Golf Glance: PGA, LPGA tee it up in Asia; Champions final push for playoffs

Field Level Media's Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.

PGA TOUR

LAST TOURNAMENT: Sanderson Farms Championship (Steven Fisk)

THIS WEEK: Baycurrent Classic, Yokohama, Japan, Oct. 9-12

Course: Yokohama Country Club (Par 71, 7,315 Yards)

Purse: $8M (Winner: $1.44M)

Defending Champion: Nico Echavarria

FedEx Cup Champion: Tommy Fleetwood

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Wednesday-Saturday: 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Golf Channel)

X: @Baycurrent_Clsc

NOTES: Only the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup standings following the seven fall events will secure fully exempt status for 2026. Those who began the fall series in the top 70 have already clinched their top-100 eligibility, with Nos. 51-70 still working to secure spots in the first two signature events of 2026. ... Yokohama Country Club is playing host to the event for the first time. The course is about 25 miles south of Tokyo. ... The event is co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour Organization and the field includes 14 JGTO members who earned entry. ... Max Homa is in the field as he attempts to improve on his current No. 99 ranking in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. ... Kazo, Japan, native Keita Nakajima will make his 17th start on tour on a sponsor exemption. His best finish in three previous Baycurrent Classic starts was a T12 in 2022.

BEST BETS: Xander Schauffele (+1000 at DraftKings) is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 4, but is still seeking his first victory of 2025. ... Collin Morikawa (+1600) is making his 43rd start since his most recent win on tour at this event in 2023. He has a pair of runner-ups among four top-10s this season. ... Hideki Matsuyama (+1800) has a win in 2021 and a runner-up in 2019 among six previous event starts. ... Chris Gotterup (+2000) tees it up for the first time since his T10 at the Tour Championship, which came five starts after his maiden PGA Tour win at the Scottish Open.

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Bank of Utah Championship, Ivins, Utah, Oct. 23-26

LPGA TOUR

LAST TOURNAMENT: Lotte Championship (Youmin Hwang)

THIS WEEK: Buick LPGA Shanghai, Oct. 9-12

Course: Qizhong Garden Golf Club (Par 72, 6,703 Yards)

Purse: $2.2M

Defending Champion: A Lim Kim

Race to the CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday: 7-11 p.m. ET; Friday-Saturday: 9-11 p.m. (Golf Channel)

Streaming: Wednesday-Friday: 11 p.m.-4 a.m. ET; Saturday: 11 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (NBC Sports App)

X: @BuickLPGAShanghai2025

NOTES: This marks the start the five-event Asia swing, with the tour returning to the mainland United States in November. ... The field includes World No. 1 Thitikul, No. 4 Minjee Lee and No. 7 Ruoning Ying. ... Two-time event champion Danielle Kang (2018-19) is in the field as one of four sponsor invites.

NEXT TOURNAMENT: BMW Ladies Championship, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea, Oct. 9-12

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

LAST TOURNAMENT: Constellation Furyk & Friends (Tommy Gainey)

THIS WEEK: SAS Championship, Cary, N.C., Oct. 12

Course: Prestonwood CC (Par 72, 7,237 Yards)

Purse: $2.1M (Winner: $315,000)

Defending Champion: Jerry Kelly

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Friday-Sunday: 7-9 p.m. ET (All times tape delayed on Golf Channel)

X: @ChampionsTour

NOTES: This is the final event before the start of the three-tournament Charles Schwab Cub playoffs. The top 72 players in the standings after this week will qualify for the first leg at next week's Dominion Energy Charity Classic. ... The field includes each of the top 13 players in the standings. ... Two-time winners of the event who are in the field are Kelly (2019, '24) and Bernhard Langer (2012, '18).

NEXT TOURNAMENT: Dominion Energy Charity Classic, Richmond, Va., Oct. 17-19

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

LAST TOURNAMENT: Team Championship (Legion XIII)

THIS WEEK: Season Complete

Season Winners: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Legion XIII

NEXT TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 5-7

--Field Level Media