The International Federation of PGA Tours today announced the creation of the Andersen Consulting Medal for the player who earns the most aggregate money in the World Golf Championships each year.
Andersen Consulting will present US$250,000 to the winner and an additional US$250,000 will be donated to The First Tee in the winner’’s name.
The 1999 winner will be honoured during the World Golf Championships - Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship, which will be played at La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, California, USA, Feb. 21-27, 2000.
With two of the three 1999 World Golf Championships having been played this year, Jeff Maggert tops the Andersen Consulting Medal race with US$1,154,000 in earnings. Tiger Woods is in second place with US$1,150,000. Maggert won the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship in February at La Costa. Woods won the NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio, USA in August.
The top ten through the NEC Invitational are:
- Jeff Maggert $1,154,000
- Tiger Woods $1,150,000
- Phil Mickelson $585,000
- Andrew Magee $500,000
- John Huston $434,000
- Steve Pate $409,000
- Craig Parry $377,500
- Nick Price $377,500
- Shigeki Maruyama $329,000
- Ernie Els $259,000
The third and final World Golf Championships event of 1999 is the American Express Championship, Nov. 1-7 at Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Andalucia, Spain.
"On behalf of the players competing in the World Golf Championships, I would like to thank Andersen Consulting for extending its involvement in the World Golf Championships," said Maggert. "It will be a great honour for the player who wins the Medal and a privilege to be able to support The First Tee with such a significant contribution."
"The Andersen Consulting Medal is a significant and meaningful addition to the World Golf Championships," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, representing the International Federation of PGA Tours. "It provides the winner a unique twofold incentive - a personal and charitable one. The First Tee and the Andersen Consulting Medal winner will be greatly rewarded as a result of this honour. On behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, we gratefully acknowledge and thank Andersen Consulting for its ongoing support."
"As a leader in helping bring professional golf to the global stage, Andersen Consulting felt it was appropriate to recognise the player who proves himself to be the best in global golf," said John T. Kelly, Interim Managing Partner and CEO of Andersen Consulting. "The Andersen Consulting Medal will single out the player who performs best against the top golfers in the world in the unique World Golf Championships series, which features both match and stroke play formats."
The Andersen Consulting Medal was created by Malcolm DeMille, Inc. of Santa Maria, California, USA. It was designed to replicate golf medals awarded in Scotland during the formative years of the game. The first presentation of the Andersen Consulting Medal will take place at La Costa during the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship in February.
The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible playing and learning opportunities for beginning golfers, with a special emphasis on kids. The First Tee is the primary beneficiary of the World Golf Championships.
Andersen Consulting is a global sponsor of the World Golf Championships and title sponsor of the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship. The event features head-to-head, single-elimination match play featuring the top 64 available players on the Official World Golf Ranking. Maggert won the inaugural Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship and its first prize of $1 million with an electrifying 20-foot chip-in on the 38th hole of the Championship match.
Andersen Consulting is an $8.3 billion global management and technology consulting organisation whose mission is to help its clients to create their future. The organisation works with clients from a wide range of industries to link their people, proce sses and technologies to their strategies. AndersenConsulting has 65,000 persons in 48 countries. Its home page is http://www.ac.com.
