Tucson, Ariz. (February 6, 2020) – The Cologuard Classic announced today that Hall-of-Fame pitcher John Smoltz will receive a sponsor exemption to play in the 2020 Cologuard Classic, to be played February 26- March 1, 2020 at Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course. 2020 will mark the second straight year that Smoltz has played in Tucson’s PGA TOUR Champions event on a sponsor exemption. In 2019, Smoltz finished T53 with rounds of 73-74-73 on the par 73 Catalina Course.
The 52-year-old, 1996 NL Cy Young Award winner played in three PGA TOUR Champions events in 2019, including the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Atlanta, Ga. (finishing T61) and the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, Wis. (finishing T76).
In January of this year, Smoltz defended his Diamond Resorts Tournament of Championstitle, winning the celebrity event by 9 strokes over former tennis star Mardy Fish. The 72-hole tournament was played at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando. Smoltz’s golf resume also includes qualifying for the 2018 U.S. Senior Open, where he carded rounds of 85-77 at The Broadmoor Golf Club, and two top-10 finishes at the American Century Championship (10th/2018, T9/2017).
“We are excited to have John return to Tucson to play in the 2020 Cologuard Classic,” said Judy McDermott, Executive Director, Cologuard Classic. “Coming on the heels of his win at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, John certainly has the talent to compete at a very high-level.”
In 22 MLB seasons, Smoltz was an eight-time All-Star and won the 1995 World Series with the Atlanta Braves. He is the Braves' all-time leader in strikeouts (3,011) and games pitched (708), and he tallied a 15– 4 record with a 2.67 ERA in 41 career postseason games. Smoltz is the only pitcher in MLB history to record 200 wins and 150 saves, and he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility.
Smoltz joined MLB Network in 2010 and is a game and studio analyst. He appears across MLB Network's studio programming, including MLB Tonight and the live game series MLB Network Showcase. Smoltz also serves as lead game analyst for FOX.
In addition to Smoltz, many of the top names on the PGA TOUR Champions have committed to play in the 2020 Cologuard Classic, including defending champion Mark O’Meara, Scott McCarron, Jerry Kelly, Bernhard Langer, Retief Goosen and Miguel Angel Jiménez.
The 2020 tournament marks the third year of the Cologuard Classic, named after Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences’ noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening test for average-risk individuals 45 years or older, and the sixth year the Conquistadores have partnered with the PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament activities will take place February 23 – March 1 at Omni Tucson National Resort and will feature 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 colorectal cancer research and advocacy. For more information or tournament tickets, visit www.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 33 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 2020, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Morocco, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $59 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 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. 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 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 $35 million to local and national charities. The Conquistadores comprise of up to 60 active business and professional members, and a total membership of 215 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 of 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
