Press Releases

Golf Legends Join Returning Celebrities At the 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am

Champions Tour Rookies Paul Azinger and Bob Tway Join U.S. Senior Open Champion Fred Funk To Make Tournament Debut

TAMPA, FL, February 5, 2010- Golf legends and high profile celebrities commit early to play in the 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. This year’s tournament will feature the greatest golfers on the Champions Tour, such as Bernhard Langer, John Cook, Jay Haas, Fred Funk, Hale Irwin, Reining Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Champion Nick Price and Champions Tour Rookies Paul Azinger and Bob Tway.

In addition to the professionals, the list of early celebrity commitments include funny man George Lopez, country songwriter/singer Vince Gill, former NFL quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde and Joe Theismann. Tampa Bay’s own Derrick Brooks and Rondé Barber will also join up to kick-off a new decade at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.

“Our tournament offers an experience like no other on the Champions Tour,” said Amy Hawk, tournament director for the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. “Each year, the commitments we receive, both from our professionals and celebrities, are arriving earlier and earlier. The 2010 tournament should be one of the best tournaments yet,” Hawk concluded.

Professional Commitments through February 5, 2010:

The 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am will take place on April 12-18 at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, FL. Tickets are now available for purchase by calling the tournament office at 813-265-GOLF or visiting www.outbackproam.com.

About the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am & Tournament Format

The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am was the first-ever winner of the inaugural Champions Tour President's Award (2006) that is given to the event that best exemplifies the Champions Tour commitment to presenting its product, charity and involvement in the community.

In its first six years, the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Foundation, Inc. has raised over $3.4 million through corporate sponsorships and other charitable donations. Since its inception 23 years ago, this tournament has contributed over $8.4 million to Tampa Bay area charities. The 2010 recipients are Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and Operation Homefront-Florida.

The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Charity Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization founded in October of 2003.

Nick Price won his first ever Champions Tour event at the 2009 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.

The 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am will be played at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, FL, April 12-18 will be broadcast on the Golf Channel (Friday, 4/16) and NBC Sports (Saturday, 4/17 and Sunday, 4/18).

About the Champions Tour

The Champions Tour collectively, has the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game with 15 World Golf Hall of Fame Members actively competing in its events and numerous other major championship winners among its members. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000.

The Champions Tour will feature a minimum of 26 official events offering $51.4 million in prize money in 2009 and its highest average purse ever of $1.98 million.

The Champions Tour is a division of the PGA TOUR, Inc., a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older and as such operates under the umbrella of the PGA TOUR, which includes the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour.

The Champions Tour’s primary purpose as an entity of the PGA TOUR is to provide significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity.

The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Mike Stevens is president of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.