PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – The Honda Classic rang in the New Year with commitments from two of the biggest international names in golf.
Ernie Els and Retief Goosen will lead what is expected to be a deeper International contingent into the 2008 edition of the PGA TOUR event, which will be played February 25-March 2 at Nicklaus’ Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa.
Els, presently the No. 4 ranked player in the World Golf Rankings, is one of the world’s true global golfers. He last played The Honda Classic in 1999.
“The early commitments of these two great International superstars is a continuation of the momentum we built in our first year at PGA National in 2007,” Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth R. Kennerly said. “We were the Most Improved event on TOUR last year and I think word of that has filtered to the top names in the game.
“We are hopeful that these commitments will become a continued trend as we look to establish The Honda Classic at PGA National as one of the elite events in tournament golf. You will continue to see a determined focus on our part to increase our profile to the top International players who haven’t always played in South Florida.”More
Els had five Top 10s in 16 PGA TOUR starts last year, finishing 19th in the Fed Ex Cup standings. He finished second at the Verizon Heritage, third at the Nissan Open and third at the PGA Championship. He owns 15 PGA TOUR victories since bursting onto the world golf stage with a victory at the 1994 U.S. Open. He won the Open again in 1997 and the British Open in 2002 and has 44 European and International victories on his resume.
Goosen is also a two-time U.S. Open champion whose last U.S. victory came in the 2005 International. He recorded just one top 10 in 14 PGA TOUR starts in 2007 and like Els is determined to reverse those fortunes in 2008. He finished outside the top 20 on the PGA TOUR money list (93rd) for the first time since his rookie season in 2001. But his season did include a second place finish at The Masters.
The Honda Classic, Palm Beach County’s largest sporting event, awarded more than $505,000 to area children’s charities in 2007, allowing the tournament to surpass the $14 million mark in charitable contributions during American Honda’s 26-year tenure as title sponsor.