The first week of December 2025 delivered three notable champions and key shifts across the global golf landscape. On the DP World Tour, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen claimed the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne with a total of 15-under-par, sealing victory with a clutch birdie on the 18th. It was the Dane’s first professional win and earned him an official invitation to the Masters. Cameron Smith finished one stroke behind after a missed par putt on the final hole.

At the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, Kristoffer Reitan secured his second title of the year, moving him to the top of the Race to Dubai standings, narrowly ahead of David Puig.

On the PGA Tour, Hideki Matsuyama produced a dramatic comeback to win the Hero World Challenge in a playoff in the Bahamas. Because the event is an unofficial invitational, his win did not affect Masters invitations or the Race to Dubai.

In senior golf, Team Europe dominated the Skechers World Champions Cup. The format awards points on every hole—two for winning the hole, one for second place, zero for third, with ties splitting points. This creates high scoring totals; Colin Montgomerie alone collected 21 points during Sunday singles. Europe finished with 230 points, well ahead of Team USA and the International Team.

Tiger Woods’ health update was another major storyline. The tournament host confirmed that there is no timetable for a competitive return. Following spinal disc replacement surgery in October, Woods remains limited to putting and chipping. He emphasized that he is “still a long way” from being tournament-ready and is focused entirely on rehabilitation. A future transition to the PGA Tour Champions remains a possibility, but only once recovery allows more intensive training.

A new Masters invitee, a shift at the top of the Race to Dubai, and Europe’s commanding senior victory defined this week—set against the continuing uncertainty surrounding Tiger Woods’ competitive future.

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