Once a post-Masters vacation, Hilton Head now elevated event

Updated Apr. 11, 2023 1:00 p.m. ET

Associated Press

PGA TOUR

RBC HERITAGE

Site: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Course: Harbour Town Golf Links. Yardage: 7,191. Par: 71.

Prize money: $20 million. Winner's share: $3.6 million.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).

Defending champion: Jordan Spieth.

FedEx Cup leader: Jon Rahm.

Last week: Jon Rahm won the Masters.

Notes: This is the eighth elevated event of the year, including the majors, that offers a $20 million purse. ... Rory McIlroy and Jason Day have withdrawn. So has Will Zalatoris after having back surgery that ended his season. ... Jon Rahm will try to join Bernhard Langer in 1985 as the only players to win a PGA Tour event a week after winning the Masters. ... The field began at 147 players, up from 132 players a year ago, because of those required to play through the Player Impact Program. There will be no alternates unless the field goes below 132 players. ... Jordan Spieth has not won since his playoff victory over Patrick Cantlay last year. ... The field has seven of the top 10 in the world, the weakest among elevated events so far. ... Ernie Els and Jim Furyk, both on the PGA Tour Champions, are playing on sponsor exemptions. ... Davis Love III, a five-time winner of the tournament, is in the field as a lifetime PGA Tour member. This is the 20-year anniversary of his last win at Hilton Head.

Next week: Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

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LPGA TOUR

LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Honolulu.

Course: Hoakalei GC. Yardage: 6,303. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2 million. Winner's share: $300,000.

Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 7-11 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Hyo Joo Kim.

Race to CME Globe leader: Lydia Ko.

Last tournament: Ruoning Yin won the DIO Implant LA Open.

Notes: The field is missing the top six players from the women's world ranking. Brooke Henderson at No. 7 leads the bottom of the top 10 who are in Hawaii. ... The LPGA Tour's first major has moved from California the last week in March to next week in Houston, which likely accounts for top players sitting out. ... The tournament starts on Wednesday and ends on Saturday. ... Lydia Ko, the No. 1 player in women's golf, won two years ago in Hawaii to spark her rise in the ranking. ... Brooke Henderson won back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. ... Cristie Kerr is in the field because of career money. She won in Hawaii in 2017. ... This is the second straight year the tournament is at Hoakalei, which was designed by Ernie Els. ... The LPGA Tour has had five winners from five countries so far in 2023 — Henderson (Canada), Lilia Vu (U.S.), Jin Young Ko (South Korea), Celine Boutier (France) and Ruoning Yin (China).

Next week: The Chevron Championship.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

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KORN FERRY TOUR

VERITEX BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Arlington, Texas.

Course: Texas Rangers GC. Yardage: 7,010. Par: 71.

Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000.

Television: None.

Previous winner: Tyson Alexander.

Points leader: Ben Kohles.

Last tournament: Ben Kohles won the Astara Chile Classic

Next week: LECOM Suncoast Classic.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour

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EUROPEAN TOUR

Last week: Jon Rahm won the Masters.

Next week: ISPS Handa Championship.

Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

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LIV GOLF

Last tournament: Brooks Koepka won LIV Golf-Orlando.

Next week: LIV Golf-Adelaide.

Points leader: Charles Howell III.

Online: https://www.livgolf.com/

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PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Last tournament: David Toms won The Galleri Classic.

Next week: Invited Celebrity Classic.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: David Toms.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

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OTHER TOURS

Asian Tour: International Series-Vietnam, KN Golf Links, Cam Ranh, Vietnam. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://asiantour.com/

Japan Golf Tour: Kansai Open, Izumigaoka CC, Osaka, Japan. Defending champion: Kazuki Higa. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/

Sunshine Tour: Stella Artois Players Championship, Dainfern CC, Johannesburg, South Africa. Previous winner: Jaco Ahlers. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/

Japan LPGA: KKT Cup Vantelin Ladies Open, Kumamoto Kuko CC, Kumamoto, Japan. Defending champion: Nozomi Uetake. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/

Korea LPGA: Mediheal-Hankookilbo Championship, Yeoju, South Korea. Defending champion: Ji Young Park. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/

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