Scheffler and Spieth return at Pebble Beach. LPGA starts a new season in Florida
PGA Tour
AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM
Site: Pebble Beach, California.
Courses: Pebble Beach GL (Yardage: 6,972. Par: 72) and Spyglass Hill (Yardage: 7,041. Par: 72).
Prize money: $20 million. Winner's share: $3.6 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-7 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Wyndham Clark.
FedEx Cup leader: Hideki Matsuyama.
Last week: Harris English won the Farmers Insurance Open.
Notes: Scottie Scheffler makes his 2025 debut after having to miss two tournaments while recovering from surgery on his right hand. Scheffler suffered a glass puncture wound while preparing Christmas dinner. ... The tournament also marks the return of Jordan Spieth from surgery on his left wrist in August. ... Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland and Harry Hall received the four sponsor exemptions to the $20 million signature event. ... The tournament was reduced to 54 holes last year when Sunday was washed out by torrential rain and wind that closed roads in the area. ... The field is 80 players, the largest for signature events, to accommodate the pro-am held at Pebble Beach and Spyglass on Thursday and Friday. ... Sam Stevens is among five players who got into the field through the points they accrued the last three tournaments. Stevens was runner-up at Torrey Pines.
Next week: WM Phoenix Open.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
___
LPGA Tour
HILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Site: Orlando, Florida.
Course: Lake Nona Golf & CC. Yardage: 6,608. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2 million. Winner's share: $300,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2-3 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 3-5 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 1-2 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 2-4 p.m. (NBC).
Defending champion: Lydia Ko.
Race to CME Globe champion: Jeeno Thitikul.
Last tournament: Jeeno Thitikul won the CME Group Tour Championship.
Notes: Nelly Korda heads the field of tournament winners over the last two years as the LPGA starts its new season. The tour will be celebrating its 75-year anniversary in 2025. ... Lydia Ko won last year at Lake Nona, her home course. She went on to win a major, an Olympic gold medal and qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. ... Lilia Vu, Jeeno Thitikul and Ruoning Yin are skipping the season opener. ... The field features six of the top 10 in the women's world ranking with Vu, Thitikul and Yin sitting out. ... Among the first-time winners playing the tournament for the first time are Lauren Coughlin, Bailey Tardy, Rio Takeda and Linnea Strom. Coughlin won twice last year and played in her first Solheim Cup. ... The LPGA starts its season with two tournaments in Florida before embarking on its first Asian swing. ... The tournament also features a pro-am component of athletes and celebrities.
Next week: Founders Cup.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
___
European tour
BAPCO ENERGIES BAHRAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Al Mazrowiah, Bahrain.
Course: Royal GC. Yardage: 7,302. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.5 million. Winner's share: $416,667.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 4-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 3:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Dylan Frittelli.
Race to Dubai leader: Tyrrell Hatton.
Last week: Alejandro del Rey won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.
Notes: The field includes Patrick Reed of LIV Golf, who is playing for the third straight week on the European tour before the Saudi league begins. Reed has finished in the top 10 each of the last two weeks, moving up from No. 132 to No. 115 in the world ranking. ... The field has five players from the top 100 in the world. That includes David Puig of Spain, who finished third last week in Ras Al-Khaimah to get into the field. Puig moved up 25 spots to No. 87. ... This is the third straight European tour event in the Middle East. The swing concludes next week in Qatar. ... Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson, who both play on the PGA Tour Champions, are in the European field for the second straight week. ... The tournament is in its second year. Dylan Frittelli won last year while competing on a PGA Tour exemption. Jesper Svensson was runner-up and wound up earning one of the 10 cards for the PGA Tour this year.
Next week: Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/
___
Korn Ferry Tour
PANANA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Panama City, Panama.
Course: Panama GC. Yardage: 7,534. Par: 70.
Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000.
Television: None.
Previous winner: Isaiah Salinda.
Points leader: Hank Lebioda.
Last week: Sudarshan Yellamaraju won the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.
Next week: Astara Golf Championship in Colombia.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/
___
PGA Tour Champions
Last tournament: Ernie Els won the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Next week: Trophy Hassan II in Morocco.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Ernie Els.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions
___
Other tours
Asian Tour: International Series India, DLF Golf and CC, Gurgaon, India. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://asiantour.com/
PGA Tour of Australasia: Webex Players Series Murray River, Cobram Barooga GC, Barooga, Australia. Previous winner: Kazuma Kobori. Online: https://pga.org.au/
Sunshine Tour: MyGolfLife Open, Pecanwood Golf and CC, Hartbeespoort, South Africa. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
