Scheffler back to work in Houston Open. Final week for Masters invitations to top 50

By The Associated Press

PGA TOUR

TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOUSTON OPEN

Site: Houston.

Course: Memorial Park GC. Yardage: 7,412. Par: 70.

Prize money: $9.1 million. Winner’s share: $1.638 million.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-3:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3:30-6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: Tony Finau.

FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.

Last week: Peter Malnati won the Valspar Championship.

Notes: Scottie Scheffler leads the field in his final tournament before the Masters. … Wyndham Clark is in the field. He has finished runner-up to Scheffler his last two tournaments. … The Houston Open was last played as part of the PGA Tour’s fall season in November 2022. It was not held in 2023 to prepare for its spring date. … The 144-man field has 128 players who have not qualified for the Masters. A victory gets them to Augusta National. … This is the final week for players to reach the top 50 in the world and earn a spot in the Masters. Byeong Hun An is the only player currently in the top 50 not already eligible. Tom Hoge is No. 57 and would have the best chance without winning. … Padraig Harrington received a sponsor exemption. He won on the PGA Tour Champions last week. … Peter Malnati is playing the week after his first victory in more than eight years.

Next week: Valero Texas Open.

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

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LPGA TOUR

FORD CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Gilbert, Arizona.

Course: Seville Golf & CC. Yardage: 6,734. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2.25 million. Winner’s share: $337,500.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 7-9 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: New tournament.

Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.

Last week: Nelly Korda won the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship.

Notes: Nelly Korda went back to No. 1 in the women’s world ranking with her victory last week. It’s the sixth time Korda has reached No. 1. … This is the inaugural tournament, though the LPGA Tour was in the Phoenix area last year with one of the “Drive On” series of events. … The field features nine of the top 10 in the women’s world ranking. Jin Young Ko is the only one not playing. … Jiyai Shin tied for fifth last week but chose not to accept a spot in the Ford Championship from being top 10 the previous week. … Cristie Kerr is playing in a category for players with 20 wins. … Korda became the 39th player with at least 10 LPGA victories. … Korda is the only multiple winner on the LPGA this year. Patty Tavatanakit has won on the LPGA and Ladies European Tour. … Ryann O’Toole lost in a playoff last week, her highest finish since joining the LPGA in 2011. … Alison Lee has finished in the top three in four of her last five LPGA starts.

Next week: T-Mobile Match Play.

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

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EUROPEAN TOUR

HERO INDIAN OPEN

Site: New Delhi.

Course: DLF Golf & CC. Yardage: 7,416. Par: 72.

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

Television: Thursday-Friday, 2:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 3-7:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 1:30-6:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Marcel Siem.

Race to CME Globe leader: Rory McIlroy.

Last week: Jesper Svensson won the Porsche Singapore Classic.

Notes: The field has only two of the top 100 in the world ranking, led by Rasmus Hojgaard, the twin brother of Nicolai Hojgaard. … Anirban Lahiri is playing his national open on a sponsor invitation. He is with LIV Golf, which is off this week. Lahiri will be going from New Delhi to Miami for the next LIV event. … Yannik Paul is playing. He is in competition with Matti Schmid on the PGA Tour for the second spot for Germany in the Olympics. Qualifying does not end until after the U.S. Open in June. … The Hero Indian Open is the second of five tournaments that make up the Asian swing part of the European tour schedule. … Jesper Svensson moved to No. 3 on the Race to Dubai. Rory McIlroy remains in the No. 1 spot from his strong start to the season in Dubai. … The tournament dates to 1964. It has been part of the European tour schedule since 2015.

Next tournament: Masters on April 11-14.

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

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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

THE GALLERI CLASSIC

Site: Rancho Mirage, California.

Course: Mission Hills CC (Dinah Shore Tournament). Yardage: 7,165. Par: 72.

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

Television: Friday, 10 p.m. to midnight (Golf Channel-tape delay); Saturday, 3:30-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: David Toms.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker.

Last week: Padraig Harrington won the Hoag Classic.

Notes: This is the second year of the tournament, held at the Mission Hills that previously hosted the LPGA Tour’s first major … Padraig Harrington picked up his seventh PGA Tour Champions last week. He is not playing the tournament because he accepted a sponsor exemption to the Houston Open on the PGA Tour. … John Daly and Notah Begay III were among those getting a sponsor exemption. Begay spent last week as the lead analyst in the NBC booth for the Valspar Championship. … David Duval is in the field. It was in the Coachella Valley 25 years ago when he shot what many consider the best final-round 59 in history at the Bob Hope Classic. … Jim Furyk began his PGA Tour Champions schedule with a tie for 33rd last week after taking time off for a back injury. He is in the field this week. … This is the last of three PGA Tour Champions events out West. The tour is off for two weeks before resuming in Texas.

Next tournament: Invited Celebrity Classic on April 19-21.

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

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LIV GOLF LEAGUE

Last tournament: Abraham Ancer won LIV Golf Hong Kong.

Next week: LIV Golf Miami on April 5-7.

Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.

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

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KORN FERRY TOUR

Last tournament: Taylor Dickson won the Astara Chile Classic.

Next week: Club Car Championship.

Points leader: Mason Anderson.

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

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OTHER TOURS

Japan Golf Tour: Token Homemate Cup, Token Tado CC (Nagoya), Mie, Japan. Defending champion: Shugo Imahira. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/

Ladies European Tour: NSW Women’s Open, Magenta Shores Golf & CC, Norah Head, Australia. Previous winner: Maja Stark. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/

PGA Tour Americas: Totalplay Championship, Atlas CC, Guadalajara, Mexico. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://www.pgatour.com/americas

Japan LPGA: Yamaha Ladies Open Katsuragi, Katsuragi GC (Yamana), Shizuoka, Japan. Defending champion: Lala Anai. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/

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