EUROPEAN TOUR
BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
■ Site: Virginia Water, England.
■ Course: Wentworth GC (West). Yardage: 7,267. Par:
72.
■ Prize money: $8 million. Winner’s share: $1.33 million.
■ Television: Thursdayfriday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturdaysunday, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).
■ Defending champion: Tyrrell Hatton.
■ Race to Dubai leader: Collin Morikawa.
■ Last week: Nicolai Hojgaard won the Italian Open.
■ Notes: This is the final event for nine players to qualify for Europe’s Ryder Cup team. Padraig Harrington will make his three captain’s picks after the tournament is over.
... This is the European Tour’s flagship event, which has recently moved from May to September.
... Jon Rahm and Rory Mcilroy, the two highestranked Europeans in the world, are not playing to prepare for the Ryder Cup. ... The field includes Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood . ... Billy Horschel, who is No. 4 in the Race to Dubai on the strength of his WGC-DELL Match Play win, is in the field . ... Also playing are Adam Scott and Justin Rose . ... The tournament dates to 1972, with Tony Jacklin winning the inaugural event at Wentworth . ... The only American to win the BMW PGA Championship was Arnold Palmer in 1975.
... Hovland, Horschel, defending champion Tyrrell Hatton and Min Woo Lee are the only players from the top 10 in the Race to Dubai standings who are playing. ■ Next week: KLM Open.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS ASCENSION CHARITY CLASSIC
■ Site: St. Louis.
■ Course: Norwood Hills CC. Yardage: 6,882. Par: 71.
■ Prize money: $2 million. Winner’s share: $300,000.
■ Television: Friday-sunday, 3:30-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).
■ Defending champion:
New tournament.
■ Charles Schwab Cup leader: Bernhard Langer.
■ Last tournament:
Joe Durant won The Ally Challenge.
■ Notes: Langer turned
64, shot his age and was runner-up last week at
The Ally Challenge, which returned him back to the top of the Charles Schwab Cup standings. He leads by a little more than $35,000 over Jim Furyk . ... Jim Furyk and Davis Love III are among those playing. They are assistant captains to Steve Stricker in the Ryder Cup in two weeks.
■ Next week: Sanford International.
PGA TOUR
■ Last week: Patrick Cantlay won the Tour Championship for the Fedex Cup.
■ Next week: Fortinet Championship.
■ Fedex Cup champion: Patrick Cantlay.
LPGA TOUR
■ Last week: Europe won the Solheim Cup.
■ Next week: Cambia Portland Classic.
■ Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.