Match Play returns with last chance to secure Masters invite

Updated Mar. 23, 2021 10:40 a.m. ET
Associated Press

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PGA TOURS

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS-DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

Site: Austin, Texas.

Course: Austin CC. Yardage: TBA. Par: TBA.

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Prize money: $10.5 million. Winner's share: $1,787,560.

Television: Wednesday-Friday, 2-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: Kevin Kisner (2019).

Last WGC: Collin Morikawa won the Workday Championship.

Notes: The field is the top 64 players available in the world ranking. It went down to Dylan Frittelli at No. 69 because five players are not playing — Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Gary Woodland and Tiger Woods. ... This is the final week to get into the top 50 in the world to qualify for the Masters. Among those in the Match Play who are not in the Masters are two players inside the top 50, Will Zalatoris and Bob MacIntyre. ... The Match Play was the third event canceled last year because of the pandemic. Kevin Kisner is the last winner in 2019. ... Among former Texas Longhorns in the field are Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler and Frittelli. ... Woods and Day are the only multiple winners of the Match Play. Woods is the only player to win back-to-back. ... Only 33 of the 64 players were in the Match Play when it was held two years ago. ... Spieth is in the “D” group, meaning his opening match will be against one of the top 16 players in the world. ... The last two times, the Match Play winner came from the lower half of the draw — No. 48 Kevin Kisner and No. 35 Bubba Watson.

Next WGC: HSBC Champions in Shanghai on Oct. 28-31.

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LPGA TOUR

KIA CLASSIC

Site: Carlsbad, California.

Course: Aviara GC. Yardage: 6,609. Par: 72.

Prize money: $1.8 million. Winner's share: $270,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 9-11 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Saturday-Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Nasa Hataoka (2019).

Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.

Last tournament: Austin Ernst won the Drive On Championship.

Notes: The field features all 10 players from the top 10 in the women's world ranking. ... Michelle Wie West is entered. It will be her first competition since she missed the cut in the Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine in 2019. Wie West since has married and had a daughter. ... The tournament was postponed, and then canceled, last year because of the pandemic. ... Cristie Kerr in 2015 is the only American winner of the Kia Classic since it began in 2010. The 10 winners of the Kia Classic have come from eight countries. ... Americans have won the opening three events on the LPGA Tour schedule for the first time since 2007 when the winners were Paula Creamer, Stacy Prammanasudh and Meaghan Francella. ... The first major of the LPGA Tour is next week about two hours away in Rancho Mirage. ... Juli Inkster has entered under the Hall of Fame category. ... Kerr is about $245,000 away from overtaking Karrie Webb at No. 2 on the career LPGA Tour money list.

Next week: ANA Inspiration.

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PGA TOUR

CORALES PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Course: Corales GC. Yardage: 7,666. Par: 72.

Prize money: $3 million. Winner's share: $540,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Hudson Swafford.

FedEx Cup leader: Bryson DeChambeau.

Last week: Matt Jones won the Honda Classic.

Notes: Hudson Swafford won this tournament the last week in September when it was held a week after the U.S. Open. He earned a spot in this year's Masters because Punta Cana was not an opposite-field event. The winner of this year's tournament does not get into the Masters. ... The field includes former major champions Davis Love III, Padraig Harrington and Charl Schwartzel. ... Lucas Herbert of Australia is in the field. He also is the first alternate for the Dell Technologies Match Play. He would be required to leave for Texas if someone withdrew from the Match Play. ... Miguel Angel Jimenez is playing a regular PGA Tour event for the first time since he tied for 64th in the Honda Classic. Jimenez is a regular on the PGA Tour Champions. ... Players in the top 10 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list at the end of 2020 are exempt into the field. ... The field includes Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry of Belgium, both regulars on the European Tour. Pieters played in the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in 2016.

Next week: Valero Texas Open.

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KORN FERRY TOUR

CLUB CAR CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE LANDINGS CLUB

Site: Savannah, Georgia.

Course: The Landings Club (Deer Creek). Yardage: 7,128. Par: 72.

Prize money: $600,000. Winner's share: $108,000.

Television: None.

Defending champion: Evan Harmeling.

Points leader: Will Zalatoris.

Last week: Roberto Diaz won the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

Next week: Emerald Coast Classic.

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EUROPEAN TOUR

KENYA SAVANNAH CLASSIC

Site: Nairobi, Kenya.

Course: Karen CC. Yardage: 6,921. Par: 71,

Prize money: 1 million euros (US $1.187 million). Winner's share: 166,667 euros.

Television: None.

Defending champion: New event.

Race to Dubai leader: Tyrrell Hatton.

Last week: Justin Harding won the Magical Kenya Open.

Next tournament: TBA on April 15-18.

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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Last tournament: Kevin Sutherland won the Cologuard Classic.

Next tournament: Chubb Classic on April 16-18.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Kevin Sutherland.

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OTHER TOURS

Symetra Tour: IOA Championship, Morongo GC at Tukwet Canyon, Beaumont, Calif. Defending champion: Fernandez Cano. Online:

PGA Tour Latinoamerica: Mexican Open, Estrella del Mar Golf & Beach, Mazatlan, Mexico. Defending champion: Drew Nesbitt. Online:

Sunshine Tour: Serengeti Pro-Am Invitational, Sergenti Estates, Kempton Park, South Africa. Defending champion: New event. Online:

PGA Tour of Australasia: Golf Challenge NSW Open, Concord GC, Concord, Australia. Defending champion: Josh Younger. Online:

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