035 golf tour

Welcome to the o35tour Website

THE PLACE TO BE IF YOU ARE AN OVER 35 MID-AMATEUR OR OVER 50 SENIOR GOLFER.

A well-organised golf tour, with Nett and Gross prizes and Order Of Merit (OOM) for Mid-Amateur and Senior golfers.

If you have a WHS Handicap index of 18 or below and you are over 35 years of age, you will enjoy playing in our events. We play high-quality courses and all of our competitors are like-minded Mid-Amateur and Senior golfers.

We like to encourage golfers, with friendly and welcome club-like comradery. Please feel free to browse our website for details about tournaments, membership and the OOM.

We have a full season in 2024, with 14 tournaments. The finals day golf will be held in November at PGA Catalunya!

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THIS YEARS' EVENTS (2024) ARE BELOW - PLEASE CLICK ON SCHEDULE ABOVE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Monday 11th march season opener - ludlow, thursday 21st march spring open - manor house, thursday 28th march south east of england over 35s championship - sheringham, wednesday 3rd april southern over 35s championship - isle of purbeck golf club, thursday 25th april south of england over 35's championship - 36 holes - west hill, tuesday 7th and wednesday 8th may british mid-amateur championship 2023- 54 holes hollinwell, monday 20th may surrey over 35s championship - burhill, wednesday 22nd may the players over 35s championship - 36 holes - the players golf club, thursday 30th may cornish over 35s championship - 36 holes - trevose, wednesday 19th june midlands over 35s championship - luffenham heath, monday 1st and tuesday 2nd july the welsh mid-amateur championship - 54 holes aberdovey, sept 4th / 5th scottish mid-amateur championship - 54 holes roxburghe, november 2024 finals day at pga catalunya.

Join us and become a member of the Oldest and Largest Amateur Tour in the Country! The 2024 Golfweek Amateur Tour National Championship will be in held Oct. 18-20 with a flighted skins game on Oct. 17. COURSE AND LODGING INFORMATION ARE NOW POSTED HERE !

2024 regionals.

JAN 6-7, 2024

Southern icebreaker.

Robert Trent Jones, Palmetto Dunes Harbour Town Links, Sea Pines Hilton Head, SC

JAN 13-14, 2024

Western states icebreaker.

Paiute Resort Golf Resort Sun Mountain and Wolf Mountain Las Vegas, NV

FEB 24-25, 2024

Four ball championship.

Barefoot Resort and Golf Love Course and Dye Course Myrtle Beach, SC

MAR 16-17, 2024

St. patrick's day regional.

True Blue Golf Club Pawleys Island, SC

MAGNOLIA CLASSIC

Old Waverly Golf Club Mossy Oak Golf Club West Point, MS

APR 13-14, 2024

Florida regional.

Innisbrook Resort Island and Copperhead Course Palm Harbor, FL

APR 20-21, 2024

Smoky mountain regional.

Sequoyah National Golf Club Cherokee, NC

MAY 25-26, 2024

Memorial day championship at pga west.

Pete Dye Mountain Course Nicklaus Tournament Course La Quinta, CA

JUN 1-2, 2024

Great lakes regional.

American Dunes Golf Club Grand Haven, MI

JUNE 8-9, 2024

Cajun classic.

Tamahka Trails Golf Club Marksville, LA

JUN 22-23, 2024

Low country regional.

Ocean Creek Course Fripp Island, SC

JUL 1-2, 2024

Midwest regional.

Big Cedar Lodge Buffalo Ridge and Ozarks National Hollister, MO

JUL 6-7, 2024

Independence day regional.

Grande Dunes Resort Club Myrtle Beach, SC

JULY 27-28, 2024

Georgia regional at sea island.

Seaside Course Plantation Course St. Simons Island, GA

AUG 3-4, 2024

The virginia regional.

Golden Horseshoe Golf Club The Gold Course Williamsburg, VA

AUG 24-25, 2024

Southern regional at kiawah island.

Turtle Point and Cougar Point Kiawah Island, SC

AUG 31- SEPT 1, 2024

Western players championship.

TPC Scottsdale Stadium and Champions Courses Scottsdale, AZ

SEPT 1-2, 2024

French lick labor day regional.

French Lick Springs Resort Donald Ross and Pete Dye Courses French Lick, IN

Congratulations to the 2023 Golfweek Amateur Tour National Champions!

Left to Right: Joe Jaspers, Charlotte, NC - Champ Flight Eric Whitworth, Charlotte, NC - A Flight Kevin Ingram, Nashville, TN - B Flight Ryan Samples, Indiana-Western KY - C Flight Michael Ray, North Central Florida - D Flight

View pictures of the 2023 national tour championship here..

Over 790 players from 47 Local Tours competed in the 2023 Golfweek National Championship!

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. –This year’s tournament marked the 29th anniversary of the Golfweek Amateur Tour. In all, nearly 800 players competed in the three-day event with members from each one of our 47 Local Tours represented.

In the Championship Flight,  Joe Jaspers  won an unprecedented seventh National Championship in a sudden-death playoff over  Lance Lacombe .  Jaspers  opened the tournament on Friday at Robert Trent Jones with a three-under-par round of 69 and a two-shot lead over Chad Frank.   The Robert Trent Jones course belonged to Elliott Johnson on Saturday when he fired a four-under-par round of 68 and took a one-shot lead over Jaspers heading into the final round. The stage was set for a shoot-out on Sunday and the flight leaders did not disappoint! Lance Lacombe started the day four shots back but made-up ground on the back nine with an eagle on 15 and birdie on 16 resulting in the low round of the weekend (a five-under-par score of 67). Jaspers hung tight and birdied the fifteenth to tie Lacombe at three-under-par. On seventeen (par 3), Jaspers hit the ball to ten feet and power-lipped it out for the lead. At the end of the day, Jaspers and Lacombe both finished the 54-hole tournament at three-under-par and landed in a sudden death playoff on hole 18. Jaspers hit a perfect shot to about 6 feet and then followed it by sinking the birdie putt to become the 2023 National Champion. It was the second year in a row that Lance Lacombe finished solo second.

Joe Jaspers , Charlotte, NC (69-74-70—213) Lance Lacombe , Jacksonville, FL (75-71-67—213) Corbin Holt , Alabama (73-72-70—215) Elliott Johnson , Hilton Head/Savannah (74-68-74—216) Chad Frank , Orlando (71-76-71—218)

In the A Flight, we had a back nine battle all day between Eric Whitworth and Wayne Fisher at Golden Bear GC in Indigo Run .   The two dueled it out until Whitworth finally won by only one shot on the final hole.  Whitworth fired a 75 while Fisher posted an even par (72) and lost by just one stroke.  Whitworth now has the pleasure of being the 2023 A Flight National Champion..

Eric Whitworth , Charlotte, NC (71-75-75—221) Wayne Fisher , Philadelphia Metro (71-79-72—222) David Dodgen , Columbia, SC (77-79-76—232) Dana Shoulders , Columbus, OH (81-81-71—233) Eric Maland , Charleston, SC (81-78-74—233)

In the B Flight, Kevin Ingram did not let his second-day score of 90 stop him from coming on strong in Sunday’s final round! Ingram shot the low round at Hampton Hall (four-over-par round of 76) and finished two-strokes ahead of the field with a three-day total of 244. Ken Sloan finished second at 246 and Jason Vesser placed third with a 247. Once again, congratulations to Kevin Ingram for posting one of the biggest come-from-behind wins in Tour history to become our 2023 B Flight National Champion.

Kevin Ingram , Nashville, TN (78-90-76—244) Ken Sloan , Cincinnati/Dayton, OH (85-80-81—246) Jason Vesser, Mississippi (78-84-85—247) Bob Santee , Upstate, SC (80-85-83—248) Rich McClendon , Arkansas (86-77-85—248) Justin Carroll , South, FL (81-82-85—248) Tony Chon , Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (78-83-87—248) Brian Harden , Tidewater, VA (77-84-87—248)

The C Flight saw Ryan Samples take home his first-ever National Championship with a three-day score of 260. Going into the final day, Samples was four shots behind the two-day leader, Thomas Purvis . Samples managed to pull away on the Atlantic Dunes course and secured the victory and the 2023 C Flight National Champion trophy.

Ryan Samples , Indiana-Western, KY (91-82-87—260) Thomas Purvis , Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (86-83-93—262) Colton Vaughn , Alabama (97-79-87—263) Gary Parnell , Columbia, SC (92-89-83-264) Kevin Briggs , Orlando, FL (86-84-94—264)

In D Flight,  Michael Ray  beat both Justin Cook and Robert Benavides by four shots to become the National Champion with a three-day score of 268. Sunday was just a three-horse race as both pushed hard to make up a few shots and close the gap. Ultimately, Cook and Benavides came up short and Ray took home the hardware and the title of 2023 D Flight National Champion.

Michael Ray , North Central, FL (88-90-90—268) Justin Cook , Central North Carolina (98-87-87—272) Robert Benavides , Cincinnati/Dayton, OH (90-91-91—272) Marcus Knight , Indiana-Western, KY (98-88-89—275) Gary Hedges , Cincinnati/Dayton, OH (91-93-91—275)

Cincinnati/Dayton defended their Team Cup status from 2022 with a three-day total of 2495 stokes. Charlotte, NC  took second place with 2523 shots followed by the 2021 winner Hilton Head/Savannah at 2528. Columbus, OH  finished fourth at 2545 followed by  Orlando, FL  with a three-day total of 2547.

Turning to the Edwin Watts 2 Man Team Challenge, be sure to congratulate the following teams for winning their flight with the three-day totals listed below:

Champ Flight: Corbin Holt (Alabama) and Lance Lacombe (Jacksonville, FL) 428 A Flight: Travis Wireman (Charlotte, NC) and Eric Whitworth (Charlotte, NC) 468 B Flight: Justin Carroll (South Florida) and Adam Rosenberger (South Florida) 502 C Flight: Colton Vaughn (Alabama) and Bubba Thrash (Alabama) 536 D Flight: David Schmidt (Augusta, GA) and Chris Oliver (Augusta, GA) 558

This season marked the eighteenth year Hilton Head Island hosted our National Championships. Our 1245 competitors (791 Golfweek Amateur Tour/434 Senior Amateur Tour) collectively played on nine courses: Country Club of Hilton Head, Oyster Reef GC, Bear Creek, Golden Bear, Robert Cupp at Palmetto Hall, Hampton Hall, Atlantic Dunes at Sea Pines and Robert Trent Jones and Arthur Hills at Palmetto Dunes.

2024 Over 35s Tour

The o35tour

The o35tour is a well-organised golf tour, with Nett and Gross prizes and an Order Of Merit (OOM) for Mid-Amateur and Senior golfers.

We have events at some very high quality golf courses this year.

If you have a WHS Handicap index of 18 or below and you are over 35 years of age, you will enjoy playing in our events. We play high-quality courses and all of our competitors are like-minded Mid-Amateur and Senior golfers.

We like to encourage golfers, with friendly and welcome club-like comradery.

The finals day is free golf for the top 12 players who qualify. This will be the top 3 from each of the OOMs (Senior Gross, Senior Net, Mid-Am Gross and Mid-Am Net). The finals day this year will be overseas.

· You can join the tour for £50 which entitles you to discounted entry-fees plus you will be added to the tour order of merit.

· Events are played over 18, 36 or 54 holes.

· Gross and nett prizes in each category (over 35s and over 50s).

· Gross and nett order of merits.

· Open to male golfers with a maximum handicap of 18.

