PGA Tour heads to Mexico, LPGA Tour caps Asia swing in Japan

Updated Nov. 1, 2022 11:16 a.m. ET
Associated Press

PGA TOUR

WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY CHAMPIONSHIP AT MAYAKOBA

Site: Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Course: El Camaleon GC. Yardage: 7,017. Par: 71.

ADVERTISEMENT

Prize money: $8.2 million. Winner's share: $1,476,000.

Television: Thursday-Saturday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Viktor Hovland.

FedEx Cup leader: Keegan Bradley.

Last week: Seamus Power won the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Notes: Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and two-time major winner Collin Morikawa give Mayakoba a strong look for the autumn schedule. The field now features two of the top 10, four of the top 20 and 12 of the top 50 in the world ranking. ... Mayakoba has lost its two biggest Mexican players in Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz, suspended for signing on with LIV Golf. ... Mexican players given exemptions include Jose de Jesus Rodriguez and Isidro Benitez. ... Matt Wallace of England is in the field after playing last week in Portugal to lock up his European tour card. ... Five players who finished in the top 10 a year ago at Mayakoba are now with LIV Golf. ... The wedding of Justin Thomas this week has cost the tournament a few players who have a history of playing. That includes Thomas, who finished third last year. ... Travis Vick, who helped lead Texas to the NCAA title last year, is playing on a sponsor exemption.

Next week: Cadence Bank Houston Open.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

___

LPGA TOUR

TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC

Site: Shiga, Japan.

Course: Seta GC. Yardage: 6,608. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2 million. Winner's share: $300,000.

Television: Wednesday-Thursday, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Golf Channel); Friday, 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Defending champion: Ayaka Furue.

Race to CME Globe leader: Lydia Ko.

Last tournament: Lydia Ko won the BMW Ladies Championship.

Notes: The LPGA Tour did not sanction the Toto Japan Classic the past two years. ... It is typically a 54-hole tournament, but goes to 72 holes this year as the LPGA co-sanctions it with the Japan LPGA. ... Ayaka Furue won over 72 holes last year. Ai Suzuki won the 54-hole event in 2019 the previous time it was sanctioned by the LPGA. ... Two tournaments remain before the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. ... The field features only three of the top 10 in the women's world ranking, with Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand making her debut at No. 1. ... The LPGA's fall Asian swing was broken up because of travel concerns. Tournaments in China and Taiwan were canceled. That meant an event in South Korea, a week off, and then Japan. ... Annika Sorenstam won the tournament five straight years starting in 2001. ... The field includes Albane Valenzuela and Maria Fassi, who are outside the top 60 and trying to qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship.

Next week: Pelican Women’s Championship.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

___

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

TIMBERTECH CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Boca Raton, Florida.

Course: Royal Palm Yacht & CC. Yardage: 7,015. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2.2 million. Winner's share: $350,000.

Television: Friday, noon to 3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay).

Defending champion: Steven Alker.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.

Last tournament: Steven Alker won the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.

Notes: The top 54 players were eligible for the second of three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events. ... By winning the first postseason event, Steven Alker's lead in the Schwab Cup is large enough to assure he will be at No. 1 going into the season finale next week in Phoenix. There are a few scenarios at the TimberTech Championship in which Alker could clinch the Schwab Cup, starting with a win. ... The 50-man field is missing four eligible players — Steve Stricker, Ernie Els, Brandt Jobe and Fred Couples. ... Alker went over the $3 million mark after his most recent win. ... Steve Stricker is taking another week off. He is No. 3 in the Schwab Cup. Stricker, with four wins in 12 starts, is averaging $206,144 per tournament this year. ... The top 36 players after this week advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. ... Eleven players have earned at least $1 million this season on the PGA Tour Champions.

Next week: Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/champions.html

___

EUROPEAN TOUR

Last week: Jordan Smith won the Portugal Masters.

Next week: Nedbank Golf Challenge.

DP World Tour points leader: Rory McIlroy.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

___

OTHER TOURS

Challenge Tour: Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, Alcanada GC, Mallorca, Spain. Previous winner: Marcus Helligkilde. Online: https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/

Japan Golf Tour: Mynavi ABC Championship, ABC Golf Club, Hyogo, Japan. Defending champion: Yosuke Asaji. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/

Asian Tour: International Series-Morocco, Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://asiantour.com/

Sunshine Tour: PGA Championship, St. Francis Links, St. Francis Bay, South Africa. Defending champion: Dean Burmester. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/

Korea LPGA: S-OIL Championship, Elysian Jeju GC, Jeju Island, South Korea. Defending champion: Ji Young Park. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/

___

More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

share