The magnificent Mount Juliet Conrad will host the world’s top golfers for the second time at this year’s World Golf Championships – American Express Championship from September 30 – October 3. Vijay Singh, currently second in the Official World Golf Ranking, is one of eight players in the top ten to have already confirmed his place in this the third event in the four part World Golf Championships series.
Singh captured the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits last month when he edged out Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco in a three-hole play-off. The Fijian’s third Major victory narrowed the gap between himself and the World Number One and three times WGC – American Express Champion Tiger Woods.
More commitments will be announced in the coming weeks.
Also confirmed in the line up are South Africa’s Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, both of whom have shown tremendous form in this year’s Major Championships. Goosen, who won the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, also has a win on Irish soil under his belt having won the Smurfit European Open at The K Club in July. Els, leader of the Volvo Order of Merit, came extremely close to a Major victory this year, finishing second in the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship and tied fourth in the US PGA Championship.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, the leading European player in the World Ranking, and 2003 PLAYERS Championship winner Davis Love III of America have both confirmed their participation in this year’s WGC - American Express Championship. The other top ten ranked players confirmed are 2003 US Open Champion Jim Furyk of America, current World Number Seven and former Masters Champion Mike Weir of Canada and World Number Ten Stewart Cink of America, who won the WGC – NEC Invitational at Firestone last month.
Confirmation of these top ten players to the event is further testament to the magnificent success of the 2002 championship at Mount Juliet Conrad. The greens were highly commended recently at the official press conference by World Number One and 2003 WGC - American Express Champion Tiger Woods when he remarked: “Those are probably the best greens that I have ever putted on.”
When asked how he ranked the World Golf Championships, Tiger Woods commented: “They are another way of having the world's best gather and compete against each other. We have our Major Championships, but it's great to have another avenue, another venue for all of us to get together. I think it makes for exciting golf, and it's a great way to spread the game of golf all around the world.”
The world’s top 50 players are automatically eligible to compete for a prize fund of $7 million with a record first prize fund of $1.2 million for the Champion. The prize fund has grown by $1.5 million since the WGC – American Express Championship at Mount Juliet Conrad in 2002, when World Number One Tiger Woods captured the title and a winner’s cheque of $1 million.
Tickets available on line at: www.ticketmaster.ie or by calling Ticketmaster, Republic of Ireland: 0818-719377 or UK including Northern Ireland; 0870-1780036.
Single day ticket: Practice days Tuesday/Wednesday €27
Single day ticket: Thursday/Friday €42
Single day ticket: Saturday/Sunday €47
2-day tickets for Thurs. & Fri. €68
2-day tickets for Sat. & Sun.€78
Season Ticket: €120
OAP Competition days €33 (Practice Days €27)
U16 Free when accompanied by an adult
ABOUT THE AMERICAN EXPRESS CHAMPIONSHIP
The American Express Championship is one of four tournaments worldwide that make up the World Golf Championships. The 2004 American Express Championship will be contested from September 30 – October 3 at Mount Juliet Conrad.
Tiger Woods won the inaugural WGC – American Express Championship in 1999, defeating Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez in a play-off at Club de Golf Valderrama. Canada’s Mike Weir was victorious in 2000, holding off Europe’s Volvo Order of Merit winner, Lee Westwood of England.
The 2001 American Express Championship was cancelled due to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. In 2002 Woods withstood a final round charge by Retief Goosen to win by a single shot when the event was first held at Mount Juliet Conrad.
The World Number One retained the title at the Capital City Club in Atlanta last year, his eighth victory in the World Golf Championship series.
The World Golf Championships are sanctioned and organised by the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, The European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Southern Africa Tour. The Canadian Tour is an Associate Member of the Federation.
The WGC – American Express Championship will be the third of four World Golf Championships events to be contested in 2004. The WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship was held at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California in February where Woods claimed his second Accenture Match Play Championship title, defeating Davis Love III 3 and 2.The WGC – NEC Invitational was played at Firestone Country Club from August 17 - 22 when Stewart Cink defeated Rory Sabbatini and Woods by four strokes. The final tournament in the series is the WGC – World Cup which will take place at the Real Club de Golf Sevilla in Spain from November 18 – 21.
ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network services company. Founded in 1850, the company provides individuals with charge and credit cards, travellers cheques and other stored value products. It also offers financial planning, brokerage services, mutual funds, insurance and other investment products.
Through its family of Corporate Card services, American Express helps companies and institutions manage their travel, entertainment and purchasing expenses. It provides investment management services and administers pension and other employee benefit plans. The company also offers accounting and tax preparation services to small businesses, and financial education services to employees at their places of work.
As the world's largest travel agency, American Express offers travel and related services to individuals and corporations around the globe. The company also provides banking services to corporations, wealthy entrepreneurs, financial institutions and retail customers outside the United States.
American Express is proud to be a sponsor of the World Golf Championships and title sponsors of the American Express Championship. The American Express brand stands for excellence and achievement and accordingly this series of tournaments showcases the finest golfers in the world today.
