ON THE FAIRWAYS

ON THE FAIRWAYS

This week’s
pro golf events

PGA TOUR
AT&T National
Bethesda, Md.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Congressional Country Club, Blue Course (7,255 yards, par 70).
Purse: $6 million. Winner’s share: $1.08 million.
FedExCup points: 25,000. Winner’s share: 4,500.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m., 3-6 p.m.)
Last year: Inaugural event.
Last week: Brian Bateman won the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Mich., for his first PGA Tour title, holing a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Jason Gore, Justin Leonard and Woody Austin.
Notes: Tournament host Tiger Woods is making his first start since the U.S. Open and the birth of daughter Sam Alexis. He donated 30,000 tickets to military personnel. ... Phil Mickelson, returning from a wrist injury, also is making his first start since the U.S. Open. ... The tournament replaced the International. The Colorado event folded when founder Jack Vickers failed to find a sponsor, which he blamed in part on Woods not playing the tournament. The Washington area lost its longtime PGA Tour event last year when title sponsor Booz Allen declined to renew its deal after getting knocked out of the FedExCup portion of the schedule. ... Ernie Els, the 1997 U.S. Open winner at Congressional, and Sergio Garcia, the 2005 Booz Allen Classic champion on the Devereux Emmett-designed Blue Course, are skipping the tournament. ... The John Deere Classic is next week in Silvis, Ill., followed by the British Open at Carnoustie — opposite the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee.

U.S. GOLF ASSOCIATION
U.S. Senior Open
Haven, Wis.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Whistling Straits, Straits Course (7,068 yards, par 72).
Purse: $2.6 million. Winner’s share: $470,000.
Television: ESPN (Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.)
Last year: Allen Doyle successfully defended his title, beating Tom Watson by two strokes at Prairie Dunes in Kansas. Doyle, at 58, was the oldest winner in tournament history. He won in 2005 at NCR Country Club in Ohio.
Last week: Lonnie Nielsen won the Commerce Bank Championship for his first Champions Tour title, holding off Loren Roberts by two strokes at Eisenhower Park.

PGA EUROPEAN TOUR
European Open
Straffan, Ireland

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: The K Club, Smurfit Course (7,313 yards, par 72).
Purse: $4.84 million. Winner’s share: $808,750.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 6:30-9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)
Last year: Wales’ Stephen Dodd won in windy conditions, closing with a 2-under 70 for a two-stroke victory over Anthony Wall and Jose Manuel Lara.
Last week: England’s Graeme Storm won the French Open for his first European tour title, beating Denmark’s Soren Hansen by a stroke.

NATIONWIDE TOUR
Legend Financial Group Classic
Highland Heights, Ohio

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: StoneWater Golf Club (7,045 yards, par 71).
Purse: $525,000. Winner’s share: $94,500.
Television: None.
Last year: Australia’s Gavin Coles edged countryman Bradley Hughes by a stroke. Coles finished 16th on the money list to advance to the PGA Tour.
Last week: Roland Thatcher won the Peek’N Peak Classic in Findley Lake, N.Y., for his second career Nationwide Tour title, finishing with a tournament-record 15-under 273 total. Paul Claxton was second, three strokes back.

Associated Press