When the golfers tee off later this month for the SAS Championship, the field is expected to feature some familiar names, including seven World Golf Hall of Fame members. But it also will include several well-known newcomers to the Champions Tour event in Cary.
“The impressive list for this year’s field will bring some of the most talented and well-known golfers in the world to the community, where the opportunity for guests to interact with them is unmatched,” said Tournament Director Jeff Kleiber. “Spectators and families will have plenty to enjoy from the talented list of tournament commitments we’ve received to our recently debuted reserved-seating and the Blue Points 5K. There is a lot of excitement around the SAS Championship right now.”
Hall of Famers Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Bernhard Langer, Larry Nelson, Nick Price and Curtis Strange are expected to participate in the 11th annual Champions Tour event, which will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Prestonwood Country Club.
These Champions Tour regulars will be joined by at least nine golfers, who will be making their first appearance at the SAS Championship. That list includes 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Corey Pavin, 14-time PGA Tour winner Kenny Perry, 8-time victor Brad Faxon, 1996 PGA Championship winner Mark Brooks and 2011 Champions Tour winner John Huston. Also expected to participate are former PGA Tour champions Jim Gallagher Jr., Steve Lowery, Steve Pate and Champions Tour major winner Michael Allen.
“One of the great things about the SAS Championship is that each year we get treated to a fresh crop of great golfers who are transitioning to the Champions Tour,” Kleiber said. “This year is no different with guys like Perry and Pavin coming to Cary. There is a lot of anticipation in this area right now and we are excited to offer Triangle residents an outstanding entertainment value.”
Pavin will come to Cary after missing last year’s SAS Championship because of his obligations as U.S. Ryder Cup team captain. The 51 year-old is a 15-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the 1995 U.S. Open. Now in his second year on the Champions Tour, Pavin earned back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Senior Open Championship and U.S. Senior Open in July.
Perry is just two years removed from winning multiple times on the PGA Tour and finishing in the top-10 in the FedEx Cup. Perry’s career was rejuvenated in his late 40s when he won three times on the PGA Tour in 2008 and earned his second Ryder Cup invitation. Now in his first full year on the Champions Tour, Perry has emerged as contender every weekend. He has five top-10 finishes in eight starts this year, including two runner-ups.
The seven Hall of Famers playing at the SAS Championship have amassed 16 major victories across careers that feature seven U.S. Opens, four Masters, four PGA Championships and one British Open. Additionally, they have collectively accounted for 92 wins on the Champions Tour and 106 on the PGA Tour.
Accounting for nearly half of those 92 Champions Tour wins is 1992 Hall of Fame inductee, Irwin, who holds the record for most victories at 45, including the 2005 SAS Championship. Irwin also holds three U.S. Opens to his credit (1974, 1979, and 1990).
Crenshaw (1984, 1995) and Langer (1985, 1993) are both two-time Masters winners and both have been named to the World Golf Hall of Fame; Langer in 2001 followed by Crenshaw in 2002. Langer will be seeking his second win of 2011. He won The ACE Group Classic in February.
The sole British Open winner in the SAS Championship field, Price (1994) comes to Cary with solid performances throughout 2011, recording one victory and nine top-10 finishes. He is currently seventh in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup race. Price was inducted into the Hall in 2003 after 18 PGA TOUR wins, including back-to-back majors at the 1994 British Open and PGA Championship.
Kite, Nelson and Strange each captured U.S. Open Championships during their lengthy PGA Tour careers; Kite in 1992 at PebbleBeach, Nelson in 1983 at Oakmont and Strange won back-to-back tournament in 1988 and 1989. Nelson also won two PGA Championships (1981 and 1987). All three players have been inducted in the Hall in the last eight years, Kite in 2004 followed by Nelson and Strange in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Since joining the Champions Tour, Nelson has won 19 times and Kite has 10 wins and remains the course record holder for the SAS Championship, having shot a 61 in 2004.
Ticket options for the SAS Championship include a new reserved seating option on the 18th green that allows fans to choose their seats. Reserved seating is limited to approximately 100 seats per day, Friday through Sunday. The cost of a day-specific ticket is $50. A reserved ticket includes a designated seat with premium viewing of the 18th hole and a la carte concession service with full cash bar. Reserved seats are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
The tournament is also again offering a public hospitality option on the par-5 17th hole in the form of the Harrah’s Cherokee Deck, formerly called the Eagles’ Nest. These day-specific tickets are $89 each. Each Harrah’s Cherokee Casino ticket includes catered lunch, open bar and snacks within the price of the ticket. Tickets are available for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Weekly grounds passes, valid every day of the SAS Championship, are $40. Daily tickets, valid one day, are $20. Kids 17 and under are admitted free courtesy of the News & Observer. Parking for the SAS Championship is free of charge and located at Bond Park. Shuttle busses will bring spectators to and from the parking area.
All ticket options can be purchased now online at saschampionship.com or by calling (919) 531-4653.
J. Eric Eckard writes about all things golf on his second golfer blog. You also can follow him on Twitter.
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