PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Oct. 15, 2004 – The PGA Tour has announced the schedule for the 2005 season, with 48 official money events.
The Tour opens its season in Hawaii, January 3-9, with the Mercedes Championships in Kapalua, which features the 2004 tournament winners. To date, 30 players will be making their 2005 debut at the winners-only event. The Tour’s first full-field event of the year will be held the following week at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The PGA Tour is proud to welcome two new tournament title sponsors next year. The Zurich Classic of New Orleans will be contested at the new Tournament Players Club of Louisiana on April 25- May 1, and the Barclays Classic will be held at Westchester Country Club on June 20-26.
“The PGA Tour’s 2004 season has been as thrilling as anyone could have imagined. From Craig Parry’s shot to win from the fairway in a playoff at the Ford Championship, to Vijay Singh’s record-setting year, to Phil Mickelson’s and Todd Hamilton’s remarkable performances under pressure at two of the four major championships, 2004 is a year to remember,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem.
“Whether it’s watching the young stars like 2004 Players Championship winner Adam Scott or Sergio Garcia or following ageless veterans like Fred Funk and Jay Haas, the level of competition on the PGA Tour continues to strengthen each year."
The West Coast Swing presented by Allianz will include the first nine tournaments of the season and offer a $1-million bonus pool that is divided among the top three West Coast performers, as determined by a points system.
During the course of the 48-tournament season, the Tour will have five weeks where two official money events will be contested with tournaments being staged opposite three World Golf Championships, the British Open and The Presidents Cup.
The World Golf Championships welcome Harding Park Golf Club in San Francisco into the rotation as the venue for the American Express Championship, October 3-9.
After playing to a draw in South Africa in the 2003 Presidents Cup, team captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will once again lead United States and International teams, respectively, to square off at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Lake Manassas, Va., for the 2005 Presidents Cup, September 19-25.
In the closing weeks of the season, the Fall Finish Presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers will feature an 11-tournament series that runs through the season-ending Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola. The Fall Finish Presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers will award $1 million in bonuses, including $500,000 for the winner.
The 2005 season concludes the week of Oct. 31-Nov. 6 at the Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Ga., at East Lake Golf Club.
The PGA Tour and its members take great pride in giving back to the communities in which they play. Charity has been a fundamental part of the PGA Tour since the first donation was made in 1938. To date, Tour events cumulatively have donated nearly $900 million to charities across the country.
