: Collaborate on new HBCU Golf Impact Grant

Building upon Coca-Cola's ‘The World is My Yard’ platform, grant to provide funding for partner HBCU men’s and women’s golf programs

TECHNOLOGY

Trackman, GolfNow: Expands access to simulator, driving range bay times

GolfNow integration with Trackman is now live

INDUSTRY NOTES

CLUBS / COURSES

Champion Hills Club: All 18 holes of its Tom Fazio-designed course are playable after a phased reopening in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Also, the Hendersonville, North Carolina, club is expanding the patio space of its clubhouse and recently opened three new pickleball courts.

Kauri Cliffs Golf Club: Plans to regrass its fairway corridors with Transcontinental bermudagrass starting Oct. 6. The Matauri Bay, New Zealand. course will reopen for play on Dec. 10. The transition to the more drought-tolerant turfgrass will be overseen by course manager Andy Wood.

GEAR

Nippon Shaft: Scottie Scheffler played a N.S.Pro Modus3 Hybrid Tour x-flex shaft in his 3-iron en route to winning the BMW Championship. Also, Akie Iwai played the N.S. Pro 950GH neo-steel shafts in her irons and wedges to win the LPGA's Standard Portland Classic.