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By Greg Hardwig
Naples Daily News
2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson and five other tour winners from this year were among 18 golfers committed to this year's Franklin Templeton Shootout, tournament founder and host Greg Norman announced on Monday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
"It's a great coup for us," Norman said of Johnson's addition.
This is Merrill Lynch's second year as the tournament title sponsor.
Six spots remain in the field, which will be paired up into 12 two-man teams for the tournament, which is Dec. 5-9 at Tiburon Golf Club. Tournament director Taylor Ives said the final spots could be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks.
"I'd just say it's probably as good as any field that we've ever had," Norman said. "We've got a couple of outstanding possiblities that might take place this week."
At the start of the press conference, Norman took time out to remember someone who became close to the event. Naples' Gregory Lang spoke at the tournament banquet and was a guest of the event last year. Lang lost his battle with cancer last month.
"I was getting pretty close to Gregory over a period of time," Norman said. "We were communicating, especially with his parents. We were all hoping that he would pull through and beat the disease that we're all here raising money for. ... Even though CureSearch is getting up to an 80 percent success rate with this horrible disease, we still have unfortunate happenings like what happened with Gregory Lang."
The event is a bit later in the year due to the PGA Tour's new television contract. Previously it had been played in mid-November. Norman said it's still debatable what effect the move will have on the field.
"I think it's going to be a bit of a testing year from a player's perspective," he said in regards to how players will plan their offseasons.
Annika Sorenstam, who became the first woman to play in the event last year, will not be returning. Norman said she had expressed an interest in playing again, but had a tournament conflict overseas.
"I did invite her back," Norman said.
The TV contract switch also included a change in networks -- from CBS to NBC. The tournament also will increase its TV time, going from 3-6 p.m. on The Golf Channel on Friday, 4-6 p.m. on NBC on Saturday, and 3-6 p.m. on NBC on Sunday.
Woody Austin, Charles Howell III, Fred Funk, Mark Calcavecchia and Scott Verplank join Johnson as 2007 tour winners. Austin committed on Monday morning after joining Howell, Johnson, Verplank and Stewart Cink on the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team. But Austin will be remembered most for falling in the water during the event after hitting a shot out of it.
"I've never heard of anybody falling in the water after hitting a golf shot," said Norman, who hadn't seen the footage.
Defending champions Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling are back as well for the tournament's 19th edition.
Austin, Johnson and Camiilo Villegas are first-timers in the field. Chris DiMarco will play for the first time in Naples. Justin Leonard, Kenny Perry, Nick Price, Fred Couples, John Daly and Mark O'Meara also have committed. Norman said he also will play. He has not played much the past couple of years, although he has been playing and practicing with his son to get ready for the Father/Son Challenge.
"I think this event here, from my perspective, as long as I can give myself an exemption, I'll be fine," he joked.
Tickets for the $2.8 million event also went on sale Monday. Before then only advance reservations to the event's "Taste of WCI" package were available. For tickets, call 888-66-SHARK, visit Alf's Golf Shop in Naples or go online to www.thesharkshootout.com.
Taste of WCI includes a weekly ground ticket, plus 48 vouchers to play 12 WCI courses for cart fee only. Other tickets: weekly pass, $60; tournament daily grounds pass, $20 in advance, $25 at the gate; 18th Green Reserved, $50 per day on a limited basis; Pro-am daily tickets, $15 in advance or $20 at the gate for Wednesday and Thursday.
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