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Field includes Masters Champion Zach Johnson
NAPLES, Fla. - Host Greg Norman announced today that defending champions Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling will return to Tiburón Golf Club December 5-9 and currently 16 other players have committed to The Franklin Templeton Shootout.
Among the early commitments to the 19th edition of the Shootout are seven winners on the 2007 PGA Tour schedule - Woody Austin, Charles Howell III, Fred Funk, Mark Calcavecchia, Scott Verplank, Justin Leonard and two-time winner Zach Johnson, who captured the Masters in April.
Norman also announced commitments from nine-time Tour winner Kenny Perry; four-time Tour champion Stewart Cink; Hall of Fame member Nick Price; 2005 Presidents Cup star Chris DiMarco; three-time Shootout winner Fred Couples; two-time major champions John Daly and Mark O'Meara; and international star Camilo Villegas, who recorded three top ten finishes in the four FedEx Cup playoff events.
Norman will appear in his 19th Franklin Templeton Shootout. First-time competitors are Austin, Johnson and Villegas. DiMarco will be making his first appearance in Naples.
Seven players who have committed thus far earned a spot in the Tour Championship two weeks ago - a field limited to the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings. Four of those - Calcavecchia, Verplank, Cink and Villegas - had a combined seven top ten finishes during the four-week FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Austin, Cink, Howell III, Johnson and Verplank all were members of the U.S. Presidents Cup team last week. The fivesome recorded a record of 13-5-3 in Canada and Cink secured the winning point for the U.S. team on Sunday. Verplank led the group with a 4-0-0 individual record.
The final field will consist of 24 professionals paired into 12 two-person teams. The Franklin Templeton Shootout, widely regarded as the PGA Tour's premier post-season event, will once again feature a modified alternate-shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. In 2007, Golf Channel will televise Friday and NBC will broadcast the weekend competition.
Current Alphabetical List of Participating Professionals
Tickets for the $2.8 million event are on sale now. Orders can be placed three ways - calling 888-66-SHARK, visiting Alf's Golf Shop in Naples or visiting www.thesharkshootout.com.
For the latest Franklin Templeton Shootout news and information, please visit the official tournament Website at www.thesharkshootout.com.
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