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| Hall of Fame member Nick Price has committed to the 2008 Mayakoba Golf Classic. |
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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, México — Fred Funk, the 2007 Mayakoba Golf Classic champion returned to the site of his PGA TOUR victory with fond memories of his February win at the Mayakoba resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Funk played the El Camaleón course during his return visit and is excited about defending his championship February 18-24.
“It is always fun to go back to a course and a tournament where you have won,” said Funk, who also won on the Champions Tour a year ago. “It brings back a lot of great memories not only in the way I was able to hang in there and win but because of the great people I was able to meet from this area. This certainly has become a special place in not only my heart but for my family.”
The tournament also announced today that one of golf’s most beloved stars John Daly has committed to play. Also expressing early intentions to compete is Hall of Fame member Nick Price. Between the two-some there are three PGA Championship victories and two British Open titles.
Bubba Watson, who is also scheduled to appear, led the PGA TOUR in Driving Distance the past two seasons and finished second in last week’s Merrill Lynch Shootout with playing partner Greg Norman. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, will also compete in the second Mayakoba Golf Classic after receiving a sponsor exemption. Fernandez-Castaño, a native of Spain, has won three times on the European Tour since turning professional in 2005. Earlier this year, he won the Telecom Italia Open.
Funk defeated Jose Coceres on the second hole in a playoff to capture the inaugural Mayakoba Golf Classic. During the week, Funk experienced back spasms but was able to continue on and earn the $630,000 USD first place prize. It was Funk’s eighth PGA TOUR title.
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| Bubba Watson led the PGA TOUR in Driving Distance the past two seasons and finished second in the 2007 Merrill Lynch Shootout. |
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“We are excited to already have some of the game’s great players making plans to attend our second Mayakoba Golf Classic,” said tournament director Larson Segerdahl. “Fred Funk has been a wonderful champion and has done so much for us during the year. We could not have asked for a better champion for our inaugural event. Fred and the other players who competed in the tournament last year have been great ambassadors for us and have spread the word that this tournament is a special one on the PGA TOUR schedule.”
It is important to note that players (top 64 in the World Golf Rankings) may still qualify for the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, AZ scheduled the same week as the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Also, players have until Friday before the Mayakoba Golf Classic to express their intentions to compete in the 132-player field coming to Mexico for the four-round $3.5 million USD stroke-play competition.
Also included in the field will be four players who qualify through an Open Qualifying Tournament to be held at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club in Playa del Carmen on Monday, February 18, 2008.
For more information on the Mayakoba Golf Classic or any other media inquiries, please contact Latin America Media Director Elisa Gaudet at Elisa@execgolfintl.com or (305) 610-9558. For all other tournament-related questions please contact the tournament office at Mayakoba at 011 52 (984) 873-4916 or visit www.mayakobagolfclassic.com.
Tickets will go on sale December 12 and can be purchased by visiting the tournament website www.mayakobagolfclassic.com or by calling 011 52 (984) 873-4916 in Mexico or 888-66-SHARK in the U.S.
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