Golf

Fans are coming back to PGA Tour events, but not every player is excited to welcome them back with open arms. Here's why:

Sherwood Country Club again is hosting some of the world's best players, some of whom return to memories of clutch shots, free money and a happy time of the year with the holidays right around the corner. In another sign of a younger generation on the PGA Tour, defending champion Tiger Woods is among just 11 players in the 78-man field for the Zozo Championship at Sherwood who have competed on the Jack Nicklaus design. Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele were not even on the PGA Tour when Sherwood hosted the unofficial World Challenge for the 14th and final time in 2013.

Claire Hollingsworth, an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf participant, became the first non-tour player to star in an LPGA Drive On spot.

Phil Mickelson loves hitting bombs, but he also admits that there comes a point when he can't.

Matthew Wolff will play with Tiger Woods for the first two rounds of the Zozo, but Wolff isn't worried about trying to impress Woods.

In this week's college golf notebook, we look at Texas Tech's Kyle Hogan and how he was able to overcome a slump to earn a win and a Tour invite.

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE PHOTOS OF GOLFER ADAM SCOTT PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA, USA FEBRUARY 16, 2020; PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA, USA; (MANDATORY CREDIT: GARY A. VASQUEZ-USA TODAY SPORTS) 1. ADAM SCOTT HITS FROM THE FOURTH HOLE TEE BOX DURING THE FINAL ROUND OF THE THE GENESIS INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT AT RIVIERA COUNTRY CLUB. AUGUST 17, 2019; MEDINAH, IL, USA; AUGUST 17, 2019 (MANDATORY CREDIT: THOMAS J. RUSSO-USA TODAY SPORTS) 2.ADAM SCOTT TEES OFF ON THE 1ST TEE DURING THE THIRD ROUND OF THE BMW CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF TOURNAMENT AT MEDINAH COUNTRY CLUB ROYAL PORTRUSH GOLF CLUB, PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 17, 2019 (REUTERS/IAN WALTON) 3. AUSTRALIA'S ADAM SCOTT DURING PRACTICE JUNE 15, 2019; PEBBLE BEACH, CA, USA; (JUNE 15, 2019) (MANDATORY CREDIT: KYLE TERADA-USA TODAY SPORTS) 4.ADAM SCOTT ACKNOWLEDGES AFTER MAKING HIS PUTT ON THE THIRD HOLE DURING THE THIRD ROUND OF THE 2019 U.S. OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT AT PEBBLE BEACH GOLF STORY: Australian Adam Scott has withdrawn from the Zozo Championship after testing positive for COVID-19, the PGA Tour said on Wednesday (October 21). Scott, the winner of 14 PGA Tour titles, last competed in September's U.S. Open and was expected to be among the biggest names at the tournament, which was relocated to Thousand Oaks, California, due to the pandemic. "While it's difficult news to receive - as I really looked forward to playing this week - my focus now is on recovery for the final stretch of the fall," said world number 15 Scott, who won the Masters in 2013. First alternate Jim Herman will replace Scott in the competition, the PGA Tour said. (Production: Peter Bullock)

Phil Mickelson has taken care of business on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Now he hopes to get his affairs in order on the PGA Tour.

So much for sports stars being desperate to hear the cheers of fans again. Phil Mickelson, the darling of America’s galleries, has indicated that he will not take his traditional route to the Masters if supporters are allowed into the Houston Open and will instead appear in a behind-closed-doors over-50s event. Mickelson has played the last 11 Houston Opens in a row when it has been the event immediately before Augusta and has spoken of his affection for the Texas city. However, Covid-19 concerns seem set to persuade Mickelson to skip the tournament in two weeks’ time in favour of the Champions Tour finale in Phoenix. That will be a huge blow to the Houston organisers and worrying to the Tour hierarchy which is so keen to re-introduce spectators. There are scheduled to be 2,000 daily attendees at Memorial Park, but while Mickelson praised the Tour for its handing of the circuit during the pandemic, his comments came with a big caveat that is in direct contrast to the overwhelming majority of sports professionals who have expressed their desire to strut their stuff in front a crowd again. “For me personally, I don’t like the risk of having that happen the week before the Masters,� Mickelson said. “So it has made me question whether or not I’ll play there. But I have to give the Tour a lot of credit and confidence in the way that they’ve handled the entire year and I’m sure they’re going to do a great job at keeping the players safe in that environment.

Scott is the latest PGA Tour player to test positive for coronavirus and has withdrawn from this week's Zozo Championship.

Because of COVID, there will be no fans at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open in Houston, the USGA has announced.

Adam Scott has withdrawn from the Zozo Championship after testing positive for COVID-19.

Phil Mickelson might not play the Houston Open before the Masters after news broke that the event will allow fans.

The Houston Open will be the first domestic PGA Tour event to have fans, and that might be enough to send Phil Mickelson elsewhere in his final tournament before the Masters. Mickelson typically plays the week before the Masters, and he was planning on being at the Houston Open. The Houston Open is Nov. 5-8 at Memorial Park.

