The LIV Golf League will have a three week break from its first 54-hole event in Mexico. However, the PGA Tour is expected to return to its pre-Masters form over the next month.
In the next four week, there will be three designated tournaments. The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Orlando, Florida is the first elevated event of the season and has a purse of $20 million. Next week, the Players Championship will boast a $25 million purse. This is the largest on the PGA Tour. A non-elevated Valspar Championship will follow, with another $20 million on the line for the Players Championship. This event will take place at Austin Country Club from March 22-25.
The LPGA will also participate in the HSBC Women’s Championship in Singapore, which is one of the biggest tournaments of the season.
Here are some things to watch this week in professional golf:
Whats next on PGA Tour?
Mastercard presents Arnold Palmer Invitational
When: Thursday-Sunday
Where: Arnold Palmers Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando
Champion in defense: Scottie Scheffler
Purse:$20 Million
Puerto Rico Open
When: Thursday-Sunday
Where:Grand Reserve Country Club Rio Grande (Puerto Rico)
Champion in defense: Ryan Brehm
Purse:$3.8 Million
Three storylines to follow:
The wind is going howlBay Hill is a difficult track on the PGA Tour. The course was ranked as the most difficult among non-majors with a score average of 73.886 last year. Only the U.S. Open (+2.507), PGA Championship (+2.4588) and Masters (+1.9511) had higher scoring averages than Bay Hill.
Weather forecasts are calling for winds between 20 and 30 mph Friday and 15 to 25 on Saturday. Patience is key.
Last Year was extremely difficult, Jon Rahm said. I knew it could be challenging on weekends, but last year it was extremely difficult. Here, I discovered why Tiger has been so successful. Its a great course for ball strikers. We must be very precise with the clubs, and you must also be good on greens.
No. 1 up for grabs againSince 2023, the top spot on the Official World Golf Ranking has changed three times. Rory McIlroyIt was No. 1 in the world at the beginning of the year. Scheffler reclaimed it after defending the WM Phoenix Open title. Rahm took the Genesis the week after.
McIlroy or Scheffler could reclaim the No. This week, the No. 1 ranking is being reclaimed by McIlroy and Scheffler.
🚨#OWGR No.1 watch:
These are the details for world No.1 at The @APinvThis week… pic.twitter.com/lWpztOUuS3
— Nosferatu (@VC606) February 27, 2023
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, its the first time there have been multiple changes at the top prior to March. Its only the eighth time since 1991 that at least one change has occurred before March. Greg NormanMcIlroy was involved in three previous instances, losing it twice, and winning it once. McIlroy also participated in the latest change, when he won No. 1 Brooks Koepka2020
Rahm said, It has been great. Its a great feeling to be No. When the other players are playing great golf, its easy to be No. Scottie had an amazing year last year, Rory had an incredible year last year and then towards the end of last year I picked up. Even with Scotties win at Phoenix, I was able get to No. 1 right after.
McIlroys chance:McIlroy, who won in Dubai in January 2017, is still trying find his form in America. He tied for 32nd at Phoenix and 29th at Riviera. McIlroy is 171st in strokes won, putting (-.446). He has only participated in three PGA Tour events. He is in the top ten in every other category of strokes gained.
Bay Hill was Bay Hills 2018 FedEx Cup winner. He has been very consistent. In eight of his eight previous starts, he has not finished lower than a tie for thirteenth. His average scoring of 70.31 ranks second among players who have played at most 20 rounds. Woods won the tournament eight times and his average was 69.97.
Whats next on LPGA Tour?
HSBC Womens Championship
When: Wednesday-Saturday
Where: Sentosa Golf Club (Tanjong Course), Singapore
Champion of defense: Jin Young Ko
Purse:$1.8 million
Three storylines to follow:
Kos defense:Ko won the Asias Major in her 2022 debut. She also had two top-10s at official majors, finishing fourth at the U.S Womens Open and tied eighth at the Amundi-Evian Championship. Five-time winner of the LPGA Player Award in 2021, Ko was also named Player of the Year in 2022. She missed seven weeks of the 2022 season due to a left wrist injury.
Ko, 27, revealed to reporters in Singapore Tuesday that she had spent the offseason in Vietnam with her swing coach, and trainer. The former world No. The former world No. 1 player stated that she meditates every morning and at night in an effort to become a better golfer and person.
Yeah, all of the players [have]High expectations are a sign of high quality. [it]Ko stated that it was difficult and tiring. So I don’t wish to. [put]High expectations [on] myself. Just look [at]The ball can be hit and walked on.
