PGA TOUR

Mercedes-Benz Championship

Site: Kapalua, Maui.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Kapalua Resort, The Plantation Course (7,411 yards, par 73).

Purse: $5.6 million. Winner's share: $1,008,000.

Television (Hawai'i times): Golf Channel (Thursday, 1-5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 1-5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-5 p.m., 6 p.m.-10 p.m.).

Last year: Sweden's Daniel Chopra won the season-opening event for his second PGA Tour victory, beating Steve Stricker with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole.

Notes: The top four players in the world ranking — Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington— are skipping the tournament, leaving a field of 33 2008 PGA Tour winners. Woods is recovering from knee surgery, Garcia is playing in Abu Dhabi next week, and Harrington is taking his winter break. Woods (2000) and Garcia (2002) are past champions at Kapalua. ... Ernie Els, back in the field for the first time since 2005, set the PGA Tour record for relation to par in a 72-hole event in his 2003 victory, finishing at 31 under. ... Stuart Abbleby (2004-06) and Gene Littler (1955-57) are the only players to win the tournament three straight years. ... Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore designed The Plantation Course on a pineapple plantation in the foothills of the West Maui Mountains. ... The Sony Open in Hawaii is next week at Waialae, followed by the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com

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SUNSHINE TOUR/PGA EUROPEAN TOUR

Joburg Open

Site: Johannesburg, South Africa.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Courses: Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, East Course (7,590 yards, par 71) and West Course (7,119 yards, par 71).

Purse: $1.47 million. Winner's share: $233,590.

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.).

Last year: South Africa's Richard Sterne beat countryman Garth Mulroy and Sweden's Magnus Carlsson with a birdie on the third hole of a playoff.

Last event: Sterne won the South African Open on Dec. 21 at Pearl Valley for his second straight victory, beating Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin in a playoff. Sterne won the Alfred Dunhill on Dec. 14 at Leopard Creek.

Notes: Sterne is trying to tie the European tour record of three consecutive victories in an event set by Nick Faldo in 1983 and matched by Seve Ballesteros in 1986. ... South African star Retief Goosen is in the field. ... Argentina's Ariel Canete won the 2006 title. ... The final two rounds will be played on the East Course. ... The European tour will be in the United Arab Emirates next week for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, while the Sunshine Tour will be at East London for the Africa Open.

On the Net: http://www.joburgopen.com

Sunshine Tour site: http://www.sunshinetour.com

PGA European Tour site: http://www.europeantour.com

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PGA EUROPEAN TOUR/JAPAN GOLF TOUR/ASIAN TOUR

Royal Trophy

Site: Bangkok, Thailand.

Schedule: Friday-Sunday.

Course: Amata Spring Country Club (7,381 yards, par 72).

Purse: $1.5 million.

Television: None.

Format: Team match play. Friday, four alternate-shot matches; Saturday, four best-ball matches; Sunday, eight singles matches.

Europe: Nick Dougherty, England; Johan Edfors, Sweden; Niclas Fasth, Sweden; Soren Hansen, Denmark; Pablo Larrazabal, Spain; Paul Lawrie, Scotland; Paul McGinley, Ireland; Oliver Wilson, England. Captain: Jose Maria Olazabal, Spain.

Asia: Ryo Ishikawa, Japan; S.K. Ho, South Korea; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand; Liang Wen-chong, China; Prayad Marksaeng, Thailand; Toru Taniguchi, Japan; Hideto Tanihara, Japan; Charlie Wi, South Korea. Captain: Joe Ozaki, Japan.

Last year: The competition was canceled because of a national mourning after Princess Galyani Vadhana's death. King Bhumibol Adulyadej donated the trophy.

Notes: Olazabal took over the European team from Seve Ballesteros, the fellow Spanish star recovering from a series of brain surgeries. ... Europe won the inaugural event in 2006 and successfully defended its title in 2007. ... Ishikawa is 17.

On the Net: http://www.theroyaltrophy.com

PGA European Tour site: http://www.europeantour.com

Japan Golf Tour site: http://www.jgto.org

Asian Tour site: http://www.asiantour.com