Three of the four largest pro golf circuits are in Asia this week, making it difficult for American fans to watch.
The PGA Tour is in Japan for the ZOZO Championship, which features a strong field headlined by Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele. Justin Thomas is there, making his final start before becoming a father at the end of November. Hideki Matsuyama and Max Homa are teeing it up there, too, as is Joel Dahmen, fresh off his withdrawal from last week’s Shriners Children’s Open. Like Dahmen, 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland received a sponsor’s invite this week, so he is also a part of this limited-field event featuring only 78 players.
Directly to the west, across the Sea of Japan, Tom Kim and Byeong Hun An return to their native South Korea for the Genesis Championship on the DP World Tour. It’s a big week on the circuit formally known as the European Tour. After this, the top 70 players in the Race to Dubai standings qualify for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship from Nov. 7-10. From there, the top 50 advance to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai the following week. Sitting outside that threshold is the young Danish phenom Nicolai Højgaard, who will try to work his way inside the top 70 this week at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Course Korea. Højgaard arrives in Asia ranked 78th, so a solid finish should put him on the right side of the bubble. He also won the DP World Tour Championship a year ago, so he is certainly motivated to try and get back to defend his title. For him to fall short would be a disappointment.
Then, about 2,800 miles to the southwest, the LPGA returns to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the second edition of the Maybank Championship. Celine Boutier defeated Jeeno Thitikul in a nine-hole playoff a year ago, which marked the Frenchwoman’s fourth win of the season. She has not won an official LGPA event since then, although she is back in Malaysia to defend her title. Other notables in the field include Lilia Vu, Brooke Henderson, and Hannah Green, who just won her third event of the season at the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea.
Finally, the PGA Tour Champions heads to Arkansas for the Simmons Bank Championship, as the top 54 players on the Charles Schwab Cup points list qualified for this event. The top 36 from Little Rock advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, which Phoenix Country Club will host from Nov. 7-10. The best players over 50 are all playing this week, including Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, and Rocco Mediate.
Full television times are below.
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Golf on TV Oct. 24-27:
PGA Tour: ZOZO Championship
Wednesday, Oct. 23: 11 p.m.-3 a.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Thursday, Oct. 24: 11 p.m.-3 a.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, Oct. 25: 11 p.m.-3 a.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, Oct. 26: 11 p.m.-3 a.m. ET (Golf Channel)
LPGA: Maybank Championship in Malaysia
Wednesday, Oct. 23: 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
Thursday, Oct. 24: 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
Friday, Oct. 25: 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
Saturday, Oct. 26: 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
DP World Tour: Genesis Championship in South Korea
Wednesday, Oct. 23: 11 p.m.-4a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
Thursday, Oct. 24: 11 p.m.-4 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
Friday, Oct. 25: 11:30 p.m.-4 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
Saturday, Oct. 26: 10:30 p.m.-3:30 a.m. ET (NBC Sports App)
PGA Tour Champions: Simmons Bank Championship
Friday, Oct. 25: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, Oct. 26: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Sunday, Oct. 27: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
