Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – PGA TOUR – ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL,
Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge, Orlando, Florida – The PGA Tour is in Orlando
this week for the final leg of the Florida swing at the Arnold Palmer
Invitational.
Last year, Matt Every rallied with a 2-under 70 in Sunday’s final round to
come from behind and beat out Keegan Bradley by one shot. The win was Every’s
first on the PGA Tour and he has not won since.
Bradley just missed a birdie putt on the final hole, which would have forced a
playoff. Bradley was looking to make it three straight birdies to end his
round after making gains on 16 and 17. He carded an even-par 72 and finished
runner-up.
Adam Scott, the leader after each of the first three rounds due to an opening-
round 62, struggled on his way to a 4-over 76 on the final day. He finished
alone in third at 11-under 277.
The field this week includes the top-5 players in the world: Rory McIlroy,
Bubba Watson, Henrik Stenson, Scott and Jason Day. They are the only players
inside the world’s top-10 that will be in action.
While Scott finished alone in third place last year, Stenson ended tied for
fifth and just four shots back.
Every will get a chance to defend his title as he is also in this week’s field
along with last year’s runner-up Bradley.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds of this event and NBC will
also have afternoon coverage over the weekend.
Next week the PGA Tour begins its two-week stint in Texas prior to the Masters
at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. Last year, Steven Bowditch carded a
4-over 76 in the final round but was still able to hang on and win by one shot
over Will MacKenzie and Daniel Summerhays.
EUROPEAN TOUR
MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN, Santo da Serra Golf Club, Santo Antonio da Serra,
Madeira – After three straight weeks in South Africa, the European Tour
returns to Portugal for the Madeira Islands Open.
Daniel Brooks made par on the first playoff hole last year to defeat Scott
Henry and pick up his first career victory on the European Tour. Brooks has
not won since and will not be in action this week to defend his title.
Brooks fired a 5-under 67 in the final round and finished regulation play tied
for the lead with Henry, who shot a 4-under 68. The duo went to a playoff
after finishing 36 holes at 9-under-par 135.
Last year’s tournament was shortened due to heavy fog throughout most of the
week. Officials decided to shorten the event on Saturday and the first round
did not finish up until Sunday morning before players were able to complete
the second and final round later in the day.
The final day ended on a somber note as Alastair Forsyth’s caddie Ian
MacGregor, a 52-year-old from Zimbabwe, collapsed and died of a heart attack
on the ninth hole, which was Forsyth’s last.
While Brooks is not playing this week, last year’s runner-up Henry will be.
There are no players inside the top-100 in the field.
There will be no television coverage of this event.
The European Tour is in Morocco next week for the Trophee Hassan II. Alejandro
Canizares shot a 2-under 70 in the final round last season and he cruised to a
5-shot win over Andy Sullivan.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
TUCSON CONQUISTADORES CLASSIC, Omni Tucson National Resort (Catalina Course),
Tucson, Arizona – After over a month off, the Champions Tour is back as it
heads to Arizona for the inaugural Tucson Conquistadores Classic.
The last event, which ended on Feb. 15, saw Lee Janzen defeat Bart Bryant on
the first playoff hole at the ACE Group Classic. Of the three events so far on
tour, it was the only tournament to go to a playoff, while the Mitsubishi
Electric Championship and the Allianz Championship were both decided by one
stroke.
Janzen and Paul Goydos, the winner of the Allianz Championship, are both in
the field this week along with Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Fred
Couples and Kenny Perry.
Golf Channel will have tape-delayed coverage of this event, which begins on
Friday.
The Champions Tour is back in action again next week for the Mississippi Gulf
Resort Classic, where Jeff Maggert won by two shots over Billy Andrade last
season.
LPGA TOUR
FOUNDERS CUP, Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort &
Spa (Palmer and Faldo Nines), Phoenix, Arizona – The LPGA Tour returns to the
United States for the Founders Cup in Arizona after events in the Bahamas,
Australia, Thailand and Singapore.
Last year, Karrie Webb exploded up the leaderboard with a 9-under 63 and she
beat out five others at 18-under to win by one shot at 19-under-par 169. The
win was Webb’s 41st on the LPGA Tour and she has not won since.
Webb birdied six of her final eight holes on Sunday to win for the second time
at this event. She also took home the 2011 title. The victory was Webb’s
second in 2014.
At the end of the tournament there were plenty of names nipping right at
Webb’s heels. Lydia Ko, Stacy Lewis, Amy Yang, Azahara Munoz and Mirim Lee all
finished one shot back.
Webb will be back this week as she looks to successfully defend her title and
win here for the third time.
World No. 1 Ko and world No. 3 Lewis will both be back in action and they are
among five players inside the top-10 in the world playing this week. Michelle
Wie (No. 7), Hyo-Joo Kim (No. 8) and Webb (No. 9) are the others.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds of this event.
The LPGA Tour heads to California next week for the Kia Classic, where Anna
Nordqvist picked up her fourth career victory by one shot last season.
WEB.COM TOUR
CHILE CLASSIC, Club de Golf Mapocho, Santiago, Chile – The Web.com Tour is set
for its fourth straight tournament in South America this week at the Chile
Classic.
Adam Hadwin earned his first of two victories on tour last year at this event
as he closed with a 3-under 69 to defeat Alistair Presnell by one shot.
Hadwin, now playing on the PGA Tour thanks to his first two career wins in
2014, made birdie on his final two holes to rally and win. He finished the
week at 16-under 272, while Presnell shot a 4-under 68 to finish one shot back
at 15-under.
While Hadwin is playing at this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA
Tour, Presnell will be back as he tries to do one better.
Three of the four Web.com Tour winners this season will be playing this week:
Patrick Rodgers, Andrew Landry and last week’s Brasil Champions winner Peter
Malnati.
There will be no television coverage of this event.
The Web.com Tour will be in the United States for the first time this season
next week as it heads to Louisiana for the Chitimacha Louisiana Open. Kris
Blanks birdied the third playoff hole to defeat Brett Stegmaier and win this
event last year.
