The rite of autumn: The Masters comes to November
AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
THE MASTERS
Site: Augusta, Georgia.
Course: Augusta National GC. Yardage: 7,475. Par: 72.
Purse: TBA. ($11.5 million in 2019). Winner's share: TBA ($2.07 million in 2019).
Television: Thursday-Friday, 1-5:30 p.m. (ESPN); Saturday, 1-5 p.m. (CBS Sports); Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (CBS Sports).
Defending champion: Tiger Woods.
Last year: Woods won his fifth Masters and 15th major, and his first since the 2008 U.S. Open, by coming from two shots behind in the final round and closing with a 2-under 70 for a one-shot victory over Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele.
Notes: This is the first time the Masters has not been played in the spring since it began in 1934. It was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Woods won his first major last year when he was trailing going into the final round. ... The field features only 43 of the top 50 in the world. Five players either won or moved into the top 50 since golf returned, while Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann tested positive for the coronavirus and withdrew. The field was set for a Masters held in April, with no additions. ... C.T. Pan will have waited 561 days from the time he qualified by winning at Hilton the week after the last Masters until he tees it up on Thursday. ... Rory McIlroy gets his sixth crack at winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. ... There will be no spectators allowed except for a player's significant other, coaches and Augusta National members. ... The tournament will use a two-tee start because of the smaller window for daylight in November. It last used a two-tee start in 2005 because of a nearly six-hour rain delay at the start. ... The 36-hole cut no longer includes a 10-shot rule. ... The next Masters is five months away. It will be the first time the same major is played consecutively since the PGA Championship was held in February in 1971 because it was in Florida.
Next year: April 8-11.
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PGA TOUR
Last week: Carlos Ortiz won the Houston Open.
Next week: RSM Classic.
FedEx Cup leader: Bryson DeChambeau.
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LPGA TOUR
Last tournament: Ally McDonald won the Drive On Championship-Reynolds Lake Oconee.
Next week: Pelican Women’s Championship.
Race to CME Globe leader: Danielle Kang.
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EUROPEAN TOUR
Last week: Robert MacIntyre won the Cyprus Showdown.
Next week: Joburg Open.
Race to Dubai leader: Patrick Reed.
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Last week: Kevin Sutherland won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Next tournament: PNC Championship on Dec. 19-20.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Bernhard Langer.
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OTHER TOURS
Japan Golf Tour: Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters, Taiheiyo GC (Gotemba), Shizuoka, Japan. Defending champion: Takumi Kanaya. Online:
Ladies European Tour: Aramco Saudi Ladies International, Royal Greens Golf & CC, Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Defending champion: New event. Online:
Challenge Tour: Andalucia Challenge de Cadiz, Iberostar Real GC, Cadiz, Spain. Defending champion: New event. Online:
Korean LPGA: SK Telecom ADT Caps Championship, La Vie est Belle CC, Gangwon-do, South Korea. Defending champion: Song Yi Ahn. Online:
Japan LPGA: Itoen Ladies Golf Tournament, Great Island Club, Chiba, Japan. Defending champion: Ai Suzuki. Online: