Golf

More drama between Brooks Koepka and his fans ... TMZ Sports has obtained video showing the golf superstar snatching a phone from a guy who was trying to talk to him after one of his rounds over the weekend.

We're told the incident went down shortly after Koepka beat Jon Rahm at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament in Austin, Texas on Saturday.

In the video, you can see a fan put his phone near Koepka's face as the 28-year-old was carting around the course with his wife, and asked him about beating Rahm.

Koepka can then be seen ripping the phone from the man, and telling him, "Get it out of my face, man! Get it out of my face!"

We're told Koepka actually took the phone for a brief moment -- but the golfer's manager returned it to the fan just seconds later.

We're told the fan was not upset over the incident and did not seek to press charges.

It's the second time this month that Koepka has been less-than-pleasant with his fans ... you'll recall, at the same WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event last week, Koepka channeled "Tin Cup" to shut down some autograph seekers on the course.

"I don't come to your job asking for your s***, do I?" Koepka told a group of people who were yelling for him to sign. "I don't think so!"

Koepka, while brash, has not generally been known to clash with fans on the course.

Here's further proof that Tiger Woods might actually be competing in next week's Masters ... his good buddy, Rory McIlroy, just said the golf legend "looked great" in his practice round at Augusta on Tuesday.

Tiger flew into Georgia to get some hacks in at the course just a few days before the event kicks off next week ... and according to Rory, Woods has made significant strides since the last time he saw the 46-year-old.

"He looked great," Rory said. "But he was still pretty -- you know, he was just like, 'I'm just seeing what's going to happen here. I'm going to see if I can make it around 18.'"

Tiger has yet to commit to playing in the prestigious golf event -- which he's won five times in his career -- reportedly using this week to see if his surgically repaired leg can hold up for a weekend of competition.

Rory said Tiger appeared to be undecided about it all on Tuesday ... explaining to the Golf Channel, "He's being very conservative."

Tiger still has several days left before he needs to make a commitment.

As we reported, Tiger broke his leg in a car crash in February 2021, and needed several surgeries to repair the damage. He's only golfed at one big tournament -- the PNC Championship with his son -- since the accident.

Donald Trump is setting the record straight, or at least so he says ... claiming in a statement Monday he did, in fact, sink a hole-in-one while golfing with Ernie Els over the weekend.

"It is 100% true," the former President said.

Trump released the statement after social media accused the 75-year-old and his pals of lying about accomplishing the feat. Fact is, Trump legendarily has cheated on the greens before.

According to Trump, he was out at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Saturday ... when he stepped to the tee box on a Par-3 with an iron in his hands.

"I hit a 5-iron, which sailed magnificently into a rather strong wind, with approximately 5 feet of cut," Trump said, "whereupon it bounced twice and then went clank, into the hole."

Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich shared video of the aftermath of the shot ... showing Trump and his golfing partners walking up to the cup with joy. Not a smoking gun, for sure.

In the clip, you can see Trump grab the ball out of the hole -- and high-five everyone in attendance, including Els.

Trump wouldn't say if the ace helped him and Els beat playing partners Gene Sauers, Mike Goodes, and Ken Duke ... but his wry statement sure seemed to insinuate it.

Golf star Brooks Koepka used a famous line from "Tin Cup" to shut down a group of autograph seekers at an event in Texas on Wednesday -- and his channeling of David Simms was pretty spot-on.

TMZ Sports has learned the 31-year-old was out on the course for his opening round at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event in Austin, Texas ... when a group of people asked for his John Hancock.

We're told there were several kids in the group -- and when Brooks ignored them, a man screamed at him to stop for the children.

Video shows Brooks, while calmly walking away, did his best Don Johnson impression to get out of the signing.

"I got to work," he said. "I don't come to your job asking for your s***, do I? I don't think so!"

Brooks mixed up the wording just a tad -- Don's line in "Tip Cup" was "I'm working here. This is my office. Do I come to your office and ask you for your autograph? I don't think so!"

But, still, pretty funny, right?

Brooks is a connoisseur of golf films -- he's previously called "Happy Gilmore" his favorite one ever -- and back in 2020, he called at least one of the scenes in "Tin Cup" "realistic."

As for his play Wednesday following the interaction with fans, Koepka was solid against Erik van Rooyen -- and, no, there were no signs of him going full Kevin Costner and hitting balls into the water.