For any queries regarding the tour you can email Richard Bolger: [email protected] .

2024 Schedule

11/03/2024: Over 35s Tour @ Ludlow Golf Club - £80 per person (£70 members) (18 holes)

21/03/2024: Over 35s Tour @ Manor House Golf Club - £85 per person (£75 members) (18 holes)

28/03/2024: Over 35s Tour (South East of England Championship) @ Sheringham Golf Club - £99 per person (£89 members) (18 holes)

03/04/2024: Over 35s Tour @ Isle of Purbeck Golf Club - £99 per person (£89 members) (36 holes)

25/04/2024: Over 35s Tour (South of England Championship) @ West Hill Golf Club - £179 per person (£165 members) (36 holes)

07-08/05/2024: Over 35s Tour (British Mid-Amateur Championship) @ Notts (Hollinwell) Golf Club - £265 per person (£249 members) (54 holes)

20/05/2024: Over 35s Tour @ Burhill Golf Club - £160 per person (£145 members) (36 holes)

22/05/2024: Over 35s Tour @ The Players Golf Club - £99 per person (£89 members) (36 holes)

30/05/2024: Over 35s Tour (South West of England Championship) @ Trevose Golf Club - £129 per person (£115 members) (36 holes)

19/06/2024: Over 35s Tour @ Luffenham Heath Golf Club - £149 per person (£139 members) (36 holes)

01-02/07/2024: Over 35s Tour (Welsh Mid-Amateur Championship) @ Aberdovey Golf Club - £185 per person (£175 members) (54 holes)

04-05/09/2024: Over 35s Tour (Scottish Mid-Amateur Championship) @ Roxburghe Golf Club - £165 per person (£155 members) (54 holes)

12-15/11/2024: Over 35s Spanish Mid-Amateur Championship @ PGA Catalunya (Camiral) Stadium and Tour Golf Courses - £549 per person

TBC/TBC/TBC: Over 35s Tour (Finals Day) @ TBC Overseas Spain or Portugal

14-18/01/2025: Over 35s Tour Algarve Championship @ Vale do Lobo, Portugal - £742 per person

Game results will be posted by 6:00 PM the day after being played. Please login to the Member Area and click the Results button.

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Charles Schwab Challenge: Spieth Featured Group

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2024 U.S. Open picks, odds, field: Surprising predictions from proven PGA golf model that has hit 12 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the u.s. open 2024 10,000 times and revealed its surprising pga tour golf picks.

Rory McIlroy hasn't won a major since 2014, but he's come close. The 26-time PGA Tour winner has finished second in three of his last 20 majors since taking home the Open Championship in 2014. McIlroy finished second at last year's U.S. Open, one shot behind Wyndham Clark, for his fourth straight top-10 showing at the U.S. Open. Does this mean you should include the four-time major winner in your 2024 U.S. Open picks? McIlroy is 9-1 in the 2024 U.S. Open odds. He has the second-shortest odds in the 2024 U.S. Open field despite going winless over his last 20 major events, so is there value in playing him to win the U.S. Open 2024?

The 2024 U.S. Open tees off from Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina beginning on Thursday, June 13 and Scottie Scheffler is the 4-1 favorite. Should you bet one of the favorites or could there be a longshot among the 2024 U.S. Open golfers like Max Homa (30-1) or Jordan Spieth (35-1) to include in your 2024 U.S. Open prediction? Before locking in any 2024 U.S. Open picks of your own, entering PGA DFS lineups on sites like DraftKings or FanDuel, or finalizing U.S. Open props and U.S. Open Pick 6 or PrizePicks entries, be sure to see the 2024 U.S. Open golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up almost $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model correctly predicted Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and The Players Championship this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 12 majors entering the weekend, including the last three Masters and 2024 PGA Championship. Anyone who has followed it is way up.

Now with the U.S. Open 2024 approaching, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2024 U.S. Open predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the 2024 U.S. Open: Brooks Koepka (12-1), a two-time U.S. Open champion and one of the top favorites, stumbles and barely cracks the top 10. Koepka has five major championships overall but he hasn't been much of a factor in major tournaments since that last victory at the 2023 PGA Championship. In his four majors since then, his best finish is tying for 17th at last year's U.S. Open. Koepka has finished outside the top 25 in each of his last three major starts, which is one shy of tying a career-long drought.

He's finished outside the top 15 in four straight appearances at majors and has struggled overall this season. Over his last eight tournament starts, he has twice as many finishes outside the top 25 (four) as he has inside the top 10 (two). Add in that he shot over par in his lone previous start at Pinehurst No. 2, and there are much better values to utilize U.S. Open 2024 bets on.  See who else to fade here .

Another surprise: Justin Thomas, a 33-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win than his long odds imply, so he's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Thomas has recorded seven top-25 finishes in his first 11 events of the season, including a T8 in the PGA Championship, T5 in the RBC Heritage and T6 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Thomas ranks seventh on the PGA Tour in both strokes gained: approach to green and birdie average, making him a dangerous player when he gets on a roll. Thomas is a two-time major champion who has a pair of top-10 finishes at the U.S. Open during his career. His recent form and experience winning majors make him an appealing longshot wager for the 2024 U.S. Open, according to the model.  See who else to back here .

How to make 2024 U.S. Open picks

The model is also targeting two other golfers with odds of 20-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 U.S. Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the U.S. Open 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected U.S. Open leaderboard, all from the model that's nailed 12 golf majors, including the last three Masters and the 2024 PGA Championship .

