BETHESDA, MD — Rivals on the PGA TOUR money list, in the FedExCup points series and on many a Sunday, World Golf Hall of Famer Vijay Singh’s intention to play the inaugural AT&T National, July 3-8, adds yet another marquee name to the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods.
Fiji’s Singh is joined by South Korean K.J. Choi, last weekend’s Memorial Tournament champ, and PGA TOUR and Champions Tour ace Fred Funk in a truly international, 120-player field which includes Jim Furyk, Adam Scott, Davis Love III, Darren Clarke, Charles Howell III, Stuart Appleby and Justin Rose.
The $6 million AT&T National features a winner’s check of $1.08 million and will be televised by Golf Channel during the initial two rounds and by CBS during the final two rounds on the weekend.
Singh, a 31-time PGA TOUR winner (including the 2000 Masters and 1998 and 2004 PGA Championships) and World Golf Hall of Fame inductee on Oct. 30, is the only golfer not named Tiger Woods to win the PGA TOUR’s Jack Nicklaus Trophy (Player of the Year), Arnold Palmer Award (leading money winner) and Byron Nelson Award (adjusted scoring average) since 1999. Singh accomplished all of these accolades during his career year in 2004.
In 2007, Singh’s victories at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship and March’s Arnold Palmer Invitational only trail Woods’ three titles. Singh is second to Woods on the Tour’s all-time money list and ranks third this year in earnings ($3,311,060) and FedExCup points (14,409). Woods is the leader on both of those accounts. Singh is No. 1, one place above Woods, this year in the all-around ranking statistic, which is computed by totaling a player’s rank in scoring, putting, eagles, birdies, sand saves, greens in regulation and driving distance and accuracy.
Choi is quickly rising up to the ranks of the PGA TOUR’s elite. Fresh off of his fifth PGA TOUR victory at last weekend’s Memorial Tournament, Choi moved up 15 spots to No. 17 in the Official World Golf Ranking and is No. 8 on the PGA TOUR money list and the FedExCup points standings. He has four top-10 finishes this year and has won a PGA TOUR event each of the last three years.
Eight-time PGA TOUR winner and Takoma Park, Md. native Funk, who turns 51 next week, joined Craig Stadler as the only golfers to win on the PGA and Champions Tours in the same year. Funk won the Champions Tour’s Turtle Bay Championship in January and, four weeks later, the PGA TOUR’s Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun. Funk was the golf coach at the University of Maryland from 1982-88 before joining the PGA TOUR in 1989.
The AT&T National features almost a week’s worth of festivities. Congressional will open to the public on Tuesday, July 3 with professional practice rounds, followed by the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 4 and four rounds of tournament play from July 5-8.
All tickets and limited hospitality packages (which include Sky Boxes and Capital Club packages) can be ordered by calling 1-800-594-TIXX or visiting the tournament website at www.attnational.org.
The Capital Club ticket empowers golf fans to experience the tournament in the most privileged manner. Capital Club ticketholders are granted access to The Capital Club pavilion – situated near the green on hole No. 11 of Congressional Country Club and offering first-class amenities such as continental breakfast, lunch, refreshments and parking – and a private hospitality area on the course. Capital Club ticket holders also receive a complimentary event program and pairings guides.
Capital Club tickets cost $375 per day and are limited by space. Hence, fans are encouraged to act quickly in ordering Capital Club tickets. Daily gallery passes are grounds-only passes and cost $20 Tuesday-Friday and $25 for the tournament’s closing rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Weekly gallery badges ($65) are good-all-week grounds passes and are the best bet for those who want to be regulars at the inaugural AT&T National. General admission parking is free.
The AT&T National will benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation and pay tribute to the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces. In addition to serving as the host organization, the Tiger Woods Foundation also plans to expand its programs to the East Coast by bringing the Tiger Woods Learning Center to Washington, D.C.
About the Tiger Woods Foundation Since its inception in 1996 by Tiger Woods and his father Earl, the Tiger Woods Foundation has reached an estimated 10 million young people through character development, career exploration and grant making programs. Programs developed and supported by the Tiger Woods Foundation all share a similar mission of empowering young people to dream big and to set specific goals to achieve their dreams. The Tiger Woods Learning Center is a youth-education facility and curriculum created by the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Launched in February, 2006, the Tiger Woods Learning Center is an innovative 14-acre, after school campus designed to inspire career exploration. Serving members in grades 5 through 12, classes include forensic science, robotics, engineering, aerospace, video production and home design. Start Something, based on Earl Woods’ best-selling book, is a free program for youth 8-17 that addresses three priorities: character education, volunteer service and career exploration. Through participation in Start Something, youth define a specific personal goal and develop an action plan to achieve it while giving back to their community and exploring careers that fit within their areas of interest. More information on the Tiger Woods Foundation and its programs can be found at tigerwoodsfoundation.org.
About AT&T AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation’s leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.
Contact:
Steve Brener/Damian Secore, BZA, 818-462-5598/818-462-5614
Emily Taylor, Tiger Woods Foundation, 949-725-3003
Bill Palen, AT&T, 214-665-1310
attnational.org
Covering the business of golf!
