DETROIT, Mich. – Former Buick Open Champion Justin Leonard, Paul Azinger and Darren Clarke are among the early commitments to the 2007 Buick Open field. The tournament is scheduled to take place at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, June 25-July 1.
Leonard, 34, won the 1996 Buick Open and is eighth on the PGA Tour’s all-time earnings list. Leonard has 10 career PGA Tour victories including the 1997 British Open Championship and the 1998 Players Championship. His most recent victory came at the 2005 FedEx St. Jude Classic. This will be Leonard’s eighth appearance at Warwick Hills. He finished tied for tenth in the 2001 Buick Open.
Azinger, 47, will be competing in his 14th Buick Open. His best finish came in 2002, when he tied for sixth. The 1993 PGA Championship winner has 12 career PGA Tour victories and ranks 37th on the PGA Tour’s all-time earnings list.
Clarke, 39, won the 2000 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and the 2003 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational. Internationally, Clarke has won 12 Championships and has been on five European Ryder Cup teams.
Other early commitments to the Buick Open field include Charles Howell III, John Rollins, Brett Wetterich, Lucas Glover, Trevor Immelman, John Daly, and former Buick Open Champions Jim Furyk, Woody Austin, Rocco Mediate, Tom Pernice, Jr. and Billy Mayfair.
Tiger Woods said he intends to play in the 2007 Buick Open, but has not officially committed to the tournament.
Azinger, Clarke, Leonard and rest of the 2007 Buick Open field will compete for a record $4.9 million purse, including an $882,000 first prize and a 2008 Buick Enclave.
For Buick Open tickets and information, call 1 (800) 878-OPEN or go to www.buickopen.pgatour.com.
Buick is the title-sponsor of two PGA Tour events in 2007. In addition to the Buick Open, Buick sponsors The Buick Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., which was won by Tiger Woods during the week of January 22-28.
Buick has been the official car of the PGA Tour since 1984. Through its title-sponsored PGA Tour events Buick has donated more than $38 million to local charities in its tournament cities since 1982. More than $8.8 million has been donated to the Buick Open charities, including a record $832,000 in 2006.
Contact:
Al Abrams, Buick Open media director
(212) 367-4527
al.abrams@momentumww.com
