Philadelphia, PA – EUROPEAN TOUR - WGC-CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP, With a new world No. 1, a stellar Cadillac Championship.
Rory McIlroy won The Honda Classic on Sunday and that helped him overtake Luke Donald to top the world rankings for the first time.
The U.S. Open champion has finished outside the top five just once in his last 10 combined starts on the European or PGA Tours. He will look to keep this momentum going this week against a field that includes 59 of the top-60 players in this week's rankings.
Among that group is Tiger Woods, who has won this event six times and whose worst finish is a tie for 10th, which came last year. He is coming off a Sunday 62 that propelled him into a tie for second place behind McIlroy at The Honda Classic.
Last year, Nick Watney claimed his first World Golf Championships title by going nine-under par during the final two rounds to earn a two-stroke victory over Dustin Johnson.
Watney has just one top-10 finish this season and that was a third-round loss at the WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship.
The field this week also includes nine of the 10 winners from this season, minus John Huh, who won the Mayakoba Golf Classic which was opposite the Match Play Championship.
Johnson, who is coming off three straight top-10 finishes, had the third-round lead at Doral last year, but closed with a 71 to take second. He battled a balky putter in the final round.
Golf Channel has the broadcast for the first two rounds, while NBC picks up coverage on Saturday and Sunday.
The European Tour finally hits Europe next week for the Open de Andalucia, where Paul Lawrie held on for a one-stroke win last year.
PGA TOUR
PUERTO RICO OPEN - Trump International Golf Club - Puerto Rico, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico - Those who weren't lucky enough to qualify for the event at Doral will be in Rio Grande this week for the Puerto Rico Open.
Michael Bradley carded four 68s last year, but needed a playoff to defeat Troy Matteson, who closed with an even-par 72.
The duo returned to the 18th hole and Bradley made par to earn his fourth PGA Tour victory.
With all but one of the top-60 players in the world at Doral, one might think the field in Puerto Rico would be a little watered down. That isn't the case, however.
Bradley, who also won this title in 2009, is joined in the field by 2010 champ Derek Lamely, as well as six major champions and up-and-coming international stars such as Ryo Ishikawa, Jhonattan Vegas and Seung-yul Noh. Ishikawa, No. 53, is the highest-ranked player in the field.
Golf Channel will have tape-delayed coverage all week.
The PGA Tour heads to Innisbrook next week for the Transitions Championship. Gary Woodland closed with back-to-back 67s to earn his first PGA Tour title. Justin Rose led entering the final round, but struggled to a 74 to slide into a share of fifth place.
NATIONWIDE TOUR
CHILE CLASSIC - Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago, Chile - The Nationwide Tour has a new event this week with the Chile Classic.
This will be the third straight event outside the United States for the tour. There is one more outside the States, with an early June trip to Mexico on the docket.
Skip Kendall and Luke List are among those that headline the field this week. Kendall won the season-opening Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship and List shared second last week.
There is no television this week.
After a week off, the tour will make its first U.S. appearance at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open, where Brett Wetterich won by a single stroke last year.
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