2024 U.S. Open odds, field

Get full 2024 U.S. Open picks, best bets, and predictions here

Scottie Scheffler 4-1 Rory McIlroy 9-1 Xander Schauffele 10-1 Brooks Koepka 12-1 Jon Rahm 12-1 Ludvig Aberg 14-1 Viktor Hovland 18-1 Collin Morikawa 18-1 Bryson DeChambeau 20-1 Patrick Cantlay 22-1 Wyndham Clark 22-1 Joaquin Niemann 25-1 Cameron Smith 25-1 Max Homa 30-1 Justin Thomas 33-1 Cameron Young 35-1 Dustin Johnson 35-1 Jordan Spieth 35-1 Hideki Matsuyama 35-1 Shane Lowry 40-1 Sahith Theegala 40-1 Tom Kim 40-1 Tony Finau 40-1 Sungjae Im 40-1 Matt Fitzpatrick 40-1 Jason Day 45-1 Tommy Fleetwood 50-1 Min Woo Lee 50-1 Tyrrell Hatton 50-1 Brian Harman 55-1 Corey Conners 60-1 Sam Burns 60-1 Patrick Reed 60-1 Si Woo Kim 65-1 Justin Rose 65-1 Sepp Straka 70-1 Louis Oosthuizen 75-1 Abraham Ancer 75-1 Rickie Fowler 75-1 Adam Scott 75-1 Talor Gooch 75-1 Russell Henley 90-1 Daniel Berger 100-1 Keegan Bradley 100-1 Keith Mitchell 125-1 Ryan Fox 125-1 J.T. Poston 125-1 Billy Horschel 125-1 Tiger Woods 125-1 Sergio Garcia 125-1 Thomas Pieters 150-1 Kurt Kitayama 150-1 Phil Mickelson 150-1 Mito Pereira 150-1 Denny McCarthy 150-1 Harris English 150-1 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 150-1 Adam Schenk 175-1 Emiliano Grillo 175-1 Austin Eckroat 175-1 Robert MacIntyre 175-1 Marc Leishman 175-1 Adam Hadwin 175-1 Lucas Glover 200-1 Nick Taylor 200-1 Davis Riley 200-1 Mackenzie Hughes 200-1 Jason Kokrak 200-1 Harold Varner III 225-1 Seamus Power 225-1 Taylor Moore 250-1 Ben Kohles 250-1 Gary Woodland 250-1 Aaron Wise 250-1 Francisco Molinari 350-1 Joel Dahmen 350-1 Martin Kaymer 500-1 Bernhard Langer 750-1

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PGA TOUR MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY WORKDAY HEADLINES LIVE GOLF TOURNAMENT COVERAGE THIS WEEK ON PEACOCK & GOLF CHANNEL

Live Coverage of Memorial Tournament from Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio Begins Tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock and GOLF Channel

ShopRite LPGA Classic Tees Off Friday at Noon ET on Peacock and GOLF Channel Live from Galloway, N.J.

Live Coverage of PGA TOUR Champions’ American Family Insurance Open Presented This Week Across Peacock and GOLF Channel

DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour Combine for a Mixed Field Event at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed Beginning Tomorrow at 7 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel

Coverage of Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am from South Carolina Begins Live Tomorrow at Noon ET on GOLF Channel

New Episodes of the GOLF Channel Podcast with Rex & Lav

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 5, 2024 – The PGA TOUR Memorial Tournament presented by Workday from Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, headlines this week’s golf coverage across five tournaments on Peacock and GOLF Channel.

This week’s golf coverage also includes the Shoprite LPGA Classic, the PGA TOUR Champions’ American Family Insurance Open, the DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour’s Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, and the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am.

PGA TOUR: MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

The PGA TOUR Memorial Tournament presented by Workday – featuring many of the top players in the world, including Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy – will be held at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio this week. Host and 18-time major championship winner Jack Nicklaus , who hails from nearby Columbus, Ohio, has presided over this event since its inception in 1976. Viktor Hovland looks to defend his 2023 title.

Live coverage is presented tomorrow and Friday from 2-6 p.m. ET on Peacock and GOLF Channel, with lead-in coverage on Saturday and Sunday airing from 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock and GOLF Channel. Peacock will also stream coverage of the Memorial Tournament Honoree Ceremony today at 2 p.m. ET, as Juli Inkster , Tom Weiskopf and Doug Ferguson are recognized for their contributions to golf.

Peacock & GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

• Play by Play : Terry Gannon
• Analyst : Frank Nobilo
• Holes : Curt Byrum
• On-Course : Smylie Kaufman / Arron Oberholser

How To Watch – Thursday, June 6 – Sunday, June 9 (all times ET)

· TV – GOLF Channel

· Streaming – Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app

Notable Players This Week

· Rory McIlroy

· Scottie Scheffler

· Viktor Hovland

· Patrick Cantlay

· Collin Morikawa

· Xander Schauffele

· Hideki Matsuyama

LPGA TOUR: SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC

The third LPGA event to be played in New Jersy in the lasty month, the ShopRite LPGA Classic will be held at Seaview (Bay Course) in Galloway, New Jersey. Ashleigh Buhai looks to defend her title at this week’s event against a competitive field including Brooke Henderson and last week’s U.S. Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso .

Live coverage will begin Friday at Noon ET on Peacock and GOLF Channel. Sunday’s final round coverage will stream live on Peacock at 2 p.m. ET and will air in primetime on GOLF Channel at 8 p.m. ET.

• Play by Play : Grant Boone
• Analyst : Karen Stupples
• Holes : Tom Abbott
• On-Course : Jim Gallagher Jr.

How To Watch – Friday, June 7 – Sunday, June 9 (all times ET)

*Same-Day Delay – Not simulstreamed on Peacock

· Ashleigh Buhai

· Yuka Saso

· Brooke Henderson

· Jin Young Ko

· Megan Khang

· Atthaya Thitikul

· Karrie Webb

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS: AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

The PGA TOUR Champions heads to Madison, Wis., for the American Family Insurance Championship this week, held at University Ridge Golf Club. Steve Stricker is the host of the tournament as well as the defending champion. In 2023, his 18-under 198 total and his five-stroke victory were both tournament records.

