2009 PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP GUIDE

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courage, all 128 swings.

PROGRAM

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TOURNAMENT

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TPC SAWGRASS MAY 4-10, 2009

2009 PLAYERS Championship

As long as a child is willing to try this great and sometimes exasperating game of golf, we plan on being there to help them. We are proud to support the efforts of The First Tee, which has brought the game of golf and its positive values to more than 2.9 million young people.

A S S U R A N C E / TA X / A D V I S O R Y

© 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a Delaware limited liability partnership) or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. The First Tee® is a World Golf Foundation initiative.

SERGIO GARCIA 2008 CHAMPION


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Meticulous preparation. It’s the cornerstone of confidence, in golf and in finance.

Confidence isn’t just a word. It’s a commitment. In golf, as in finance, every decision counts. Which is why, at UBS, we are committed to helping you feel confident in your financial decisions. This has been our focus and will continue to be, no matter what challenges lie ahead. You can be confident that we’ve taken the steps to remain one of the best capitalized banks in the world.* And that we’re redoubling our efforts to listen, to understand, and prepare you for financial success. This is our commitment to you, and to the financial relationship we call “You & Us.”

UBS is a Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS Championship.

*Based on a comparison of UBS’s December 31, 2008 Tier 1 capital ratio against Tier 1 capital ratios most recently reported by banks governed by the Basel I or II Capital Accords. © UBS 2009. All rights reserved.


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COMMISSIONER

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FINCHEM

Welcome from the PGA TOUR Commissioner On behalf of the PGA TOUR, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2009 PLAYERS Championship. The 2008 PLAYERS, as many of you saw first hand, provided one of the most exciting finishes of the season, with Sergio Garcia capturing the most significant win of his career thus far in the event’s first sudden-death playoff in more than 20 years. He defeated veteran Paul Goydos with a par on the 17th hole. It was a successful tournament – from the enthusiastic crowds, unbelievable media coverage and inspired competition among the best players in the world. Those successes enabled us to help our Northeast Florida neighbors more than ever before. In 2008, we raised a record $3 million for charities across the First Coast, which brings our total to more than $31 million since 1977. We thank you for the role you have played and continue to play in that success. This year, you will again be treated to the high-level competition that has come to define THE PLAYERS. The world’s best players have assembled in Ponte Vedra Beach, and Sergio will no doubt be a defending champion to be reckoned with as he looks to become the first back-to-back winner in PLAYERS history against an incredibly talented field. In addition to our great fans and tireless volunteer force of more than 2,000, our appreciation goes to our Proud Partners – PricewaterhouseCoopers, JELD-WEN and UBS. The support of these three companies allows THE PLAYERS to continue as one of the world’s premier golf championships. Again, welcome to THE PLAYERS. We hope you enjoy the very best the PGA TOUR has to offer.

Sincerely,

Timothy W. Finchem Commissioner PGA TOUR

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PAST WINNERS

THE PLAYERS History YEAR

WINNER

SCORE

1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981

Jack Nicklaus Al Geiberger Jack Nicklaus Mark Hayes Jack Nicklaus Lanny Wadkins Lee Trevino Raymond Floyd*

272 270 269 289 289 283 278 285

1982

Jerry Pate

280

1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992

Hal Sutton Fred Couples Calvin Peete John Mahaffey Sandy Lyle* Mark McCumber Tom Kite Jodie Mudd Steve Elkington Davis Love III

283 277 274 275 274 273 279 278 276 273

1993 1994 1995 1996

Nick Price Greg Norman Lee Janzen Fred Couples

270 264 283 270

1997 1998

Steve Elkington Justin Leonard

272 278

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

David Duval Hal Sutton Tiger Woods Craig Perks Davis Love III

285 278 274 280 271

2004 2005

Adam Scott Fred Funk

276 279

2006 2007 2008

Stephen Ames Phil Mickelson Sergio Garcia*

274 277 283

KEY: * = Playoff

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RUNNER-UP J.C. Snead Dave Stockton J.C. Snead Mike McCullough Lou Graham Tom Watson Ben Crenshaw Barry Jaeckel Curtis Strange Brad Bryant Scott Simpson Bob Eastwood Lee Trevino D.A. Weibring Larry Mize Jeff Sluman Mike Reid Chip Beck Mark Calcavecchia Fuzzy Zoeller Ian Baker-Finch Phil Blackmar Nick Faldo Tom Watson Bernhard Langer Fuzzy Zoeller Bernhard Langer Colin Montgomerie Tommy Tolles Scott Hoch Glen Day Tom Lehman Scott Gump Tiger Woods Vijay Singh Stephen Ames Jay Haas Padraig Harrington Padraig Harrington Tom Lehman Luke Donald Scott Verplank Retief Goosen Sergio Garcia Paul Goydos

SCORE

LOCATION

PAR/YARDS

274 273 272 291 290 288 279 285

Atlanta CC, Marietta, GA Colonial CC, Fort Worth, TX Inverrary G&CC, Lauderhill, FL Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/6,883 70/7,160 72/7,127 72/7,174 72/7,174 72/7,174 72/7,174 72/7,174

282

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/6,857

284 278 277 276 274 277 280 279 277 277

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857

275 268 284 274

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,857 72/6,896

279 280

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/6,896 72/6,950

287 279 275 282 277

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/7,093 72/7,093 72/7,093 72/7,093 72/7,093

277 280

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/7,093 72/7,093

280 279 283

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

72/7,098 72/7,215 72/7,215


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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Tableof Contents

Giving Back, pg. 84

THE PLAYERS Week Schedule Monday, May 4

7:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

Wednesday, May 6 7:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

Thursday, May 7 6:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

Friday, May 8 6:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

Saturday, May 9 6:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

Sunday, May 10 6:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

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Tournament Officials, Rules, Past Chairmen 6 THE PLAYERS Records

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THE PLAYERS “The Starter”

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Eligibility Requirements

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Stadium Village

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2008 Review

14-15

Defending Champion Sergio Garcia

16-20

Practice Round for Professionals 5-5:15 p.m. Military Tribute to President Bush (41) 6-10 p.m. THE PLAYERS Downtown ExperienceJacksonville Landing

Paul Goydos

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Local Players and their Successes

24-27

Player Profiles

28-58

First Round, Threesomes off Nos. 1, 10 (7:15-9:15 a.m.) (12:15-2:15 p.m.) 1-7 p.m. GOLF CHANNEL coverage 6-10 p.m. THE PLAYERS Downtown ExperienceJacksonville Landing

Anniversaries

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TV: Faldo and Miller

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TV: GOLF CHANNEL

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TV: International TV

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Second Round, Threesomes off Nos. 1, 10 (7:15-9:15 a.m.) (12:15-2:15 p.m.) 1-7 p.m. GOLF CHANNEL coverage 6-10 p.m. THE PLAYERS Downtown ExperienceJacksonville Landing

Course Map

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Pete Dye Interview

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The Course: Then and Now

68-70

World Golf Hall of Fame

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Hole by Hole

74-82

The Area

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Charity

84-87

Committees

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Practice Round for Professionals

7:30 a.m. Gates Open to Public

Tuesday, May 5

Tournament Chairman’s Message

Practice Round for Professionals 4-9 p.m. THE PLAYERS Downtown Experience-Cummer Museum

Third Round, Twosomes off No. 1 (8:30 a.m.-2:50 p.m.) 2-7 p.m. NBC coverage 4-9 p.m. THE PLAYERS Downtown ExperienceJacksonville Landing Non-denominational Church Service, No. 18 Green, 7:30-8:15 a.m. Mother's Day Celebration: Commemorative pins distributed at the gate; breakfast and brunch in clubhouse Final Round, Twosomes off No. 1 (8:30 a.m.-2:40 p.m.) 2-7 p.m. NBC coverage Closing Ceremony, Presentation Lawn

(c) 2009 PGA TOUR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photography: Stan Badz, Chris Condon and Caryn Levy/ PGA TOUR and Getty Images. Editors: Ward Clayton, Maureen Feeley and Laury Livsey/ PGA TOUR Editorial Services. Design: David Lee, DBL Design, and PGA TOUR Creative Services.

About the Cover: 2008 PLAYERS champion Sergio Garcia kisses his putter after winning the title in a playoff with Paul Goydos. 2009 THE

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Thanks to the participation of our Proud Partners, THE PLAYERS Championship is able to continue a Tradition of Giving. On behalf of the nearly 100 Northeast Florida Charities who benefit from the support of THE PLAYERS, we thank you.

SERGIO GARCIA / 2008 PLAYERS DEFENDING CHAMPION


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C H A I R M A N

Welcome from the Tournament Chairman Welcome to the 2009 PLAYERS Championship. On behalf of our volunteer family and Honorable Company of Past Chairmen, I hope your experience at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass will be a memorable one as you watch the greatest players in the world compete for the prestigious crystal trophy of THE PLAYERS. This marks the 28th year THE PLAYERS has been played on the Stadium Course, which is considered the crown jewel of the PGA TOUR’s TPC Network.With the sport’s deepest field and the most recognizable hole in golf – the 17th Island Green – THE PLAYERS has established itself as one of the premier tournaments in the world. After watching the pros take on 16, 17 and 18, please come and take the challenge at THE PLAYERS Stadium Village, which features the UBS 17th Hole Challenge and a replica of the 18th green.This is truly a fan experience unlike any other, where you get to tackle two of the greatest risk/reward finishing holes in golf. The PGA TOUR is all about giving back.The combined efforts of our volunteers, our three Proud Partners – PricewaterhouseCoopers, JELD-WEN and UBS – and the Jacksonville community allowed THE PLAYERS to donate more than $3 million to 94 local charities throughout the First Coast, bringing the grand total of charitable contributions to more than $31 million since THE PLAYERS moved to Ponte Vedra Beach. The success of THE PLAYERS depends upon the tireless effort of our 2,000 volunteers – each and every one of them is truly committed to providing you with a great fan experience while at the same time making THE PLAYERS the best-run golf tournament on the PGA TOUR. It is a real honor for me to represent this tremendous group who give their time and talents, working diligently to produce this world-class event. Thank you for attending THE PLAYERS. Sincerely,

Tommy Douglas Chairman of the 2009 PLAYERS

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OFFICIALS

2009 Tournament Officials Chief Executive Officer Henry Hughes

Director of Security Rick McIntyre

Executive Director Jay Monahan

Vice President of Finance Gordon Strickland

Executive Assistant Erica de la Uz

Controller Jim Brogan

Vice President of Operations Paul Hardwick

Assistant Controller David Keller Accounting Manager, Ticketing and Accounts Receivable Greg Menzel

Director of Operations Chad Burgess Operations Manager Todd Tatarek Operations Coordinator Debbie Shearer Director of Tournament Services Norma Long Tournament Services Manager Laura Livingston Tournament Services Manager Karen Davidson Director of Sales and Marketing Jack Tyson Sales and Marketing Coordinator Lark Roberts

Sr. Accounting Specialist Teisha Lupole Accounts Receivable Specialist Jane Steeden Accounts Receivable Specialist Scott McKague Staff Accountant Peggy Kirby Finance Coordinator Darlene Laska

European Tour John Paramor Canadian Tour Dan Halldorson Japan Golf Tour Organization Andy Yamanaka PGA Tour of Australasia Andrew Langford-Jones Sunshine Tour Grant Wilson Asian Tour David Parkin Tour de las Americas Claudio Rivas United States Golf Association Mike Davis Masters Tournament Fred Ridley PGA of America Tom Gorman Royal and Ancient Peter Dawson Royal Canadian Golf Association Dean Ryan

Director of Community Relations Charlene Shirk

Tournament Interns Brittany Imperial Mya Pronschinske Austin Rhodes Mark Saunderson Jordan Uppleger

RULES COMMITTEE

PAST PRESIDENTS & HONORABLE COMPANY OF PAST CHAIRMEN

Marketing Assistant Charles Hamrick

PGA TOUR Staff Tournament Director Mark Russell Advance Officials Steve Carman Tyler Dennis Rules Officials Mickey Bradley Jon Brendle Mark Dusbabek John Lillvis John Mutch, Jr. Mike Shea Tony Wallin Robby Ware Slugger White Nationwide Tour Staff Jim Duncan Champions Tour Staff Brian Claar

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Ticketing Operations Manager Mike Blackert

INVITED OFFICIALS

Peter Kirill, Past President* L.C. Ringhaver, Past President* Richard H. Stratton, Past President*

1965 John A. Tucker - w 1966 Wesley C. Paxson - w 1967 John D. Montgomery, Sr.*- w 1968 Lester Varn, Jr. - w 1969 Eugene D. Cowan* - w 1970 Karl J. Ambrose II - w 1971 Richard C. Martin - w 1972 George Utsey, Jr.* - w 1973 Henry W. Tuten, Jr. - w 1974 J.D Beckwith - w 1975 Frederick J. Robbins - w 1976 Hampton L. Walker* - w 1977 J. Thomas Gay 1978 E.A. Nimnicht II 1979 Donald D. Zell 1980 James H. Addington, Jr. 1981 Campbell L. Smith* 1982 Charles J. Renfroe* 1983 Fuller D. Tresca, Jr. 1984 James R. Wilkerson, Jr. 1985 Donald E. Rose 1986 Robert E. Martin 1987 Wayne E. Waters, Captain 1987 Robert H. Olson

Robert R. Feagin, Past President* Gordon Thompson Jr., Past President* William W. Drennon, Past President*

1988 1988 1989 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Michael T. Leavell Donald R. Davis* James F. Marlier, Jr., Captain Arthur W. Browning, Jr., M.D. L.A. Daniels, Jr. Rufus C. Dowell Tom W. Perry Caldwell L. Haynes Hugh E. Dunn Thomas C. Healy Gerry Hurst Anne P. Nimnicht Michael Hartley Theresa Greene-Hazel Murray Beard Lynn Stoner Jack Garnett Marc Smith* Kevin Robbins Tommy Lee Rusty Pritchett Tim Tresca Ron Natherson * – Deceased w – Greater Jacksonville Open


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R E C O R D S

THE PLAYERS (1974-2008)

(Left to right) 2008 champion Sergio Garcia, tournament record-holder Greg Norman, the 17th hole and two-time champion Fred Couples.

SCORING Low 18-Hole Score: 63 (9-under), Fred Couples, 1992, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round (30-33); Birdied 2, 4, 7, 8, eagled 9, birdied 10, 12, bogeyed 15, birdied 16, 18 (Finished T13) 63 (9-under), Greg Norman, 1994, TPC Sawgrass, 1st round (33-30); Birdied 1, 2, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 (Won) Low 72-Hole Score: 264 (24-under), Greg Norman, 1994, TPC Sawgrass (63-67-67-67) High Winning Score: 289 (1-over), Mark Hayes, 1977, Sawgrass CC (72-74-71-72) 289 (1-over), Jack Nicklaus, 1978, Sawgrass CC (70-71-73-75) High 18-Hole Score: 92 (20-over), Bob Murphy, 1979, Final round, Sawgrass CC Holes-in-One (27 total; 23 at TPC Sawgrass): 1976: Wally Armstrong, 6th hole, Inverrary, 2nd round 1978: Grier Jones, 12th hole, Sawgrass CC, 2nd round; John Mahaffey, 15th hole, Sawgrass CC, 4th round 1981: Bill Kratzert, 6th hole, Sawgrass CC, 3rd round 1986: Jim Gallagher, Jr., 3rd hole, TPC Sawgrass, 1st round; Brad Fabel, 17th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 1st round 1991: Brian Claar, 17th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round 1992: Chip Beck, 13th hole, TPC

Sawgrass, 1st round 1994: Russ Cochran, 3rd hole, TPC Sawgrass, 4th round 1994: Gary Hallberg, 8th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round 1995: Phil Mickelson, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round 1996: Jay Don Blake, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round 1997: Mark Brooks, 8th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round; Fred Couples, 17th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 4th round 1999: Bob Friend, 8th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 1st round; Joey Sindelar, 17th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 1st round 2000: Paul Azinger, 17th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round; Ted Tryba, 8th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 4th round; Joe Ozaki, 8th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 4th round 2001: Chris DiMarco, 3rd hole, TPC Sawgrass, 4th round 2002: Miguel A. Jimenez, 17th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 1st round; Craig Stadler, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round 2004: Jose Maria Olazabal, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round 2006: Justin Leonard, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round; Jesper Parnevik, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round; Henrik Stenson, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round; Fred Couples, 13th hole, TPC Sawgrass, final round. 2008: Robert Garrigus, 13, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round.

Double Eagles: 2007: Hunter Mahan, 11th hole, TPC Sawgrass, 2nd round (Driver/5-iron from 227 yards); Peter Lonard, 2nd hole, TPC Sawgrass, 3rd round (Driver/5-iron from 229 yards) Most Consecutive Birdies: 6, Tom Watson (Holes 9-14, 2nd round), 1984 6, Dave Rummells (Holes 16-18, 1-3, 2nd round), 1986 6, Fred Wadsworth (Holes 15-18, 1-2, 1st round), 1987 6, Paul Azinger (Holes 18, 1-5, 1st round), 1993 6, Rocco Mediate (Holes 13-18, 4th round), 1996 6, Tim Herron (Holes 8-13, 2nd round), 2005 Most Birdies, One Tournament: 26, Fuzzy Zoeller, 1994

VICTORIES Most Victories: 3, Jack Nicklaus, 1974, 1976, 1978 Multiple Winners: 3, Jack Nicklaus, 1974, 1976 and 1978 2, Steve Elkington, 1991 and 1997 2, Hal Sutton, 1983 and 2000 2, Fred Couples, 1984 and 1996 2, Davis Love III, 1992 and 2003 Best Come-From-Behind Victories: 6 strokes, Raymond Floyd, 1981, Sawgrass CC 5 strokes, Justin Leonard, 1998, TPC Sawgrass

2009 THE

Widest Victory Margin: 7 strokes, Steve Elkington (over Scott Hoch), 1997 Birdie 18 to win: Steve Elkington, 1991, par-4 18th, TPC Sawgrass International Winners: 2, Steve Elkington, Australia 1, Greg Norman, Australia 1, Craig Perks, New Zealand 1, Nick Price, Zimbabwe 1, Sandy Lyle, Scotland 1, Adam Scott, Australia 1, Stephen Ames, Trinidad and Tobago/Canada 1, Sergio Garcia, Spain

MISCELLANEOUS Oldest Player to Make Cut: Julius Boros, 1975 (55 years, 174 days); Arnold Palmer, 1985 (55 years, 172 days) Youngest Player to Make Cut: Bobby Clampett, 1981 (20 years, 334 days) Most Starts: 28, Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Jay Haas Playoffs: Raymond Floyd def. Barry Jaeckel, Curtis Strange with par on first extra hole, 1981, Sawgrass CC Sandy Lyle def. Jeff Sluman with par on third extra hole, 1987, TPC Sawgrass (16–5s, 5; 17–3s, 3; 18–4, 5) Sergio Garcia def. Paul Goydos with par on first extra hole, 2008, TPC Sawgrass, No. 17

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S TA R T E R

Former President Bush To Be Honored George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, will be the ninth recipient of the PGA TOUR’s Lifetime Achievement Award during ceremonies on Wednesday, May 6 at THE PLAYERS Championship. Bush will be honored at 5 p.m. during a “Military Tribute” on the 18th hole of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The tribute is part of THE PLAYERS Military Appreciation Day, which offers free admission to all active-duty and retired members of U.S. Armed Forces. The tribute is also open to the public (Wednesday tournament ticket holders). Bush will officially receive the award from PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem during a private reception that evening. THE PLAYERS Championship is proud to welcome active duty, retired and reserve military men and women and their families throughout the week as part of PGA TOUR Charities’ Birdies for the Brave military outreach program. Military guests will enjoy complimentary access to the Patriots’ Outpost, a military hospitality chalet sponsored by Lockheed Martin located on the 18th fairway. Created in 1996, the Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the TOUR over an extended period of time through their actions on and off the course. Bush joins a

Couples, Norman Presidents Cup Captains The eighth playing of The Presidents Cup this fall will have a distinctive PLAYERS Championship feel. Fred Couples, the United States Team Captain, is one of four two-time PLAYERS champions. Couples won in 1984 and 1996. Greg Norman, the International Team Captain, won the 1994 PLAYERS and set the tournament scoring record of 24-under-par 264. Additionally, Couples and Norman share THE PLAYERS Stadium Course record of 9-under-par 63. Couples’ 63 came in the third round in 1992 when he shot 30-33 and finished tied for 13th. Norman shot his 63 (30 on the back nine including consecutive birdies on holes 13 through 17) in the first round of his record 1994 performance. Couples and Norman will each field 12-man teams for The Presidents Cup, scheduled for October 8-11 at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco.

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distinguished list of past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, although he is the first recipient from outside the golf industry. Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Jack Burke Jr., Pete Dye, Deane Beman and Jack Nicklaus are the past winners. “It means a great deal to receive this distinguished award from an organization like the PGA TOUR which, to me, epitomizes the Points of Light spirit for the way it supports so many worthwhile causes in such a wonderful way,” Bush said. “Working with Tim Finchem and getting to know so many of the TOUR’s members has been one of the great joys of my post-White House life, and my gratitude goes to all who were fully aware of my skills on the course and yet chose to support this welcome decision anyway.” Bush, 84, grew up in a family that was always heavily involved with golf. His grandfather, George Herbert Walker, was United States Golf Association (USGA) president in 1920 and donated the trophy for what would become the Walker Cup. Bush’s father, Prescott Bush, was a scratch golfer who served as USGA president in 1935 and was instrumental in establishing the USGA Museum and Archives. In 1996, Bush served as honorary chairman of The Presidents Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Va. He has since attended every Presidents Cup, taking time to stand on the first tee and greet each and every player. Since 1997, Bush has served as honorary chairman of The First Tee program. He’s also an honorary member of the PGA of America and honorary chair of the USGA Museum and Archives President’s Council, and in 1997, he received the PGA of America’s Distinguished Service Award. In 2007, he hit the ceremonial first shot on July 4 to launch the AT&T National, a golf tournament hosted by Tiger Woods. In 2008, he received the Bob Jones Award, given annually by the USGA in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.

The “Average”of PLAYERS Champions In 35 PLAYERS Championships, the champion has ranged from 23-year-old Adam Scott to 48-year-old Fred Funk and from 5-foot-7 Lee Trevino to 6-foot-3 Davis Love III. Here is the “average” of PLAYERS Champions: Age: 33 (14 in the 20s, 16 in the 30s, 5 in the 40s) Height: 6 foot (16 below 6 foot; 18 above 6 foot) Weight: 175 pounds (Least, 150 pounds; Most, 200 pounds) Nationality: 74 percent American (9 international players) Letters in Name: 10.7 (Shortest, Tom Kite, 7; Longest, 14, Steve Elkington) Married: 77 percent (27 married, 8 single) Number of Children: 2 (23 with children; 12 without)


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No Fable For Fabel In Bird Experience Brad Fabel looks on the bright side. He wasn’t the first player to make a hole-inone at THE PLAYERS Championship once the tournament moved to THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, but he was the first to do it at the course’s most famous hole. As for other antics at the course’s final par 3, the island 17th hole, he was definitely the first—and he may be the last. Yes, Fabel and the 17th hole share quite a history. At the 1986 PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass, Jim Gallagher, Jr., etched his name into tournament lore by making his ace an hour or two before Fabel made his. Gallagher took a 7-iron at the third hole and watched his tee shot bounce short of the pin, release and roll into the cup. Fabel smiles at the memory of his ace, a 9-iron approach that landed long and drew back into the hole. “I didn’t even have a chance to exhale before it went in,” Fabel says. That 1 on the scorecard helped Fabel to a first-round 71 that year, although in the second round he shot a 3-over 75 to miss the cut, leaving him tied, ironically, with Gallagher at 2over 146. Fabel was a resident of Ponte Vedra Beach at the time, living about a half-mile from the clubhouse. After his work week finished, he simply got in his car and drove a couple of minutes to his Cypress Creek neighborhood.