A huge gator with only three feet invaded a Florida golf course this past weekend ... and somehow, the golfers who were near the mini-beast didn't even flinch!!

The Jurassic Park-like scene took place on a hole in Bonita Bay ... and video of the creature's trek across the grass, shot by a witness on the course, is surreal.

In the footage, you can see a gator who's missing its right front foot plodded along the turf while several golfers in the distance acted as if there was nothing going on.

People behind the camera, though, gawked at the gator as it slowly moved -- with multiple noting its missing foot.

Of course, gators on courses down in Florida are hardly new -- PGA Tour players have had to maneuver shots around them for years.

In fact, back in 2020, an absolute unit of a gator was spotted near a hole in Naples.

Michael Jordan and Tony Romo bro'd down on Wednesday -- getting in a round of golf together at a swanky course in Mexico.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the NBA's GOAT and the former Dallas Cowboys superstar hit up El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course in Playa del Carmen -- and looked quite chummy while hitting it around.

In video of one of the holes they played, you can see the guys were chattin' on the green while their partners tried to sink putts.

Jordan smoked a cigar, while Romo had a big smile on his face.

We're told Tony ended up making his 20-footer right after the video ended -- and several fans that had gathered to watch cheered with joy. Jordan, meanwhile, missed his putt on the hole, we're told.

We also got footage of Romo's drive on the ensuing hole -- and it's clear, the dude still has a really pretty golf swing.

No word yet on who got the better of whom out on the course -- we're told the two were actually still getting holes in as of late Wednesday afternoon.

If you were wondering, they both have incredibly impressive golf handicaps -- so it's unclear who's the favorite.

The University of the Southwest golf team van was involved in a fatal traffic crash following a competition in Texas ... and 7 passengers -- 6 students and the coach -- were tragically killed, the school announced.

The accident happened Tuesday night in Andrews County, West Texas ... when a passenger van carrying both the men's and women's teams collided head-on with a Ford F-150 truck.

Two students were airlifted to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Officials have not announced any additional details surrounding the crash.

Sgt. Steven Blanco of the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to KWES-TV there were fatalities in both vehicles, but the total number of deaths hadn't been confirmed at the time of his comments.

University president Quint Thurman released a statement on the tragedy ... saying, "We are still learning the details about the accident, but we are devastated and deeply saddened to learn about the loss of our students' lives and their coach."

Tyler James, who was in his first year as H.C. of the men's and women's team, passed away.

USW's Athletic Director, Steve Appel, tells TMZ Sports there were nine passengers in the van at the time of the accident.

"The USW campus community is shocked and saddened today as we mourn the loss of members of our university family," Appel said. "Last night, the men’s and women’s golf teams were traveling back to campus from competition in Midland, Texas, when their bus was struck by oncoming traffic."

"While the accident investigation is still underway, reports indicate that seven passengers aboard the bus were killed in the crash. Two of the passengers are in critical condition undergoing medical treatment in Lubbock, Texas."

"USW is coordinating with Texas DPS to assist with the investigation and public information efforts. University administration is communicating with families of the students and coaching staff to provide more information as it becomes available."

Tiger Woods' daughter said she and the rest of the golf legend's family seriously feared Tiger would lose his leg following his car crash last year.

14-year-old Sam Woods made the revelation while introducing Tiger at his World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Wednesday night in Florida ... explaining the golfer's injuries were that dire.

You'll recall, Tiger suffered comminuted open fractures in his right leg after he crashed his SUV in February 2021 in Los Angeles. He needed a rod, pins and screws to fix the damage.

Tiger had previously said the possibility of amputation was discussed in the aftermath of the wreck ... and Sam reiterated to a crowd at the PGA TOUR's headquarters during her speech that they were VERY concerned it might happen.

"We didn't know if you'd come home with two legs or not," Sam said.

Fortunately, Tiger was able to recover -- and in her speech, Sam praised the 46-year-old for battling through it all.

"Now, not only about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you're standing here on your own two feet," Sam said. "This is why you deserve this. Because you're a fighter."

Tiger showed off the injured leg without a sleeve on it for the first time publicly while walking into the ceremony earlier Wednesday in a pair of shorts -- revealing there's no serious scarring visible from feet away.

It's unclear when the golfer will be able to compete on the PGA Tour again -- but he was able to play (and play REALLY well) in a fun tourney with his son, Charlie, back in December.

Tiger Woods showed off his bare leg in public on Wednesday for the first time since he badly injured it in a car crash last year ... and the damaged limb looks great.

Media members captured the star golfer on video as he wore shorts on his way across a red carpet and into the PGA Tour's headquarters in Florida ... and their video shows there's no apparent signs of serious scarring on the 46-year-old's right limb -- despite the nature of his injuries.

Woods had been wearing either a brace, pants or a compression sleeve on the leg since he busted it up in a Feb. 2021 car accident, but, in the first glimpse of the bare leg since surgery, it's hard to tell anything was wrong with it.

As we reported, Woods required multiple surgeries to fix comminuted open fractures in his leg ... needing a rod, pins and screws to repair the damage.

Yet, check out the footage -- nearly 13 months after the wreck, he hardly has a limp and there's no clear signs that a surgeon's scalpel invaded his skin.

It's unclear if any of it means Woods will be participating in next month's Masters ... but it is safe to say he's getting better daily.

As for Wednesday's event at the Tour's headquarters ... Tiger is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame -- and, don't worry, he's already ditched the shirt and shorts for a clean suit.

Donald Trump says he threatened Vladimir Putin during his presidency ... telling the Russian leader America would attack Moscow if the ex-KGB officer attacked Ukraine.

#45 made the revelation during a phone conversation with golf legend John Daly (JD had the call on speakerphone, and someone recorded) ... which was posted on the Internet.

"It's like they're afraid of him. You know, he was a friend of mine. I got along great with him. I say, 'Vladimir, if you do it, we're hitting Moscow.' And he sort of believed me, in like 5%, 10%, that's all you need."

"He never did it during my time, John," Trump told Daly, adding, "Why didn't he do this during the last 4 years?"

Of course, Trump is referring to Putin's forces invading Ukraine -- a sovereign nation -- just 1 year into Joe Biden's presidency.

Moscow is the capital of Russia, and the country's largest city, with an estimated population around 13 million.

Trump also touched on China and its president, Xi Jinping and the possibility of a future crisis in Taiwan.

Many security analysts are concerned China could follow Russia's playbook and invade Taiwan ... but Trump says he also warned China -- like he did with Putin -- of serious consequences if there was an incursion into Taiwan.

"Xi didn't bother me either. I told him the same thing."

Trump believes with Biden at the helm, an invasion is imminent.

"Taiwan will be next. You won't have any computer chips. They'll blow them off the face of the earth."

The country is responsible for the manufacturing of a majority of the world's semiconductor chips ... a necessity for almost all modern technology, including everything from cell phones to military equipment.

Sad news in the golf world ... PGA Tour star Jason Day's mom has passed away following a lengthy battle with cancer.

The 34-year-old golfer made the heartbreaking announcement on his Instagram page Thursday ... saying his mom, Adenil "Dening" Day, died on Wednesday night five years after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.

"We are heart broken but incredibly grateful for the gift we had in her living with us for the last almost two years full time," Day said. "She fought so hard until the very last breath."

According to the PGA Tour, Dening passed away peacefully with Jason and other family members by her side.

"I am forever indebted to her for the sacrifices she made for me to be successful, and for the person she helped me to become," said Day, who pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this week to be with his mother in her final days.

"We will miss her so much."

Tragically, Dening is not the first parent Jason has lost to cancer ... his father passed away from stomach cancer when Jason was just 12 years old.

Suck at golf? Here's something that'll make you feel a whole lot better about your game ...

Jon Rahm -- the world's best golfer -- missed a 10-inch putt during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday ... and it was truly unbelievable.

Rahm went to nonchalantly tap in his par putt at the par 3 7th hole at the famous v ... when disaster totally struck.

Rahm didn't hit the ball hard enough ... and according to PGA Tour's shot tracker -- it actually went just 1 inch!!!

"He just went for the tap-in, and I don't know what happened exactly," one of the stunned announcers said on the broadcast. "It didn't move but a few inches."

To everyone's surprise, Rahm somehow kept his cool ... wiping off the face of his putter before hammering the ball into the cup for a bogey.

Rahm's still out on the course and he was able to rebound on the next hole to card a par ... but the extra stroke took him way down the leaderboard.

