In San Antonio, the Valero Texas Open is set to take place at TPC San Antonio (Oaks), a course stretching over 7,438 yards with a par of 72. The tournament boasts a prize pot of $9.5 million, with the winner earning $1,710,000. The event will be broadcasted on TV from Thursday to Sunday, with coverage split between the Golf Channel and NBC. Akshay Bhatia returns as the defending champion, while Rory McIlroy currently leads the FedEx Cup standings. Notably, Min Woo Lee clinched the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week. This tournament offers the last opportunity for players to secure a spot in the Masters if they are not already eligible.
The field includes 16 of the world’s top 50 golfers, with notable names like Ludvig Aberg preparing for the Masters. Previous champions of this event, including Jordan Spieth in 2021, have often qualified for the Masters. Spieth has historically played the week before the Masters but skipped it in 2023. Gary Woodland, fresh off a second-place finish in Houston, is hoping to claim a spot at Augusta, as his U.S. Open exemption has expired.
In North Las Vegas, the LPGA’s T-Mobile Match Play is underway at Shadow Creek Golf Course, spanning 6,765 yards with a par of 72. The event offers $2 million in prize money and a $300,000 winner’s share. It marks the only match play contest on the LPGA calendar this year, now in its fifth edition. Nelly Korda, the defending champion, aims for redemption following a 22nd place finish in Phoenix. The tournament begins with 64 players in 16 groups, leading to a round-robin format across three days before the knockout stages. The victor will have played seven matches over five days. Lydia Ko makes her debut, having last played match play in Mexico with Lorena Ochoa as host.
The LPGA season has seen six different winners in as many tournaments, with Hyo Joo Kim triumphing in Arizona for a second time. Meanwhile, Danielle Kang, a Las Vegas local, participates on a sponsor’s exemption. Lilia Vu, a recent playoff contender, will miss this week’s event.
Over in Doral, Florida, the LIV Golf League presents the LIV Golf Doral at Trump National Doral, a challenging course of 7,701 yards with a par of 72. This stop in the LIV Golf series boasts a $20 million prize purse, where the winner pockets $4 million. The event kicks off as the first of six LIV Golf tournaments in the U.S. this year. Among the field are familiar names like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Patrick Reed, who have tasted success here when Doral was part of the PGA Tour or World Golf Championships. Joaquin Niemann stands out as the season’s points leader, having won in Singapore and receiving a second-time Masters exemption.
Twelve LIV competitors will tee off at the Masters next week, seven of them past champions. Niemann leads as the only dual victor in four LIV tournaments this year. Other winners have been Sergio Garcia and Adrian Meronk. Garcia’s Fireballs team has claimed three consecutive team trophies. Doral continues its presence on the LIV circuit, previously capping off the season in a team event capacity.
The PGA Tour Champions hosts the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational at Boca Raton, Florida’s Old Course at Broken Sound Club, which plays 7,008 yards and par 72. With $2.2 million in prize money, the winner earns $330,000. This is a fresh addition to the lineup, as Steve Allan took The Galleri Classic title last week. While Brett Quigley joins on a sponsor exemption, football icons including Dan Fouts and Lawrence Taylor add star power to Friday and Saturday rounds alongside PGA Tour Champions veterans.
Vijay Singh is eyeing the Masters, being the lone field member set for the major event. Notable absentees are Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Mike Weir. Former Masters champion Angel Cabrera is an alternate, having played in the PGA Tour Americas recently.
In Savannah, Georgia, the Korn Ferry Tour’s Club Car Championship takes place at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club (Deer Creek) across 7,185 yards, par 72. The prize pool totals $1 million with $180,000 for the winner. Last week saw Logan McAllister emerge victorious at the Astara Chile Classic. This event precedes the Lecom Suncoast Classic, set from April 16-19.
On the global stage, Eugenio Chacarra secured the Hero Indian Open victory last week. Next up is the prestigious Masters tournament. Laurie Canter holds the lead in the Race to Dubai standings.
Another notable event is the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in Georgia, where Wednesday and Thursday’s play will be at Champions Retreat and Saturday’s final round at Augusta National GC, with Lottie Woad defending her title. The Joburg Ladies Open unfolds at Modderfontein GC, Johannesburg, with Chiara Tamburlini as reigning champion. Additionally, the Brazil Open takes place in Rio de Janeiro under PGA Tour Americas, and the Yamaha Ladies Open kicks off in Shizuoka, Japan, with Sakura Koiwai defending her title. Lastly, the Korea LPGA hosts the Doosan E&C We’ve Championship in Busan, where Youmin Hwang is the current champion.