Live coverage tees off Friday at 3 p.m. ET on Peacock with an encore presentation in primetime later that day at 7 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel.

* Not simulstreamed on Peacock

· Steve Stricker

· Ernie Els

· Colin Montgomerie

· Steven Alker

· Vijay Singh

· Jim Furyk

· Stephen Ames

DP WORLD TOUR/LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: VOLVO CAR SCANDINAVIAN MIXED

The Volvo Car European Mixed on the DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour is held this week at Vasatorps Golf Course in Helsingborg, Sweden. The field is made up evenly of competitors from both tours, who are competing for one prize fund and one first-place check.

Live coverage begins tomorrow at 7 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel.

· Streaming – NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app

DP World Tour:

· Rasmus Hojgaard

· Dylan Frittelli

· Henrik Norlander

Ladies European Tour:

· Linn Grant

· Bronte Law

· Caroline Hedwall

KORN FERRY TOUR: BMW CHARITY PRO-AM

Coverage of the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am from Thornblade Club in Greer, S.C. and The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, S.C. begins tomorrow at Noon ET on GOLF Channel.

*Delayed Coverage

GOLF CHANNEL PODCAST WITH REX & LAV

NBC Sports’ GOLF Channel Podcast with Rex & Lav , hosted by GOLFChannel.com senior writers Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner , sees the two longtime scribes discuss and debate the latest news and hottest topics in the sport.

Throughout the year, Rex and Lav will break down the game’s biggest storylines in an informative, entertaining, and nuanced way – and with two episodes a week, there won’t be any news missed.

Click here to listen to the latest episode on YouTube and Apple Podcasts .

BROADCAST NOTES

• Golf Central will provide pre- and post-tournament coverage on GOLF Channel Wednesday-Sunday. Golf Central coverage is anchored by Jimmy Roberts , Brendon de Jonge , George Savaricas , Johnson Wagner , and Todd Lewis .
• Today’s edition of Golf Today will be co-hosted by Damon Hack and Jimmy Roberts, who will be joined by Todd Lewis.

Note: all times ET, post-round coverage begins following conclusion of play

All GOLF Channel coverage also streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app via authentication, giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

--NBC SPORTS--

PGA Tour, LIV Golf merger creates even bigger 'monopoly,' but at what price?

Liv golf had sued the pga tour and accused it of being a monopoly. now that they're merging, isn't that an even bigger monopoly.

Editor's note: For the latest on the LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger,  follow USA TODAY Sports' live updates here.

Something seems awfully ironic about this big new merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.  

When LIV Golf and several pro golfers sued the PGA Tour last year for alleged antitrust violations, their attorneys used the word “monopoly” in their complaint against the PGA Tour 44 times in 118 pages.

“Elite Professional Golf Has Stagnated Under the PGA Tour’s Monopoly,” said the amended complaint on Page 22.

The lawsuit describes alleged abuses by the Tour as a “monopoly power,” saying the tour engaged in the “unlawful monopolization of the market for the promotion of elite professional golf events.”

“The Tour’s actions are transparently anticompetitive, as they are aimed purely at kneecapping competition from LIV Golf before it can get off the ground and threaten the Tour’s monopoly,” the complaint states.

But now that litigation is being resolved by merging the two leagues into an even bigger possible “monopolization of the market for the promotion of elite professional golf events.”

Can they do that? And what does that mean for the game?

In some ways, pro sports fans in America have seen this movie before, such as when the American Football League and the NFL merged after an expensive bidding war for players and then permission from the government amid antitrust concerns.

This is different, said Marc Edelman, law professor and antitrust expert at Baruch College. The NFL needed an act of Congress before it merged.

“It’s going to be very hard after LIV Golf has spent a year litigating and claiming the PGA Tour is a monopoly to then turn around and claim their merger with the PGA Tour would not substantially lessen competition in a relevant market,” Edelman said by phone Tuesday.

Much of it could depend on the details of the deal, which haven’t been revealed. In the meantime, USA TODAY Sports consulted with legal experts about how the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf league resolved its complaints of a U.S. monopoly by creating an even bigger global combination with more power and money than ever.

Isn’t this just another monopoly?

It depends. And it’s really up to the U.S. government to decide if it’s legal. The U.S. Department of Justice already had been looking into possible anticompetitive practices of the PGA Tour after it tried to fend off LIV Golf as a rival league and punish players for joining it.

“The PGA-LIV merger is another in a long line of successful efforts by entrenched monopoly organizers of sporting competitions to maintain their dominance through predatory behavior directed toward rivals, followed by swallowing them up,” said Steve Ross, a law professor at Penn State and former attorney with the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission. “From the point of view of law and economics, (PGA Tour commissioner) Jay Monahan is no different than John D. Rockefeller, putting independent gas stations out of business and then folding them into Standard Oil.”

The DOJ declined comment Tuesday. Ross said in an e-mail to USA TODAY Sports that he hoped the DOJ’s antitrust division would review the merger agreement to determine if consumers would be better or worse off because of the arrangement. 

“Certainly, allowing all the best golfers to participate at major events is responsive to consumer preference, which the Supreme Court has stated is the 'hallmark' of antitrust,” Ross said. “We can fully assess the overall competitive effect of the merger only after examining the details of the agreement.”

How will it affect the product?

Without viable competition, monopolies theoretically can raise prices for consumers, underpay their labor and not care about customer complaints.

In this case, the new golf entity would “dominate the market for men's professional golf,” said Mark Conrad, director of the sports business concentration and associate professor of law and ethics at Fordham. “No doubt.”

How that domination is exercised is the question. Not surprisingly, Monahan described it as a positive for the PGA Tour “to take the competitor off of the board” after being driven into an expensive competition and legal battle by LIV Golf.

