Major Championship Winners David Toms and Mark O’Meara Strengthen World-Class Field
GWINNETT – METRO ATLANTA – April 4, 2017 – Officials of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic announced today that former Charles Schwab Cup Champions Tom Watson, Jay Haas and Kenny Perry will compete in the fifth installment of the prestigious PGA TOUR Champions event at TPC Sugarloaf scheduled for April 10-16, 2017.
The tournament has also accepted commitments from PGA TOUR Champions rookie David Toms and two-time major championship winner Mark O’Meara.
Watson, 67, has 39 PGA TOUR victories, including eight majors – two Masters Tournaments, one U.S. Open and a remarkable five titles in The Open Championship – over his more than 40-year professional career. On the PGA TOUR Champions circuit, Watson’s impressive record includes 14 victories, six of which have been majors, and Charles Schwab Cup titles in 2003 and 2005. The World Golf Hall of Fame member has been a player on four U.S. Ryder Cup Teams and a captain twice (1993 and 2014). Watson will be making his third start at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic. He matched his best finish last year with a T17 after rounds of 68-76-68. The Kansas City, Kansas resident has a scoring record of 71.33 at TPC Sugarloaf with $53,145 in career-tournament earnings.
Two-time Charles Schwab Cup Champion Jay Haas boasts 18 PGA TOUR Champions victories, including three majors, since joining the TOUR in 2004. His $17,342,858 in career earnings ranks fourth all time on the PGA TOUR Champions. Haas, 63, was the victorious Captain of the U.S Presidents Cup team in 2015. Last season, he enjoyed four top-10 PGA TOUR Champions finishes, including a playoff win at the Toshiba Classic. The Wake Forest alum has earned $161,844 over his four starts at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic and holds a 71.64 scoring average. His best finish was a third place effort in 2014.
Kentucky native, Kenny Perry, currently ranks eighth in Charles Schwab Cup points on the strength of two top-25 finishes, including a second place outing at the Allianz Championship. The 2013 Charles Schwab Cup champ posted major victories in 2013 at the U.S. Senior Open and Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, and again in 2014 at the Regions Tradition. All told, he has accumulated a total of eight PGA TOUR Champions titles. In three starts at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, the 56-year-old Perry has a scoring average of 71.66 and career-tournament earnings of $74,720. He finished T26 last year, but his best results came in 2014 when he closed out the tournament tied for eighth place.
PGA TOUR Champions rookie David Toms has logged four top-25 finishes in four career starts since celebrating his 50th birthday in January of this year. His best finish came in his TOUR debut with a T4 effort at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Toms is currently ranked No. 16 in Charles Schwab Cup points with earnings of $147,876. He has recorded 13 victories on the PGA TOUR since turning professional in 1989, including the 2001 PGA Championship, and ranks 11th all time on the PGA TOUR career money list with more than $41 million in earnings. The Louisiana native has been a member of three U.S. Ryder Cup teams and three U.S. Presidents Cup teams.
Mark O’Meara, 60, claims an impressive professional resume that includes three major championships. On the PGA TOUR he has posted 16 wins, with The Masters Tournament and The Open Championship counted among them. Since his debut on the PGA TOUR Champions, O’Meara has two wins to his credit, including the Constellation Energy SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. His 2016 PGA TOUR Champions campaign included two top-10 finishes and 11 in the top-25. The Houston resident will be making his fifth start at this year’s Mitsubishi Electric Classic. His best finish came in 2015 with a T4 effort and he ended last year’s tournament tied for 11th place. O’Meara’s tournament earnings at TPC Sugarloaf total $139,440 and his scoring average is 71.55.
The 2017 Mitsubishi Electric Classic is April 10-16, 2017 at TPC Sugarloaf. The public may visit www.MitsubishiElectricClassic.com to purchase tickets. Kids 16 and under can attend for free with a ticketed adult. Daily tickets start at just $20.
About the Mitsubishi Electric Classic
The Mitsubishi Electric Classic is an official event on the PGA TOUR Champions scheduled for April 10-16, 2017. This 54-hole stroke play golf tournament features 78 PGA TOUR Champions professionals competing for a $1.8 million purse at the prestigious TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia. The event, which will benefit local charities through the Gwinnett Championship Foundation, Inc., has raised more than $1 million since its first tournament in 2013. All three official rounds will be internationally televised on the Golf Channel. For more information, visit MitsubishiElectricClassic.com.
Media Contact:
Tom Sprouse
Media Director
614-889-6791
tsprouse@hnssportscom
|