SAO PAULO – Andrew Svoboda rallied to win the Web.com Tour’s Brazil Champions on Sunday, closing with a birdie to overcome a one-stroke deficit to Bhavik Patel.

Svoboda birdied the par-4 18th for a 4-under 67, and Patel closed with a bogey to finish a stroke back in his second event since returning for a doping suspension and hip injury.

The 36-year-old Svoboda finished at 23-under 261 at Sao Paulo Golf Club and earned $126,000 for his third career Web.com Tour title. He won twice on the tour in 2013 and tied for second in 2014 in the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The former St. John’s player is from Larchmont, New York.

The 25-year-old Patel, a former Fresno State player from Bakersfield, California, also closed with a 67. He sat out last season after being suspended for violating the PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy.

Patel tied Svoboda with a par on the par-3 15th, and pulled ahead with a birdie on the par-4 16th.

Anders Albertson was third at 20 under after a 66. He birdied three of the last four holes.

Martin Flores birdied the final two holes for a 68 to finish third at 19 under.

Ryan Armour and Sebastian Cappelen were 18 under. Armour birdied the last two holes for 65. He won the season-opening event in Panama and leads the money list with $158,176. Cappelen, from Switzerland, shot a 68.

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., was the low Canadian. The former Team Canada member carded a final round 67 to finish at 14 under.

ANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Lexi Thompson made a 15-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the ANA Inspiration.

Trying to win the major championship for the second time in three years, Thompson shot a 3-under 69 to reach 10 under at Mission Hills.

After struggling with her putting most of the day, Thompson hit to 2 feet on the par-4 15th and 16th holes to set up birdies. She missed a 6-foot birdie try on the par-3 17th, then hit a 207-yard, 5-iron approach pin-high to the left on 18 to set up the eagle putt.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko, In Gee Chun and Ariya Jutanugarn were tied for second, and 15 players were within four strokes of the lead.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp is the top Canadian after shooting a 69 in her third round. Sharp is 3 under and tied for 27th. Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., is tied for 33rd at 2 under.

HOUSTON – Jim Herman and Jamie Lovemark, two players who have never won a PGA Tour event or played in the Masters, shared the lead going into the final round of the Houston Open.

A win Sunday and they get to tee off at Augusta National next week.

The 38-year-old Herman shot a 5-under 67 Saturday to position himself for a breakthrough. Lovemark, 28 and a former NCAA champion at USC whose professional career was derailed by major back surgery, wasn’t able to build on his fast start, which saw him birdie three of the first four holes. He stayed in the hunt with a 70 after opening rounds of 67 and 68.

Herman and Lovemark were at 11 under par through 54 holes and just a stroke ahead of Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson and Russell Hensley. The Swede Stenson, No. 7 in the current world ranking, posted the day’s best round with a 66 after also birdieing three of the first four holes. Henley had a 68 Saturday and Johnson a 70.

The two players ahead of Stenson in the world ranking, No. 2 Jordan Spieth and No. 5 Rickie Fowler, remained in contention at 6 under and 7 under, respectively, after both carding 70s.

The 22-year-old Spieth, who stayed alive with three birdies on the back side, lost in a three-way playoff here last spring, then went on to win the Masters in resounding fashion, leading start to finish for his first major championship.

Another shot back at 9 under was Roberto Castro, who also scored 70 and is trying to become the first Houston-born player to win the Houston tournament.

None of the leaders should be resting easily given the recent history of the event, which was founded in 1946. The last two champions here, Matt Jones in 2014 and J. B. Holmes a year ago, both came from six strokes behind starting the final round to claim the first-place check.

Nineteen players will tee off Sunday within six shots of the lead, including three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson and Canadian Graham DeLaet. Mickelson, also the 2011 Houston champion, had six birdies Saturday en route to a 71. A triple bogey on the par-4 sixth hole kept him from being only three strokes off the lead.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. South Carolina’s Will Starke finished up a final round 8-under 64 on Saturday at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course to earn medalist honours at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School and secure exempt status for 2016.

The 22-year old was bogey-free for his final round finishing at 16-under total to win by two over fellow University of South Carolina senior Matt NeSmith.

“The putter got hot and I kind of found something on the range before my third round. I just went with it and it felt good, and I was lucky to keep it going,” said Starke, who was 14-under for his final two rounds.

After successfully earning their cards, Starke and NeSmith join fellow teammates Sean Kelly and Caleb Sturgeon as current members of the South Carolina men’s golf team to earn status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2016. Kelly finished T18 this week to earn conditional status, while Sturgeon finished T11 at last week’s Q-School to earn exempt status through the first re-shuffle.

“We’ve been playing forever, and I live with him,” said Starke of his teammate and roommate NeSmith. “We kind of push each other and make each other better. It’s been important for me to have a good player like him to push myself continuously.”

Forty-three players in total earned status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2016, including Kitchener, Ont., native and 2015 Mackenzie Tour member Chris Hemmerich, who was the low Canadian in solo fourth place at 11-under. 

HOUSTON – Charley Hoffman had a 2-under 70 for a one-shot lead over Jamie Lovemark at the Houston Open on Friday.

