Valspar will get a robust discipline after The Gamers and LIV Golf goes to South Africa for the primary time

[ad_1] PGA Tour VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

Website: Palm Harbor, Florida.

Course: Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead). Yardage: 7,352. Par: 71.

Prize cash: $9.1 million. Winner's share: $1,638,000.

Tv: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (NBC).

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Defending champion: Viktor Hovland.

FedEx Cup chief: Jacob Bridgeman.

Final week: Cameron Younger gained The Gamers Championship.

Notes: For a event that follows the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Gamers Championship, the sector is remarkably sturdy. Xander Schauffele is the one participant from the highest 10, however Valspar has 9 of the highest 25. ... The sector contains 12 former main champions. ... Brooks Koepka has tied for ninth and tied for thirteenth in his final two PGA Tour occasions. He's within the discipline, which means two gamers (Seamus Energy and Matt Kuchar) have been added to the sector. ... Solely two weeks stay earlier than the highest 50 on the planet rating not already eligible get Masters invites. Amongst these on the bubble are Nicolai Hojgaard (No. 47) and Pierceson Coody (No. 52). ... The Copperhead course at Innisbrook is considered among the many prime event programs in Florida with occasional elevation and tree-lined fairways. ... Patrick Cantlay is taking part in for the primary since he was runner-up in 2017 that sewed up his card as he returned from a extreme again harm.

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Subsequent week: Texas Youngsters's Houston Open.

On-line: https://www.pgatour.com/

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LPGA Tour FORTINET FOUNDERS CUP

Website: Menlo Park, California.

Course: Sharon Heights GC. Yardage: 6,542. Par: 72.

Prize cash: $3 million. Winner's share: $450,000.

Tv: Thursday-Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Yealimi Noh.

Race to CME Globe chief: Jeeno Thitikul.

Final event: Mi Hwang Lee gained the Blue Bay LPGA.

Notes: The LPGA returns to the U.S. after three tournaments in Asia. The Founders Cup kicks off a stretch of 4 huge tournaments main as much as its first main of the 12 months at The Chevron. ... A pair of main champions gained final week when the LPGA was off. Hannah Inexperienced (2019 Ladies's PGA) gained the Ladies's Australian Open and Jeongeun Lee6 (2019 U.S. Ladies's Open) gained on the Epson Tour. Lee6 is an alternate for the Founders Cup. ... The sector options eight of the highest 10 from the ladies's rating, lacking solely Inexperienced and Charley Hull. ... Nelly Korda performs for the primary time since she gained the season opener that was lowered to 54 holes. It was Korda's first win since 2024. She has performed solely 34 instances on the LPGA the final two years. ... Sharon Heights is internet hosting prime professionals for the primary time. The membership opened in 1962 and went by a renovation venture that was accomplished two years in the past. ... The LPGA final visited the Bay Space in 2021 at Lake Merced.

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Subsequent week: Ford Championship.

On-line: https://www.lpga.com/

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LIV Golf League LIV GOLF SOUTH AFRICA

Website: Midrand, South Africa.

Course: The Membership at Steyn Metropolis. Yardage: 7,557. Par: 71.

Prize cash: $20 million. Winner's share: $4 million.

Tv: Thursday-Friday, 6-8 a.m. (FS1), 8-11 a.m. (FS2); Saturday, 6-11 a.m. (FOX); Sunday, 6-11 a.m. (FS1).

Defending champion: New occasion.

Factors chief: Jon Rahm.

Final week: Bryson DeChambeau gained LIV Golf Singapore.

Notes: That is the third week in a row for LIV Golf and its first occasion in South Africa. Officers say 90,000 tickets had been offered going into the week. ... Phil Mickelson makes his 2026 debut having missed the opening 4 LIV occasions with a household well being matter. ... By 4 occasions this 12 months, LIV Golf winners have been a younger newcomer (Elvis Smylie), an ideal comeback story (Anthony Kim) and its two largest stars (Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau). ... 4Aces and Ripper are the one groups which have gained this 12 months, every with two workforce titles. ... The Membership at Steyn held a event in 2022 that was co-sanctioned by the European tour and Sunshine Tour and gained by Shaun Norris. ... That is the ultimate LIV Golf occasion earlier than the Masters. ... The house workforce for this occasion shall be Southern Guard (previously Stinger) led by Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and Dean Burmester.