At the 1998 PLAYERS, Fabel stood on the tee preparing to hit when he noticed a seagull sitting on the bulkhead in front of the green. “The hole that day was cut in the same place as it was for my hole-in-one, toward the front. I saw the bird, and I thought it would be just my luck that I’d hit the bird in the head and have my ball go in the water,” Fabel remembers. “But I hit my shot long and right. So I was OK, I thought. Brad Fabel, who has made an ace and had his ball stolen by a bird on No. 17, is now a Rules Official on the PGA TOUR. Everything after that was like in slow motion.” With a shot that left him safely on the green, Fabel’s hole-in-one, besides being the first Fabel stood on the tee and watched as the bird at No. 17 in competition, was also his first PGA left the bulkhead and began walking toward his TOUR ace. He added three more after that — ball. With the crowd cheering and encouraging, at the 1992 Anheuser-Busch Classic, the 1999 the bird sauntered closer and closer, eventually Canon Greater Hartford Open and the 2000 trying to snatch it with his beak. It took the gull AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Overall, a couple of tries before he secured the ball and Fabel has had 18 holes-in-one, and not all of flew away over the water surrounding one of them have been things of beauty. the most famous holes in golf. A few seconds “My hole-in-one in Hartford, I almost missed later, the ball fell from the bird’s beak. the green. The pin was on the right, and I pulled Fabel, who is retired as a player and now my shot left. But the ball caught the collar of the works as a PGA TOUR rules official, says he green and then rolled and rolled until it went had no idea what the ruling would be when he in,” he adds. “I think most holes-in-one have a saw the splash. “The only word I can use is certain degree of luck.” ‘disbelief.’ I couldn’t believe what I had just Then there is that other time at No. 17, seen,” he says. Fabel was rattled enough that coming 12 years after his ace. “I’d never seen even after officials determined the ball should anything like it, before or since,” Fabel adds. be placed approximately in its previous spot with Besides making that ace at No. 17, the no penalty, Fabel bogeyed after a three-putt. Kentucky native is also the only player to hit What, you expected him to make birdie? the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass, watch his ball come to a complete stop and still end up - Laury Livsey in the water.

Stay Connected On The Course The PGA TOUR Network will offer an exciting new service to enrich THE PLAYERS Championship experience over all 18 holes. THE PLAYERS Stadium Radio is a special-event radio that allows you to hear the live shot-by-shot commentary from the PGA TOUR Network on SIRIUS XM Radio (XM 146) and the audio from GOLF CHANNEL and NBC. It fits comfortably on your ear with a lanyard for hands-free use on a regular FM scan radio. The cost is $10. Look for the Stadium Radio at tournament entrances, concession stands and THE PLAYERS shops on-course.

Operation Hydration After one of the warmest events in PLAYERS history last year, officials have announced two initiatives aimed to give fans easy and affordable access to water. The price of bottled water, available at all concession stands, will be reduced to $2.50 for the 2009 event. In addition, there will be numerous drinking fountains (also known as Hydration Stations) available for the public to use free of charge throughout the course.

“Dehydration is the most common reason for medical intervention at The PLAYERS Championship but it can easily be prevented. The Operation Hydration initiative will help spectators avoid dehydration by making water readily available—so whenever you see an Operation Hydration station, drink up!" - Dr. Jeffrey Smowton, Baptist Medical Center Beaches Emergency Medicine Director and THE PLAYERS Championship Medical Services Director

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S TA R T E R

New PLAYERS Faces Henry Hughes Chief Executive Officer Hughes was appointed as CEO of THE PLAYERS last June, focusing on the long-term positioning for the event. Hughes, a 25-year PGA TOUR employee and a native of Wethersfield, CT, is familiar with the territory. He previously served in senior positions in Marketing, Championship Management and Tournament Business Affairs and was named Chief of Operations of the PGA TOUR in 1999. Hughes was the executive director of Championship Management when the Senior Players Championship was held at Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass from 1987-89.

At the 2009 PLAYERS Championship, there are some new, yet familiar, faces in charge:

Jay Monahan

Tom Vlach

Executive Director Monahan came to the PGA TOUR in June 2008 from Fenway Sports Group, where he served as executive vice president since October 2005. He played an integral role in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, MA, one of the four events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, working with IMG Worldwide and Deutsche Bank to implement and expand the tournament sales and marketing efforts. Additionally, Monahan directed Fenway Sports Group’s sponsorship sales operations for the Boston Red Sox, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing and Boston College Athletics. A native of Belmont, MA, Monahan earned a bachelor of arts in history from Trinity College in 1993, where he was a four-year member of the golf team and a Division II Academic All-American his senior year.

Superintendent Vlach was appointed superintendent in February 2008 and served under longtime superintendent Fred Klauk for the 2008 tournament. Vlach joined TPC Sawgrass after serving as Director of Grounds Maintenance at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, AL, a position he held since 1999 and the site of seven Bruno Memorial Classics on the Champions Tour. He also served as superintendent at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, FL, and Ekana Golf and Country Club in Oviedo, FL. He was an assistant superintendent at TPC Sawgrass under Klauk for the 1992 PLAYERS Championship and interned at TPC Sawgrass while obtaining his undergraduate degree, where he had the opportunity to assist with two additional PLAYERS Championships, the Senior Players Championship and two Cadillac NFL Classic Golf Championships. A native of Chicago, Vlach received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Soil Science with an emphasis on Turf Management from the University of Wisconsin.

LIVE @ THE PLAYERS For the 10th consecutive year at THE PLAYERS Championship, PGATOUR.COM brings unprecedented access to the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. In 2009, THE PLAYERS is one of eight events on TOUR that will feature the unique LIVE@ experience. Golf fans around the globe can see complete coverage of every player and every shot on one of the most exciting holes on TOUR. For four consecutive days, action on this hole will be streamed live to the desktop. To further immerse fans in THE PLAYERS LIVE@ experience, viewers can interact with the hosts during the broadcasts through the various messaging tools on PGATOUR.COM as well as interact with other fans on PGATOUR.COM’s Facebook page. Other products available through the Web site like Live Report (play by play) and Shot Tracker (shot trails and key stats) will provide online fans with a virtual seat to one of the best par 3s on TOUR. Follow every player and every shot on the remarkable 17th hole at THE PLAYERS 2009. Experience LIVE@ THE PLAYERS exclusively at PGATOUR.COM.

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Playing For Keeps Before THE PLAYERS Evan Beck and Joel Sjoholm will attest to fulfilling their dreams before making it as professional golfers, thanks to the formation of two special events at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The Junior PLAYERS Championship and THE PLAYERS Cup were each born within the last two years to offer junior golfers and college golfers, respectively, the opportunity to play the famous course in competition. The Junior PLAYERS Championship is held on Labor Day weekend with the top junior golfers from around the world competing in an official 54-hole American Junior Golf Association tournament. Participants are given professional caddies (complete with the white jumpsuits), access to the lockerroom and other PGA TOURstyle perks. They face a course set up as close as possible to PLAYERS Championship conditions. The juniors’ play in the 2008 event showed off their future capabilities. Beck, a Virginia Beach, VA, resident who is headed to Wake Forest on a golf scholarship next fall, birdied the par-5 16th hole to tie Pontus Widegren of Sweden. But Widegren regained that edge by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th. After Widegren drove right off the 18th tee, he was forced to lay up. Beck took a more aggressive line off the tee and then hit 7-iron to approximately 60 feet below the hole. After Widegren missed a long par putt, Beck

drained his putt from the front of the green to the back hole location to capture the title at 7-underpar 209. Another reward for Beck is an invitational to return to this year’s PLAYERS to watch the tournament and mingle with current TOUR players, including 2008 champion Sergio Garcia. “I knew I had to be aggressive off the tee because of what Pontus did on 17,” Beck said. “I knew I couldn’t let it get to me. I just tried to play straight. It all worked out.” THE PLAYERS Cup, held in late February, is a more informal affair. The University of North Florida is the host for the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational at Sawgrass Country Club, the former site of THE PLAYERS (1977-81) located across Highway A1A. After a round in their college tournament, the 15 participating teams are invited to TPC Sawgrass to play the final three holes with a PLAYERS Sunday course setup. A starter with a microphone and a crystal PLAYERS Cup trophy are waiting on the 16th tee to start the event. A small electronic scoreboard is in place behind the 18th green. Each team plays in fivesomes, with the low four scores counting on each hole. A low team and individual medalist are determined. “It’s the most fun I’ve ever experienced in college golf,” said Sjoholm, who was the medalist at the 2007 PLAYERS Cup with a birdie-birdie-par performance and also took individual honors at the Hayt tournament before turning pro in 2009. “All the teams were out there and were yelling

Evan Beck

THE PLAYERS Cup

and screaming and carrying on. It was a blast.” Texas Christian won the 2009 PLAYERS Cup and Furman’s Jonathan Bowden and LSU’s Andrew Loupe tied for the individual lead at 2-under par. But the result isn’t the takeaway, it’s the relaxing atmosphere on the famous finishing holes. Georgia State’s Alan Fowler exemplified this. On the par-3 17th, the 5-foot-9 sophomore pulled a golf ball from his bag on the tee, took a running start and heaved the ball approximately 125 yards over the small bunker and onto the green. It added more laughter to an already fun event.

- Ward Clayton

Dress Sergio THE PLAYERS Championship fans can help outfit defending champion Sergio Garcia for one round of THE PLAYERS Championship. Fans can go to PGATOUR.COM/dresssergio to vote for one of three adidas Golf outfits (right). The winning outfit will be worn by Garcia in the second round on Friday, May 8. Voting runs through Wednesday, May 6, and the winning outfit will be announced following the completion of the first round. At the time of voting, consumers can register to win select items, including a package of Garcia’s equipment and apparel valued at $3,000.

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ELIGIBILITY

THE PLAYERS Championship May 7-10, 2009 TPC Sawgrass THE PLAYERS Stadium Course Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Eligible players are:

» Winners of PGA TOUR cosponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous year’s PLAYERS Championship.

» The top 30 players from the 2008 FedExCup Points List. » The top 125 finishers on the 2008 Official PGA TOUR Money List. » Winners of the Masters Tournament from 2004 through 2009. » Winners of THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship from 2004 to 2008.

» Winners of THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola in the last three years (2006-2008).

» Winners of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in the last three years (2007-2009).

» Winners of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship from 2006-2009. » Winners of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in the last three years (2006-2008).

» The top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking through the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

» The top 10 players from the 2009 FedExCup Points List through the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

» The winner of the previous year’s Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. (Such player will be an addition to the field.)

» The leading money winner from the 2008 Official Nationwide Tour Money List. » If necessary to complete a field of 144 players, PGA TOUR members from the

2009 FedExCup Points List below 10th position through the Zurich Classic, in order of their positions on such list.

Top to bottom: 2008 champion Sergio Garcia, 2007 champion Phil Mickelson, 2006 champion Stephen Ames and 2005 champion Fred Funk.

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S TA D I U M V I L L A G E

A Central Gathering Place THE PLAYERS Stadium Village, an area where fans gather for an interactive experience, debuted in 2007 at THE PLAYERS Championship.

The site moved to a more central location adjacent to the clubhouse in 2008. This year, fans can once again attempt to hit the 17th green on a one-quarter scale 17th hole at the UBS 17th Hole Challenge. Free to all, this unique experience provides great prizes including a sleeve of balls for anyone who hits the green. There will be new bleacher seating to watch all the action. In addition, fans can try some of THE PLAYERS’ famous final putts on a replica of the 18th green.

Finally, fans can have their photos taken with a photo of defending champion Sergio Garcia as he eyes a putt. This year, all fans will enter the area through “THE PLAYERS Shop” that includes a strong retail presence. An array of dining will also be available inside the area – which will include shaded seating for the first time – including new features such as Morton’s steak sandwiches. Also new this year will be a business center where fans can stay connected by checking their e-mail on laptops.

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2008 REVIEW

Sergio’s Big PLAYERS Win He’s had doubts, make no mistake about it. On Sunday, though, Sergio Garcia understandably didn’t want to remember those times. And with any luck, the way he performed in winning THE PLAYERS Championship will make other people forget, as well. By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

(Top and opposite page, clockwise) Scenes from 2008 included champion Sergio Garcia, PGA TOUR Lifetime Achievement honoree Jack Nicklaus, the crowd at No. 17, 2007 champion Phil Mickelson signing autographs, fans supporting Garcia and where the event starts, at the first tee.

The 28-year-old Spaniard became just the second European to win the PGA TOUR’s showcase event as he beat Paul Goydos on the first hole of sudden death, the par-3 17th. The victory was the seventh of his career and the first in 54 starts since his last win in 2005. Garcia closed with a 71, one of just eight sub-par scores on a brutally windy day at TPC Sawgrass, to force the playoff. He rolled in a clutch 7-footer for par on the final hole of regulation – not bad for a man whose putter might as well have been a lightning rod in recent years. The work Garcia has been doing with short-game guru Stan Utley has clearly paid dividends. What’s lost in the conversation,

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though, is Garcia’s prowess tee to green, and he led the deepest field of the year in fairways hit and greens in regulation. No shot was bigger than the sand wedge he nailed to within 4 feet of the pin on the island green after Goydos found the water. “I felt so good all week long with all parts of my game,” Garcia said. “I feel like I was really coming along, and you know, (I am) just thrilled to be able to be the PLAYERS champ and I’m just going to try to carry it as well as I can. “Not only because of the field, but the course, everything around it, it feels like a major. And it tests you like a major, (but) unfortunately it’s not. Maybe sometime in the future, it might be.

“But it definitely feels like it and I’m so thrilled to be here standing with the trophy.” A year ago, Garcia had been in Goydos’ position, finishing second to Phil Mickelson. The only other player to finish runner-up in THE PLAYERS one year and win the following year is Tiger Woods in 2000-2001. “Sergio played better than everybody else, look at the stats,” the gracious Goydos said. “I’m glad that that’s rewarded.” The victory was worth $1.71 million, 4,950 FedExCup points and a five-year PGA TOUR exemption. More important, though, might be the confidence boost Garcia received with the U.S. Open on the horizon a month down the road.


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“I think it’s a big jump up for Sergio to win such a big tournament,” said Garcia’s caddie, Glen Murray. “Mostly, I’m just really happy for him that he’s found a bit of confidence in his putting in this, and he’s kind of turned the corner. “I think it’s going to stand him in good stead for a long time.” Sunday’s victory at THE PLAYERS Championship reinforces Garcia’s belief that he’s been working on the right things. He knows when he has confidence in himself – like he did on the Stadium Course – he’s among the best players in the world. Now he’s just wants to keep the momentum going. “It’s been a lot of work, but like everything when you work hard at it, and you work on the right things, they end up paying off,” Garcia said. “I don’t want to get stuck here. I want to have a good year and keep giving

myself chances of winning more events and having a major if I can. Other than that, it’s all great.” Garcia has been playing so long it’s hard to believe he’s still just 28 – an “old man,” he joked – and the ninth player in his 20s to win on the PGA TOUR in 2008. He’s certainly got the credentials with 13 top-10s in 37 major championship appearances. Although he played Sunday with the confidence of a veteran, Garcia thinks he performs best when he can harness the exuberance of his youth. Hit shots, and go find them, just like he did at THE PLAYERS. Shake off the bad breaks, and capitalize on the opportunities that are presented. Just like he did Sunday. “Sometimes you get a little bit too frustrated with this game,” Garcia said. “It’s a beautiful game, but it’s a really hard one.” On Sunday, at TPC Sawgrass, it was both.

“I felt so good all week long with all parts of my game. I feel like I was really coming along, and you know, (I am) just thrilled to be able to be the PLAYERS champ and I’m just going to try to carry it as well as I can.” - Sergio Garcia

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SERGIO GARCIA

Sergio Garcia Is A Veteran; We’re Not Kidding No one should be fooled by what Sergio Garcia said in the wake of his win at last year’s THE PLAYERS Championship. Though he insisted, “I definitely don’t consider myself a kid anymore,” the kid in Garcia remains not too far below the surface and always will. It is what makes him the player that he is. By Lewine Mair

Often, Spanish golfers are at the other end of the spectrum to those who keep their feelings securely under wraps. First came Seve Ballesteros, whose face always told every bit as much about his latest shot as the flight of the ball. Then there was Jose Maria Olazabal, who broke into that neverto-be-forgotten jig at the end of the 1987 Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village. “In Spain,” explains Garcia, who started swinging with a broomstick at age 2 and was the proud owner of some cut-down clubs at 3, “we play golf with our hearts. I cannot tell you whether that is because of our culture or whether it is because we have discovered how we play best. Others don’t show as much excitement as we do or, alternatively, they don’t want to show it.”

The more precociously gifted are often apt to have a hard time of it from their fellow men. Garcia, who made 21 cuts in the 28 professional tournaments he played while still an amateur, was no exception. He made the cut at a European Tour event at age 14 and captured the Catalonian Open, his first professional title, as a 17-year-old amateur. But where Tiger Woods had Mark O’Meara batting for him from the start, Garcia had Ernie Els. Els sensed at once that Garcia was “a good kid.” He played practice rounds with him and found his “energy” refreshing. The South African predicted that Garcia would win a major before too long and the then 19-year-old Garcia came close to proving him right at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah where he finished one shot behind Woods.

Sergio Garcia has always displayed emotion from his childhood days (left) including a photo with sister Mar and his introduction to the game (right) at age 2 to his tying putt on the 18th hole in the 2008 PLAYERS Championship. The historical photos of Garcia are posted in the Champions Room at TPC Sawgrass, courtesy of the Garcia family.

Garcia, who had turned professional in April 1999 and made his PGA TOUR debut that May at the Byron Nelson Classic with a first-round 62 and an ultimate tie for third, was hailed as the next Woods after the PGA Championship performance. Yet his heady publicity was coupled with great self confidence in his battle with Woods at Medinah. Garcia was still on a high after his memorable shot to Medinah’s 16th green – the 6-iron from the edge of a root behind a tree with eyes closed followed by a run and a jump up the fairway. Garcia then holed a good putt at the short 17th before turning

“In Spain, we play golf with our hearts. I cannot tell you whether that is because of our culture or whether it is because we have discovered how we play best.”– Sergio Garcia

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SERGIO GARCIA

Helping Hand Sergio Garcia’s putting had arguably cost him many tournaments before he started working with Stan Utley at the 2008 World Golf ChampionshipsAccenture Match Play Championship near Tucson, AZ. Utley, a former PGA TOUR player who works with many current players, teaches a putting technique of the swinging-gate variety beloved by Ben Crenshaw as opposed to the square-to-square style preferred by Stan Utley others. Utley’s way marries with Garcia’s natural, original style and has helped to take him back to those childhood days in which he won his senior club championship at age 12 and had the feeling he could hole anything and everything. “My objective with Sergio,” Utley said, “was to make him as instinctive with his putting stroke as he was with his swing and it really wasn’t that difficult to achieve. Within an hour of us starting to work together, I knew he was going to be all right. He had recovered something of his old feel, he was making solid contact with the ball and he was finding putting fun again. I didn’t know when the improvement would show up in competition but the signs were all in place.” The moment which forced others to much the same conclusion came when Garcia holed that clutch putt at the 72nd at Sawgrass to make the playoff with Paul Goydos. It was at once a straight putt and one which, in years to come, will almost certainly be seen as a highlight of the Spaniard’s career. - Lewine Mair

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around to Woods back on the tee to make him aware of the emotional moment. It was not the wisest of moves, but as Els was the first to point out, Garcia was still a teenager. Others speaking in his defense pointed to the great respect he always had shown to his parents, Victor, the club professional at the Mediterraneo Golf Club in Castellon, and Consuelo. In the early 2000s, when altering his swing, Garcia suffered that very individual affliction of gripping and re-gripping his club anywhere up to 25 times before he could bring himself to hit. The father-sonrelationship could have cracked under the pressure. After all, the whole golf world was chipping in with suggestions as to how the problem might be solved. Some thought that Garcia should see a David Leadbetter or a Butch Harmon, noted swing instructors. Others felt that he should be working with a psychologist. The players, meantime, looked on in embarrassed silence. All except for Colin Montgomerie, that is. The Scot did at least something to diffuse the situation by bringing a touch of humor to bear. Montgomerie was playing a practice round with Garcia at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Park when Garcia’s ball fell from the tee at a time when he had already clocked 16 or so grips and re-grips. “Heavens,” cried Monty, “We’re not going to have to go through all that again, are we?”

(Above) More confident putting led Garcia to the 2008 PLAYERS title. (Below, left to right and the following page) Garcia with World Golf Hall of Famers Raymond Floyd, Vijay Singh and countryman Seve Ballesteros as he grew up in golf.

It was interesting to see how Garcia would react. A snap and a snarl could not be ruled out, but instead, the lad responded with an equally humorous, “Yes, but it will be worth it.” The renewed spate of gripping and re-gripping over, he smacked his ball down the fairway, something he does more often than most with a driver in hand. That Garcia could take such ribbing on so sensitive a subject was all due to Victor. All along, Victor, Garcia’s only teacher, had refused to allow his son to think they were in the midst of a crisis. He said that the best way of dealing with things was to try for one fewer grip and re-grip at a time and, little by little, Garcia brought things back under control.


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(Left) Garcia honed his powerful swing under the watchful eye of his father Victor (inset). Victor was patient as Sergio's swing matured during his professional career, especially a bout with numerous waggles before hitting.

For years, Victor was a familiar sight at all the bigger events, walking around with his familiar prop, an old club, in hand. For the last half-dozen seasons, though, there have been weeks – and that includes the 2006 British Open at Hoylake – when he was not on site for the entire week. The explanation, here, provides an interesting switch of emphasis in the pair’s relationship. Since the family is nowadays blessed with no shortage of funds, Garcia has encouraged his father to play the competitive golf he missed in his younger days. The European Senior Tour beckoned and, out there with his old Spanish amigos, Victor is very comfortable. “He doesn’t have to win,” said Garcia, when asked how his father was faring not so long ago. “All I want is for him to play better each time.” Victor plays approximately a dozen tournaments per year, with a career-best tie for 28th at the 2005 Barbados Open. Garcia has also encouraged younger sister, Mar, in her golf pursuits. She played with him at the 2001 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and played collegiately at the University of Arizona before opting to use her linguistic skills for work in Castellon’s regional government tourist department. The oldest Garcia sibling, Victor, played college golf at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC, and is the current secretary of the Golf Course Association of Castellon. Carlos Rodriguez, Garcia’s manager, suggests that no one away from the professional game knows too much about “the other side of Sergio.” On the one hand, he still meets up with old school friends to play soccer and tennis, with the latter a sport in which he has the equivalent of a single-figure handicap. “Unlike most other top sportsmen,” said Bjorn Borg, after the two played

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prior to last November’s HSBC Championship in China, “Sergio actually looks like a tennis player.” Garcia, whose 19 titles as a professional include seven on the PGA TOUR as of midFebruary, also pours a lot of himself into his foundation, a vehicle designed to teach golf to disabled children. Garcia brought in Peter Longo, an American golf professional who specializes in teaching people with disabilities, to pass on his knowledge to 270 Spanish club professionals. Thus far, more than 850 Spanish children have benefited. “If,” said Rodriguez, “there is a shy child who does not want to join in, Sergio will go to great lengths to talk him round. He’s brilliant with kids.” Garcia is good with people in general. You would have thought that he would have enjoyed being the baby of the Ryder Cup side and having a fuss made of him in his earlier appearances in the matches. Instead, it was very soon apparent that he was looking after others rather than vice versa. When, for instance, the then newly divorced Montgomerie was cutting a particularly miserable figure at the 2004 matches at Oakland Hills, Garcia was the one to put a comforting arm about his shoulder. No one doubts that Garcia will make a great Ryder Cup captain one day, but for the moment, he is free to make the most of his pristine promise. After he had putted poorly to finish runner-up at both the 2007 and 2008 British Opens and hit an untimely shot into water en route to falling short at the 2008 PGA Championship, his 2008 PLAYERS Championship victory represented a watershed moment, a May week where his enthusiasm and talent combined to achieve greatness. He would go

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on to finish third in the FedExCup standing in 2008 – with playoff losses to Vijay Singh and Camilo Villegas in two PGA TOUR Playoffs events – and rose to second in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of the year. Above all, it was the first occasion on which the work he had put in with Stan Utley on his putting was beginning to take noticeable effect. During his 2008 victory, he led the field in Driving Accuracy and Greens in Regulation. Adding a hot putter was a remedy for success. He made a string of putts in his opening 66 and, though he was ordinary on the greens on Friday and Saturday, he rediscovered his touch for Sunday’s final round. However, it was hardly surprising that there were doubts when he faced a 7-foot par putt on the 72nd green to join Paul Goydos in a playoff. That was the distance that had bedeviled him in the past. To Garcia’s very visible enthusiasm, the ball disappeared into the hole on the par-4 18th at TPC Sawgrass, and he went on to beat the game Goydos at the first extra hole, the 17th. On an afternoon ripped by wind gusts of up to 40 mph, Goydos’ tee shot had ballooned before plopping into the water. Garcia, for his part, successfully negotiated the elements on the famous par-3 hole to finish but 4 feet from the flag. He was ready for the questions which followed his win. Ever since he turned pro in 1999, the press had bombarded him with the query about meeting his potential. Now that he had won such a prestigious title as THE PLAYERS under difficult circumstances, the questions moved up a gear. “What,” he was asked, “does this result tell you?” Whatever the inner kid might have been thinking about how he now felt ready to catch Tiger Woods, the older, wiser Garcia

(Above) Garcia hugs 2008 PLAYERS runner-up Paul Goydos. (Below, left to right) Michael Jordan chases Sergio Garcia down a fairway during a 1999 pro-am tournament at St. Andrews, Scotland; PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem presents Garcia with the winning crystal in 2008 and Garcia shows off his newly branded permanent locker in the Champions Lockerroom at TPC Sawgrass.

had more sense than to say anything even remotely inflammatory. “The only thing this tells me,” he responded, with those, running, jumping feet of his oh-sofirmly on the ground, “is to keep working hard and to believe in myself.”

Lewine Mair was the first woman to serve as the London Daily Telegraph’s Golf correspondent - and the first to have been given a specialist position on the sports pages of a national paper. She is the author of numerous golf books and is currently working for a range of golf magazines including the Daily Telegraph's "Create" or supplements section.


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PAUL GOYDOS

Paul Goydos’ Old Hat, New Support Group In his gift for looking at things from a point of view that is slightly askew, Paul Goydos maintains that he was Rocco Mediate before Rocco Mediate in 2008. “I was,” he says, “the first loveable loser.” By Tod Leonard In a performance that earned him fans around the world, the fun and fast-talking Mediate forced Tiger Woods into a Monday playoff in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, where he lost over 19 scintillating holes. The outcome had an oddly familiar ring to it. Just a month earlier, at THE PLAYERS Championship, another 40-something grinder quipped his way into people’s hearts, nearly seizing the greatest win of his career, only to be beaten by another of the game’s great, young stars. This one went overtime, too, but ended more abruptly. Goydos, 43 and going for the third win of his 16-year career, bogeyed the 72nd hole to drop into a tie with Sergio Garcia. The rare PLAYERS playoff – it was only the third in tournament history and first since 1987 – was over in just one hole. One shot, really. Goydos hit a pitching wedge short into the water at the treacherous par-3, island 17th at TPC Sawgrass, and Garcia stuffed his tee shot to 4 feet and made par. While Garcia celebrated his biggest win, the loss was a deflating disappointment to the many fans who came to admire Goydos for his everyman dialogue and understated good nature. Without a sponsor for his hat, the former substitute teacher had donned the brown and gold of his college alma mater’s baseball team, the Long Beach State “Dirtbags.” “There are days when I think, ‘Wow, what a good week,’ ” Goydos recalled recently. “And then there are days when I think, ‘Wow, what a crummy week.’ It just depends on my mood of the day.”

What is not in question is the outpouring of support Goydos received in the aftermath. “You don’t hear what people are saying when you’re playing, so (the reaction) was completely unexpected,” Goydos said. “If nothing else, 99.999 percent have been incredibly positive with warm wishes. It’s good to be recognized for something,” Goydos said with a shrug, “even if it’s not winning.” Goydos caught fire with the putter, leading the field on the greens. By Saturday night, he had a one-stroke advantage over Kenny Perry and a two-stroke margin on Garcia. He was full of quips also. Asked if he’d ever had the lead after 54 holes, Goydos shook his head and deadpanned, “But I’ve only been on the TOUR 16 years.” That’s why people loved him. “If it would have happened five years into my career, people probably wouldn’t have had the same reaction,” Goydos said. In the hot and windy final round, Goydos shot a 2-over 74 as Garcia charged by shooting 2-under over the last 17 holes to score 71. “From the time I missed the (par) putt on 18 to the time we were standing on that (17th) tee seemed like about a half-second,” Goydos recalled. “The reality was, it was playing very similar to the way it was in regulation, and I hit a pitching wedge then and it didn’t get to pin-high. That should have rang a bell that maybe it was a 9-iron.” Since the setback, Goydos has been reminded about reality. In January, his ex-wife and the mother of his two teen-aged daughters died

Paul Goydos, the 2008 runner-up, became famous for his sense of humor and Long Beach State baseball cap, which now is on display at Legends Restaurant and Sports Bar in Goydos' hometown of Long Beach, CA.

suddenly. Years earlier, Goydos took time away from the TOUR to be with his girls after gaining custody in the divorce. “Being a father is who I am,” Goydos said. “It’s why I’m here.” As for the location of the brown-and-gold cap with the “LB” logo? It was purchased in a Long Beach State charity auction soon after THE PLAYERS. The winning bid was $4,000 (all going to scholarships) and the cap landed in a wall display at The Legends Restaurant and Sports Bar, owned by high bidder Gene Rotondo. The Long Beach institution is a fitting home since it is populated by guys just like Paul Goydos, including Goydos himself on many occasions. Tod Leonard covers golf for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

“It’s good to be recognized for something, even if it’s not winning.” – Paul Goydos

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You It’s not just a word. It’s a commitment. At UBS, our business is You. It’s not a marketing promise. It’s a simple, essential fact. The relationships we have with our clients are the foundation of our firm and the cornerstone of our future. That fact has been our focus while we manage our firm through a difficult period. You need to be confident that our financial stability is securely underpinned. So we have taken the necessary steps to remain one of the best capitalized banks in the world.* You need to be reassured that the perspectives we give you fully reflect today’s realities. So our 140 years of experience has been strengthened through a rigorous review of our operations. You need people by your side who are re-energized and determined to look to the future. So we’re redoubling our eƩorts to listen, to understand, and to do the fundamentals better than ever. To help you manage your wealth. To execute financial transactions on your behalf. To assist you in structuring and financing your business. And to help you manage your financial risk. This is our renewed commitment to you, and to the financial relationship we call “You & Us.” www.ubs.com/commitment

*Based on a comparison of UBS’s December 31, 2008 Tier 1 capital ratio against Tier 1 capital ratios most recently reported by banks governed by the Basel I or II Capital Accords. © UBS 2009. All rights reserved.


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UBS and THE PLAYERS Proud Partners

As a dedicated supporter of world-class golf, UBS is proud of it’s long-term association with THE PLAYERS. THE PLAYERS is an elite tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule and features one of the strongest fields in golf, one of the sports richest purses and is played on a world-renowned golf course, THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. To succeed at this premier event means to claim a place in golf history – something achieved through continuous improvement and commitment. UBS salutes all the PGA TOUR professionals who continue to make their championship – THE PLAYERS – an unforgettable event year after year.

PGA TOUR & UBS- Giving Back In 2008, UBS, together with the PGA TOUR Wives, hosted Northeast Florida’s Community Hospice PedsCare group for a fun-filled morning. This event took place in the UBS 17th Challenge, which is onsite at THE PLAYERS. The event raised over $50,000 for this worthwhile cause and offered a group of very special kids the chance to meet and get golf tips and advice from many PGA TOUR players. UBS is proud to support THE PLAYERS Championship, which, through its various charitable efforts, raised more than $3 million in 2008.

Sponsorship at UBS Headquartered in Zurich and Basel, Switzerland, UBS AG is one of the world’s leading financial firms. It serves a discerning, international client base with its wealth management, investment banking and asset management businesses. In Switzerland, UBS is the market leader in retail and commercial banking. UBS has established sponsorship platforms that include modern and contemporary art, orchestral music, sailing and golf. In the U.S., UBS currently sponsors seven outstanding symphony orchestras, including: the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra. UBS is also the sponsor of important music festivals such as the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. UBS has been the main sponsor of Art Basel since 1994 and since 2002 has extended this important partnership to Art Basel Miami Beach. The firm also supports major exhibitions, programs and milestone events at museums around the world.

PGA TOUR Player Fred Funk provides some tips to a young fan in the UBS 17th Challenge

UBS continues to share the extraordinary UBS Art Collection with people around the world. Representing many of the world’s leading artists from 1960 to the present, the UBS Art Collection comprises more than 40,000 works of different genres: paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, sculptures and video installations. The public is invited to view works from the Collection by visiting the interactive web museum at www.ubs.com/artcollection. In addition to these sponsorship activities, UBS’s charitable focus aims at providing children in underserved communities with the educational resources needed to succeed, ultimately helping them break the cycle of poverty and giving them a better future. Community Affairs strengthens relationships with local organizations through grants and employee volunteer initiatives while focusing on education and empowerment. Wealth management services in the United States are provided by UBS Financial Services Inc., a registered broker-dealer offering securities, trading, brokerage and related products and services. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member SIPC. Member FINRA.


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LOCAL PLAYERS

A Backyard Game Mark McCumber sat on his golf bag and cried. Fred Funk slam-dunked his hat. David Duval removed his wraparound sunglasses and smiled, an emotional moment for the normally reserved Jacksonville native. Those reactions came after each of the players clinched a PLAYERS Championship on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, in front of family and friends, plus thousands of First Coast fans who regard them as one of their own. By Garry Smits

Mark McCumber was the first Jacksonville native to win THE PLAYERS in 1988. McCumber said winning his hometown tournament was emotional and "something to embrace."

Winning the PGA TOUR’s signature event is never easy, but trying to do it as a home game brings a mixed bag of challenges for TOUR players who are either natives of the area or long-time residents. No wonder their emotions simmered over the top of the kettle in different ways when McCumber, Funk and Duval realized they had won. “There are aspects of the week that are easier because you’re home,” said McCumber, who won THE PLAYERS in 1988. “But there is an enormous amount of pressure that goes with it. I’ve got to

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admit that I didn’t handle that pressure as well as I could have the first few times I played the tournament. But you figure it out as you go. Not every professional golfer gets the chance to have a true home tournament, let alone win it.” Funk found it impossible to block out the fact that his fan club, “Funk’s Punks,” was following him in droves and cheering loudly when he was sprinting to the lead on the back nine during a Monday finish in 2005, then holding on with a nerve-wracking par from a greenside bunker at the final hole.

“It’s always exciting to play at home and it’s even better to do it in a big tournament like THE PLAYERS,” Funk said. “But coming down the stretch that year, when it was my tournament to win or lose, I felt the heat. I didn’t want to blow it in front of the people who were rooting so hard for me. There was definitely some added pressure there.” Even Vijay Singh, who is so focused on the course, admits to feeling a bit more churning on the inside during his home game. “Maybe … I guess I do,” he said. “My friends are there and people who see


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Fred Funk became the oldest winner of THE PLAYERS when he won the 2005 tournament. The presence of his group of fans, "Funk's Punks" and playing at home made him "feel the heat" down the stretch.

me all year round are there and they expect me to play well. So yes, there is an added pressure to perform well.” It’s not just family and close friends. Stadium Course galleries are quick to adopt area natives and residents when coming down the stretch with victory in sight. When McCumber walked down the 18th fairway Sunday in 1988, some fans unfurled a large homemade banner that read, “Jacksonville’s Champion.” “I always wanted to know who they were, to thank them for the trouble of making

that banner, then bringing it to the course and taking it out,” McCumber said. “I never found out.” When Duval made his victory march down the 18th fairway during the final round in 1999, five area youths shed their T-shirts to reveal the letters “D-U-V-A-L” painted on their chests. The tournament rule barring fans from going shirtless on the course was forgotten about for those last few minutes of the tournament. Duval’s victory also completed a sweep within the family. Earlier that day, his father, Bob, won the Champions Tour’s Emerald Coast

Classic in Milton, FL. A volunteer marshal let that slip to Duval when he arrived at the 14th tee of the Stadium Course with a three-shot lead. Duval bogeyed his next two holes, but didn’t lose any more ground as he birdied the par-3 17th hole and parred the par-4 18th hole by getting up and down from behind the green. It remains the only time that a father and son have won on the Champions Tour and the PGA TOUR, let alone the same day. “It was a wonderful week,” Duval later recalled. McCumber, Duval and the late Dan Sikes

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LOCAL PLAYERS

David Duval won the 1999 PLAYERS in his hometown. Winning on the same day his father Bob captured a Champions Tour event made for a "wonderful week" for Duval.

are the only Jacksonville natives to have competed in THE PLAYERS. However, after the tournament established its permanent home at the TPC Sawgrass, a number of other professionals moved to the area to take advantage of the year-round warm weather and the TPC practice facilities. The migration began in the 1980s when Blaine McCallister and Rocco Mediate bought homes within sight of the second fairway of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course. Len Mattiace’s family moved to Ponte Vedra Beach when he was in junior high school, and he played the course frequently since his father was a member. Funk, Singh, Jim Furyk, Frank Lickliter II and Mark Carnevale followed in the 1990s. If you extend the reach of the Jacksonville area to south Georgia, the two PLAYERS titles won by Davis Love III of St. Simons Island, GA, add to the local lore. Love shot two of the most brilliant final rounds to win in tournament history, a 67 in 1992 and a 64 in 2003, both the low rounds of the field those days. Three Northeast Florida residents have won the tournament. McCumber set the scoring record at the time. Duval’s 3-under

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285 in 1999 was the highest winning score at TPC Sawgrass. Funk battled numerous rain delays and a wild, windy finish to become the oldest PLAYERS champion at age 48. Most of the other players who have lived in the area on a long-term basis had shots at winning the tournament. A triple-bogey 7 at the par-4 14th hole cost Singh a chance to overtake Tiger Woods in 2001, and he finished second by one shot. Mattiace was within one stroke of Justin Leonard in the final round in 1998 when he hit two balls in the water at the par-3 17th hole and finished tied for fifth. Furyk tied for fourth in 2003 and for third in 2006. Lickliter contended during the weekend of the 2004 tournament, and finished tied for third, four shots behind Adam Scott. Mediate, who no longer lives in the area, hung around in 2002 and finished solo third, two shots behind Craig Perks. Six years before, Mediate established a PLAYERS Stadium Course record when he birdied the last six holes to shoot 66 and tie for fourth, five shots behind Fred Couples. Most of the players agree that performing in front of friends and family adds a bit of steam to the pressure cooker. The obvious advantage is playing in your own back yard.

“The routine of being at home is relaxing,” said Mattiace. “There are no travel hassles of dealing with airports and hotels, or where to eat that night.” Another issue is whether players living in the area have a home-course advantage of sorts because they can play the course year round. Reaction to that is mixed. Singh once pointed out that the tournament conditions for the course were different than the rest of the year. That was especially true when the tournament was held in March when the greens were bentgrass and the ryegrass rough was very tall in some places. With the tournament played in May, the rough has been cut down to about 2 inches and the course is wall-to-wall bermudagrass. There is no longer a ryegrass overseed. That makes the conditions during the tournament week somewhat closer to how the course plays during other times of a year. “You get to play the bermuda pretty much all year round, so we get a better sense of how the greens will play,” Singh said. “The golf course does favor players who know the course very well, and I have an advantage. I have not made use of that advantage in the past.” TOUR players look for any little edge they can get. And the ones who live near the TPC


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Sawgrass hope the plusses that week always trump the added pressure. “In general, it’s a positive experience for us,” McCumber said. “I remember the first time I played with Phil Mickelson [in the 1994 TOUR Championship]. He told me he had watched me on TV winning THE PLAYERS and thought that would be the coolest thing to win in his hometown. It’s something to embrace.” Garry Smits covers golf for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, FL.

Frank Lickliter II (above) and Len Mattiace (below) have contended during THE PLAYERS on a course they play regularly. Mattiace was near the lead until late in the 1998 tournament. Lickliter holds the course record of 62 that included a double eagle on No. 11 set during a casual round in 2005.

Where Practice Makes Perfect When fans flock to the practice area at THE PLAYERS Championship, they have a close-up view of how the world’s best golfers prepare at one of the best facilities available. Jim Furyk spends time on the putting green at the practice facility. The practice facility is where area PGA TOUR players hone their games year-round. When the course and clubhouse renovation was completed in early 2007, the driving range was lengthened to 340 yards; a new short-game area was created in close proximity to the clubhouse; two putting greens were built adjacent to the first and 10th tees; and a TOUR Golf Academy, with two covered hitting bays and swing technology devices, was constructed on the far right side of the teeing area, close to the fourth tee. Another important practice area is not as visible to fans. The back tee, located at the far end of the range, and four practice greens, positioned behind a grove of trees near the ninth green, are reserved for TOUR players. The bermudagrass greens are maintained to TOUR specifics – lower grass heights and extra rolling by the maintenance staff to keep them firmer and faster – throughout the year for chipping, putting and bunker work. A TOUR players-only restroom and ball-storage facility is situated nearby. Fans have a view of this area by standing on mounding to the left of the fifth fairway. “I practice at TPC Sawgrass every day that I am at home and not playing in a tournament,” Ponte Vedra Beach resident Vijay Singh said. “I use the back of the range and all the greens that are available to us for the short game. The greens are very similar to the greens that I play on TOUR, not just at TPC Sawgrass, but at all the tournaments we play throughout the year.” This area alone is one good reason that so many TOUR players call this home. - Ward Clayton

Vijay Singh practices out of a bunker at a secluded short-game area at the back of the facility.

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PLAYER PROFILES

Robert Allenby

Height: 6-1 Weight: 185

Birthdate: July 12, 1971 Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia

Did You Know?: Father, Don, was a golf professional in Leeds, England, before emigrating to Melbourne, Australia. Allenby is a patron and spokesperson for Challenge Cancer Support Network, which has raised more than $9 million since 1993 for children with cancer and blood disorders.

Off Course: Allenby has launched a new business called “C’mon, Aussie” through which he leases himself for two-day events for either four-person or eight-person outings. Retreats include a golf clinic with Allenby, a round at his club, The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, FL, a day of deep-sea fishing on his 61-foot boat and dinner at his place. Career Low Round: 62/2002 Air Canada Championship/2nd round PGA TOUR titles: 4 International titles: 16 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 12 Best finish: T4/2003 Low round: 65/4th round/2003

I got back to basics, just started hitting shots. The more “ you relax and just see the shot and hit it, the better off you are. Sometimes coaches just get in the way. So now I’m doing it myself, just me and my caddie.” – Robert Allenby on a renewed focus to his game

Career money: $608,384

Stephen Ames

Height: 6-1 Weight: 165

Birthdate: April 28, 1964 Birthplace: San Fernando, Trinidad

Did You Know?: Ames was the first golf professional from his native Trinidad and Tobago to play at the global level but doesn’t want to be the last. Now a Canadian citizen, Ames set up a foundation in 2004 to help young golfers in Trinidad and Tobago to develop and raise the profile of the game. The highlight of his charitable work is the Stephen Ames Cup, a friendly Ryder Cup-style competition between a group of promising teens from his birth nation and a group of talented juniors from his adopted country.

Career Low Round: 61/2000 Doral-Ryder Open/ 2nd round PGA TOUR titles: 3 International titles: 3 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 10 Best finish: 1/2006 Low round: 66/2nd round/2006 Career money: $2,737,317

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Note: Statistics through April 12.

Off Course: His hobbies include following the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames and keeping watch over two restaurants he owns in the city. But most of his time is spent with his wife, Jodi, and their sons, Justin and Ryan.

Forty-eight or forty-nine of the top 50 players were “ playing? I beat the top players in the world this week.” – Stephen Ames on winning the 2006 PLAYERS


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Stuart Appleby

Height: 6-1 Weight: 195

Birthdate: May 1, 1971 Birthplace: Cohuna, Australia

Did You Know?: Appleby was raised on a dairy farm, where he used to hit golf shots from paddock to paddock once his chores were completed. Also played Australian Rules football before turning to professional golf in 1992 and competed in Australia before coming to the United States in 1995.

Off Course: Appleby has a love for sports cars, particularly the yellow Lamborghini he will occasionally drive to PGA TOUR events near his Florida home. Career Low Round: 62/2003 Las Vegas Invitational/1st round PGA TOUR titles: 8 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 12 Best finish: T14/1997 Low round: 68/4th round/2001

“ First time great. Second time awesome. Third time – it’s the wrong English – but more awesomer.”

– Stuart Appleby on his victories at Mercedes-Benz Championship from 2004-2006

Career money: $519,598

Aaron Baddeley

Height: 6-1 Weight: 182

Birthdate: March 17, 1981 Birthplace: Lebanon, NH

Did You Know?: Baddeley was born in New Hampshire before his family moved back to Australia when he was only 2. Father Ron served as chief mechanic for Mario Andretti’s race team in New Hampshire. As a result, Baddeley holds dual American and Australian citizenship. He was introduced to golf at age 8 by his grandmother, Jean Baddeley.

Career Low Round: 62-2 times, most recent 2003 Valero Texas Open/4th round PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 4 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 5 Best finish: T32/2008 Low round: 67/3rd round/2007

Off Course: The Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship began in 2000 with the boys and girls winners receiving spots in the Australian men’s and women’s Opens. In 2009, Baddeley also was instrumental in starting the Junior Pacific Cup, an annual team junior competition between teams from Australia and the United States that features both boys and girls.

I feel like I’m very clear about the direction I want to “ go with my game, how to get there, which is important. If you’re not clear on how to get to where you want to go, it makes it a lot tougher. So I have a very clear direction of how to get there.” – Aaron Baddeley on looking forward to 2009

Career money: $101,680

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PLAYER PROFILES

Matt Bettencourt

Height: 5-11 Weight: 180

Birthdate: April 12, 1975 Birthplace: Alameda, CA

Did You Know?: Bettencourt made a meteoric rise on the money list in the final weeks of the 2008 Nationwide Tour season, thanks to four top-five finishes in his final six starts. Victories at the Oregon Classic and the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch propelled him over a six-tournament stretch from No. 77 on the money list into the top spot, earning full status on the PGA TOUR in 2009 and a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship.

Career Low Round: 65/2008 50th Bob Hope Classic PGA TOUR titles: 0 Nationwide Tour titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: First Appearance

Off Course: Bettencourt was headed toward a career in baseball growing up in Modesto, CA. However, during his senior high school season while pitching he heard a pop in his shoulder. That resulted in a career change to golf, which he started at age 6, and went on to play at Modesto Junior College. After graduation, he played amateur golf and worked for a glass company selling shower doors and windows before turning professional in 2002.

