CHAMPIONS TOUR UPDATE – Week of May 20

RECENTLY

Kenny Perry finished T33 at last week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship. It was Perry’s first PGA TOUR start since last year’s Greenbrier Classic in July where he finished T46. Duffy Waldorf finished T48 and Vijay Singh, who has yet to tee it up on the Champions Tour, made the 36-hole cut but missed the 54-hole cut.

COMING UP

Bobby Wadkins will be making his 1,000^th career start (combined PGA TOUR/Champions Tour) when he tees off at this week’s Senior PGA Championship. He has 713 starts on the PGA TOUR and 286 more on the Champions Tour to his credit.

Bob Gilder will be playing in the 59^th consecutive major championship on the Champions Tour when he begins the Senior PGA Championship, the longest streak in Champions Tour annals.

This year’s field at the Senior PGA Championship includes players from 34 states and 17 countries.

Current Champions Tour Rules Officials Joe Terry and Gene Smith were Co-Vice Chairmen of the National PGA Rules Committee during the 1992 PGA Championship at Bellerive and will return to the host venue for the Senior PGA Championship this week as members of that same committee.

The PGA of America issued a special invitation to Jerry Tucker to compete in the Senior PGA Championship. Tucker, 62, was the head professional at Bellerive CC for a decade, 1987-97, before moving to Florida to prepare for the Champions Tour when he turned 50. He was an assistant at Bellerive from 1978-81. Although he never earned exempt status on the Champions Tour, it will be Tucker’s ninth Senior PGA. He’s also played twice each in the U.S. Senior Open, Senior British Open, PGA Championship and U.S. Open. Tucker’s brother, Mike, is the current PGA Head Professional at Bellerive.

Current Champions Tour stars Tom Lehman, David Frost and Corey Pavin will compete this week on the PGA TOUR at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial where the trio are past champions. Lehman won the title in 1995, Pavin in 1996 and Frost in 1997.

CHARLES SCHWAB CUP

Double points are available for all five of the major championships on the Champions Tour, beginning with this week’s Senior PGA Championship. Last year, Roger Chapman earned 756 Charles Schwab Cup points for his victory at the Senior PGA Championship. All 30 players in the field at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship also earn double Charles Schwab Cup points.

NUMBERS

11 – The number of players who have won both the PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship in their careers. The group includes Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Don January, Julius Boros, Sam Snead, Chandler Harper, Paul Runyan, Gene Sarazen and Jock Hutchinson. Floyd, Trevino, Nicklaus, January and Player all did so as members of the Champions Tour.

ON THIS DATE

5/20/84 – Peter Jacobsen birdies the first extra hole to defeat good friend Payne Stewart to win the Colonial National Invitation.

5/22/94 – Tom Lehman posts four consecutive rounds of 67 to roll to a five-stroke victory over Greg Norman at the memorial Tournament near Columbus, OH. It was his first PGA Tour win.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bellerive CC hosts the Senior PGA Championship this week and was also slated to host the 2001 World Golf Championships-American Express Championship, but officials canceled the tournament because of the 9-11 attacks. Bellerive also hosted the inaugural U.S. Mid-Amateur, in 1981 (won by Jim Holtgrieve), and will serve as the site of the 100^th PGA Championship in 2018.

QUOTES TO NOTE

“The greatest reward in life is to be remembered.” – Ken Venturi, who passed away less than two weeks after being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

“I suddenly thought, ‘He wants to play and couldn’t, and I could play and didn’t want to.’ I thought that was pretty selfish.” – Roger Chapman comments in a recent interview about the sad perspective he gained following the tragic death of Payne Stewart in an airplane accident.

 TWEET OF THE WEEK

Allianz Championship ‏@AllianzChamp “If you look at @ChampionsTour & the PGA tour, there should be no competition for marketability we should kick their butt. ” @RoccoMediate

Champions Tour pros, caddies, volunteers, spectators and staff have accepted a friendly challenge to track the miles walked during the week of The ACE Group Classic and the NCH Healthcare System will benefit from a $10,000 donation from The ACE Group Classic

For more on the My Miles Fore NCH program, click here

The SUBWAY® restaurants Family Putt for Dough Challenge will take place during tournament week, February 12-17. The SUBWAY® restaurants Family Putt for Dough Challenge is a free, 3-hole putting challenge that gives spectators a chance to test their skills, compete against their family, friends, and fellow fans for the opportunity to win the grand prize of $50,000.

Winners will be posted daily. Click here for more on the SUBWAY® restaurants Family Putt for Dough Challenge.

All daily winners took part in the Saturday Shootout, where they competed to win $50,000. For the results of the Saturday Shootout, click here.

CHAMPIONS TOUR (PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL) – The ACE Group Classic, along with the Champions Tour, announced today that Nancy Ariansen has been named the Champions Tour Volunteer of the Tournament for her loyal service over the last 11 years at the Naples event.

Ariansen receives a Champions Tour-logoed Waterford crystal gift and will now become a finalist for the Champions Tour’s Volunteer of the Year award at the conclusion of the 2012 season. She will also receive a personal note from Champions Tour President Mike Stevens in recognition of his achievement.

Nancy Ariansen receives her award for Volunteer of the Tournament from Tournament Coordinator, Kyler O’Shea.

