On Wednesday, the Nationwide Tour announced a new event in Nationwide’s hometown of Columbus, OH. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational, to be played July 9-15, 2007, is the only invitational on the Tour’s schedule and features a unique eligibility component. For the first time, a Nationwide Tour event will include invitations to accomplished collegiate golfers, plus the U.S. Amateur champion:
Current NCAA Championship medalist (Arnold Palmer Award winner)
Current College Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award winner)
Current Golf Coaches Association of America/PING first-team All-Americas (10)
U.S. Amateur champion (Richie Ramsey)
The NCAA Division I Championship will be played May 30 – June 2 in Williamsburg, VA. The Golf Coaches Association of America will announce the Palmer and Nicklaus award winners and the All-Americas at the completion of the Championship on June 2nd.
The college players and U.S. Amateur champion will be eligible even if they turn pro before the tournament.
"The Nationwide Tour is about identifying PGA TOUR stars of the future," said Nationwide Tour President Bill Calfee. "We thought it was appropriate to recognize some of the best amateur and college players."
The 144-player field will also include:
Prior year and current year tournament winners
The 60 leading money earners on the current year Official Money List
Prior year members that finished 21-60 on the Official Money List
Six (6) sponsor exemptions, two of which are restricted to PGA TOUR / Nationwide Tour members
If not otherwise eligible, any finisher in the top 25 and ties from the previous event
To complete the field, those players not otherwise eligible off the current year Official Money List
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational will be played at The Ohio State University Golf Club / Scarlet Course in Columbus. OSU alumnus and Columbus native Jack Nicklaus will serve as Honorary Chairman. The Scarlet Course has been the host site of 10 men’s NCAA golf championships.
Contact:
Jeff Adams
Director of Communications, Nationwide Tour
Tel: 904-273-3397
