News >> NGA Hooters Tour Well Represented At St. Jude Classic
Over 60 NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour Alums Hoping for Memphis Magic
NGA current members Villegas, O’Neal and Leaver to play for PGA Payday
Longs, SC…While the regulars on the NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour prepare to tee it up in the Bentonville Open presented by Lindsey Management Company at Lost Springs Golf & Athletic Club in Rogers, Ark., over 60 NGA Hooters Tour Alumni will be gunning for glory in the St. Jude Classic at the TPC Southwind.
The 156 player field in Memphis, Tenn., is loaded with talent, but it may be an NGA Hooters Tour grad that hoists the trophy on Sunday, especially since one did in 2009.
Former NGA Hooters Tour member Brian Gay led wire-to-wire last year en route to victory in the SJC. Gay, who played on the NGA Hooters Tour in 1994 and 1995, shot rounds of 64, 66, 66 and 66 to win by five strokes over fellow alum David Toms and Bryce Molder. While Gay is the defending champion, alum Zach Johnson may have something to say about Gay’s title defense.
Johnson, the 2001 NGA Player of the Year, has moved up to second in the PGA Power rankings for the St. Jude Classic. Johnson, who scored his seventh PGA win earlier this year, won four times on the NGA Hooters Tour.
But the alumni won’t be the only ones battling for the crystal trophy as current members Grant Leaver, Michael O’Neal and Manuel Villegas will be joining the PGA Tour for this week’s event.
NGA Alumni and Members in Field:
Justin Bolli
Craig Bowden
Chad Campbell
Chad Collins
Michael Connell
John Daly
Brendon de Jonge
Brent DelaHoussaye
Joe Durant
Matt Every
Steve Flesch
Martin Flores
Robert Garrigus
Brian Gay
David Gossett
Jeff Gove
Lee Janzen
Zach Johnson
Cliff Kresge
Derek Lamely
Grant Leaver
Spencer Levin
Steve Lowery
Bull Lunde
Will MacKenzie
Len Mattiace
Shaun Micheel
Garth Mulroy
Michael O’Neal
Ryan Palmer
Rod Pampling
Aron Price
Ted Purdy
Chris Riley
John Rollins
David Schultz
John Senden
Heath Slocum
Mike Small
Chris Stroud
Brian Stuard
Roger Tambellini
Vaughn Taylor
Josh Teater
David Toms
Jerod Turner
Vance Veazey
Camilo Villegas
Manuel Villegas
Boo Weekley
Jay Williamson
Garrett Willis
Chris Wilson
Casey Wittenberg
Gary Woodland
Alts:
Eric Axley
Michael Clark II
Robert Damron
Spike McRoy
Chris Smith
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 Stewart Cink, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 British Open winner Ben Curtis, 2003 US Open winner Jim Furyk, two time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, British Open and PGA Champion John Daly, as well as British Open winner Tom Lehman, PGA Champion David Toms, 2003 Tour Championship Winner Chad Campbell, 2004 & 2005 Reno Tahoe Open winner Vaughn Taylor and TPC winner Craig Perks to name just a few. All told, the NGA/Hooters Tour’s alumni have an incredible 11 “Majors” to their credit. The NGA/Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 professionals acquire their PGA, Senior PGA, and Nationwide Tour cards. In fact, 48% of the players that earned their 2010 PGA Tour card, and 53% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the NGA/Hooters Tour.
For more information about the NGA/Hooters Tour, please visit our web site, www.NGAHOOTERSTOUR.com.
