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

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PGA TOUR

WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY CHAMPIONSHIP AT MAYAKOBA

Site: Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

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

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/

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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/

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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.

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Next week: Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

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

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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/

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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/

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