Ko began to see positive results last week when she scored an 8-under 64 in her final round to tie for sixth at Honda LPGA Thailand.
Loaded fieldThe HSBC Women’s Championship is affectionately called the Asian major. Jennifer Kupcho, Chevron, is among the nine top-10 players in the world. Minjee Lee(U.S. Womens Open), In Gee Chun, (KPMG Womens PGA). Brooke M. Henderson (Amundi Evian) and Ashleigh Buhai (AIG Womens Open).
Henderson said, This is Asia’s biggest, so to be invited here is a big deal. I work hard throughout the year so that I can be invited back. So I always enjoy the chance to be here. There have been many great champions in the past. I hope to be added to that list this year.
Not getting comfortable:No. 1 golfer in the world 1 golfer Lydia KoShe has won in three of five of her previous starts, including the Saudi Ladies International. However, she does not take anything for granted.
Ko said, You should not get too excited about who you rank because its so tight at top. Everyones playing really well and its impossible to say, I will be there forever.’ My perception of being number one was that I had the ability to win or compete every week. However, that is not necessarily true.
Everybody is going through ups and downs. But, you need to manage those lows by making sure they arent too low and that you dont get too high off the highs.
Ko has won 19 times on the LPGA Tour, but she has never won the HSBC Women’s World Championship. She is 69 less than in her eight previous starts in this event, the best among any players. Her scoring average score of 69.84 is over 2 strokes better that the 72.12 average.
Ko, who was married in December, stated that her recent life changes have also helped put golf in perspective.
It makes all the difference to know that someone is there at the end to support me, no matter how I shoot. [as]Lydia Ko but Bo–Gyung, the golfer Lydia Ko, Ko said. I think thats something you should be thankful for. Sometimes it can feel lonely out there. There are things you can do for yourself, even if you have your team and your family. My husband is one of my greatest influences.
A smaller field?
The PGA Tour is constantly changing its schedule and increasing the number of high-level events in future seasons. This is causing polarization.
McIlroy and Woods are the most prominent players. Smaller fields would ensure that the best and most famous players are there for the weekend. They believe that this would help to secure sponsors and TV ratings. On the other hand, some players who are not in the top 50 fear being left out.
Xander Schauffele, the No. Tuesday, the No. 6 player worldwide, put it another manner.
Schauffele stated, I am always for a haircut. Emotionally, its a cut that I support. It has an entertaining aspect that some people find very appealing. However, at the end its a lot of fun and a lot more kids enjoy watching the best players in the game. Timmy and his dad can still attend a baseball game on Saturday so Timmy can come along with Rory to watch Rory practice on Sunday.
Schauffele stated that smaller fields reduce the competition days. Rounds of the Genesis, an elevated event had to be suspended due to darkness despite good weather in Los Angeles.
Schauffele stated, Its also easier to sell to the sponsors when they tell em 20 of the top twenty players in the world will be there Thursday through Sunday. I think its a simpler package to sell when trying to determine the best product.
And then theres the size of the field. I mean, when you start to look at the problems we have on the West Coast. We cant even finish tournaments in time. We wake up at 5 a.m., tee off earlier, and we are missing windows on television.
Best bets
Anita Marks
Rory McIlroy wins (+900)
Marks:Rory simply loves this place. McIlroy was a winner in 2018, and he has four more top 10s. He is the top 10 in shots gained by approach and loves Bermuda, which should help heal the injuries from the last few weeks.
Willie Zalatoris top ten (+200)
Marks:He was drawn an early tee-time Thursday which meant he would have to play Friday, when the winds were supposed to be strong. I would have picked him to win. He was T-10 in 2021 here and T-4 in L.A. a few weeks back. He thrives on difficult tracks and in difficult conditions, which you can see here.
David Bearman
Rory McIlroy wins (+900)
Bearman: Bay Hill is the place where the cream rises, and its easy to pick your favorite. McIlroy owns this particular event, though Rahm and Scheffler have been unstoppable. Scheffler was victorious last year. What did he lose?Rahn has only played once in T-17 last year. Rory? Rory? Although his putter has been cold for the past few weeks he is currently second on the tour. Rory is back on top with another Arnie win.
Tyrrell HattonTop-10 finish (+350).
Bearman: I had already selected one of my favorites so I decided to look down the board and find a sneaky player who is doing very well here. Hatton isnt often mentioned because he plays both PGA Tours as well as European Tours. However, this spot is where you should hear his name. His lone PGA Tour victory was in 2020. He was runner-up last season, a bit behind Scheffler. Hes made it to the cut in six of his appearances, making him a strong DFS play.