At each Champions Tour event, an individual is recognized for outstanding service and dedication above and beyond the expectation of a volunteer and that person becomes a finalist for the year-end award.

Volunteers are always present, but often unnoticed, at all PGA TOUR co-sanctioned events, with approximately 1,000 people providing their time and efforts at each Champions Tour tournament. Their selfless efforts have helped the PGA TOUR and its tournaments donate more than $1.7 billion to charity over the years, including more than $118 million last year.

Lesley Baker, Tournament Director of the ACE Group Classic, along with tournament staff, volunteer leaders and Champions Tour Advance Rules/Operations Officials determined the Volunteer of the Tournament by considering the qualities and attributes to select an individual who:

• Made a difference in tournament operations

• Consistently stepped up to take on additional responsibilities.

• Went beyond assigned duties to create a positive outcome.

• Set an outstanding example for others.

• Despite hardship, handicap or inconvenience, was dependable and performed responsibilities with a cheerful attitude.

Ariansen grew up in suburban Boston, but she and her husband, Bud, moved permanently to Naples in 2009. In addition to working at the ACE Group Classic, she has also served as a volunteer at the Franklin Templeton Shootout for 10 years and has worked at the Deutsche Bank Championship near Boston as well as the LPGA’s Sybase Classic.

Ariansen works in the tournament office at the ACE Group Classic, both during the week of the event and the week prior. She fields calls, answers questions from callers, and is the first face people see when they walk into the on-site facility. In a sometimes frantic environment, Ariansen handles every project in a professional manner and is as much a part of the Octagon team as any of the full-time tournament staffers.

“Nancy goes out of her way to ensure all of our staff are happy and helps provide what they need in order to execute our event to the highest standard possible,” Baker said. “She leads by example, is level-headed and easy to communicate with, and approaches everyone with a warm smile and a willingness to get the job done no matter the challenge. We congratulate Nancy and know we are very fortunate to have her involved with our event.”

“Congratulations to Nancy for being named as the Champions Tour Volunteer of the Tournament,” said Mike Stevens, President of the Champions Tour. “Typical of the thousands of volunteers who devote their time and efforts throughout the year, Nancy stands out as a fine example of the people who have become part of the fabric of the Champions Tour and have helped us to realize the success we enjoy. We thank her, and recognize her for her incredible dedication to the ACE Group Classic.”

Mark Williams Director, Communications, Champions Tour

Morning Pro-Am Results

1st Place: 48
Professional – Jay Don Blake
Amateurs - Joe LaCagnina, Jon Laver, Ed Massaglia, Ron Jacobsen

2nd Place: 49
Professional - Mark Calcavecchia
Amateurs - Bruce Seigel, Jonathan Jay, Jon McGaunn, Michel Saadeh

3rd Place: 50
Professional – John Cook
Amateurs - Jamie Alt, John Marovich, Daniel Light, Gunther Reese

Closest to the Pin (Hole No. 2): Tim Gardner
Men’s Long Drive (Hole No. 6): Knight Schwandt
Women’s Long Drive (Hole No. 17): Joanie Williams

Afternoon Pro-Am Results

1st Place: 47
Professional – Andy Bean
Amateurs - Jim Davis, Larry Conner, Matt Massei, Paul Campion

2nd Place: 51
Professional - Corey Pavin
Amateurs - Jeff Schomburger, Ron Johnson, Rich Kley, Doug Myers

3rd Place: 52
Professional - Chip Beck
Amateurs - Michael Heller, Thomas Gravina, Michael Forman, Walter Buckley

Closest to the Pin (Hole No. 2): Larry Conner
Men’s Long Drive (Hole No. 6): Matt Massei
Women’s Long Drive (Hole No. 17): Gina Lupica

Morning Pro-Am Results

1st Place: 52
Professional – Kip Byrne
Amateurs – AJ Lurie, Rick Cecil, Sanjay Parkash, Mario Mitchetti

2nd Place: 53
Professional – Jim Carter
Amateurs – Doug Bertz, Todd Heidtman, David Call, Jeremy Viltro

3rd Place: 53
Professional – Larry Mize
Amateurs – Bill Garrigan, John Jennings, James Drinkwater, Tim Turner

Closest to the Pin (Hole No. 2): Ryan Lowe
Men’s Long Drive (Hole No. 6): Knight Schwandt
Women’s Long Drive (Hole No. 17): Sarah Lindo

Afternoon Pro-Am Results

1st Place: 47
Professional – Bobby Clampett
Amateurs – Rusty Whitley, Tracy Ward, Adam Piatt, Rick Johnston

2nd Place: 49
Professional – Dan Forsman
Amateurs – Dave Brierbrauer, Jane Kapp, HA Street, Bob Wilson

3rd Place: 52
Professional – Jay Sigel
Amateurs – Philip Bancroft, Michael Atieh, John Lafferty, Neil Metzheiser

Closest to the Pin (Hole No. 2): Jeremy Bergeron
Men’s Long Drive (Hole No. 6): Adam Piatt
Women’s Long Drive (Hole No. 17): Stephanie Carlozzi

At an 18 hole qualifying round from Old Corkscrew in Estero, the final seven participants in The ACE Group Classic earned their spots.

Qualified