“ Play against the best field in the world, wow. Could you ask for anything more? It’s going to be great.”

– Matt Bettencourt on earning a spot in THE PLAYERS field

Angel Cabrera

Height: 6-0 Weight: 210

Birthdate: September 12, 1969 Birthplace: Cordoba, Argentina

Did You Know?: The 2009 Masters Tournament champion learned the game as a 10-year-old caddie at Cordoba, home club of friend and current Champions Tour star Eduardo Romero. Romero, who lived two blocks from his young protege, encouraged him to take up the game at age 16. Cabrera turned professional at age 20 and has become the most successful Argentine golfer in history with the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters titles.

Career Low Round: 60/final round, 2001 Cordoba Open Major titles: 2 International titles: 17

Off Course: Cabrera – called “El Pato” (The Duck), a nickname inherited from his father – celebrated his 2007 U.S. Open victory with a parade in Argentina and was due to return home to another celebration the week after the Masters at his home course in Cordoba, the site of the Cordoba Open.

PGA TOUR titles: 2

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 6 Best finish: T26/2001 Low round: 70 /2nd round/ 2001; 1st round/2008

“ At this stage of the tournament, any player who says he does not feel nerves, he’s not human.”

– Angel Cabrera on the pressure of winning the 2009 Masters Tournament in a playoff

Career money: $70,837

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PLAYER PROFILES

Paul Casey

Height: 5-10 Weight: 180

Birthdate: July 21, 1977 Birthplace: Cheltenham, England

Did You Know?: Casey is coached by CBS golf analyst Peter Kostis…He tried for a tennis scholarship at Foxhills Golf Club near London at age 10, was unsuccessful and then returned the next year to earn a golf scholarship…Broke the Pac-10 Conference Championship scoring record of Tiger Woods by five strokes and the career scoring average for Arizona State golfers previously held by Phil Mickelson. Won his first PGA TOUR title in early April at the Shell Houston Open.

Career Low Round: 64/2 times, most recently the 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard/1st round PGA TOUR titles: 1 International titles: 8 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 4 Best finish: T10/2004 Low round: 69/3rd round/2004

Off Course: In 2007 he began his own foundation for junior golfers at Foxhills Golf Club near London, the course he grew up playing.

“ It feels like a payoff for all of the worrying I’ve put in, certainly recently, the past couple of months. It shows that marriage is clearly good for me.” – Paul Casey on winning early in the year on the European Tour, soon after getting married in late 2008

Career money: $200,000

K.J. Choi

Height: 5-8 Weight: 185

Birthdate: May 19, 1970 Birthplace: Wando, South Korea

Did You Know?: On March 5, 1985, his first day of 10th grade, a gym teacher picked him out of a line and told him he would be a golfer. Choi initially asked: “What is golf?” But it was not long before he was hooked. In his career, Choi has earned a series of firsts, supporting his teacher’s prediction: First Korean-born player to earn a PGA TOUR card; first Korean to win on the PGA TOUR; and first Asian to break into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

Career Low Round: 62-2 times, most recent 2003 Valero Texas Open/2nd round

Off Course: In late 2008, through his K.J. Choi Foundation, Choi donated $100,000 of his FedExCup bonus pool money to the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund. “As a Houstonian I felt the impact of this storm first-hand,” he said, “along with my neighbors and hope my donation will help my fellow residents get back on their feet.”

PGA TOUR titles: 7 International titles: 7 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 7 Best finish: T16/2006 Low round: 67/1st round/2004

Career money: $266,399

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“ People say, what good can a book do? But for me I think it does a lot of good, if you really know how to fall into it.” – K.J. Choi on learning the game by reading Jack Nicklaus’ Golf My Way


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Stewart Cink

Height: 6-4 Weight: 205

Birthdate: May 21, 1973 Birthplace: Huntsville, AL

Did You Know?: Cink got a head start on his profession and family. He took up golf when his parents, single-digit handicappers, left him at a driving range before he was old enough to go on the course. He married and was a father while still attending school and playing golf at Georgia Tech. He is a member at East Lake Golf Club, host venue of THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

Career Low Round: 63-3 times, most recent 2004 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational/1st round

Off Course: Likes to get away out west with hiking trips and ski trips. His wife, Lisa, coerced him into going years ago and now a one-week break hiking is an annual tradition. Would one day like to move out West.

PGA TOUR titles: 5 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 11 Best finish: T3/2007 Low round: 66/4th round/2007

“ I think I’m going to spend my whole life trying to get to high places, whether it’s in golf or hiking or whatever.”

– Stewart Cink on his professional and off-time aspirations

Career money: $810,360

Tim Clark

Height: 5-7 Weight: 165

Birthdate: December 17, 1975 Birthplace: Durban, South Africa

Did You Know?: Donated his first-place share of approximately $20,000 at the November 2005 Nelson Mandela Invitational to a deaf girl from the Carel du Toit School for the Hearing Impaired in Tygerberg, South Africa who needed implant surgery.

Off Course: At one time, roomed at North Carolina State University with current PGA TOUR members Carl Pettersson and Marc Turnesa.

Career Low Round: 62-2 times, most recent 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship/2nd round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 4 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 6 Best finish: T21/2003 Low round: 67/3rd round/2007

“I think a lot of guys playing with Tiger (Woods) probably try too hard or think about the fact that they’re playing with him, and it’s really just a case of realizing that it’s another round of golf. All you can do is hit your shots and move on and not get too caught up in what he’s doing. Today I felt like I did that pretty well.” – Tim Clark on beating Woods in the second round of the 2009 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship

Career money: $83,090

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PLAYER PROFILES

Ben Curtis

Height: 5-11 Weight: 175

Birthdate: May 26, 1977 Birthplace: Columbus, OH

Did You Know?: Curtis grew up only 50 yards from the practice putting green of Mill Creek Golf Course in Ostrander, OH, where his grandfather built the course and where his father is the superintendent. Curtis started playing golf at age 3 but says he didn’t get serious about it until high school. He won the Division II state title his junior and senior years of high school.

Career Low Round: 62/2006 Booz Allen Classic/ 1st round Major titles: 1 International titles: 1

Off Course: The week after his 2003 British Open victory, he was a guest on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” where he hit wedge shots from rooftop to rooftop during the broadcast. He also visited President George W. Bush in the White House.

PGA TOUR titles: 3

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 5 Best finish: T42/2008 Low round: 71/3rd round/2008

“ Obviously I’m a better player than I was [in 2003]. I know if I get hot, I can have a chance to win any week…That’s just the way this game is. Everybody out here is probably better than they were in ‘03, as well.” – Ben Curtis on comparisons of his game to 2003 when he won the British Open

Career money: $29,830

Luke Donald

Height: 5-9 Weight: 160

Birthdate: December 7, 1977 Birthplace: Hemel Hempstead, England

Did You Know?: Suffered a wrist injury at the 2008 U.S. Open, which required surgery last August to repair a tendon injury. Sat out the remainder of the season…His older brother Christian caddies for him.

Off Course: Donald earned a degree in art theory and practice at Northwestern and donated one of his paintings to a PGATOUR.COM auction with the proceeds split between PGA TOUR Charities and junior golf charity in Chicago. Career Low Round: 62/2006 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am/1st round PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 6 Best finish: T2/2005 Low round: 65/3rd round/2007

Career money: $791,040

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“ I spent probably a good four weeks putting for two, three, four hours a day, and those kinds of things help you down the road.” – Luke Donald on rebuilding his game following wrist surgery


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Height: 6-3 Weight: 210

Ernie Els

Birthdate: October 17, 1969 Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

Did You Know?: As a youngster, Els was outstanding in soccer, cricket, rugby and tennis. At age 13, he won the Eastern Transvaal Junior Championships, a significant regional tennis event. At age 14, he won golf’s Junior World Championship in San Diego, CA.

Career Low Round: 61/1995 GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic/2nd round Major titles: 3 International titles: 44

Off Course: Els is heavily involved in Autism awareness, junior golf of South Africa and the Cancer Society of South Africa. The Ernie Els Foundation was formed in early 1999, with the purpose of providing full support to disadvantaged children. Proceeds from the Ernie Els Invitational go to four charities and the Foundation. Els began a wine-producing company earlier in the decade.

PGA TOUR titles: 16

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 15 Best finish: T6/2008 Low round: 65/3rd Round/1996

Career money: $1,179,390

Ross Fisher

I want to inch myself along, play each round, “ each tournament. I’ve got a lot of talent, and if I get all of this stuff together, things can start falling into place again.” – Ernie Els on looking forward to 2009

Height: 6-3 Weight: 168

Birthdate: November 22, 1980 Birthplace: Ascot, England

Did You Know?: Grew up near the Wentworth Club, not far from the headquarters of the European PGA Tour. Learned the game there after being introduced by his step-father at age 3, then earned a free membership and tuition during his junior days. Fisher won the 2008 European Open on the European Tour at Wentworth.

Off Course: During the 1998 World Matchplay at Wentworth, had the job of picking up practice balls for Tiger Woods, a participant in the tournament. Career Low Round: 63/2008 European Open/ 1st round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: First Appearance

I can walk away with my head high and very, very pleased. “ But at the same time I am slightly disappointed. But to finish fourth and to be disappointed, there’s a lot of positives to take out of the week.” – Ross Fisher on finishing fourth at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year

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PLAYER PROFILES

Jim Furyk

Height: 6-2 Weight: 185

Birthdate: May 12, 1970 Birthplace: West Chester, PA

Did You Know?: Furyk learned the game from his father, who was head pro at Uniontown Country Club near Pittsburgh. He graduated from Manheim Township High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1988 where he was a standout basketball player in addition to being a state champion golfer. His father, Mike, has been his only instructor.

Career Low Round: 62/4 times, most recent 2008 BMW Championship/2nd round Major titles: 1 International titles: 3

Off Course: Furyk is a big fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He attended the Super Bowl victory earlier this year in Tampa and has attended numerous other Steelers games, including a 2000 game between the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens where he suffered a slight cartilage tear in his right wrist while trying to intercept a pass in the parking lot before the game.

PGA TOUR titles: 13

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 13 Best finish: T3/2006 Low round: 65/1st Round/2006

“ I want to hang out and play with my kids and I love going to sporting events and I saw a bunch of them this year, not only Steelers football, but a bunch of football games and baseball games here and there and I enjoyed my time.” – Jim Furyk on his love of other sports

Career money: $1,138,254

Sergio Garcia

Height: 5-10 Weight: 160

Birthdate: January 9, 1980 Birthplace: Castellon, Spain

Did You Know?: Garcia turned pro 10 years ago (April 21, 1999) after playing in 28 professional events as an amateur. He was the first British Amateur champion to finish as low amateur in the Masters (1999). He won 19 events as an amateur and also a professional event, the Catalonian Open, at age 17. At age 14, he made his first cut in a European Tour event, the 1995 Turespana Open Mediterranea, setting a European Tour record as the youngest player to make a cut…He ascended to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking in late 2008 after winning THE PLAYERS and finishing runner-up at the PGA Championship and during two PGA TOUR Playoffs events.

Career Low Round: 62–2 times, most recent 2002 World Golf Championships-American Express Championship/final round PGA TOUR titles: 7

International titles: 11

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 9 Best finish: 1/2008 Low round: 66/4 times, most recently 1st round/2008 Career money: $3,131,504 (first in PLAYERS history)

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Off Course: Golf is definitely in the Garcia family’s blood. Father Victor is a lifelong golf professional who now plays on the European Senior Tour. Older brother Victor Jr. played in college at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC, and sister Mar played at the University of Arizona. Both siblings are now back home working in Castellon, Spain…Garcia’s first U.S. golf-course design work, at the new TPC San Antonio, is scheduled to open in 2010. The course, to be called AT&T Oaks, enlisted World Golf Hall of Famer Greg Norman as the main architect and Garcia as the consultant on the project. The Valero Texas Open is scheduled to move to the new course in 2010.

“ Usually, I would probably say that when I play like a kid, I usually do well. I definitely don’t consider myself a kid anymore. I feel like an old man, an old 28-year-old.”

– Sergio Garcia after winning the 2008 PLAYERS Championship


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Retief Goosen

Height: 5-11 Weight: 185

Birthdate: February 3, 1969 Birthplace: Pietersburg, South Africa

Did You Know?: Goosen is a patron of the South African Disabled Golf Association (SADGAS), an association set up in 2004 to enable disabled golfers to enjoy and compete in the golf arena. SADGA provides clinics throughout South Africa for disadvantaged, disabled youngsters introducing them to golf and the job opportunities within the industry and the opportunity to compete monthly against the able-bodied, the only difference between them being their golf handicap.

Career Low Round: 62/2002 World Golf ChampionshipsAmerican Express Championship/4th round Major titles: 2 International titles: 22

Off Course: Goosen enjoys watching rugby and cricket and often water-skis when he’s back home is South Africa in December and January.

PGA TOUR titles: 7

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 10 Best finish: 2/2006 Low round: 69/1st round/2005; 1st round/2006; Final round/2006

Career money: $1,201,763

Padraig Harrington

“ I also turned 40 [on Feb. 3], so I felt a bit depressed about

that. But Vijay [Singh] started playing his best golf when he was turning 40, so you keep that in the back of your mind.” – Retief Goosen on his renewed focus on physical fitness, which enabled him to lose 16 pounds

Height: 6-1 Weight: 196

Birthdate: August 31, 1971 Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland

Did You Know?: Harrington started playing golf at age 4. His father was involved in building a golf course in South County Dublin called Stackstown and it was to become a home away from home. Was encouraged to play by two brothers, an uncle and his father, all sporting 5 handicaps. At age 15, was a scratch golfer. His father, Paddy, was a police officer who died of cancer in 2005.

Off Course: Much like the competition within his family, which includes four older brothers, he also has distant cousins involved in other sports, NFL quarterback Joey Harrington and former World Series of Poker champion Dan Harrington. Career Low Round: 63-3 times, most recently in the 2007 THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola/1st round Major titles: 3 International titles: 16

PGA TOUR titles: 5

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 8 Best finish: 2/2004 Low round: 66/4th Round/2004

Career money: $1,560,409

“ It is an individual game when we’re out there competing, but you do want and crave the respect of your fellow pros. And the fact that they have picked me as their Player of the Year, I find it hard to describe. Probably I’ve never received as high an accolade in my life.” – Padraig Harrington on winning the 2008 PGA TOUR Player of the Year Award

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PLAYER PROFILES

Height: 5-9 Weight: 178

Trevor Immelman

Birthdate: December 16, 1979 Birthplace: Cape Town, South Africa

Did You Know?: Immelman takes his “cue” from South African barbecue, what they call a braai. Once or twice a week when home, he’ll have an open fire and sit around and grill meat, sausage and chicken for a taste he characterizes as incredible.

Off Course: If not for golf, Immelman’s aspirations might have led him to twang his way into rock stardom. Inspired by his dad and brother, who both played in a band, Immelman plays guitar and the drums. In his house, he has a room filled with music memorabilia, signed guitars by different bands and pictures that inspire him. Career Low Round: 64-3 times, most recent 2008 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational/2nd round Major titles: 1 International titles: 6

PGA TOUR titles: 2

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 2 Best finish: Cut Low round: 70/2nd round/2003

“ At this level, it becomes such a mental game, so hopefully all of last year’s experiences made me tougher and made me realize some more things about myself. So hopefully I can start using all of that stuff to my advantage and just become a smarter player and a better player and just keep climbing steps that way.” – Trevor Immelman on his successful 2008 season, where he won the Masters

Career money: $0

Miguel Angel Jiménez

Height: 5-10 Weight: 165

Birthdate: January 5, 1964 Birthplace: Malaga, Spain

Did You Know?: One of seven brothers, Jiménez started working at a local golf club in Malaga as a caddie and took up the game at age 15. His dream was to become a professional golfer, and once he gained his card he never looked back.

Off Course: The Jiménez mystique is well known in the golf world. He enjoys the finer things; good cigars, great wine, superior food, fast cars and good friends…Nicknamed “The Mechanic” for his love of cars and his course-management skills. Career Low Round: 62/two times, most recent 2005 The Celtic Manor Wales Open/final round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 14 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 7 Best finish: T32/2008 Low round: 67/1st round/2006

Career money: $122,454

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“ Every year, of course, you have long-term goals,

but every day, what I want to do is enjoy myself and enjoy life, that’s it.” – Miguel Angel Jiménez on his philosophy on playing golf


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Dustin Johnson

Height: 6-4 Weight: 190

Birthdate: June 22, 1984 Birthplace: Columbia, SC

Did You Know?: Johnson won the Turning Stone Resort Championship in early October 2008 for his first PGA TOUR victory and then followed that up in mid-February 2009 with a victory at the rain-shortened AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am…He is coached by Allen Terrell, his college coach at Coastal Carolina University near Myrtle Beach, SC.

Career Low Round: 63/2008 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic/Final round PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 1 Best finish: Cut Low round: 73/1st round/2008

Off Course: Johnson also has basketball in his blood. His grandfather, Art Whisnant, was a 6-foot-5 first-team all-ACC center for South Carolina in 1962, and was a draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers. Dustin, who stands 6-4, can dunk a basketball barefooted and was able to palm a regulation basketball as a seventh-grader.

“ You could play the best golf you’ve ever played and someone else could play their best golf they’ve ever played and beat you.” – Dustin Johnson on winning twice within 10 starts on the PGA TOUR

Career money: $0

Zach Johnson

Height: 5-11 Weight: 160

Birthdate: February 24, 1976 Birthplace: Cedar Rapids, IA

Did You Know?: On September 4, 2007, Zach Johnson led the singing of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the Seventh Inning Stretch of the Chicago Cubs baseball game at Wrigley Field.

Career Low Round: 60/2007 THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola/3rd round Major titles: 1 International titles: 0

Off Course: The gallery at the 2004 BellSouth Classic, where he picked up his first TOUR victory, included a group of about 10 men from Iowa who gave him financial support early in his career. Some were seeing him play as a professional for the first time. “It started out as a business, but it ended up as a business family,” Johnson said of his relationship with them. “It’s unbelievable having them here.”

PGA TOUR titles: 5

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 4 Best finish: T8/2005 Low round: 65/1st round/2005

“ When I got on Oprah (Winfrey Show) it hit me that this was pretty different from what I’ve done before.”

– Zach Johnson commenting on how winning the 2007 Masters tournament was career changing.

Career money: $367,857

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JELD-WEN is the official window, door and millwork provider of the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour. To learn more about JELD-WEN and our reliable windows and doors, please visit us at www.jeld-wen.com. ©2008 JELD-WEN, inc.; JELD-WEN, the JW icon and Reliability for real life are registered trademarks of JELD-WEN, inc., Oregon, USA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


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Brasada Ranch®, located in the high desert of Central Oregon, is the first newly constructed resort in the nation to earn a LEED ® gold certification for JELD-WEN’s operations extend beyond manufacturing. sustainable building practices. Here, outdoor Live, work and play is the mantra at the JELD-WEN® Communities, a family of resorts in the Northwest. recreation is the main focus. Residents and lodge guests play on a private golf course designed by Champions Tour professional Peter Jacobsen. Follow the Cascade Mountains south to find the Running Y Ranch near Klamath Falls, Oregon, featuring the state’s only Arnold Palmer-designed course. This high-country hideaway is surrounded by forestland and borders the Northwest’s largest lake, home to beautiful migratory birds. For more information on JELD-WEN resorts, visit www.JELD-WENCommunities.com.

JELD-WEN community, Brasada Ranch, Powell Butte, Oregon ©2009 JELD-WEN, inc.; JELD-WEN is a registered trademark of JELD-WEN, inc., Oregon, USA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About JELD-WEN JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant in 1960. Today the company manufactures a full breadth of windows, doors and garage doors, and has earned numerous awards and endorsements for reliability, innovation and excellence. For more information, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482.


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PLAYER PROFILES

Robert Karlsson

Height: 6-5 Weight: 198

Birthdate: September 3, 1969 Birthplace: Katrineholm, Sweden

Did You Know?: In 2008, Karlsson became the first Swedish player to win the European Tour Order of Merit. He won the Mercedes-Benz Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Europe as well as 10 other top-10s, including the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open. He was the only player to record top-10s in the first three major championships in 2008. Karlsson is 6-5, one of the tallest players in golf.

Career Low Round: 61/2008 Italian Open

Off Course: Karlsson experimented with various coaches, swings, sports psychologists and diets until 2003 when he decided to start over again. With the help of coach Annchristine Lundstrom and wife, Ebba, he became a more relaxed player on and off the course.

PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 10 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 1 Best finish: T6/2007 Low round: 66/final round/2007

“ I’m not wasting a lot of energy on bad shots, and I’m not wasting a lot of energy on bad rounds.”

– Robert Karlsson on the reason for his recent success

Career money: $281,700

Shingo Katayama

Height: 5-7 Weight: 160

Birthdate: January 31, 1973 Birthplace: Ibaragi, Japan

Did You Know?: Katayama can be seen from a mile away on the course. Ever since late 2000 and at the 2001 PGA Championship (where he T4), he has worn his trademark cowboy-style hat. He started wearing the hat after seeing a poster of himself wearing a normal golf cap. He thought that hat made his face look big, so he chose a larger hat to make his face appear smaller and slimmer. Warms up on the driving range by hitting balls left-handed to keep up his “body balance equivalent.”

Career Low Round: 67/2006 Bell South Classic/ 2nd round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 26 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 3 Best finish: T70/2006 Low round: 70/1st round/2006

Career money: $15,920

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Off Course: Wears multiple bracelets on his left wrist – both on and off the course – as spiritual support. “The Chinese would call it Chi,” Katayama said.

I started wearing this hat since [in late 2000] the Dunlop “ Phoenix Tournament in Japan. Vijay Singh looked at me and said, ‘Crocodile Dundee.’ But eventually I won that tournament, so it is a symbol of good luck.” – Shingo Katayama on his headgear


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Martin Kaymer

Height: 6-0 Weight: 165

Birthdate: December 28, 1984 Birthplace: Dusseldorf, Germany

Did You Know?: Kaymer became the first German to be named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year on the European Tour after a superb debut season in 2007 during which he recorded five top-10 finishes. He won twice in 2008, at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and at the BMW International Open in his native Germany to jump into the top 50 in the world.

Career Low Round: 61/2007 Portugal Masters/ 1st round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: First Appearance

Anthony Kim

Off Course: As a youngster, aspired to be either a soccer player or golfer. Was a striker on club teams during his high school days, following in the footsteps of his father, who played some professional soccer. Receives career advice from Fanny Sunesson, Henrik Stenson’s caddie. Sunesson has helped coach the German national amateur team.

“ My role model always was Ernie Els because I love

his swing. The rhythm is unbelievable. Him as a person – he’s so relaxed and so calm.” – Martin Kaymer on Ernie Els

Height: 5-10 Weight: 160

Birthdate: June 19, 1985 Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA

Did You Know?: When Kim was in high school in Los Angeles, his parents made the decision to relocate him to La Quinta, CA, so he would be closer to more golf courses. His family purchased a condominium near the courses, and Kim lived there by himself. His mother would come from Los Angeles frequently and prepare numerous dinners, which Kim kept frozen when she returned to Los Angeles.

Career Low Round: 63/2007 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial/1st round PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 2 Best finish: T42/2008 Low round: 70/1st and 2nd rounds/2008

Career money: $29,830

Off Course: Kim is a big basketball fan. He grew up playing basketball in Los Angeles and was his team’s point guard. He is a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. Kim was also moved by the intense fans of Oklahoma University football. When he went on a recruiting trip to Norman, OK, and attended a football game against Alabama, there was a downpour early in the game. However, few of the 70,000-plus fans even left their seats. Many of the men just took their shirts off and enjoyed the storm. Kim was sold and played college golf for three years at Oklahoma.

