Vijay Singh To Play In 2001 Buick Open
FOR RELEASE: July 12, 2001Vijay Singh To Play In 2001 Buick Open
DETROIT -- Buick announced today that 1997 Buick Open champion Vijay Singh has committed to play in the 2001 Buick Open, August 6-12 at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich.
Singh, 38, will be making his seventh appearance at the Buick Open. In 1997, he shot a 15-under-par 273, earning a one shot victory over six players, including Ernie Els and Curtis Strange. Singh is eighth on the all-time Buick Open money list with $393,195.
Singh, who was born in Fiji, turned professional in 1982. He has nine career PGA Tour victories, including the 1998 PGA Championship and The Masters in 2000. Singh is third on the 2001 PGA Tour money list with $2,773,946 and he ranks sixth on the all-time PGA Tour money list with $13,857,570. This is the fourth consecutive year he has exceeded the two million dollar mark in earnings.
"It will be great to have Vijay in the 2001 Buick Open field," said Tony Derhake, executive director of golf for Buick. "He's an outstanding player that seems to get better every year."
Among the other early commitments for the 2001 Buick Open are Buick Open defending champion Rocco Mediate, 1998 Buick Open champion Billy Mayfair, 2001 U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, Tom Lehman, Jim Furyk, Jose Maria Olazabal and Buick touring professionals Ben Crenshaw, David Berganio Jr., J.J. Henry and Matt Gogel. Although he has not officially committed with the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods is scheduled to play in the 2001 Buick Open.
These and other PGA Tour players will compete for a tournament record purse of $3.1 million, including the $558,000 winner's share. Players have until Friday, August 3 to commit to the 2001 Buick Open.
The number to call for tickets and information is 1 (800) 878-OPEN (6736).
Now in its fifth decade as the PGA Tour's original corporate sponsor, Buick is title-sponsor of four PGA Tour events: The Buick Invitational in La Jolla, Calif. (Feb.); the Buick Classic in Harrison, N.Y. (June); the Buick Open; and the Buick Challenge in Pine Mountain, Ga. (Oct. 22-28). Buick is also an official sponsor of the domestic events of the World Golf Championships.
The official car of the PGA Tour since 1984, Buick sponsors five touring professionals - Tiger Woods, Ben Crenshaw, David Berganio Jr., Matt Gogel and rookie J.J. Henry. Through its four title-sponsored PGA Tour events Buick has raised more than $19.8 million for local charities.