Tournament receives commitments from seven past champions
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CARY, N.C. – In honor of the 10th anniversary of the SAS Championship presented by Bloomberg Businessweek, tournament officials have announced the top 10 moments in SAS Championship history. Officials also have secured commitments from seven of tournament’s past champions –D.A. Weibring (2003), Craig Stadler (2004), Hale Irwin (2005), Tom Jenkins (2006), Mark Wiebe (2007), Eduardo Romero (2008) and Tom Pernice, Jr. (2009).
The top 10 moments in SAS Championship history, listed chronologically, are:
• SAS signs contract to bring Senior PGA Tour event to Prestonwood Country Club (2001)
• 10th Tee Ceremonies to start 2001 SAS Championship 10 days after terrorist attacks on 9/11 (2001)
• Lietzke wins first two SAS Championships (2002)
• The King, Arnold Palmer, plays in 2003 SAS Championship (2003)
• Weibring’s eagle-birdie finish edges Kite’s course-record 61 for 2003 title (2003)
• Communities In Schools of Wake County named 2003 Champions Tour Charity of the Year (2004)
• Stadler dominates and wins by six for 2004 title (2004)
• Irwin’s dream becomes reality as he wins his 44th Champions Tour title (2005)
• Wiebe turns last-minute sponsor exemption into Champions Tour debut victory (2007)
• Pernice, Jr. drains 35-foot birdie putt at 18th green to edge Frost and Price by one stroke (2009)
“We are excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the SAS Championship with previous champions whose play has given fans incredible memories over the past nine years,” said tournament director Jeff Kleiber. “Those memories, and the continued support from the community, inspired us to determine the top 10 moments in SAS Championship history. We are asking the fans to help us rank the top 10 moments in tournament history by voting for their favorite moments on the tournament website, www.SASChampionship.com.”
Fan voting will help determine the ranking of the top 10 moments in tournament history. Fans can visit the tournament website, www.SASChampionship.com, through Friday, Aug. 13 to vote on their top three moments in tournament history. The results of the fan voting, along with the votes of a blue-ribbon panel featuring local sports media members, will determine the rankings.
Each fan who votes will have the opportunity to sign up to be entered into a raffle to win an honorary observer spot during the SAS Championship. Honorary observers will be able to go “inside the ropes” and accompany one of the playing groups during a round at the SAS Championship.
Beginning, Monday Aug. 23, tournament officials will unveil two of the top 10 moments each week on the tournament’s website. The top two moments in SAS Championship history will be unveiled at the start of tournament week, Monday, Sept. 20.
The tournament’s seven returning champions hold 73 career Champions Tour victories between them, including 45 victories from 2005 champion and World Golf Hall of Famer Hale Irwin. Tom Pernice, Jr., who competes on the Champions Tour and PGA TOUR, is the tournament’s defending champion.
Bruce Lietzke, who is the tournament’s only two-time champion (2001 & 2002), will not compete in the SAS Championship this year. He is being honored at a charitable golf event in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas during the SAS Championship tournament week.
A Champions Tour golf event, the SAS Championship presented by Bloomberg Businessweek is being held at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, September 20 – 26. Tickets to the tournament can be purchased online at www.saschampionship.com or by calling (919) 531-GOLF (4653). The SAS Championship and Triangle area have become one of the most popular stops on the Champions Tour, annually drawing elite fields and tremendous community support.
For more information on the SAS Championship and to vote for the top three moments in tournament history, visit www.saschampionship.com.
