Champions Tour 2008 Guide - PGA TOUR Media

We Are The PGA TOURThe name of our organization is the PGA TOUR, a tax-exemptmembership group of professional golfers that plays more than 100 officialmoney tournaments on three Tours – the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour andNationwide Tour. Our headquarters are located in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL,southeast of Jacksonville.We should be referred to as the PGA TOUR or TOUR (on secondreference), but not the PGA, as we are a different organization than the PGAof America.The PGA is the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, amembership organization for the nation’s club professionals. The PGA runsthe PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and Ryder Cup Matches,among other championships. The PGA headquarters are located in PalmBeach Gardens, FL.The PGA TOUR and PGA of America were affiliated until 1968, whenthe tournament players, a small subset of the total PGA membership, brokeThe PGA TOUR is the world’s foremost golf Tour, with48 official money events from January throughNovember. This year is the second in a new era forthe PGA TOUR with the continuation of the FedExCup,a season-long points competition culminating withthe PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedEx Cup.away to form the Tournament Players Division and gain more control of theirfinances and tournament schedule. The Tournament Players Division wasrenamed the PGA TOUR in 1975.Two other American golf organizations are involved in men’sprofessional tournament play, independent of the TOUR but with theirmarquee events included on the TOUR schedule as non-TOUR co-sponsoredtournaments. The United States Golf Association, with headquarters in FarHills, NJ, oversees the national championships (U.S. Open, U.S. SeniorOpen, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur, etc.) and administers theRules of Golf, among other duties. The Augusta (GA) National Golf Clubplays host to the Masters Tournament. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club ofSt. Andrews, Scotland oversees the British Open and administers theworld’s golf rules jointly with the USGA.Events: 48 (Official Money)Prize Money: Approximately$278 millionMembership: 78 internationalplayers, 19 countries, led byAustralia with 25.Tournament Sites: 22 states,4 countries (outside U.S.)TV: CBS, NBC, GOLF CHANNEL,ABC, ESPN, TNTCompetition Awards:FedExCup (Season-longpoints), Jack Nicklaus Trophy(Player of the Year), ArnoldPalmer Award (Leadingmoney winner), ByronNelson Award (Scoringaverage), Rookie of the Year,Comeback Player of the Year.SECTION1 INTRODUCTIONThe Champions Tour continues to combine extremelycompetitive golf for champions of the game age 50 andolder with a fan-friendly platform that promotes“inside the ropes” and game-improvement for its fans.The Charles Schwab Cup, a season-long, points-basedcompetition, enters its eighth season.Events: 29 (Official Money)Prize Money: Approximately$55.5 millionMembership: 29 internationalplayers, 15 countries.Tournament Sites: 16 states,2 countries (outside U.S.)TV: CBS, NBC, GOLF CHANNEL,ABC, ESPN, TNTCompetition Awards:Charles Schwab Cup(Season-long points), JackNicklaus Trophy (Player ofthe Year), Arnold PalmerAward (Leading moneywinner), Byron NelsonAward (Scoring average),Rookie of the Year,Comeback Player of theYear.The Nationwide Tour is the “official proving ground” ofthe PGA TOUR. Through 2007, 217 PGA TOURtournaments have been won by former Nationwide Tourplayers. The 2008 PGA TOUR membership is comprised ofapproximately 65 percent Nationwide Tour alumni. “The25” (the top 25 on the money list) qualify for the PGATOUR the following season.Events: 30 (Official Money)Prize Money: $19 millionMembership: 61 internationalplayers, 18 countries, led byAustralia with 21.Tournament Sites: 30 states,5 countries (outside U.S.)TV: GOLF CHANNELCompetition Awards:Jack Nicklaus Trophy(Player of the Year)PGATOUR.COMChampions Tour 2008 Guide1-3