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Vijay Singh Enters Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow Club, May 2-8
World's No. 2 Ranked Player Joins Deep Field of 156 in $6 Million Tournament That Pays $1,080,000 to Winner
Charlotte, N.C., April 27 – The Wachovia Championship received more good news today when Vijay Singh committed to play in the third-annual Wachovia Championship, which will be played at Quail Hollow Club, May 2-8.
Singh, who tied for second at the 2003 edition of the Wachovia Championship, tied for 10th last year.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have a top performer like Vijay showcase his talents in our Championship,” said Wachovia Championship Tournament Director Kym Hougham. “The quality of his game and his unforgettable drive will be appreciated by our fans and sponsors alike.”
Along with Singh, who is coming off a successful defense of his Shell Houston Open title, the Wachovia Championship features some of the game’s brightest stars such as Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Mark O’Meara, Tom Lehman, Jim Furyk, Chad Campbell, Chris DiMarco, Fred Funk, Sergio Garcia, Charles Howell III, Tom Kite, Scott Verplank, and Mike Weir along with the Championship’s first two winners David Toms and Joey Sindelar.
Along with Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and Mickelson, Singh is part of golf’s Big Four, creating a stage in which high drama, great theater and amazing golf shots are part of virtually every tournament they compete in.
“I think it’s really great for golf right now that every one of us is playing well,” Singh said at the Masters. “I’m enjoying it. I like to go out there and play my best against whoever is leading at their best. So, I think it’s a thrill for us to be in that situation and I’m just fortunate that I’m part of this big scenario that’s going on.”
Singh, 42, recently learned he will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame’s Class of 2005. He enters his portion of the “big scenario” at the Wachovia Championship third on the money list with nearly $4 million in 2005 earnings. His 48th career worldwide victory, which came when he beat John Daly in a playoff at Houston, the latest win in a career in which Singh has won tournaments in 15 countries.
His first victory of 2005, at the Sony Open in Hawaii, was Singh’s eighth consecutive top-10 finish dating to last year’s Deutsche Bank Championship – which was one of 10 tournaments Singh captured during his magical 2004 season, a season in which he won nearly $11 million and ran away with the PGA TOUR Player of the Year Award. He has five top-five finishes this season.
The Wachovia Championship, a 72-hole tournament that features the traditional layout of Quail Hollow Club and a $6 million purse, will pay a championship record $1,080,000 to the winner.
USA Network will televise The Wachovia Championship Thursday and Friday and CBS will televise Saturday and Sunday.
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About the Wachovia Championship
The Wachovia Championship is one of the largest, most prestigious sporting events in the Charlotte region. Now in its third year, the tournament is intended as an annual tradition that will bring customers, players and patrons back each year for an unforgettable golf experience. In a short two years, the national and international golf community has already recognized it as one of the top events on the PGA TOUR. The 2005 tournament will be held May 2-8. Sponsored by Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB), the tournament’s $6 million purse is one of the largest on the PGA TOUR. A combination of Quail Hollow Club, the spirit of the Charlotte area community and the support of Wachovia are several reasons the championship has and should continue to draw many of the world’s top golfers to Charlotte.
For more information, visit the tournament website, www.wachoviachampionship.com.
About Wachovia
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) is one of the largest providers of financial services to retail, brokerage and corporate customers, with retail operations from Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas, and retail brokerage operations nationwide. Wachovia had assets of $506.8 billion, market capitalization of $80.3 billion and stockholders' equity of $46.5 billion at March 31, 2005. Its four core businesses, the General Bank, Capital Management, Wealth Management, and the Corporate and Investment Bank, serve 13 million household and business relationships primarily through 3,277 offices in 15 states and Washington, D.C. Its full-service retail brokerage firm, Wachovia Securities, LLC, also serves clients through 693 offices in 49 states and five Latin American countries. Our Corporate and Investment Bank serves clients primarily in 10 key industry sectors nationwide. Global services are offered through 33 international offices. Online banking and brokerage products and services also are available through Wachovia.com.
Editor’s Note: For the tournament logo or course maps in JPG, EPS or PDF format, contact Nora Carr, Luquire George Andrews, 704-552-6565, ext. 145 or carr@lgapr.com, or visit www.wachoviachampionship.com to visit the online Media Center.