Spectators will not be allowed for the 75th US Women's Open in December at Houston, Texas, due to Covid-19 safety concerns, the US Golf Association announced Wednesday.

Tiger Woods has improved his game since missing the cut at last month's US Open, but defends his title at this week's Zozo Championship with an eye toward next month's Masters.

The U.S. Women’s Open will be conducted without fans because of ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The addition of fans might not be worth the risk of playing in Houston, Mickelson said.

Due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic, the PGA of America and trade show organizers have decided that a virtual show is safer.

The two have come out of the gates with birdies blazing since starting on the PGA Tour Champions.

Coronavirus screening for the LPGA's Drive On Championship returned two positive tests at the Greensboro, Georgia, tour stop.

Professional golfer Brooks Koepka owes 49ers TE George Kittle some golf clubs after Kittle won a pushup challenge.

The multiyear agreement will make Hyperice the official recovery device of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.

The best value bets in the 2020 Zozo Championship betting odds with matchups, placings and first-round leader (FRL) picks, and predictions.

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH TIGER WOODS AHEAD OF THE ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIPS SHOWS: THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 20, 2020) (PGA TOUR - SEE RESTRICTIONS BEFORE USE) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, TALKING ABOUT THE CROWDS AT THE MASTERS, SAYING: "There's no other place like it. It echoes there. It travels and when you know the pairings, you know where certain players will be at that particular time and you figure out who's doing what and the roars for certain people are a little louder than others and then you hear eagle roars and holes out on 16 or whatever it may be. It's unlike any other place in the world." 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, SAYING: REPORTER, ASKING: "Tiger, your preparation for the Masters has been pretty well documented and obviously you'll have a lot of success at the Masters. Is there anyway for you to replicate your normal work-up or tune-up for the Masters this time around because of the circumstances?" "Well, I think.... No you can't because it's normally this time of year. It's not normally played this way. The configuration of the events. We're not in a Florida swing. This is all different. This whole year has been different for all of us and the fact that the Masters is being held in November it's unprecedented, it's never been done before and, so you know... I can't simulate the normal ramp-up that I normally have and I don't think anyone else can either. So, it will be different for all of us and the fact that we have no spectators it's going to be very different for, you know, optically for a lot of us and it will be like how we normally play practice rounds there and when you kind of go up there." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, SAYING: "This entire year has been different for all of us and my run-up to Augusta has been unlike anything I have experienced and so, that's just the way it is. The whole idea is to be ready in a few weeks and whether or not that's playing one more event or that's Houston or just just playing here at ZOZO, just make sure that I'm ready for Augusta." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, SAYING: "My game is definitely better than what it was at the U.S. Open. I feel a little bit more prepared, a little bit better and hopefully that translates into playing the golf course." 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, TALKING ABOUT PLAYING AT THE SHERWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, SAYING: "Yes, I have played well here over the years and let's just say the field is a lot bigger than normally when I played here. I only had to beat 11 other guys. So, that's very different. This golf course, I need a... I get another look at it tomorrow on the front nine because the greens are definitely different than last time we played here. So, hopefully everything comes together starting from Thursday and I have a great week." 10. WHITE FLASH 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, TALKING ABOUT PLAYING AT THE SHERWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, SAYING: "It was a bit different. It's on the softer side and I think that some of the redesign that they have done here in the redo has made this golf course certainly more member-friendly and I think that the scores will be awfully low this week." 12. WHITE FLASH 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIGER WOODS, TALKING ABOUT HOW GOLF'S AUTHORITIES SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED ISSUES WITH DRIVING DISTANCES A LONG TIME AGO, SAYING: "They should have been worried a long time ago but the genie is out of the bag now. So, it's about what do we do going forward and how soon can they do it? I don't know if they're going to.... You're not going to stop the guys with where they are at right now. You can carry them... Guys are figuring out how to carry the ball 320-plus yards and that's not just a few of them. There's a lot of guys who can do it and that's where the game is going. There's only going to be a small amount of property that we can do, we can alter golf courses. I just don't see how they can roll everything back. I would like to have... I would like to be able to see that, as far as our game, but then we go back down the road of what do you bifurcate, at what level? So, that's a long discussion we've had for a number of years, for 20-plus years now, and I think it's only going to continue." STORY: From the weather to a lack of bustling crowds, much will be different about a Masters forced from April to November by the COVID-19 pandemic, but for Tiger Woods the most unsettling thing will be the absence of that familiar Augusta National soundtrack. With no phones allowed on course and only a few manually operated scoreboards to provide updates, it is the roars echoing through the Georgia pines that have delivered the news at Augusta National during Masters week. With no fans allowed on site golfers will be operating in the dark. "There's no other place like it," said Woods on Tuesday (October 20) as he prepared to defend his title at the ZOZO Championships, moved to Thousand Oaks, California from Japan due to COVID-19. "It echoes there, it travels. "When you know the pairings, you know where certain players would be at that particular time and you can figure out who's doing what, and the roars for certain people are louder than others, and then you hear eagle roars and hole-outs on 16, or whatever it may be. "It's unlike any other place in the world." A trip to Augusta National offers sensory overload from the sweet fragrance of the azaleas to the taste of a Masters pimento cheese sandwich. But the move from its traditional early April date to Nov. 12-15 will mean warm spring breezes replaced by chilly north winds. With no fans there will be silence where there was buzz. It all adds up to a very unfamiliar buildup to 2020's final major, which is usually the year's first. Before defending his Masters title Woods will first focus on his ZOZO Championship defence, which might be his one and only warmup event prior to Augusta, where he will chase a 16th major title. Coming off a disappointing U.S. Open last month where he failed to make the cut at Winged Foot Golf Club, Woods will find himself in more friendly surroundings at Sherwood Country Club, a layout where he has posted five wins. Woods also talked about the issue of driving distances in golf, saying that the sport's authorities should have addressed the matter a "long time ago". However, the 15-times Major champion added that he doesn't see a quick resolution to a debate that has been rumbling on for years. The matter has increasingly become the focus of attention this year with many observers - including players - worried about the increasing distances being achieved by the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, in particular. (Production: Tim Hart)

