Philadelphia, PA – PGA TOUR - JOHN DEERE CLASSIC, TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois - The PGA Tour heads to Illinois this week for the John Deere Classic.
It is the final tune-up for the British Open, which will take place next week at Muirfield in Scotland. A win here can clinch a spot in the field for the third major of the season if the winner is not already qualified.
Last year, Zach Johnson knocked a 6-iron approach from a fairway bunker inside a foot on Sunday, setting up an easy birdie and a playoff victory at the John Deere Classic.
Johnson bested third-round leader Troy Matteson for his ninth PGA Tour victory.
Johnson is back in the field to defend his title this week, as is three-time winner Steve Stricker. The rest of the field includes six of the top 30 players in the world rankings.
The Golf Channel will have afternoon coverage the first two days before handing off to CBS for the weekend's afternoon rounds.
Along with the British Open, where Ernie Els will defend his title, the PGA Tour will also head to Madison, Mississippi next week for the Sanderson Farms Championship. Scott Stallings fired a 4-under 68 during his final round there to hold off Jason Bohn and capture his second career PGA Tour victory.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Omaha Country Club, Omaha, Nebraska - The Champions Tour settles down in Nebraska this week for the fourth major of the season, the U.S. Senior Open Championship.
Roger Chapman carded a 4-under 66 on Sunday last year to come from behind and capture his second major championship of the season.
The Englishman became just the fourth player in Champions Tour history to win the Senior PGA Championship and U.S. Senior Open Championship titles in the same year. He joined Gary Player in 1988, Jack Nicklaus in 1991 and Hale Irwin in 1998.
Chapman has returned to defend his title, but he will be joined in the field by this season's major winners, Kohki Idoki, David Frost and Kenny Perry.
Loren Roberts and Tom Watson are also in the field and will each be trying to capture their fourth different major title on the Champions Tour.
Jack Nicklaus is the only other player to accomplish that feat.
ESPN 2 will have coverage on Thursday and Friday evening before NBC takes over for the weekend's afternoon rounds.
The Champions Tour has off next week before heading to England for The Senior Open Championship, where Fred Couples birdied his final two holes to claim his second major on the senior circuit.
EUROPEAN TOUR
ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT SCOTTISH OPEN, Castle Stuart Golf Links, Inverness, Scotland - The European Tour moves to Scotland this week for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
Jeev Milkha Singh birdied the first playoff hole last year to beat Francesco Molinari and claim his fourth career win on the European Tour.
Singh returns to defend his title among a field that contains seven former major Champions, including Phil Mickelson and last year's British Open champion Ernie Els.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds.
The European Tour joins with the PGA Tour next week in Scotland for the British Open before returning the week after for the M2M Russian Open in Moscow.
LPGA TOUR
MANULIFE FINANCIAL LPGA CLASSIC, Grey Silo Golf Course, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada - The LPGA Tour returns this week for the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Ontario, Canada.
Brittany Lang toppled Hee Kyung Seo, Chella Choi and third-round leader Inbee Park with a birdie on the third playoff hole last year to claim her first LPGA Tour victory.
Lang returns with the hope of repeating her feat, but she will be joined by the red-hot Inbee Park, who has won the last three events on the schedule and all three majors this season.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds.
The LPGA heads to Ohio next week for the Marathon Classic, where So Yeon Ryu fired a 9-under 62 in the final round to claim a 7-stroke victory.
WEB.COM TOUR
UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP, Willow Creek CC, Sandy, Utah - The Web.com tour also returns from a week off for the Utah Championship.
Last year, Doug LaBelle II posted a 3-under 68 during his final round to come from behind and win his second title on the Web.com Tour.
LaBelle will not be in the field to defend his title this year as he has moved on to the PGA Tour, but the top eight money leaders on tour will be in the field, including two-time winner this season Michael Putnam.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds.
The Web.com Tour will move to Kansas next week for the Midwest Classic, where Shawn Stefani fired a 7-under 64 during his final round to earn a 2-stroke win last year.
PGA TOUR CANADA
THE SYNCRUDE BOREAL OPEN, Fort McMurray Golf Club, Fort McMurray, Alberta - The PGA Tour Canada tees off in Alberta this week for the Syncrude Boreal Open.
Cory Renfrew birdied the fourth playoff hole last year to defeat Matt Hill. The duo set a new tournament record at 17-under-par 271.
There will be no television coverage this week.
The PGA Tour Canada shifts to Manitoba next week for The Players Cup, where Chris Killmer also needed four playoff holes to earn the victory over Vince Covello.
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