All talk is seemingly already about next week with The Masters Tournament; who is going to win, who is in form and how are the LIV players going to play and perform?
Four more players were added to The Masters field on Sunday: Jason Day (AUS), Harris English (USA), Keith Mitchell (USA)and Min Woo Lee (AUS) who all qualified via the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of that date. That makes 89 players in the full field.
There is a one ‘last chance saloon’ opportunity to get in The Masters field, at the 101st edition of the Valero Texas Open, where this week’s champion will take the final spot at Augusta, if not already qualified. Rickie Fowler (USA) missed out on a spot after last week’s WGC-DELL Technologies Matchplay as he sits in 59th in the OWGR, trying avoid a missed third Masters appearance in a row as he stands 25th in the FedEx Cup Rankings.
Neck injury
Also in the Valero field are Tyrrell Hatton (ENG), currently 17th in the OWGR and former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (JAP) who had to withdraw at the third round stage last week due to a recurring stiff neck injury.
The LIV Golf Tour is another highlight this week, taking place in Orlando, Florida and starts on Friday with its 54 hole, 48 players, 12 Team field with shotgun starts. 18 LIV golfers will be competing next week in Augusta, but before that there is a matter of $25 million to be played for in prize money this week, $20 million in the Individual Event and $5 million in the Team Event.
Charles Howell III (USA) is one of the players in form at present and will not be in Georgia next week. He is top of the Individual Standings so far this season, after two LIV Golf events on the LIV Golf Tour with the 4Aces GC top of the LIV Golf Team Standings with Team members: Dustin Johnson (USA), Patrick Reed (USA), Pat Perez (USA) and Peter Uihlein (USUSAtaking the place of Talor Gooch in the off-season.
LIV Tour
LIV Golf Orlando
Friday March 31st – Sunday April 2nd
Venue: Orange County National, Florida, US
Purse: $25 million
PGA Tour
Valero Texas Open
Thursday March 30th – Sunday April 2nd
Venue: TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course), San Antonio, Texas, US
Purse: $8.9 million
Challenge Tour
The Challenge presented by KGA
Tuesday March 28th – Friday 31st March
Venue: Karnataka Golf Association, Bangalore, India
Purse: $300,000
LPGA
DIO Implant LA Open
Thursday March 30th – Sunday April 2nd
Venue: Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes Estates, California, US
Purse: $1.75 million
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Chile Classic
Thursday March 30th – Sunday April 2nd
Venue: Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago, Chile
Purse: $1 million
