2 - PGA TOUR Media

Name
PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour (first reference)
Headquarters
112 PGA TOUR Boulevard, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, Phone: 904-285-3700
Commissioner
Timothy W. Finchem (since June 1, 1994)
President
Rick George (since January 24, 2003)
Web Site
PGATOUR.com
Overview
Formerly the Senior PGA Tour, the Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership
organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Since its inception in 1980
with just four sanctioned events and purses totaling $475,000, the Champions
Tour now has 29 official Charles Schwab Cup events, offering a minimum of
$52.7 million in official prize money in 2006 and its highest average pertournament
purse of $1.82 million. The Tour has an additional lineup of three
Challenge / unofficial-money events that are played in February, November and
December. The Champions Tour operates under the umbrella of the PGA TOUR,
which includes the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. The
Champions Tour’s primary purpose as a component of the PGA TOUR is to provide
significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older,
to protect the integrity of the game and to help grow the reach of the game in
the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities
for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of
money for charity.
History
1980 – 2006. The Tour enters its 27th season in 2006.
Charity
Champions Tour events generate significant sums of money for charity. On Oct.
30, 2005, the three Tours of the PGA TOUR and their tournaments announced
they had reached the $1-billion milestone in charitable giving, dating back to the
first record donation in 1938.
2006 Schedule
There are 29 official Charles Schwab Cup events, plus a lineup of three
Challenge/unofficial events that are played in February, November and
December. The 2006 Champions Tour plays in 17 states in the U.S., plus Mexico
and Scotland.
Major Championships (5)
Ford Senior Players Championship, JELD-WEN Tradition, Senior British Open,
Senior PGA Championship and U.S. Senior Open.
Prize Money
$52.7 million (minimum) – Official Charles Schwab Cup (29 events)
$2.67 million (minimum) – Challenge / Unofficial (3 events)
Charles Schwab Cup
The Charles Schwab Cup, designed to recognize the Champions Tour’s leading
player, rewards both top finishes and week-in/week-out consistency in all
official events. Players receive points for top-10 finishes and ties based on each
week's money distribution, with $1,000 earned being the equivalent of one
Charles Schwab Cup point, with double points awarded at the five major
championships and triple points at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup
Championship. The program offers $2.1 million in annuity payouts to its five
leading performers. Tom Watson won the Cup in 2005 for the second time in
three years.
Fact Sheet
PGATOUR.com Champions Tour 2006 Guide
Size of Field
In 2006, the field size for Champions Tour events will be 78 players, except at
those tournaments that have specific eligibility criteria. See “Eligibility” below
for details of a 78-player field.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for an official Champions Tour event, a player must be at least
50 years of age prior to his first tournament obligation. The field size at the majority
of Champions Tour events in 2006 will be 78 players based on the following
eligibility requirements:
1) 30 players — Available from Prior-Year Money List, floor of 50
2) 30 players — Available from All-Time Money List (not exempt in No. 1),
floor of net 70
3) 4 players — PGA TOUR Career Victory Category, ages 50 and 51 (not
exempt in No. 1 or No. 2)
4) 7 players — Available from National Qualifying Tournament (replaced by
Reorder Category on August 8)
5) 5 players — Invited by the Tournament
Two spots restricted: players with one PGA TOUR or Champions Tour win
and Veteran Member status
Three spots unrestricted
2 players — Open Qualifying
Up to three players (to a field maximum of 81 players) may be added to the field
based on:
• Tournament winners not already exempt
• Committed and eligible players from the All-Time Victory category
• Major medical extensions
The 2006 National Qualifying Tournament National Finals (six rounds / 108 holes),
held annually in November, will be played at the Tournament Players Club at Eagle
Trace in Coral Springs, FL. The top seven players will earn fully-exempt status and
the next eight conditionally-exempt status. The Finals are preceded by one set of
regional qualifiers.
Membership
Champions Tour members hail from around the globe. In 2006, 24 international
players have full or partial Tour exemptions. Thirteen countries are represented,
including Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand,
Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, the United States and Zimbabwe.
Hall of Fame Members
The following 20 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame are members of the
Champions Tour: Isao Aoki, Deane Beman, Tommy Bolt, Billy Casper, Ben Crenshaw,
Roberto De Vicenzo, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin, Tony Jacklin, Tom Kite, Gene Littler,
Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Charlie
Sifford, Peter Thomson, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. Deceased members who
were active on the Champions Tour include Julius Boros, Paul Runyan and Sam
Snead.
Fan Features
Initiated in 2003, the Champions Tour's Fan Features are designed to give the Tour
a distinct identity and complement the high level of skill displayed by its members
in tournament play. The Champions Tour seeks to be the most approachable,
accessible and fan-friendly arena, not only in golf, but in all of sports. In three years,
the program has had significant impact as evidenced by the positive feedback
received weekly from tournament promoters, sponsors and fans, with players going
out of their way to support the program. Fan Features include live television
interviews during play, gallery in the fairway, honorary observers, caddie for a day,
player Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes tours, a game-improvement platform and
more.
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION
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