Tucson, Ariz. (February 22, 2019) – Former world champion boxer and current boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya and actor and comedian Alfonso Ribeiro will play in the Cologuard Classic “Celebrity Challenge” on Saturday, March 2nd on Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course. Played during the second round of the PGA TOUR Champions event, the celebrity group will tee off prior to the first professional group of the day at 9:30 a.m. and play 9 holes. After a short break to allow the PGA TOUR Champions professionals to play through, the group will tee off on the back nine at approximately 2:30 p.m. The celebrities will compete for far more than pride and bragging rights, as a donation will be made to charity in the name of the winner.
De La Hoya, also known as "The Golden Boy," won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics at the age of 19 and went on to win 10 world titles in six different weight classes. De La Hoya was one of the most popular boxers in the history of the sport, generating hundreds of millions of dollars from his pay-per-view fights before his retirement in 2009. In 2002, De La Hoya founded Golden Boy Promotions, and in 2018, he became a mixed martial arts promoter. On the golf course, De La Hoya plays to a 10-handicap.
Best known for his role as Carlton Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Alfonso Ribeiro has enjoyed a prosperous acting career appearing in numerous television shows, including Silver Spoons and In the House. He is the host of ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos and won season 19 of Dancing with the Stars with professional partner Witney Carson. A self-proclaimed golf fanatic, Ribeiro is a scratch golfer and serves as a brand ambassador for PGA TOUR Champions.
“The Celebrity Challenge is a unique fundraising event that places celebrities in the heat of the action during the second round of competition of the Cologuard Classic,” said Judy McDermott, Executive Director, Cologuard Classic. “The celebrities will be competing against each other on the same course the pros are playing. This will be fun for fans to follow.”
Many of the top names on the PGA TOUR Champions will be playing in the Cologuard Classic, including defending tournament champion Steve Stricker, Fred Couples, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Tom Lehman, Jerry Kelly, Bernhard Langer, Scott McCarron, José María Olazábal and Darren Clarke. Hall-of-fame pitcher John Smoltz and two-time Major champion, John Daly have both received sponsor exemptions and will play in the tournament.
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 colorectal cancer research and advocacy. 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
