Here’s what’s at stake as PGA, DP World and LPGA Tours all close out 2022

It’s alleged to be the offseason, however the precise, for actual, we’re not kidding, offseason begins on Monday.

Kind of.

Before we get to what comes subsequent (and critically, don’t fear, there’ll nonetheless be golf on TV in case you actually need to see it), there’s loads to be determined Sunday on what’s the ultimate day of the season for 3 of the world’s greatest excursions.

RSM Classic Final Round

The ultimate spherical of the RSM Classic from Sea Island in St. Simons Island, Georgia would be the ultimate official spherical of the 2022 PGA Tour season and something might occur Sunday.

There are 16 gamers inside three photographs of the lead, which is shared by Ben Martin and Patrick Rodgers. If both of the leaders have been to win, it could be a very long time coming.

Rodgers turned professional in 2014 after a standout faculty profession at Stanford, tying Tiger Woods’ program report for wins and besting his program report for scoring common. He has but to stay as much as that hype and continues to be looking for his first win, however has managed to maintain his PGA Tour card all however one season since turning professional.

Martin, in the meantime, is in search of his first win because the 2014 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, however his type hasn’t been there the previous couple of years as he handled again points and he hasn’t made extra cuts than missed since 2017-18. He likened Sunday to be just like the final day of faculty.

“Like final exams. I’ve played 16 of the last 21 weeks,” Martin stated Saturday night. “I wasn’t precisely recent coming into this week. Kind of prepared for that break, that summer season break or that winter break to make use of the varsity analogy.

“One of the thoughts in my head is, ‘Alright, let’s finish the season strong.’ Not necessarily from what my score ended up being, but the effort that I put it into the week.”

With a crowded leaderboard, there are a number of different storylines ready to be written, maybe from Harry Higgs, who was a second-round co-leader and battled again after a tough entrance 9 to shoot 70 Saturday and keep inside two.

Also lurking is 2013 U.S. Open winner Justin Rose, simply 4 again after taking pictures his second-straight 67 Saturday. Rose hasn’t received on Tour since 2019.

DP World Tour Championship Final Round

The leaderboard in Dubai is STACKED.

Jon Rahm leads the way in which at 15 below, and U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick is one stroke again. Rory McIlroy is three again after a Saturday 65 and he’s tied with Tyrrell Hatton.

For Rahm, he’s trying to silence some doubters after what was deemed as an off-year in comparison with his scorching 2021 the place he picked up the win at the U.S. Open. It definitely wasn’t a nasty 12 months for the World No. 5, however he received simply as soon as on the PGA Tour and light after holding the lead at the U.S. Open throughout the third spherical.

Friday, he stated it wasn’t an excuse, however he reminded reporters he turned a father this 12 months and final, too. Now he goes into the ultimate spherical of the DP World Tour’s greatest occasion with an opportunity to nab his second win on the DP World Tour this 12 months.

McIlroy, in the meantime, has an opportunity to finish a uncommon double, ending atop each the season-long factors races for the PGA and DP World Tours, a feat solely Henrik Stenson has claimed, again in 2013.

“I’ve got to this stage in the game over 15 years as a pro, and I’m still trying to do things for the first time,” McIlroy, who received his third profession FedEx Cup in August, stated Saturday. “I’ve by no means received the FedExCup and this tour’s rankings in the identical 12 months, so it could be very nice.

“It’s been a wonderful year. I’ve played some really, really great golf and really consistent golf. If I’m able to go out there tomorrow and shoot a good score and get the job done, it would be a really nice way to end what’s been a great year.”

CME Group Tour Championship Final Round

Lydia Ko could have given again her five-stroke 36-hole lead, however she nonetheless has an important shot at selecting up her third win of the season for the primary time since 2016.

Her 2-under 70 within the third spherical of the CME Group Tour Championship was stable, however not the identical degree as her opening 65 and 66, or sufficient to maintain a surging Leona Maguire at arm’s size.

Maguire put collectively a bogey-free 63 Saturday to drag even with Ko at 15 below, however the pair have 5 photographs on the following greatest gamers, Jeongeun Lee6 and Gemma Dryburgh at 10 below.

A victory by Ko can be a second straight for the South Korean-born Kiwi and cap a resurgent 12 months by incomes her second Rolex Player of the Year award, a second consecutive Vare Trophy for lowest scoring common and the winner’s prize of $2 million, the biggest ever in ladies’s golf.

“This is the top 60 players of the LPGA Tour here, so you know that it’s not going to be easy,” Ko stated. “I just want to play good golf and golf that I don’t regret. And whatever happens at the end of tomorrow, you know, hopefully, it swings my way, but if not, I’m just going to try my best and enjoy it.”

What about the remainder of 2022?

But we’ll nonetheless see a number of tour stars tee it up earlier than Kapalua and the Sentry Tournament of Champions the primary week of January.

Two unofficial occasions are developing in December, the QBE Shootout and the Hero World Challenge. There’s additionally the unofficial PGA Tour Champions occasion, the PNC Father/Son Challenge the place many common tour professionals tee it up with their fathers or sons.

This additionally doesn’t rely the Match VII when McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth will all tee it the identical weekend as the QBE Shootout

For these on the DP World Tour, Sunday solely marks the conclusion of the 2022 season at the DP World Tour Championship. The 2023 season kicks off subsequent week with 4 occasions in two weeks.

The Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open can be DP World Tour occasions this season and run concurrently over the following two weeks with the Joburg Open and South African Open.

There will nonetheless be two extra DP World Tour occasions in December in South Africa and Mauritius earlier than official event golf for 2022 lastly involves a close.

The LPGA Tour is off till Jan. 19.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is 2020 graduate of Penn State University, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf group and nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Before becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but additionally producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He will be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.