Story of the Shootout

A celebration of partnership

 

By JOHN D. NESTOR

 

Many of the PGA's leading talented players will descend upon the Tiburon Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla. between December 5th and 9th to compete in the Merrill Lynch Shootout for a total of $2.8 million in prizes-the largest purse in the tournament's 19-year history.

 

The Shootout represents a longstanding partnership between Merrill Lynch and golfing legend Greg Norman. Norman, who designed Tiburon, will be on hand to host a roster of 22 pros, matched in two-man teams to take on defending champions Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling. Challengers include Masters winner Zach Johnson and six other 2007 PGA tournament winners, including Mark Calcavecchia and Fred Funk. Also competing are crowd favorites Chris DiMarco, Fred Couples and John Daly.

 

A Meaningful Alliance

"We anticipate the best roster of professionals to date," says tournament director Taylor Ives. And while the Shootout draws many of golf's greatest names, its greater purpose is to build a charitable legacy. Thanks to the ongoing partnership between Merrill Lynch, Norman and the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation - an organization that raises funds for pediatric cancer research and treatment - the event has raised more than $10 million towards this cause.

 

"With the support of Merrill Lynch and our other corporate partners over the years, we've attracted a world-class field of golfers," says Norman. "Couple that with the tremendous support of the Naples community, and we'll once again achieve our goal of raising money and awareness for children's charities."