LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Rich Beem, winner of the 2002 PGA Championship and a three-time winner on the PGA TOUR, has been selected as a sponsor's exemption for the 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer. Joining Beem as sponsor's exemptions for the Classic will be Jason Gore, Billy Andrade, Olin Browne, Robert Gamez, Bobby Clampett, Troy Kelly and D. A. Points.
The Classic will he held Jan. 19-25 at four Coachella Valley golf courses - the Palmer Private at PGA West, Bermuda Dunes Country Club, SilverRock Resort and the Nicklaus Private Course at PGA West.
Gore is a fan favorite who hails from Van Nuys, Calif., and attended Pepperdine University. Andrade is a four-time winner on TOUR. Browne, an assistant captain for the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team last fall, owns three tournament titles on the PGA TOUR.
Gamez has won three times on TOUR. A Las Vegas native who played collegiately at Arizona, he clearly prefers the desert climate - he has finished in the top 20 at the Hope six times. Clampett owns one PGA TOUR win, and has twice finished in the top 20 at the Hope. Points is the owner of four Nationwide Tour victories, including the 2001 Inland Empire Open. Kelly earned his 2009 PGA TOUR card with a tie for 11th at Q School last month.
The group will join defending champion D.J. Trahan in a strong field for the 50th Classic. At stake is a purse of $5.1 million, $918,000 to the winner. The five-day Classic features 128 PGA TOUR professionals and 384 amateurs, including a stellar list of 30 celebrities.
Celebrity participants for the Classic, a desert tradition since 1960, include: former Major League Baseball and NFL standout Bo Jackson; former NFL star Jerry Rice; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman and 2008 American League Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria; famed musicians Stephen Stills, Huey Lewis, Michael Bolton, Alice Cooper, Don Felder (formerly of the Eagles), Josh Kelley and country singer Clay Walker; actors Don Johnson, Kurt Russell, Chris O'Donnell, Thomas Gibson, Oliver Hudson, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyle MacLachlan, William Devane and Bruce McGill; actor/comedian Kevin Nealon; actor/game show host John O'Hurley; timeless New York Yankees baseball legend Yogi Berra; comedian Tom Dreesen; NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and sportscaster Dan Fouts; Hall of Fame sportscaster Keith Jackson; Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson; former Green Bay Packers wide receiver and NFL analyst Sterling Sharpe; TV financial host Joe Kernen; and former Vice President Dan Quayle.
Palmer, a sporting and Coachella Valley icon, played in the tournament 42 of its 50 years and is the only five-time champion, winning the inaugural tournament in 1960 and again in 1962, '68, '71 and '73. He won a total of 62 PGA TOUR titles.
In 49 years, the tournament has donated more than $45 million to charities throughout the Coachella Valley. Tickets are only $25 per day, with several packages offering additional savings. For more information, go to www.bhcc.com or call 1.888.MRBHOPE (672.4673).
Office Box 865, Rancho Mirage, California 92270
Bob Hope Classic Building, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, California 92270
(760) 346-8184 · 1-888-MR B HOPE · FAX (760) 346-6329
CONTACT:
Pat Bennett, 760-346-8184, or Toby Zwikel, 818-462-5599
