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DETROIT -

FOR RELEASE: August 3, 2001

O'Meara To Play In 2001 Buick Open

Appleby, Allenby And Frost Also Scheduled To Play

DETROIT - Buick announced today that Mark O'Meara is among the latest commitments for the 2001 Buick Open, August 6-12 at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich.

O'Meara, 44, has 16 career PGA Tour wins, including the 1998 Masters Tournament and the 1998 British Open Championship. O'Meara is 13th on the all-time PGA Tour money list with $11,714,419. He will be making his 13th appearance at the Buick Open and his first since 1996, when he finished tied for 22nd place.

"Mark O'Meara is one of the all-time greats and we're glad to welcome him back to the Buick Open," said Tony Derhake, executive director of golf for Buick. "We are very excited about our field, which has 16 of the top 30 players on the PGA Tour money list."

Other new commitments for the 2001 Buick Open include Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, David Frost, Brandt Jobe, Steve Pate and Brent Schwarzrock. Mike Weir, Bradley Hughes and Fred Wadsworth have withdrawn from the tournament.

Among the previous commitments for the 2001 Buick Open are Phil Mickelson, defending champion Rocco Mediate, 1998 Buick Open champion Billy Mayfair, 1996 Buick Open champion Justin Leonard, 1991 Buick Open champion Brad Faxon, 2001 U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, 1999 Buick Classic champion Duffy Waldorf, Frank Lickliter II, Tom Lehman, Frank Nobilo, Carlos Franco, Gabriel Hjertstedt, Jim Furyk, Jose Maria Olazabal and Buick touring professionals Ben Crenshaw, David Berganio Jr., and Matt Gogel.

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
  • The Buick Challenge in Pine Mountain, Ga. (October 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 has donated more than $19.8 million to local charities through its four title-sponsored PGA Tour events.