A look at the week ahead in golf
PGA TOUR
WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN
Site: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Course: TPC Scottsdale. Yardage: 7,261. Par: 71.
Purse: $7.3 million. Winner's share: $1,314,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Rickie Fowler.
FedEx Cup leader: Justin Thomas.
Last week: Marc Leishman won the Farmers Insurance Open.
Notes: The field features seven of the top 20 in the world ranking, including Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele. ... Rahm can go to No. 1 with a victory, provided Brooks Koepka finishes out of the top four in Saudi Arabia. ... Missing from the Phoenix Open for the first time since 1990 is Phil Mickelson, who is taking appearance money to play in the Saudi International this week. ... Eight players from the U.S. Presidents Cup team are playing. ... Rahm played all four years at Arizona State and lives in Scottsdale with his wife, Kelly. ... Charl Schwartzel, sidelined for much of last year with a wrist injury, makes his first PGA Tour start since the RBC Heritage last April. The former Masters champion missed the cut in his two European Tour starts this year. ... Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker is playing for the third straight week. He missed the cut in The American Express and at Torrey Pines. ... Bryson DeChambeau makes his first PGA Tour start of the year after two weeks in the Middle East.
Next week: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Online: www.pgatour.com
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EUROPEAN TOUR
SAUDI INTERNATIONAL
Site: Economic City, Saudi Arabia.
Course: Royal Greens Golf & CC. Yardage: 7,010. Par: 70.
Purse: $3.5 million. Winner's share: $583,333.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-5 a.m., 6:30-9:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 4:30-9 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Dustin Johnson.
Race to Dubai leader: Lee Westwood.
Last week: Lucas Herbert won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Notes: For the second straight year, the Saudi International has attracted some of the biggest names. Along with Dustin Johnson defending, the field includes Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed from the the United States, along with major champions Shane Lowry, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson. ... The field has four players from the top 20 in the world ranking. ... Garcia was disqualified last year for damaging several greens out of frustration. ... Abraham Ancer of Mexico is playing. ... Among those receiving a sponsor exemption is Akshay Bhatia, the 17-year-old who turned pro and has yet to make the cut in a PGA Tour event. ... The Saudi International is the third of six events to be played in the Middle East. ... The field features 10 former major champions.
Next week: ISPS Handa Vic Open.
Online: www.europeantour.com
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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
MOROCCO CHAMPIONS
Site: Marrakech, Morocco.
Course: Samanah GC.
Purse: $2 million. Winner's share: $300,000.
Television: Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: New event.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Last tournament: Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Notes: This is the first PGA Tour Champions event held in Africa. ... Charles Schwab Cup champion Scott McCarron, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie and Mark O'Meara are playing. ... Mongtomerie won the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco in 1997 when it was an official event. ... The PGA Tour Champions had a week off after the season opener in Hawaii, and will be off next week before starting its U.S. mainland schedule in Florida. ... The field features 13 major champions, including Mark Calcavecchia and John Daly. ... This is one of four countries outside the U.S. on the Champions schedule.
Next tournament: Chubb Classic on Feb. 14-16.
Online: www.pgatour.com/champions
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KORN FERRY TOUR
PANAMA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Panama City, Panama.
Course: Panama GC. Yardage: 7,157. Par: 70.
Purse: $625,000. Winner's share: $112,500.
Television: None.
Defending champion: Michael Gligic.
Points leader: Jared Wolfe.
Last tournament: Jared Wolfe won the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.
Next week: Country Club de Bogota Championship.
Online: www.pgatour.com/kornferry
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LPGA TOUR
Last week: Madelene Sagstrom won the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.
Next week: ISPS Handa Vic Open.
Race to CME Globe leader: Nasa Hataoka.
Online: www.lpga.com
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OTHER TOURS
Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour: Limpopo Championship, Europhoria GC and Koro Creek GC, Modimolle, South Africa. Defending champion: J.C. Ritchie. Online: www.sunshinetour.com and www.europeantour.com/challengetour
