Upcoming Golf Tournaments

PGA Tour

ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP

Location: Chiba, Japan.
Course: Accordia Golf Narashino CC, measuring 7,079 yards with a par of 70.
Total prize money: $8.5 million, with $1.53 million awarded to the winner.
Broadcast schedule: Wednesday to Saturday, from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the Golf Channel.
Last year’s champion: Collin Morikawa.
Current FedEx Cup champion: Scottie Scheffler.
Recap from last week: J.T. Poston secured victory at the Shriners Children’s Open.

Relevant information: Notable players participating include Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, and Hideki Matsuyama, marking their return after the Presidents Cup. All three rank within the top 10 globally, ensuring a highly competitive field for the Zozo Championship. Schauffele notably clinched the Olympic gold medal in Japan in 2021. The inaugural Zozo Championship in 2019 was won by Tiger Woods, his last victory on the PGA Tour. Joel Dahmen, who received a sponsor exemption, withdrew after facing a four-shot penalty for carrying 15 clubs in his bag, and he currently sits at No. 129 in the FedEx Cup standings. Additionally, Justin Thomas is making his return since the Tour Championship, while Will Zalatoris participates for the first time since the BMW Championship. The tournament field includes six players from the top 30 in world ranking, along with 45 competitors from Las Vegas last week, 30 of whom successfully made the cut.

Looking ahead: The next tournament on the schedule is the World Wide Technology Championship, taking place from November 7-10.

LPGA Tour

MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Course: Kuala Lumpur Golf and CC, a 6,536-yard, par 72 course.
Total prize money: $3 million, with the winner receiving $450,000.
Broadcast timings: Wednesday to Saturday, from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on NBC Sports app; with tape delays on the Golf Channel from Thursday to Sunday evenings.
Defending champion: Celine Boutier.
Leader in the Race to CME Globe: Nelly Korda.
Recent champion: Hannah Green triumphed at the BMW Ladies Championship.

Key details: This is the third leg of the LPGA’s Asia tour swing, with the Maybank Championship offering the largest purse at $3 million among seven LPGA events in Asia this year. Nelly Korda was expected to compete but had to withdraw due to a neck injury. A field of 78 players will compete, with no cuts being made. Hannah Green has joined a select group of multiple winners this year, alongside Korda, Lydia Ko, and Lauren Coughlin. Last year’s champion, Celine Boutier, won through a nine-hole playoff, which ranks as the second-longest in LPGA history. Former world No. 1 Jin Young Ko returns for the first time since the FM Championship in Boston, dealing with ongoing shoulder issues and yet to secure a victory this year. Currently, Lilia Vu, ranked No. 2 in the world, is the highest-ranked participant, while Lydia Ko is not competing and cannot surpass Korda in the race for player of the year.

The upcoming event is the Toto Championship.

European Tour

GENESIS CHAMPIONSHIP

Location: Incheon, South Korea.
Course: Jack Nicklaus GC Korea, spanning 7,470 yards with a par of 72.
Total prize money: $4 million, with $666,667 designated for the winner.
Television schedule: Wednesday and Thursday, 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. on NBC Sports app; Friday extends to 4 p.m. with a slightly adjusted schedule for the Golf Channel through the weekend.
Defending champion: S.H. Park.
Leader in the Race to Dubai: Rory McIlroy.
Last week’s winner: Julien Guerrier at the Andalucia Masters.

Additional insights: The tournament features Tom Kim and Byeong Hun An, two South Korean players from the top 50 in the world rankings, both of whom participated as International teammates in the Presidents Cup. Kim comes off a disappointing missed cut in Las Vegas, where he had achieved two previous victories. Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard are also in attendance, separated by five spots in the world rankings—Nicolai at No. 53 and Rasmus at No. 58. Rasmus boasts five European tour victories, while Nicolai has three. The course also previously hosted the Presidents Cup in 2015. This week’s tournament is notable for being co-sanctioned with the Korea PGA, which contributes 30 members to the field.

Looking forward, the next event on the European Tour calendar is the Abu Dhabi Championship, scheduled for November 7-10.

PGA Tour Champions

SIMMONS BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas.
Course: Pleasant Valley CC, measuring 7,101 yards and a par of 72.
Prize money total: $2.3 million, with a winner’s share of $365,000.
Broadcast: Friday to Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Golf Channel.
Defending champion: This is a new tournament initiation.
Currently leading the Charles Schwab Cup: Ernie Els.
Last week’s victor: Tim O’Neal at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.

Significant news: The Simmons Bank Championship marks a new addition to the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs, taking the place of the previous Boca Raton event. A total of 54 top players from the Schwab Cup qualified, though only 51 will participate this week, missing notable competitors like Steve Stricker, Bernhard Langer, and Justin Leonard. Tim O’Neal, Paul Goydos, and David Bransdon all climbed into the top 54 after last week’s performances. Following this tournament, the top 36 players will proceed to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix in two weeks. Langer aims for a final chance to capture a title this season, which would extend his consecutive title streak to 18 years on the PGA Tour Champions. Stricker announced that he would be sidelined for the remainder of the year due to back issues and has not participated in postseason events.

The next event is the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, also happening from November 7-10.

Other Tours

• Asian Tour: International Series Thailand, at Thai CC, Chachoengsao, Thailand; Defending champion: Wade Ormsby.
• Ladies European Tour: Hero Women’s Indian Open at DLF Golf and CC, Delhi, India; Defending champion: Aline Krauter.
• PGA Tour of Australasia: Webex Players Series SA, Willunga GC, Willunga, Australia; Defending champion: Austin Bautista.
• Japan LPGA: Hisako Higuchi Mitsubishi Electric Ladies at Musashigaoka GC, Saitama, Japan; Defending champion: Hana Lee.
• Korea LPGA: Dukshin EPC Seoul Economics Ladies Classic at 88 CC, Yongin, South Korea; Defending champion: Hungkyung Park.
• Legends Tour: Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open at San Domenico GC, Puglia, Italy; Defending champion: James Kingston.