Shane Lowry admits he wasn't surprised to see Jon Rahm defect to LIV Golf, but he refuses to follow Viktor Hovland's tack and slam the PGA TOUR leadership for "arrogance" in their handling of the civil war with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers has defended the decision by golf’s governing bodies that will cost the game’s biggest hitters up to 15 yards in driving distance.

An American market research group specialist in golf carried out a survey of 1,250 “serious golfers on the proposed rollback of the golf ball for elite players and revealed that 52 per cent do not like the proposed local rule.

The R&A and USGA have proposed a Model Local Rule (MLR) that gives competition organisers the option to require use of golf balls that are tested under modified launch conditions to address the impacts of hitting distance in golf.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced the launch of GS3, a state-of-the-art golf technology tool that calculates putting green speed, firmness, smoothness and trueness – all with one device. 

Shane Lowry of Ireland plays his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 11, 2021 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The R&A is confident it can overcome the problems produced by the COVID-19 pandemic and select a competitive Great Britain and Ireland side to take on the United States in the Walker Cup at Seminole from May 8-9.

The R&A and the USGA have announced proposals for significant changes to the Rules of Amateur Status that govern the game worldwide.

Ireland's leading clubmaker believes proposals by golf's governing bodies to roll back distance gains will have "zero effect" on the game's biggest hitters.

Rory McIlroy last night launched a withering attack on golf’s governing bodies when he branded the new Distance Insights Report “a huge waste of time and a huge waste of money.”

Shane Lowry has made no secret of his determination to make the Ryder Cup team this year but he insists he’s not obsessed by Whistling Straits just supremely confident he will be on that plane.

Leona Maguire misses out but Arizona State’s Olivia Mehaffey is one of 20 amateurs added to the field for the 75th US. Women’s Open Championship at Champions Golf Club in Houston from December 10-13.