Sunday, March 12, 2023

First Look: LIV Golf Tuscon at The Gallery Golf Club

The second of 14 tournaments in the 2023 LIV Golf League season takes place this week.

Here's a quick overview of LIV Golf Tucson at The Gallery Golf Club.

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT

When: March 17-19, 2023

Where: The Gallery Golf Club, Marana, Arizona

Competition: 54 holes of stroke play

Field: 48 players/12 teams

Purse: $25 million ($20 million individual, $5 million team)

Winner’s share: $4 million (individual), $3 million (team)

Tee time: Shotgun start for Rounds 1-2 at 10:15 a.m. MST; Round 3 at 10:03 a.m. MST

More info/tickets: Click here.

ABOUT THE COURSE

THE GALLERY (SOUTH COURSE)

PAR: 71. YARDAGE: 7,469

The South Course at The Gallery Golf Club is no stranger to hosting the globe’s best golfers. For two years, the desert layout on Dove Mountain was the venue for the Match Play Championship. A solo design by John Fought – who also co-designed the North Course at The Gallery – the South Course was nominated as one of Golf Digest’s 100 Best, with a style in many ways reminiscent of Donald Ross’ Pinehurst No. 2 with mounded green complexes and expansive fairways. Like its older brother, the South makes excellent use of the natural terrain to give the course a comfortable fit with the surroundings.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

PHIL MICKELSON (HyFlyers GC captain) – The World Golf Hall of Famer won his first professional tournament in Tucson as a 20-year-old amateur during his college days at Arizona State and has six other pro wins in the state.

HENRIK STENSON (Majesticks GC co-captain) – The Swedish star has prior success at The Gallery South Course, having won the Match Play Championship in 2007. “Going to be fun to go back there,” Stenson said. “A little bit of a trip down memory lane. It’s been a few years.”

CHARLES HOWELL III (Crushers GC) – Winner of the season-opening LIV Golf Mayakoba, the 43-year-old Howell finished with an 8-under 63, the lowest final-round score by any LIV Golf individual winner.

PETER UIHLEIN (4Aces GC) – The former top-ranked amateur golfer made his 4Aces debut with a solo second at Mayakoba – his third runner-up finish in his last four regular-season LIV Golf starts.

FIELD NOTES

Five of this year’s 48 regulars in the LIV Golf League played collegiately in the state of Arizona. Phil Mickelson, Pat Perez, Paul Casey, Matt Jones and David Puig each attended Arizona State in Tempe.

Two of Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka’s 16 professional wins have come in Scottsdale, Arizona, near Phoenix.

4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson hopes to rebound from his highest round as a LIV Golf member, having shot a 7-over 78 in the final round at Mayakoba to finish 37th individually.

Johnson’s team, meanwhile, hopes to continue its mastery in the United State after winning all five LIV Golf Invitational Series tournaments played in the U.S. last season. The 4Aces finished second in Mayakoba.

Cleeks GC Captain Martin Kaymer did not play in Mayakoba due to lingering wrist problems, and he is not expected back for Tucson. Replacement player Laurie Canter will once again fill his spot in the lineup.

Carlos Ortiz (Fireballs GC) is in winning form, having lifted the trophy in a professional event in his native Mexico last week. That brings his career win total to six.

Torque GC, captained by Joaquin Niemann, was the only team in Mayakoba to have three players finishing under par.

24 players in Mayakoba contributed counting scores in all three rounds for their respective teams. Reminder that the three best scores on each team count each day toward the team competition leaderboard.

HOW TO WATCH

United States: The CW Network airs the LIV Golf League in 100% of U.S. markets.

Friday: Live on The CW App and LIV Golf Plus

Saturday and Sunday: Live on The CW Network, The CW App and LIV Golf Plus

Global: Broadcast in over 160 international territories Live and On-Demand, free of charge, via LIV Golf Plus. Available for download on iOS, Android, FireTV, and on LIVGolfPlus.com. Also airing on 12 international broadcast partners and counting.

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