Golf's toughest test returns to Brookline at Country Club
UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION
U.S. OPEN
Site: Brookline, Massachusetts.
Course: The Country Club. Yardage: 7,264. Par: 70.
Prize money: TBA ($12.5 million in 2001).
Television: Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (USA Network), 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (NBC), 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (USA Network); Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (USA Network), 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (NBC); Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. (NBC).
Defending champion: Jon Rahm.
Last year: Jon Rahm won his first major at Torrey Pines and became the first player to birdie the last two holes to win the U.S. Open by one shot. The victory came two weeks after Rahm had a six-shot lead through 54 holes at the Memorial and had to withdraw because of a positive COVID-19 test. Louis Oosthuizen was runner-up for the sixth time in a major.
Notes: The U.S. Open returns to The Country Club for the fourth time and the first time since Curtis Strange beat Nick Faldo in an 18-hole playoff in 1988. ... Tiger Woods chose to withdraw to make sure his right leg heals and strengthens in time for the British Open at St. Andrews. ... Phil Mickelson is missing only the U.S. Open for the career Grand Slam. He is playing for the first time on U.S. soil since late January. Mickelson chose to sit out for four months and returned to play in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series last week. ... Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau are among 12 players in the field who played in the LIV Golf tournament last week outside London. ... The U.S. Open has not had a playoff since 2008, the longest stretch of the four majors. The previous three U.S. Opens at Brookline have all been decided in 18-hole playoffs. ... The last four major champions were all in their 20s. ... Players in the top 10 in the world have won the last four majors.
Next year: Los Angeles Country Club.
Online:
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LPGA TOUR
LPGA MEIJER CLASSIC
Site: Belmont, Michigan.
Course: Blythefield CC. Yardage: 6,638. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.5 million. Winner's share: $375,000.
Television: Thursday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Nelly Korda.
Last week: Brooke Henderson won the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Race to CME Globe leader: Minjee Lee.
Notes: Brooke Henderson ended more than year without winning at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. She is a two-time winner of the Meijer Classic. ... Defending champion Nelly Korda makes her second start since returning from a four-month break because of a blood clot in her left arm. Korda is also defending next week in the KPGA Women's PGA Championship at Congressional. ... Inbee Park is in the field. She missed the U.S. Women's Open and then returned at the ShopRite LPGA Classic the following week and tied for 15th. ... The field features nine of the top 10 in the women's world ranking. Top-ranked Jin Young Ko is not playing. ... Cristie Kerr is playing from her status of top 20 in career LPGA earnings. ... The tournament comes two weeks after the U.S. Women's Open and a week before the next major at Congressional. ... The tournament dates to 2014. Every previous winner has won a major championship, starting with Mirim Lee (2020 ANA Inspiration) in 2014.
Next week: KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Online:
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KORN FERRY TOUR
WICHITA OPEN
Site: Wichita, Kansas.
Course: Crestview CC. Yardage: 6,910. Par: 70.
Prize money: $750,000. Winner’s share: $135,000.
Television: None.
Previous winner: Harry Hall.
Points leader: Carl Yuan.
Last week: Robby Shelton won the BMW Charity Pro-Am.
Next week: Live and Work in Maine Open.
Online:
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PGA TOUR
Last week: Rory McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open.
Next week: Travelers Championship.
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.
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EUROPEAN TOUR
Last week: Linn Grant won the Volvo Scandinavian Mixed.
Next week: BMW International Open.
DP World Tour points leader: Rory McIlroy.
Online:
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Last week: Thongchai Jaidee won the American Family Insurance Championship.
Next week: U.S. Senior Open.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.
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OTHER TOURS
Royal & Ancient: British Amateur, Royal Lytham & St. Annes, Lytham-St. Annes, England. Defending champion: Laird Shepherd. Television: Friday-Saturday, 2:30-11 a.m. (Golf Channel). Online:
Epson Tour: Ann Arbor's Road to the LPGA, Travis Pointe CC, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Defending champion: New tournament. Online:
Ladies European Tour: Aramco Team Series-London, Centurion GC, St. Albans, England. Defending champion: Marianne Skarpnord. Online:
Challenge Tour: Kaskáda Golf Challenge, Kaskáda Golf Resort, Brno, Czech Republic. Previous winner: Marcel Schneider. Online:
Mackenzie Tour: ATB Classic, Edmonton Petroleum Golf & CC, Edmonton, Alberta. Previous winner: Hayden Buckley. Online:
Korean LPGA: Korea Women's Open, Rainbow Hills CC, Chungcheongbuk, South Korea. Defending champion: Min Ji Park. Online:
Japan LPGA: Nichirei Ladies, Sodegaura CC (Shinsode), Chiba, Japan. Defending champion: Jiyai Shin. Online:
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