“The concept here is one entity controlling what’s there – fees, sponsorships, admission tickets,” said Martin Edel, co-chair of the Sports Law Practice of Goulston & Storrs in New York. “That’s more controllable (with the merger) and less subject to competition.”

On one hand, a new gusher of money for golf arguably will lift the sport and its players. Elite pro golf will benefit from a massive influx of resources, courtesy of the oil-rich Saudis, whose record on human rights still will continue to taint the relationship . That investment could enhance the game with more innovation, bigger purses and promotion of the game around the world.

What about players?

On the other hand, LIV no longer needs to throw seemingly unlimited money at top golfers to get them to defect from the PGA Tour. Phil Mickelson got his $200 million from LIV just in time .

“The brief period of free agency that golfers had is now gone,” longtime athlete agent Leigh Steinberg told USA TODAY Sports Tuesday. “From the standpoint of representing a golfer on the PGA Tour, that golfer has had options and choices, and that golfer had the competitive bidding between two different tours, one which had very deep pockets. That was a brief period of freedom.”

But nobody’s going to go broke in his merger. By pouring money into the sport, the Saudis could enhance the visibility of golfers globally, further boosting their potential earning power from endorsements.

“A rising tide is going to help all of golfers,” Steinberg said. “On the other hand, the chance to break the monopoly power of the PGA is gone.”

What about that antitrust litigation?

The PGA Tour said the announcement of the merger Tuesday would be followed by a “mutually agreed end to all pending litigation between the participating parties.”

That’s disappointing to Ross at Penn State as an antitrust professor.

“The settlement of litigation precludes a clear holding that dominant competition organizers cannot harm their fans in the short run by degrading their own product in order to exclude others, as the PGA sought to do,” Ross said in his e-mail. “If not for Saudi wealth, the innovative LIV concept likely would have folded.  Consumers and sponsors of top-rated PGA events were deprived of top stars like Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith, it seems to me, primarily to quash LIV.”

This kind of anticompetitive behavior is bad for fans, he said, because the fear of predatory behavior by the monopoly power can suppress innovation by smaller competitors.

“For years, industry leaders like Tiger Woods have complained that the PGA was not deploying its commercial assets in an optimal manner,” Ross said. “Only after LIV’s entry did the PGA respond in a significant way.”

Will it become the NFL of golf?

Other pro sports leagues have merged with upstart competitors and survived antitrust issues. The NFL did with the AFL. The NBA did with the American Basketball Association.

Both leagues are now corporate giants with huge followings, highly paid players and regular complaints from customers about the high price of tickets and cable viewership .

“It’s very rare for a governmental entity to go after a league or a tour claiming it has violated antitrust laws, principally because sports involves a degree of cooperation (between franchises), in order to create a better competitive environment,” Edel said.

Major League Baseball still enjoys an antitrust exemption, for example.

At the same time, Edel notes the Biden Administration is taking a “much more aggressive approach” with antitrust laws. The involvement of the Saudis adds political considerations to the mix, too.

The merger faces a “very uphill battle” to gain approval from the government, Edelman of Baruch College said. “The statements that have been made by LIV Golf for an extended period of time contending that the PGA Tour operated as a monopoly will prove to be very possibly a statement against interests.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer . E-mail: [email protected]

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THE BERKSHIRE, Ascot - RED & BLUE COURSES - 2 rounds

• Date: Tuesday 25 Jul
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Club Address:    The Berkshire Golf Club, Swinley Road, Ascot, SL5 8AY    

Tel:   01344 621495                 Club website:     www.theberkshire.co.uk

Package Includes:    Tea/ Coffee & bacon roll on arrival, one round on each of The Blue and The Red Courses, roast lunch between rounds, prizes for am, pm & 36 hole competitions.

You will be required to wear a jacket and shirt (not polo shirt) in the dining room at lunchtime.  Shorts are not allowed in the dining room.

Tee Times:   Tee Times in the morning on the Red Course start from 8.00am and Tee Times in the afternoon start from 1.10pm on the Blue Course. 

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You will need to be a current member of the GAGT to qualify for merit points.

You can check your membership status and join by calling Kelly / Debbie on 0345 466 2222.  The subscription fee is £40 for 12 months from the day you join.

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Golf Podcast 035: Essential Golf Tips for Beginners and More

In this episode of The Golf Podcast we discuss five essential golf tips for beginners. Then, later in the show hosts Frank and Mike tell you what you can learn from your mannerisms out on the course.

In this Show You Will Learn:

• Five simple tips to get you started learning the game of golf the right way.
• A few easy drills you can do at home to help improve the fundamentals of your swing.
• What a golfer’s mannerisms say about their game and how to control your body language for better performance.
• Plus much more.

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What to know about Russia’s growing footprint in Africa

FILE - This undated photograph handed out by French military shows Russian mercenaries boarding a helicopter in northern Mali. Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov went on a tour of the Sub-Saharan region of the Sahel this week, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich region of Africa. (French Army via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Guinea’s foreign minister Morissanda Kouyate shake hands near a portrait of Guinea’s President Mamadi Doumbouya during their meeting in Conakry, Guinea, on June 3, 2024. Lavrov went on a tour of the Sub-Saharan region of the Sahel this week, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich region of Africa. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré smile posing for a photo during their meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Moscow pledged more support to Burkina Faso in fighting extremist military groups, as the Russian foreign minister continues his whirlwind tour of West Africa in an attempt to fill in the vacuum left by the region’s traditional Western partners. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré smile posing for a photo during their meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Republic of Congo’s President Denis Sassou N’Guesso shake hands during their meeting in Oyo, Republic of Congo, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Any French military instructors in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian armed forces, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday as he continued his latest tour of Africa, where frustration with the West has swayed several countries toward Moscow. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré in Oyo, Congo, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Congo’s Foreign Minister Jean Claude Gakosso shake hands after a joint news conference in Oyo, Congo, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a meeting with Republic of Congo’s President Denis Sassou N’Guesso in Oyo, Republic of Congo, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Any French military instructors in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian armed forces, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday as he continued his latest tour of Africa, where frustration with the West has swayed several countries toward Moscow. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Republic of Congo’s President Denis Sassou N’Guesso attends a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Oyo, Republic of Congo, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Any French military instructors in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian armed forces, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday as he continued his latest tour of Africa, where frustration with the West has swayed several countries toward Moscow. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)

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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Russia’s top diplomat pledged help and military assistance while on a whirlwind tour of several countries in Africa’s sub-Saharan region of Sahel this week, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich section of the continent.

