LPGA OKs Portland sans fans; Kia off until March

Headed into what was scheduled to be this week’s Valero Texas Open, Charley Hoffman would have been armed with the best tool for success – a strong history in San Antonio. Last year’s bogey-free, 5-under 67 Sunday at TPC San Antonio was good for solo-second, his sixth top-10 finish in 14 starts in the event. Hoffman won the Valero Texas Open in 2016. But, rather than being poised for another solid finish on one of the TOUR’s most challenging layouts, like everyone else in the world, Hoffman is home and wondering what’s next. While he and wife, Stacy, don’t have all the answers for their two young daughters, they do have the resources to give back to a community in need. And, through the Charley Hoffman Foundation, they also do have Texas-sized hearts. Via video message, Charley, Stacy and their daughters recently announced a donation of $25,000 from the Charley Hoffman Foundation to the Valero Texas Open. The funds will be distributed by the tournament to a variety of area charities at their discretion. “It was important to give to the Valero Texas Open because we understand that without PGA TOUR events, the tournaments just don’t have the ability for the same community outreach from a financial standpoint,� Charley said. “Stacy and I looked back at what is one of our favorite tournaments of the year, the Valero Texas Open, and thought about how we could help the community of San Antonio.� “We thought it was right to give to the Valero Texas Open not only because Charley has had so much success there, but also because the tournament has been a big supporter of the Charley Hoffman Foundation,� said Stacy. “That means a lot for them to take note of what we’re doing with our foundation.� In its 11 years of existence, the Charley Hoffman Foundation has generated more than $1.8 million. In their hometown of San Diego, the foundation supports cystic fibrosis, San Diego Junior Golf & Pro Kids Golf as main charities. “To have the funds available to give back is something Stacy and I are so grateful for,� Charley said. “And, when something unusual like this pandemic comes along, it means a lot to us to be able to draw from funds we have in the foundation.� “We really are so pleased that the Charley Hoffman Foundation is able to help other organizations and charities through this really hard time,� Stacy said. “We understand that it’s hard for charities that try to support those who need extra help throughout the year.� So, in a time of uncertainty, Stacy knew it would be even harder for those who need more during this challenging time. And, the charities themselves may actually begin with less to give back. “It’s said that everything’s bigger in Texas, and the Valero Texas Open has always given a really big amount back to their San Antonio community,� Stacy said. “It was really important for Charley and I to give back, because we knew they could be missing out on a lot of charity dollars this year. We thought we could at least help a little bit with some of those charities that really rely on those funds.� “In my opinion, the Valero Texas Open is a major standout among TOUR events when it comes to giving back to the community year after year,� Charley said. “It seems like the Valero Texas Open gives more to charity than almost every event on TOUR. I think that’s amazing.� Thanks to a healthy Charley Hoffman Foundation, a reserve had built up enough to where the couple could make the donation. Charley and Stacy are hoping to give an even larger amount back to their San Diego charities next year, typically announced during the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines each January. “We’re proud to be able to help people when the help is needed,� Charley said. “All along, that’s the vision Stacy and I had of this foundation – to be able to help people. “I always say that I dreamed of playing on the PGA TOUR and winning tournaments like the Valero Texas Open. But, I could have never dreamed that we would be able to give back to the communities in which we live and play golf tournaments. I get chills just thinking about it all the time.�

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The three-week FedExCup Playoffs begin with THE NORTHERN TRUST at TPC Boston. The 125-man field will be cut down to the top 70 at the end of play Sunday, then the top 30 at the culmination of next week's BMW Championship in Chicago. As always, the season-ending TOUR Championship in Atlanta will then determine who wins the FedExCup, as current No. 1 Justin Thomas looks to join Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as the only players to win it more than once. Woods, who has slipped down the standings some since winning the inaugural ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan last fall, returns to action at TPC Boston. So does last year's FedExCup winner McIlroy, while Patrick Reed defends his title from 2019 at THE NORTHERN TRUST. FIELD NOTES: A few spots in the top 125 will be confirmed this weekend at the Wyndham Championship... For now, all 125 golfers who are eligible to play THE NORTHERN TRUST are committed... Current FedExCup points leader and Wyndham Rewards Top 10 winner Justin Thomas will lead the pack in Boston... Collin Morikawa will return to action for the first time since winning the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park... There will be eight past winners at TPC Boston in the field, including Woods, McIlroy, Webb Simpson, Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, and Charley Hoffman. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 1,500 FedExCup points. COURSE: TPC Boston, 7,342 yards, par 71. Originally an Arnold Palmer design, the course was established in 2002 and redesigned five years later by Gil Hanse with eight-time TOUR winner Brad Faxon serving as a consultant. Golf Digest named the effort by Hanse and Faxon as the Best Private Remodel in 2007. TPC Boston's par-5 18th hole was altered in 2012 to feature a smaller, elevated green. STORYLINES: Only the top 125 golfers in the FedExCup standings are eligible for THE NORTHERN TRUST. The field for the BMW Championship gets trimmed to the top 70, while the TOUR Championship features only the top 30... THE NORTHERN TRUST will rotate between TPC Boston and Liberty National Golf Club. It will return to TPC Boston in 2022… This is the second year the FedExCup playoffs feature only three events, so look for it to be a sprint to East Lake... Tiger Woods is making just his sixth start this season after a T37 at the PGA Championship. He withdrew from last year's THE NORTHERN TRUST, citing a mild oblique strain. This will mark the 11th time Woods has played TPC Boston; he won in 2006... THE NORTHERN TRUST is the only FedExCup event to feature a 36-hole cut. 72-HOLE TOURNAMENT RECORD: 261, Jason Day (2015 - Plainfield Country Club) TPC BOSTON RECORD: 262, Henrik Stenson (2013), Charley Hoffman (2010), Vijay Singh (2008). 18-HOLE TOURNAMENT RECORD: 61, Brandt Snedeker (3rd round, 2011 - Plainfield Country Club). TPC BOSTON RECORD - 61, Vijay Singh (2006), Mike Weir (2008). LAST TIME: Patrick Reed won his second THE NORTHERN TRUST title by one over Abraham Ancer. After an up-and-down opening nine Sunday that featured three birdies and three bogeys, Reed birdied two of his final five holes for 69 and the victory. The runner-up was Ancer's best on the PGA TOUR. Harold Varner III, Jon Rahm, and Adam Scott rounded out the top five. Past FedExCup champs Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Rory McIlroy (who would go on to win the 2019 FedExCup) tied for sixth with Louis Oosthuizen. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS). Sunday, 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday 7:10 a.m.-7 p.m. (Featured Groups). Saturday, 7 p.m.-3 p.m. (Featured Groups), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes). Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Featured Groups), 2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. (Featured Holes). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio).

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