Tiger Woods Hosts World Class Field at Chevron World Challenge

Tiger Woods Foundation

September 28, 2009

Premier Golf Tournament Unites TOUR Pro's Dec. 2-6 at Sherwood Country Club

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2009) - Tiger Woods once again serves as host to one of the most elite collections of talent in professional golf when the Chevron World Challenge returns to Sherwood Country Club, Dec. 2-6.  The $5.75 million Jewel of a Tournament, co-sponsored by the PGA TOUR, benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Now in its 11th year, the Chevron World Challenge features one of its deepest fields ever, with nine major championship title winners anchoring the 18-player lineup that is announced today, with 14-time major winner Woods at the top of the list.

Other winners of majors who will compete for the Chevron World Challenge winner's share of $1.35 million are Padraig Harrington, Zach Johnson, Mike Weir and three major winners from this year - U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, British Open champion Stewart Cink and PGA Championship winner Y.E. Yang.

The impressive list of competitors also features defending champion Vijay Singh, Steve Stricker, Paul Casey, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Sean O'Hair, Camilo Villegas, Ian Poulter and Anthony Kim.  Both Kim and Weir were granted special exemptions into the field.

Continuing its rich tradition of strong, international participation, seven countries are represented, besides the U.S.   In addition, the Chevron World Challenge field includes nine members of the U.S. Presidents Cup team and four of their counterparts from the International team.

Play begins with a Pro-Am on Wednesday, Dec. 2.  The four-day, 72-hole tournament starts Thursday, Dec. 3, with the final round Sunday, Dec. 6.  Sherwood Country Club, which has been home to the Chevron World Challenge for 10 years, presents a difficult challenge with its demanding 7,027-yard Jack Nicklaus-designed layout.

Singh won last year's event with a final-round 67 that edged Stricker by one shot.

Woods marked his return to competition in late February after taking eight months off because of knee surgery and produced one of the most consistent years of his career.  Woods has won six times, holds a wide lead for his ninth Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average on the PGA TOUR and has made a strong case to be selected as Player of the Year for a 10th time.

Stricker has had the best year of his 15-year career and moved up to No. 2 in the rankings for the first time.  With three victories highlighting a total of 10 top 10s, Stricker surely will be riding a positive wave when he arrives at Sherwood.

Casey has battled injury and illness this year, but the talented Ryder Cup regular proved that he merits his top 10 ranking.

Perry, who won the Payne Stewart Award for good will and personal conduct, narrowly missed his first major title when Angel Cabrera edged him at the Masters.  Mr. Consistent, Perry has not missed a cut all year.

Harrington came on late in the year and seemed to solve his swing issues after engaging on a rebuilding process despite winning two majors the year before.

Furyk continued to be known for the combination of accurate driving, crisp iron play and solid putting, and although he hasn't won the Chevron World Challenge, he always seems to put himself into the mix.

Westwood had a near-breakthrough at the British Open at Turnberry, but missed a chance at the 72nd hole.   Along with Harrington, Casey and Poulter, he is a mainstay on Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Cink enjoyed his finest day in the sun at Turnberry, where he won his first major in a playoff over Tom Watson and captured the British Open Championship.

Kaymer is an up-and-coming player, regarded as one of the best ball-strikers on the European Tour and identified as a budding, future superstar.

O'Hair was edged by Woods at Bay Hill, but rebounded strongly with a tie for 10th at the Masters and then a victory at the Quail Hollow Championship.

Villegas, who won the Tour Championship a year ago, tied for fifth at the last Chevron World Challenge and remains one of the most popular players on the PGA TOUR for his ability to drive the ball a mile and also for his unique, ‘Spiderman'-like style of lining up putts.

Glover thrived while others wilted under the intense pressure of the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, where he hung on and won his first major title.

Johnson, a former Masters winner, is one of the most consistent players on the PGA TOUR and won both the Sony Open and the Valero Texas Open this year.

Poulter is known for his loud trousers and an intense game that translates into positive numbers wherever he tees it up.

Yang outlasted Woods when they were paired together in the final round of the PGA Championship at Hazeltine, where Yang's coolly efficient rescue club to the last green on the last day added up to the winning shot.

Kim is one of the more popular players on the PGA TOUR and one of the most talented.  He had 13 birdies in one round at the Masters and narrowly lost to Woods at Congressional in the AT&T National.

Weir, another former Masters champion, is an eight-time winner on the PGA TOUR and extremely dangerous on the greens when he gets it rolling.

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