Golf Glance: PGA wraps Florida Swing; LPGA returns to U.S.; LIV makes South Africa debut

The PGA Tour concludes its Florida Swing at Innisbrook, the LPGA Tour returns to the United States and LIV Golf makes is South Africa debut among a busy slate of golf events around the globe this week.

PGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: Valspar Championship, Palm Harbor, Fla. (March 19-22)

Course: Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Copperhead Course (Par 71, 7,352 Yards)

Purse: $9.2M (Winner: $1.638M)

Defending Champion: Viktor Hovland

FedEx Cup Leader: Jacob Bridgeman

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.

X: @ValsparChamp

NOTES: The field includes seven of the top 20 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, led by No. 7 Xander Schauffele. … Hovland seeks to become the third player to successfully defend at the Valspar. … With Brooks Koepka playing via the Returning Member Program, the field was expanded to 135 players to round out threesomes with the additions of Seamus Power and Matt Kuchar. … Keith Mitchell, Robert MacIntyre, Sudarshan Yellamaraju and William Mouw withdrew this week. They were replaced by Doug Ghim, Andrew Putnam, Kris Ventura and Justin Lower. … Vijay Singh holds the tournament scoring record of 266 set in 2004. … Blades Brown, 18, is in the field courtesy of his third-place finish at the Puerto Rico Open. Luke Clanton is also playing this week after his T5 in Puerto Rico. … Sponsor exemptions include 2017 champion Adam Hadwin, who lost his full-time PGA Tour card last season.

BEST BETS: Schauffele (+1050 at DraftKings) is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7. He was in contention at The Players despite a 72 on Saturday caused largely by his struggles off the tee. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1450) is coming off a runner-up at TPC Sawgrass, where he was tied for the lead before a bogey on the 72nd hole. … Hovland (+1900) claimed his seventh career victory here and enters with consecutive T13s the past two weeks. … Akshay Bhatia followed up his win at Bay Hill with a T13 at TPC Sawgrass. … Justin Thomas (+2250) structured his schedule to make sure that his return from back surgery allowed him to play at Innisbrook, where he said he feels like he has a chance to win every year. Thomas finished second last year … Bridgeman (+2250) continue to build on his breakout year with a T5 last week.

Last Tournament: The Players Championship (Cameron Young)

Next Tournament: Texas Children’s Houston Open, March 26-29

LPGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: Fortinet Founders Cup, Menlo Park, Calif., March 19-22

Course: Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club (Par 72, 6,542 Yards)

Purse: $3M (Winner: $300,000)

Defending Champion: Yealimi Noh

HOW TO FOLLOW:

TV: Thursday-Sunday: 6-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

X: @LPGA

NOTES: The tour returns to the United States following a three-event Asia Swing. … The event began in 2011, with the most recent iteration seeing Noh beat former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko by four strokes at Bradenton Country Club last year for her first career LPGA Tour victory. … This week marks the 25th anniversary of the first 59 shot in LPGA Tour history by 72-time winner Annika Sorenstam at Moon Valley Country Club.

Race to CME Globe Leader: Jeeno Thitikul

Last Tournament: Blue Bay LPGA (Mi Hyang Lee)

Next Tournament: Ford Championship, Phoenix, March 26-29

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

THIS WEEK: LIV Golf South Africa, Steyn City, March 19-22

Course: The Club at Steyn City (Par 71, 7,557 Yards)

Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)

Defending Champions: Inaugural Event

2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC

HOW TO WATCH

TV: Wednesday-Thursday: 6-8 a.m. ET (FS1), 8-11 a.m. (FS2); Friday: 6-11 a.m. (FOX); Sunday: 6-11 a.m. (FS1)

NOTES: This marks LIV Golf’s first event in South Africa and is the fifth of 14 events this season. … Phil Mickelson will make his 2026 debut after missing the first four events due to an undisclosed personal reason. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … Bryson DeChambeau climbed eight spots to No. 33 in the Official World Golf Ranking with his victory in Singapore. This is the final event for Thomas Detry (No. 63) and Elvis Smylie (No. 74) have one LIV Golf event remaining to climb into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and earn a spot in the Masters. … The field includes the all-South African team of Southern Guards GC comprised of captain Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel.

Last Event: LIV Golf Singapore (Individual: DeChambeau; Team: 4Aces GC)

Next Event: LIV Golf Mexico City, April 16-19

DP WORLD TOUR

THIS WEEK: Hainan Classic, Hainan Island, China, March 19-22

Course: Mission Hills Resort Haikou (Par 72, 7,637 Yards)

Purse: $2.25M

Defending Champion: Marco Penge

Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: TBA

X: @DPWorldTour

NOTES: The is the start of the four-event Asia Swing, with DP World Tour members competing for a total prize fund of $10.6 million. … The first 36 holes will be staged across both the Blackstone and Vintage courses, with professionals playing alongside an amateur in each team. The final two rounds will be contested on the Blackstone course. … The player who finishes first in the Asia Swing will earn a place in all events in Phase Two of the DP World Tour season, the Back 9 and a $200,000 bonus. Japan’s Keita Nakajima won last year’s Asia Swing. … The three leading DP World Tour members will qualify for the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club from May 14-17.

Last Tournament: Joburg Open (David Puig)

Next Tournament: Hero Indian Open, New Delhi, March 26-29

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

THIS WEEK: Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 20-22

Course: La Paloma Country Club (Par 71, 6,856 Yards)

Purse: $2.2M (Winner: $330,000)

Defending Champion: Steven Alker

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Friday: 4-7 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)

X: @ChampionsTour

NOTES: This is the fourth of 28 events on the 2026 schedule and will be held at La Paloma for the third time. The tournament uses a composite route that includes holes from all three of the property’s courses. … The 78-player field will compete over three days, with the forecast calling for temperatures to exceed 100 degrees in Tucson. … Zach Johnson is coming off a victory in his Champions Tour debut and aims to join Phil Mickelson as the only players to win each of their first two Champions events. … Alker is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend his title at the Cologuard Classic.

Last Tournament: James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational (Johnson)

Next Tournament: Hoag Classic, Newport Beach, Calif., March 27-29

–Field Level Media