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Hideki Matsuyama wins Casio World Open and Japan Tour money list

Sunday 1 December 2013 13:42, UK

Hideki Matsuyama became the first rookie to win the Japan Tour money list when he clinched his fourth victory of the season at the Casio World Open.

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2022 Japan Golf Tour

The 2022 Japan Golf Tour was the 49th season of the Japan Golf Tour (formerly the PGA of Japan Tour ), the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

Response to LIV Golf

Unofficial events, japan challenge tour.

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Following a statement produced by the Japan Golf Tour Organization on 1 October 2022, they outlined their position in regards to the ongoing dispute between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour and their alliance; the European Tour (DP World Tour). They stated that it would be beneficial to the Japan Golf Tour that they remained in a neutral position. However, they also came to the conclusion that they could potentially be better off siding with the PGA Tour, giving players in Asia a pathway to playing opportunities in the United States, as the Asian Tour has already struck an amicable relationship with LIV Golf, giving their players playing opportunities in the LIV Golf League via the International Series . [1] [2]

In December, a new agreement with the PGA Tour and European Tour was announced. As part of the deal, from 2023 onwards the top three on the Japan Golf Tour's season-ending money list earned status to play on the European Tour for the following season. [3]

The following table lists official events during the 2022 season. [4]

The following events were sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official.

The money list was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Japanese yen . [5] The top three players on the money list earned status to play on the 2023 European Tour (DP World Tour). [6] [7]

The 2022 Japan Challenge Tour , titled as the 2022 Abema Tour for sponsorship reasons, was the 37th season of the Japan Challenge Tour , the official development tour to the Japan Golf Tour .

The following table lists official events during the 2022 season. [9]

The money list was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Japanese yen . [10] [11] The top 20 players on the money list earned status to play on the 2023 Japan Golf Tour . [12]

• ↑ The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of Japan Golf Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for Japan Golf Tour members.
• 1 2 ASA − Asian Tour ; EUR − European Tour ; KOR − Korean Tour ; PGAT − PGA Tour .
• ↑ The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of Japan Challenge Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. It is rare for someone to accumulate many wins on the Japan Challenge Tour as success at this level usually leads to promotion to the Japan Golf Tour .

Related Research Articles

The European Tour , currently titled as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons, and legally the PGA European Tour or the European Tour Group , is the leading men's professional golf tour in Europe. The organisation also operates the European Senior Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour; the second tier of men’s professional golf in Europe. The tour's headquarters are at the Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England. The European Tour was established by the British-based Professional Golfers' Association through the 1970s, and responsibility was transferred to an independent PGA European Tour organisation in 1984.

The Japan Golf Tour is a prominent professional golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offered the third-highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However, since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with that on the two larger tours. Official events on the Japan Golf Tour count for Official World Golf Ranking points and success on the tour can also qualify members to play in the majors.

The Challenge Tour is the second-tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and similarly with the main European Tour and the European Senior Tour, some of the events are played outside Europe.

Henrik Olof Stenson is a Swedish professional golfer.

The Japan Challenge Tour , currently titled as the Abema Tour for sponsorships reasons, is a series of developmental golf tournaments run by the Japan Golf Tour Organization. It has been in operation since 1985.

The 2008 Japan Golf Tour was the 36th season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

The PGA Tour is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, as well as the PGA Tour Champions and the Korn Ferry Tour, as well as the PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and formerly the PGA Tour China. The PGA Tour is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a suburb southeast of Jacksonville.

The 2010 Japan Golf Tour was the 38th season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

Peter Uihlein is an American professional golfer who formerly played on the PGA Tour and the European Tour and now plays in the LIV Golf League. He was a member of the victorious U.S. team at the 2009 Walker Cup, where he compiled a 4–0 match record. Uihlein won the 2010 U.S. Amateur and is a former number one ranked amateur golfer in the world.

The 2015 Japan Golf Tour was the 43rd season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

The 2018 Japan Golf Tour was the 46th season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

The 2019 Japan Golf Tour was the 47th season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

The 2020–21 Japan Golf Tour was the 48th season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

The 2021–22 PGA Tour was the 107th season of the PGA Tour, the main professional golf tour in the United States. It was also the 54th season since separating from the PGA of America, and the 16th edition of the FedEx Cup.

The 2022 European Tour , titled as the 2022 DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons, was the 51st season of the European Tour, the main professional golf tour in Europe since its inaugural season in 1972.

LIV Golf is a professional golf tour. The name "LIV" refers to the Roman numerals for 54, the score if every hole on a par-72 course were birdied and the number of holes to be played at LIV events. The first LIV Golf Invitational Series event started on 9 June 2022, at the Centurion Club near St Albans in Hertfordshire, UK. The Invitational Series became the LIV Golf League in 2023.

Kazuki Higa is a Japanese professional golfer. He has won six times on the Japan Golf Tour, as well as topping the money list in 2022.

The 2022–23 PGA Tour was the 108th season of the PGA Tour, the main professional golf tour in the United States. It was also the 55th season since separating from the PGA of America, and the 17th edition of the FedEx Cup.

The 2023 European Tour , titled as the 2023 DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons, was the 52nd season of the European Tour, the main professional golf tour in Europe since its inaugural season in 1972.

The 2023 Japan Golf Tour was the 50th season of the Japan Golf Tour, the main professional golf tour in Japan since it was formed in 1973.

