|
NAPLES, Fla. -- Tournament host Greg Norman has matched a
collection of the hottest players on the PGA Tour into powerful two-man
teams in an effort to dethrone two-time defending champions Hank Kuehne and
Jeff Sluman as the 17th annual Franklin Templeton Shootout returns to
Tiburón Golf Club and The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples November 9-13.
For the fifth consecutive year, Southwest Florida golf
fans and an international television audience will have the opportunity to
watch some of the PGA Tour's brightest stars battle it out for three days
all while raising funds and awareness for CureSearch National Childhood
Cancer Foundation.
Kuehne and Sluman will be attempting to become the first
team to win three consecutive Shootout titles. However, it will be a
formidable task.
The impressive list of challengers includes: long-hitters
John Daly and Tim Herron; Presidents Cup hero Fred Couples and young-gun
Adam Scott; multiple major champions Mark O'Meara and Nick Price; Swedish
friends Fredrik Jacobson and Jesper Parnevik; Players Champion Fred Funk
and Jason Gore; Shootout veterans Peter Jacobsen and Scott McCarron; Ryder
Cup teammates Stewart Cink and Jay Haas; Scott Hoch and Kenny Perry, who
have combined for 20 PGA Tour victories; 1993 PGA Champion Paul Azinger and
Olin Browne; 2005 winners Calcavecchia and Loren Roberts.
Norman will partner with three-time Shootout champion
Steve Elkington, who is making his 14th consecutive appearance in the
event.
"It is about time we knock Kuehne and Sluman off the
pedestal," Norman said. "I believe we have a number of teams capable of
doing just that. Every year, I feel we are extremely fortunate to host an
event that attracts so many of the game's best players, and this group once
again promises to bring a great deal of excitement to Tiburón."
In September, Shootout participants won three straight
PGA Tour events. Browne started the impressive streak with a victory at the
Deutsche Bank Championship. Calcavecchia captured the Bell Canadian Open
and Gore followed with a win at the 84 Lumber Classic. In total, eight
players in the Shootout field have won on either the PGA Tour or Champions
Tour this season.
Of the 24 professionals vying for their share of the
record $2.6 million purse, Gore, Herron and Jacobson are Merrill Lynch
Shootout rookies.
The 2005 field consists of 12, two-man teams based on the
following criteria: defending champions, top-three committing players from
the 2005 PGA Tour money list, top-10 committing players from the career
money list and special exemptions.
This year's event will again feature an alternate-shot
format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round
scramble. USA Network will televise Friday's coverage and CBS will handle
broadcasting duties over the weekend.
The Franklin Templeton Shootout was founded in 1989 as a
result of Laura and Greg Norman's desire to raise money and awareness for
children's charities and create a unique experience for PGA Tour players.
Tickets for the $2.6 million event are currently on sale and orders can be placed three ways: by calling 888-66-SHARK, visiting Alf's Golf Shop in Naples or going to ShopAtShark.com.
A Weekly Pass, which includes five individual daily tickets for Wednesday-Sunday action, is available for $60. You can purchase a daily grounds ticket in advance for $15 on Wednesday or Thursday and $20 for Friday through Sunday. A limited number of reserved seats on Tiburón's 18th green are available for $50 per day. Children 12 and under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult.
Also, for $100, patrons can enjoy A Taste of WCI. This incredible offer includes one Weekly Grounds Ticket and allows you to play 10 of the finest courses in South Florida for cart fee only. It also makes you eligible for valuable discounts on Greg Norman Collection merchandise, reduced rates at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, world-class instruction at the Rick Smith Golf Academy and frequent player rewards.
| 
