THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium). Yardage: Par: 72.
Prize money: $15 million. Winner’s share: $2.7 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, noon to 6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (NBC).
Defending champion: Rory McIlroy in 2019.
FedEx Cup leader: Bryson DeChambeau.
Last week: Bryson DeChambeau won the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Notes: The Players marks the one-year anniversary since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf for three months. Hideki Matsuyama tied the course record with a 63 before the tournament was canceled. … The field features 48 of the top 50 in the world, missing Brooks Koepka and Matthew Wolff. … McIlroy is the defending champion at two tournaments he won in 2019, The Players Championship and the HSBC Champions in Shanghai. … Bryson DeChambeau has won at least one tournament worldwide in each of the last five years. … The Players Championship has never had a back-to-back winner since it began in 1974, the only tournament that old without a successful title defense. … The tournament began in 1974 as the Tournament Players Championship with a total purse of $250,000, which is roughly what a two-way tie for 16th gets paid this year. … Jason Day (2016), Tiger Woods (2013, 2001) and Greg Norman (1994) were the only players who were No. 1 in the world when they won The Players Championship. … The Players is the final event before the 64-man field for the Dell Match Play is set for the top 64 players in the world. Among those not yet eligible is Rickie Fowler.
Next week: Honda Classic.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
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EUROPEAN TOUR
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Site: Doha, Qatar.
Course: Education City GC. Yardage: 7,307. Par: 71.
Prize money: $1.5 million. Winner’s share: $250,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 4-6 a.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Saturday-Sunday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay).
Defending champion: Jorge Campillo.
Race to Dubai leader: Tyrrell Hatton.
Last tournament: Collin Morikawa won the WGC-Workday Championship.
Notes: The Qatar Masters was the last event on the European Tour a year ago before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the tour for four months. … Andy Sullivan, who played in the 2016 Ryder Cup, is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 61. … The field includes Jazz Janewattanond, who was in contention going into the final round at Bay Hill until he closed with an 84. … The tournament began in 1998, with Andrew Coltart winning. … Paul Lawrie won the Qatar Masters 13 years apart, in 1999 and 2012. He played in the Ryder Cup both years. … This is the first regular European Tour event since the Saudi International that ended Feb. 7.
Next week: Magical Kenya Open.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/
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LPGA TOUR
Last week: Austin Ernst won the Drive On Championship.
Next tournament: Kia Classic on March 25-28.
Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Last tournament: Kevin Sutherland won the Cologuard Classic.
Next tournament: Chubb Classic on April 16-18.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Kevin Sutherland.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/champions.html
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OTHER TOURS
PGA Tour of Australasia: Isuzu Queensland Open, Pelican Waters GC, Pelican Waters, Australia. Defending champion: Anthony Quayle. Online: https://pga.org.au/
Sunshine Tour: Players Championship, Dainfern CC, Midrand, South Africa. Defending champion: New event. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/
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