2005 Tournament News
BANK OF AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATES
25 YEARS OF PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS TOUR GOLF
WITH CEREMONIES SATURDAY, JUNE 25
Active duty military receive free grounds admission June 25
CONCORD, Mass - As the second round of the 2005 Bank of America Championship plays out on Saturday, June 25, past tournament champions, local officials, tournament organizers and fans will celebrate the 25-year history of the tournament that, according to tournament director Tracy West, consistently has offered local fans the highly competitive spirit and fan friendly environment that has become identified with Champions Tour golf.
The day-long celebration primarily will revolve
around four activities.
First, all active duty military, guard and reserve receive free grounds
admission to the tournament that day.
Second, between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., several of the fans' favorite Champions Tour pros will take part in a Drive to $1 Billion Celebration, commemorating the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour achieving $1 billion in total charitable contributions later this year.
Third, immediately following the end of championship play that day, a twenty-fifth anniversary ceremony will take place on the eighteenth green saluting the tournament's past champions. Military color guards will offer an introduction and military salute to past champions, a video presentation will commemorate the tournament's history and the new Concord Minuteman Bank of America Championship trophy will be unveiled.
Many of the Bank of America's past champions are expected to attend and reminiscence about the tournament: Lee Elder (1985), Bob Charles (1989-90), Rocky Thompson (1991), Mike Hill (1992), Bob Betley (1993), Jim Albus (1994), Isao Aoki (1995), Jim Dent (1996), Tom McGinnis (1999), Larry Nelson (2000-01), Bob Gilder (2002), Allen Doyle (2003) and Craig Stadler (2004).
Fourth, fans and special guests are invited to a dessert reception to meet and get autographs from tournament champions. A poster featuring caricatures of all the tournament’s past winners drawn by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Paul Szep will be given to children.
The twenty-fifth anniversary Bank of America Championship will feature some of the best golfers in the game. Early commitments to the field include some of the most popular and highest money winners on the Champions Tour. To-date, 15 of the top-20 money winners so far this season have committed.
Craig "The Walrus" Stadler will defend his 2004 Bank of America Championship win in a field that will include top money winners Allen Doyle, Keith Fergus, Bruce Fleisher, Morris Hatalsky, Tom Jenkins, Wayne Levi, Mark McNulty, Don Pooley, Dana Quigley, Des Smyth, Jim Thorpe, Tom Wargo and D.A. Weibring and Mark Johnson and Mike Reid, who are playing in their first Champions Tour season. Fans also will see other popular players like Gary Player, Bruce Lietzke, Lanny Wadkins and Ben Crenshaw and Champions Tour rookies like Brad Bryant, Pat McGowan, Tom McKnight, Dan Pohl and Mike Sullivan.
For up-to-date tournament
information, visit
www.bankofamericachampionship.com .