• ↑ Flushing It [@flushingitgolf] (1 October 2022). "The Japan Golf Tour has released a statement in regard to the PGA Tour v LIV situation" (Tweet) . Retrieved 2 October 2022 – via Twitter .
• ↑ Beall, Joel (5 December 2022). "PGA Tour and DP World Tour announce alliance with Japan Golf Tour" . Golf Digest . Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
• ↑ "2022 Tour Tournaments" . Japan Golf Tour Organization . Retrieved 10 April 2023 .
• ↑ "2022 Money Ranking" . Japan Golf Tour Organization . Retrieved 4 December 2022 .
• ↑ "Top-3 Japan Tour Order of Merit finishers to receive DP World Tour membership" . News Nine . 5 December 2022 . Retrieved 1 January 2023 .
• ↑ "Japan's magnificent seven on the DP World Tour competing at the ISPS Handa Championship" . European Tour. 19 April 2023 . Retrieved 10 September 2023 . Along with Higa and Hoshino, Iwasaki secured his exemption to play on the DP World Tour this season by finishing as one of the top three players on the Japan Golf Tour Money List (not otherwise exempt) last year.
• 1 2 "Kazuki Higa tops money list and named Most Valuable Player at JGTO awards ceremony" . ParGolf . 5 December 2022 . Retrieved 27 June 2023 . Rookie Award Shimada Trophy: Yuto Katsuragawa
• ↑ "2022 Challenge Schedule" . Japan Golf Tour Organization . Retrieved 15 September 2023 .
• ↑ "2022 Challenge Money Ranking" . Japan Golf Tour Organization . Retrieved 29 December 2022 .
• ↑ "大堀裕次郎が最終戦を制し、逆転賞金王に輝く！" [ Yujiro Ohori wins the final match and wins the comeback prize king! ] (in Japanese). Japan Golf Tour Organization. 14 October 2022 . Retrieved 26 July 2023 .
• ↑ "Abema Tour 2022 season tees off" . Japan Golf Tour Organization. 6 April 2022 . Retrieved 15 September 2023 . Players who finish inside the top-20 on the money list will earn their main JGTO cards in 2023.
• Official website

2023 Toto Japan Classic final results: Prize money payout, leaderboard and how much each golfer won

The 2023 Toto Japan Classic final leaderboard is headed by winner Mone Inami, who earned the LPGA Tour win at Taihelyo Club Minori Course in Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan.

Inami earned her first LPGA Tour win with a one-shot victory over Seon Woo Bae and Shiho Kuwaki on 22-under 266. Her final-round 69 was good enough for the breakthrough win.

Jiyai Shin and Xiyu Lin finished in a tie for fourth place, two shots back of the lead.

Inami won and the $300,000 winner's share of the $2,000,000 purse.

Toto Japan Classic recap notes

Inami picks up the win in the 30th LPGA Tour event of the season, getting in the winner's circle for the first time this LPGA Tour season.

By winning the event, Inami earned a full two-year LPGA Tour exemption, should she choose to take it.

This week, there was not a 36-hole cut, with 78 players finishing the tournament after a cut was not made the top 65 and ties through two rounds.

The 2023 LPGA Tour schedule continues next week with The Annika in Florida.

2023 Toto Japan Classic final leaderboard, results and prize money payouts

Click header to sort; rotate mobile screens for details

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he talks about golf on various social platforms:

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The list of top 18 money winners in PGA Tour history has plenty of surprises

There’s a lot of money to be made in professional golf.

Tiger Woods maintains his overall lead atop the PGA Tour’s all-time money list. He is the first golfer to surpass the $120,000,000 mark in on-course career earnings and the only one over the $100 million mark. Phil Mickelson, before departing for the LIV Golf League, surpassed the $90 million mark. Rory McIlroy is third on this list as he has gone past $80 million.

With the bigger pots at stake in the PGA Tour’s signature events, expect a lot of movement up in the next few years on this list.

With that in mind, let’s look at the top money earners of all-time, as measured by on-course winnings. Some of the names may surprise you.

Editor’s note: This list is updated through the 2024 RBC Heritage.

Ernie Els - $49,385,600

Rickie fowler - $49,651,954, hideki matsuyama - $50,171,691, jon rahm - $51,6036,851, sergio garcia - $54,576,690, justin thomas - $57,057,380, matt kuchar - $58,849,967, jason day - $59,384,085, scottie scheffler $61,258,464, jordan spieth - $62,180,604, justin rose - $62,481,391, adam scott - $64,290,490, vijay singh - $71,281,216, jim furyk - $71,507,269, dustin johnson - $75,417,837, rory mcilroy - $81,810,229, phil mickelson - $96,644,310, tiger woods - $120,999,166.

Source: pgatour.com

Story originally appeared on GolfWeek

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Collin Morikawa halts winless string with stunning Sunday and six-shot win in Zozo

Collin Morikawa celebrates winning the tournament on the 18th green during the final round of Zozo Championship.

Yoshimasa Nakano

Collin Morikawa is a Los Angeles guy through and through. He was born in L.A., grew up in the suburb of La Canada Flintridge, honed his game at public courses all around the Southland, and bleeds Dodger blue and Laker purple. His Japanese heritage? Considering the great grandparents on his dad’s side moved to Hawaii decades ago, the golfer admits he hadn’t thought much about family lineage until the PGA Tour started playing the Zozo Championship in 2019 at Narashino Country Club, 60 miles east of Tokyo.

Even during this week at the Zozo, as Morikawa moved into contention, he downplayed what it might mean for him to win in Japan. “Look,” he said, “a win’s a win. I’ll take it anywhere, right?”

Spoken like a man who hadn’t lifted a trophy on the PGA Tour since July 2021, when the 26-year-old captured his second major in his inaugural Open Championship start at Royal St. George’s. Morikawa also won the DP World Tour Championship late in ’21, but since then had some big misses on Sundays, with four runners-up, including blowing a six-shot lead at the 2023 season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions and falling over the summer in a playoff in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where Rickie Fowler ended his own long dry spell.

As it turned out, Morikawa’s six-shot victory on Sunday in the Zozo—forged with a nearly flawless seven-under 63 as much of America slept—created deep satisfaction for the World No. 20 on numerous levels. He snapped his winless streak in his last official tour start of ’23, created tremendous confidence heading into the new year and cemented his standing as yet another hero in Japan golf.

MORE: LIV Golf lays out its 2024 plans amid uncertainty about PGA Tour deal

Consider the small island country’s golf bounty of late: Tiger Woods won the inaugural Zozo Championship in 2019 for his record-tying 82nd tour victory; Hideki Matsuyama captured the 2021 Masters, and later that year Xander Schauffele, with Japanese heritage, won the gold medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. And then Matusyama seized the 2021 Zozo in its return to his home country after the pandemic.

A player of Morikawa's stature again winning the Zozo only further sollidfies the touranment's worldwide standing.

Collin Morikawa winning the Zozo Championship with his wife, Katherin Zhu.

“This means the world,” Morikawa of his sixth PGA Tour win, not meaning to create a pun, though he has now won tournaments in England, Dubai and Japan, as well as California, Ohio and Florida.

“It feels so good. I can’t even explain it,” added Morikawa, whose 14-under total, after starting the final round two strokes back, bested the runners-up at eight under, Beau Hossler (70) and Eric Cole (70). “I knew I was going to get here at some point. It’s like getting your first win, your first major, whatever … people start asking questions, they start asking the ‘why.’ I really had to look back and ask myself what’s wrong. What is the ‘why’? What’s the reason behind finishing second or fifth versus a win.”

