John Nicholson

RANCHO MIRAGE. Calif. (AP) — The ANA Inspiration is back in its usual leadoff spot in golf’s major championship season, though far from normal with fans absent again...

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Michelle Wie West was back on a major championship leaderboard Thursday at the ANA Inspiration. So was Shanshan Feng in her first tournament in 16...

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — Jon Rahm is back in the California desert for The American Express after a two-year break. It feels as though the top-ranked Spaniard never left his Arizona home. “I would say the demographic might be a little bit older here, but it pretty much is the Scottsdale of Californi…

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Cantlay fought through gusting wind on his back nine Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend at The American Express in a bid to win for the third time in four starts.

Sahith Theegala crashed golf’s biggest party. Playing in the last group off the 10th tee Thursday in his first WM Phoenix Open start, Theegala was 7 under with two holes left when play was suspended because of darkness.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Hinako Shibuno’s first impression of Mission Hills Country Club was far from confidence-inspiring — and, in hindsight, mistaken. “It was a hard course for me. I couldn’t even imagine I could play here,” the 23-year-old from Japan said through a translator Friday, recalling the initial time she played the event now known as The Chevron Championship.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Jennifer Kupcho started fast and kept on going Saturday in The Chevron Championship to take a six-stroke lead into the last round ever at Mission Hills in the major championship.

Jennifer Kupcho took the last victory leap into Poppie’s Pond, ending the tournament best known as the Dinah Shore’s half-century run at Mission Hills.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler took the lead into the weekend in the WM Phoenix Open, with local favorite Jon Rahm right behind at TPC Scottsdale. The second-ranked Scheffler played 25 holes Friday, completing a 3-under 68 in the first round and shooting a bogey-free 64 in the second to get to 10 under. He had a two-stroke lead over Rahm and Adam Hadwin when play was suspended because of darkness. Rahm, the former Arizona State star ranked No. 3, also returned early to finish the first rou…

Scottie Scheffler successfully defended his WM Phoenix Open title at TPC Scottsdale to regain the No. 1 spot in the world.