2008 marks a historic year in Merrill Lynch Shootout history as Greg Norman will be hosting the event's 20th Anniversary at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, FL. This premier team competition was founded by Norman in 1989 to raise awareness and charitable offerings for CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation, which works in conjunction with the CureSearch Children's Oncology Group to identify causes and develop treatments for pediatric cancer. Since its inception, the Shootout has raised more $10 million for CureSearch and other notable local & national charities.

Over the past two decades, three elite venues have been called home to the Merrill Lynch Shootout; Sherwood Country Club in California, The Great White Course at the Doral Golf Resort in Miami, FL & its current home - Tiburón Golf Club & The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples. Over such time, the Shootout has played host to some of the greatest names in golf including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Curtis Strange, Fred Couples, Adam Scott, John Daly, Annika Sorenstam and tournament host Greg Norman.

In celebration of the Merrill Lynch Shootout's historic milestone, we will be taking a look back into Shootout history in each edition of Golf News & Living leading up to the 20th Anniversary celebration in December. Be sure to check in each month as we highlight some of brightest and finest moments in Shootout history!

1989 - The inaugural Merrill Lynch Shootout was won in decisive fashion by reigning U.S. Open Champion Curtis Strange and his partner Mark O'Meara. Held at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, the first Shootout featured a 20-player field that competed for a $1 million purse. The initial field featured seven participants from the 1989 Ryder Cup, reigning British Open Champion Mark Calcavecchia, golf legends Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino and the team of Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus. The winning team of Strange & O'Meara posted a three-day score of 26-under par and split $250,000 for their 1st place finish.

1990 - The team of Fred Couples and Raymond Floyd teamed up to win the 2nd annual Merrill Lynch Shootout by five strokes. Their three-day total score of 182 is a Shootout record that has yet to be broken. Norman & Nicklaus once again teamed up against a field that included Palmer, Strange, Peter Jacobsen, Chi Chi Rodriquez and reigning U.S. Open Champion Hale Irwin. The 20-player field also featured eight World Golf Hall of Fame members.

Dust off your 2007 A Taste of WCI booklets, as they become valid once again on May 15th. Use your vouchers all summer long to play WCI's finest golf courses including Tiburón Golf Club, host course for the Merrill Lynch Shootout, Tuscany Reserve, The Colony & Hammock Bay. Be sure to also take advantage of the tremendous offers on Greg Norman Collection apparel, Rick Smith Golf Academy club fitting, and Family Golf Day!

As you enjoy your summer golf - Don't forget to reserve your 2008 A Taste of WCI 20th Anniversary Edition. Advance reservations for the 2008 booklet will be taken beginning June 1st. Be sure to reserve your copy early, as the first twenty-five (25) purchasers will have their Taste of WCI booklet autographed by Greg Norman in celebration of the Shootout's 20th Anniversary!

Greg Norman and Merrill Lynch recently announced that the purse for the 20th Merrill Lynch Shootout will be $2.9 million - the largest prize in the annual event's history.

The Shootout's record purse will attract 24 world-class professional golfers, who will compete December 10 - 14, 2008 at the Norman-designed Tiburón Golf Club on the grounds of The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, FL.

The top three committing players from the 2008 PGA TOUR Money List and the top 10 committing players from the PGA TOUR Career Money List will join defending champions Woody Austin and Mark Calcavecchia for the elite 12-team competition.

Teams will compete in a modified alternate shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. The winning team will share a tournament record $730,000.

"Thanks to the unselfish effort and partnership of Merrill Lynch and our corporate partners we have been fortunate to raise the purse significantly each of the last 11 years, which has in turn attracted a world-class field," Tournament Founder and Host Greg Norman said. "Also, I cannot say enough about the tremendous support of the Naples community. With this combination in place, we will once again have a great event this year that achieves our goal of raising money and awareness for children's charities."