PGA Preview: 2014 Shriners Hospital for Children Open

ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2014) – Reigning FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel returns for the first time since earning the $10 million season-long prize for this week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Along with Horschel, Webb Simpson headlines the field as the defending champion after finishing six shots clear of the field last year. On the European Tour, seven of the 16 players competing in the Volvo World Match Play Championship this week participated in last month’s Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. The field is divided into four “pods” of four, with each person competing in a match play format against the other three players in their “pod” over the course of the first three days. The top two performers from each pod will advance to the quarterfinal matches on Saturday, and the semifinal and championship matches will be contested on Sunday. The Greater Hickory Kia Classic at Rock Barn is the second-to-last event on the Champions Tour schedule prior to the season-culminating Schwab Cup Championship. This week serves as the penultimate opportunity for players try to position themselves within the top-30 of the Schwab Cup point standings. Michelle Wie and Inbee Park headline the field at the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in South Korea, while Miguel Angel Jimenez will attempt to win the Hong Kong Open for a third consecutive year. PGA TOUR Shriners Hospital for Children Open Dates: Oct. 16-19 Venue: TPC Summerlin Course, Las Vegas, Nev. Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern): Thursday 5-8 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay) Friday 5-8 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay) Saturday 5-8 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay) Sunday 5-8 p.m. (Live) / 8:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay) Simpson defends: Webb Simpson finished six shots clear of the field in 2013, earning his fourth PGA TOUR victory in the process. Headlining the field: Billy Horschel, Jimmy Walker, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson, Hideki Matsuyama, Sang-Moon Bae, Erik Compton, Vijay Singh, Nick Watney and Jarrod Lyle. EUROPEAN TOUR Volvo World Match Play Championship Dates: Oct. 15-19 Venue: London Golf Club, Kent, England Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern): Wednesday 9 a.m.-Noon (Live) Thursday 6:30-11:30 a.m. (Live) Friday 6:30-11:30 a.m. (Live) Saturday 6:30-11:30 a.m. (Live) Sunday 3-7 a.m. / 7:30-11:30 a.m. (Live) McDowell defends: Graeme McDowell defeated Thongchai Jaidee 2&1 in the championship match at last year’s event in Bulgaria for his eighth career European Tour win. Tournament field:Thomas Bjorn, Jonas Blixt, Paul Casey, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Stephen Gallacher, Mikko Ilonen, Thongchai Jaidee, Pablo Larrzazabal, Alexander Levy, Shane Lowry, Joost Luiten, Graeme McDowell, Francesco Molinari, Patrick Reed and Henrik Stenson. CHAMPIONS TOUR Greater Hickory Kia Classic at Rock Barn Dates: Oct. 17-19 Venue: Rock Barn Golf & Spa, Conover, N.C. Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern): Friday 2:30-5 p.m. (Live) / 3-5:30 a.m. (Saturday replay) Saturday 2:30-5 p.m. (Live) Sunday 2:30-5 p.m. (Live) / 2:30-5 a.m. (Monday replay) Allen defends: Last year, Michael Allen outlasted Olin Browne on the first playoff hole to earn his fifth career Champions Tour win. Headlining the field: Colin Montgomerie, Kenny Perry, Kirk Triplett, Corey Pavin, John Cook, Rocco Mediate, Mark Calcavecchia, David Frost, Jay Haas, Fred Funk and Lee Janzen. LPGA TOUR LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship Dates: Oct. 15-18 Venue: Sky 72 Golf Club (Ocean Course), Incheon, South Korea Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern): Wednesday 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) Thursday 11:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) Friday 11:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) Saturday 11:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) Yang defends: Amy Yang defeated Hee Kyung Seo with a birdie on the first playoff hole for her first LPGA Tour victory in last year’s event. Headlining the field: Michelle Wie, Inbee Park, Suzann Pettersen, Shanshan Feng, Lydia Ko, Na Yeon Choi, Lexi Thompson, So Yeon Ryu, Paula Creamer, Anna Nordqvist and Amy Yang. EUROPEAN TOUR / ASIAN TOUR Hong Kong Open Dates: Oct. 16-19 Venue: Hong Kong Golf Club, New Territories Fanling, Hong Kong Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern): Thursday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Tape Delay) Friday 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Tape Delay) Saturday 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Tape Delay) Sunday 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Tape Delay) Headlining the field: Ernie Els, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Nicolas Colsaerts, Rich Beem, Y.E. Yang, Peter Uihlein, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thomas Levet, David Lipsky and Tom Lewis. Information courtesy of Golf Channel.