Phil Mickelson Joins Cologuard Classic Field
Tucson, Ariz. (February 19, 2021) – Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson has committed to play in next week’s Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson National, the second tournament of 2021 on PGA TOUR Champions. In addition to Mickelson, 2017 tournament champion Tom Lehman and World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples also joined the stellar field. The 2021 Cologuard Classic will be played February 26-28 with a field of 81 players vying for the $1.7 million purse and a first-place prize of $255,000.
Mickelson makes his Cologuard Classic debut after turning 50 last June. Since joining PGA TOUR Champions in August, he has two wins in two starts – the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National in August and the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in October – and is looking to become the first player in Tour history to win his first three starts. He has 44 career victories on the PGA TOUR, including five major championships. Mickelson owns three career victories in Tucson, including the 1991 Northern Telecom Open (as an amateur), the 1995 Northern Telecom Open, and the 1996 Nortel Open, which was played at Tucson National.
Lehman returns to Tucson looking to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since the 2019 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. The Arizona resident joined PGA TOUR Champions in 2009, capturing the Charles Schwab Cup twice and amassing 12 career victories. Lehman’s 2020 season included three top-10 finishes and a T46 finish at the Cologuard Classic. Lehman will be making his seventh start at the Cologuard Classic.
A perennial fan favorite, Couples enters his 12th year on PGA TOUR Champions and has 13 career victories on the Tour. The 1992 Masters champ was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013. In four starts in Tucson, he has two top-five finishes, including a tie for fifth in 2020.
Tournament officials will announce the final four (of five) sponsor exemptions soon. MLB Hall of Famer member John Smoltz received a tournament exemption earlier this week. The final four spots will be determined by the Monday Qualifier at Oro Valley Country Club on Monday, February 22nd.
Six former tournament champions are in the field including defending champion Bernhard Langer (2020), Mark O’Meara (2019), Steve Stricker (2018), Lehman (2017), Woody Austin (2016) and Marco Dawson (2015), as well as 10 World Golf Hall of Fame members, including Couples, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Langer, Davis Love III, Sandy Lyle, Mickelson Colin Montgomerie, O'Meara and Vijay Singh. In addition, Cologuard ambassador Jerry Kelly will be looking to improve on his T2 at the 2018 Cologuard Classic, while University of Arizona alum and PGA TOUR Champions rookie, Jim Furyk, will be making his Cologuard Classic debut.
Alpha Field List
2021 Cologuard Classic
As of 2/19/2021
| Allen, Michael Ames, Stephen Andrade, Billy Austin, Woody Barron, Doug Bertsch, Shane Broadhurst, Paul Brooks, Mark Browne, Olin Byrd, Robin Byrum, Tom Choi, K.J. Couples, Fred Daly, John Dawson, Marco Day, Glen DiMarco, Chris Duke, Ken Dunlap, Scott Durant, Joe Els, Ernie Estes, Bob Flesch, Steve Frost, David |
Funk, Fred Furyk, Jim Gillis, Tom Goosen, Retief Goydos, Paul Herron, Tim Huston, John Janzen, Lee Jiménez, Miguel Angel Jobe, Brandt Jones, Kent Jones, Steve Karlsson, Robert Kelly, Jerry Langer, Bernhard Lehman, Tom Love III, Davis Lyle, Sandy Maggert, Jeff Mayfair, Billy McCarron, Scott Mediate, Rocco Mickelson, Phil Mize, Larry |
Montgomerie, Colin O'Meara, Mark Pampling, Rod Parel, Scott Parnevik, Jesper Pavin, Corey Pernice Jr., Tom Perry, Kenny Petrovic, Tim Quigley, Brett Roberts, Loren Sauers, Gene Short, Jr., Wes Singh, Vijay Sluman, Jeff Stricker, Steve Sutherland, Kevin Tanigawa, Ken Tolles, Tommy Toms, David Triplett, Kirk Verplank, Scott Waldorf, Duffy Weir, Mike |
The Cologuard Classic, named after Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences’ noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening test for average-risk individuals 45 years or older, is now in its fourth year and 2021 marks the seventh year the Conquistadores have partnered with the PGA TOUR Champions. Bernhard Langer is the tournament’s defending champion. The 2021 tournament activities are scheduled to take place February 21-28 at Omni Tucson National Resort and will feature an 81-player field competing for a $1.7 million purse with $255,000 and 255 Charles Schwab Cup points for the winner. The no-cut format includes three days of competition (Friday-Sunday) with players participating in pro-am events on Wednesday and Thursday. Tournament proceeds benefit youth athletic programs in Southern Arizona and colorectal cancer research and advocacy. For information on the Cologuard Classic, please visit CologuardClassic.com.
ABOUT COLOGUARD
Cologuard was approved by the FDA in August 2014, and results from Exact Sciences' prospective 90-site, point-in-time, 10,000-patient pivotal trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2014. Cologuard is included in the American Cancer Society's (2018) colorectal cancer screening guidelines and the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2016) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2016). Cologuard is indicated to screen adults 45 years of age and older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer by detecting certain DNA markers and blood in the stool. Do not use Cologuard if you have had precancer, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or have a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. Cologuard is not a replacement for colonoscopy in high risk patients. Cologuard performance in adults ages 45-49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. Cologuard performance in repeat testing has not been evaluated.
The Cologuard test result should be interpreted with caution. A positive test result does not confirm the presence of cancer. Patients with a positive test result should be referred for diagnostic colonoscopy. A negative test result does not confirm the absence of cancer. Patients with a negative test result should discuss with their doctor when they need to be tested again.
Medicare and most major insurers cover Cologuard. For more information about Cologuard, visit www.cologuardtest.com. Rx Only.
ABOUT PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS PGA TOUR
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.
ABOUT THE TUCSON CONQUISTADORES
The Tucson Conquistadores are the tournament management team that oversees the operations and the sales arm of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Cologuard Classic. Since their inception in 1962, the Conquistadores have contributed more than $36 million to local and national charities. The Conquistadores comprise of up to 60 active business and professional members, and a total membership of 220 who represent a cross-section of the Tucson community. In addition to their involvement with professional golf, the group has established the Tucson Conquistadores Foundation. Key beneficiaries of the Conquistadores' fundraising efforts include southern Arizona youth athletic programs, The First Tee Tucson and colon cancer advocacy organizations. Follow the Tucson Conquistadores online at www.tucsonconquistadores.com and www.Facebook.com/TucsonConquistadores.
Tournament Media Contact: Rob Myers, rob@rmprgroup.com, 602-317-6131
