RILEY SURVIVES THE WIND & LIV’S CIVIL WAR - January 19th, 2026

We break down Davis Riley’s wind-swept victory at the Sony Open, the internal battle over LIV’s format change, and the massive price tag on Brooks Koepka’s PGA Tour return.SONY OPENDavis Riley battled 35 mph gusts to secure a two-stroke victory at Waialae, surviving conditions that turned greens into glass. It wasn't just golf; it was survival mode as the winds wreaked havoc on the field.Runner-up Chris Gotterup on the mental strain: "You stand over a three-footer and the wind is oscillating the ball... it’s just torture."At 62 years old, Vijay Singh finished T32, dusting stars like Morikawa and Bradley, prompting Phil Mickelson to tweet: "The man simply does not know how to stop grinding."LIV GOLF & PGA POLITICSA "civil war" is brewing at LIV as CEO Scott O’Neil pushes for a 72-hole format in 2026 to chase OWGR points. While Rahm and DeChambeau support the shift, Bubba Watson is leading the "Team 54" resistance.Rory McIlroy on the potential format change: "If they go to 72 holes, it’s just an admission that they are having a massive identity crisis."Brooks Koepka is officially back on the PGA Tour via the Returning Member Program, a move costing him a $5M donation and up to $90M in forfeited equity.THE AMERICAN EXPRESS PREVIEWWith The Sentry cancelled, all eyes turn to La Quinta for the true season kickoff. Scottie Scheffler makes his 2026 debut alongside Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay at The American Express.The Tour is rolling out a new AWS AI partnership to try and claw back viewership from the NFL playoffs.Quick HitsJon Rahm & Cam Smith reject PGA return • The Sentry cancellation fallout • *Super Battle Golf* nostalgia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.