ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2016) – World No. 1 Jordan Spieth will tee it up at the Asian Tour’s SMBC Singapore Open, and his opening round will air in primetime on Golf Channel beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. The LPGA Tour kicks off its 2016 season with the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, as Nos. 2-4 in the world: Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson lead a field that includes 11 of the top-20 in the world. The PGA TOUR shifts to Torrey Pines outside of San Diego for the Farmers Insurance Open, with Jason Day (No. 2 in the world) and Rickie Fowler (No. 4) headlining the field. On the European Tour, South African Branden Grace defends his title at the Qatar Masters.
ASIAN TOUR
SMBC Singapore Open
Dates: Jan. 27-30
Venue: Sentosa Golf Club (Serapong Course), Sentosa Island, Singapore
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 8-11 p.m. (Live) / 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Replay)
Thursday 8-11 p.m. / 2-4:30 a.m. (Live)
Friday 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-Noon (Saturday replay)
Saturday 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-Noon (Sunday replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Spieth’s opening round airing in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday: World No. 1 Jordan Spieth is in the field competing in the 50th edition of Singapore’s national open. Spieth will tee off in his opening round at 6:50 p.m. ET, with the majority airing in primetime on Golf Channel beginning at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday night.
Event returns for first time since 2012: The event is being played for the first time since 2012, and is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour. Matteo Manassero won the event in 2012 when it was last contested.
Headlining the field: Jordan Spieth, Byeong Hun An, Darren Clarke, Jamie Donaldson, Y.E. Yang, Jeev Milkha Singh, K.T. Kim and Shingo Katayama.
LPGA TOUR
Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic
Dates: Jan. 28-31
Venue: Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 3-5 p.m. (Live) / 5-7 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday 3-5 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Season-opening event: The 2016 LPGA Tour season kicks off this week with the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, airing live on Golf Channel Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 28-31. The event begins a series of eight LPGA tournaments airing live on Golf Channel over the next 10 weeks leading into golf’s first major championship of 2016, the ANA Inspiration.
Kim defends: Sei Young Kim defeated Ariya Jutanugarn and Sun Young Yoo with a birdie on the first playoff hole to earn her first career LPGA Tour win.
Headlining the field: Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, Sei Young Kim, Hyo Joo Kim, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie, Anna Nordqvist, Brittany Lincicome, Brooke Henderson and Cheyenne Woods.
PGA TOUR
Farmers Insurance Open
Dates: Jan. 28-31
Venue: Torrey Pines Golf Course (North & South Courses), La Jolla, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Golf Central special: Day, Fowler news conference, Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET: Jason Day and Rickie Fowler (ranked No. 2 and No. 4 in the world respectively) headline the field and will take part in a Golf Central special news conference from Torrey Pines, airing at 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Course rotation: The event utilizes both the North and South courses at Torrey Pines, with players competing once on each course over the first two rounds prior to the 36-hole cut. The final two rounds are then contested on the South Course on Saturday-Sunday.
Day defends: Jason Day defeated J.B. Holmes with a par on the second playoff hole to win his third PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the field: Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, J.B. Holmes, Hideki Matsuyama, Brandt Snedeker, Anirban Lahiri and Bill Haas.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Dates: Jan. 27-30
Venue: Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 1:30-4:30 a.m. / 6-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Thursday 1:30-4:30 a.m. / 6-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Friday 4:30-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 4-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Grace defends: Branden Grace won by one shot over Marc Warren for his sixth career European Tour victory.
Headlining the field: Bryson DeChambeau (a), Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, Branden Grace, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Louis Oosthuizen, Thomas Pieters, Peter Uihlein and John Daly.
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