There’s loads of intrigue throughout the golf world Sunday.
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It might be the “offseason” however there’s a lot at stake as three of the world’s largest international golf excursions wrap up their seasons on Sunday.
The PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and DP World Tour all will play the ultimate official rounds of the 2023 seasons on the RSM Traditional, CME Group Tour Championship and DP World Tour Championship, respectively.
As every steams towards a climax for the season, storylines abound.
Listed here are the TK largest storylines we’ll be watching Sunday, on what figures to be a jammed packed day of golf.
DP World Tour Championship
TV/Streaming: 1:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. ET – Golf Channel/Peacock
Viktor Hovland seeks a uncommon Transatlantic double
Viktor Hovland has been on an absolute tear since Might. The Norwegian completed second on the PGA Championship after which doubled his profession PGA Tour win whole on his solution to claiming the season-long FedEx Cup title.
Whereas he can’t win the season-long Race to Dubai title and be a part of Rory McIlroy as the one gamers to win each main tour’s order of benefit in the identical season (McIlroy clinched it after final week), he can accomplish one thing the Ulsterman hasn’t.
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Hovland, who enters the ultimate spherical of the DP World Tour Championship one shot again of chief Matt Wallace, can grow to be the primary participant since Henrik Stenson in 2013 to win the Transatlantic double, by capturing each the PGA Tour’s and European Tour’s Tour Championships.
“It’s been a loopy 12 months,” Hovland stated. “It sort of feels prefer it has been the low season. I’ve had six weeks off.
“That is one other huge one and could be very nice to have on the resumé and I really feel like I’m taking part in some good golf.”
It could even be his fourth worldwide win of 2023, tying him with Jon Rahm for essentially the most.
Tommy Fleetwood in search of breakthrough victory
Only a few golfers have performed in addition to Tommy Fleetwood over the previous two seasons with much less to point out for it.
The Englishman and World No. 15 has 17 top-10s for the reason that begin of 2022, together with his first win on the DP World Tour since 2019, however he’s nonetheless looking for a PGA Tour win.
Whereas he can’t accomplish that this week in Dubai, he may acquire by far the most important win of his profession as he’ll begin Sunday tied for second with Hovland at 15 beneath. Each golfers will chase Matt Wallace, we posted an immaculate, nine-birdie again 9 27 Saturday to seize the lead by one.
RSM Traditional (PGA Tour)
TV/Streaming: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Golf Channel/Peacock
Ludvig Aberg in command for first PGA Tour win
Ludvig Aberg started Saturday within the lead by one on the RSM Traditional. Ludvig Aberg shot 61 Saturday. Ludvig Aberg will nonetheless lead by one to start Sunday.
Yea, you bought that every one proper.
On a day of untamed scoring at Sea Island, when the highest 4 locations on the leaderboard shot 61, 61, 60 and 62, Aberg held on to pole place because the budding Swedish famous person seeks his first PGA Tour victory.
You might recall Aberg acquired his maiden DP World Tour victory earlier this 12 months on the eve of the European Ryder Cup captain’s alternatives on the Omega European Masters. Now he’s acquired an opportunity to cap his rookie season on the PGA Tour with a victory as nicely.
That would additionally complicate what was seemingly a cut-and-dry PGA Tour Rookie of the Yr choice.
Rookie of the Yr debate
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After a debut marketing campaign by which he racked up six top-10s, together with 5 top-5s, Eric Cole enters the ultimate spherical at Sea Island seeking to lock up the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Participant of the Yr award.
The award was seemingly Cole’s for the taking getting into the week as he was the one Rookie to make the sphere on the BMW Championship and safe spots in all of 2024’s Signature Occasions. Nevertheless, an Aberg win may be sufficient to steal the award away from the previous mini-tour legend.
The 2 will likely be paired collectively within the closing group Sunday at Sea Island together with Mackenzie Hughes, who posted a 60 Saturday to take a seat solo third, one behind Cole at 19 beneath and two behind Aberg.
PGA Tour card crunch
For first time in RSM Traditional historical past, PGA Tour playing cards will likely be secured or misplaced on Sunday.
With the High 125 within the FedEx Cup Fall rankings retaining full standing on the PGA Tour subsequent 12 months and high 150 retaining conditional standing, it’s formally do-or-die Sunday in Georgia.
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After three rounds, only one participant, No. 128 Ryan Moore, has performed his means into the highest 125, transferring as much as a hundred and twentieth within the projected standings on the power of his present tie for eighth.
Moore’s transfer has bumped Troy Merritt out of the projected High 125, though Merritt being a previous PGA Tour winner means he can play out of the previous champion class subsequent season if he chooses.
One other participant to observe for is Peter Kuest, a particular momentary member who entered the week needing to complete with extra non-member FedEx Cup factors than No. 125 on the ultimate factors checklist. He got here into the week needing 155 factors, possible which means a share of third or higher and he’ll enter the ultimate spherical in a tie for eighth, 5 again of that place.
Kevin Tway has additionally made a giant transfer up the projected standings, transferring from 161st to 147th after a third-round 63 to share eighth as nicely.
Signature Occasion berths
A win this week will get a participant into the primary occasion of subsequent season on the Sentry at Kapalua, however that is additionally the ultimate occasion to finalize the “Subsequent 10” gamers who will earn spots within the subsequent two Signature occasions of 2024, the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am and the Genesis Invitational.
Heading into the week, the “Subsequent 10” was Beau Hossler, Matt Kuchar, Hughes, Ben Griffin, Taylor Montgomery, Nick Hardy, Alex Smalley, Luke Checklist, J.J. Spaun and Sam Ryder.
A win by Aberg would transfer him as much as 54th and bump out Spaun. Ryder is in an excellent place to hold onto his spot as he’s at present tied for fifth.
CME Group Tour Championship (LPGA)
TV/Streaming: 8:50 AM to three PM – ESPN+ Featured Group Protection
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – NBC/Peacock
Birdie-fest for $2 million
Tiburon Golf Membership has grow to be a race monitor as two gamers share a three-shot lead over the sphere on the LPGA’s CME Group Tour Championship.
Amy Yang and Nasa Hataoka are tied on the high at 21 beneath. The 72-hole report on the Tour Championship, which presents a $2 million first-place prize, was set simply two years in the past at 23 beneath.
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Alison Lee began the third spherical tied with Hataoka for the lead and shot 68, however that wasn’t sufficient to maintain tempo with Hataoka’s 65 or Yang’s 64 and she or he now finds herself because the closest pursuer at 18 beneath.
LPGA Participant of the Yr race
Lilia Vu has all however locked up the LPGA’s participant of the 12 months race as she has an opportunity so as to add to her already spectacular 4 wins on the season.
Celine Boutier was the one participant who may problem the World No. 1, however Boutier will enter the ultimate spherical trailing by 14 photographs in a tie for thirty fifth. In the meantime, Vu heads into Sunday in joint seventh, however nonetheless seven photographs off the tempo.
