Cut prediction: Valspar Championship

The DP World Tour today announced its full 12-month schedule for the 2023 season, featuring a minimum of 39 tournaments in 26 countries, once again emphasizing its position as golf’s global Tour. To view the DP World Tour full schedule and release, click here. Record overall prize fund of $144.2 million for regular DP World Tour events next season Increase in Rolex Series prize funds Player Earnings Assurance Programme to be introduced DP World Tour members will compete for an overall prize fund of $144.2 million across the tournaments outside the Major Championships and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play including an increased bonus pool of $6 million for the leading eight players on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. As part of this record total prize fund, the 2023 season will also see the introduction of a new Earnings Assurance Programme for DP World Tour members. Exempt players in categories 1-17 will be guaranteed minimum earnings of $150,000 if they compete in 15 or more events as part of the programme which was agreed by the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee last week. Both the record prize fund, increased bonus pool and Earnings Assurance Programme have been made possible by the DP World Tour’s operational joint venture partnership with the PGA TOUR which was announced in June. Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “For us to be able to offer our members record prize funds and enhanced earning opportunities is massive, particularly when global economies are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and with the new challenge of rising inflation significantly putting pressure on costs in all facets of our business. “Our overall prize fund for the 2023 season represents $50 million more than 2021 and also underlines the strength of our partnership with the PGA TOUR, who are working with us to drive revenue and a long-term growth plan. “One of the many benefits we have been able to introduce because of this partnership is the new Earnings Assurance Programme, similar to what they already have on the PGA TOUR. I have always believed that it is an incredible accomplishment for any professional golfer to simply gain their playing rights on the DP World Tour and this new initiative recognizes and rewards that achievement. “Although we will never lose the magic of the meritocracy and purity of a performance-based structure, this now offers certainty of income to those players who have made it to the pinnacle of the professional game in Europe. “Alongside the John Jacobs Bursary for the top five players who graduate to the DP World Tour from the Challenge Tour, it will provide security and a strong platform for emerging players in particular as they come through the global pathways we have created.” Included in the DP World Tour’s record prize fund of $144.2 million is an increase in the tournament prize funds for the first four Rolex Series events of 2023. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Dubai Desert Classic, Genesis Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship all move from $8 million in 2022 to $9 million next year, ahead of the $10 million season-ending DP World Tour Championship. The DP World Tour’s global schedule begins on November 24, 2022, with a double header – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane and the Joburg Open in South Africa. The former is one of two tournaments in Australia on the DP World Tour schedule as part of the Strategic Alliance with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, while the latter is one of six events co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour, also as part of a strategic alliance. Four new tournaments in Asia are also included on the 2023 schedule, with the Singapore Classic (February 9-12) and Thailand Classic (February 16-19) taking place in consecutive weeks, followed by the Tour’s first trip to Japan for the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP (April 20-23) and a return to Korea for the first time since 2013 (April 27-30). In Europe, there are dates changes for several tournaments, including the Horizon Irish Open moving to September 7-10, while the Italian Open will take place from May 4-7 ahead of venue Marco Simone Golf & Country Club hosting the 2023 Ryder Cup from September 29 – October 1. There is also a new three-week summer break in the schedule following the 151st Open Championship and Barracuda Championship (both July 20-23) which has been introduced following player feedback. Further details about the autumn events will be announced in due course. To view the full schedule, click here.

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Webb Simpson knows what it’s like to win THE PLAYERS Championship in May. This week, the defending champ will play the first two rounds with a player who knows what it’s like to win at TPC Sawgrass in both March and May. Tiger Woods is the only two-time PLAYERS champion to win at the Stadium Course in different months, and he’ll get a chance to add another victory to his resume after the tournament’s return to March for the first time since 2006. Meanwhile, Simpson will be battling PLAYERS history – no defending champ has successfully defended. But given how he dominated last year, cruising to a four-shot win while matching the course record with a second-round 63, perhaps the confidence will spill over into a second straight win this week. Here’s a look at some of the Featured Groups (FedExCup ranking after The Honda Classic in parentheses). Four more Featured Groups will be announced on Monday at 4 p.m. ET. HOW TO FOLLOW (all times ET) TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m. (Golf Channel). Saturday, 2-7 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (NBC). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.- 7 p.m. (Featured Groups). Saturday, 8:30 a.m.- 7 p.m. (Featured Groups). Sunday, 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. (Featured Groups). LIVE ON TWITTER: Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. – approx. 8:30 a.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – approx. 9:30 a.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. – approx. 9 a.m. RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 12-7 p.m. Saturday, 1-7 p.m. Sunday, 12-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM). International subscribers (via GOLFTV): Thursday-Friday, 12:30 to 23:00 GMT. Saturday, 14:00 to 23:00. Sunday, 13:00 to 22:00. FEATURED GROUPS THURSDAY Webb Simpson (38) – In addition to his 63, he set PLAYERS records for largest 36-hole (5 shots) and 54-hole (7 shots) leads last year. Patrick Reed (52) – Due to the schedule change, he’s making his second PLAYERS start since winning the Masters last April. Tiger Woods (105) – In his 17 opening rounds at TPC Sawgrass, just one was in the 60s  — a 67 in 2013 when he won for the second time. Rickie Fowler (6) – Had three rounds in the 60s when he won in 2015; every other round since 2013 has been in the 70s. Brooks Koepka (8) – His last competitive round at TPC Sawgrass was a course-record tying 63 in Round 4 a year ago. Jordan Spieth (180) – Tied for fourth in his first PLAYERS in 2014, then missed the cut in his next three starts. FRIDAY Matt Kuchar (2) –  Two top-10s in 14 career starts; of course, one of those was his win in 2012. Phil Mickelson (9) – Won THE PLAYERS the first time it was held in May in 2007 but hasn’t had a top-10 finish since then. Rory McIlroy (15) – Missed the cut in his first three PLAYERS starts, then had top-10 finishes in the next three. Xander Schauffele (1) – FedExCup leader tied for second last year in his first PLAYERS start. Justin Thomas (5) – Feast or famine on the weekend for the former FedExCup champion – four rounds of 68 or better, and three rounds of 75 or higher. Justin Rose (11) – Reigning FedExCup champion. In 15 career starts at TPC Sawgrass, he has just one top-10 – a T4 in 2014.

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With the Presidents Cup taking place at Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Club in September, this year’s Wells Fargo Championship has moved to TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. Two-time FedExCup winner Rory McIlroy headlines the field as he looks to defend his title from last season. FIELD NOTES: Rory McIlroy tees it up for the first time since he fired a tidy final-round 64 at the Masters … Abraham Ancer returns to both an event (runner-up last year) and golf course (shares the course record) where he has displayed strong form … Morgan Hoffmann is back in action. Hoffmann, who missed the cut at the RBC Heritage, has two starts left on a medical extension and will need to earn 238.42 FedExCup points to maintain full TOUR status … Francesco Molinari, who won the last TOUR event contested at TPC Potomac (2018 Quicken Loans National), is set to tee it up … Among the sponsor exemptions are Ben Martin (runner-up at Corales Puntacana Championship in March) and Brandon Matthews (No. 3 on Korn Ferry Tour Points List) … Recent Wells Fargo Championship winners teeing it up include Max Homa (2019), Jason Day (2018), Brian Harman (2017), James Hahn (2016) and Rickie Fowler (2012) … Other notables at TPC Potomac include major winners Gary Woodland, Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points. COURSE: TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, par 70, 7,160 yards. This is a one-year departure from the Quail Hollow Club, as the North Carolinian club will play host to the Presidents Cup in September. TPC Potomac last hosted the PGA TOUR in 2018 and is a 21-time TOUR host. The course meanders through numerous creeks and streams – including the Rock Run Stream Valley, a main tributary of the Potomac River – and wooded terrain. The course boasts bentgrass tees, greens and fairways, as well as natural rolling land and Scottish-style bunkering. The course underwent a hearty renovation in 2015 prior to the TOUR’s return two years later. STORYLINES: McIlroy enters the Wells Fargo Championship with plenty of good vibes. His last competitive round, a 64 at Augusta National, was tied for the lowest Sunday score in Masters history. He comes to an event where he has finished outside the top-10 just twice in 10 starts. It’s a new golf course for 2022, but McIlroy has played well in the D.C. area before – he won the 2011 U.S. Open, played at just-down-the-road Congressional Country Club, by eight shots … McIlroy will try to buck a trend at the Wells Fargo Championship, though, as there is yet to be a successful title defense at the event … Gregory Odom Jr., a senior standout at Howard University, will be making his PGA TOUR debut on a sponsor exemption. Howard, an HBCU, didn’t have a golf program two years ago. This year, led by Odom Jr., it captured its first MEAC Championship … Denny McCarthy is hoping for a hometown boost this week. McCarthy, who sits 49th on the FedExCup standings, attended grade school just nine miles away from TPC Potomac … TPC Potomac slides in to play host as preparations are well underway for the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in September. It will mark the first Presidents Cup since 2019 at Royal Melbourne in Australia. 72-HOLE RECORD: 267, Rory McIlroy (2015 – Quail Hollow) 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Rory McIlroy (Round 3, 2015 – Quail Hollow) LAST TIME: Rory McIlroy topped Abraham Ancer by one to win his first PGA TOUR title in 18 months. McIlroy, who revealed after his win that his neck locked up during his practice session and he nearly withdrew, made birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 at Quail Hollow on Sunday to pull away from the chasing pack. He held off a hard-charging Ancer, who shot a 5-under 66 on Sunday (the low round of the day). McIlroy stumbled home, taking a penalty on the 72nd hole, but he managed to scramble for bogey and notch the win on Mother’s Day – his first as a parent. The win marked McIlroy’s third at Quail Hollow (having won in 2010, his first TOUR title, and in 2015). The runner-up was Ancer’s best TOUR result until he captured the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational later in the year. Viktor Hovland and Keith Mitchell finished tied for third while Gary Woodland rounded out the top five. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS) Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.–6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) For outside of the U.S., click here for GOLFTV powered by the PGA TOUR PGA TOUR LIVE PGA TOUR Live is available exclusively on ESPN+ • Main Feed: primary tournament-coverage featuring the best action from across the course • Marquee Group: new “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group • Featured Groups: traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups • Featured Holes: a combination of par-3s and iconic or pivotal holes

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