News >> Sam Saunders Signs Up To Play Hooters Tour In 2010

Arnold Palmer’s Grandson Looks To Find Success On Hooters Tour
 
The proverbial adage an apple never falls far from the tree is one that recently turned professional golfer Sam Saunders hopes is certainly true. Saunders is the grandson of Hall of Fame golfer Arnold Palmer.
 
Saunders grew up in Orlando, Florida and fell in love with golf when he was between twelve and thirteen years old although he had been playing since he was able to hold a club. He grew up a member of the famed Bay Hill Golf and Lodge, owned by his grandfather and run by his parents.
 
“I credit them with my development into the game of golf, they never pushed me to play, I just fell in love with it in middle school,” said the twenty-two year old.  
 
“My grandfather has been a huge influence on my golf game as well,” said Saunders. “He has been working a lot with me on my swing and I truly enjoy our time together.”
 
Growing up in the shadows of a golfing legend hasn’t affected Saunders game however. In high school, Saunders captured the Florida State High School golf championship his junior year while attending Trinity Prep in Winter Garden, Florida which led to him being named the State Player of the Year. He also finished fourth his freshman year and runner-up in both his sophomore and senior seasons.
 
After a brilliant high school career, Saunders was ranked number-one in the nation in Golfweek's junior rankings on June 4, 2006 after he captured the FCWT National Championship at PGA National's Champions Course in Florida by three strokes after a final round 65. 
 
Saunders enrolled at Clemson University and got off to hot start finishing in the top ten in first ever collegiate tournament. That season his score counted in twenty of the twenty-four rounds he played leading into the NCAA Championship.
 
He spent three seasons at Clemson University before dropping out of school before his senior year to focus all his attention on preparing for a career as a touring professional.

“It’s a challenge that I have been looking forward to for a long time.” He said. “I have always dreamed of playing golf for a living.”
 
Even with a name like Palmer in your corner, players aren’t exempt from going to PGA TOUR Q-School to make it to the PGA TOUR. Having never gone to Q-School before, Saunders was forced to go through the Pre-Qualifier to get to First stage and the former number one ranked amateur player didn’t disappoint with rounds of 76-67-74-65 for a four round total of two-over par 282, five shots clear of the cut line.
 
Saunders failed to move past the first stage of qualifying to get to the PGA TOUR but will now try to take the route that led PGA stars Chad Campbell, Zach Johnson, Ben Curtis and Vaughn Taylor to the PGA TOUR...The NGA Hooters Tour.
 
“I decided to join the Hooters Tour for 2010 because I think it will be a great learning experience for me,” said the former Clemson Tiger. “The Hooters Tour simulates the PGA Tour events by playing four rounds each week, is filled with great players and it will be a great venue for me to improve my game.”
 
“The routing is great on the Hooters Tour as well and it fits in nicely with the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour Schedules.”
 
After a successful amateur career and a promising start to a pro career, what can the golfing world expect from Sam Saunders in 2010?
 
“I don’t know, my goal is to play well enough on the Hooters Tour to improve my game so that one day I will playing at golf’s highest level,” said Saunders.
 
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.