When Rory McIlroy decided to fly to India to play in a different country, fans started looking at Scottie Scheffler, wondering if he would follow suit. But the World No. 1 straight away declined it. LPGA star Angel Yin has weighed in on the debate with a strong statement on why playing in different countries is a big plus for the game of golf.

“We’re broadening a horizon because everybody likes to play golf. So, why not do it with the world? Because there are so many golf fans all over the world,” Angel Yin said on the 5 Clubs Golf podcast.

“Like our Thailand tournament, that is like a major to them because not everybody can just travel to America and watch the US Open, right? So, this is their one chance to see everybody play in person, and it’s amazing to them, and it drives up the love of the game and spreads it. And that’s what I think is truly growing the game, instead of just keeping it in one place.”

While Yin believes it is crucial for fans and golf, Scottie Scheffler declined to play outside the US. The one place where the 19x PGA Tour winner usually heads to play outside his country is Scotland. Since 2022, he has missed the Genesis Scottish Open only in 2024. But besides that, his international schedule is pretty limited.

So ahead of the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, Scheffler was asked if fans could see him playing elsewhere in the world. He did show enthusiasm, but he also made it clear that it is not possible for him. “With the way our schedule is on the [PGA Tour], the thing that’s most important to me is my time at home. It would be wonderful to be able to play an international schedule, but right now we play most of our tournaments in the States, and I come over here for these few weeks,” Scheffler said.

For the 2025 PGA Championship winner, spending time with family is more important than playing on a global schedule. Scheffler has always been known to be a simple, family-loving man. He has strong beliefs, faith, and cherishes time with his family, including his parents, Scott and Diane; wife, Meredith Scudder; son, Bennett; and sisters, Callie, Molly, and Sara.

However, Angel Yin has different views. Unlike the PGA Tour, the LPGA has multiple tournaments across the world. The LPGA stars also play in Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, China, and other countries. For Yin, playing in different countries also gives her a new purpose. “But when you get to see all the fans across the world as much as we travel, it is something that’s honestly life-changing. And it gives us a different purpose and a much bigger purpose in life than just to play around the home,” Angel Yin said. “You’re literally inspiring kids all over parts of the world who actually don’t know much that are going to get into it and actually will fall in love with it,” she added.

Notably, even Nelly Korda had praised playing across countries and engaging with the fans there. “I love playing everywhere,” Korda revealed. She likes not just playing in different countries but also enjoys seeing their cultures and different styles of golf courses. While praising the 2025 Australian Open event, Rory McIlroy also shared similar feelings about how fans can boost the atmosphere of an event.

It’s not just for golfers and fans, though. International events play a significant role in growing the game of golf itself.

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International events grow the game of golf

To grow golf worldwide, there’s a need to reach a wider audience. And that’s exactly what these international events can help with. They can inspire new participants and boost global participation numbers. These events also foster cultural exchange, unite diverse audiences, and drive growth through massive attendance and media exposure.

The increasing number of golf events worldwide through the LPGA and the DP World Tour is already showing improvement. According to the R&A’s Global Golf Participation 2024 report, the number of people playing the sport reached 108 million. The numbers represent golfers outside the USA and Mexico. It was an increase of three million compared to 2023. The Asians were leading with 26.2 million adults playing the sport.

To add to that, international events also help build infrastructure to encourage more participation from locals. It also attracts golf tourism to new countries. A Technavio report shows that the golf tourism market can grow by $10.1 billion between 2025 and 2029. The increasing popularity of the sport and new world-class courses will drive this growth.

Angel Yin says that playing on an international schedule can help accelerate the growth of the game. It can help many people get familiar with the game and even make them fall in love with it. Yin’s stance highlights how international tournaments extend golf’s reach far beyond established markets. It helps create lasting connections with fans who might otherwise never experience the sport up close. As debates around scheduling and priorities continue, her perspective shows that global events can shape the game’s future.