World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions canceled for 2022

Chan Kim ... The most recent winner on the Japan Golf Tour rose to second in its Order of Merit with the season-ending victory at the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup in December. It was his fifth title on the circuit. He already was in terrific form leading up to it with a trio of top-five finishes in Japan. Overall, he paced the JGTO in scoring average and ranked T2 in greens in regulation and converting GIR into par breakers. The 30-year-old was born in South Korea but he was raised in Hawaii and went to high school near Phoenix before playing collegiately at Arizona State University. So, he represents America abroad. Currently 88th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Daniel van Tonder ... You can't ask for anything more than beating the competition directly in front of you. That's what the 29-year-old from South African did four times in a 10-week period on his native Sunshine Tour late in 2020. He'd finish second on the circuit's Order of Merit to qualify for the WGC-Workday. Expanding the perspective that includes the quad-Ws, in a 12-start stretch that spanned seasons and a global shutdown, he recorded 11 top 10s. Rasmus Højgaard ... The sweet-swingin' Dane was born on van Tonder's 10th birthday, so he won't turn 20 until March 12, but he's already a two-time winner on the European Tour. Højgaard also has opened 2021 with a surge. After a T25 in Abu Dhabi, he finished T9 in Dubai and T6 in Saudi Arabia. With that form in tow as he sizes up The Concession in his World Golf Championships debut, his go-to asset of power off the tee and precision on approach projects success since very few have even a semblance of a working knowledge of the greens. Thomas Detry ... Here's another WGC first-timer from Europe, but the 28-year-old Belgian already has a record of first-hand experience at The Concession. It was here in the 2015 NCAA Men's Championship when he placed T3 representing the University of Illinois. Nowadays, he's 90th in the Official World Golf Ranking thanks most recently to a pair of runner-up finishes on the European Tour in 2020. (Coincidentally, Sam Horsfield prevailed in both.) Detry finished 18th in the Race to Dubai to qualify for this tournament. Also ranked sixth in scoring average last season. Laurie Canter ... Snuck inside the top 20 of the 2020 Race to Dubai at 19th to qualify for his first World Golf Championship. Three tournaments into the 2021 European Tour season, he's 15th in the R2D with a T4 in Dubai and a T21 in Saudi Arabia. In his last dozen starts in the circuit, he's risen for a pair of runner-up finishes among five top fives. It's rarefied air for the 31-year-old from England since he hadn't cracked the top 150 in the R2D in three prior full seasons. With 10 rounds contributing, he ranks sixth in greens hit on his home circuit. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions. Odds will be updated on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 10:30 a.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. CO, IA, IN,MI, NJ, NV,PA, TN, VA or WV only. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700 (CO, NV, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), Call or Text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN), or call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN).