“ I played every sport in diapers. I told my parents I was going to be a pro basketball player, football player and golfer and do it all in the same season.” – Anthony Kim on his athletic interests as a youngster

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PLAYER PROFILES

Justin Leonard

Height: 5-9 Weight: 170

Birthdate: June 15, 1972 Birthplace: Dallas, TX

Did You Know?: Leonard and Daphne’s Headcovers have joined forces to support the ASPCA. Daphne’s Headcovers, a fixture in Leonard’s bag for the past eight years, donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of their Yellow Lab headcovers to the charity.

Career Low Round: 61-2 times, most recent Valero Texas Open/3rd round Major titles: 1 International titles: 0

Off Course: Leonard launched a course design business over the last few years with projects in Colorado and Texas scheduled to open in 2009…Favorite hometown sports include the NHL’s Dallas Stars and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

PGA TOUR titles: 12

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 14 Best finish: 1/1998 Low round: 65/1st round/1996

“ I kind of went away from being a feel player into getting more technical, and I’ve now gotten back into being more of a feel player and having a little more fun doing it.” – Justin Leonard on how he revived his game in 2008

Career money: $964,416

Hunter Mahan

Height: 5-11 Weight: 175

Birthdate: May 17, 1982 Birthplace: Orange, CA

Did You Know?: Mahan was the first player to make a double eagle in PLAYERS Championship history. In the second round of the 2007 PLAYERS, Mahan holed a 5-iron from 227 yards on the par-5 11th hole. The following day, Peter Lonard also holed a 5-iron for double eagle, this time on the par-5 second hole from 229 yards.

Off Course: Mahan has quite a love for cars, including a 2007 Bentley and a 1969 Chevy Nova. He also sports throwback shoes, the retro saddle shoes with 1970s-style color patterns, some featuring an orange tribute to his alma mater, Oklahoma State. Career Low Round: 62/5 times, most recent 2008 The Barclays/1st round PGA TOUR titles: 1 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 2 Best finish: T40/2005 Low round: 68/1st round/2005

Career money: $30,400

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I just got to play one shot at a time and be patient. “ I just have to focus on the task at hand and what’s in front of me. I can’t get ahead of myself or behind myself, I got to stay in the moment.” – Hunter Mahan describing his thinking during the 2008 U.S. Open


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Graeme McDowell

Height: 5-10 Weight: 154

Birthdate: July 30, 1979 Birthplace: Portrush, Northern Ireland

Did You Know?: McDowell had quite a track record of success in the United States as an amateur. He played a prominent role in Great Britain and Ireland’s retention of the Walker Cup in 2001 at Sea Island, GA, teaming with future pros such as Luke Donald to beat a U.S. team that included PGA TOUR players Lucas Glover and D.J. Trahan. At the University of Alabama-Birmingham, McDowell was ranked the top collegiate golfer in the country, winning the 2002 Fred Haskins Award. Out of 12 starts in 2002, McDowell won six events with a stroke average of 69.6. Pronounces his first name, Gray-um.

Career Low Round: 62/2004 BMW International Open (European Tour)/final round; 2004 dunhill links championship (European Tour)/1st round

Off Course: McDowell likes playing snooker and shooting and is a huge fan of the Manchester United soccer team.

PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 4 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 1 Best finish: T40/2005 Low round: 66/2nd round/2005

“ I think I’m in a bit more control of my golf swing than I was

a couple years ago. I know where the bad shots come from.” – Graeme McDowell on his recent steady play

Career money: $ 30,400

Rory McIlroy

Height: 5-9 Weight: 160

Birthdate: May 4, 1989 Birthplace: Holywood, Northern Ireland

Did You Know?: McIlroy won a 10-and-under junior championship at Doral and more recently has accomplished such feats as being low amateur at the 2007 British Open and winning his first European Tour event last month at the Dubai Desert Classic. That victory pushed him into the top 20 in the world, making him the youngest player to ever hold that distinction. He also advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in February.

Career Low Round: 63/2008 Omega European Masters PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 1 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: First Appearance

Off Course: McIlroy’s curly locks are part superstition. As of early March, he hadn’t cut his hair since last summer when he was ranked 172nd in the Official World Golf Ranking. He has risen into the top 20 since. “I’ll lose all my power,” he joked of getting a haircut in early February.

“ It’s like two completely different lives. You’re out here

and you’re practicing and working hard and trying to win golf tournaments. And then when you get back home you see your friends struggling to try to get results in the exams at university.” – Rory McIlroy on his first year as a professional golfer

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PLAYER PROFILES

Phil Mickelson

Height: 6-3 Weight: 200

Birthdate: June 16, 1970 Birthplace: San Diego, CA

Did You Know?: Mickelson won his first PGA TOUR event as a 20-year-old Arizona State University junior in the 1991 Northern Telecom Open. He birdied the final hole at the then TPC StarPass to beat Tom Purtzer by a shot at 16-under-par 272. He remains the last amateur to win a TOUR event. His caddie that week was his college coach, Steve Loy, who has been his business manager since Mickelson turned pro in 1992.

Career Low Round: 60/2005 FBR Open/2nd round Major titles: 3 International titles: 2

Off Course: Mickelson has supported the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Birdies for the Brave and Homes for Our Troops for the last few years and on average, their Fund has made a donation for a birdie or eagle on every fourth hole he’s played. The Phil and Amy Mickelson Charitable Gift Fund also has made substantial contributions to all three organizations.

PGA TOUR titles: 36

THE PLAYERS History Starts: 15 Best finish: 1/2007 Low round: 64/3rd Round/1996; 1st Round/2002

Career money: $2,592,526

Sean O'Hair

“ I just blocked everything out, looked at the pin and swung to it. I didn’t think about anything swing-wise, just looked at my target and swung and forgot about all the technical stuff that I had been working on.” – Phil Mickelson on making birdies on two of the last three holes to win the Northern Trust Open earlier this season, his 35th career win

Height: 6-2 Weight: 165

Birthdate: July 11, 1982 Birthplace: Lubbock, TX

Did You Know?: O’Hair turned professional after his junior year of high school and spent time on mini-tours before qualifying for the PGA TOUR in late 2004.

Career Low Round: 63-2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard/3rd round

Off Course: O’Hair met his wife Jackie at TPC Heron Bay in Coral Springs, FL, when she was a college golfer at Florida Atlantic and he was practicing on the driving range. On their first date, they rented the movie “Pearl Harbor” and went to her townhouse to watch it. “She sat on one side of the couch and I sat on the complete opposite side. I don’t think we said two words to each other the whole night,” Sean said. They married in 2002.

PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 3 Best finish: 11/2007 Low round: 66/3rd round/2007

Career money: $242,600

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“ I’ve gone from the lowest level in golf to the highest level in one year. That’s pretty cool.”

– Sean O’Hair on making the PGA TOUR in 2005


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Geoff Ogilvy

Height: 6-2 Weight: 180

Birthdate: June 11, 1977 Birthplace: Adelaide, South Australia

Did You Know?: With his victory in the World Golf ChampionshipsAccenture Match Play Championship on March 1, Ogilvy became the first player to win twice on the 2009 PGA TOUR. He also won the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. Ogilvy is a founding owner of MOJO Pies, “The Original Australian Pie” located in Scottsdale, AZ. He is also a proud supporter of the St. Kilda Football Club, an Australian Rules Football club, based in Melbourne, Australia.

Career Low Round: 62/2007 THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola/3rd round Major titles: 1 International titles: 1

PGA TOUR titles: 6

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 7 Best finish: T16/2007 Low round: 67/3rd round/2007

Off Course: He was given a cut-down club by his dad at age 7 and progressed to a scratch handicap by age 16. He played full-time amateur golf before turning professional in 1998.

“ There was no real moment of clarity or epiphany or whatever. You want to say it was a very gradual process from being generally not very nice to myself on the golf course to being quite nice to myself on the golf course.” - Geoff Ogilvy on getting angry at himself while playing golf

Career money: $219,700

Kenny Perry

Height: 6-2 Weight: 205

Birthdate: August 10, 1960 Birthplace: Elizabethtown, KY

Did You Know?: Perry won the FBR Open in Scottsdale, AZ, earlier this year for his 13th career PGA TOUR win. For his success in leading the United States to victory in the Ryder Cup, he and fellow Kentuckian J.B. Holmes were named 2008 Kentuckians of the Year by Kentucky Monthly magazine.

Career Low Round: 61/2003 Bank of America Colonial/3rd round

Off Course: Perry owns, races, and works on variety of cars. He’s a big sports fan and often plays golf with Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton. Perry donates five percent of his winnings to David Lipscomb University, his wife’s alma mater, to fund a pair of scholarships. In addition, he took out a loan to build Country Creek, a public course in his hometown of Franklin, KY. In 1995 he bought 142 acres of land and borrowed more than $2.5 million to design and build the only public course in the town. He designed it for mid-to-high handicappers and kept it affordable: 18 holes with a cart is $28; $12 without one.

PGA TOUR titles: 13 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 20 Best finish: T3/2004 Low round: 65/1st round/1996

Career money: $938,945

“ I still hit it as far as anybody. To me, at my age and as healthy as I am, I don’t back down to anybody.”

– Kenny Perry, after winning his 13th career PGA TOUR title earlier this year at the FBR Open

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PLAYER PROFILES

Ian Poulter

Height: 6-1 Weight: 189

Birthdate: January 10, 1976 Birthplace: Stevenage, England

Did You Know?: Poulter has a penchant for wild trousers and highlighted hair. He once wore the red streaks of London soccer club Arsenal, his favorite team. During the 2004 major championships, he wore pants that featured pink (Masters Tournament), the Union Jack (British Open) and United States stars and stripes (PGA Championship) designs. He has developed his own clothing line, which is available at his Web site, ianpoulter.co.uk. His design company designed the uniforms for the Great Britain and Ireland team in the 2008 Curtis Cup.

Career Low Round: 63/2005 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic/4th round

Off Course: Poulter’s favorite movie is “Gone in 60 Seconds,” no surprise there since he loves driving sporty racing cars and whose garage has housed such models as an Aston Martin DB8 and a Jaguar XK8.

PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 7 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 5 Best finish: T21/2008 Low round: 68/2nd round/2006

Career money: $243,994

Alvaro Quiros

My sporting heroes are the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, “ Muhammad Ali, Pele and of course the late Payne Stewart, all colorful characters.” – Ian Poulter on his flamboyant golf attire

Height: 6-3 Weight: 185

Birthdate: January 21, 1983 Birthplace: La Linea, Spain

Did You Know?: Quiros is one of the longest drivers on the European Tour, leading the circuit in driving distance in 2007 (308.2-yard average) and 2008 (309.7). He is coached by former Ryder Cup player and four-time European Tour champion José Rivero, whom he cites as one of the biggest influences on his career.

Career Low Round: 64/4 times, most recently the 2009 Qatar Masters on the European Tour

Off Course: Quiros is a big fan of James Bond films. When he won the Qatar Masters on the European Tour earlier this year, girlfriend Maria sent him a box set of Bond films, which he watched during the tournament. Prefers the Sean Connery Bond to the current Daniel Craig mainly because he feels like he resembles Connery more than the blond-haired Craig.

PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: First Appearance

“ When things are going good and you think you are doing things well, you smile. When you hit some silly shots, it’s not easy. But on the golf course I will keep smiling and that’s it.” – Alvaro Quiros on his attitude on the course

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Andres Romero

Height: 5-10 Weight: 165

Birthdate: May 8, 1981 Birthplace: Tucuman, Argentina

Did You Know?: Romero took up golf at age 8 after being bedridden with a kidney disease that necessitated a no-sodium diet. He started caddying at The Jockey Club outside Buenos Aires, Argentina, before playing and then turned professional at age 16. He is coached by his uncle, Miguel Romero, and is no relation to Argentine Champions Tour player Eduardo Romero. However, when Andres was young and poor, he would hide in the trees at the end of the driving range and wait for Eduardo to hit brand-new practice balls, then sneak out and swipe the balls for his own rounds.

Career Low Round: 65-2 times, most recent 2008 PGA Championship/3rd round PGA TOUR titles: 1 International titles: 6 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 1 Best finish: Cut Low round: 77/1st round/2008

Career money: $ 0

Justin Rose

Off Course: Romero was forced to give up his favorite hobby, monocycling, when he turned professional because it was deemed too dangerous. However, he still enjoys mountain biking and has a red pickup truck outfitted with 14 speakers for the stereo system to drive in his native Argentina.

I’ve been always very aggressive since I was young, and “ that’s the way I got here. Why do I have to change if I had so many good results? ”

– Andres Romero on his aggressive playing style

Height: 6-3 Weight: 185

Birthdate: July 30, 1980 Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

Did You Know?: Rose first swung a club in the back garden at 11 months when his dad, Ken, handed him a plastic club. Broke 70 for the first time at age 11. Held a handicap of plus-1 at age 14. His father passed away in 2002 and he is remembered via the Ken Rose Foundation (kenrosefoundation.com).

Off Course: Rose and his wife, Kate, had their first child, a son, Leo, on the Saturday before the 2009 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in mid-February. Career Low Round: 60/2006 FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World Resort/1st Round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 5 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 5 Best finish: T39/2003 Low round: 67/2nd rouond/2005

“ This will give me a lot of confidence that I’ve found a lot of old routines that maybe got a little stale last year and now they are fresh again and I’m feeling good.” – Justin Rose on finishing second at the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year

Career money: $43,360

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PLAYER PROFILES

Rory Sabbatini

Height: 5-10 Weight: 165

Birthdate: April 2, 1976 Birthplace: Durban, South Africa

Did You Know?: Sabbatini donates to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which supports injured servicemen and their families, and also the United Though Reading organization. Recently he set up the HARTS HOPE Foundation that allows his family to give back to community…Often sports exotic belt buckles, which were purchased by his wife, Amy.

Career Low Round: 62-2 times, most recent 2007Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial/1st round PGA TOUR titles: 4 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 9 Best finish: T27/2008 Low round: 67/1st round/2007

Career money: $117,547

Adam Scott

Off Course: Enjoys watching all sports and spends some of his off time at the lake near his Texas home boating and fishing…Travels throughout the season in a tour bus with his family.

“ I’ve been changing some things with regard to workouts and it has been an adjustment with the game there. It’s starting to sink in now and the game is starting to feel really good.” – Rory Sabbatini on a new focus for 2009

Height: 6-0 Weight: 170

Birthdate: July 16, 1980 Birthplace: Adelaide, Australia

Did You Know?: Suffered a dislocated knee cap while running on the beach at home in Australia in late 2008, the sixth time he suffered that injury…In 2007 Scott partnered with Youngcare through The Adam Scott Foundation to develop a purpose-built apartment complex on the Gold Coast for young people requiring 24-hour care. The following year, Scott announced the development of ASF Asia that works towards providing opportunities for underprivileged, disadvantaged or needy children throughout Asia.

Career Low Round: 62-4 times, most recent 2007 the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley/2nd round PGA TOUR titles: 6 International titles: 8 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 7 Best finish: 1/2004 Low round: 65/1st round/2004

Career money: $2,079,843

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Off Course: Scott’s favorite off-course activity is surfing. Growing up on the Australian Gold Coast, he spent a lot of time at the beach. “I definitely have some connection with the water. I love being in the water. The relief that surfing gives me is a level of comfort that I can’t get anywhere else,” he said.

Winning THE PLAYERS Championship [in 2004] was great, “ but it feels like a lifetime ago now, and it’s gone quick. That’s what I want to feel again…Victory is all that much better when you’ve worked hard.”

– Adam Scott on coming back from an injury-filled 2008


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Jeev Milkha Singh

Height: 6-0 Weight: 165

Birthdate: December 15, 1971 Birthplace: Chandigarh, India

Did You Know?: India’s most prominent golfer has held a membership on nearly every Tour in the world, many at the same time. Grew up competing against Daniel Chopra in junior events in India and played collegiate golf at Abilene Christian, where he led the school to the Division II national championship… Singh’s family has an excellent athletic heritage. His father, Milkha (nicknamed the “Flying Sikh”), was an Olympic sprinter in the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics. His mother, Nirmal Kaur, was the captain of India’s national volleyball team. Singh won his first amateur tournament in India at age 13.

Career Low Round: 63/2006 TCL Classic (European Tour); 2008 Bank Austria Golf Open (European Tour)

Off Course: Singh undergoes 30 minutes of yoga exercises in the morning before rounds and then follows with an aggressive workout.

PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 15 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: First Appearance

In the practice rounds I can hear a lot of people say, ’Oh, I “ think he’s Vijay’s son or he’s Vijay’s brother.’ I heard that many times. I just say I’m the other Singh.” – Jeev Milkha Singh on comparisons to Vijay Singh

Vijay Singh

Height: 6-2 Weight: 208

Birthdate: February 22, 1963 Birthplace: Lautoka, Fiji

Did You Know?: Singh holds the record for most PGA TOUR wins after age 40 (22 entering 2009). He took the record away from Sam Snead during the 2007 season. His first name Vijay means “victory” in Hindi.

Off Course: Together with his wife, Ardena, and son, Qass, Singh established the Vijay Singh Charitable Foundation. The Vijay Singh Charitable Foundation benefits charities and non-profits that assist and support women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. Most notably locally is the Betty Griffin House of St. Johns County, FL (Safety Shelter of St. John’s County). Career Low Round: 61/2006 Deutsche Bank Cmapionship/3rd round Major titles: 3 PGA TOUR titles: 34 International titles: 22 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 17 Best finish: 2/2001 Low round: 67/1st round/2001; 67/1st round/2005

“ When we were kids we couldn’t afford golf balls so we had to make do with coconuts. My father used to say, ‘Little Vijay, golf balls don’t fall off trees you know,’ so I found some that did!” – Vijay Singh recalling how he played golf as a youngster in Fiji

Career money: $1,442,055

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PLAYER PROFILES

Henrik Stenson

Height: 6-1 Weight: 185

Birthdate: April 5, 1976 Birthplace: Goethenburg, Sweden

Did You Know?: Stenson’s caddie is Fanny Sunesson, who became famous caddying for World Golf Hall of Famer and TV analyst Nick Faldo during his heyday. Sunesson and Stenson are both Swedish.

Off Course: Stenson’s wife, Emma, played college golf at the University of South Carolina in the late 1990s. While Emma was in school in Columbia, SC, Stenson would practice at the school’s facilities, play practice rounds with the Gamecocks’ men’s team and travel the area to play courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island, SC, site of the Verizon Heritage. Career Low Round: 63/2000 DEXIA-BIL Luxembourg Open/3rd round PGA TOUR titles: 1 International titles: 8 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 3 Best finish: 69/1st round/2006 Low round: T3/2006

It's always exciting to see new courses and to travel to “ new places and meet new people. So we'll get to do that on a regular basis. ” – Henrik Stenson on his worldwide playing schedule

Career money: $682,600

Richard Sterne

Height: 5-7 Weight: 150

Birthdate: August 27, 1981 Birthplace: Pretoria, South Africa

Did You Know?: Sterne took up the game at age 4 when he went to a course with his grandmother. He comes from a sporting family with his father involved in motor racing, his mother an ice-skater and sister, Farrah, one of the top squash players in South Africa.

Off Course: Sterne likes to relax away from the golf course by spending his spare time fishing.

Career Low Round: 64/ 2007 The Celtic Manor Wales Open/ 3rd round PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 7 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 1 Best finish: T66/2008 Low round: 70/2nd round/2008

Career money: $19,570

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“ It’s just something I’ve done my whole life, and I’ve always dreamt of playing golf. I suppose it chose me, really.”

– Richard Sterne on why he opted for golf as a profession rather than squash or racing


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Steve Stricker

Height: 6-0 Weight: 190

Birthdate: February 23, 1967 Birthplace: Edgerton, WI

Did You Know?: In 2007 Stricker was inducted into the Wisconsin State Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Off Course: Stricker enjoys bow-hunting for white-tailed deer, which he’s done ever since he met his wife. He describes himself as a hamburger and bratwurst kind of guy and, when home in Wisconsin, one of his favorite things to do is to cook out some burgers and brats with his friends.

Career Low Round: 62/ times, most recent 2003 Phoenix Open/2nd round PGA TOUR titles: 4 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 13 Best finish: T6/1999 Low round: 69/1st round/1995; 69/1st round/2002

“ I’ve had to pick myself up a number of times out here on

TOUR, so I’m used to it. You just need to go on, you need to move on, and just try to keep doing what you know how to do. For me, that’s just keep working at it and keep trying to get better and try to get myself in that position again.” – Steve Stricker on losing a final-round lead at the Bob Hope Classic this year

Career money: $362,381

Camilo Villegas

Height: 5-9 Weight: 160

Birthdate: January 7, 1982 Birthplace: Medellin, Colombia

Did You Know?: Villegas and his father, Fernando, share an interest in golf, architecture and in Villegas’ first sporting love as a child, BMX Biking His father was a Colombia national champion in Trials riding in 1980, a form of motocross.

Career Low Round: 63-2 times, most recent 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship/3rd round PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 2 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 3 Best finish: T3/2006 Low round: 69/3rd round/2006

Career money: $403,570

Off Course: Villegas brings his organizing skills to work (maintaining detailed yardage books) to his appearance (personifying the after picture in the “What Not To Wear” TV show) to physical conditioning with weight training. Villegas has transformed his thin, 135-pound frame while at the University of Florida to his present-day lean 160 pounds.

“ You can either stay at home, you can chill, you can relax, you can keep thinking about those wins, or you can start thinking about getting even better. I think I’ll take the second part and just try to keep improving, keep working with all the guys, all the team that’s behind me, and challenging myself.” – Camilo Villegas in 2009, after winning twice late in 2008

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in golf, you are your own referee.

We are proud to support the efforts of The First Tee, which has brought the game of golf and its positive values to more than 2.9 million young people.

A S S U R A N C E / TA X / A D V I S O R Y

© 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a Delaware limited liability partnership) or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. The First Tee® is a World Golf Foundation initiative.


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There are moments when golf is everything that life is. What can this great game teach us? What if we all stopped for a moment and thought about the impact golf has had on those of us who play the game—the life lessons and character development gained from facing challenges day after day on the fairway? To be a golfer is to demonstrate perseverance, integrity and leadership. Not surprisingly, the same behaviors and values needed to succeed in the game of golf are just as important to succeeding in life. “That is why PricewaterhouseCoopers is proud to continue its longstanding relationship with the PGA TOUR, its involvement with THE PLAYERS Championship,

and its support of The First Tee,” explains Jay Henderson, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Vice Chairman, Client Services who oversees PwC’s relationship with the TOUR. The First Tee and the TOUR share many of the same principles and values that PricewaterhouseCoopers upholds in its business relationships. “We recognize the importance that honesty, integrity, communication, respect and collaboration play in conducting business,” says Jay. “We incorporate these principles into our everyday practices. They are vital for us in our role of providing industryfocused assurance, tax and advisory services and in helping build public

trust and enhancing value for our clients and their stakeholders.” This marks the seventh year that PricewaterhouseCoopers has been a Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS Championship. We take incredible pride in being associated with both the tournament and the TOUR. Few sports demand the same qualities of an individual as golf. Even those who make it look easy continue to work hard at their craft. Nothing is taken for granted. That dedication to improvement and responsibility defines “Professional.” It is a lesson that has no ending. Not in the game of golf. Not at PricewaterhouseCoopers.


