Site: Newcastle, Northern Ireland.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Royal County Down Golf Club (6,614 yards, par 71).

Purse: $326,400. Winner's share: $54,400.

Television: ESPN (Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) and ABC (Saturday, 2-3:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-4 p.m.). Last year: Ireland's Christy O'Connor Jr. successfully defended his title, beating South Africa's John Bland by two strokes.

Last event: Ireland's Denis O'Sullivan won the Scandinavian Seniors International for his second victory of the year.

Notes: Jack Nicklaus is making his first appearance in the tournament. Arnold Palmer, three-time winner Gary Player and two-time champion Bob Charles also are in the field.

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

BUY.COM TOUR


Ozarks Open

Site: Springfield, Mo.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Highland Springs Country Club (7,060 yards, par 72).

Purse: $450,000. Winner's share: $81,000. Television: The Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 1-3:30 p.m., 11 p.m.-1 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1:30-4 p.m., 8-10 p.m., 11 p.m.-1 a.m.).

Last year: Pat Perez won his first tour title, beating Pat Bates and Mike Heinen on the first hole of a playoff.

Last week: Bates won the Siouxland Open, beating former U.S. Amateur champions Matt Kuchar and Eric Meeks by a stroke. Bates also won the 1994 tournament. Notes: Heath Slocum leads the tour with two victories and $242,590. A third victory would give him an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour. ... The Omaha Classic is next week.

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

OTHER TOURNAMENTS


Japan Golf Tour: NST Niigata Open, Thursday-Sunday, Nakajo Golf Club, Niigata, Japan.

On the Net: http://www.jgto.org

NGA Hooters Tour: Crescent City Classic, Thursday-Sunday, Golf Club of New Orleans at Eastover, New Orleans. Net: http://www.hooterstour.com.

Canadian Tour: Grant Forest Products/NRCS Classic, Thursday-Sunday, Timberwolf Golf Club, Sudbury, Ontario.

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

PGA European Challenge Tour: European Challenge Tour Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Bowood Golf and Country Club, Wiltshire, England. On the Net: http://www.europeantour.com

Ladies European Tour, WPGA Championship of Europe, Thursday-Sunday, Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Porthcawl, Wales. On the Net: http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com Futures Tour: M&T Bank Lorretto Futures Classic, Friday-Sunday, The Links at Erie Village, Syracuse, N.Y. On the Net: http://www.futurestour.com Japan LPGA: Golf 5 Ladies, Friday-Sunday, Mizunami Country Club, Gifu, Japan.