PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Active duty military personnel and their families will receive free admission to the Northern Trust Open, Feb. 16-22, at Riviera Country Club, it was announced.

To receive a ticket, military personnel do not need to be in uniform, but they must present identification showing them as active duty personnel at the Longworth Ave. admissions gate where they will be issued a daily gallery pass.

"Our military and their families make great sacrifices to keep us safe and we wanted to offer them an opportunity to enjoy viewing some of the greatest golfers in the world," said Northern Trust Open Tournament Director Tom Pulchinski.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson is among 24 of the top 50 players in the World Golf Rankings leading the way for the Northern Trust Open. Those in the Top 50 in the World Golf Rankings already committed to the 2009 Northern Trust Open include: (3) Padraig Harrington, (4) Vijay Singh, (5) Mickelson, (10) Kenny Perry, (14) Jim Furyk, (16) Justin Rose, (18) Steve Stricker, (20) K.J. Choi, (24) Mike Weir, (27) Justin Leonard, (28) Zach Johnson, (30) Robert Allenby, (32) Tim Clark, (33) Jeev M. Singh, (35) Luke Donald, (36) Graeme McDowell, (37) Andres Romero, (38) Rory Sabbatini, (40) Stephen Ames, (42) Retief Goosen, (43) Oliver Wilson, (44) Stuart Appleby, (46) Hunter Mahan, (48) Soren Hansen. The list is subject to change, as players have until Friday, Feb. 13 to commit.

Mickelson (2008), Weir (2003, '04), Allenby (2001), and Sabbatini (2006) are recent champions at Riviera. Other past champions in the field include Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Fred Couples (1990, '92), Charles Howell III (2007), Billy Mayfair (1998, defeated Tiger Woods in playoff at Valencia Country Club), Corey Pavin (1994, '95) and Kirk Triplett (2000). Also entered are Japanese teen sensation Ryu Ishikawa, who was awarded a Commissioner's Foreign Exemption, and Vincent Johnson, recipient of the first Charlie Sifford Exemption. Other exemptions were issued to Hansen, McDowell, Oliver, Jeev M. Singh, Shigeki Maruyama, Bryce Molder and Ricky Barnes.

Other Southern California favorites in the field include: David Berganio, Jr., Charley Hoffman, Bill Lunde, John Mallinger, Scott McCarron, John Merrick, Kevin Na, Pat Perez, Tom Pernice, Jr., and Charlie Wi.

The Southern California PGA qualifier for one spot in the Northern Trust Open will be played Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Glendora Country Club. It was postponed from Monday, Feb. 9 due to inclement weather. The final four players in the field will be determined in qualifying Monday, Feb. 16 at Industry Hills Golf Club's Eisenhower Course in the City of Industry.

The 83rd playing of the Northern Trust Open begins with a pro-am and practice rounds on Monday, Feb. 16 and practice rounds Tuesday, Feb. 17. The main pro-am is Wednesday, Feb. 18 and tournament play runs Thursday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 22.

Riviera Country will again be the host site of the tournament. This historic venue has been the official home of the tournament since 1929 when the fourth tournament was first played at the club. This is the 47th time Riviera has played host to the tournament, including every year but two since 1973. The 1983 tournament was played at Rancho Park Golf Course due to the PGA Championship at Riviera and the 1998 tournament was held at Valencia Country Club due to the U.S. Senior Open at Riviera.

The Northern Trust Open will be televised in the United States on GOLF CHANNEL (Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET) and CBS (Saturday, 3-6 p.m.; Sunday, 3-6:30 p.m.). In Japan, early rounds will be telecast on Jupiter Golf Network, with final rounds on NHK.

About the Northern Trust Open
The tournament, held at the Riviera Country Club, is one of the most respected and revered tournaments on the PGA TOUR schedule, attracting many of the best professional players in the world of golf. It is one of the longest-running tournaments on the PGA TOUR and is the oldest civic-sponsored event, debuting in 1926 at Los Angeles Country Club. Since its inception, the tournament has generated more than $50 million for philanthropic projects and programs within Southern California.

Northern Trust announced its title sponsorship of the tournament Oct. 15, 2007, which is a five-year agreement running through 2012. For more information, please visit www.northerntrustopen.com.

About Northern Trust Corporation
Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of investment management, asset and fund administration, fiduciary and banking solutions for corporations, institutions and affluent individuals worldwide. Northern Trust, a financial holding company based in Chicago, has a growing network of 85 offices in 18 U.S. states and has international offices in 15 locations in North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of September 30, 2008, Northern Trust had assets under custody of US$3.5 trillion, and assets under investment management of US$652.4 billion. Northern Trust, founded in 1889, has earned distinction as an industry leader in combining exceptional service and expertise with innovative products and technology. For more information, visit http://www.northerntrust.com.

About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to expand the PGA TOUR domestically and internationally so as to substantially increase player financial benefits while maintaining our commitment to growth in charity and integrity to the game.

In 2009, the three Tours compete in 102 events for more than $350 million in prize money. Tournaments will be held in 10 countries outside the U.S. and in 35 states.

In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours have surpassed the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions. The PGA TOUR's web site address is www.PGATOUR.COM and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

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