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PLAYER PROFILES

Boo Weekley

Height: 6-0 Weight: 210

Birthdate: July 23, 1973 Birthplace: Milton, FL

Did You Know?: Weekley played high school golf with PGA TOUR member Heath Slocum at Milton High School in the Florida Panhandle. TOUR member Bubba Watson also attended a few years later and played golf at the same high school, and nearby resident Joe Durant is a close friend…Nicknamed after cartoon hero Yogi Bear’s sidekick, “Boo Boo” Bear.

Career Low Round: 62, 2008 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic/3rd round

Off Course: In the mid-1990s before trying to play professionally, Weekley operated a hydroblaster for the Monsanto Chemical Corporation in Pensacola, FL, for approximately three years. During the job, he was lowered into cylinders and cleaned the insides with a high-powered pressure washer that was extremely dangerous. Fitting of his down-home personality, Weekley’s favorite off-course hobbies are hunting and fishing. One of his sponsors is Mossy Oak, the outdoor apparel company which specializes in the camouflage look.

PGA TOUR titles: 2 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 2 Best finish: T21/2008 Low round: 70/1st round/2008

Career money: $121,010

D. A. Weibring

I relate everything to hunting and fishing. Everything I do, “ that’s all I want to do. It’s my dream to become a hunting and fishing guide or something like that, and that’s what I’m going to do after [golf] is over with.” – Boo Weekley on his hobbies

Height: 6-1 Weight: 200

Birthdate: May 25, 1953 Birthplace: Quincy, IL

Did You Know?: Weibring was an all-state basketball player in Illinois and became a good friend of former NBA basketball star Doug Collins while at Illinois State. He earned his exemption into THE PLAYERS Championship by winning the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship last fall near Baltimore.

Career Low Round: 63-4 times, most recent 2008 SAS Championship/2nd round

Off Course: Actually, it’s still on the course, but not playing. Weibring owns his own design and management company, D.A. Weibring/Golf Resources Group, which has been in business for 20 years. Among his golf course designs are TPC Deere Run, which became the host course for the John Deere Classic in 2000, and a renovation of the TPC Las Colinas in Dallas, the site of the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

Major titles: 1 (Champions Tour) PGA TOUR titles: 5 International titles: 0 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 18 Best finish: 2/1985 Low round: 67/1st round/1991

Career money: $151,181

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“ It wouldn’t be worth it if you didn’t have someone to share it with. That’s kind of the way I feel about it.”

– D.A. Weibring on his victory at the 2008 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, attended by his wife, son and daughter-in-law


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Mike Weir

Height: 5-9 Weight: 155

Birthdate: May 12, 1970 Birthplace: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

Did You Know?: At age 13, Weir sought advice from Jack Nicklaus. In a letter, he asked whether he should switch to playing right-handed. The response was to stick to his natural swing.

Off Course: Weir grew up in Canada playing hockey. After winning the 2003 Masters Tournament, Weir dropped the puck for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ NHL playoff game against the Philadelphia Flyers. He gave his 2003 Presidents Cup International Team teammates “Team Canada” hockey jerseys with their names stitched on the back. Career Low Round: 61/2008 Deutsche Bank Championship/1st round Major titles: 1 International titles: 2

PGA TOUR titles: 8

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 9 Best finish: T17/2005 Low round: 68/3rd round/2002; 2nd round/2005; 3rd round/2006

“ Playing hockey, there were a lot of guys bigger than me,

so I knew I was going to get hit and have to deal with it. Gotta hit back.” – Mike Weir on developing toughness playing hockey

Career money: $419,025

Lee Westwood

Height: 6-0 Weight: 205

Birthdate: April 24, 1973 Birthplace: Worksop, England

Did You Know?: Westwood took up the game at age 13 with a halfset bought by his grandparents. His math teacher father, John, took up the game at the same time to give his son encouragement. Westwood has won on every continent after capturing the Dimension Data Pro-Am (partnering with his dad) in South Africa in January 2000.

Off Course: Westwood was a talented sportsman at school, playing rugby, cricket and soccer. He married Laurae Coltart, sister of fellow European Tour player Andrew, in January 1999. Career Low Round: 61/twice, most recently at the 2007 Mercedes-Benz Championship (European Tour) PGA TOUR titles: 1 International titles: 25 T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 8 Best finish: T5/1998 Low round: 65/1st round/2005

I know I have not slept for more than three hours in a “ row for two weeks. It is part of professional golf. We play all over the world now and you have to be able to adapt to time change.”

– Lee Westwood on the time change going from Australia to playing in the United States earlier this year

Career money: $442,339

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PLAYER PROFILES

Oliver Wilson

Height: 5-11 Weight: 168

Birthdate: September 14, 1980 Birthplace: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England

Did You Know?: In 2007 Wilson held the inaugural Lloyds TSB Cardnet D.A.R.E. Golf Day at the Notts Hollinwell Golf Club in England to support D.A.R.E. UK, the British arm of a worldwide anti-drugs education program. This July marks his third charity golf outing for D.A.R.E…A three-time All-American golfer at Augusta (GA) State.

Off Course: Wilson is interested in fitness and relaxes by watching and/or participating in sports activities and listening to music. Career Low Round: 66/ 2008UBS Hong Kong Open/ 1st and 2nd rounds

“ Genuinely it was the most fun I’ve ever had on a

PGA TOUR titles: 0 International titles: 0

golf course.”

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Tiger Woods

– Oliver Wilson on his 2008 Ryder Cup play

Height: 6-1 Weight: 185

Birthdate: December 30, 1975 Birthplace: Cypress, CA

Did You Know?: Woods was named “Tiger” after a Vietnamese soldier who was a friend of his father’s in Vietnam. He putted against Bob Hope on the “Mike Douglas Show” at age 2, shot 48 for nine holes at age 3 and was featured in Golf Digest at age 5...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 exploration and grant-making programs.

Career Low Round: 62-2 times, most recent 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship/2nd round Major titles: 14 International titles: 11

PGA TOUR titles: 66

T H E P L AY E R S History Starts: 11 Best finish: 1/2001 Low round: 61/3 times, most recent 2005 Buick Open/2nd round

Career money: $2,359,692

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Off Course: Through Tiger Woods Design, a golf-course design company, his first course called Al Ruwaya located in Dubai, U.A.E. will open in late 2009. The first U.S. course, The Cliffs at High Carolina, located east of Asheville, NC, is scheduled to open in 2010. A third course, Punta Brava, located in Ensenada, Mexico, was announced in October 2008 and is scheduled to open in 2011. He and his wife, Elin, celebrated the birth of their second child, Charlie, in early February, 2009.

“ Stability is something I haven’t had in years. So it’s nice to make a swing and not have my bones move.” – Tiger Woods on returning to the game in late February 2009 after left knee surgery, performed in June 2008


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PLAYERS ANNIVERSARIES & HISTORY

Happy Anniversary... 10 Years Ago: David Duval “I won $165,000 that week for winning the Emerald Coast Classic [on the Champions Tour] and David won $900,000. And we weren’t splitting the purse that week. I’m just glad I finished before he did. Because I watched [David play] the 17th hole and I had tears in my eyes.” - Bob Duval “The No. 1 thing was winning in my hometown at a tournament I grew up watching for years. As much as anything, I can remember how well I played, how well I controlled my golf ball, the five-footers I made the last day. It’s still the highest winning score [3-under] there [at TPC Sawgrass]. To encounter conditions on such a brutal golf course, you walk away with a lot of pride. My father’s win was not so much that it happened on the same day, even though that was cool. It was more that he spent 25-30 years in the golf shop [as a PGA professional] but then went out and played against those guys he could have played against on the PGA TOUR and beat them.” - David Duval, 1999 Champion

20 Years Ago: Tom Kite “I can recall the last hole where I had a two-shot lead over Chip Beck. The pin was back left, in its traditional Sunday placement, on No. 18. Chip and I were playing together. I hit a beautiful second shot, but it just caught the ridge in the green and rolled back to the front of the green, giving me a long and difficult putt. Chip hit a great shot to 15 feet right of the pin. I started thinking, ‘If he makes his putt and I three-putt, we’re tied.’ I couldn’t think that way. So walking up to the green I convinced myself that Chip was going to make his putt and I was going to two-putt. I hit a nice putt up to 2 feet from the hole. Well, Chip did in fact make his birdie putt. I poured the 2-footer in and I had won.” - Tom Kite, 1989 Champion

25 Years Ago: Fred Couples “That was my first huge win [and the second of his career]. At that time, maybe it was a little bit shocking to some people. But in my mind, I beat Lee Trevino [by one], Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson and Lanny Wadkins, wow. I look back at that as more of a miracle than some wins I ever had.” - Fred Couples, 1984 Champion (also 1996)

30 Years Ago: Lanny Wadkins “Just being the champion of THE PLAYERS was a very cool thing. I was also proud to be the first person to break par at Sawgrass Country Club. The thing that stood out to me that year (1979) was the wind blew so hard on the weekend that I shot 76 on Saturday and maintained a three-stroke lead and then 72 on Sunday and increased it. I shot 148 on the weekend and increased my lead.” - Lanny Wadkins, 1979 Champion

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TV: FALDO & MILLER

Faldo& Miller Golf ’s Electric Voices By Dave Shedloski

“Years from now I want people to be able to say, ‘I saw Faldo play.’ ” – Nick Faldo

“I’m not sure the most talented player I ever saw wasn’t myself.” – Johnny Miller when asked about today's top players

The unvarnished honesty and certainty with which Nick Faldo and Johnny Miller talk about themselves underscores their strongest qualifications for holding down televised golf’s most visible jobs. As the lead analysts for their respective affiliations – Miller on NBC and Faldo on CBS and GOLF CHANNEL – the two former major champions have continually exhibited a proclivity for talking as good a game as they once played. This will be readily apparent throughout the extended coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship this year on GOLF CHANNEL and NBC. Miller and Faldo will have ample time to espouse their views on the PGA TOUR’s flagship event, on the architectural merits of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and on the game at large, overflowing as it is today with talent. They will be insightful and entertaining. They know what they’re talking about even if the game being practiced by today’s brand of professional differs from the style of play where the two excelled. The duo, known in their prime for their extraordinary levels of precision, might not

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A rare occurrence is getting Johnny Miller and Nick Faldo together as in this photo (above) shot at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year or (opposite page) a poster from the 1998 World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

personally identify with the 21st century power game, but they understand it. “The big thing is it’s a different game now than when I played and when I started in television, so I’m always learning,” said Miller, who turned 62 on April 29 and began working for NBC in 1993. “You see the direction the game is going and the approach might be different but the game evolves and you evolve with it, and it’s my job then to explain that to the audience at home.” Miller, who lives in Utah and is NBC's weekend analyst, has earned a reputation for no-nonsense commentary that occasionally rankles various constituencies, though rare is the assertion that he ever misses the mark. He won 24 PGA TOUR titles, including the 1973 U.S. Open and ’76 British Open. He’s also won over millions of viewers. "Johnny doesn't have a filter between his brain and mouth. What he's thinks comes out," said Tom Roy, Executive Producer of NBC golf telecasts. "Most analysts in sports sort of couch what they're thinking. But Johnny is not afraid to tell it like it is. He also is prescient about things unfolding on the

golf course. A big reason is he really does his homework more than anybody I've ever known. He's charting the course in the morning and doing everything to prepare -the total homeworkaholic. He also knows the mental and physical reaction of the golfers from his days of being in the hunt." “I’m never looking to be critical but to try to explain things to the viewers, because that is my audience,” Miller said. Faldo, who is GOLF CHANNEL's early-round analyst, is making similar inroads. “You have two guys who pretty much say what’s on their mind. They are straight forward, and viewers like them for that,” said GOLF CHANNEL producer Brandt Packer. Faldo, 51, won three Masters and three British Opens among his nine TOUR victories and collected 27 international titles. He captained the European Ryder Cup Team in 2008, losing to the United States at Valhalla. The native Brit, who has a residence in Orlando, is in his third year with the two networks after breaking into TV with ABC in 2005. Like Miller, he isn’t oblivious to the shifting style of play on the TOUR.


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“They play a different game, they pump it out there 300 yards now and do things we didn’t do … one heck of an advantage,” Faldo said. “But where to hit it, where to miss it, understanding the greens, the slopes … not new to me, but this has been magnified. Does this strategy still work? Yes it does. “I wouldn’t say that being in the booth has taught me things that I didn’t know, but it has emphasized things I did know.” If golf broadcasting has replaced competition for the World Golf Hall of Famers – inducted side by side in 1998 in St. Augustine, FL – it is not their only connection to the game. Both men are enthusiastic golf course designers, though Faldo is arguably more immersed in the trade, with projects “in all four corners of the world.” Faldo, who also lends his name to a collection of golf institutes, calls design “a passion and a business. It’s really starting to get exciting. And we are now getting more involved in the total package, everything from design to construction to management to residential as well. We want to become a one-stop shop. That’s the way to go, we think.” Miller, by his own choice, has decided to cut back on design work, though he still has ambitions. He plans to team with former TOUR player John Fought on some future projects. And his sons are involved in his overarching business, Johnny Miller Enterprises, which Miller formed 35 years ago to act as the business arm to his golf career and encompasses a range of business from golf course design and construction to business opportunities. His son, Andy, who played the TOUR in 2003, is in his second year attending the Architecture School of Boston on the way to joining his brothers, John and Scott. (Below left) Johnny Miller with oldest son John at the 2005 Father-Son Challenge and (right) Nick Faldo with son Matthew at the 2008 Father-Son.

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TV: FALDO & MILLER

GOLF CHANNEL and NBC will air at least 22 hours of live golf from THE PLAYERS, with limited commercial interruptions: Thursday, May 7, 1-7 p.m. GOLF CHANNEL Friday, May 8, 1-7 p.m. GOLF CHANNEL Saturday, May 9, 2-7 p.m. NBC Sunday, May 10, 2-7 p.m. NBC

“Andy is very artistic. He might be the first guy to ever design both a golf course and a clubhouse,” Miller said proudly. Miller, who with his wife, Linda, has six children and 18 grandchildren, is big on youth. Twenty years ago he started the eponymous Johnny Miller Junior Golf Foundation in California. Not long ago, he founded the Utah Junior Golf Foundation. He also hosts a charity event, the Champions Challenge, at one of his course designs, Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. “Believe it or not, I do like to get away from the game a little bit,” said Miller, who also has surf and turf interests. He is an avid fisherman, and he has for years enjoyed buying and fixing up farms and ranches. “You know, I keep thinking I’m going to pull back on the TV stuff, but I love doing it, and I feel like I have things to say, things to share with golf fans.” Faldo harbors a similar sentiment. “I’m having fun with it, and it gives me a chance to keep my fingers into the competitive aspect of things. I like doing television, and I want to be good at it, and I am going to try to get better.” For however long they work in broadcasting, one thing is certain: Faldo and Miller are going to continue to do things their way. And that’s what viewers want. Oscar Wilde said it best, something the two champions seem to understand instinctively and which they project effortlessly from their TV perches: “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”

GOLF CHANNEL Ready For PLAYERS If you think that GOLF CHANNEL’s coverage this year of THE PLAYERS seems to have a different look and feel, then Tom Stathakes knows he’s on track to fulfilling a self-styled mission. The veteran cable television executive, who joined GOLF CHANNEL last June as its Senior Vice President/ Programming, Production and Operations, came to Orlando, FL, from Comcast SportsNet seeking to make a good television product cleaner, smarter and livelier. But there’s no sense in reinventing the wheel Above: Brandt Packer Brandt Packer Below: Jack Graham when all you have to do is polish the whitewalls. “We’re bringing new faces, new energy to the channel. It’s been a pretty exciting time for us,” said Stathakes, who, obviously, is the key new face although in the industry he’s an experienced hand, with nearly 25 years in sports television, including 11 with Comcast, the parent company of GOLF CHANNEL. “It’s good to take a critical look at what you’re doing, even when something works well. It’s just you can always get better, and we’re slowly getting to where we want to be with the quality of our production and our shows.” Toward that end, Stathakes has brought in Jack Graham another steady hand, that of six-time Emmy winner Jack Graham to take over the reigns as Vice President/Golf Events and Executive Producer. Graham, who was a longtime golf producer for ABC Sports and had spent the last few years working on a freelance basis, oversees the network’s live golf coverage. “Jack brings a wealth of experience, and he’s very direct, very honest,” Stathakes said. “You need guys like that or Brandt Packer when you try to get better, people bringing in a totally different perspective.” Packer, son of veteran basketball broadcaster Billy Packer, was moved over from Champions Tour telecasts to line produce PGA TOUR telecasts. NBC assists by producing the early-round coverage. In front of the camera, the stable of voices led by analyst Nick Faldo and hosts Rich Lerner and Kelly Tilghman has been complemented by steady additions like Charlie Rymer and Billy Ray Brown, plus the occasional contributions of Faldo’s former booth mate at ABC, Paul Azinger. Additionally, GOLF CHANNEL will bring "Live from THE PLAYERS" on site for its pre-round and post-round shows. “We’re producing golf much different now,” Stathakes said. “If you watch, you’ll notice a better pace and there are a lot more voices to be heard… more booth announcers and course announcers. Instead of hearing just two or three voices, we want to hear five or six voices and pick up the energy of the telecast. I think we got a little too plodding, and especially at an event like THE PLAYERS, such a strong field and a great venue, you want your coverage to reflect the occasion. “It’s in our backyard and it’s important. It’s important to put our best foot forward, no different than we do for the Masters or the U.S. Open. “But overall, our approach is to raise our game, so to speak. We want to tell more stories, make it interesting, set up the weekend with a little more energy and up-tick, and we also are taking that approach throughout our other programming across the board. If we intend to keep growing, that’s what it’s going to take.” - Dave Shedloski

Dave Shedloski writes for various publications and has covered golf for 10 years.

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THE PLAYERS:A Global Experience As the PGA TOUR’s signature event, The PLAYERS Championship’s television coverage is seen far beyond the images delivered to the American audience on GOLF CHANNEL and NBC. With more than 70 international players representing 19 countries, the PGA TOUR has truly gone global. In 1990, PGA TOUR telecasts reached 78 million households. Almost 20 years later, the 2009 PLAYERS will have a potential worldwide audience of nearly 600 million homes in 231 countries and translated into 30 languages.

Specific to THE PLAYERS Championship

HERE’S HOW THE WORLD VIEWS THE PLAYERS:

» Live U.S. coverage of every round is sent from

Languages: 30 Total Number of Countries: 231 Total Potential Household Reach: 579 million homes

the course via satellite trucks located behind the media center.

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» PGA TOUR Productions, located in St. Augustine, FL, accesses the feed and produces an Enhanced International Feed, known as the “EIF,” in spectacular high definition (HD) for THE TOUR’s international broadcast partners.

BROADCASTERS WITH AN "ON-SITE" PRESENCE NHK Japan Setanta UK/Ireland

LANGUAGES

» The EIF is produced utilizing GOLF CHANNEL/NBC’s

1 Bahasa, Malaysia 2 Bahasa, Indonesia 3 Bulgarian 4 Chinese, Cantonese 5 Chinese, Mandarin 6 Czech 7 Danish 8 Dutch 9 English 10 Finnish 11 French 12 German 13 Greek 14 Hindi 15 Hungarian (Magyar) 16 Icelandic 17 Italian 18 Japanese 19 Korean 20 Norwegian 21 Polish 22 Portuguese 23 Romanian 24 Russian 25 Serbian 26 Slovak 27 Spanish 28 Swedish 29 Thai 30 Turkish

live coverage from the course. The EIF’s telecast is similar to that in the U.S. using the same announcers including Johnny Miller and Nick Faldo. When the U.S. goes to commercial break, the EIF fills the breaks using golf coverage provided by the U.S. networks and other feature material related to the event. The EIF has its own announcer during these elements.

» International broadcasters NHK (Japan) and Setanta (UK/Ireland) are on site to produce and distribute their own telecast of THE PLAYERS.

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» The EIF signal is then sent to a U.S domestic satellite and accessed in Washington, D.C., by the PGA TOUR’s international distribution partner, Eurovision. Three additional satellites then send the EIF to Central /Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia in order to cover the world. » Broadcasters around the world take the coverage and add in their own language announcers at their local studios.

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TICKETS For ticket information, go to PGATOUR.COM or Jacksonville-area Publix groceries.

FAMILY PLAN/ YOUTH POLICY

TPC SAWGRASS ASS

MAY 7 MAY 7

TPC SAWGR

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AY unds Onlye THURSDAY Access to Gro Pleas y THURSD Cam Onl dseras No Cellular Phones roorun ras Please AccessPhtoonG es or Came

No Cellular

This year, THE PLAYERS is proud to introduce new ticket opportunities for families and children. The new Youth Policy allows all children age 16 and under to be admitted free all week with a ticketed adult. Also new in 2009, the Family Plan includes two Adult Grounds Admission tickets, two Youth Ground Admission tickets and one on-site parking pass for $149. The package is scalable as families of any size can add on adult and/or youth tickets. This year’s tickets are adorned with an illustration of 2008 PLAYERS champion Sergio Garcia, by illustrator Chris Duke, and featuring a replica of Garcia’s autograph.

OFFICIAL FILM Reserve your copy of the 2009 PLAYERS Championship Official Film by going to pgatourdvds.com. The cost is $19.95 and the DVD is expected to be available approximately one month after this year's tournament.

REACHING OUT Golf fans from around the world can enjoy THE PLAYERS Championship on air, on radio and on line. From the 25-plus hours of high-definition telecasts on NBC Sports and GOLF CHANNEL, the never-miss-a-shot coverage via LIVE@ THE PLAYERS streaming on PGATOUR.COM and wall-to-wall reporting on Sirius XM Radio, fans soak in THE PLAYERS action and excitement, from Thursday’s opening round to the final putt on Sunday. And with the generous support of the tournament’s three Proud Partners – PricewaterhouseCoopers, JELD-WEN and UBS – viewers in nearly 600 million homes throughout 231 countries enjoy THE PLAYERS telecast with limited-commercial interruptions, making this a special, global championship.

A B O U T T P C S AW G R A S S For 51 weeks, when THE PLAYERS Championship isn’t contested here, TPC Sawgrass offers golfers a great opportunity: » TPC Sawgrass is open to the public to enjoy dining and golf access. » TPC Sawgrass offers a variety of Annual Passes to create the complete clubhouse experience. » A Dye’s Valley Course Annual Pass holder pays a cart fee only on the Dye’s Valley Course year round. » A Valley Course Annual Pass holder has access to THE PLAYERS Stadium Course for discounted greens fees.

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PETE DYE Q&A

Talking With Pete Pete Dye never got the dirt out from under his fingernails. Not while serving as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. Nor while playing on the Rollins College golf team in Winter Park, FL, or winning the 1958 Indiana Amateur. Not while selling life insurance in his adopted hometown, Indianapolis, where he became one of the youngest members of the “Million Dollar Round Table.” Dye always wanted to design and build golf courses. He got his start in 1959. He took the summer off to build a nine-hole course called El Dorado on Indianapolis’ south side. Its greens were the first built with USGA mix—a soil formula developed at Purdue University and Texas A&M. Dye always was an experimenter, an innovator, an iconoclast. He continued with a series of local, lowbudget projects until 1963. While attending the British Amateur at St. Andrews, Dye and his wife/design partner, Alice, visited and studied about 30 courses in Scotland, England and Ireland. He returned inspired. He went around town knocking on doors. He recruited 60 “members” at $6,000 each, bought a featureless Indiana cornfield and set about building his first great course, Crooked Stick Golf Club, in Carmel. In the years since, Dye has built more than 110 courses, 15 of which have earned distinction among America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, as ranked by Golf Digest, including TPC Sawgrass. Dye turned 83, or as he says, “half of 166,” in December 2008, but he remains relentless. He still puts in long days on projects from the Dye Course in French Lick, IN, to the PGA TOUR’s TPC San Antonio. He’s an old shoe; wispy hair, deferential manner, soiled khakis sagging over dusty boots, and often as not, his white German shepherd “Sixty” at his heel. On Nov. 10, 2008 Dye became the fifth golfcourse architect inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame but the first insurance salesman. Why not? Charles Blair Macdonald was a businessman and member of the Chicago Board of Trade. Alister MacKenzie was a physician. Donald Ross was a club professional. Among the Hall’s architects, only Robert Trent Jones, Sr. went directly into golf-course design. Phil Richards, longtime golf writer for the Indianapolis Star, interviewed Dye in late August 2008 for Partners Magazine.

