PGA Tour gets post-Masters signature event at Hilton Head. LPGA stages first major in Houston
PGA TOUR
RBC HERITAGE
Site: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Course: Harbour Town GL. Yardage: 7,213. Par: 71.
Prize money: $20 million. Winner's share: $3.6 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Matt Fitzpatrick.
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.
Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the Masters.
Notes: Scottie Scheffler headed home to Dallas after winning the Masters and is playing this week. He will try to become the first player since Bernhard Langer in 1985 to win the week after winning the Masters. ... For the second straight signature event, only 69 players are in the field. Hideki Matsuyama did not enter and Viktor Hovland withdrew after he missed the cut in the Masters. ... If no one withdraws, someone will start the tournament as a single. ... The four sponsor exemptions went to Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and South Carolina native Kevin Kisner. This is the third sponsor exemption Simpson has received to a $20 million tournament. Simpson won at Hilton Head in 2020. ... Justin Thomas narrowly got into the field when he slipped only to No. 30 in the world ranking after missing the cut in the Masters. The top 30 are eligible for signature events.
Next week: Zurich Classic.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
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LPGA TOUR
CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: The Woodlands, Texas.
Course: The Club at Carlton Woods. Yardage: 6,824. Par: 72.
Prize money: $7.9 million. Winner's share: $1.2 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 6-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 2-3 p.m. (Peacock), 3-6 p.m. (NBC).
Defending champion: Lilia Vu.
Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
Last tournament: Nelly Korda won the T-Mobile Match Play.
Notes: Nelly Korda goes after her fifth consecutive victory, which would tie the LPGA record for longest winning streak held by Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-05). ... Korda's only major is the KPMG Women's PGA at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2021, the same year she first rose to No. 1 in the world. ... This is the second year of the Chevron Championship since the LPGA left Mission Hills in the California desert. ... Lilia Vu won her first major at the Chevron last year. She went on to win the Women's British Open and was the LPGA player of the year. ... The 132-player field features the top 10 in the women's world ranking and 11 past champions. ... Lottie Woad of England earned a spot in the field by winning the Augusta National Women's Amateur. ... Lydia Ko could earn a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame if she were to win this year. She began the year with a victory in the season opener.
Next week: JM Eagle LA Championship.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
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PGA TOUR
CORALES PUNTACANA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Course: Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales). Yardage: 7,670. Par: 72.
Prize money: $4 million. Winner's share: $720,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 8-10 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Previous winner: Matt Wallace.
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.
Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the Masters.
Notes: The tournament is the second opposite-field event of the year. The winner gets into the PGA Championship, but not the Masters. He also gets a two-year exemption. ... Nicolai Hojgaard is the only player from the Masters who is playing in the Dominican Republic. He tied for 16th at Augusta National with a 74-76 weekend. ... Nate Lashley won the tournament when it was part of the Web.com Tour. He is in the field this week. ... Among players getting a sponsor exemption are Erik Compton, who has had two heart transplants. ... Thriston Lawrence of South Africa is playing on a sponsor exemption. Lawrence has two runner-up finishes on the European tour this year and is No. 95 in the world. ... The field has three former major champions in Francesco Molinari, Jimmy Walker and Jason Dufner. ... The last five editions of the tournament have been decided by one shot.
Next week: Zurich Classic.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
INVITED CELEBRITY CLASSIC
Site: Irving, Texas.
Course: Las Colinas CC. Yardage: 6,703. Par: 71.
Prize money: $2.2 million. Winner's share: $330,000.
Television: Friday, 9-11 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Saturday-Sunday, 5-7 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Mark Hensby.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.
Last tournament: Retief Goosen won The Galleri Classic.
Notes: The field features 78 players from the PGA Tour Champions and 40 celebrities competing in separate events. The celebrities are playing for a $500,000 purse. ... Steven Alker, who leads the Charles Schwab Cup, is not playing. ... Thomas Bjorn was awarded a sponsor exemption. Bjorn, the winning Ryder Cup captain for Europe in 2018, has been a strong supporter of European tour events that have weaker fields. ... Notah Begay III was working at the Masters last week for Golf Channel. He is playing this week. ... Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won the celebrity division last year. ... This starts a stretch of four straight tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions, concluding with the first of five majors at the Regions Tradition. ... Vijay Singh is in the field. He is coming off a tie for 58th in the Masters, having missed the cut the previous year.
Next week: Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions
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KORN FERRY TOUR
LECOM SUNCOAST CLASSIC
Site: Lakewood, Florida.
Course: Lakewood National GC (Commander). Yardage: 7,113. Par: 71
Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000.
Television: None.
Previous winner: Scott Gutschewski.
Points leader: Mason Andersen.
Last tournament: Steven Fisk won the Club Car Championship.
Next week: Veritex Bank Championship.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour
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EUROPEAN TOUR
Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the Masters.
Next week: ISPS Handa Championship on April 25-28.
Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/
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LIV GOLF LEAGUE
Last tournament: Dean Burmester won LIV Golf Miami.
Next week: LIV Golf Adelaide on April 26-28.
Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.
Online: https://www.livgolf.com/
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OTHER TOURS
Asian Tour: Saudi Open, Riyadh GC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Defending champion: Denwit Boriboonsub. Online: https://asiantour.com/
Challenge Tour: Abu Dhabi Challenge, Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & GC, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Previous winner: Ricardo Gouveia. Online: https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/
Ladies European Tour: Joburg Ladies Open, Modderfontein GC, Johannesburg, South Africa. Defending champion: Lily May Humphreys. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/
PGA Tour Americas: Brazil Open, Rio Olympic GC, Rio de Janeiro. Previous winner: Charlie Hillier. Online: https://www.pgatour.com/americas
Japan LPGA: Fujisankei Ladies Classic, Kawana Hotel GC (Fuji), Shizuoka, Japan. Defending champion: Sora Kamiya. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/
Korea LPGA: Nexen-SaintNine Masters, Gaya GC, Gimhae, South Korea Defending champion: Eunwoo Choi. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/web/
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