Some would say the troubles continued to be with Morikawa’s putting. A superior ball-striker who ranked second in Strokes Gained/Approach heading into this week, Morikawa has always been a streaky putter, and this year was no different. He entered the Zozo ranked 112th in SG/putting, losing 0.109 strokes to the field per round.

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On Wednesday this week, he went straight from his pro-am round to the practice green, where Morikawa said he spent more than two hours “grinding” on his putting. “Just trying to figure out how to read these greens,” he said on Sunday. “How to get a little more consistency, take out a few variables. Texted a couple of buddies on certain little things, and it was nice to see it click like that.”

Click it did, with Morikawa draining a field-best 24 birdies while ranking second in putts per green in regulation. That, combined with tying for third in GIR (73.61 percent), and it was one of those weeks that Morikawa seemed destined to dominate.

After opening with a 64, but then struggling to a 73 in the wind-blown second round, Morikawa did have an early stumble on Saturday. He drove next to a tree on the first hole and had to punch out in eventually suffering a double bogey. After another bogey with a three-putt at No. 4, Morikawa was nine shots off the lead.

But over the final 32 holes, he shot 14 under in a stretch that included him closing with five birdies over his last six holes in a third-round 66. On Sunday, Morikawa seized control with four birdies on a front nine of 30 and cruised in with three more birdies, including one very satisfying roll into the cup on the last.

“It just got to the point today, if I put good speed on it, the ball is going to have a great chance to go into the hole,” Morikawa said.

It doesn’t get much better than finishing the year on such a high note. Morikawa’s wife, Katherine Zhu, stood quietly at greenside with a smile on her face as he finished up. The couple are approaching their one-year wedding anniversary on Nov. 26 and plan to spend a couple of weeks on vacation.

At some point, they may happily hum the Imagine Dragons tune played as their wedding processional. It’s called “On Top of the World.”

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• DDIS : Driving distance (in yards)
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PGA Tour players learn how much loyalty is worth in new equity program

Players who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour amid lucrative recruitment by Saudi-funded LIV Golf are starting to find out how much that loyalty could be worth.

The PGA Tour on Wednesday began contacting the 193 players eligible for the $930 million from a “Player Equity Program” under the new PGA Tour Enterprises .

The bulk of that money — $750 million — went to 36 players based on their career performance, the last five years and how they fared in a recent program that measured their star power.

How much they received was not immediately known. Emails were going out Wednesday afternoon and Thursday informing players of what they would get. One person who saw a list of how the equity shares were doled out said the names had been redacted. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because many details of the program were not made public.

The Telegraph reported Tiger Woods was to receive $100 million in equity and Rory McIlroy could get $50 million, without saying how it came up with those numbers.

Commissioner Jay Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players, a week after Strategic Sports Group became a minority investor in the new commercial PGA Tour Enterprises.

The private equity group, a consortium of professional sports owners led by the Fenway Sports Group, made an initial investment of $1.5 billion that could be worth $3 billion. The tour is still negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — the financial muscle behind the rival LIV Golf league — as an investor.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

Another person with knowledge of the Player Equity Program, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the dealings, said the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players and reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

It also reported how the 36 players from the top tier were judged on “career points,” such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories.

Jason Gore, the tour’s chief player officer, said in one of the videos, “It’s really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal.”

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

LIV Golf lured away seven major champions dating to 2018 since it launched in 2022, all with guaranteed contracts and most of them believed to have topped $100 million.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

“I think the one thing we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is there’s never enough,” McIlroy replied.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

PGA Tour makes its lone Asia stop in Japan. The LPGA has 2nd of 4 in a row in Asia

PGA TOUR AND JAPAN GOLF TOUR

ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Chiba, Japan.

Course: Accordia Golf Narashino CC. Yardage: 7,079. Par: 70.

Prize money: $8.5 million. Winner's share: $1.53 million.

Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Keegan Bradley.

FedEx Cup champion: Viktor Hovland.

Last week: Tom Kim won the Shriners Children's Open.

Notes: This is the last remaining PGA Tour event in Asia after previously having a three-event swing. ... Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler are playing for the first time since the Ryder Cup. ... A year ago, the PGA Tour went from Japan to South Carolina in consecutive weeks. The tour is off next week before resuming in Mexico. ... Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark, who received an exemption to Las Vegas after his Ryder Cup debut, received an exemption to the Zozo. ... Takumi Kanaya is in the field. His lead on the Japan Golf Tour money list is about $8,000 over Keita Nakajima, who made his pro debut in the Zozo Championship last year. ... Schauffele won an Olympic gold medal in Japan in 2021. His mother and his mother-in-law grew up in Japan. ... Hideki Matsuyama is playing for the first time in two months. He last played at the BMW Championship.

Next tournament: World Wide Technology Championship on Nov. 2-5.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/ and https://www.jgto.org/en/

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

DOMINION ENERGY CHARITY CLASSIC

Site: Richmond, Virginia.

Course: The Country Club of Virginia. Yardage: 7,025. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2.2 million. Winner's share: $335,000.

Television: Friday-Sunday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Steven Alker.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steve Stricker.

Last week: Rod Pampling won the SAS Championship.

Notes: The first of three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events starts with a 72-man field. Points (money) are doubled this week, and the top 54 will advance to the second event. ... Steve Stricker's lead in the Schwab Cup is nearly $2 million over Steven Alker. He is assured of being No. 1 in the standings even if he doesn't play the next two events and Alker wins both playoff events. ... A “wild card” spot was reserved for anyone who finished in the top 10 last week who was not among the top 72. It was not used. ... David Duval qualified for the postseason for the first time since joining the PGA Tour Champions. He tied for 11th last week to move from No. 78 to No. 71. ... The first two playoff events are 54 holes. The Charles Schwab Cup Championship is contested over 72 holes. ... Rod Pampling at the SAS Championship became the third player to go wire-to-wire on the PGA Tour Champions this year.

Next tournament: TimberTech Championship on Nov. 3-5.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

LIV GOLF TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Doral, Florida.

Course: Trump National Doral. Yardage: 7,725. Par: 72.

Prize money: $50 million. Winning team's share: $16 million.

Television: Friday, 1-6 p.m. (The CW App); Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (The CW).

Defending champion: 4 Aces.

Points champion: Talor Gooch.

Last week: Brooks Koepka won LIV Golf-Jeddah.

Notes: This is the final event of the second season of the LIV Golf League. ... The four top teams in the season points list all get byes in the first round. The top seeds are defending champion 4Aces (Dustin Johnson is the captain), Crushers (Bryson DeChambeau), Torque (Joaquin Niemann) and RangeGoats (Bubba Watson). ... Torque had four team victories this year to lead the league. ... Talor Gooch captured the individual points title with his playoff loss last week in Saudi Arabia. That comes with an $18 million bonus, pushing his money to over $35 million for the year. ... Gooch won three times this year. ... Brooks Koepka won his second individual title last week in Saudi Arabia. ... The Majestiks and Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers are the only teams that didn't finish in the top three this year. ... Only seven players won individual titles this year, with Gooch, Koepka, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau winning multiple times.

Next tournament: End of season.

Online: https://www.livgolf.com/

BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

Course: Seowon Valley CC (Seowon Hills). Yardage: 6,647. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2.2 million. Winner's share: $330,000.

Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. (Peacock); Thursday, 5-8 p.m. (Golf Channel-tape delay); Friday-Sunday, 5:30-8:30 p.m. (Golf Channel-tape delay).

Defending champion: Lydia Ko.

Race to CME Globe leader: Lilia Vu.

Last week: Angel Yin won the Buick LPGA Shanghai.

Notes: This is the second of four tournaments in the LPGA Tour's fall Asian swing. ... The tournament began in 2015 and became part of the LPGA schedule in 2019. It only was postponed one year by the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Lilia Vu returned to the top of the Race to CME Globe standings with her playoff loss in Shanghai. He leads by fewer than five points over Celine Boutier. Both are in the field this week, along with Women’s PGA champion Ruoning Yin, who is 73 points behind Vu. ... Lexi Thompson missed the cut by three shots on the PGA Tour in Las Vegas. She is not playing until the LPGA returns to Florida after the Asia swing. Thompson is at No. 87 in the Race to CME Globe. Only the top 60 make it to the Tour Championship. ... Jin Young Ko is a three-time winner of the tournament, twice when it was a Korean LPGA event. ... The field includes Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang.

Next week: Maybank Championship.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

EUROPEAN TOUR

ESTRELLA DAMM ANDALUCIA MASTERS

Site: San Roque, Spain.

Course: Real Club de Golf Sotogrande. Yardage: 7,099. Par: 72.

Prize money: $3.75 million. Winner's share: $625,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel); Sunday, 7 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Adrian Otaegui.

Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.

Last week: Matthieu Pavon won the Spanish Open.

Notes: U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark gives the field a top-10 player in the world. ... The field also includes Matt Kuchar. ... The tournament last year was played at Valderrama. That became part of the LIV Golf League schedule this year, so the European tour has moved the tournament to Real Club de Golf Sotogrande. ... This is the third tournament along the southern coast of Spain this year, following the LIV Golf event and the Solheim Cup. ... Ryan Fox is the leading European tour player in the field. He is No. 3 in the Race to Dubai. Also playing is Adrian Meronk at No. 5, while the sixth-ranked player, Min Woo Lee, has taken a sponsor exemption to play the Zozo Championship in Japan. ... This is the final tournament of the year in continental Europe. The tour next goes to South Africa, followed by the season-ending tournament in Dubai.

Next week: Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

OTHER TOURS

USGA: World Amateur Team Championship, Abu Dhabi GC (National), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Defending champion: Italy. Online: https://www.usga.org/

Challenge Tour: Hainan Open, Danzhou Ancient Saltern GC, Hainan Island, China. Defending champion: New event. Online: https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/

Ladies European Tour: Hero Women's Indian Open, DLF Golf and CC, Gurugram, India. Defending champion: Olivia Cowan. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/

PGA Tour of Australasia: Webex Players Series SA, Willunga GC, Willunga, Australia. Defending champion: New event. Online: https://pga.org.au/

Japan LPGA: Nobuta Group Masters, Masters GC, Hyogo, Japan. Defending champion: Haruka Kawasaki. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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PGA Tour has a team event in New Orleans. LIV Golf returns Down Under

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Shane Lowry, of Ireland, chips to the green on the fifth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Patrick Cantlay hits from the bunker on the ninth hole during the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Xander Schauffele watches his tee shot on the ninth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

Site: Avondale, Louisiana.

Course: TPC Louisiana. Yardage: 7,425. Par: 72.

Prize money: $8.9 million. Winner’s share: $1.286 million for each player.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-6:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).

Defending champions: Davis Riley and Nick Hardy.

FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.

Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the RBC Heritage.

Notes: This is the PGA Tour’s only team event, with two rounds of fourballs and two rounds of foursomes. ... The winners do not get world ranking points or a Masters invitation. ... Rory McIlroy is playing for the first time, partnering with Shane Lowry. Friends since their youth, they have played only one Ryder Cup match together. ... The field includes three sets of brothers, two of them twins — Parker and Pierceson Coody, and Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard. The other set is Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick. ... Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are the only team where both players are ranked in the top 10. They won the Zurich Classic two years ago. ... Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is playing with Francesco Molinari, one of his assistant captains in Rome. ... Steve Stricker is making a rare appearance on the PGA Tour. Stricker won the Charles Schwab Cup last year on the PGA Tour Champions. He is playing with Matt Kuchar.

Next week: AT&T Byron Nelson.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Los Angeles.

Course: Wilshire GC. Yardage: 6,258. Par: 71.

Prize money: $3.75 million. Winner’s share: $562,500.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Hannah Green.

Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.

Last week: Nelly Korda won The Chevron Championship.

Notes: Nelly Korda withdrew from the tournament coming off winning her second major and fifth win in a row. ... The prize money was raised to $3.75 million and the sponsors are paying for players’ hotels. It still attracted only six of the top 10 in the world. ... Among those not playing are Lydia Ko and Lilia Vu, who withdrew last week with injury. ... Patty Tavatanakit and Alison Lee are among those who played college golf nearby at UCLA. ... Paula Creamer is in the field based on being in the top 20 on the LPGA career money list. ... This is the second LPGA event in the Los Angeles area in the last five weeks. Korda won the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship down the coast at Palos Verdes Estates. ... Rose Zhang is coming off a missed cut in the first LPGA major of the year. ... Lexi Thompson, who has not won in five years and is coming off a missed cut in the Chevron Championship, is not in the field.

Next tournament: Cognizant Founders Cup on May 9-12.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

LIV GOLF ADELAIDE

Site: Adelaide, Australia.

Course: The Grange GC. Yardage: 6,946. Par: 72.

Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s share: $4 million.

Television: Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. (CW app). Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (CW Network-tape delay).

Defending champion: Talor Gooch.

Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.

Last tournament: Dean Burmester won LIV Golf Miami.

Notes: LIV Golf’s tournament in Adelaide last year featured one of the largest galleries of the year. ... LIV Golf Adelaide is where Talor Gooch won the first of his three titles last season. He is not in the field for any of the majors this year. ... LIV Golf had three players finish among the top 10 in the Masters. Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau tied for sixth, and Tyrrell Hatton tied for ninth. ... Jon Rahm has yet to win since joining LIV in December. Rahm’s last victory was the Masters a year ago. ... Dustin Johnson, who won LIV Golf Las Vegas in early February, has missed the cut in his last two majors. Joaquin Niemann remains the points leader this year based on his two LIV titles. He made the cut in the Masters and already has received an exemption to play in the PGA Championship. ... Peter Uihlein began his three-week swing by playing the Saudi Open last week. He shot 66-63 on the weekend to finish third.

Next week: LIV Golf Singapore.

Online: https://www.livgolf.com/

EUROPEAN TOUR AND JAPAN GOLF TOUR

ISPS HANDA CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Gotemba, Japan.

Course: Taiheiyo Club. Yardage: 7,262. Par: 70.

Prize money: $2.25 million. Winner’s share: $375,000.

Television: Wednesday-Thursday, 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Previous winner: Lucas Herbert.

Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.

Last tournament: Scottie Scheffler won the Masters.

Notes: This is the second year of a European tour co-sanctioned event with the Japan Golf Tour in Japan. ... The tournament is the third of four events in the Asian Swing. The winner of this series gets a $200,000 bonus, and the top three get spots in the PGA Championship at Valhalla next month. ... The field includes Matthieu Pavon of France and Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa. Both played in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head last week. ... Keita Nakajima makes his first start since winning the Hero Indian Open for his first European tour victory. ... Kazuma Kobori received a sponsor exemption. The 22-year-old was born in Japan and plays under the New Zealand flag. He has three wins this year on the PGA Tour of Australasia. ... The field includes most of the rising Japanese stars, such as Nakajima, Takumi Kanaya and Taiga Semikawa. ... Lucas Herbert is not defending his title because he is with LIV Golf in Australia.

Next week: Volvo China Open.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/ and https://www.jgto.org/en/

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CLASSIC

Site: Duluth, Georgia.

Course: TPC Sugarloaf. Yardage: 7,179. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2 million. Winner’s share: $300,000.

Television: Friday, noon to 3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Stephen Ames.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.

Last week: Paul Broadhurst won the Invited Celebrity Classic.

Notes: Paul Broadhurst became the seventh winner in the seven tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... Steven Alker returns to action after taking last week off. ... Ricardo Gonzalez is the only first-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... Broadhurst (58) became the third player 58 or older to win this year. He joins Stephen Ames (Chubb Classic) and Joe Durant (Cologuard Classic), both of whom are 59. ... The seven winners on the PGA Tour Champions come from seven countries — New Zealand, Canada, England, United States, Argentina, South Africa and Ireland. ... Thomas Bjorn has been a runner-up and tied for third in his two starts on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... One week after Vijay Singh made his 20th cut at the Masters, the 61-year-old tied for sixth in the Invited Celebrity Classic. ... The TPC Sugarloaf hosted a PGA Tour event until 2007.

Next week: Insperity Invitational.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

KORN FERRY TOUR

VERITEX BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Arlington, Texas.

Course: Texas Rangers GC. Yardage: 7,010. Par: 71.

Prize money: $1 million. Winner’s share: $180,000.

Television: None.

Defending champion: Spencer Levin.

Points leader: Steven Fisk.

Last week: Tim Widing won the Lecom Suncoast Classic.

Next tournament: AdventHealth Championship on May 16-19.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour

OTHER TOURS

PGA of America: PGA Professional Championship, Fields Ranch at PGA (East and West), Frisco, Texas. Defending champion: Braden Shattuck. Television: Tuesday, 5-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Wednesday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel). Online: https://www.pga.com/

Epson Tour: IOA Championship, Morongo GC at Tukwet Canyon, Beaumont, California. Defending champion: Miranda Wang. Online: https://www.epsontour.com/

Challenge Tour: UAE Challenge, Saadiyat Beach GC, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Previous winner: Maximilian Rottluff. Online: https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/

Ladies European Tour: Investec South African Women’s Open, Erinvale Country and Golf Estate, Somerset West, South Africa. Previous winner: Ashleigh Buhai. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/

PGA Tour Americas: Diners Club Peru Open, Los Inkas GC, Lima, Peru. Previous winner: Marcos Montenegro. Online: https://www.pgatour.com/americas

Japan LPGA: Panasonic Open, Hamano GC, Chiba, Japan. Defending champion: Lala Anai. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/

Korea LPGA: KLPGA Championship, Lakewood CC, Yangju, South Korea. Defending champion: Dayeon Lee. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Woods, McIlroy to receive loyalty payouts from PGA Tour, report says

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How much is PGA Tour loyalty actually worth? Pros find out this week

Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler wait on a tee box during The Sentry earlier this year.

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The official word arrived on the last day of January, but it was not exactly news. The PGA Tour had finalized a deal with the Strategic Sports Group for an immediate investment of $1.5 billion into a new, for-profit entity named PGA Tour Enterprises. The names involved were not new — the likes of Steve Cohen, John Henry, Fenway Sports Group, etc., had been reportedly interested for months — but one major addendum was: an equity program.

Now, about three months after the announcement, PGA Tour players are about to find out what their loyalty has been worth. On Wednesday, Tour members will receive an email notifying them of the current value of award grants this program has earmarked for them, be it tens of millions of dollars, or none at all. The 193 eligible recipients will receive a letter from Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who is the CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises, explaining the number of equity units they receive and the fair market value of said equity. The Tour intends to keep the list of award recipients confidential.

“It’s really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal,” Jason Gore, the Tour’s chief player officer, said in one of six informational videos the Tour produced for the membership. The videos, which were shared internally with Tour pros and their representatives, were accompanied by infographics, all of which were reviewed by GOLF.com.

In the age of LIV Golf offering mega-millions in contracts to elite golfers, these figures matter, particularly for PGA Tour loyalists who passed on lucrative guaranteed contracts that would be worth more than PGA Tour Enterprises equity could ever offer them.

How much players decide to talk about their individual equity will be up to them, but as you will read below, the total value of each grant differ by player. On the day that specific criteria was announced, it was a hot topic among players.

Which equity group am I in? Wait, which equity group is he in? 

So, how does it work? 

The Tour has announced these equity grants under one specific word: opportunity. Xander Schauffele will not receive a life-size, $50 million check. Players will not see their bank account immediately increase. (In fact, as we’ll explain below, it will take quite some time before that happens.) They will strictly receive a capital interest award for a specific piece of PGA Tour Enterprises. Based on a myriad of factors, players will be ranked via a specific number of “membership units,” akin to stake in a company, the value of which will vest over a specific amount of time. High-performing players will receive a greater stake in PGA Tour Enterprises, which will be home to the Tour’s commercial operations. That’s where SSG’s money is going, which they hope will increase in value of over time. 

How much value are we talking? 

Even if 193 players receive grants, they will not be shared equally. Nick Taylor and Tiger Woods are not going to receive the same cut. The recipients are sectioned into four groups, with Group 1 seeing $750 million in value doled out to 36 players. That’s a little more than 80% of the prize going to just a few dozen pros, which grabbed headlines when it was first reported . In this group will be the kind of players who have rated well in the Player Impact Program, won many tournaments, and won important tournaments — like Signature Events or player-hosted invitationals — with an emphasis on the last five years. 

Why should players own the PGA Tour? This guy knows better than most

A major factor in determining who is in Group 1 and who isn’t was a metric called Career Points, which emphasizes consistency as a Tour member and success throughout a player’s career. Players receive points based on the amount of years they were a PGA Tour member (playing in 15+ events), the amount of times they reached the Tour Championship, their amount of official Tour victories and even extra points for prominent victories (majors, Players Championships, WGCs, FedEx Cup titles, etc.). 

For example, some back-of-the-envelope math tallies up 528 Career Points for Woods, and just 199 for Rory McIlroy. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have both accrued a similar number just shy of 100. All four players are expected to be part of Group 1 and will all receive significant awards, but the difference in Career Points is expected to derive some difference in the value. Bottom line: Woods will receive the greatest grant valuation (potentially by a wide margin) and McIlroy’s will be second.

What if you’re not a premier player? 

The PGA Tour is successful because of those top 36 players, but it is rooted in the existence of many other members who back-fill the fields of the biggest stages in golf, week-in and week-out. An extra $75 million of value will be issued to a total of 64 players considered “steady performers and up-and-comers.” The individual totals of those grants will pale in comparison to the Group 1 grants, and will be based on FedEx Cup points earned over the last three years. Finally, Group 3 members, a total of 57 players, will earn from a pile of $30 million based on tournaments won, career money and number of times finishing in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup. And Group 4 members, who are considered “past legends,” will see 36 players receive their share of $75 million in equity based, again, on Career Points. 

Recipients must be ELIGIBLE

This rules out LIV golfers from earning any of the initial grants, despite some of them helping build the Tour into what it is today. In an alternate universe, Phil Mickelson would have earned the second-highest award grant (behind only Woods), but he will receive nothing because he is not eligible. He is a lifetime member of the PGA Tour but has incurred hefty suspensions from his involvement with LIV Golf. (It is worth wondering: Does this injection of investment and new, for-profit company exist without Mickelson’s help forming LIV Golf? Probably not.)

Even in a world where the PGA Tour comes to an agreement with the Saudi PIF on further investment, this chunk of value will be earmarked for the 193 players who built the popularity of the Tour and continue deriving future value for it, all while remaining loyal. Does it include space for a grant for players like Chesson Hadley, who last June stated he would like to be rewarded for his decision to stay loyal? Hadley has won zero times in the last decade, so he would be hoping for one of the 57 Group 3 grants, which isn’t necessarily likely.

Another important point of eligibility is that recipients must be living. Thirty-six players will receive “Past legends” grants, which cannot be awarded posthumously. Jack Nicklaus is bound to receive a grant. Arnold Palmer cannot.

Players must WORK to receive their grant value

It’s going to be a long time before any Tour players receive the monetary value from these equity grants. The initial grants will vest on an eight-year timeline with multiple checkpoints: 50% of the grant value will vest after four years, with an extra 25% vesting after six years and the final 25% vesting after eight years, but only if players follow the rules. In a world where the PGA Tour and the Saudi PIF do not come to an agreement, Tour players who would leave for LIV (or other unauthorized events) will forfeit any unvested equity.

For the equity to vest, players must “provide services” each year of the vesting schedule. For most, those services are simple: just play PGA Tour events. Fully-exempt players who play 15 or more Tour events annually will meet that year’s requirement. Competing on the Korn Ferry and Champions tours also suffices, with DP World Tour events being approved on a case-by-case basis. In other words, if a fully-healthy McIlroy plays 14 Tour events and the BMW PGA Championship (a marquee event on the DP World Tour), he would need an approval for that final event to count as one of his 15. (It probably would.) 

But what if, say, McIlroy strains an oblique before reaching his 15-event threshold in 2027? He (and players in similar situations battling injuries or lacking Tour status or being over the age of 60) could make up for an under-15-event total by performing a Service Event. Things such as meeting with Tour sponsors or filming a documentary with the Tour, all of which are approved by the Tour. (There is some slight wiggle room in these requirements, where a player could make up for falling just short one year by doing more in the following year.) Even if the nuts and bolts of this program can be complex, the Tour has tried to make it simple: play your golf, and your equity will vest. If life changes and circumstances arise, there are other ways to meet requirements.

Players cannot cash out for years (and they will be taxed)

Players can sell their equity only when it is vested, but they will also be taxed on those vesting dates.

Lance Stover, senior vice president of New Ventures at the Tour, explained a bit of the dollars and cents on the final educational video: “As with all forms of compensation … at each vesting milestone [years 4, 6 and 8 after the initial grants], players will be responsible for paying federal and state income taxes at ordinary income tax rates on the fair market value of the vested awards at the time of vesting.” So players will begin to be taxed on the value of their equity four years from now.

Importantly, the implication — of both the investment from SSG and from equity dished to players — is that PGA Tour Enterprises will continue to increase in value as the Tour moves forward. Almost all major sports leagues and franchises have seen their valuations skyrocket in recent years, and there’s little reason to suggest the PGA Tour would experience anything different, even if TV ratings have dipped in the first part of 2024.

The initial SSG investment valued the PGA Tour at $12.3 billion, and there is clearly still room for future investment from the Saudi PIF . The Tour’s television rights deal runs through 2030, but negotiations for the next deal will begin in just a few years. All of these things can impact the valuation of PGA Tour Enterprises at the point at which player equity would vest.

But wait! There’s more equity

Keen observers will note that these initial grants are devoted only to those who have made the Tour the best place for pros to compete in the world. But what about those who will continue making it the best place for competitive golf? More grants are on the way.

Beginning in 2025, each PGA Tour season will see additional grants awarded to the top performers on Tour — $100 million in grant value will be issued to roughly 20 players each year, based on Career Points (explained above) and Player Impact Program results that year. So someone like, say, Ludvig Aberg , who didn’t play on the PGA Tour during many of the years that formed this initial grant offering, will likely fare well with good performances in the years to come.

The OTHER big idea here 

The PGA Tour wants players to be rewarded for their loyalty, to maintain that loyalty, but also to begin thinking like an owner. Like player-owners, who are focused on the Tour with the actions they make and the words they say. The Tour wants all its constituents rowing in the same direction, and they figure this program should help inspire that shared mindset.

“Owners are motivated to think beyond their personal performance week-to-week and year-to-year,” Gore said in one of the videos. “They have a broader perspective of how their actions can impact the long term health and performance of the Tour in a positive way. One that meets the needs of our fans at every turn. It’s no longer a what’s in it for me as much as it should be what’s in it for the growth of the Tour, which of course could bring more equity value to the players in the long run. It’s a virtuous cycle if we can get it right.” 

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PGA Tour has team event in New Orleans; LIV returns Down Under

The PGA Tour has its only team event coming up at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

The field features Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry for the first time, along with Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

New Orleans has three sets of brothers among the 80 teams, and two of them are twins. Parker and Pierceson Coody are PGA Tour rookies. Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard are from Denmark.

AFTER THE MASTERS: Analysis, statistics and more

Find out what players are up to next, what their statistics are and how the 2024 Masters made history.

The LPGA Tour suffered a blow when Nelly Korda withdrew from LA right as she was coming off a major title and going for a record sixth straight win. LIV Golf is in Australia.

ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

• Site: Avondale, Louisiana.
• Course: TPC Louisiana. Yardage: 7,425. Par: 72.
• Prize money: $8.9 million. Winner’s share: $1.286 million for each player.
• Television: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-6:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
• Defending champions: Davis Riley and Nick Hardy.
• FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.
• Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the RBC Heritage.
• Notes: This is the PGA Tour’s only team event, with two rounds of fourballs and two rounds of foursomes. ... The winners do not get world ranking points or a Masters invitation. ... Rory McIlroy is playing for the first time, partnering with Shane Lowry. Friends since their youth, they have played only one Ryder Cup match together. ... The field includes three sets of brothers, two of them twins — Parker and Pierceson Coody, and Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard. The other set is Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick. ... Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are the only team where both players are ranked in the top 10. They won the Zurich Classic two years ago. ... Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is playing with Francesco Molinari, one of his assistant captains in Rome. ... Steve Stricker is making a rare appearance on the PGA Tour. Stricker won the Charles Schwab Cup last year on the PGA Tour Champions. He is playing with Matt Kuchar.
• Next week: AT&T Byron Nelson.
• Online:  https://www.pgatour.com/

JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP

• Site: Los Angeles.
• Course: Wilshire GC. Yardage: 6,258. Par: 71.
• Prize money: $3.75 million. Winner’s share: $562,500.
• Television: Thursday-Friday, 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel).
• Defending champion: Hannah Green.
• Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
• Last week: Nelly Korda won The Chevron Championship.
• Notes: Nelly Korda withdrew from the tournament coming off winning her second major and fifth win in a row. ... The prize money was raised to $3.75 million and the sponsors are paying for players’ hotels. It still attracted only six of the top 10 in the world. ... Among those not playing are Lydia Ko and Lilia Vu, who withdrew last week with injury. ... Patty Tavatanakit and Alison Lee are among those who played college golf nearby at UCLA. ... Paula Creamer is in the field based on being in the top 20 on the LPGA career money list. ... This is the second LPGA event in the Los Angeles area in the last five weeks. Korda won the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship down the coast at Palos Verdes Estates. ... Rose Zhang is coming off a missed cut in the first LPGA major of the year. ... Lexi Thompson, who has not won in five years and is coming off a missed cut in the Chevron Championship, is not in the field.
• Next tournament: Cognizant Founders Cup on May 9-12.
• Online:  https://www.lpga.com/

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

LIV GOLF ADELAIDE

• Site: Adelaide, Australia.
• Course: The Grange GC. Yardage: 6,946. Par: 72.
• Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s share: $4 million.
• Television: Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. (CW app). Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (CW Network-tape delay).
• Defending champion: Talor Gooch.
• Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.
• Last tournament: Dean Burmester won LIV Golf Miami.
• Notes: LIV Golf’s tournament in Adelaide last year featured one of the largest galleries of the year. ... LIV Golf Adelaide is where Talor Gooch won the first of his three titles last season. He is not in the field for any of the majors this year. ... LIV Golf had three players finish among the top 10 in the Masters. Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau tied for sixth, and Tyrrell Hatton tied for ninth. ... Jon Rahm has yet to win since joining LIV in December. Rahm’s last victory was the Masters a year ago. ... Dustin Johnson, who won LIV Golf Las Vegas in early February, has missed the cut in his last two majors. Joaquin Niemann remains the points leader this year based on his two LIV titles. He made the cut in the Masters and already has received an exemption to play in the PGA Championship. ... Peter Uihlein began his three-week swing by playing the Saudi Open last week. He shot 66-63 on the weekend to finish third.
• Next week: LIV Golf Singapore.
• Online:  https://www.livgolf.com/

