PGA Preview: 2012 Champions Tour

Champions Tour Lets lead off with the seniors today.  This week is the finale of the season long Schwab Cup in Scottsdale, Arizona.  This week is the Charles Schwab Cup Chapionship at Desert Mountain Club.  Purse is $2.5 million with the winner's share a large (by Champions Tour standards) $440K for the winner. This week's venue is the Jack Nicklaus designed Cochise Course at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.  This is a par-70 track measuring at 6,929 yards and is ranked as one of the top 100 courses. On the line this week is the Charles Schwab Cup.  There are only three players who have a mathematical chance of winning: Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman and Roger Chapman.  There are all sorts of scenarios, but mainly it is Langer who is in the driver's seat.  For all the scenarios click here. TV Schedule Thu, 11/1: GOLF 4:30p - 7p ET Fri, 11/2: GOLF 4:30p - 7p ET Sat, 11/3: GOLF 4:30p - 7p ET Sun, 11/4: GOLF 3:30p - 6p ET PGA Tour We have a big time event this week on the regular Tour.  Despite the fact that the season is over, a large percentage of the world's best are in action at the HSBC Champions, a World Golf Championship (WGC) event. The host venue for the HSBC Champions is a dramatic track.  This Olazabal Course at Mission Hills in Guangdong, China.  The course is tree liked with dramatic curves and undulations in the fairways and very interesting bunkering.  There is quite a bit of elevation change as well.  The course plays as a par-72 at 7,320 yards an features five par-5's. The field this week is stellar, though the tournament committee was unhappy that Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory decided not to play in the event.  Watch for play from stars this week like Open champion Ernie Els, Jason Dufner, Louis Oosthuizen, Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Brand Snedeker and Bubba Watson. TV Schedule Wed, 11/4: GOLF 11p-4a ET Thu, 11/1: GOLF 11p-4a ET Fri, 11/2: GOLF 11p-4a ET Sat, 11/3: GOLF 11p-4a ET LPGA Tour The ladies are playing the Mizuno Classic this week, a 54 hole stroke play event with no cut.  Purse is $1.2 million.  Returning champion is Momoko Ueda. Location for the Mizuno Classic is Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Shima-Shi, Mie, Japan.  This is a par-72 track with the LPGA yardage at 6,506. Notables in the field this week include Inbee Park, Yani Tseng, Karrie Webb, Stacy Lewis and Sophie Gustafson.