News >> Palmer Captures Sony Title

Former Hooters Tour Member Wins Third PGA Title
 
Honolulu, Hawaii (January 17, 2010)…With a four-under par 66 in Sunday's final round, former Hooters Tour player Ryan Palmer captured his third PGA TOUR title at the Sony Open. (Photo left courtesy of Condon/PGA TOUR)
 
The Amarillo, TX native carded rounds of 65-66-68-66 for a four day total of fifteen-under par 265 and a one stroke victory over Robert Allenby.
 
“What a way to start the year,” said the victorious Palmer after his round.
 
With the victory, Palmer collects a first place check worth $990,000 and moves into a tie for 1st in the FedEx Cup points.
 
"What I got out of this is beyond words," Palmer said. "It's a great field. To do it every day ... my bad round was 2-under par. I never once got upset or impatient. What I did today was the best round of golf I ever experienced."
 
Palmer last played the Hooters Tour during the 2002 season. He made the cut in all three starts and earned over $7,000 in earnings in 2002.
Palmer wasn't the only former Hooters Tour player to find success in the first full field of the season.  A handful of former players finished inside the top 25 including Hooters All-time leading money winner and wins leader Chad Campbell who finished T-8.  Joining Campbell were John Rollins (T-8), Zach Johnson (T-12), Chad Collins (T-16), Tom Lehman (T-16), Mark Wilson (T-20), Blake Adams (T-25), Tom Gillis (T-25), Spencer Levin (T-25), Brian Stuard (T-25) and John Merrick (T-25).
 
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the 3rd largest men’s 72-hole professional golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours, and boasts alumni like 2009 British Open Champion, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 US Open Champion Jim Furyk, 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis, British and PGA Champion John Daly, Two-time US Open Champion Lee Janzen, British Open Champion Tom Lehman as well as PGA Champion David Toms, Tour Championship winner Chad Campbell and back to back Reno Tahoe Winner Vaughn Taylor to name just a few. In all told, the NGA Hooters Tour alumni have an incredible ELEVEN MAJOR championships to their credit. The NGA Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 golf professionals acquire their PGA, Nationwide and Champion’s Tour cards. In fact, 48% of the players that earned their 2010 PGA Tour cards and 53% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the Hooters Tour.
 
For more information about NGA Hooters Professional Golf Tour, check out our website at www.hooterstour.com or contact our Tour office toll free at 800-992-8648.