Lovemark was a former NCAA champion seeking his first PGA Tour title after having his career affected by back surgery. He was one of four players to shoot the day’s low score, 68, under conditions that worsened as the afternoon went on, which helped protect Hoffman from the field.

Dustin Johnson was among those chasing Hoffman, who opened with a 64 Thursday, but Johnson dropped back to 8 under with a bogey on 17, closing with a 71 after narrowly missing a 10-foot birdie putt on 18.

Johnson was in the last group to finish the round before darkness stopped play.

A 93-minute morning weather delay brought on by rain and lightning in the area ensured that 27 players will have to complete the second round Saturday morning.

“It was really tough … cold and the wind was blowing,” Johnson said. “The course played difficult, especially the last four, five holes. I still managed to get a round under par, a pretty decent score under the conditions. I’m happy with that.”

Roberto Castro and Jamie Donaldson, are also at 8 under with three holes still to play, sharing third place with Johnson and Chez Reavie. Reavie shot 70 Friday to go with a first-round 66. Johnson and Castro had both opened at 65.

The 39-year-old Hoffman moved to 11 under with a birdie on No. 17, but gave the stroke back by bogeying 18, considered to be one of the most challenging finishing holes on the PGA Tour and made more difficult by wind gusts.

“I had a fairly straightforward bunker shot but caught it a little heavy,” he said. “That’s a tough hole. They moved the tee up today, but there’s still a big water hazard to the left and the wind was blowing in off the right. It’s tough to putt in the wind. It was blowing my ball.

“Tee to green I did pretty well, but the putts weren’t dropping like they did yesterday. I’m happy where I’m at. Anytime you’re near the lead after 36 holes you’re happy.”

Charles Howell III eagled the par-4 10th hole and was making a run at Hoffman before bogeying the par-3 16th and taking a double-bogey on 18 to finish with a second consecutive 69, leaving him in a large group four shots back.

Five-shots back in a group at 5-under was Canada’s Graham DeLaet. The Weyburn, Sask., native was even-par thru 16 holes of his second round when play was called.

Jordan Spieth, who will be trying to defend his Masters title next week, struggled with his putting and, for the second day in a row, put a ball into a water hazard on a par-5 hole. The end result was three bogies on his back nine – the Golf Club of Houston course’s front nine – and he finished with a ragged 73.

“I’m close,” Spieth said. “It’s the dumb stuff … those water balls. That’s four shots right there. It really stinks to keep on making those mistakes. And I’ve got to putt better before next week.

“I’m losing a couple strokes (to) the field on putting and normally we’re gaining strokes. I can’t get into a rhythm. I’m stepping off putts. That’s a tough feeling. It kind of bleeds into the rest of your game because you feel like you’ve got to be more aggressive.”

The 22-year-old Texan lost this tournament in a playoff a year ago before going to Augusta and leading start to finish, tying Tiger Woods’ tournament-record 18-under score. Spieth is one of 34 players within six shots of Hoffman.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Lexi Thompson birdied the final hole for a 4-under 68 and a share of the ANA Inspiration lead with Ai Miyazato on Friday.

The 21-year-old American holed a 30-foot putt on the par-5 18th to reach 7 under at Mission Hills in the LPGA Tour’s first major championship of the year. She won the event in 2014.

Miyazato, also tied for the first-round lead, followed her opening 67 with a 70. The 30-year-old Japanese player also finished with a birdie, hitting to 2 feet on the par-5 ninth.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko was a stroke back along with Suzann Pettersen, In Gee Chun, Lizette Salas, Sung Hyun Park and Lee-Anne Pace. Ko had a 68, Pettersen, Salas and Park shot 67, Chun had a 69, and Pace a 70.

Canadian Brooke Henderson had a 3-under 69 Friday to climb from a share of 60th into a tie for 25th. The Smiths Falls, Ont., native is 2-under.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp had a 74 to drop into a tie for 40th at even par.

Tiger Woods is going to Augusta National next week – to eat, not play.

Woods made it official Friday night what most observers figured all along. Recovery from two back surgeries last year has not progressed to the point where it’s wise for him to tee it up at the Masters. It will be the second time in the last three years that Woods has not played the Masters.

Woods did say on his website that he has been hitting golf balls and training daily. But he still had no timetable for when he would return to competition.

He has said all along that he will not rush his return to golf. Woods turned 40 on Dec. 30.

He said he plans to be at the Champions Dinner on Tuesday.

Port St. Lucie, Fla – South Carolina’s Matt NeSmith shot a 2-under 70 on Friday at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course to take a two shot lead into the final round of Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School.

With weather delays from earlier in the week pushing back play, round four began Friday afternoon and was suspended due to darkness at 7:33 p.m. Play will resume Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m.

NeSmith, who has held or co-held the lead after each of the first three rounds, was bogey-free for his third round.

“I just kind of played solid. I didn’t play quite as well today as I did the first two days, but I made some big putts, a lot of 5-footers for par,” said NeSmith. “Even though the scores are really good, I didn’t play bad by any stretch of the imagination. I didn’t quite get out in front like I wanted to, and there’s still a long way to go, but I’m happy.”