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Dustin Johnson is everywhere. If you've spent any time at the newsstand lately, you've seen this week's defending Masters champion on the cover of Golf Digest. And Golf Magazine. And Cigar Aficionado, with fiancée Paulina Gretzky. And Modern Luxury Manhattan. He is posing with his driver, hitting a shot, smoking a cigar, and rocking not the green jacket but a stylish black leather one. Two of the cover stories mention the name of his yacht, Just Chillin'. One of them enlists DJ in making a pimento cheese sandwich. Another has him recreating an iconic cover shot from 24 years ago. Another still reveals his unusual standard breakfast on tournament days. But which writer was surprised to wind up sharing a pizza with him? Herewith, a quick rundown. CIGAR AFICIONADO Headline: "The Natural" Writer: David Savona Gist of article: The human side of a superstar with a dream life. "I was home, he was home," Savona says of their interview. "I got him in the morning, before his workout. When I called him at 7:30, there were some kids' noises, and he was like, ‘Hey, man, I need a few minutes, can you call me back?' It turned out he was taking his kids to school." Fun fact: Johnson made his high school golf team as a seventh grader. Cover backstory: The magazine recreated a March/April 1997 cover of Wayne Gretzky and wife Janet; Gretzky suggested the concept to Cigar Aficionado publisher and owner Marvin Shankel while they were playing golf. "We recreated the pose down to the outfits," Savona says. "White dress shirt and black slacks for Dustin and Wayne, the smoking jacket for Paulina and Janet. The way they're holding the cigars is the same. It's a real homage to when Paulina's parents appeared on the cover. We got a great reaction to it; people really liked the image." Where interviewed: "We're actually not supposed to say precisely where we did it," Savona says. "It was at a golf club. And I had about an hour with him on the phone for the story." Quote wall: "The distance he hits it, as straight as he hits it, we all wonder how he ever loses a golf tournament." - Jack Nicklaus DJ on DJ: "My favorite thing about the Masters is the sandwiches." Takeaway: "I'd never spoken with him before, even though he had gone to a couple of our events," Savona says. "We're co-sponsors of the Els for Autism Pro-Am, and he's participated in the past, down in Jupiter, at Old Palm. The overall impression I got is he comes across as a pretty easygoing guy, despite being the world's No. 1 golfer and being engaged to the daughter of the greatest hockey player ever. He has a lot of regular guy to him, which is pretty remarkable." GOLF DIGEST Headline: "Might it be that Dustin Johnson's greatest strength is his mind?" Writer: Daniel Rapaport Gist of article: Johnson has a Zen-like ability to stay in the present moment. Fun fact: Johnson had to tame his aggression and learn to manage his game. "He was a free-wheeler," Butch Harmon says. "As he used to say, on every hole, ‘I'm just sending it, bro.'" Where interviewed: Floridian Golf Club. "We spent about four hours with DJ capturing a bunch of different content—instructional videos, fun videos, cover shots, fun shots—before I sat down with him for an extended interview," Rapaport says. "I wanted to take a deeper dive into DJ's mind ... it's clear that his outlook is the envy of his peers. I'm a big meditation guy, and from afar I thought he best personifies the benefits of a quiet mind and thought control. The guy is 36 and he's been a force in golf for a decade, so you have to find an angle to avoid simply re-stating what's already been written." Quote wall: "Dustin has a wonderful ability to be very interested in what he's doing but to underreact to everything." - Dr. Bob Rotella DJ on DJ: "I try not to overcomplicate stuff - shots. Obviously, I've played enough golf. I understand the game very well." Takeaway: "I believe there are lessons in the way he goes about his business," Rapaport says. "That there are only a few select people whose opinions matter, and that the key is identifying who those people are, and who they are not. As far as golf goes, that there's no need to add any significance to a bad shot or a bad round. We all have a tendency to try to add a second sentence to a poor outcome. I played terrible...so I am terrible. I hit this bad shot...because I stink at hitting draws. There is no need to add the second sentence. Dustin has an innate ability to ignore narratives entirely. Some things in life just are." GOLF MAGAZINE Headline: "Master of One" Writer: Josh Sens Gist of article: Johnson has worked hard to get the most from his talent. Fun fact: "I was less surprised by DJ than I was by his brother Austin, who was very engaging and funny," Sens says. "It’s probably easier to be the caddie than the star. It made me wonder whether DJ has some of that in him and just doesn’t show it. I was also surprised to learn that DJ’s nickname in high school was Styles DJ. A snappy dresser who really cared how he looked." Where interviewed: "The cover shoot was in Florida a few weeks before we met," Sens says, "so I only interacted with DJ for the interview, which we did on an outdoor patio at the Fairmont in Santa Monica. DJ looked ridiculously relaxed, lounging back on a chair, enjoying the weather. But he hadn’t had time to eat and was really hungry. His agent ran out and got him a pizza from down the street. I was hungry, too, but didn’t want to mooch food off my subject. I think DJ saw me eying the pizza because he offered me a slice. And, when I ate that slice, he offered another. He was insistent that I share with him. That seemed like good southern manners to me." Quote wall: "Dustin was obviously a big hitter and a good player, but I'd be lying if I said that I knew how good he was going to be." - Allen Terrell, Johnson's coach at Coastal Carolina DJ on DJ: "When I retire, I'm going to buy a bigger boat." Takeaway: "I had watched him on the range at Riviera, and he went to the very far end, far from all the other guys," Sens says. "It was like he just needed to be in his own private Idaho. About 20 minutes into DJ’s range session, Rory wandered up, said hello and started hitting balls beside him. He and DJ would pause now and then and engage in conversation. They seemed to have an easy rapport. I guess there’s nothing too remarkable about this, but I was reminded of all the praise and supportive things Rory has said about DJ in the press in recent times. In particular, at Harding Park, where Rory was one of the first to leap to DJ’s defense when Koepka threw shade on DJ’s record in the majors. It underscored for me the level of respect DJ commands on Tour." MODERN LUXURY MANHATTAN Headline: "Golf Pro Dustin Johnson on Family, Focus And The Future" Writer: Phebe Wahl Gist of article: Johnson is stylish and successful, but also a soft-spoken family man. Fun fact: Johnson recently learned he's allergic to gluten. "I'm very routine in what I do every day - especially before a tournament round," he tells Wahl. "I eat the same breakfast, usually an omelet and an oatmeal pancake." Where interviewed: "The shoot was at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica," Wahl says, "and we also caught up over the phone while he was at home with his family. Sometimes with athletes at this level there are big egos, but Dustin was so humble and grounded. He was so pleasantly down-to-earth. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse inside his mind and understanding how much he loves the game. I loved seeing how much he loves his family. The joy and pride he has playing with his young children was apparent." DJ on DJ: "Paulina helps with my style for sure. She's way more stylish than I am." Takeaway: "I walked away thinking Dustin is in it for the true love of the game," Wahl says. "It was so refreshing to learn that someone at this level still feels that joy from the sport that got them interested in it as a kid."

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