Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - PGA TOUR - JOHN DEERE CLASSIC, TPC Deere
Run, Silvis, Illinois - Steve Stricker returns to Illinois to try for his
fourth consecutive title at the John Deere Classic.
The 13th-ranked player in the world, Stricker owns 12 PGA Tour titles, and
three of them have come at this event. His most recent victory came at the
Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January.
Last year, Stricker pulled out the win in dramatic fashion. Kyle Stanley
bogeyed the last to fall into a tie for the lead with Stricker, who rolled in
a 25-foot birdie from off the 18th green to take the title.
That sent Stricker into the British Open with momentum, and he finished in a
tie for 12th at Royal St. George's to remain one of the game's top players
without a title.
Just like last year, the 2012 John Deere Classic falls the week before the
British Open, the season's third major.
Stricker is one of five former John Deere champions in the field this week,
while Ted Potter Jr. will tee it up fresh off his victory at the Greenbrier
Classic this past weekend.
Golf Channel has the broadcast Thursday and Friday, while CBS picks it up
Saturday and Sunday.
EUROPEAN TOUR
ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT SCOTTISH OPEN, Castle Stuart Golf Links, Inverness,
Scotland - Last year, Luke Donald carded a 9-under 63 to earn a 4-stroke
victory at a rain-shortened Scottish Open.
The event was shortened to 54 because Castle Stuart Golf Links was plagued by
rain and thunderstorms all week, rendering the course unplayable for the
Saturday of the championship.
Donald earned the 2011 victory as the No. 1 player in the world, and he
returns to the site of the win again at the top of the rankings, after
reclaiming the spot from Rory McIlroy earlier this year.
Donald headlines a field that includes four-time major winner Phil Mickelson,
who gained late entry into the event. Hall of Famer Ernie Els, three-time
major winner Padraig Harrington, former Masters and U.S. Open champion Angel
Cabrera, and former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer, and 2010 British Open champion
Louis Oosthuizen.
Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird, ranked 31st and 36th in the world, lead the
Scottish contingent in the field.
McIlroy and Lee Westwood, the No. 2 and No. 3 players in the world, are not
playing this week.
Golf Channel will broadcast all four rounds.
The Scottish Open is the final European Tour tuneup for next week's British
Open, which Darren Clarke won last year.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Indianwood Golf and Country Club, Lake Orion,
Michigan - The Champions Tour heads to Michigan this week for the fourth major
on the calendar, the U.S. Senior Open.
Olin Browne earned his first major championship last year, when he took a
wire-to-wire victory at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Browne carded an even-
par 71 in the final round to take a three-stroke win over Mark O'Meara.
Browne is back to defend his title, and faces a strong field that includes
money leader Michael Allen, Tom Lehman, Bernhard Langer, Mark Calcavecchia and
Fred Couples.
Lehman, the 1996 British Open winner, earned his third Champions Tour major
victory in June at the Tradition. Langer is a two-time Masters titlist who has
racked up 14 Champions Tour titles, including the 2010 U.S. Senior Open.
Couples and Calcavecchia are both major champions and have already won on tour
this year.
ESPN and ESPN2 will broadcast the first two rounds, while NBC takes over for
the weekend.
After the U.S. Senior Open, the Champions Tour takes a week off before heading
to Turnberry, Scotland for the Senior British Open. Last year, the Senior
British was the week before the U.S. Senior Open, and Russ Cochran earned a 2-
stroke victory over Calcavecchia.
WEB.COM TOUR
UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION, Willow Creek Country
Club, Sandy, Utah - After a week off, the Web.com Tour heads to Willow Creek
Country Club for the Utah Championship.
Last year, J.J. Killeen closed with a bogey-free, 6-under 65 to earn his first
victory on what was then known as the Nationwide Tour. Killeen has since moved
on to the PGA Tour and will not be defending his title.
In the field are money leader Paul Haley II and Casey Wittenberg, who has won
twice on tour this season. Peter Tomasulo, who took the victory two weeks ago
at the United Leasing Championship, is also playing this week.
Golf Channel has coverage of all four rounds.
Following the Utah Championship, the Web.com Tour takes another week off
before heading to Columbus, Ohio for the Nationwide Children's Hospital
Invitational. Last year, Harris English birdied the final hole on Sunday to
become the third amateur winner in the tour's history.
CANADIAN TOUR
THE PLAYERS CUP, Pine Ridge Golf Club, Winnipeg, Manitoba - The Canadian Tour
heads from Saskatchewan to Manitoba this week for the Players Cup.
Last year, Tom Hoge carded a 5-under 66 on Sunday to take the victory in what
was just his third career start as a professional. Hoge will not be defending
his title, as he has moved on to the Web.com Tour.
In the field are the four Canadian Tour winners this season -- Andrew Roque,
Michael Gligic, Cory Renfrew and Matt Hill. Hill is coming off a playoff win
last week at the Dakota Dunes Casino Open.
Following the Players Cup, the Canadian Tour has a week off before heading to
Ontario for the RBC Canadian Open, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour.
Sean O'Hair was last year's winner.
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