PGA TOUR
PALMETTO CHAMPIONSHIP AT CONGAREE
Site: Ridgeland, South Carolina.
Course: Congaree GC. Yardage: 7,655. Par: 71.
Prize money: $7.3 million. Winner's share: $1.314 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: New tournament.
FedEx Cup leader: Patrick Cantlay.
Last week: Patrick Cantlay won the Memorial.
Notes: South Carolina has a PGA Tour-sanctioned event for the third time in nine weeks. This one-time tournament takes the place of the RBC Canadian Open, which was canceled for the second straight year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ... The field features Dustin Johnson, a South Carolina native and No. 1 in the world. Also playing is Brooks Koepka. ... Brian Gay, Hudson Swafford and Richy Werenski can still get into the U.S. Open if they win because it would be their second PGA Tour title in the last year. ... Garrick Higgo, the 22-year-old South African who made his major championship debut at Kiawah Island, received a foreign exemption. ... John Pak won the Nicklaus Award as the top NCAA Division I player. The Florida State product makes his pro debut at Congaree. Also making his debut is Davis Thompson of Georgia, who reached No. 1 in the men's amateur ranking. ... Wilco Nienaber, who earned a spot in his first major at the U.S. Open, makes his U.S. debut on a sponsor's exemption. Nienaber is one of the longest hitters in golf.
Next week: U.S. Open.
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LPGA TOUR
LPGA MEDIHEAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Daly City, California.
Course: Lake Merced GC. Yardage: 6,551. Par: 72.
Prize money: $1.5 million. Winner's share: $225,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 7-10 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Sei Young Kim (2019).
Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
Last week: Yuka Saso won the U.S. Women's Open.
Notes: The LPGA Tour stays in the San Francisco area a week after Yuka Saso won the U.S. Women's Open at Olympic Club. ... The tournament was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the third edition at Lake Merced, which previously hosted the Swinging Skirts. ... Lydia Ko won the tournament in 2018. She is eight points behind Nelly Korda in the Race to CME Globe. ... Saso was surprised to learn her U.S. Women's Open victory came with a five-year exemption on the LPGA Tour. She accepted membership and immediately moved to No. 1 on the money list with her $1 million check and No. 19 in the Race to CME Globe. ... Lexi Thompson, who lost a five-shot lead at the Women's Open, is in the field. Neither Saso nor Nasa Hataoka, who lost in the Women's Open playoff, is in the field at Lake Merced. ... The NCAA player of the year, Rachel Heck of Stanford, is playing on a sponsor exemption. Also playing on an exemption is Lucy Li. ... Michelle Wie West is playing. She has yet to make a cut in her four starts since returning from having her first child.
Next week: Meijer LPGA Classic.
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EUROPEAN TOUR AND LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
SCANDINAVIAN MIXED
Site: Gothernburg, Sweden.
Course: Vallda Golf & CC.
Prize money: 1 million euros (U.S. $1.218 million). Winner's share: 166,667 euros (U.S. $203,000).
Television: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 7-11:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: New event.
Race to Dubai leader: Billy Horschel.
Last week: Marcus Armitage won the Porsche European Open.
Notes: The field features 78 men and 78 women playing on the same course and competing for one purse and one trophy. It is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour, with points available from both tours. ... The hosts are Henrik Stenson and Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, both of whom are playing. Stenson will go from Sweden to San Diego next week for the U.S. Open. ... Sorenstam, who retired in 2008, is playing for the second time this year. She missed the cut on the LPGA Tour earlier this year, playing only because it was held on her home course of Lake Nona in Florida. ... Along with his first European Tour victory, Marcus Armitage earned a spot in the field at the U.S. Open next week.
Next week: U.S. Open.
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
AMERICAN INSURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Madison, Wisconsin.
Course: University Ridge GC. Yardage: 7,083. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.4 million. Winner's share: $360,000.
Television: Saturday, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 3-5:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Jerry Kelly.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Bernhard Langer.
Last week: Stephen Ames won the Principal Charity Classic.
Notes: The tournament is hosted by Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker. The field features a trio of two-time U.S. Open champions in Ernie Els, Lee Janzen and Wisconsin native Andy North. ... Alex Cejka is in the field. He began the year having to go through Monday qualifying and now has won the first two majors of the year on the PGA Tour Champions. ... Bernhard Langer is leading the Schwab Cup and playing this week. He has yet to win this tournament, though he was a runner-up in 2018 when it was shortened to 36 holes. ... Fred Couples is in the field. He is playing the PGA Tour Champions for only the fourth time this year. He won this tournament four years ago. ... This is the home course of the University of Wisconsin golf teams. ... Stephen Ames is in the field one week after rallying from seven shots behind to win in Iowa for his second Champions title.
Next tournament: Bridgestone Senior Players Championship on June 24-27.
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KORN FERRY TOUR
BMW CHARITY PRO-AM
Site: Greer, South Carolina.
Course: Thornblade Club. Yardage: 7,024. Par: 71.
Prize money: $700,000. Winner's share: $126,000.
Television: Thursday, noon to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 5-7 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Rhein Gibson.
Points leader: Stephan Jaeger.
Last week: Mito Pereira won the Rex Hospital Open.
Next week: Wichita Open.
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OTHER TOURS
Symetra Tour: Island Resort Championship, Sweetgrass CC, Harris, Michigan. Defending champion: Daniela Iacobelli Online:
Challenge Tour: Challenge de Cadiz, Iberostar Real GC Novo Sancti Petri, Cadiz, Spain. Defending champion: Pep Angles. Online:
PGA Tour Latinoamerica: The Club at Weston Hills Open, The Club at Weston Hills, Weston, Florida. Defending champion: New event. Online:
Japan LPGA: Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open, Kokusai GC, Hyogo, Japan. Defending champion: Ai Suzuki. Online:
