A new European tour season starts in Australia and South Africa

By The Associated Press

EUROPEAN TOUR AND PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA

FORTINET AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Brisbane, Australia.

Course: Royal Queensland GC. Yardage: 7,134. Par: 71.

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Japan's Rikuya Hoshino plays a shot during the third round of the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (Jono Searle/AAP Image via AP)

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Cameron Smith reacts after a shot during round 2 of the 2023 Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. (Jono Searle/AAP Image via AP)

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Prize money: $2 million Australian dollars. Winner’s share: $370,000 Australian dollars.

Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Cameron Smith.

Race to Dubai champion: Rory McIlroy.

Last week: Nicolai Hojgaard won the DP World Tour Championship and David Micheluzzi won the Victorian PGA Championship.

Notes: This begins the biggest two-week swing through Australia that also serves as the start of the 2023-24 European tour season. ... Cameron Smith is the defending champion and the highest-ranked player in the field. He won twice on LIV Golf this year. He is going for his fourth Australian PGA title. ... Other LIV Golf players in the field are Marc Leishman, Joaquin Niemann and Mito Pereira. ... Adrian Meronk of Poland is playing one week after securing a PGA Tour card for 2024. Other players in the field who are eligible for PGA Tour cards through the European tour are Ryo Hisatsune and Robert MacIntyre. ... Rod Pampling is playing. He finished 19th in the Charles Schwab Cup on the PGA Tour Champions. ... The top 50 in the world at the end of the year get Masters invitations. Among those on the bubble are Meronk, Lee and MacIntyre. ... The tournament dates to 1929.

Next week: ISPS Handa Australian Open.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/ and https://pga.org.au/

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EUROPEAN TOUR AND SUNSHINE TOUR

JOBURG OPEN

Site: Johannesburg.

Course: Houghton GC. Yardage: 7,227. Par: 70.

Prize money: 17.5 million rand. Winner’s share: 332,500 rand.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 5-10 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 5-9:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Dan Bradbury.

Race to Dubai champion: Rory McIlroy.

Last week: Nicolai Hojgaard won the DP World Tour Championship.

Notes: The tournament is co-sanctioned by the European tour and Sunshine Tour. It starts the 2023-24 European tour season. ... The top three finishers not already exempt earn a spot in the British Open at Royal Troon next year. ... South African players with LIV Golf in the field include Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester. ... Dylan Frittelli is listed as taking a spot from players who finished between No. 126 and No. 200 in the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour. The European tour is offering five such spots a week in their fields. ... The Joburg Open dates to 2007 and has always been part of the European tour schedule. ... Schwartzel is a two-time winner of the Joburg Open. ... Thriston Lawrence, who won the tournament in 2021, narrowly missed out on eligibility for a PGA Tour card through the Race to Dubai ranking.

Next week: Investec South African Open.

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

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PGA TOUR

Last week: Ludvig Aberg won the RSM Classic.

Next tournament: End of season.

FedEx Cup champion: Viktor Hovland.

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

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LPGA TOUR

Last week: Amy Yang won the CME Group Tour Championship.

Next tournament: End of season.

Race to CME Globe winner: Amy Yang.

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

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OTHER TOURS

Japan Golf Tour: Casio World Open, Kochi Kuroshio CC, Kochi, Japan. Defending champion: Chan Kim. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/

Ladies European Tour: Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana, Real Club de Golf La Brisas, Marbella, Spain. Defending champion: Caroline Hedwall. Television: Thursday-Friday, 10-11:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 2-4:30 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay). Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/

Japan LPGA: JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup, Miyazaki CC, Miyazaki, Japan. Defending champion: Miyuu Yamashita. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf