EUROPEAN TOUR/SUNSHINE TOUR
NELSON MANDELA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Durban, South Africa.
Schedule: Wednesday-Saturday.
Course: Mount Edgecombe Country Club, Course One (6,612 yards, 6,046 meters, par 71).
EUROPEAN TOUR/SUNSHINE TOUR
NELSON MANDELA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Durban, South Africa.
Schedule: Wednesday-Saturday.
Course: Mount Edgecombe Country Club, Course One (6,612 yards, 6,046 meters, par 71).
Purse: $1.38 million. Winner's share: $217,975.
Last year: Scotland's Scott Jamieson won the rain-shortened tournament, beating England's Steve Webster with a par on the second hole of a playoff. Spain's Eduardo de la Riva was eliminated on the first extra hole in the 36-hole event.
Last week: Denmark's Thomas Bjorn won the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, beating Spain's Sergio Garcia and Wales' Jamie Donaldson by two strokes. ... Miguel Angel Jimenez successfully defended his Hong Kong Open title to extend his record as the oldest winner in European Tour history. The Spaniard won at 49 years, 337 days to break the record he set last year in the event, birdieing the first hole of a playoff with Thailand's Prom Meesawat and Wales' Stuart Manley. Jimenez won the event for the fourth time.
Notes: Mandela, the former South African president, Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-apartheid leader, died last week at 95. The tournament supports the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. ... The tours are off the next three weeks. Play will resume Jan. 9-12 with the Volvo Golf Champions at Durban Country Club.
European Tour site: http://www.europeantour.com
Sunshine Tour site: http://www.pgatour.co.za
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US PGA TOUR
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SHOOTOUT
Site: Naples, Florida.
Schedule: Friday-Sunday.
Course: Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Tiburon Golf Club (7,288 yards, 6,664 meters, par 72).
Purse: $3.1 million. Winners' shares: $375,000 each.
Format: Two-player teams. Friday, modified alternate shot; Saturday, better ball; Sunday, scramble.
Teams: Greg Norman-Jonas Blixt, Sean O'Hair-Kenny Perry, Ian Poulter-Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar-Brandt Snedeker, Jerry Kelly-Steve Stricker, Jason Dufner-Dustin Johnson, Chris DiMarco-Billy Horschel, Mark Calcavecchia-Chad Campbell, Rory Sabbatini-Scott Verplank, Graham DeLaet-Mike Weir, Charles Howell III-Justin Leonard, Retief Goosen-Fredrik Jacobson.
Last year: Perry and O'Hair birdied five of the last six holes to beat Sabbatini and Howell by a stroke.
Notes: Norman, the tournament host, designed the 36-hole Tiburon ("shark" in Spanish) facility. The tournament is in its 13th year at Tiburon after a year in Miami and 11 at Sherwood in California. ... Perry, the Champions Tour's Charles Schwab Cup winner, also won with John Huston in 2005 and Scott Hoch in 2008.
Online: http://www.franklintempletonshootout.com
US PGA Tour site: http://www.pgatour.com
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US PGA TOUR
PNC FATHER/SON CHALLENGE
Site: Orlando, Florida.
Schedule: Saturday-Sunday.
Course: Grande Lakes Orlando, Ritz-Carlton Golf Club (7,120 yards, 6,511 meters, par 72).
Purse: $1 million. Winner's share: $200,000.
Last year: Davis Love III and son Dru beat Larry and Josh Nelson by a stroke.
Notes: Jack Nicklaus is teaming with Jack Nicklaus II. ... Bernhard Langer and Fuzzy Zoeller are playing alongside daughters Christina Langer and Gretchen Chappo. David Duval is teaming with stepson Dean Karavites. ... Nick Price is making his first appearance in event. Son Greg took up golf this year.
Online: http://www.pncfathersonchallenge.com
US PGA Tour site: http://www.pgatour.com
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ASIAN TOUR
THAILAND GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Chon Buri, Thailand.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Amata Spring Country Club (7,453 yards, 6,815 meters, par 72).
Purse: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000.
Last year: South Africa's Charl Schwartzel won by 11 strokes, shooting 65-65-68-65.
Last week: Miguel Angel Jimenez successfully defended his Hong Kong Open title to extend his record as the oldest winner in European Tour history. The Spaniard won at 49 years, 337 days to break the record he set last year in the event, birdieing the first hole of a playoff with Thailand's Prom Meesawat and Wales' Stuart Manley. Jimenez won the event for the fourth time.
Notes: Sweden's Henrik Stenson, the winner of the US PGA Tour's FedEx Cup and European Tour's Race to Dubai, is in the field along with Schwartzel, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Ryo Ishikawa, D.A. Points, John Daly and Thai stars Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Online: http://www.asiantour.com
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OTHER TOURNAMENTS
MEN
WEB.COM TOUR: Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament, Thursday-Dec. 17, PGA West, Stadium Course and Nicklaus Courses, La Quinta, California. Online: http://www.pgatour.com
ONEASIA TOUR: Dongfeng Nissan Cup, Friday-Sunday, CTS Tycoon Golf Club, Shenzhen, China. Online: http://www.oneasia.asia
EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR: MCB Tour Championship, Friday-Sunday, Constance Belle Mare Plage, Poste de Flacq, Mauritius. Online: http://www.europeantour.com