Thursday, March 27, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
By JOHN NICHOLSON
Associated Press Writer
PGA TOUR
The Players Championship
Site: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: TPC at Sawgrass, Stadium Course (6,896 yards, par 72).
Purse: $3.5 million.
Winner's Share: $630,000.
Television: ESPN (Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday, 2-6 p.m.; Sunday, 3-6:30 p.m.).
Last year: Fred Couples finished with an 8-under 64 for a four-stroke victory over Colin Montgomerie and Tommy Tolles. Couples, also the 1984 winner, had an 18-under 270 total.
Last week: Phil Mickelson won the Bay Hill Invitational at Orlando, Fla., closing with a 7-under 65 for a three-stroke victory over Stuart Appleby. Mickelson, a 10-time tour winner, had a 16-under 272 total.
Notes: The top 50 players in the world are in the same field for the first time since the rankings were established in 1986. ... The winner receives a 10-year exemption. ... The tournament, first played in 1974 at the Atlanta Country Club, is in its 16th year at the Pete Dye-designed TPC at Sawgrass. ... Mickelson, 26, is the fourth-youngest player in tour history to reach 10 victories. Horton Smith was 21 when he reached the mark in 1929, Jack Nicklaus did it at 24 and Gene Sarazen at 25. ... Tiger Woods won the first of his record three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles in 1994 at the TPC of Sawgrass. ... Nicklaus is the only three-time champion, winning in 1974 at Atlanta, 1976 at Inverrary and 1978 at Sawgrass Country Club. ... Greg Norman set the tournament record of 24-under 264 in 1994. He matched Couples' course record with a 63 in the first round and finished with three 67s. ... Mark O'Meara tops the money list with $826,868. He won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and Buick Invitational in consecutive weeks. ... Japan's Jumbo Ozaki, 50, making his first U.S. start of the season, won the Japan PGA's Token Cup two weeks ago for his 102nd career title. ... The Freeport-McDermott Classic is next week at New Orleans, followed by the Masters at Augusta, Ga.
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LPGA TOUR
Nabisco Dinah Shore
Site: Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Mission Hills Country Club (6,460 yards, par 72).
Purse: $900,000 million
Winner's Share: $135,000.
Television: ESPN2 (Thursday-Friday, 5-7 p.m.) and ABC (Saturday, 4:30-6 p.m.; Sunday, 4-6 p.m.).
Last year: Patty Sheehan won her sixth major title, closing with a 1-under 71 for a one-stroke victory over Annika Sorenstam, Kelly Robbins and Meg Mallon. Sheehan had a 7-under 281 total.
Last week: Laura Davies won the Standard Register Ping in Phoenix for a tour-record fourth straight year, beating Robbins on the first hole of a playoff. Davies closed with a 5-under 68 to match Robbins at 15-under 277.
Notes: The tournament, first played in 1972, was designated a major championship in 1983. ... The late Dinah Shore was given honorary membership in the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1994. ... Sorenstam leads the money list with $305,266. She won the Tournament of Champions and Hawaiian Open, was second in the Los Angeles Women's Championship, and tied for third two weeks ago in the Welch's-Circle K Championship. ... Amy Alcott set the tournament record of 15-under 273 in 1991. Alcott, also the winner in 1983 and 1987, has 29 tour victories, one short of entering the Hall of Fame. ... Beth Daniel, a 32-time tour winner, needs a victory in a major tournament or three regular events to reach the Hall of Fame. ... Pat Bradley, the 1986 winner, is the only player with victories in the four current major championships. She won the U.S. Open in 1981, the LPGA Championship in 1986, and the du Maurier Classic in 1980, 1985 and 1986. ... Colombia's Marisa Baena, the 1996 NCAA champion as a freshman at Arizona, is entered along with Arizona State's Kellee Booth and teen star Grace Park of Scottsdale, Ariz. ... The Longs Drug Challenge is next week at Lincoln, Calif.
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SENIOR PGA TOUR
Southwestern Bell Dominion
Site: San Antonio.
Schedule: Friday-Sunday.
Course: Dominion Country Club (6,814 yards, par 72).
Purse: $800,000.
Winner's Share: $120,000.
Television: None.
Last year: Tom Weiskopf won the first of two 1996 titles, closing with a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Gary Player, Bob Dickson and Graham Marsh. Weiskopf had a 9-under 207 total.
Last week: Marsh and John Bland won the Legends of Golf at La Quinta, Calif., beating Hubert Green and Gil Morgan by three strokes with a 24-under 192 total on PGA West's Palmer Course.
Notes: Weiskopf tops the field along with Ray Floyd and Dave Stockton. ... Lee Trevino, the 1991 and 1992 winner, is not entered. ... Jim Albus won in 1994 and 1995. ... Hale Irwin leads the money list with $357,131 in four starts. ... Tony Jacklin and Robert Landers received sponsor exemptions. ... The Tradition is next week at Scottsdale, Ariz., followed by the PGA Seniors' Championship on April 17-20 at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
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PGA EUROPEAN TOUR
Madeira Island Open
Site: Machico, Madeira.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Santo da Serra Golf Club (6,606 yards, par 72).
Purse: $480,000.
Winner's Share: $80,000.
Television: None.
Last year: Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Wales' Paul Affleck. Sandelin had a 9-under 279 total on the Campo de Golf da Madeira course.
Last week: Maria Olazabal won the Turespana Masters in just his third start after an 18-month layoff because of foot problems. The Spanish star closed with a 6-under 67 for a 20-under 272 total.
Notes: The PGA European Tour and the Ryder Cup committee quashed Seve Ballesteros' bid to have four captain's picks instead of two, saying Tuesday that it could not legally change the selection process unless the players unanimously agreed. Europe will defend its title against the United States on Sept. 26-28 at Valderrama in Sotogrande, Spain. ... Ballesteros has failed to make a cut in five 1997 starts. ... Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean about 400 miles west of Morocco. ... The tour will resume April 17-20 with the Cannes Open. ... The PGA European Seniors Tour begins its 17-event schedule May 8-10 with the Turkish Seniors Open.
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OTHER TOURNAMENTS
Nike Tour: Louisiana Open, Thursday-Sunday, Le Triomphe Country Cub, Broussard, La.
Japan PGA: Just System KSB Open, Thursday-Sunday, Kinojo Golf Club, Soja, Japan.
Omega Tour: Vietnam Open, Thursday-Sunday, Ho Chi Minh City Golf Club, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Asian Tour: Classic India Open, Thursday-Sunday, Royal Calcutta Golf Club, Calcutta, India.
Japan LPGA: Yellow Hat Tokyo Ladies Open, Friday-Sunday, Wakasu Golf Links, Tokyo.
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