Joe Burrow is spending his offseason the right way ... by playing golf with Kendall Jenner's boyfriend, Devin Booker, and his old Ohio State teammates after losing Super Bowl LVI.

Burrow hit the links with D Book in Scottsdale, Arizona recently .... where Joey B's teammate, Sam Hubbard, and 49ers star defensive end, Nick Bosa joined in on the fun.

Hubbard, a defensive end for the Bengals, took to social media to share a few images of the trip as they enjoyed some nice weather out on the course ... followed by a group dinner after.

The Bengals, of course, are still trying to recover from their disappointing 23-20 loss to the Rams in the Super Bowl ... and what better way to do that than having some quality tee time!!

Of course, Sam, Nick, and Joey Franchise all went to Ohio State -- though Burrow would finish his career with the LSU Tigers, where he led them to a national title after defeating Clemson in the 2019 season.

But, it was those OSU and Ohio roots that forged the basis of the foundation for Sam's relationship with Joe ... and it's spilled over into their professional careers.

While the Bengals season is over, the Suns and Booker are still playing ... and with the best record in the NBA, Phoenix looks poised to make a serious run at an NBA championship.

Aaron Rodgers made a trek to the desert after breaking bread with Shailene Woodley in L.A., because he's now soaking up the sun in Palm Springs.

Aaron arrived in P.S. Friday afternoon, looking cool as a cucumber -- Adidas hoodie and aviator shades -- as he left the airport. He's apparently there to get in some rounds of golf. We didn't see Shailene, but who knows?

It was the Green Bay Packers quarterback's first outing since news broke earlier in the day that he was open to a reconciliation with ex-fiancée Shailene Woodley, 30, with a source claiming that the couple are "talking things through."

The questions lots of folks want answered -- are they together, did they break up, did they get back together, are they just friends now? Lots of questions, but not a lot of answers.

There were all sorts of reports Aaron and Shailene broke up, but they never confirmed it. Fact is ... that's not the QB's style. Aaron doesn't like the media, and him not responding is highly unsurprising.

What we do know ... they were just at breakfast together at Erewhon Market in L.A., so whatever their status they seem to be getting along.

Phil Mickelson just lost a major sponsor in the wake of his controversial comments on Saudi Arabia ... and it's one of his oldest partners.

Callaway Golf is pausing their business relationship with the pro golfer and will stop sending him payments.

The golf company says they will reevaluate the partnership at some point in the future ... but for now, they are distancing themselves from Phil.

As you know ... Mickelson is catching a ton of heat for his comments on Saudi Arabia ahead of playing in a new golf league in the country.

Phil played in the league despite saying the country had a "horrible record of human rights."

Phil said ... "We know they killed (Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape how the PGA Tour operates."

Mickelson apologized for his comments after playing a round in the Saudi league, saying he was taken out of context and his statements were supposed to be off the record ... though he admitted his words were regrettable and offensive.

In his mea culpa, Phil said ... "It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words," Mickelson said in his statement. "I'm beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this."

He continued, "My intent was never to hurt anyone and I’m so sorry to the people I have negatively impacted. This has always been about supporting the players and the game and I appreciate all the people who have given me the benefit of the doubt."

Phil also hinted he could take a step away from the game for a while following the firestorm ... including the fact he "desperately" needs "some time away."

Phil Mickelson says the insensitive comments he made recently about a new Saudi golf league were taken "out of context and without my consent" ... but the golf star is still issuing a mea culpa nonetheless.

Phil broke it all down in a lengthy statement on his social media page Tuesday ... just days after he admitted to supporting the formation of a new Saudi golf league, despite what he called the country's "horrible record of human rights."

"We know they killed (Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights," Mickelson said, according to The Fire Pit Collective.

"They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape how the PGA Tour operates."

Phil went on to say that he believed the new Saudi league -- which was reportedly trying to sway top American golfers with millions of dollars in cash -- could force big and necessary changes on the PGA Tour.

While Phil said Tuesday the comments were "off record" and out of context -- he admitted that the words were offensive and regrettable regardless.

"It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words," Mickelson said in his statement. "I'm beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this."

He continued, "My intent was never to hurt anyone and I’m so sorry to the people I have negatively impacted. This has always been about supporting the players and the game and I appreciate all the people who have given me the benefit of the doubt."

Phil then hinted he could take a step away from the game for a while following the controversy ... saying he "desperately" needs "some time away."