Tickets just $15 and children under the age of 15 are admitted free to the second annual PGA Champions Tour event that benefits Habitat for Humanity
JACKSON, Mississippi) – The Magnolia State will once again draw some of the biggest names in golf when the second annual Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic tees off at highly acclaimed Fallen Oak, just north of Biloxi, March 28-April 3.
World Golf Hall of Famers Bernhard Langer, Hale Irwin and Tom Kite lead the field for the PGA Champions Tour event that features a $1.6-million purse. Other major championship winners in the field of 78 include Ben Crenshaw, Mark Calcavecchia, Nick Price, Larry Nelson, Craig Stadler, Hal Sutton, Bob Tway and Lanny Wadkins.
“We’re excited to host yet another prominent event on the golf calendar,” said Mary Beth Wilkerson, the state’s Division of Tourism Director. “Golf fans worldwide will see how beautiful Fallen Oak and Mississippi are via the extensive Golf Channel coverage.”
The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic is one of two annual PGA events the state hosts. The PGA Tour’s Viking Classic is held each year at Annandale Golf Club and this season will be played July 11-17 as part of the FedEx Cup schedule.
Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Week starts Sunday, March 27 when the IP Resort & Spa and the Bacot McCarty Foundation Junior Clinic is held at Shell Landing Golf Course. On Monday, practice rounds begin at Fallen Oak, an amenity of Beau Rivage Casino Resort.
The popular pro-am tournaments will be held Tuesday at Grand Bear Golf Course and Wednesday and Thursday at Fallen Oak. Competitive rounds in the 54-hole event are set for Friday through Sunday and will be broadcast for more than 17 hours on Golf Channel.
Tickets are just $15 and children 15 years of age or younger are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Volunteer packages are $55 and are valued at more than $400 as each volunteer receives a golf shirt, hat or visor, volunteer credentials, five Good Any Day Tournament Grounds Tickets for a guest, meals during volunteer shifts and a parking pass.
Last year, the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, which donates proceeds to the Habitat for Humanity, attracted 50,000 fans and Fallen Oak drew rave reviews from players, caddies, spectators and media, adding to its allure as one of the top courses in the U.S.
For more information, or to receive a free Mississippi Golf Travel Guide and suggested play-and-stay itineraries, call toll-free 1-866-801-8551, or check out www.visitmississippi.org/golf.
About Mississippi Golf
Attractions contributing to Mississippi’s growing popularity as the preferred golf-and-travel destination include:
• More than 170 courses offering a variety of price points and designs from world-class architects such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Jerry Pate and Tom Fazio
• Year-round golf weather with temperate conditions throughout five distinct regions — The Hills, The Delta, The Capital/River, The Pines, The Coastal
• Home to two annual PGA Tour events: The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic of the Champions Tour, played at Fallen Oak (March 30-April 3, 2011) and The Viking Classic of the PGA Tour, played at Annadale Country Club (July 14-19, 2011)
• Third-largest gaming destination in North America, featuring exciting gaming, upscale shopping, live entertainment, luxurious spas and internationally acclaimed golf courses
• Birthplace of Blues, rock ‘n roll and country music. Mississippi Blues Trail markers are placed at key sites throughout the state to honor blues musicians and give visitors insight into this special musical heritage
• World-famous, authentic southern cuisine offering savory barbecue, fresh seafood and French-Cajun delicacies
• A busy calendar of more than 400 unique events scheduled throughout the year
• A host of non-golf activities including boating, fishing, bird-watching, hiking, biking, hunting, camping and more
For more information visit www.visitmississippi.org or call toll-free 1-866-801-8551
Contact:
Gary Trask, 978.228.0314
Buffalo Communications
gtrask@billycaspergolf.com
Dan Shepherd, 703.891.3320
Buffalo Communications
dshepherd@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
