24 of Golf’s Finest Prepare for Trip to Tiburon
NAPLES, Fla. (October 2, 2006) – A foursome that boasts a collective seven major championships and over 30 worldwide victories, has been added to the Merrill Lynch Shootout field and will join host Greg Norman November 8-12 at Tiburon Golf Club for the PGA TOUR’s premier post-season event.
Nick Faldo, the 2008 European Ryder Cup captain, 1995 PGA Championship winner Steve Elkington, 2006 Ryder Cup rookie J.J Henry and Bonita Springs resident Peter Jacobsen complete the field of 24 professionals.
The 12, two-player teams will be announced next week.
"When it came down to the final hour, some tough decisions had to be made to complete this year’s field," Norman said. "The list of players who wanted to play and were qualified to play was extensive. The high level of interest and desire by my fellow competitors to join us for a great week and a worthy cause is tremendous."
Faldo, whose resume boasts six major championships, will be making his second appearance in Naples. In 2004, he teamed with Fred Funk. Henry, winner of the Buick Championship earlier this year and one of four rookies on last month’s U.S. Ryder Cup team, will be playing in his first Merrill Lynch Shootout. Jacobsen will be making his 16th appearance—second only to Norman for most tournaments played.
The Merrill Lynch Shootout will once again feature a modified alternate shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. In 2006, the USA Network will televise Friday’s coverage and CBS will broadcast the weekend activities.
Entering its 18th year, the Merrill Lynch Shootout was created by Norman to raise awareness and charitable offerings for the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.
Tickets for the $2.75 million PGA TOUR event are on sale now. Orders can be placed three ways – calling 888-66-SHARK, visiting Alf’s Golf Shop in Naples or going to www.mlshootout.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. Reserved seats are only available by calling 888-66-SHARK. 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 12 of the finest WCI courses in the region 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.
Alphabetical List of Participating Professionals
Mark Calcavecchia J.J. Henry Greg Norman
Chad Campbell Scott Hoch Mark O’Meara
Fred Couples J.B. Holmes Kenny Perry
John Daly John Huston Nick Price
Steve Elkington Trevor Immelman Rory Sabbatini
Nick Faldo Peter Jacobsen Jeff Sluman
Brad Faxon Jerry Kelly Annika Sorenstam
Fred Funk Justin Leonard Scott Verplank
For the latest Merrill Lynch Shootout news and information, please visit the official tournament Website at www.mlshootout.com
About Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s leading management, capital markets and advisory companies, with offices in 36 countries and territories and total client assets of approximately $1.8 trillion. As an investment bank, it is a leading global trader and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a broad range of asset classes and serves as a strategic advisor to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Through Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, the company is one of the world’s largest managers of financial assets. Firmwide, assets under management total $589 billion. For more information on Merrill Lynch, please visit www.ml.com
About Tiburon Golf Club
Tiburon, a 36-hole Greg Norman-design course was carved from 800 acres of prime southwest Florida real estate. The courses reflect Norman’s appreciation for pristine natural settings and his passion for great golf. The Black and The Gold courses contain a combination of stacked sod-wall bunkers and tricky coquina waste bunkers. Certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International, Tiburon reflects a strong commitment to enhancing and protecting the natural resources.
About CureSearch
CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation proudly supports the collaborative research efforts of the world’s largest and most prestigious childhood cancer research organization, CureSearch Children’s Oncology Group. At more than 200 member institutions – representing every pediatric cancer program and treating 90 percent of children with cancer in North America – CureSearch is making rapid scientific progress to identify cancer causes and pioneer better treatments and cures. CureSearch is dedicated to reaching the day when every child with cancer can be guaranteed a cure. For more information visit www.CureSearch.org or call 800.458.6223.
About The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples is the proud recipient of AAA’s highest honor: The Five-Diamond Award, establishing it as one of the greatest resorts in the country. The resort also scored an impressive ranking as the #1 resort in Florida in Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s annual reader’s poll and #3 in Florida by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. In the November 2004 issue of Golf Digest magazine, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort was ranked as the No. #1 luxury golf resort in Florida and No. #25 in North America, beating out some of the long-standing top golf resorts in the country. The 295-room resort is Florida’s finest luxury golf resort and is renowned for its incredible cuisine, outstanding service and luxurious rooms with panoramic views of the Greg Norman-designed golf course.
Contact:
Emily Pachuta
Merrill Lynch
609-282-8965
emily_pachuta@ml.com
Lee Patterson
Merrill Lynch Shootout
704-553-4790
pattersonprinc@yahoo.com