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What was the worst piece of ground you had to work with?

The TPC [Sawgrass], right there in Ponte Vedra Beach.The lake on No. 18 is 6 feet below sea level. There wasn’t a dry piece of ground on the whole thing. Mr. [PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim] Finchem’s going to kill me; that’s their home course. But that was as difficult as any. The land had the densest tree coverage, and then we had a big rain and I had to go out there in a rowboat to go over the whole golf course.The tiles under the greens were floating all over the place. I was getting worried we’d never get it done.We finally got a canal built to get all the water drained. Do you design holes from tee to green or from the green back to the tee?

I think the green location is probably the prominent thing in the design of the hole. What’s your biggest design regret?

I don’t think I’ve ever had one. I never had a golf course I was interested in and somebody else built it. Most courses I’ve built, I’ve built them. Other people, they do the designing, then they get somebody else to do the construction. Most of the golf courses I’ve built over the last 20 years have been for people I built for a long time ago. French Lick [Pete Dye Course, scheduled to open this May] is the first course I’ve had in a long, long time. I think the TPC San Antonio [spring 2010] will be the fifth for the [PGA] TOUR. What are your thoughts on being accepted as a course architect and Hall of Fame inductee after years of questioning from players about how quirky your designs are?

A lot of my friends have built golf courses, and they’ve been fine courses, great courses, but they’ve never had the TOUR pros play them. The Stadium Course at PGA West, they [TOUR players] all condemned it.They put up a petition never to come back; it was just awful. I was really hurt and upset. But now this thing has been out there for more than 20 years and it’s the most-played golf course in the desert, and they charge an awful high fee and every [residential] unit around that place has been sold out.

Is there a basis for your golf-course design, a greatest influence?

There’s nothing new in golf design, so I kind of mix a Ross look on a hole and then a MacKenzie look on a hole and maybe a Raynor look.You look at Oakland Hills today on television and all the bunkers look the same. A lot of designers like that. I’ve always figured differently. Somebody will say,“You build pot bunkers.” Well, I build pot bunkers on one hole or two or three or four or five, but not on every hole.You look at the bunker on 10 at Crooked Stick and the bunker on 11, and they’re totally different. I built some bunkers at French Lick like I’ve never built before.What happened is the guy was just piling dirt between the second and third hole. Instead of knocking the pile down, I just smoothed it off around the edges, where you can mow it, and put sand on top. Never done that before. The trend is for courses to get longer. What do you think of this and what would you do to save the “classic” shorter courses such as Merion?

The [golf club and ball] manufacturers have given tremendous distance to players today. You’re trying to maintain the integrity of the game so where a great professional player every once in a while has to hit a pretty good drive on a par 4 and then a 5-iron to a green.Well, they’re hitting a 5-iron about 230 yards. So the par 4 is a 530-yard hole. So instead of making the hole look ridiculous and build it 530 yards, you’ve got to build it slightly uphill so it’s 499 but plays 530.The problem is, Mary Jones is still hitting it 120 yards and she’s going to be at that course 300 days and the pro is only going to be there five. So they expect you to go backwards, but it’s hard. If you’re going to build


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(Left page) Pete Dye at his World Golf Hall of Fame induction, (above left) with then-PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman (white hat) and (above right) getting construction started on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course.

for a client who expects to have the PGA TOUR there, you can’t just go to sleep. Merion has years of reputation, so to keep those guys from shooting lights out, they’ll get the greens so fast and make the rough so high it’s a different game. I don’t agree with that because it changes the game so dramatically.They’re going to hit 3-woods and 2-irons and 3-irons off the tee. I think you want the guys just to play golf, and if they shoot 65, fine. I don’t worry about that. If you tighten the rough like they did at Oakland Hills, it takes the driver out of their hand, and I always felt, higher handicap or lower handicap, the driver is the most fun club. It takes out the enjoyment.And I always felt that the professionals, if you could keep that driver in their hand, they’re going to finally get in trouble.Tiger’s just smarter. He’ll 2-iron around the place when they play there. What’s your most memorable moment on a course you designed in a professional tournament?

During the [1991] Ryder Cup at the Ocean Course, this girl ran the tournament; she was the tournament director. She ran the buses and everything, the whole works, and she never came out on the golf course. So the last day she finally came out. Hale Irwin is standing right there, whole thing on the line [on the 18th tee in the decisive match with Bernhard Langer], and he duck hooks the ball and hits that girl or he’d have gone down in the swamp where he couldn’t have played it. She’d run the whole thing and that’s the only time she came out. [Langer missed a 6-foot par putt and the U.S. team won, 14 1/2 -13 1/2.]

You’ve had quite a run of awards over the past dozen years. Does your induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement category tie it all together?

I keep saying they reached down to the bottom of the barrel. I never expected that at all. Never. I was really thrilled when I got one from the Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the PGA of America and the TOUR because I’ve worked for them a lot. I never, ever gave a wild thought to the World Golf Hall of Fame because that’s more for the golf professionals.

[as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division]. I’d been made the greenkeeper of the old Fort Bragg course and I had six months in the service to finish out my term. I played Pinehurst almost every day for six months, and that’s where I got to see Mr. Ross and talk to him. Pinehurst had grass greens and Fort Bragg had old sand greens. He told me how he kept topdressing the common bermudagrass on the greens and that’s how they grew over the years. He used to come out on the golf course and follow us because I was playing pretty good golf in those days and the captain and lieutenant who hauled me over there, they were good golfers. Mr. Ross had this little fellow with him and we all knew who he was. He was J.C. Penney. You had an ace on the sixth hole at Crooked Stick Golf Club on the Fourth of July in 2008. How many have you had?

That’s six. It was 184 yards. I can’t see that far anymore and I’m the only one who still carries an old Ben Hogan 2-iron. I cranked it up and next thing everybody was jumping up and down, saying it went into the hole. So there you go. I had the first one down at the old Martinsville [IN] Country Club back in ’46.All the others were on courses I’ve built. I had one earlier on 13 at Crooked Stick. In the Dominican Republic, I’ve had one on the 13th and the fifth, and then on Old Marsh on the 16th hole. Do you still rent your cars?

How did you get the word?

When Mr. Finchem called me, I’d been doing a lot of [renovation] work at TPC Sawgrass, and I thought,“Oh, my God, what’s gone wrong now?”Then he told me I was going in the World Golf Hall of Fame.That was a real switch. I thought surely I was going to have to go down there and dig up some dirt or a drain line not working or somebody was mad about something. You will be the fifth architect inducted, joining C.B. Macdonald, Alister MacKenzie, Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Is that a thrill?

They got me before I went out the window. It was really a thrill to hear that.You always hear about Dr. MacKenzie. Mr. Jones is worldwide. Donald Ross you hear every day of your life. And I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Ross right after the war in September of 1945. He was at Pinehurst and I was at Fort Bragg

Sure do. Why not buy or lease?

Never have. I got to thinking, if I bought a new car, how much would it cost me to own a new car and pay the insurance and upkeep and this and that, and then everywhere I go, I’d have to rent a car. So if I go down to Indianapolis Airport and take off for four or five days, I’d have to pay a premium just to park the car, and then wherever I went, Jacksonville or Timbuktu, I’d have to rent a car. So finally it dawned on me to quit worrying about it, and wherever I was I’d walk into National Car Rental and rent a car, even if I stayed here in Indianapolis for four or five days. I finally figured out in the long run it costs less.And wherever I am I have a car. I just take the first car in line. I get the car and then I park it and I never remember what it is. Nowadays, with keyless entry that honks the horn, I finally can find my car. I’m always honking the horn all over the parking lot.

This story is reproduced courtesy of Partners Magazine, the Official Magazine of the PGA TOUR Partners Club, and appeared in the November-December 2008 issue. For more information on the Partners Club, go to partnersclubonline.com. 2009 THE

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THE PLAYERS STADIUM COURSE

Then &Now Thirty years ago, on February 12, 1979, then-PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman donned a hardhat and jumped on a bulldozer for the ceremonial ground-breaking ceremony for the new TPC Sawgrass. The Commissioner also hit a ceremonial drive into the property that was all but a swamp at the time, setting up a near miraculous transformation into a golf course over the next year and one-half. Architect Pete Dye first laid out plans for

the course on the back of the placemat (above) from the Homestead Restaurant on Beach Boulevard during a May 16, 1978, chicken dinner with Beman, Beman’s wife Judy and project manager Vernon Kelly. Images from the early construction of the golf course,

which opened on October 24, 1980, show how much the area has matured over the years, as players and fans have come to know THE PLAYERS Stadium Course as one of the most famous courses in the world. Take a look:

THEN The new Mediterranean Revival-style clubhouse is 77,000 square feet, nearly twice as large as the original structure.

The Clubhouse NOW

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The old and original clubhouse was razed in early April 2006 and the new building opened in May 2007 in time for THE PLAYERS' move to its new May date.


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THEN

TPC Sawgrass Sign

NOW

The Fletcher brothers, Paul and Jerome, originally owned the land where TPC Sawgrass is now located. In the 1970s, they developed a portion of the 5,300 acres, which included the current Ponte Vedra Golf and Country Club, and it was called Innlet Beach. The PGA TOUR purchased 417 acres from the Fletchers in February 1979 for $1 to build its new course and headquarters, therefore the sign (left). That name was changed to TPC Sawgrass as a result of Arvida Corporation purchasing a larger portion of land from the Fletchers in 1980.

THEN 1Teest NOW

The golf course was designed with the fan in mind, including original in-ground seating using railroad ties at the first tee. However, those seats were difficult to maintain and were eventually replaced with gentle slopes and bleachers for fan access. The championship tee was extended approximately 25 yards here in 2007.

THEN 4Teeth NOW

Not much has changed on this short par 4 since the course first opened, except for better maintenance practices and the maturation of nearby pine trees. The green may be one of the friendliest on the course as at least one player has holed out for an eagle here in every PLAYERS since 2001.

THEN 5Teeth NOW

This was originally the longest par 4 on the course, at 454 yards, with a couple trees beside the tee box giving it a field-goal effect. With the lengthening of the 14th hole to 481 yards for 2007, the fifth, now measuring 471 yards, is second longest. However, it ranks as the course's third-most difficult hole, behind No. 18 and No. 14.

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THEN AND NOW

th THEN 10 Tee NOW

The original design of No. 10 had a more ominous-looking waste bunker down the left-hand side, making the fairway appear even smaller than currently. The 10th hole and the first are nearly mirror images –the first being a 423-yard dogleg right par 4 with water down the right and the 10th a 424-yard dogleg left with water down the left. This was something former PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman required to make a "balanced" golf course.

th THEN 13 Tee NOW

The 13th hole has been aced more than any of the four par 3s in PLAYERS history (10 times). In these photos, notice the difference in the spectator mounding behind the green. In the course's infancy, the mounding was much more extreme than today's hills for viewing.

th THEN 17 Tee NOW

Fans had even closer access to the tee shots and green when the 17th hole was first unveiled in 1982. A raised peninsula jutted out into the lake from between the 16th green and 17th tee (left photo), allowing fans to closely monitor approach shots and putts to the right on the par-5 16th and turn to the left to see the 17th green. The peninsula was taken out years later, leaving just the small island where a lone NBC cameraman makes his home during the tournament.

THEN 18Teeth NOW

The most difficult hole on the course looks pretty much the same as originally, except for the new clubhouse in the background and some lengthening and tightening. Originally 440 yards, it now stretches to 462 yards after the tee was extended 15-20 yards in 2007. Small oak trees were also planted in the right rough in 2007 to discourage golfers from bailing out on their tee shots. Still, this is the most difficult hole on the course.

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World Golf Hall of Fame Celebrates Golf & Laughter World Golf Hall of Fame member Bob Hope shared his love of golf with millions in many different ways. The Hall of Fame is now paying tribute to his life in a special exhibition, “Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory.” Featuring the largest collection of Hope memorabilia on display in one exhibition, “Shanks” is on display through 2009. Guests will find rich storytelling alongside more than 400 artifacts as they wind through a variety of set pieces designed to reflect the different eras and locations significant to Hope’s life, including England, Cleveland, New York, Hollywood, Palm Springs, Washington, D.C., sites of USO shows around the world and even the moon. In each set, stories covering a broad range of topics are revealed, including the special relationship he shared with his wife, Dolores, as well as his achievements in live entertainment, radio, television, books and movies throughout eight decades of the 20th century. The exhibit offers insight into the close friendships Hope shared with Hall of Fame members, celebrities and U.S. Presidents over the years. It also looks at the impact Hope made as a devoted entertainer of the men and women of the U.S. military, and naturally, delves into the various ways he championed the game of golf,

Photo courtesy of World Golf Hall of Fame

including hosting the PGA TOUR’s Bob Hope Desert Classic for many years. Hall of Fame member Arnold Palmer narrates an “Opening Monologue” video presentation in the Bob Hope Theater which features some of Hope’s best-known golf stand-ups and skits. That video is followed by more than two hours of video on 12 screens throughout the full exhibition. Other Hall of Fame members, including Bing Crosby, Jack Nicklaus and Louise Suggs, talk about Hope through a custom-created audio tour that offers more than 30 stops throughout the experience. “Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory” is the Hall of Fame’s latest in a series of featured exhibitions.

Photo courtesy of Bob Hope Enterprises

“ I’ve played all over the world which means there isn’t a country I haven’t three-putted in.”

Photo courtesy of Bob Hope Enterprises

~ TICKETS ~ $19.50 adult admission (discounts for seniors, students and military) includes complimentary admission to the 18-hole natural grass Putting Course and a film in the IMAX Theater. Become a “Friend of the World Golf Hall of Fame” and receive unlimited admission to the museum, reserved seating at the Induction Ceremony, gift shop discounts, invitations to special events and more. Membership levels begin at just $50. For more information, visit www.wgv.com.

Photo courtesy of Bob Hope Enterprises

Clinton had the best score, Ford the most errors, and “Bush the most hits. Me, I cheated better than ever.


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TPC SAWGRASS

TPC Sawgrass Hole 1

423 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 10th (4.104 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Since 1992, players have found the first fairway only 55 percent of the time on the tee shot, making the opening fairway the toughest to hit on the course.

The first hole is more “ often than not a 3-wood.

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 62 Pars 275 Bogeys 82 Double Bogeys 7 Other 1 All-time High Score: 8 – Miguel A. Jimenez, 2002, Second round All-time Low Score: 2 – 9 times, most recently by Jason Bohn, 2006, Third round, from 124 yards

TPC Sawgrass Hole 2

It’s pretty tight. You have to feed it down to the wider part of the fairway and leave yourself some kind of wedge or 9-iron into the green. Long and to the right is not a great spot – you’re looking for the center of the green most of the time. The only flag you can really go at is the frontleft location.

~ Adam Scott, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2004

532 yards Par 5

All-time difficulty ranking: 17th (4.754 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Since 2003, no player has hit this green in two shots more than Adam Scott. In 16 attempts, Scott has successfully reached the green six times. Scott is 10-under par on this hole over the past six years.

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 5 Birdies 139 Pars 235 Bogeys 39 Double Bogeys 8 Other 1 All-time High Score: 10 – Fred Couples, 1983, Second round All-time Low Score: 2 – Peter Lonard, 2007, Third round, from 229 yards)

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Two is a good hole. If it’s playing firm and fast, it’s mostly a 3-wood with a draw and some kind of long iron. Going for the green here is the real danger; if you don’t hit it, it’s quite severe slope-wise, so it can get rather tricky around that green.

~ Adam Scott, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2004

Hole graphics courtesy of Best Approach Publications


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TPC Sawgrass Hole 3

Par 3 177 yards

All-time difficulty ranking: 11th (3.099 stroke average)

HOLE FACT The scoring average on the 3rd hole has not been under par since 2003 (over par every year since).

Three is a good par 3, “ especially when the pin

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 30 Pars 282 Bogeys 104 Double Bogeys 10 Other 1 All-time High Score: 7 – Ben Curtis, 2006, Second round Aces: 1 – Chris DiMarco, 2001; Russ Cochran, 1994; Jim Gallagher, Jr., 1986

TPC Sawgrass Hole 4

is placed on that left side up the back. Placed there, the slope cuts in and you’ll end up pin high on the right side and have some work to do. Left? That’s an absolute no-no.

~ Adam Scott, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2004

384 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 13th (4.041 stroke average)

HOLE FACT There has been an eagle-2 on this hole every year since Hal Sutton made two in 2001.

The tough part of this hole is the “ drive. It’s pretty narrow and the

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 2 Birdies 61 Pars 244 Bogeys 102 Double Bogeys 15 Other 3 All-time High Score: 12 – Phil Hancock, 1985, First round All-time Low Score: 2 – 26 times, most recently by Kevin Stadler, 2008, Final round

fairway is off center from the tee at an angle. With the bunker on the right, there’s no real shot from there because the trees close in on your approach shot. The mounds on the left make for an awkward stance if you hit your ball there. It’s one of those famous Stadium Course greens where you can spin it downhill into the hole. The only tricky pin location is the front-left where you can bring the water into play.

~ Adam Scott, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2004

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TPC Sawgrass Hole 5

471 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 3rd (4.219 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Since 2003, the greenside bunkers have proven to be tough. Only 40 percent of all players have salvaged par from the bunkers around the green.

This is a solid, long “ par 4, where there’s a

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 1 Birdies 44 Pars 281 Bogeys 95 Double Bogeys 5 Other 1 All-time High Score: 8 – John Daly, 1992, Final round All-time Low Score: 2 – 7 players, most recently Jerry Kelly, Second round, 2008

TPC Sawgrass Hole 6

premium on hitting your drive into the fairway. Otherwise, it’s going to be tough for you to reach the green. With a good drive, you’ll have a mid-iron into a generous green. Left is the only place you can’t be on that hole.

~ Adam Scott, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2004

393 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 12th (4.071 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Steve Stricker is the only player to eagle both the 5th and 6th holes in tournament history (eagled the 5th in 1999, Second round; the 6th in 1998, Third round).

Six is a great hole. “ It’s tight, just a long iron

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 52 Pars 273 Bogeys 84 Double Bogeys 17 Other 1 All-time High Score: 9 – Mark Calcavecchia, 2006, Final round All-time Low Score: 2 – 3 players, most recently, Tim Petrovic, Final round, 2006

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off the tee and a short iron to wedge into the green, but you have to be in the middle of the fairway. Even if you’re off a little to the right side in the rough you’ll be blocked out by the palm trees. Great short hole.

~ Adam Scott, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2004


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TPC Sawgrass Hole 7

442 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 4th (4.199 stroke average)

HOLE FACT While attempting to avoid the fairway bunker down the left-hand side of the fairway, the tendency can be to bail out to the right. However, since 2003, only 29 percent of the players have hit the green in regulation from the right rough.

One of the great holes on “ the golf course. It’s usually a

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 1 Birdies 74 Pars 248 Bogeys 94 Double Bogeys 10 All-time High Score: 10 – Andy Bean, 1992, First round All-time Low Score: 2 – Rich Beem, 2008, First round

TPC Sawgrass Hole 8

driver and anywhere from a 3-iron to a 7-iron depending on the elements and how long you are. I never look at it as a birdie hole, though I have birdied it. Your drive needs to be down the left side of the fairway so you can get an optimum shot into the green, but it’s got a long waste bunker down the left side and there is water left of that. If you leave it to the right, you’ve got to go across some trees, across the water and across another waste bunker to a green that is angled away from you.

~ Hal Sutton, THE PLAYERS Champion, 1983, 2000

237 yards Par 3

All-time difficulty ranking: 5th (3.192 stroke average)

HOLE FACT During the past two years there have been 31 three-putts recorded here, more than the previous four years combined.

A great little hole. “ It’s anywhere from a

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 40 Pars 255 Bogeys 126 Double Bogeys 6 All-time High Score: 7 – Larry Mize, 2002, Second round; Brian Claar, 1992, First round Aces: 5 – Joe Ozaki, Ted Tryba, 2000; Bob Friend, 1999; Mark Brooks, 1997; Gary Hallberg, 1994.

2-iron to a 5-iron based on who’s hitting the shot. Wind is usually left to right and a little into your face. It’s got a huge pothole bunker to the left-hand side, and if you put it in there and the pin is anywhere on the left side, you’re toast. The green is fairly accepting for that long shot. It’s just a long, tough par 3 – very fair, but challenging.

~ Hal Sutton, THE PLAYERS Champion, 1983, 2000

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TPC Sawgrass Hole 9

583 yards Par 5

All-time difficulty ranking: 14th (4.980 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Since 1983 there have been 24 total eagles recorded on the 9th hole. No player in tournament history has eagled this hole more than once.

This is an interesting par 5. Early “ on, we never reached that green in

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 1 Birdies 130 Pars 213 Bogeys 75 Double Bogeys 6 Other 2 All-time High Score: 10 – Tim Clark, 2008, Second round All-time Low Score: 3 – 24 total

TPC Sawgrass Hole 10

two; now, there are a few that can. It’s just a driver down the rightcenter of the fairway. It’s not a very demanding tee shot, to be honest, because it’s fairly wide. If you happen to pull it in the left rough, that’s really a tough shot because you have to clear the water hazard on your next one. The second shot is very demanding in regard to placement. If you get too close to the waste bunker on the left side you are blocked by some trees that guard the left-front of the green. You really need to be right-center in the fairway. You do not want to be in the bunker left of the green. All in all, if you get it in the right spot on your second shot, you’ve got a wedge into the green – it’s a birdie opportunity.

~ Hal Sutton, THE PLAYERS Champion, 1983, 2000

424 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 7th (4.150 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Since 2003, there have been 132 tee shots hit in the fairway bunker here. Only 48 or 36 percent of the players have found the green from this location.

Ten, in my opinion, is one of “ the best holes on the golf course.

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 54 Pars 266 Bogeys 94 Double Bogeys 11 Other 2 All-time High Score: 9 – Charley Hoffman, 2007, First round All-time Low Score: 2 – 3 total eagles, most recently by Tom Watson, 1996, Second round

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I think it’s a great driving hole with a waste bunker all the way down the left side and trees and deep rough on the right...Then it’s a very demanding second shot with bunkering and deep rough to the left and undulations to the right of the green...Pay attention to the wind – it’s usually swirling around that green.

~ Hal Sutton, THE PLAYERS Champion, 1983, 2000


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TPC Sawgrass Hole 11

558 yards Par 5

All-time difficulty ranking: 16th (4.856 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Since 2003, players choosing to lay up in two average just over 5.01 while players going for it average 4.65. Combined, players going for the green are 575-under par while those laying up are 8-over par.

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 3 Birdies 99 Pars 256 Bogeys 64 Double Bogeys 4 Other 1 All-time High Score: 9 – 3 players, most recently by Olin Browne, 2006, Final round All-time Low Score: 2 – Hunter Mahan, 2007, Second round

TPC Sawgrass Hole 12

You want to be as long as possible off that tee because it’s a reachable par 5, but the second shot is very demanding. It’s a real risk-reward type of hole. The layup on both sides is tough if you have to do that. You want to be down the right-center of the fairway as much as you can so you can get the right angle on the green because it doesn’t receive shots very well. If the pin is in the front, that front bunker is not a bad spot to be in.

~ Hal Sutton, THE PLAYERS Champion, 1983, 2000

358 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 15th (3.901 stroke average)

HOLE FACT If you’re going to miss the fairway, you’ll have a better chance at hitting the green from the right rough compared with the left. Since 2003, 45 percent of the players have hit the green from the left rough while 59 percent have hit the green from the right rough.

What a great little hole. “ I’ve seen anything from a

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 94 Pars 274 Bogeys 53 Double Bogeys 6 All-time High Score: 9 – Chris Smith, 2003, Second round All-time Low Score: 2 – 19 eagles, most recently by Bob Estes, 2005, First round

2-iron to a driver hit off that tee. Even in the optimum spot in the fairway, there are places where you won’t get a flat lie. The green has got a lot of little tiers in it. It’s a birdie hole but you’ve got to hit all of your shots to make one.

~ Hal Sutton, THE PLAYERS Champion, 1983, 2000

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TPC Sawgrass Hole 13

181 yards Par 3

All-time difficulty ranking: 9th (3.126 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Once on the putting surface, players are still faced with one of the toughest greens on the course. Since 1992, there have been a total of 574 three-putts on the 13th green (more than any hole on the course).

Depending on the “ wind, it’s a great par

HOLE STATS 2008 Aces 1 Birdies 35 Pars 248 Bogeys 109 Double Bogeys 24 Other 10 All-time High Score: 9 – 2 players, Andrew Magee, 1999; Gary Koch, 1983 Aces: 10, most recently by Robert Garrigus, 2008, Second round

TPC Sawgrass Hole 14

3. You’ve got to get your ball on the right level because of the big undulations. This hole usually plays in the vicinity of a 6-iron to an 8-iron.

~ Stephen Ames, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2006

481 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 2nd (4.261 stroke average)

HOLE FACT Attempting to avoid the fairway bunker/water on the left can lead to missing the fairway right. Since 2003, 536 balls have found the right rough from the tee. Only 1 of every 5 attempts finds the green in regulation from the right rough (20 percent).

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 22 Pars 227 Bogeys 148 Double Bogeys 29 Other 2 All-time High Score: 10 – John Huston, 1997, Final round All-time Low Score: 2 – Ken Duke, 2007, Final round; Corey Pavin, 1994, First round; Ralph Landrum, 1984, Second round

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Get the ball in play “ off the tee and your second shot is not as tough as your drive.

~ Stephen Ames, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2006


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TPC Sawgrass Hole 15

449 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 6th (4.158 stroke average)

HOLE FACT If you’re going to miss the fairway right, you’d rather be in the fairway bunker than the rough. Since 2003, players average one-half stroke over par from the right rough and average one-fourth stroke over par from the fairway bunker.

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 37 Pars 291 Bogeys 85 Double Bogeys 12 Other 2 All-time High Score: 8 – Jim Booros, 1983, Second round All-time Low Score: 2 – Tom Lehman, 2007, Second round; Bart Bryant, 1992, First round

TPC Sawgrass Hole 16

You have to be able to keep your drive in play. For big hitters, it’s a 3-wood. For me, I hit driver and a 7-iron or 6-iron. And like many of the other holes, you have to get your ball on the right level of the green here to have an easier putt for birdie.

~ Stephen Ames, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2006

523 yards Par 5

All-time difficulty ranking: 18th (4.665 stroke average)

HOLE FACT In 2008, there were only five eagles made here, tying the lowest number of eagles made in a single week in tournament history (1985).

Depending on how long “ you are, this hole is a dogleg

HOLE STATS 2008 Eagles 5 Birdies 188 Pars 195 Bogeys 35 Double Bogeys 4 All-time High Score: 10 – Richard Zokol, 1994, Second round All-time Low Score: 3 – 287 total eagles

left. It’s 3-wood to driver, and you want your shot to be turning over to keep it in the fairway. If you don’t, you’re going to run through the fairway on the right and then you’ll have to lay up…This is a good risk-reward hole. If you hit a good shot, you’re going to get rewarded.

~ Stephen Ames, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2006

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TPC Sawgrass Hole 17

181 yards Par 3

All-time difficulty ranking: 8th (3.130 stroke average)

HOLE FACT There were 44 three-putts recorded here last year, the most in a single event since 1992 when the PGA TOUR began tracking this information.

What can I “ say about 17?

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 50 Pars 259 Bogeys 68 Double Bogeys 41 Other 9 All-time High Score: 12 – Bob Tway, 2005, Third round Aces: 6 total, most recently Miguel Angel Jimenez, 2002, First round

TPC Sawgrass Hole 18

Get it on land! Once you accomplish that, hopefully you can two-putt if you get it on the right level.

~ Stephen Ames, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2006

462 yards Par 4

All-time difficulty ranking: 1 (4.368 stroke average)

HOLE FACT With water left, players have a tendency to bail out right from the tee. Since 2003, there have been 763 approach shots from the right rough. Only 19 percent of those players hit the green in regulation.

You can play 18 so “ many different ways.

HOLE STATS 2008 Birdies 31 Pars 202 Bogeys 146 Double Bogeys 40 Other 8 All-time High Score: 11 – Andre Stolz, 2005, Second round All-time Low Score: 2 – Carlos Franco, 2002, Third round; Glen Day, 1998, First round

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You can hit iron off the tee, or driver or 3-wood. With your second shot, the main thing to look out for is the water on the left side. But also watch the left side of the green, where you’ll have three levels to putt over. If you miss it on the right side, you won’t have too much of a difficult putt. Those last few holes are the toughest on the golf course.

~ Stephen Ames, THE PLAYERS Champion, 2006


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PONTE VEDRA BEACH & JACKSONVILLE

Welcome to the Area Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville offer golf fans numerous opportunities to relax and enjoy their time here during THE PLAYERS Championship, both on and off TPC Sawgrass. Golf reigns supreme in Northeast Florida and is home to more than 70 public and private golf courses and the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club’s Ocean Course has a signature hole – the 150-yard, par-3 ninth with its island green – that directly influenced Pete Dye’s design of the famous island No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass. Sawgrass Country Club, located on the east side of A1A, was the site of THE PLAYERS from 1977-81. It’s no wonder a large number of PGA TOUR players reside in the area, which is home to the PGA TOUR Headquarters at the entrance to TPC Sawgrass. Plus, some of Florida’s most beautiful beaches are in the area, stretching from St. Augustine, the oldest city in the country, and St. Johns County, the home county of the tournament, north to Jacksonville’s beaches and on to Amelia Island. The beach is so close – just across A1A from TPC Sawgrass – that many times wind affects the conditions at THE PLAYERS. Recreational opportunities are also available on a number of bodies of water in addition to the Atlantic Ocean, from the St. Johns River to the Intracoastal Waterway and numerous marshes and lakes, such as the Guana Reserve, located in South Ponte Vedra Beach. THE PLAYERS Championship’s presence stretches throughout the region and into Duval County to Downtown Jacksonville with the four-day event, THE PLAYERS Downtown Experience on the St. Johns River beginning on Tuesday, May 5. Other sports have a large presence in Downtown Jacksonville, led by the NFL’s

Jacksonville Jaguars. The sport’s popularity is so strong that Super Bowl XXXIX was held at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in 2005, with the New England Patriots defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. College football is also very popular, with the annual Florida-Georgia Football Classic and the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl played at the facility. Additionally, the Jacksonville Suns, the Double-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, play at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena also hosts numerous concerts and was a NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first-round site in 2006 and will again be a first-round site in 2010. Sports fans can enjoy rugby, marathons, fishing tournaments, track and field and tennis. The MPS Group Championship, a Women’s Tennis Association event, celebrated its 30th year at Sawgrass Country Club in early April. In addition to being a sports-crazy city, Jacksonville, the largest city in the contiguous United States, grants endless experiences as widespread as the city itself. Explore the over 111,000 acres of parks, which make up the

country’s largest urban park system, by fishing, biking, camping, surfing and kayaking. Enjoy the museums, galleries and performances which give the city recognition as one of the top 25 arts destinations. Or spend time in the area’s hot nightlife and dining spots. Dining options in Northeast Florida range from upscale bistros to down-home fish camps, all infused with warm Southern hospitality. Although the population of St. Johns County is only the 29th largest in Florida, the per capita income ranks second in the state and it is the second-fastest growing county in Florida. CNN and Money Magazine recently named Ponte Vedra Beach the best place to live in Florida and among the 50 best to live in the United States.

For more information, go to visitjacksonville.com or pontevedrachamber.org.

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C H A R I T Y

THE PLAYERS Giving Back

This page, "(Above): The Jacksonville School for Children with Autism, which was one of the stops on the Red Coat Ride Out. (Left): Donations being unloaded to the new Beaches Community Healthcare Clinic on Thursday of Giving Back Week. THE PLAYERS donated the food items to the center and the BEAM facility to stock up their food pantries.

“Giving Back Week” was established in 2007 to display the year-round commitment and impact THE PLAYERS Championship has on the Jacksonville, FL, community. In 2008, THE PLAYERS celebrated “Giving Back Week,” Nov. 17-21. “Giving Back Week” featured five events across the First Coast, one each day, at charities that received support from THE PLAYERS. A record $3 million raised by the 2008 event was announced on Nov. 17 in a special section of the Florida Times-Union. The esteemed Red Coats kicked off the week’s events by personally delivering nearly $200,000 in charitable giving to 16 of the 94 charities. PGA TOUR player Frank Lickliter II rode along with one of the teams that visited the Mayport USO among its many stops. Mark McCumber, the 1988 PLAYERS Champion, helped commemorate the start of “THE PLAYERS Free Tuesdays” at The

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Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. Courtesy of THE PLAYERS, the Cummer is open to the public, free of charge, every Tuesday from 4-9 p.m. Sports personalities from the local networks, such as Dan Hicken, Sam Kouvaris and Brian Sexton also participated along with McCumber in the “Artful Swings” event. On Wednesday, PGA TOUR professional Jim Furyk and his wife Tabitha made a surprise visit to North Shore K-8 Micro Society School to pay tribute to the Teach For America teachers helping North Shore students succeed. This state-of-the-art school opened in March after three area schools

were shut down. The school has 14 teachers in the Teach For America program. Teach For America was brought to Jacksonville thanks in part to a multi-year grant from THE PLAYERS. Jeff Klauk, the 2009 PGA TOUR rookie, and his wife Shanna helped highlight THE PLAYERS’ multi-year commitment to the new Beaches Community Healthcare, a Sulzbacher Clinic, on Thursday of “Giving Back Week.” The Klauks took a hard-hat tour of the new facility, unloaded food to stock the BEAM pantry and served lunch, provided by TPC Sawgrass, to participants.


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(Left): PGA TOUR professional Jim Furyk (right) enjoying a light moment at the North Shore K-8 Micro Society School. (Below): 1988 PLAYERS champion Mark McCumber, second from right, with local affiliated television sports announcers.

In addition, THE PLAYERS held a Community Health Fair during the event, offering health screenings, free flu shots, nutritional information, dental hygiene supplies and more. The final “Giving Back Week” event highlighted THE PLAYERS’ contribution to THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center, opened in June 2007. PGA TOUR professional and 2005 PLAYERS Champion Fred Funk and PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem each led a team made up of center members on the final four holes of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course on the Nintendo Wii version of EA’s “Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09.” Team Finchem took the trophy. A new putting green for the center’s members was also unveiled, courtesy of THE PLAYERS and Southwest Greens. Many of the 1,200 center members have volunteered at the tournament through the years and THE PLAYERS continues to support the facility with funding from tournament proceeds, including money raised during the 2008 event.

PLAYERS CHARITY TOTAL GROWS THE PLAYERS Championship contributes to a diverse group of charities throughout Northeast Florida, living by the PGA TOUR’s mission to give back to the communities in which it plays. Since 1977, when THE PLAYERS moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, more than $31 million has been contributed to Northeast Florida charities, ranging from healthcare to youth and education to human services. For more information, visit PGATOUR.COM/THEPLAYERS. The PGA TOUR and its tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour collectively generated another record amount for charity in 2008, with a total of $124 million. This brings the TOUR’s all-time charity total to more than $1.3 billion.

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C H A R I T Y

The Following Organizations Benefited from THE PLAYERS 2008: American Cancer Society ARC Jacksonville Art With A Heart Baker County Special Olympics Baptist Hospital Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry Beaches Fine Arts Series Beaches Healthcare Clinic Beaches Women's Partnership Big Brothers Big Sisters Bird Island Park Boy Scouts of America Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida Brave Kids Camp Tracey Children's Home Cathedral Arts Project Cerebral Palsy Child Cancer Fund Children's Home Society Children's Miracle Network City Rescue Mission Community Hospice Council on Aging, THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Daniel Foundation Deliver the Dream Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville Downtown Ecumenical Services Council Dreams Come True Duval County Police Athletic League Episcopal High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes Florida Community College Jacksonville Florida Theatre Focus Cummer Friends of the Library, Ponte Vedra Beach Girls, Inc. Greater Jacksonville Area USO Habitat for Humanity, Jacksonville Beach Jacksonville Public Library Foundation Jacksonville School for Children with Autism Jacksonville Symphony Jacksonville University Jacksonville Urban League Junior Achievement Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

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Lee High School Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Lutheran Social Services Second Harvest Food Bank MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation March of Dimes Mayo Clinic Metro Kids Konnection Monique Burr Foundation for Children Multiple Sclerosis Navy Sea Cadets Nease High School Nemours North Florida Junior Golf Foundation North Florida School Pine Castle Ponte Vedra Athletic Association Ponte Vedra Schools Project SOS Rick Wilkins Foundation RITA Foundation River Garden Ronald McDonald House Shands Hospital Special Olympics, Duval County St. Johns County Head Start St. Johns County PAL Explorers St. Vincent's Hospital Susan G. Komen Teach for America Terry Parker High School The Bridge of NE Florida The First Tee The Healing Touch The Jericho School THE PLAYERS Championship Village THE PLAYERS Scholarship Fund Tom Coughlin Jay Fund United Way University of North Florida Vision is Priceless Volunteer Jacksonville Volunteers in Medicine Winston Family YMCA Wolfson Children's Hospital Women's Help Center Wounded Warrior Project Young Life


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C H A R I T Y

Volunteers Have a Mission: Impact Charity At a time when local charitable organizations are challenged to find funding, tournament volunteers and officials with THE PLAYERS Championship have new initiatives to strengthen the commitment to charity.

Volunteers such as these are focused on Mission:IMPACT this year at THE PLAYERS Championship.

For the first time in THE PLAYERS history, in addition to the nearly 100 charities supported annually by the tournament, the volunteer force of nearly 2,000 is uniting to support a single First Coast charity. The effort is called “Mission:IMPACT,” and its goal is to rally the volunteers of THE PLAYERS around one specific charitable cause. Volunteers considered many charities before narrowing the options to two, daniel and Hart Felt Ministries. Daniel offers mental health and social service programs aimed at enhancing the lives of children and families. Hart Felt Ministries serves elderly and disabled adults across the Jacksonville area in need of non-medical help and companionship.

After nearly a month of voting THE PLAYERS volunteers chose to focus their support on improving the Independent Living Village at daniel. The 12 efficiency apartments provide transitional housing for homeless teens between the ages of 17 and 21. The program is designed to help teens become socially and economically independent. Volunteers will make donations on line and on site during the tournament with a goal to raise $40,000. “As volunteers, we are united in our support of THE PLAYERS’ ability to make a difference in our community,”said THE PLAYERS Tournament Chairman Tommy Douglas. “While the volunteer force has a tremendous influence on the

millions in contributions that THE PLAYERS makes each year, we realized we can take an even greater role in giving back. Now – as a unified group – we are taking the PGA TOUR’s goal of ‘giving back’ one step further through Mission:IMPACT and look forward to making a significant contribution to daniel at the end of this year’s event.” Tournament officials also announced new multi-year grant recipients for 2009: Baptist Health of Northeast Florida; Beaches Community Healthcare, a Sulzbacher Clinic; The Boselli Foundation; The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens; Junior Achievement; PACE Center for Girls; Project SOS; and St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

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COMMITTEES

2009 Committee Listing

TOURNAMENT CHAIRMAN

Tommy Douglas FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN

Harold Tool PLAYER SERVICES DIVISION Jim Fuller - Vice Chairman

SPECTATOR SERVICES DIVISION Curtis Hazel - Vice Chairman

ANNOUNCERS Chair Greg Euston Assistant Steve Rimmer

16 GREEN HOSPITALITY ZONE Co-Chair Larry Faulkner Co-Chair Della Faulkner Assistant Judy Saylor

CADDIES Chair Donnie Vest Assistant Bill McLoughlin Assistant Dave Richmond Co-Chair Co-Chair Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant

COMMISSARY Brian Franco Jim Brungard Steve Hicks John Koehler Bob Mehl Barb Mehl

Chair Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant

SHOTLink Sharon Searcy Cathy Connolly Carney Kirtley Jack Morehead George Baccash

Co-Chair Co-Chair Assistant Assistant

MARKERS Steve Simmons Debbie Verges Jack Hofstetter Everette Street

Co-Chair Co-Chair Assistant Assistant Assistant

MARSHALS John Mason Rhonda Braunsroth Nancy Noe Nichols Rick Ulp Ginny Deighan

MEDIA CENTER Chair Pat Caufield Assistant Chuck Calloway Assistant Al Herndon PLAYER SERVICES Chair Clare Berry Assistant Shirley Greenslet

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17 HOSPITALITY ZONE Chair Linda George Assistant Carol D’Onofrio Assistant Sandra Parker 18 GREEN HOSPITALITY ZONE Chair Don Davidson Assistant Frank Allen Chair Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant

ADMISSIONS Scot Winter Calvin Whitaker Albert Waters Andy Carroll Diane Duhnoski Doug Lareau

BENEFACTOR HOSPITALITY Chair Michele McManamon Assistant Carol Maurer Assistant Larry Moore Assistant Myrna Kissinger Assistant Barre Barrett Assistant Wayne Brown CHAMPIONS CLUB Chair Debi Andrews Assistant Reed Barrett Assistant Jesse Barnhill CORPORATE HOSPITALITY Co-Chair Peter Dawood Co-Chair Dennis DeGuzman Assistant Neila Nessler Assistant Houston Bowles Assistant Kevin English

PLAYER TRANSPORTATION Chair Delores Young Assistant Charlotte Johnson Assistant Kim Thompson Assistant Bryan Stephens Assistant Clark Brumm

FIRST AID Chair/Med Director Dr. Jeff Smowton Assistant Ken Ray Assistant Janice Kiernan Assistant Richard Darby Assistant Joe Mitrick Assistant Edward Sim Assistant Nicole Blackwelder

PRACTICE RANGE Chair Steve Goss Assistant Arlin Lewis Assistant Tom Blanchard Assistant Julia Galac

Chair Assistant Assistant Assistant

STANDARD BEARERS Chair Jamie Welu Assistant Johnny Sarber Assistant Beth Martin

PAST CHAIRMAN HOSPITALITY Chair Jay Oliverio Assistant Diana Eissing Assistant Theresa Oliverio

VEHICLE PROCUREMENT Chair Ed Egbert Assistant Charlie Vissman Assistant Jack Peterson Assistant Ernie Cornehl Assistant Rod Areford

SPECTATOR INFORMATION Chair Paul Fangman Assistant Tom Sheridan Assistant Matt Jackson

ISLAND CLUB Matt Welch Nancy Pearson Teresa Watkins Lee Nimnicht

FACILITIES DIVISION Robert Davis - Vice Chairman C O M M U N I C AT I O N S Chair John Whitehouse Assistant Wallace Piety Assistant Paul Boyd Assistant Jim Blache CONSTRUCTION Chair Buzz Berger Assistant Mike Ward Assistant Ted Dill Assistant Bob Hall COURSE ECOLOGY Chair Mark Haines Assistant John Carson Assistant Larry Holcomb Assistant Jason Sain Assistant Chip Greene Assistant Brad Harby Assistant Jim Walsh COURSE PREP Co-Chair Les Davis Co-Chair Phil Harbison Assistant Ron Murphy Assistant Tom Cooper DISABLED GUEST SERVICES Chair Jack Palmer Assistant Ron White Assistant Leland Stanford Assistant Joe Nairon OFFSITE Chair Assistant Assistant

S H U T T L E / PA R K I N G Tim Shea Jim Cotton Sharon Stevens

O N S I T E PA R K I N G Chair Bob Livingston Assistant Eric Dellenback Assistant John Sweeney Assistant Mike Crumpler Chair Assistant Co-Chair Co-Chair Assistant

SIGN DESIGN Marion Davis Joe Leader S U P P LY Jimmy Davis Wayne Johanns Cliff Redmon

VOLUNTEER SERVICES DIVISION Andy Baggs - Vice Chairman A P PA R E L

Co-Chair

Suzanne Goss

Co-Chair

Kelli Bohn CREDENTIALS

Co-Chair Jesse Knapp Co- Chair Nancy Meade Assistant Julie Mackey GOLF CARTS

Co-Chair Co-Chair Assistant Assistant

Walt Courtney Steve Teresko Jim Nevin Lee Osteen

O F F I C E A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

Chair Carol Lee Conklin Assistant Julia Heckendorn Assistant Joan McGinnis VOLUNTEER PERSONNEL

Chair Eileen Taylor Assistant Heidi Chanatry PHOTOGRAPHY

Chair Ann Fontaine Assistant Bill Dickson P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S

Chair

Ryan Schwartz

Assistant

Melinda Stivers

SPECIAL EVENTS

Co-Chair Co-Chair

Lee Brideson Mark Faircloth

Assistant Assistant

Bob Brideson Jay Johnson

Chair Assistant Assistant Assistant

VIP PARKING Adam Campbell Jesse Hunter John Tucker Andy Haynes

VOLUNTEER OASIS

Chair Darlene Riggs Assistant Eddie Peterson Assistant

Billy Sellette

Assistant Barbara Pucci Assistant Dolly Park VOLUNTEER SHUTTLE Chair Nick Napoleon Assistant Jim Browning Assistant Mike Linekin Assistant John Naugle

REPORTS TO FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN F A C I L I E S PAT R O L Chair Jim McCarthy Assistant Chris Elmore Assistant Damon Olinto Assistant Mike Harding

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WILL CALL

Chair Anita Kommnick Assistant Beverly Jund Assistant

Pam Laveck

Assistant Bill Nelson

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Meticulous preparation. It’s the cornerstone of confidence, in golf and in finance.

Confidence isn’t just a word. It’s a commitment. In golf, as in finance, every decision counts. Which is why, at UBS, we are committed to helping you feel confident in your financial decisions. This has been our focus and will continue to be, no matter what challenges lie ahead. You can be confident that we’ve taken the steps to remain one of the best capitalized banks in the world.* And that we’re redoubling our efforts to listen, to understand, and prepare you for financial success. This is our commitment to you, and to the financial relationship we call “You & Us.”

UBS is a Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS Championship.

*Based on a comparison of UBS’s December 31, 2008 Tier 1 capital ratio against Tier 1 capital ratios most recently reported by banks governed by the Basel I or II Capital Accords. © UBS 2009. All rights reserved.


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courage, all 128 swings.

PROGRAM

4/16/09

TOURNAMENT

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TPC SAWGRASS MAY 4-10, 2009

2009 PLAYERS Championship

As long as a child is willing to try this great and sometimes exasperating game of golf, we plan on being there to help them. We are proud to support the efforts of The First Tee, which has brought the game of golf and its positive values to more than 2.9 million young people.

A S S U R A N C E / TA X / A D V I S O R Y

© 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a Delaware limited liability partnership) or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. The First Tee® is a World Golf Foundation initiative.

SERGIO GARCIA 2008 CHAMPION


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