Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – PGA TOUR – HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT
OF CHAMPIONS, Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, Kapalua, Hawaii – Back
in action for the first time in 2015, the PGA Tour heads to Hawaii this week
for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
The event, which will be played Friday through Monday, features 34 players
that have combined for 100 PGA Tour titles, including six major championships.
Zach Johnson is back in the field this week as he looks to successfully defend
his title.
Johnson fired a final-round, 7-under 66 last year to surge up the leaderboard
and defeat Jordan Spieth by one shot. Johnson, an 11-time winner on tour, is
seeking his first victory since hoisting the trophy here in 2014.
Other notable names in the field this week are two-time Masters champion Bubba
Watson, 2013-14 FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel, Jason Day, Patrick Reed and
Jimmy Walker.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds, with NBC taking over in
the afternoon during Sunday’s third round.
The PGA Tour remains in Hawaii next week for the Sony Open in Hawaii, where
Walker picked up his second of three wins during the 2013-14 season.
EUROPEAN TOUR
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Glendower Golf Club, Johannesburg, South
Africa – The European Tour is also set to play for the first time in 2015 as
it heads to Johannesburg for its third straight event in South Africa at the
South African Open Championship.
Danny Willett and Branden Grace won the first two events of the 2014-15
season, both of which were also held in South Africa. Grace is in this week’s
field, while Willett is not.
Morten Orum Madsen finished with a 5-under 67 when this event was last held in
November 2013 and that gave him a 2-shot victory over Hennie Otto and Jbe’
Kruger.
The win was Madsen’s first and only victory on the European Tour and he will
return as the defending champion this week.
South African Ernie Els, a five-time winner at this event, will be competing
again this week along with compatriot Charl Schwartzel.
Golf Channel will have early morning coverage of all four rounds.
The European Tour will be in Abu Dhabi for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf
Championship next week, where Pablo Larrazabal outlasted Rory McIlroy and Phil
Mickelson for a 1-shot victory last year.
