This week sees the PGA Tour back into action following last week’s Masters won by Jon Rahm.

It is one of the new elevated tournaments and boasts a prizefund of $20 million. It is an interesting observation that this week’s purse is $5 million more than last week’s first major of the season.

It is not always appropriate to talk about money, but it does appear there is some adjusting to take place as the new world of golf transitions.

Another strong field has been assembled including Masters champion Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa and Viktor Hovland. Rory McIlroy has pulled out with no reason given by the PGA Tour. The new PGA Tour policies state that players ranked in the top 20 on the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Programme (PIP), created to reward the top players who promote the Tour and its activities through a measured merit table, are only permitted to skip one of these designated events on the PGA Tour each season. This is McIlroy’s second event he has missed, the first being the season opening Sentry Tournament of Champions back in January. Jason Day has also withdrawn this week.

Classic venue

The Harbour Town Golf Links is considered one of the classic venues on Tour – designed by Pete Dye, who worked with a younger Jack Nicklaus to introduce Harbour Town in 1969. It requires exceptional course management. The defending champion is Jordan Spieth, who won in 2022 with a 72 hole score of 13 under par when the purse was $8 million.

The Asian Tour returns this week and is in Vietnam for the International Series.

Dubai based players Shiv Kapur, Anirban Lahiri and Jeev Milkha Singh are all playing in the $2 million event. Anirban Lahiri is currently 76th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit, led by American Andy Ogletree. It is interesting to see LIV Tour players on this OOM list, including; Joaquin Niemann (29), Mito Pereira (31), Sergio Garcia (35), Paul Casey (36), Charl Schwartzel (47), Branden Grace (68), Graeme McDowell (81), Peter Uihlein (88), Harold Varner III (134) as well as others.

PGA Tour

Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th April, 2023

RBC Heritage

Venue: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, SC, US

Purse: $20 million

Asian Tour

Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th April, 2023

International Series – Vietnam

Venue: KN Golf Links, Vietnam

Purse: $2 million

LPGA

Wednesday 12th – Saturday 15th April, 2023

Lotte Championship presented by Hoakalei

Venue: Hoakalei Country Club, Oahu, Hawaii

Purse: $2 million

LET Access

Thursday 13th – Saturday 15th April, 2023

Terre Blanche Ladies Open

Venue: Golf de Terre Blanche, France

Purse: €40,000

MENA Tour

Tuesday 11th – Thursday 13th April, 2023

Malaysian Swing 1

Venue: The Els Club, Desaru Coast

Purse: $75,000