Russia is emerging as the security partner of choice for a growing number of African governments in the region, displacing traditional allies like France and the United States. Sergey Lavrov, who has made several trips to Africa in recent years, this week stopped in Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and Chad.

Moscow has aggressively expanded its military cooperation with African nations by using the private security company Wagner and its likely successor, Africa Corps , with Russian mercenaries taking up roles from protecting African leaders to helping states fight extremists.

The Polish Institute of International Affairs said in a study this month that in “creating the Africa Corps, Russia took an assertive approach to expand its military presence in Africa.

Moscow is also seeking political support, or at least neutrality, from many of Africa’s 54 countries over its invasion of Ukraine. African nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other group on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Russia-linked entities also spread disinformation to undermine ties between African states and the West, the Africa Center For Strategic Studies, an academic institution within the U.S. Department of Defense, wrote in a March report. Moscow has been “sponsoring 80 documented campaigns, targeting more than 22 countries,” it said.

Here’s a look at how Russia is expanding its influence in Africa.

WHY ARE AFRICAN NATIONS TURNING TO RUSSIA?

Russia has taken advantage of political unrest and discontent in coup-hit nations, capitalizing on popular frustration and anger with former colonial power France. Military coups have ousted governments seen close to France and the West and doing little to alleviate grinding poverty, unemployment and other hardships.

Russia offers security assistance without interfering in politics, making it an appealing partner in places like Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso , all ruled by military juntas that seized power in recent years. In return, Moscow seeks access to minerals and other contracts.

Violence linked to extremists allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group has been on the rise in Sahel for years, despite efforts by France, the U.S. and other Western allies to help fight the jihadi groups there. In 2013, France launched a near decade long operation in Mali to help fight militants , which expanded to Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad. The operation ended nine years later but the conflict did not, contributing to anger with the West.

The U.S. has further lost its footing with key allies for forcing issues — including democracy or human rights — that many African states see as hypocrisy, given Washington’s close ties to some autocratic leaders elsewhere.

While the West may pressure African coup leaders over democracy and other issues, Russia doesn’t meddle in domestic affairs, Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, told The Associated Press.

WHAT IS RUSSIA’S INTEREST IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES?

Africa is rich in minerals, oil and other resources, which come with political and legal challenges. Its resources are increasingly central to economic and national security, such as cobalt, which is used in electronics like mobile phones, or lithium, which is used in batteries.

Russia has thrived in countries where governance is limited, and has signing mining deals through companies it controls. An EU parliament study showed that Russia secured access to gold and diamonds in the Central African Republic, cobalt in Congo, gold and oil in Sudan, chromite in Madagascar, platinum and diamonds in Zimbabwe, and uranium in Namibia.

The U.S. based non-profit Democracy 21 group said in an analysis last December that Wagner and Russia may have made about $2.5 billion through the African gold trade alone since invading Ukraine in February 2022.

Though Russia is increasingly a partner to African countries in the oil and mining sector, it lags far behind as an overall trading partner. For example, data by the International Monetary shows less than 1% of Africa’s exports go to Russia, compared with 33% to the European Union.

WHERE DO RUSSIAN CONTRACTORS OPERATE IN AFRICA?

The first reports of Wagner mercenaries in Africa emerged in late 2017, when the group was deployed to Sudan to provide support to then-President Omar al-Bashir, in exchange for gold mining concessions. Wagner’s presence soon expanded to other African countries.

In 2018, Russian contractors showed up to back powerful commander Khalifa Hifter in eastern Libya who was battling militants. They also helped Hifter in his failed attempt to seize the capital of Tripoli a year later.

In the Central African Republic, Russian mercenaries have been providing security since in 2018 and in return have gained access to some of the country’s gold and diamond mines.

Coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger in 2023, brought military juntas critical of the West to power. All three eventually ordered French and other Western forces out, and instead turned to Russia for military support.

Niger ordered the U.S. to withdraw its troops and close its multimillion dollar flagship investment in a sprawling military and spy base in Agadez earlier this year, after a meeting with a U.S. delegation ended poorly. The decision has upended U.S. counterinsurgency operations in Africa’s Sahel.

Weeks later, Russian trainers arrived in Niger with new defense equipment .

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Moscow Country Club Becomes Latest European Tour Destination

(left-to-right) Scott McLean, European Tour Greenkeeping Consultant, Andrei Dukhovny, Director of Moscow Country Club, David MacLaren, Head of European Tour Properties, Mary Bazhenova, Golf Membership Manager of Moscow Country Club and Konstantin Gribkov, Golf Director of Moscow Country Club.

European Tour Properties has extended its portfolio of Destinations by welcoming Moscow Country Club as the 28 th  venue within its extensive network of world-class venues.

Situated only an hour outside of Moscow, the club features Russia’s first 18-hole championship course and will host the Staysure Tour’s VTB Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior) from August 17-19, 2018.

The Country Club combines five-star hospitality with top-quality golf in a tranquil setting close to the Russian capital, and this new partnership extends the network to 28 venues within 21 countries, across three continents.

The course itself was designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones II and is nestled within dense Russian forest of thick firs and birches, offering a fascinating landscape for any golfer.

In addition to golf, Moscow Country Club features a five-star hotel, cottages and townhouses to rent throughout the year, and a choice of eight restaurants for guests to enjoy.

With an indoor and outdoor pool, state-of-the-art gym, tennis courts and other leisure activities, the extensive facilities at Moscow Country Club make the venue a strong addition to European Tour Properties’ network.

David MacLaren, Head of European Tour Properties, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Moscow Country Club as the 28th member of our network of world-class venues and particularly pleased to welcome our first Destination in Russia.

“Moscow Country Club is both a fine golf resort and an established tournament venue. Our other Venues are sure to welcome the further expansion of our network within key geographical locations worldwide.

“In August, Moscow Country Club will host the VTB Russian Open Golf Championship on the Staysure Tour and we look forward to golfers from all over the world visiting our newest Destination.”

Andrei Dukhovny, Director of the GlavUPDK affiliated Moscow Country Club, said: “We are very excited to be part of the European Tour Properties network. We are looking forward to working with their team and using their expertise to enhance our customers’ experience both on and off the course.

“Moscow Country Club is a stand-out Russian golfing destination, with the Staysure Tour set to visit in August for the VTB Russian Open Golf Championship.

“By becoming a European Tour Destination, we are hoping to grow even further and continue developing as a venue.”

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What to know about Russia's growing footprint in Africa

Russia’s foreign minister is visiting africa's sub-saharan region of the sahel this week as moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich region, article bookmarked.

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Russia 's top diplomat pledged help and military assistance while on a whirlwind tour of several countries in Africa 's sub-Saharan region of Sahel this week, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich section of the continent.

Russia is emerging as the security partner of choice for a growing number of African governments in the region, displacing traditional allies like France and the United States . Sergey Lavrov, who has made several trips to Africa in recent years, this week stopped in Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and Chad.

Moscow has aggressively expanded its military cooperation with African nations by using the private security company Wagner and its likely successor, Africa Corps, with Russian mercenaries taking up roles from protecting African leaders to helping states fight extremists.

The Polish Institute of International Affairs said in a study this month that in “creating the Africa Corps, Russia took an assertive approach to expand its military presence in Africa.

Moscow is also seeking political support, or at least neutrality, from many of Africa's 54 countries over its invasion of Ukraine. African nations make up the largest voting bloc at the United Nations and have been more divided than any other group on General Assembly resolutions criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Russia-linked entities also spread disinformation to undermine ties between African states and the West, the Africa Center For Strategic Studies, an academic institution within the U.S. Department of Defense, wrote in a March report. Moscow has been "sponsoring 80 documented campaigns, targeting more than 22 countries,” it said.

Here’s a look at how Russia is expanding its influence in Africa.

WHY ARE AFRICAN NATIONS TURNING TO RUSSIA?

Russia has taken advantage of political unrest and discontent in coup-hit nations, capitalizing on popular frustration and anger with former colonial power France. Military coups have ousted governments seen close to France and the West and doing little to alleviate grinding poverty, unemployment and other hardships.

Russia offers security assistance without interfering in politics, making it an appealing partner in places like Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, all ruled by military juntas that seized power in recent years. In return, Moscow seeks access to minerals and other contracts.

Violence linked to extremists allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group has been on the rise in Sahel for years, despite efforts by France, the U.S. and other Western allies to help fight the jihadi groups there. In 2013, France launched a near decade long operation in Mali to help fight militants, which expanded to Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad. The operation ended nine years later but the conflict did not, contributing to anger with the West.

The U.S. has further lost its footing with key allies for forcing issues — including democracy or human rights — that many African states see as hypocrisy, given Washington's close ties to some autocratic leaders elsewhere.

While the West may pressure African coup leaders over democracy and other issues, Russia doesn’t meddle in domestic affairs, Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, told The Associated Press.

WHAT IS RUSSIA'S INTEREST IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES?

Africa is rich in minerals, oil and other resources, which come with political and legal challenges. Its resources are increasingly central to economic and national security, such as cobalt, which is used in electronics like mobile phones, or lithium, which is used in batteries.

Russia has thrived in countries where governance is limited, and has signing mining deals through companies it controls. An EU parliament study showed that Russia secured access to gold and diamonds in the Central African Republic, cobalt in Congo, gold and oil in Sudan, chromite in Madagascar, platinum and diamonds in Zimbabwe, and uranium in Namibia.

The U.S. based non-profit Democracy 21 group said in an analysis last December that Wagner and Russia may have made about $2.5 billion through the African gold trade alone since invading Ukraine in February 2022.

Though Russia is increasingly a partner to African countries in the oil and mining sector, it lags far behind as an overall trading partner. For example, data by the International Monetary shows less than 1% of Africa's exports go to Russia, compared with 33% to the European Union.

WHERE DO RUSSIAN CONTRACTORS OPERATE IN AFRICA?

The first reports of Wagner mercenaries in Africa emerged in late 2017, when the group was deployed to Sudan to provide support to then-President Omar al-Bashir, in exchange for gold mining concessions. Wagner’s presence soon expanded to other African countries.

In 2018, Russian contractors showed up to back powerful commander Khalifa Hifter in eastern Libya who was battling militants. They also helped Hifter in his failed attempt to seize the capital of Tripoli a year later.

In the Central African Republic, Russian mercenaries have been providing security since in 2018 and in return have gained access to some of the country’s gold and diamond mines.

Coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger in 2023, brought military juntas critical of the West to power. All three eventually ordered French and other Western forces out, and instead turned to Russia for military support.

Niger ordered the U.S. to withdraw its troops and close its multimillion dollar flagship investment in a sprawling military and spy base in Agadez earlier this year, after a meeting with a U.S. delegation ended poorly. The decision has upended U.S. counterinsurgency operations in Africa's Sahel.

Weeks later, Russian trainers arrived in Niger with new defense equipment.

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

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