European Tour

DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Course: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth). Yardage: 7,675. Par: 72.
Prize Money: $10 million. Winner’s share: $3 million.
Broadcast: Thursday-Saturday, 2-8 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 1:30-7:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending Champion: Nicolai Hojgaard.
Race to Dubai Leader: Rory McIlroy.
Last Week’s Result: Paul Waring claimed victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

This tournament marks the conclusion of the 2023-24 European tour season. Rory McIlroy is in a strong position to secure his sixth Race to Dubai title, provided Thriston Lawrence doesn’t win and McIlroy doesn’t finish lower than 11th alone. The field comprises 50 players, with only two absentees: Ludvig Aberg is rehabilitating from knee surgery, and Jon Rahm is at home in Arizona celebrating the birth of his third child in September. Additionally, Jordan Smith from England leads Tom McKibbin by 63 points in the race for the 10th and final PGA Tour card for 2025.

Paul Waring’s recent triumph in Abu Dhabi, marking his first win in eight years, secures him a PGA Tour card for the upcoming year. This is McIlroy’s third appearance in Dubai this season, where he previously secured second at the Dubai Invitational and emerged victorious in the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year. Notably, Billy Horschel is participating in this event, making his fifth appearance on the European Tour this season, excluding major tournaments.

Next Week: The BMW Australian PGA Championship will kickoff the 2024-25 season.

LPGA Tour

THE ANNIKA

Location: Belleair, Florida.
Course: Pelican GC. Yardage: 6,349. Par: 70.
Prize Money: $3.25 million. Winner’s share: $487,500.
Broadcast: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2-2:30 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 2:30-5 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 1:30-2 p.m. (NBC Sports app); 2-4:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending Champion: Lilia Vu.
Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda.
Last Week’s Result: A Lim Kim emerged victorious at the Lotte Championship.

This event serves as the last opportunity for players to qualify for the season-concluding CME Group Tour Championship, with the top 60 players in contention. A win at this tournament will award a $4 million grand prize. Nelly Korda returns to compete for the first time since September 22, having already secured the LPGA Player of the Year title. Other titles still up for grabs in the final two events include the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average, contested between Haeran Ryu and Ayaka Furue, as well as the Rookie of the Year award, which is a close race between Mao Saigo and Jin Hee Im.

Additionally, two-time major champion Brittany Lincicome will be playing her final professional event before retirement. Stephanie Kyriacou holds the 60th position in the Race to CME Globe, with a slim margin of 14 points over Gaby Lopez. WNBA star Caitlin Clark is also participating in a pro-am, representing the presenting sponsor, Gainbridge. The tournament features 18 of the top 25 golfers in the world ranking.

Next Week: The CME Group Tour Championship will take place.

PGA Tour

BUTTERFIELD BERMUDA CHAMPIONSHIP

Location: Southampton, Bermuda.
Course: Port Royal GC. Yardage: 6,828. Par: 71.
Prize Money: $6.9 million. Winner’s share: $1.242 million.
Broadcast: Thursday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending Champion: Camilo Villegas.
FedEx Cup Champion: Scottie Scheffler.
Last Week’s Result: Austin Eckroat took home the title at the World Wide Technology Championship.

Among the players competing, Lucas Glover stands out as the highest-ranked competitor at No. 48, being the only player in the top 50 worldwide present in this tournament. Glover previously won the PGA Grand Slam of Golf held in Bermuda back in 2009, a year he also clinched the U.S. Open title. The winner of this championship earns an invitation to the prestigious Masters Tournament; currently, only three players in the field have already qualified: Nico Echavarria, Kevin Yu, and Jhonattan Vegas.

This year, Wesley Bryan and his brother George Bryan are returning for a second consecutive year. George received a sponsor exemption to participate. Additionally, Egor Eroshenko from Russia qualified for the event as a senior at Central Florida. Miles Russell, a 16-year-old who made his PGA Tour debut earlier this year at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, also received a sponsor exemption. Graeme Robertson from Scotland will be making his PGA Tour debut, having secured a spot by winning the Goslings Invitational in Bermuda.

Next Week: The RSM Classic is scheduled for next week.

PGA Tour Champions

Last Week’s Winner: Bernhard Langer clinched the title at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Next Week: The season will conclude.

Charles Schwab Cup Champion: Steven Alker.

Other Tours

Japan Golf Tour: The Dunlop Phoenix tournament will be held at Phoenix CC, Miyazaki, Japan, defending champion Yuta Sugiura is expected to compete.
Asian Tour: The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is set for Taifong GC, Changhua, Taiwan, with last year’s champion Suteepat Prateeptienchai also in the field.
PGA Tour of Australasia: The NSW Open will take place at Murray Downs Golf and CC, New South Wales, Australia, featuring defending champion David Micheluzzi.
Sunshine Tour: The Vodacom Origins of Golf Final will occur at Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa, George, South Africa, with Neil Schietekat coming back as the defending champion.
Japan LPGA: The Daio Paper Elleair Ladies Open is scheduled at Elleair GC (Matsuyama), Ehime, Japan, with Serena Aoki expected to defend her title.
Korea LPGA: The Wemix Championship will take place at Haeundae Beach Golf & Resort, Busan, South Korea, featuring reigning champion Yewon Lee.