Written by Iona Stephen on Wednesday 25 September 2024
As The Presidents Cup gets underway in Montreal, one of golf’s leading broadcasters wants to see a huge change to the biennial contest. For most golf fans the biennial clash between 12 of America’s top men and a dozen International male stars sits far behind both the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup in terms of interest. And with Team USA winning...
Written by Iona Stephen on Thursday 22 August 2024
In the landscape of professional golf, where prize money and sponsorship deals often dominate the conversation, it’s easy to forget the essence and soul of the game we’ve all become so obsessed with, says TG Columnist Iona Stephen. Every once in a while, a tournament takes place that reminds us of this essence. Notably, the events that resonate most deeply with...
Written by Iona Stephen on Wednesday 26 June 2024
What did I learn while working at the R&A’s Amateur Championship? Professional golf needs more matchplay events… And those events need to be Majors. I had the pleasure of covering the prestigious Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club’s spectacular Glashedy Links a few weeks ago. It got me thinking – why doesn’t professional golf have more matchplay events? They’re so captivating...
Thursday 30 May 2024
After spending a day with Butch Harmon, Iona Stephen shares the five lessons she learned from the greatest golf coach on the planet… and they’re not all about her swing. Butch Harmon is a legend in the world of golf. The greatest coach in the history of the game and one of the sport’s most recognizable voices, a lesson with Butch...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Tuesday 14 November 2023
Reading LET boss Alexandra Armas’ plans to merge her tour with the LPGA and create a “cohesive, single women’s organization,” is music to my ears. In an exclusive interview with Today’s Golfer, Armas called the move the “best thing for women’s golf,” and said she expects the merger to happen soon. I’m right behind it. It has been discussed in the...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Thursday 25 May 2023
Broadcaster Iona Stephen gives her view on Brooks Koepka’s PGA Championship win, what it means for LIV and whether the rebel-tour’s players should appear in the Ryder Cup. I’ll hold my hands up, I didn’t expect to see LIV players performing as well at the Majors as they have. Honestly, did you? Brooks Koepka’s performance at the Masters and win at the...
Tuesday 25 April 2023
Tiger Woods faces another spell on the sidelines following ankle surgery, but while some are writing him off, Iona Stephen believes the 15-time Major champion will return and has one more win in him. Seeing Tiger make yet another cut at The Masters was exceptional. What an incredible achievement. When he birdied the 15th in the second round, the noise around...
Tuesday 25 April 2023
Does Rory McIlroy need to part ways with caddie Harry Diamond if he is to win more Majors and complete the Career Grand Slam? In Iona Stephen’s latest piece for Today’s Golfer, the former golf pro and expert broadcaster analyses what went wrong for McIlroy at the Masters and what needs to change if Northern Irishman is to end his nine-year...
Monday 24 April 2023
Watching Patrick Cantlay play golf, it’s no wonder your weekend competitions are taking longer than ever to complete. If that’s the example we’re letting the pros set without punishment, then how can we expect youngsters and amateurs to adhere to the rules? I don’t buy the argument that every shot could be worth huge sums of money or a big title...