ON THE FAIRWAYS \ This weekend's events

LPGA TOURKraft Nabisco ChampionshipRancho Mirage, Calif.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.Course: Mission Hills Country Club, Dinah Shore Tournament Course (6,569 yards, par 72).Purse: 2 million. Winner's share: 300,000.Television: ESPN2 (Thursday-Saturday, 5-7 p.m.) and CBS (Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).Last year: Karrie Webb won her seventh major title, holing a pitching wedge from 116 yards for eagle on the par-5 18th hole to close with a 7-under 65, then beating Lorena Ochoa in a playoff with a 7-foot birdie putt on the same hole. Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulbis tied for third, a stroke back.Last week: Ochoa blew a four-stroke lead to Suzann Pettersen, then birdied four of the last five holes for a two-stroke victory in the Safeway International at Superstition Mountain. The Mexican star has 10 LPGA Tour victories.Notes: Annika Sorenstam, the 2001, '02 and '05 winner, won the U.S Women's Open last year for her 10th major victory. She has 69 career LPGA Tour victories. ... Wie is skipping the tournament because of a wrist injury. ... The tournament, first played in 1972 as the Colgate Dinah Shore, became a major championship in 1983. ... Webb won the 2000 event by a tournament-record 10 strokes. She opened the season with victories in the Women's Australian Open and Australian Ladies Masters. ... The tour is off next week. Play will resume April 12-15 with the Ginn Open in Reunion, Fla.
PGA TOURShell Houston OpenHumble, Texas.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.Course: Redstone Golf Club, The Tournament Course (7,457 yards, par 72).Purse: 5.5 million. Winner's share: 990,000.Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).Last year: Stuart Appleby won the second of his two 2006 titles, leading wire-to-wire for a six-stroke victory.Last week: Tiger Woods won the CA Championship, his third straight victory in the event and sixth overall in the tournament previously known as the American Express Championship. It also was his third straight victory at Doral. Brett Wetterich finished second, two strokes back.Notes: The Masters is next week at Augusta National. ... Vijay Singh, the 2002, '04 and '05 winner, is taking the week off to prepare for the Masters. ... Appleby is in the field along with David Toms, Adam Scott, John Daly, Lee Westwood and Jose Maria Olazabal. ... Rees Jones designed The Tournament Course. Toms served as the player consultant.
CHAMPIONS TOURThe Ginn ChampionshipPalm Coast, Fla.
Schedule: Friday-Sunday.Course: Ocean Hammock Golf Club, Ocean Hammock Course (7,113 yards, par 72).Purse: 2.5 million. Winner's share: 375,000.Television: Golf Channel (Friday, 1-3 p.m.; Saturday, 12:30-2:30 a.m., 1-4 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight; Sunday, 1-4 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight).Last event: Tom Purtzer won the AT & amp;T Champions Classic on March 18, beating Loren Roberts with a 17-foot birdie on the fourth playoff hole.Notes: Fred Funk is making his first Champions Tour start since winning the Turtle Bay Championship by 11 strokes in late January. He won the PGA Tour's Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico last month to join Craig Stadler as the only players to win a PGA Tour title after winning on the Champions Tour. ... Fellow Champions Tour newcomers Nick Price, Mark O'Meara and Scott Hoch also are in the field. ... The tour is off the next two weeks. Play will resume April 20-22 with the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah, Ga.
PGA EUROPEAN TOUREstoril Open of PortugalCascais, Portugal.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.Course: Quinta da Marinha Resort, Oitavos Golf Club (6,983 yards, par 71).Purse: 1.67 million. Winner's share: 277,660.Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-noon).Last year: England's Paul Broadhurst successfully defended his title at Le Meridien Penina, birdieing the final hole for a one-stroke victory over countryman Anthony Wall.Last week: Tiger Woods won the CA Championship, his third straight victory in the event and sixth overall in the tournament previously known as the American Express Championship. It also was his third straight victory at Doral. Brett Wetterich finished second, two strokes back. ... Argentina's Daniel Vancsik won the Madeira Islands Open for his first European tour title.
NATIONWIDE TOURLivermore Valley ChampionshipLivermore, Calif.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.Course: The Course at Wente Vineyards (7,185 yards, par 72).Purse: 625,000. Winner's share: 112,500.Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 6:30-8 p.m.; Friday, 2:30-4:30 a.m., 6:30-8 p.m.; Saturday, 2:30-4:30 a.m., 6:30-9 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-4 a.m., 6:30-9 p.m.; Monday, 2:30-4 a.m.).Last year: Tripp Isenhour won the second of two 2006 titles, beating Paul Sheehan by three strokes. Isenhour finished fifth on the money list to earn a PGA Tour card.Last week: Longtime PGA Tour player Skip Kendall won the Louisiana Open, birdieing the third hole of a playoff with Paul Claxton. Kendall also won the tour's 1994 Inland Empire Open and Carolina Classic.
Associated Press
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