Pro golf events this week | March 28-April 3, 2016

 

PGA TOUR

SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

 

Site: Humble, Texas.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Golf Club of Houston.

Purse: $6.8 million. Winner's share: $1,224,000.

 

Defending champion: J.B. Holmes.

 

Last week: Jason Day won the WGC-Dell Match Play for his second straight victory; Tony Finau won the Puerto Rico Open in a playoff for his first PGA Tour victory.

 

Next week: The Masters.

 

Notes: The winner gets an invitation to the Masters if he is not already eligible. ... J.B. Holmes came from six shots behind last year to win in a playoff, the largest comeback on the PGA Tour last season. ... Jordan Spieth was part of a three-man playoff last year a week before going on to win the Masters. He is among 33 players in the field who already are playing the Masters next week. The list includes Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Henrik Stenson. ... Since moving to the week before the Masters in 2007, only one Shell Houston Open winner has finished in the top 10 the following week at Augusta National. That was Anthony Kim, who tied for third in 2010.

 

 

LPGA TOUR

ANA INSPIRATION

 

Site: Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Mission Hills Country Club, Dinah Shore Tournament Course (6,769 yards, par 72).

Purse: $2.6 million. Winner's share: $390,000.

 

Defending champion: Brittany Lincicome.

 

Last week: Lydia Ko won the Kia Classic by four shots over Inbee Park for her 11th career LPGA victory.

 

Next event: Lotte Championship on April 13-16 in Honolulu.

 

Notes: Lydia Ko will be going for her second straight major championship after winning the Evian Championship in France last year. ... Two teenagers have won the LPGA's first major in the last decade — 18-year-old Morgan Pressel in 2007 and 19-year-old Lexi Thompson in 2014. ... Lincicome will try to join Amy Alcott (1983, 1988, 1991) as the only three-time winner of this major. ... Ko already has two victories and two runner-up finishes this year. ... This is the final week for eight countries to qualify for the UL International Crown this summer. The four players for each country will be decided after the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on June 12.

 

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

MISSISSIPPI GULF RESORT CLASSIC

 

Site: Saucier, Miss.

Schedule: Friday-Sunday.

Course: Fallen Oak GC (7,054 yards, par 72)

Purse: $1.6 million. Winner's share: $240,000.

 

Defending champion: David Frost.

 

Last event: Woody Austin won the Tucson Conquistadores Classic.

 

Next event: Mitsubishi Electric Classic on April 15-17 in Duluth, Ga.

 

Notes: Bernhard Langer is the only former Masters champion in the field this week. ... Esteban Toledo will be at Augusta National next week as a caddie. Toledo never qualified for the Masters. He will be working for 1988 champion Sandy Lyle. ... In the last 12 months, Langer has finished out of the top 10 just four times in 20 events ... David Eger, who no longer competes full time on the PGA Tour Champions, was given a sponsor's exemption. Eger won the inaugural event in 2010.

 

WEB.COM TOUR

BRASIL CHAMPIONS

 

Site: Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Sao Paulo GC (6,574 yards, par 72)

Purse: $700,000. Winner's share: $153,000.

 

Defending champion: Peter Malnati.

 

Last event: Wesley Bryan won the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

 

Next week: Servientrega Championship in Cartagena, Colombia.

 

EUROPEAN TOUR

 

Next event: Masters, April 7-10.

 

Last event: S.S.P. Chawrasia won the Hero Indian Open.

 

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