Tiger Woods won last year's ZOZO Championship in Japan, and his familiarity with Sherwood Country Club puts him a good position to win again.

Check out the tee times, pairings, TV info and streaming info for the Zozo Championship at Sherwood.

Tiger Woods is less than a month away from his Masters title defense. How he prepares for it, will be unlike anything he's experienced.

Tiger Woods’ schedule heading into a major, particularly the Masters, has always been a familiar and successful blueprint, but that all changed in 2020.

Tiger Woods was asked on Tuesday at the Zozo Championship, his thoughts about the continued distance debate.

Tiger Woods will get a chance to get to know Matthew Wolff a little better this week at the Zozo Championship.

Along with his five victories and five-runner-up finishes, Tiger Woods only once in 12 appearances at Sherwood Country Club has finished worse than a tie for fourth. It was at the end of 2005, and Woods was competing for the sixth time in six weeks. Six events in six weeks, even if two of them were 36 holes (PGA Grand Slam and Skins Games).

Collin Morikawa didn't get autographs when he attended the Hero World Challenge at Sherwood, but he'd much rather have a Zozo win there.

The build-up to next month's US Masters is in full swing, while men and women are teaming up for a match play feast. Here are AFP Sport's golf talking points this week:

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson has pulled out of this week's ZoZo Championship in Los Angeles, the second straight event he has withdrawn from after testing positive for the new coronavirus.

For the first time in 2023, professional golf's most important team events, the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, will be played back-to-back.

Steph Curry will be hitting the links in Arizona the day after Thanksgiving.

In this week's episode of Fitness with Averee, Golfweek's Averee Dovsek demonstrates an exercise for spine mobility and how it relates to a good stable lower body when swinging a golf club.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from this week’s Zozo Championship a week after testing positive for COVID-19.

The PGA Tour announced on Monday the cancellation of the Hero World Challenge, the Tiger Woods-hosted event that was to be played Dec. 3-6.

Feeling lucky? Check out the odds, predictions and PGA Tour best bets for this week's Zozo Championship.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from the Zozo Championship one week after a positive COVID-19 test.

Tournament organizers have canceled this year’s Hero World Challenge because of the pandemic.

Golfweek's Adam Woodard previews the 2020 Zozo Championship at Sherwood Country Club, where Tiger Woods will try to defend his title at a course he really likes.

Tiger Woods will be defending his title at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP but this time it'll be played at a course much closer to home. (Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)

The dates for the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain were confirmed Monday. The international women's match play event, being held in Spain for the first time, will take place from Sept. 18-24, 2023, at Finca Cortesin in the Costa del Sol region. The dates are significant because it marks the first time the Solheim Cup will be played in such close proximity to the men's Ryder Cup competition, scheduled for Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023, in Rome.

Phil Mickelson will team up with Charles Barkley to face Stephen Curry and Peyton Manning in an exhibition golf match next month highlighting diversity, equality and inclusion. “The Match: Champions for Change� will take place Nov. 27 at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona. The event announced Monday will benefit historically Black colleges and universities, with additional initiatives spotlighting diversity.

Turner Sports will televise Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Change, exclusively on TNT, to be held Friday of Thanksgiving weekend.

Upper Deck is bringing back trading cards featuring Tiger Woods, Danielle Kang and more current and former legends of the game.

Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele enter this week's Zozo Championship as the betting favorites, with Tiger Woods at pretty good odds.

eam Elliott was leading after the first day at PGA National and by 33 shot.