PGA TOUR
HERO WORLD CHALLENGE
Site: Nassau, Bahamas.
Course: Albany Golf Club.
Television: Wednesday-Thursday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon (Golf Channel), noon-3 p.m. (NBC).
Purse: $3.5 million. Winner’s share: $1 million.
Defending champion: Jon Rahm.
Last year: Rahm went from a three-way tie for the lead to a four-shot victory by closing with a 7-under 65. Tournament host Tiger Woods finished 17th against the 18-man field.
Notes: The entire 12-man American team for the Presidents Cup is in the field, including U.S. captain Tiger Woods. … The tournament starts Wednesday and ends Saturday, after which the U.S. team will take a charter to Australia for the Presidents Cup, arriving at Royal Melbourne on Monday morning. … Rickie Fowler plays for the first time since the Tour Championship. He was picked to replace Brooks Koepka in the Presidents Cup. … Dustin Johnson, who had knee surgery on Sept. 5, decided to withdraw to make sure he was ready for the Presidents Cup. He was replaced by Chez Reavie. … The two sponsor exemptions went to Henrik Stenson and Jordan Spieth, both outside the top 40 in the world. This gives Spieth a chance to assure he stays in the top 50 until he plays next at the Sony Open. … Justin Rose makes his primary resident at Albany in the Bahamas. … Woods is a five-time winner of his holiday event, though he has not finished within 10 shots of the winner in his three previous appearance at Albany. … Only three non-Americans are in the field - Rahm, Stenson and Rose.
Next week: QBE Shootout.
Online: www.pgatour.com
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PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA
EMIRATES AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Site: Kensington, Australia.
Course: The Australian GC. Yardage: 7,207. Par: 72.
Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Purse: A$1.5 million. Winner’s share: A$270,000.
Defending champion: Abraham Ancer.
Last week: Josh Younger won the NSW Open.
Notes: The Australian Open is the first of 16 events in 11 countries that offer qualifying spots for the British Open next year. The leading three players, not already exempt, finishing in the top 10 and ties will earn a spot at Royal St. George’s. … The tournament precedes the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. It usually has a strong field, except that U.S. captain Tiger Woods is hosting his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. … Eight players from the U.S. team were in the 2011 Australian Open. There are none this time. … International captain Ernie Els, vice captains K.J. Choi and Geoff Ogilvy and six Presidents Cup players are in the field. … Jason Day withdrew from the Australian Open and Presidents Cup because of a back injury. … The Australian Open is the fifth-oldest national open behind Britain, the United States, South Africa and Canada. … Past champions include Gene Sarazen, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson and Greg Norman.
Next: Australian PGA Championship on Dec. 19-22.
Online: www.pga.au.or
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EUROPEAN TOUR and ASIAN TOUR and SUNSHINE TOUR
AFRASIA MAURITIUS OPEN
Site: Heritage Bel Ombre, Mauritius.
Course: Heritage GC. Yardage: 6,986. Par: 71.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 2:30-7:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Purse: 1 million euros. Winner’s share: 166,667 euros.
Defending champion: Kurt Kitayama.
Race to Dubai leader: Pablo Larrazabal.
Last week: Pablo Larrazabal won the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Notes: Only four Australians are in the field of a tournament held opposite the Australian Open. … The field includes Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Pieters of Belgium, two former Ryder Cup players. … Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie is playing on a sponsor invitation. … The tournament is tri-sanctioned among the European Tour, Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour. … The tournament has been part of the European Tour schedule since 2015. … With only three tournaments left, Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand leads the Order of Merit on the Asian Tour by nearly $300,000.
Next week: South African Open (Sunshine Tour); Indonesian Masters (Asian Tour); Australian PGA (Europe) on Dec. 19-22.
Online: www.europeantour.com and www.asiantour.com and www.sunshinetour.com
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
PNC FATHER-SON CHALLENGE
Site: Orlando, Fla.
Course: Ritz-Carlton GC. Yardage: 7,120. Par: 72.
Television: Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel), noon to 2 p.m. (NBC).
Purse: $1,085,000. Winner’s share: $200,000.
Defending champion: Davis Love III and Dru Love.
Notes: Davis Love III and his son are not back to defend the title. Dru Love played 10 times on three tours since the last Father-Son Challenge, five of them on the MacKenzie Tour in Canada. … Annika Sorenstam is the first female professional to play the Father-Son. She will be playing with her father, Tom. … Jim Furyk is playing with his father, Mike. The other 18 players are playing with a son, daughter or grandson. … Jack Nicklaus returns with grandson G.T., who made an ace at the Par 3 Tournament at the Masters this year. … Only major champions are in the field - 11 won the British Open, 10 won the U.S. Open, seven won the PGA Championship and six won the Masters.
Online: www.pgatour.com/champions
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OTHER TOURS
Japan Golf Tour: Golf Nippon Series JT Cup, Tokyo Yomiuri CC, Tokyo. Defending champion: Satoshi Kodaira. Online: www.jgto.org
PGA Tour Latinoamerica: Shell Championship, Trump National Doral (Golden Palm), Doral, Fla. Defending champion: Michael Buttacavoli. Online: www.pgatour.com/la/en
Ladies European Tour: Magical Kenya Ladies Open, Vipingo Ridge, Kilifi County, Kenya. Defending champion: New event. Online: www.ladieseuropeantour.com
Staysure Tour: MCB Tour Championship, Constance Lemuria, Praslin, Seychelles. Defending champion: New event. Online: www.europeantour.com/staysuretour
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