This Week in Golf -- July 12 through July 15

Philadelphia, PA – PGA TOUR - JOHN DEERE CLASSIC, TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois - Steve Stricker returns to Illinois to try for his fourth consecutive title at the John Deere Classic.

The 13th-ranked player in the world, Stricker owns 12 PGA Tour titles, and three of them have come at this event. His most recent victory came at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January.

Last year, Stricker pulled out the win in dramatic fashion. Kyle Stanley bogeyed the last to fall into a tie for the lead with Stricker, who rolled in a 25-foot birdie from off the 18th green to take the title.

That sent Stricker into the British Open with momentum, and he finished in a tie for 12th at Royal St. George's to remain one of the game's top players without a title.

Just like last year, the 2012 John Deere Classic falls the week before the British Open, the season's third major.

Stricker is one of five former John Deere champions in the field this week, while Ted Potter Jr. will tee it up fresh off his victory at the Greenbrier Classic this past weekend.

Golf Channel has the broadcast Thursday and Friday, while CBS picks it up Saturday and Sunday.

EUROPEAN TOUR

ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT SCOTTISH OPEN, Castle Stuart Golf Links, Inverness, Scotland - Last year, Luke Donald carded a 9-under 63 to earn a 4-stroke victory at a rain-shortened Scottish Open.

The event was shortened to 54 because Castle Stuart Golf Links was plagued by rain and thunderstorms all week, rendering the course unplayable for the Saturday of the championship.

Donald earned the 2011 victory as the No. 1 player in the world, and he returns to the site of the win again at the top of the rankings, after reclaiming the spot from Rory McIlroy earlier this year.

Donald headlines a field that includes four-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who gained late entry into the event. Hall of Famer Ernie Els, three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, former Masters and U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera, and former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer, and 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.

Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird, ranked 31st and 36th in the world, lead the Scottish contingent in the field.

McIlroy and Lee Westwood, the No. 2 and No. 3 players in the world, are not playing this week.

Golf Channel will broadcast all four rounds.

The Scottish Open is the final European Tour tuneup for next week's British Open, which Darren Clarke won last year.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Indianwood Golf and Country Club, Lake Orion, Michigan - The Champions Tour heads to Michigan this week for the fourth major on the calendar, the U.S. Senior Open.

Olin Browne earned his first major championship last year, when he took a wire-to-wire victory at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Browne carded an even- par 71 in the final round to take a three-stroke win over Mark O'Meara.

Browne is back to defend his title, and faces a strong field that includes money leader Michael Allen, Tom Lehman, Bernhard Langer, Mark Calcavecchia and Fred Couples.

Lehman, the 1996 British Open winner, earned his third Champions Tour major victory in June at the Tradition. Langer is a two-time Masters titlist who has racked up 14 Champions Tour titles, including the 2010 U.S. Senior Open. Couples and Calcavecchia are both major champions and have already won on tour this year.

ESPN and ESPN2 will broadcast the first two rounds, while NBC takes over for the weekend.

After the U.S. Senior Open, the Champions Tour takes a week off before heading to Turnberry, Scotland for the Senior British Open. Last year, the Senior British was the week before the U.S. Senior Open, and Russ Cochran earned a 2- stroke victory over Calcavecchia.

WEB.COM TOUR

UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION, Willow Creek Country Club, Sandy, Utah - After a week off, the Web.com Tour heads to Willow Creek Country Club for the Utah Championship.

Last year, J.J. Killeen closed with a bogey-free, 6-under 65 to earn his first victory on what was then known as the Nationwide Tour. Killeen has since moved on to the PGA Tour and will not be defending his title.

In the field are money leader Paul Haley II and Casey Wittenberg, who has won twice on tour this season. Peter Tomasulo, who took the victory two weeks ago at the United Leasing Championship, is also playing this week.

Golf Channel has coverage of all four rounds.

Following the Utah Championship, the Web.com Tour takes another week off before heading to Columbus, Ohio for the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational. Last year, Harris English birdied the final hole on Sunday to become the third amateur winner in the tour's history.

CANADIAN TOUR

THE PLAYERS CUP, Pine Ridge Golf Club, Winnipeg, Manitoba - The Canadian Tour heads from Saskatchewan to Manitoba this week for the Players Cup.

Last year, Tom Hoge carded a 5-under 66 on Sunday to take the victory in what was just his third career start as a professional. Hoge will not be defending his title, as he has moved on to the Web.com Tour.

In the field are the four Canadian Tour winners this season -- Andrew Roque, Michael Gligic, Cory Renfrew and Matt Hill. Hill is coming off a playoff win last week at the Dakota Dunes Casino Open.

Following the Players Cup, the Canadian Tour has a week off before heading to Ontario for the RBC Canadian Open, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour. Sean O'Hair was last year's winner.