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Subsequent event: LIV Golf Mexico Metropolis on April 16-19.

On-line: https://www.livgolf.com/

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European tour HAINAN CLASSIC

Website: Hainan Island, China.

Course: Mission Hills Resort (Haikou). Yardage: 7,637. Par: 72.

Prize cash: $2.55 million. Winner's share: $425,000.

Tv: None.

Earlier winner: Marco Penge.

Race to CME Globe chief: Patrick Reed.

Final event: Dan Bradbury gained the Joburg Open.

Notes: The Hainan Basic begins the Asia swing portion of the European tour schedule with China and India earlier than the Masters, adopted by China and Turkey. ... Marco Penge gained the primary of his three European tour titles at Hainan Island final 12 months. He wound up second on the Race to Dubai to earn a PGA Tour card. ... Thriston Lawrence of South Africa is the one participant from the highest 100 on the planet taking part in in China this week. Lawrence is at No. 89 and is coming off consecutive missed cuts in South Africa. ... Calum Hill of Scotland had consecutive runner-up finishes in the course of the Center East swing in Bahrain and Qatar. He's within the discipline on the Hainan Basic and is at No. 10 within the Race to Dubai standings. ... 5 gamers from Europe's profitable Ryder Cup workforce completed within the prime 10 at The Gamers Championship final week — Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood and Sepp Straka.

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Subsequent week: Hero Indian Open.

On-line: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

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PGA Tour Champions COLOGUARD CLASSIC

Website: Tucson, Arizona.

Course: La Paloma CC. Yardage: 6,586. Par: 71.

Prize cash: $2.2 million. Winner's share: $330,000.

Tv: Friday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel app), 10 p.m. to midnight (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Saturday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel), 6-7 p.m. (Golf Channel app); Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Steve Alker.

Charles Schwab Cup chief: Stewart Cink.

Final event: Zach Johnson gained the James Hardie Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame Invitational.

Notes: The PGA Tour Champions begins a two-week swing within the west (Arizona and California) earlier than returning to Florida for the primary main of the 12 months on the Senior PGA Championship. ... This would be the third 12 months at Paloma Nation Membership. ... Zach Johnson makes his second begin since turning 50. He gained in his PGA Tour Champions debut in Florida two weeks in the past. ... The event started in 2015 after Tucson beforehand hosted a PGA Tour occasion that led to 2006. ... Now in its twelfth 12 months, the Cologuard Basic has by no means had a a number of winner. ... The sponsor exemptions went to Mario Tiziani and Rob Labritz. ... David Duval gained in Tucson in 1998, a 12 months during which he gained a PGA Tour occasion within the winter, spring, summer time and fall. ... Stewart Cink nonetheless leads the Schwab Cup. ... People make up two-thirds of the sector on the PGA Tour Champions this week. ... Fred {Couples} is within the discipline. He usually has performed not more than 10 instances a season the final couple of years.

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Subsequent week: Hoag Basic.

On-line: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

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Korn Ferry Tour Final week: Doc Redman gained the Astara Chile Basic.

Subsequent week: Membership Automotive Championship.

Factors chief: Ian Holt.

On-line: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour

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Different excursions Epson Tour: Orlando Well being Championship, Grasslands Golf & CC, Lakeland, Florida. Defending champion: New event. On-line: https://www.epsontour.com/

Girls European Tour: Australia WPGA Championship, Sanctuary Cove Golf and CC, Hope Island, Australia. Tv: Saturday-Sunday, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Golf Channel app). Earlier winner: Su Oh. On-line: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/

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Problem Tour: DP World PGTI Open, Basic Golf & CC, Haryana, India. Defending champion: Quim Vidal. On-line: https://www.europeantour.com/hotelplanner-tour/