PGA Tour starts a week late in Hawaii. McIlroy starts his 2026 in Dubai

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SONY OPEN

Site: Honolulu.

Course: Waialae CC. Yardage: 7,044. Par: 70.

Prize money: $9.1 million. Winner's share: $1.638 million.

Television: Thursday-Sunday, 7-10 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Nick Taylor.

FedEx Cup champion: Tommy Fleetwood.

Last tournament: Sami Valimaki won the RSM Classic.

Notes: This is the PGA Tour's latest start to a season with The Sentry on Maui canceled last week because of water issues. ... Even without being able to draft off the top 50 being at Kapalua, the field still features four of the top 10 in the world with Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley, Robert MacIntyre and U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun. ... Jordan Spieth is playing a PGA Tour event for the first time since he failed to advance out of the postseason opener in August. He last played the Sony Open in 2023 when he shared the 18-hole lead and then missed the cut. ... Vijay Singh is playing his first regular PGA Tour event since the 2021 Honda Classic. Singh is using a one-time exemption on career money, though he is a Life Member, which is only one category down. The PGA Tour Champions opens next week on the Big Island. ... This is the final year of Sony’s title sponsorship amid uncertainty about The Sentry returning to Kapalua.

Next week: The American Express.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

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DUBAI INVITATIONAL

Site: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Course: Dubai Creek Resort. Yardage: 7,059. Par: 71.

Purse: $2.75 million. Winner's share: $458,333.

Television: Thursday-Sunday, 2:30-7:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Tommy Fleetwood (2024).

Race to Dubai leader: Jayden Schaper.

Last tournament: Jayden Schaper won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Notes: The European tour resumes after playing five events toward the end of 2024. ... Rory McIlroy makes his 2026 debut with two stops in Dubai. He also played the Australian Open late last year, which was part of the European tour schedule. ... McIlroy has won seven times in Dubai, four in the Dubai Desert Classic and three in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. ... Tommy Fleetwood won the Dubai Invitational two years ago, the last time it was played. The tournament is held every other year, with a Ryder Cup-styled event during Ryder Cup years. ... Jayden Schaper of South Africa is going for his third straight European tour title. ... Patrick Reed is among three players on the LIV Golf roster a year ago who are playing. The others are David Puig and Tom McKibbin. ... Luke List is playing in the category for PGA Tour players who finished between Nos. 101 and 200 in the FedEx Cup last year.

Next week: Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

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THE BAHAMAS GOLF CLASSIC

Site: Paradise Island, Bahamas.

Course: Ocean Club GC at Atlantis. Yardage: 7,159. Par: 72.

Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000.

Television: Wednesday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Previous winner: Hank Lebioda.

Points champion: Johnny Keefer.

Last tournament: Chandler Blanchet won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.

Next week: The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic (Sunday-Wednesday).

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/

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Last tournament: Jeeno Thitikul won the CME Group Tour Championship.

Next tournament: Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on Jan. 29-Feb. 1.

Race to CME Globe champion: Jeeno Thitikul.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

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Last tournament: Stewart Cink won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Next week: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

Charles Schwab Cup champion: Stewart Cink.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

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Augusta National, USGA and R&A: Latin America Amateur Championship, Lima GC, Lima, Peru. Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-5 p.m. (ESPN2); Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (ESPNews); Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (ESPN+). Previous winner: Justin Hastings. Online: https://www.laacgolf.com/

PGA Tour of Australasia: Vic Open, 13th Beach GL, Barwon Heads, Australia. Defending champions: Josh Geary (men) and Sue Oh (women). Online: https://golf.com.au/

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf