GWINNETT – METRO ATLANTA – Officials of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic announced today that World Golf Hall of Famer José María Olazábal will compete in the seventh installment of the prestigious PGA TOUR Champions event in Duluth, Georgia. The Ryder Cup prodigy will be returning to the field along with other green jacket winners Mark O’Meara, Larry Mize, Sandy Lyle and previously announced Bernard Langer and Tom Watson. From April 15-21, these six Masters champions will face-off for another shot at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic title.
Two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal captured the green jacket in 1994 and 1999. With six PGA TOUR titles and 23 international wins to his credit, Olazábal competed on seven European Ryder Cup teams between 1987 and 2006 and served as captain in 2012, recording a stellar resume of 18 wins overall. The 53-year-old Spaniard will make his third consecutive start at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic this month. His best finish came with a T23 effort last year after rounds of 69-75-70. The international superstar added the PGA TOUR Champions to his impressive list of professional tours in 2017, and so far this season, he has a 71.5 scoring average and a Charles Schwab Cup ranking of 61.
Mark O’Meara, 62, boasts an impressive PGA TOUR resume that includes two major titles and 16 victories overall since joining in 1981. 1998 was an outstanding year for the World Golf Hall of Famer, as he captured his Masters and The Open Championship titles during that time. Since his PGA TOUR Champions debut in 2007, O’Meara has posted three wins, one of which was a major at the Constellation Energy SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, and 62 top-10 finishes. So far this season, the Houston resident has secured one noteworthy title at the Cologuard Classic in Tucson, Arizona, is ranked No. 10 in the Charles Schwab Cup, and has recorded an impressive $313,288 in tournament earnings, slightly less than his total earnings in 2018. O’Meara will be making his seventh start at this year’s Mitsubishi Electric Classic. His top three finishes came in 2015 with a T4 effort, 2016 with a T11 effort, and 2013 with a T30 finish.
Augusta native Larry Mize has claimed four PGA TOUR victories during his professional career, including the 1987 Masters. Since joining the PGA TOUR Champions in 2008, 60-year-old Mize has captured one title at the Montreal Championship in 2010 and 33 top-10 finishes. The 2018 Mitsubishi Electric Classic will mark the seventh start for Mize at TPC Sugarloaf, after receiving his best finish in 2014 with a 15th-place effort. His record for 2019 includes a scoring average of 73.11, tournament earnings of $24,395 and a Charles Schwab Cup ranking of 68.
World Golf Hall of Famer Sandy Lyle will also be making his seventh start at this year’s Mitsubishi Electric Classic. His best finish at TPC Sugarloaf came in 2015 with a T15 outing after rounds of 71-68. So far on the PGA TOUR Champions, 61-year-old Lyle has posted one top-10 finish, a 72.13 scoring average and a No. 45 Charles Schwab Cup ranking. The Scottish resident and five-time European Ryder Cup player also captured four titles and two major victories during his time on the PGA TOUR. This six-time PGA TOUR winner earned his major titles at The Open Championship in 1985 and The Masters Tournament in 1988.
Previously announced, two-time Masters champions who have also committed to the tournament include golf legends Bernard Langer and Tom Watson. Five-time Charles Schwab Cup Champion Langer captured his titles in 1985 and 1993, and six-time PGA TOUR Player of the Year Watson seized his titles in 1977 and 1981.
The 2019 Mitsubishi Electric Classic is scheduled for April 15-21, 2019 at TPC Sugarloaf. The public may purchase tickets online. Kids 16 and under can attend for free with a ticketed adult, and daily tickets start at just $20. For more information on the tournament, visit: www.mitsubishielectricclassic.com
About the Mitsubishi Electric Classic:
The Mitsubishi Electric Classic is an official event on the PGA TOUR Champions scheduled for April 15-21, 2019. 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 over $2.1 million since its first tournament in 2013. All three official rounds will be internationally televised on the Golf Channel. For more information, visit: www.mitsubishielectricclassic.com.
About PGA TOUR Champions:
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 32 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. In 2019, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $58 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at www.PGATOUR.com/champions, on Facebook at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Hannah Karlson, Mitsubishi Electric Classic, 478-284-9365, pr@freniklabs.com
Gaby Copello, Mitsubishi Electric Classic, 678-446-0944, gaby@freniklabs.com
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