Jeff Sanchez, tournament director for the Frys.com Open, announced Wednesday, September 4, that 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman has committed to play in the 2013 Frys.com Open at Cordevalle Resort in San Martin, CA, October 7-13.
Also committing to the field for the Frys in 2013 is 2010 Frys.com Open champion Rocco Mediate. Mediate, who has played on the Champions Tour since turning 50 in December 2012, racked up his second win on the 50+ circuit this past weekend at the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Immelman was the winner at last weekend’s Hotel Fitness Championship on the Web.com Tour. The victory over eventual 2nd-place finisher Patrick Cantlay, the South African’s first in five injury-plagued years since his Masters victory, came on a catch-up round on the final day of the tournament.
Cantlay and Immelman sparred for the lead over the first two days of the tournament, with Immelman ahead after the first day and Cantlay pulling even on the second. Cantlay spurred ahead on the third day, outpacing Immelman’s 3-under 69 with an 8-under 64, moving five strokes ahead of the South African going into the final round. The tables were turned on Sunday, however, when Cantlay, who has been troubled by a back injury, posted an even-par 72 and Immelman, putting up his fouth-straight round in the 60s, posted a 6-under 66 to win by one with a 20-under total of 264.
Cantlay, who made his first appearance at the Frys.com Open in 2011, when he was paired with Tiger Woods for the first two days, is also expected to play in this year’s edition.
Rocco Mediate, who is best known for his 2008 playoff duel with Tiger Woods for the U.S. Open title at Torrey Pines, made his 2010 Frys.com Open win a memorable one. The then-48-year-old journeyman pro holed out for eagle once each day in his 2010 victory at CordeValle. His four eagles came on four different holes, and included an ace on the long par-3 third hole on Thursday.
Other past champions of the Fry’s-sponsored tournament who are expected to play this year include another Masters champion, Canada’s Mike Weir, who donned the green Masters champion’s jacket in 2003; also Troy Matteson, George McNeill, Cameron Beckman, 2011 Frys champion Bryce Molder and defending champion Jonas Blixt. Molder and Blixt both recorded their first PGA Tour victories at the Frys.com Open.
The 2013 Frys.com Open is the starting gun for the PGA Tour’s new revised schedule, kicking off the 2013-2014 season and offering PGA Tour pros their first chance at FedEx Cup points in the season-long race to the Tour Championship in Atlanta in September 2014. Tickets are available for purchase online at http://ticketing.frysopengolf.com/single/EventListing.aspx, at $35 per day Wednesday through Friday, $45 Saturday and Sunday, for adults. One child 14 and under is admitted free with each paid adult.
