ON THE FAIRWAYS \ This week’s pro golf events

LPGA TOUR
Samsung World Championship
Palm Desert, Calif.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Bighorn Golf Club, Canyons Course (6,644 yards, par 72).
Purse: $1 million. Winner’s share: $250,000.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 1:30-3:30 a.m., 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3:30-5:30 a.m.) and NBC (Saturday, 1:30-3:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4-6 p.m.)
Last year: Lorena Ochoa closed with a 7-under 65 to turn a three-shot deficit into a two-shot victory over Annika Sorenstam. The victory was Ochoa’s second straight and the fifth of her six 2006 titles.
Last week: Norway’s Suzann Pettersen won the Longs Drugs Challenge for her third victory of the year, beating Ochoa with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff.

PGA TOUR
Frys.com Open
Las Vegas

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Courses: TPC Summerlin (7,243 yards, par 72) and TPC The Canyons (7,063 yards, par 71).
Purse: $4 million. Winner’s share: $720,000.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Sunday, 4-7 p.m., 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.)
Last year: Rookie Troy Matteson won his first PGA Tour title, edging Ben Crane and Daniel Chopra by a stroke.
Last week: Justin Leonard won the Texas Open for the third time, beating Jesper Parnevik with a 10-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff. The Texan also won the 2000 and 2001 tournaments.

PGA EUROPEAN TOUR
World Match Play Championship
Virginia Water, England

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Wentworth Club, West Course (7,308 yards, par 72).
Purse: $4.97 million. Winner’s share: $2,035,200.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-noon; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-noon).
Draw (from top; seedings in parentheses): Paul Casey (1) vs. Jerry Kelly (16); Retief Goosen (8) vs. Angel Cabrera (9); Justin Rose (5) vs. Hunter Mahan (12); Rory Sabbatini (4) vs. Soren Hansen (13); Padraig Harrington (3) vs. Anders Hansen (14); Henrik Stenson (6) vs. Woody Austin (11); Niclas Fasth (7) vs. Andres Romero (10); Ernie Els (2) vs. Colin Montgomerie (15).
Last year: Casey beat American Shaun Micheel 10 and 8, the largest margin in the final match in tournament history. Casey played only 126 holes, a record for fewest holes over four 36-hole matches. He also beat Goosen (6 and 4), Mike Weir (5 and 3) and Montgomerie (6 and 5). Micheel beat Tiger Woods in the first round.
Last week: England’s Nick Dougherty won the Dunhill Links Championship, closing with a 1-under 71 at St. Andrews for a two-stroke victory over Rose.

CHAMPIONS TOUR
Administaff Small Business Classic
Spring, Texas

Schedule: Friday-Sunday.
Course: Augusta Pines Golf Club (7,033 yards, par 70).
Purse: $1.7 million. Winner’s share: $255,000.
Television: Golf Channel (Friday, 2-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1:30-3:30 a.m., 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Monday, 1:30-3:30 a.m.)
Last year: Jay Haas won the last of his four 2006 titles when rain forced the cancellation of the final round. He opened with rounds of 65 and 63 to take a five-stroke lead over Bruce Lietzke and Tom Purtzer.
Last week: Loren Roberts won the Senior Players Championship for his third major victory on the Champions Tour, beating Tom Watson by six strokes.

PGA EUROPEAN TOUR
Madrid Open
Madrid, Spain

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Real Sociedad Hipica Espanola Club de Campo (7,146 yards, par 72).
Purse: $1.26 million. Winner’s share: $210,675.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 1-4 p.m.; Friday, noon-2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m.)
Last year: England’s Ian Poulter won at La Moraleja II, finishing with a 22-under 266 total for a five-stroke victory.
Last week: England’s Nick Dougherty won the Dunhill Links Championship for his second European tour title, closing with a 1-under 71 at St. Andrews for a two-stroke victory over countryman Justin Rose.

NATIONWIDE TOUR
WNB Golf Classic
Midland, Texas

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Midland Country Club (7,354 yards, par 72).
Purse: $475,000. Winner’s share: $85,500.
Television: None.
Last year: Brandt Snedeker won the second of his two 2006 titles, beating Aron Price with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. Snedeker won the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in August.
Last week: Wales’ Richard Johnson won his third career Nationwide Tour title to lock up a spot next year on the PGA Tour, beating Matthew Jones and Jeremy Anderson on the first hole of a playoff in the Mark Christopher Charity Classic.

Associated Press