Two shots behind NeSmith was Kitchener, Ont.’s Chris Hemmerich and Florida’s Alex Medinis. Hemmerich, who finished 80^th on last year’s Order of Merit, carded his third straight round under par and credited a strong performance tee-to-green for his round.

“It was pretty much the same story as the first two rounds. I hit a lot of greens, and I might have only missed one or two again today. Once I get that putter rolling, I know there’s a low one in me,” said Hemmerich.

CALGARY – Alberta Golf has announced its competition schedule, including host clubs and dates, for the 2016 championship season. A total of 12 provincial amateur championships will be conducted – along with qualifying events – that lead to entry into Canada’s national amateur championships.

“Nearly 1,500 talented Albertan and regional golfers will gather at some of Alberta’s top golf facilities to compete for a provincial golf championship,” said Alberta Golf’s COO, Jack Lane.

“It is Alberta Golf’s honor and privilege to conduct these championships in partnership with our host clubs, committed sponsors and the hundreds of devoted volunteers from communities across Alberta. We are pleased that our championships offer an opportunity for all members to compete, whether that be for the simple enjoyment of the challenge, or for our athletes who are hoping to add their name to the history books.”

The complete 2016 schedule and registration information can be found here.

The azaleas are blooming, the pollen is swirling, and green sport coats are about to be in vogue for one whole week.

Yet something is missing at this dawning of spring.

Tiger Woods.

Whether he shows up at Augusta National to play in the first major of the year is beside the point. It’s not like he’d be a Masters contender, not with a broken-down body that has kept him off the course for more than seven months. Probably best that he just stay away, unless he wants to take a crack at the ceremonial opening tee shot. Now that Arnold Palmer has bowed out, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player need someone to complete their threesome.

All kidding aside, what’s missing is something that’s never coming back.

Tiger Woods in his prime.

While there’s no question the future of the game is in good hands with Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Rickie Fowler, none of them is likely to match – or even come close – to what Woods did at the height of his dominance.

Spieth gave it a run last year, winning the Masters and the U.S. Open, just missing out on a playoff at the British Open, and taking the runner-up spot at the PGA Championship.

Now, let’s see if the young Texan can keep it up for another decade or so.

“It’s hard to explain to Jordan coming out now how (Woods) was just so much better than everyone,” Adam Scott says. “We’re all quick to forget that sometimes.”

Indeed, with more and more time to reflect on Woods’ legacy – after all, he hasn’t won a major since his one-legged conquest at the 2008 U.S. Open – the enormity of his accomplishments feels like it was dropped on us from another world, transforming this lazy, country-club game into something hip, exciting, must-see TV.

Millions of people who had never watched a golf tournament tuned in every time Woods was on the course. As the ratings can attest, many of them didn’t stick around once he faded away.

Even now, when it seems a bit foolish to even consider him trying to tee it up next week, the breathless speculation about his status for the Masters shows just how much cachet he still carries.

Woods, like so many great athletes in the sunset of their careers, still seems to believe he can win major titles. He surely hasn’t given up on Nicklaus’ Holy Grail of records, those 18 major championships.

“I am starting to feel a lot better,” Woods wrote on his Web site about a month ago, the most recent dispatch on the state of his game. “While there is no timetable on my return to competitive golf, I want to play this game at the highest level again.”

Even Nicklaus, who’s made it clear he likes the view from the top just fine, wishes Woods had a few more good years in him, to at least make it a fair fight.

“I’ve told Tiger many times … nobody wants their records to be broken, but I don’t want you not to have the ability to have that opportunity to do so by your health,” Nicklaus says.

From his first major title at the Masters in 1997, when he shot a record 18-under score at age 21, to that U.S. Open triumph at Torrey Pines eight years ago, Woods played the game better than anyone before him and, we’re willing to wager, anyone to come in ours or several other lifetimes.

Over the course of 46 majors, he won 14 times and was runner-up on five other occasions. He had six more finishes inside the top five, four more where he was in the top 10. Only nine times did he finish outside the top 20 during that stunning stretch. He missed one cut, in 2006 at the U.S. Open shortly after the death of his father.

Woods bounced back from that heartache to win four of the next eight majors.

And, then, his body betrayed him.

Knee surgery knocked him out for the rest of 2008. These days, he’s trying to come back from two surgeries on his wobbly back, not exactly where a golfer who just turned 40 wants to be at this point in his career.

But we can always fall back on those memories from the first 16 months of the last decade, when Woods not only romped to four straight major titles over two calendar years – the Tiger Slam – he thoroughly demolished anyone who got in his way. His 15-stroke win at the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach will forever be the standard for what golf can be at its closest point to perfection.

“He inspired all of us to play golf like he did,” Scott says. “I feel so fortunate to have played practice rounds with Tiger at majors in the years 2000, 2001 and really see up close what is the best golf I’ve ever seen. Just head and shoulders above the rest.”

That’s what we’ll miss next week at the Masters.

Whether Woods shows up or not.