MAJOR CHAMPIONS GATHER AT THIS WEEK’S PNC CHAMPIONSHIP 2023
ORLANDO, DECEMBER 11, 2023
The eagerly anticipated PNC Championship takes place this week, promising an extraordinary golfing spectacle where 20 teams of legendary players will tee it up alongside a family member at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, December 14-17.
This year’s outstanding field of major champions, boasts an impressive total of 61 major victories, over 960 international victories and a combined 89 Ryder Cup appearances. This renowned group also features 11 former World No.1 players, nine esteemed members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, and eight distinguished Ryder Cup Captains.
Embracing the timeless nature of golf, this unique field features golfers of all generations, including its youngest player, 12-year-old Will McGee, Annika Sorenstam’s son who made his debut last year. The seasoned Lee Trevino, aged 84, assumes the role of the field’s eldest player, having participated in all 26 editions of the event. He is set to play alongside his 31-year-old son, Daniel.
IMG’s Alastair Johnston, the executive chairman of the tournament commented, “We are delighted to welcome this field of the world’s most celebrated golfers and their families to the PNC Championship. When we started this tournament, we wanted to showcase the special bond that the love of golf creates in families and the twenty teams playing this year certainly personify that ambition.”
The PNC Championship is operated in partnership by IMG and NBC Sports. “As a co-founder of the PNC Championship, NBC Sports is incredibly proud to once again to showcase legends and stars in the game of golf participating with their loved ones in this one-of-a-kind event,” said Jon Miller, President, Acquisitions and Partnerships, NBC Sports. “Whether it’s the players participating or golf fans and their families watching on NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock, the PNC Championship has continued to evolve into an event that is circled on the golf calendar.”
PNC Bank returns for its 12th year as the tournament’s title sponsor.
Lou Cestello, PNC head of Regional Markets said, “PNC is proud to be the tournament’s title sponsor once again, where 20 Major Champions team up with family members and play the game they truly love — together. The field for this year’s event represents a winning combination of championship golf and celebration of families. That combination is the reason PNC continues to be the title sponsor of this one-of-a-kind tournament.”
When the PNC Championship started, the goal for the event was to celebrate the family connections forged by golf, offering legends of the game a unique opportunity to partner with a family member in a competitive setting. Today, more than two decades later after its inception, the tournament has experienced exponential growth in both profile and stature, consistently selling out tickets for the past four years. Despite this expansion, the event remains dedicated to its mission of providing an environment where golf connects families.
The tournament, which will be broadcast live across NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock, attracts major champions whose victories this year span 1959 to the present day. Last year, the PNC Championship gathered a field of golfing greats that had won 73 major titles. With only 20 teams competing, players past and present have shown unprecedented interest in campaigning for a spot in the star-studded line-up.
The PNC Championship has continued to evolve and develop since the inaugural tournament in 1995, when ten major winners gathered with their sons. The tournament now features 20 major champions and their relatives competing in a two-day, 36-hole scramble for the Willie Park Trophy.
The event was renamed the PNC Championship in 2020, reflecting the world class talent and special bonds that characterize this inclusive family tournament.
To qualify for the PNC Championship, players must have won a major championship or The Players Championship. Their partner must not hold any playing status on a professional Tour.
photo credit #GettyImages
