US Open returns to Pinehurst and LPGA heads to Michigan
UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION
U.S. OPEN
Site: Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Course: Pinehurst No. 2. Yardage: 7,540. Par: 70.
Prize money: TBA ($20 million in 2023). Winner’s share: TBD. ($3.6 million in 2023).
Television: Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (USA Network), 5-8 p.m. (Peacock); Friday, 6:30 to 1 p.m. (Peacock), 1-7 p.m. (NBC), 7-8 p.m. (Peacock); Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon (USA Network), noon to 8 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon (USA Network), noon to 7 p.m. (NBC).
Defending champion: Wyndham Clark.
Last year: Wyndham Clark won his first major when he closed with an even-par 70 and held off Rory McIlroy to win by one shot at Los Angeles Country Club. Scottie Scheffler finished third.
Notes: This is the fourth U.S. Open to be held at Pinehurst No. 2, the course Donald Ross designed. … Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar are the only players in the field who competed at Pinehurst in 1999, 2005 and 2015. … Tiger Woods is playing in his third consecutive major, his first time playing three in a row since 2020. … Scottie Scheffler is the first player since Tom Watson in 1980 to have won five times on the PGA Tour before the U.S. Open. … Five different Americans have won the last five majors, the longest such streak in 40 years. … This is the final event before the 60-man field for the Olympics is determined by the world ranking. Among those on the bubble is David Puig of Spain, who only has to make the cut to be earn a spot in Paris this summer. … Adam Scott is playing in his 92nd consecutive major, the longest active streak. … The last U.S. Open playoff was in 2008, the longest stretch of the four majors.
Next year: Oakmont CC.
Online: https://www.usopen.com/
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LPGA TOUR
MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC
Site: Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Course: Blythefield CC. Yardage: 6,638. Par: 72.
Prize money: $3 million. Winner’s share: $450,000.
Television: Thursday-Saturday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 2-4 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Leona Maguire.
Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
Last week: Linnea Strom won the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Notes: Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 player and double major winner last year, is playing for the first time since the Ford Championship in Arizona at the end of March because of a back injury. She has had to miss two majors already this year. … Nelly Korda is in the field coming off a missed cut in the U.S. Women’s Open. She told the tournament record of 25-under 263 in 2021. … Two tournaments remain before the women’s world ranking determines the 60-player field for the Olympics this summer in Paris. … Megan Khang is just outside the top 15 in her bid to be the fourth American in the Olympics. Countries are allowed a maximum of four players provided they are in the top 15. … Lexi Thompson is in the field. She now has gone more than five years without winning. Thompson has said this will be her last year playing a full schedule, though she is unclear how often she will play.
Next week: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
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KORN FERRY TOUR
WICHITA OPEN
Site: Wichita, Kansas.
Course: Crestview CC. Yardage: 6,910. Par: 70.
Prize money: $1 million. Winner’s share: $180,000.
Television: None.
Defending champion: Ricky Castillo.
Points leader: Tim Widing.
Next week: Compliance Solutions Championship.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour
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PGA TOUR
Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the Memorial.
Next week: Travelers Championship.
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
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LIV GOLF LEAGUE
Last week: Carlos Ortiz won LIV Golf Houston.
Next week: LIV Golf Nashville.
Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.
Online: https://www.livgolf.com/
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EUROPEAN TOUR
Last week: Linn Grant won the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed.
Next week: KLM Open.
Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Last week: Ernie Els won the American Family Insurance Championship.
Next week: Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stephen Ames.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions/
OTHER TOURS
Epson Tour: Otter Creek Championship, Otter Creek GC, Columbus, Indiana. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://www.epsontour.com/
Japan Golf Tour: Hana Bank Invitational, Nam Chun Cheon CC, Chuncheon, South Korea. Defending champion: Ji-Ho Yang. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/
Challenge Tour: Kaskada Golf Challenge, Golf Resort Kaskada, Brno, Czech Republic. Defending champion: Martin Simonsen. Online: https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/
Ladies European Tour: Ladies Italian Open, Golf Nazionale, Sutri, Italy. Previous winner: Morgane Metraux. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/
Sunshine Tour: The Mopani Zambia Open, Nkana GC, Kitwe, Zambia. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/
Japan LPGA: Nichirei Ladies, Sodegaura CC (Shinsode), Chiba, Japan. Defending champion: Miyuu Yamashita. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/
Korea LPGA: DB Group Korea Women’s Open, Rainbow Hills CC, Eumseong, South Korea. Defending champion: Jiwon Hong. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf