Deadspin | Golf Glance: PGA Tour follows Masters with signature event; Champions major season begins 
April 20, 2025; Hilton Head, S.C.; Justin Thomas reacts to his winning putt at the RBC Heritage. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images After all eyes were focused on the Masters last week the professional golf world returns to jam-packed action. That includes a signature event on the PGA Tour, the LPGA in Los Angeles, LIV Golf in Mexico and the first major of the year for the Champions Tour.
PGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: RBC Heritage, Hilton Head Island, S.C., April 16-19
Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (Par 71, 7,243 Yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)
Defending Champion: Justin Thomas
FedEx Cup Leader: Cameron Young
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @RBC_Heritage
NOTES: This is the fourth of eight signature events and includes 41 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Fifty-three players competed in the Masters last week. … Due to the cancellation of the season-opening The Sentry, this week’s field was expanded to 82 players to include 10 players who won on the PGA Tour in 2025. … World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is not in the field following his win at the Masters. No. 4 Justin Rose, who tied for third at the Masters, withdrew from the event on Monday and was replaced by Michael Thorbjornsen. … This will be the first career signature event for nine players: Chandler Blanchet, Michael Brennan, Ricky Castillo, Steven Fisk, Johnny Keefer, David Lipsky, William Mouw, Jordan Smith and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. … Five players are in the field via the Aon Swing 5: Lipsky, Blanchet, Smith, Keefer and Matt Wallace. … Sponsors exemptions include Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel and Marco Penge. … Webb Simpson holds the tournament scoring record of 262 set in 2020.
BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings), the 2024 event champion, is coming off a T2 at the Masters and is in a field that is missing McIlroy and Rose. … Xander Schauffele (+1500) has three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a T9 at the Masters. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1700), who won here in 2023, followed his runner-up at The Players and win at the Valspar with a T18 last week. … Cameron Young (+1750) finished T3 last week for his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, including a win at The Players. … Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) was in contention until settling for a T33 at the Masters following consecutive top-10s. … Ludvig Aberg (+2100) followed three consecutive top-5s with a T21 in Augusta. … Viktor Hovland (+3400) was the hottest player on the course at Augusta National last Sunday before a double bogey on No. 15. … Justin Thomas (+4100) is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2008. … Sepp Straka (+4500) said last week that all parts of his game felt solid, he just couldn’t get them all working together in finishing T41.
Last Tournament: Masters Tournament (Rory McIlroy)
Next Tournament: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23-26
LPGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: LA Championship, April 16-19
Course: El Caballero Country Club (Par 72, 6,765 Yards)
Purse: $3.75M
Defending Champion: Ingrid Lindblad
Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda
HOW TO FOLLOW:
TV: Thursday-Sunday: 6-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
X: @jmeaglelachamp
NOTES: This is the ninth edition of the event, which took on all records and past champions associated with the LA Open beginning in 2024. … World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim is the highest-ranked player in the field, which does include 15 of the top 25 in the world. Kim already has two wins among three top-10s this season. … El Caballero played host to the LPGA Office Depot Championship from 2002-04. … Lizette Salas makes her return to competition following a 2024 back injury, while Alison Lee makes her return from maternity leave. … The field includes Asterisk Talley and Aphrodite Deng, the top two-ranked amateurs in the world.
Last Tournament: Aramco Championship (Lauren Coughlin)
Next Tournament: The Chevron Championship, Houston, April 23-26
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
THIS WEEK: Senior PGA Championship, Bradenton, Fla., April 16-19
Course: The Concession Golf Club (Par 72, 6,936 Yards)
Purse: $3M (Winner: $540,000)
Defending Champion: Angel Cabrera
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)
X: @ChampionsTour
NOTES: This is the first major of the year and the 86th edition of the event. … The 156-player field includes seven World Golf Hall of Fame Members. One of them is Vijay Singh, who missed the cut at the Masters last week.
Last Tournament: Hoag Classic (Stewart Cink)
Next Tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, Duluth, Ga., April 24-26
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Mexico City, April 16-19
Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec (Par 72, 7,443 Yards)
Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)
Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Legion XIII
2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Fox Sports app), 6-8 p.m. (FS1); Friday: 2-5 p.m. (Fox), 5-7 p.m. (Fox Sports app); Saturday: 1:30-4 p.m. (Fox), 4-6:30 p.m. (FS1); Sunday: 2-7 p.m. (FS1).
X: @livgolf_league
NOTES: Only five of 10 LIV Golf players made the cut at the Masters. Tyrrell Hatton finished T3, but no other LIV player finished under par. … Bryson DeChambeau seeks his third consecutive LIV event win after missing the Masters cut. Carlos Ortiz, who also missed the cut, is one of two Mexican players on LIV Golf along with Abraham Ancer. … This is the sixth of 14 events this season. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … At 7,350 feet, the Club de Golf Chapultepec is one of the highest-altitude courses in North America. … Phil Mickelson continues to be sidelined by an undisclosed personal medical matter.
Last Event: LIV Golf South Africa (Individual: DeChambeau; Team: Crushers GC)
Next Event: Trump National DC, May 7-10
DP WORLD TOUR
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed
Last Tournament: Hero Indian Open (Alex Fitzpatrick)
Next Tournament: China Open, Shanghai, April 23-26
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Golf #Glance #PGA #Tour #Masters #signature #event #Champions #major #season #begins
April 20, 2025; Hilton Head, S.C.; Justin Thomas reacts to his winning putt at the RBC Heritage. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images After all eyes were focused on the Masters last week the professional golf world returns to jam-packed action. That includes a signature event on the PGA Tour, the LPGA in Los Angeles, LIV Golf in Mexico and the first major of the year for the Champions Tour.
PGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: RBC Heritage, Hilton Head Island, S.C., April 16-19
Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (Par 71, 7,243 Yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)
Defending Champion: Justin Thomas
FedEx Cup Leader: Cameron Young
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @RBC_Heritage
NOTES: This is the fourth of eight signature events and includes 41 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Fifty-three players competed in the Masters last week. … Due to the cancellation of the season-opening The Sentry, this week’s field was expanded to 82 players to include 10 players who won on the PGA Tour in 2025. … World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is not in the field following his win at the Masters. No. 4 Justin Rose, who tied for third at the Masters, withdrew from the event on Monday and was replaced by Michael Thorbjornsen. … This will be the first career signature event for nine players: Chandler Blanchet, Michael Brennan, Ricky Castillo, Steven Fisk, Johnny Keefer, David Lipsky, William Mouw, Jordan Smith and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. … Five players are in the field via the Aon Swing 5: Lipsky, Blanchet, Smith, Keefer and Matt Wallace. … Sponsors exemptions include Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel and Marco Penge. … Webb Simpson holds the tournament scoring record of 262 set in 2020.
BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings), the 2024 event champion, is coming off a T2 at the Masters and is in a field that is missing McIlroy and Rose. … Xander Schauffele (+1500) has three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a T9 at the Masters. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1700), who won here in 2023, followed his runner-up at The Players and win at the Valspar with a T18 last week. … Cameron Young (+1750) finished T3 last week for his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, including a win at The Players. … Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) was in contention until settling for a T33 at the Masters following consecutive top-10s. … Ludvig Aberg (+2100) followed three consecutive top-5s with a T21 in Augusta. … Viktor Hovland (+3400) was the hottest player on the course at Augusta National last Sunday before a double bogey on No. 15. … Justin Thomas (+4100) is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2008. … Sepp Straka (+4500) said last week that all parts of his game felt solid, he just couldn’t get them all working together in finishing T41.
Last Tournament: Masters Tournament (Rory McIlroy)
Next Tournament: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23-26
LPGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: LA Championship, April 16-19
Course: El Caballero Country Club (Par 72, 6,765 Yards)
Purse: $3.75M
Defending Champion: Ingrid Lindblad
Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda
HOW TO FOLLOW:
TV: Thursday-Sunday: 6-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
X: @jmeaglelachamp
NOTES: This is the ninth edition of the event, which took on all records and past champions associated with the LA Open beginning in 2024. … World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim is the highest-ranked player in the field, which does include 15 of the top 25 in the world. Kim already has two wins among three top-10s this season. … El Caballero played host to the LPGA Office Depot Championship from 2002-04. … Lizette Salas makes her return to competition following a 2024 back injury, while Alison Lee makes her return from maternity leave. … The field includes Asterisk Talley and Aphrodite Deng, the top two-ranked amateurs in the world.
Last Tournament: Aramco Championship (Lauren Coughlin)
Next Tournament: The Chevron Championship, Houston, April 23-26
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
THIS WEEK: Senior PGA Championship, Bradenton, Fla., April 16-19
Course: The Concession Golf Club (Par 72, 6,936 Yards)
Purse: $3M (Winner: $540,000)
Defending Champion: Angel Cabrera
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)
X: @ChampionsTour
NOTES: This is the first major of the year and the 86th edition of the event. … The 156-player field includes seven World Golf Hall of Fame Members. One of them is Vijay Singh, who missed the cut at the Masters last week.
Last Tournament: Hoag Classic (Stewart Cink)
Next Tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, Duluth, Ga., April 24-26
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Mexico City, April 16-19
Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec (Par 72, 7,443 Yards)
Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)
Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Legion XIII
2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Fox Sports app), 6-8 p.m. (FS1); Friday: 2-5 p.m. (Fox), 5-7 p.m. (Fox Sports app); Saturday: 1:30-4 p.m. (Fox), 4-6:30 p.m. (FS1); Sunday: 2-7 p.m. (FS1).
X: @livgolf_league
NOTES: Only five of 10 LIV Golf players made the cut at the Masters. Tyrrell Hatton finished T3, but no other LIV player finished under par. … Bryson DeChambeau seeks his third consecutive LIV event win after missing the Masters cut. Carlos Ortiz, who also missed the cut, is one of two Mexican players on LIV Golf along with Abraham Ancer. … This is the sixth of 14 events this season. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … At 7,350 feet, the Club de Golf Chapultepec is one of the highest-altitude courses in North America. … Phil Mickelson continues to be sidelined by an undisclosed personal medical matter.
Last Event: LIV Golf South Africa (Individual: DeChambeau; Team: Crushers GC)
Next Event: Trump National DC, May 7-10
DP WORLD TOUR
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed
Last Tournament: Hero Indian Open (Alex Fitzpatrick)
Next Tournament: China Open, Shanghai, April 23-26
–Field Level Media
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