Tucson, Ariz. (January 16, 2019) – With the Cologuard Classic PGA TOUR Champions event less than 45 days away, the field is beginning to take shape with some of the biggest names in golf already committing to the tournament, including Jerry Kelly, Bernhard Langer, Darren Clarke and Scott McCarron. The Cologuard Classic will be played February 27-March 3, 2019 at Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course. A field of 78 players will vie for the $1.7 million purse with a first-place prize of $255,000.
PGA TOUR Champions golfers have until Friday, February 22 to commit to play in the Cologuard Classic. Therefore, the field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the tournament.
Cologuard ambassador Jerry Kelly is coming off a 2018 PGA TOUR Champions season which included one victory at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and 11 Top 10 finishes. His final-round 65 at the 2018 Cologuard Classic put him in a tie for second, two-shots behind champion Steve Stricker.
In 2018, Bernhard Langer won his fifth Charles Schwab Cup and fourth in the past five years. His incredible Champions season included two wins (Insperity Invitational and SAS Championship) and 14 Top 10 finishes in 24 starts. He’ll look to rebound from a T54 at the 2018 Cologuard Classic.
In 2019, Darren Clarke enters his first full year on the PGA TOUR Champions after competing in six events once he turned 50 in August of 2018. A native of Northern Ireland, Clarke returns to Tucson for the first time since his February 2012 Accenture Match Play Championship appearance.
Scott McCarron had a stellar 2018 PGA TOUR Champions season, finishing second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, with two victories and 13 Top 10 finishes. 2019 will be McCarron’s fourth year on the PGA TOUR Champions. His best finish in Tucson was a T17 at the 2016 Tucson Conquistadores Classic.
Alpha Field List
2019 Cologuard Classic
As of 1/14/2019
Allen, Michael
Ames, Stephen
Armour III, Tommy
Austin, Woody
Bradley, Michael
Broadhurst, Paul
Brooks, Mark
Browne, Olin
Bryant, Bart
Byrum, Tom
Calcavecchia, Mark
Clarke, Darren
Cochran, Russ
Dawson, Marco
Day, Glen
DiMarco, Chris
Duke, Ken
Durant, Joe
Estes, Bob
Flesch, Steve
Forsman, Dan
Frost, David
Funk, Fred
Garwood, Doug
Gilbert III, Gibby
Gillis, Tom
Goydos, Paul
Hart, Dudley
Hoch, Scott
Huston, John
Janzen, Lee
Jobe, Brandt
Jones, Kent
Jones, Steve
Kelly, Jerry
Kendall, Skip
Kite, Tom
Kraft, Greg
Kresge, Cliff
Langer, Bernhard
Lyle, Sandy
Maggert, Jeff
Mayfair, Billy
McCarron, Scott
McKenzie, David
Mediate, Rocco
Mize, Larry
Montgomerie, Colin
O'Meara, Mark
Parel, Scott
Parnevik, Jesper
Pavin, Corey
Pernice Jr., Tom
Petrovic, Tim
Quinn, Fran
Roberts, Loren
Sauers, Gene
Short, Jr., Wes
Sindelar, Joey
Sluman, Jeff
Smith, Jerry
Sutherland, Kevin
Sutton, Hal
Tanigawa, Ken
Toms, David
Triplett, Kirk
Verplank, Scott
Waldorf, Duffy
The 2019 Cologuard Classic will be played February 27 – March 3 at Omni Tucson National Resort and features a 78-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 colon cancer research and advocacy organizations. For more information or tournament tickets, visit www.cologuardclassic.com.
2019 marks the second year of the Cologuard Classic, named after Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences’ noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening test for average-risk individuals 50 years or older, and the fifth year the Conquistadores have partnered with the PGA TOUR Champions. To coincide with the kickoff of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, tournament week will feature numerous events to raise awareness for the disease.
ABOUT COLOGUARD
Cologuard is intended for the qualitative detection of colorectal neoplasia associated DNA markers and for the presence of occult hemoglobin in human stool. A positive result may indicate the presence of colorectal cancer (CRC) or advanced adenoma (AA) and should be followed by diagnostic colonoscopy. Cologuard is indicated to screen adults of either sex, 50 years or older, who are at typical average-risk for CRC. Cologuard is not a replacement for diagnostic colonoscopy or surveillance colonoscopy in high risk individuals.
Cologuard is not for high risk individuals, including those with a history of colorectal cancer and advanced adenoma, a family history of colorectal cancer, IBD or certain hereditary syndromes. Positive Cologuard results should be referred to diagnostic colonoscopy. A negative Cologuard test result does not guarantee absence of cancer or advanced adenoma. Following a negative result, patients should continue participating in a screening program at an interval and with a method appropriate for the individual patient. Cologuard performance when used for repeat testing has not been evaluated or established. Rx only.
ABOUT PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS PGA TOUR
Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 32 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. In 2019, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $58 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. 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. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 190 countries and territories, reaching more than 350 million potential households. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
ABOUT THE TUCSON CONQUISTADORES
The Tucson Conquistadores are the host organization of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Cologuard Classic. Since their inception in 1962, the Conquistadores have contributed more than $35 million to youth athletic programs in Southern Arizona. The Conquistadores have an active membership of up to 60 business and community professionals and a total membership of 215 who represent a cross-section of the Tucson community. In addition to their professional golf activities, the group has established the Tucson Conquistadores Foundation. Key beneficiaries of the Conquistadores' fund-raising efforts include: The First Tee of Tucson; Tucson and Pima County Junior Golf Programs; the Field of Dreams/Challenger Little League sports complex; Boys and Girls Clubs in Tucson, Sierra Vista and Nogales; Pima County Special Olympics; Educational Enrichment Foundation; Tucson Urban League; and the YMCA.
Tournament Media Contact: Rob Myers, rob@rmprgroup.com, 602-317-6131
