New Champions Tour event on Gulf Coast attracts star-studded field

Biloxi, Miss. - Twelve major golf championship winners and six members of the World Golf Hall of Fame have already committed to playing at the inaugural Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic April 28-May 2 at Fallen Oak.

If you're considering a golf trip to the Gulf Coast this spring and want to catch some of the greats of golf at the same time as well as see one of Tom Fazio's best courses, this is the time.

"We are still two months out and we have already attracted one of the best fields on the Champions Tour," said Steve Nieman, tournament director. "It is a real coup to have a 6-time major winner Lee Trevino in the field. I am also excited that last week Bernhard Langer committed to playing in the tournament."
Langer and Trevino are two of the major champions and Hall-of-Famers who will visit the Gulf Coast in April. Langer, who won two Masters titles, was the leading money-winner on the Champions Tour in 2009. Trevino, who turned 70 in December and played just six times last year, is a golf legend and crowd favorite.

Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster online for just $15 each and they can be used any day of the tournament. Children age 15 and under will be admitted free of charge when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Order your tickets online now at www.msgulfresortclassic.com or call the tournament office at (228) 896-6365.

Other Hall of Famers in the field are Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite and Nick Price. Collectively the four have won nine major titles. Other major winners already entered are Larry Nelson, Scott Simpson, Craig Stadler, Hal Sutton Bob Tway and Lanny Wadkins. Exempt players on the Champions Tour have until a week before the tournament to commit to participating.

The Classic is one of 26 official events on the Champions Tour for 2010, and the field of 78 players will compete for the $1.6 million purse and a $240,000 winner's share. Competitive rounds in the 54-hole event are set for Friday through Sunday. The popular pro-am tournaments will be held on Wednesday and Thursday.

The tournament will be broadcast for 17½ hours by the Golf Channel and the benefiting charity is Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Fallen Oak is the exclusive home course for the guests of the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. The Tom Fazio-designed course, which was opened in 2006, has earned 12 national honors and is ranked the second best gaming resort course in the country.