This & That On The 2003 Franklin Templeton Shootout Field

NAPLES, Fla. (November 5, 2003) - An impressive field will be coming to Naples next week for The Franklin Templeton Shootout. Here are some interesting facts about the careers of this special group:

Top 30:

Four competitors attending this year's tournament qualified for THE TOUR Championship this week in Houston, Texas, where the top-30 players on the official money list qualify. Kenny Perry (6th), Chad Campbell (9th), Brad Faxon (11th) and Fred Funk (25th) are among the elite field.

The Team Game:

The format for The Franklin Templeton Shootout calls for all 24 players to join a partner and act as a team for the three days of competition. This group certainly knows how to do so. Fourteen players in the field have either been on a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team during their careers.

Presidents Cup participants: Paul Azinger, Mark Calcavecchia, Scott Hoch, John Huston, Lee Janzen, Mark O'Meara, Kenny Perry, Greg Norman and Steve Elkington. Note: Representing the U.S. in this year's Presidents Cup for the first time is Fred Funk.

Ryder Cup participants: Paul Azinger, Mark Calcavecchia, John Cook, Brad Faxon, Scott Hoch, Peter Jacobsen, Lee Janzen, Mark O'Meara and Craig Stadler.

Q-School Champs:

Early stages of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament are under way. Two players in the field were medalist at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament Final - Paul Azinger in 1984 and John Huston in 1987.

Player of the Year Honors:

Players are also trying to figure out whom they will vote for as their Player of the Year. Two players in The Franklin Templeton Shootout field have been selected for this honor. Greg Norman was Player of the Year in 1995 and Mark O'Meara was voted the best in 1998. Moreover, Paul Azinger earned PGA Player of the Year honors in 1987 as did Norman and O'Meara in 1995 and 1998, respectively.

Victories:

The 24 players in the field have accumulated 193 career PGA TOUR victories.

Major Championship Titles:

Twenty major championships have been won by the 24 players in the field. Nick Faldo leads the group of nine players who have won either a Masters, U.S. Open, British Open or PGA Championship with six major titles. Greg Norman, Mark O'Meara and Lee Janzen follow with two major titles each. Other major championship winners are: Paul Azinger, Rich Beem, Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington, Shaun Micheel, Jeff Sluman, Craig Stadler and Tom Kite.

World Rankings:

The field includes five of the top-30 players in the world through the Chrysler Championship. Kenny Perry (8th), Brad Faxon (17th), Chad Campbell (26th), Rocco Mediate (28th) and Fred Funk (30th).

Vardon Trophy Winners:

Two players in the field won Vardon Trophy honors, which is given annually by the PGA of america to the professional golfer with the lowest scoring average for a season. Greg Norman won it three times - in 1989 (69.49), 1990 (69.10) and 1994 (68.81) and Steve Elkington won it in 1995 (69.62).

U.S. amateur Champions:

Three players in the field have won one of the most prestigious amateur titles in the world. John Cook won it in 1978 and the following year Mark O'Meara was the best amateur. Craig Stadler won it in 1973.

Low Numbers:

Three players in the field set new milestones toward the all-time TOUR records for scoring during their careers. Mark Calcavecchia shot 65-60-64-67-- 256 for a 72-hole record upon winning the 2001 Phoenix Open; John Cook fired 64-62- 63 - 189 for the lowest opening 54 hole record at the 1996 FedEx St. Jude Classic, which Calcavecchia later tied. Finally, John Huston shot 28-under-par 260 at the 1998 United Airlines Hawaiian Open to break Mike Souchak's record which stood since 1955. Another record Calcavecchia later tied.

Thanks Sis':

The last player to win a tournament with his sister serving as his caddie was John Huston when he won the 1998 United Airlines Hawaiian Open.

Extra, Extra Play:

The last time a competition needed six extra holes to decide a winner occurred when Greg Norman defeated Larry Mize in a 6-hole playoff to win the 1986 Kemper Open.

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