EUROPEAN TOUR AND JAPAN GOLF TOUR

ISPS HANDA CHAMPIONSHIP

• Site: Gotemba, Japan.
• Course: Taiheiyo Club. Yardage: 7,262. Par: 70.
• Prize money: $2.25 million. Winner’s share: $375,000.
• Television: Wednesday-Thursday, 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).
• Previous winner: Lucas Herbert.
• Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.
• Last tournament: Scottie Scheffler won the Masters.
• Notes: This is the second year of a European tour co-sanctioned event with the Japan Golf Tour in Japan. ... The tournament is the third of four events in the Asian Swing. The winner of this series gets a $200,000 bonus, and the top three get spots in the PGA Championship at Valhalla next month. ... The field includes Matthieu Pavon of France and Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa. Both played in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head last week. ... Keita Nakajima makes his first start since winning the Hero Indian Open for his first European tour victory. ... Kazuma Kobori received a sponsor exemption. The 22-year-old was born in Japan and plays under the New Zealand flag. He has three wins this year on the PGA Tour of Australasia. ... The field includes most of the rising Japanese stars, such as Nakajima, Takumi Kanaya and Taiga Semikawa. ... Lucas Herbert is not defending his title because he is with LIV Golf in Australia.
• Next week: Volvo China Open.
• Online:  https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/  and  https://www.jgto.org/en/

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CLASSIC

• Site: Duluth, Georgia.
• Course: TPC Sugarloaf. Yardage: 7,179. Par: 72.
• Prize money: $2 million. Winner’s share: $300,000.
• Television: Friday, noon to 3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).
• Defending champion: Stephen Ames.
• Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.
• Last week: Paul Broadhurst won the Invited Celebrity Classic.
• Notes: Paul Broadhurst became the seventh winner in the seven tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... Steven Alker returns to action after taking last week off. ... Ricardo Gonzalez is the only first-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... Broadhurst (58) became the third player 58 or older to win this year. He joins Stephen Ames (Chubb Classic) and Joe Durant (Cologuard Classic), both of whom are 59. ... The seven winners on the PGA Tour Champions come from seven countries — New Zealand, Canada, England, United States, Argentina, South Africa and Ireland. ... Thomas Bjorn has been a runner-up and tied for third in his two starts on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... One week after Vijay Singh made his 20th cut at the Masters, the 61-year-old tied for sixth in the Invited Celebrity Classic. ... The TPC Sugarloaf hosted a PGA Tour event until 2007.
• Next week: Insperity Invitational.
• Online:  https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

KORN FERRY TOUR

VERITEX BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

• Site: Arlington, Texas.
• Course: Texas Rangers GC. Yardage: 7,010. Par: 71.
• Prize money: $1 million. Winner’s share: $180,000.
• Television: None.
• Defending champion: Spencer Levin.
• Points leader: Steven Fisk.
• Last week: Tim Widing won the Lecom Suncoast Classic.
• Next tournament: AdventHealth Championship on May 16-19.
• Online:  https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour

OTHER TOURS

• PGA of America: PGA Professional Championship, Fields Ranch at PGA (East and West), Frisco, Texas. Defending champion: Braden Shattuck. Television: Tuesday, 5-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Wednesday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel). Online:  https://www.pga.com/
• Epson Tour: IOA Championship, Morongo GC at Tukwet Canyon, Beaumont, California. Defending champion: Miranda Wang. Online:  https://www.epsontour.com/
• Challenge Tour: UAE Challenge, Saadiyat Beach GC, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Previous winner: Maximilian Rottluff. Online:  https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/
• Ladies European Tour: Investec South African Women’s Open, Erinvale Country and Golf Estate, Somerset West, South Africa. Previous winner: Ashleigh Buhai. Online:  https://ladieseuropeantour.com/
• PGA Tour Americas: Diners Club Peru Open, Los Inkas GC, Lima, Peru. Previous winner: Marcos Montenegro. Online:  https://www.pgatour.com/americas
• Japan LPGA: Panasonic Open, Hamano GC, Chiba, Japan. Defending champion: Lala Anai. Online:  https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/
• Korea LPGA: KLPGA Championship, Lakewood CC, Yangju, South Korea. Defending champion: Dayeon Lee. Online:  https://klpga.co.kr/

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

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Pga tour lays out how the player equity program will work.

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In February, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan introduced the rough outline of the Player Equity Program, a vesting plan for the circuit’s new for-profit arm that will carve up a hefty portion of the initial $1.5 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group. On Wednesday, players were given a more detailed version of the program, PGA Tour chief competitions officer Tyler Dennis confirmed on “Golf Central.”

The initial player equity grants will be approximately $930 million distributed to 193 players via four categories, starting with the game’s stars. Monahan informed players on Wednesday via a letter of their individual grants.

The first group includes 36 players receiving $750 million in equity based on the last five years of play. “Career Points” will be awarded based on how many years a player has been a Tour member, how many times they earned a spot in the Tour Championship and how many times they have won, with extra points awarded for high-profile victories like the majors, The Players Championship and the FedExCup.

Group 2’s share of the initial equity will be much smaller ($75 million) and will be granted to 64 players. The group is considered “steady performers and up-and-comers” and will be based on FedExCup points earned over the last three years.

Equity to Group 3 will be $30 million going to 57 players based on career earnings and how many times a player finished inside the top 125 in FedExCup points.

The final group will include “past legends,” like Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, with $75 million going to 36 players based on the “Career Points” formula. Those grants will only be awarded to “past legends” that are living.

Perhaps most important to players will be the program’s eight-year vesting period. The grants will be worth 50% of their value after four years, 75% after six and 100% after eight years, when a player will be able to sell their equity in PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm the Tour created for the program. At each vesting benchmark players will be responsible to pay taxes on the grants.

The program has been created to encourage loyalty to the Tour in the face of ongoing challenges from LIV Golf, and the requirements of maintaining membership (which includes a minimum of 15 starts each year) would mean players who join LIV Golf would not be eligible for the program or would give up any unvested equity if they were to join the rival circuit.

SSG valued the PGA Tour at $12.3 billion when the group, which is led by Fenway Sports, became a minority investor and the assumption is that valuation will continue to increase like most professional sports franchises in the United States.

The remainder of the initial $1.5 billion investment (roughly $600 million) will be awarded in recurring player grants of $100 million each year, beginning in 2025 through 2030. These grants will be awarded based on performance and Player Impact Program results with an eye toward young talent, like Ludvig Åberg or Nick Dunlap.