ON THE FAIRWAYS \ This week's golf events

Wednesday, August 23, 2006 WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS Bridgestone Invitational Akron Schedule: Thursday-Sunday Course: Firestone Country Club, South Course (7,360 yards, par 70) Purse: $7.5 million. Winner's share: $1.35 million. Television: ESPN (Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, 2-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-6:30 p.m.) Last year: Tiger Woods won the tournament for the fourth time in six years, closing with a 71 to hold off Chris DiMarco by a stroke. Notes: Woods swept the 1999-01 tournaments at Firestone. He won by 11 strokes in 2000, matching the course record with a 61 en route to a tournament-record 21-under 259 total. In 2001, he outlasted Jim Furyk with a birdie on the seventh extra hole. ... Woods has 10 victories, 18 top-10 finishes and earnings of $13,102,500 in 20 career WGC starts. He also teamed with David Duval to win the unofficial WGC-World Cup in 2000. ... Phil Mickelson won the 1996 World Series of Golf at Firestone. ... Tom Lehman completed the U.S. Ryder Cup team Monday, adding Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank as captain's picks. Woods topped the 10 automatic qualifiers, followed by Mickelson, Furyk, Chad Campbell, David Toms, DiMarco, Vaughn Taylor, J.J. Henry, Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich. LPGA TOUR Wendy's Championship for Children Dublin, Ohio Schedule: Thursday-Sunday Course: Tartan Fields Golf Club (6,515 yards, par 72) Purse: $1.1 million. Winner's share: $165,000 Television: ESPN2 (Friday-Saturday, 2-4 p.m.; Sunday, 3-5 p.m.) Last year: Cristie Kerr won the U.S. Solheim Cup points race, beating Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer by a stroke. CHAMPIONS TOUR JELD-WEN Tradition Aloha, Ore. Schedule: Thursday-Sunday Course: The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club (7,150 yards, par 72) Purse: $2.5 million. Winner's share: $375,000. Television: The Golf Channel (Thursday, 6-9 p.m.; Friday, 1:30-4 a.m., 6-9 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3:30 a.m., 6-9 p.m.; Monday, 1-3:30 a.m.) Last year: Loren Roberts won the major for his first Champions Tour title, topping Dana Quigley with a bogey on the first hole of a playoff. PGA TOUR Reno-Tahoe Open Reno, Nev. Schedule: Thursday-Sunday Course: Montreux Golf and Country Club (7,472 yards, par 72) Purse: $3 million. Winner's share: $540,000 Television: The Golf Channel (Thursday-Sunday, 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m.) Last year: Vaughn Taylor successfully defended his title, finishing with a tournament-record 21-under total for a three-stroke victory. U.S. GOLF ASSOCIATION U.S. Amateur Chaska, Minn. Schedule: Today-Sunday Course: Hazeltine National Golf Club (7,473 yards, par 72) Television: The Golf Channel (Today, 4-6 p.m.; Thursday, 3-5 a.m., 4-6 p.m.; Friday, 4-6 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday-Sunday, 4-6 p.m.) Last year: Edoardo Molinari became the first Italian winner, rallying to beat Dillon Dougherty 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. Molinari turned pro last month after the British Open. NATIONWIDE TOUR National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic Bridgeport, W.Va. Schedule: Thursday-Sunday Course: Pete Dye Golf Club (7,309 yards, par 72) Purse: $600,000. Winner's share: $108,000. Television: The Golf Channel (Thursday, 1:30-4 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 4:30-6 a.m., 1:30-4 p.m.; Monday, 4:30-6 a.m.) Last year: Jason Gore won the first of his record three straight tour victories, closing with a 68 for a one-stroke win over Doug LaBelle II. Associated Press Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.