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The Galleri Classic

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PGA TOUR Champions 2024 Schedule + Tournament Details

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Table of Contents

The PGA Tour Champions starts in January with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship and concludes in November with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

The PGA senior tour schedule 2024 provides every tournament’s details, venue information, purse, and past winners. Bettors will want to follow this guide closely to gain inside information on the course and players to watch .

PGA Tour Champions Schedule 2024

Pga tour champions tournament details, mitsubishi electric championship.

Tournament History

Originally named the MONY Tournament of Champions, the event was played in California, Mexico, and Puerto Rico before finding a stable home in Hawaii. The inaugural tournament took off in 1984 when Orville Moody claimed a 7-stroke win over Dan Sikes.

Since then, the name has changed on eight occasions, with the current title sponsor, Mitsubishi, the longest-serving partner. The lush fairway and ocean backdrop of Haualalai golf club has been on the Senior PGA Tour schedule since 2006.

The Kona-based golf course is a par 72 design and measures 7,117 yards off the back tees on an average day.

⛳️ Fun Fact: When Senior Golf Source polled the PGA Tour Champions caddies, this was their favorite location, with Pebble Beach in a close second.

Chubb Classic

The Chubb Classic debuted in 1988 as the Aetna Challenge and was played at The Club at Pelican Bay until 1990. Gary Player , a fellow citizen of South Africa (like me), won the 1988 edition. And another compatriot, Harold Henning, finished second in the 1989 vintage, two strokes behind Gene Littler.

The tournament has featured at 12 golf courses since its inception, with the latest change in 2021. The organizers switched the venue to the Tiburon Black Course, designed by Australian Greg Norman. The Tiburon Black course is a par 72 layout reaching 6,945 yards off the back tees.

Our team particularly loves this course in Naples because of its idyllic location near beaches and plenty of sunshine in southwest Florida. However, be prepared; the Ritz Carlton is on the property, and staying here tends to come at a hefty price.

Trophy Hassan II

The Trophy Hassan II tournament is older than the PGA Tour Champions itself. The first event teed off in 1971, called the Moroccan Grand Prix, which saw Orville Moody defeat Jerry Heard by 2 strokes.

Prince Moulay Rachid hosts the event in honor of his father, Hassan II, and it is played at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The tournament was removed from the schedule between 1986 to 1990 but returned in 1991 when Vijay Singh defeated the late Payne Stewart in a playoff.

The Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is situated on a 440-hectare estate, winding through cork oak forests, and is littered with lakes and bunkers.

Cologuard Classic

The Cologuard Classic is the third event on the annual calendar and is one of the newest editions of the Tour. It was launched in 2015 at the Omni Tucson National in Arizona as the Tuscon Conquistadores Classic. The name changed to its current form in 2018.

Marco Dawson is the first name on the silverware after bagging the inaugural title in 2015 by 2 strokes over Barty Bryant. The Omni Tucson National reaches 7,328 yards off the back tees with a total par rating of 73.

Hoag Classic

The first tee shot in the Hoag Classic was struck in 1995, but back then was known as the Toshiba Senior Classic. The name remained in 2005 when “senior” was dropped from the title and became the Toshiba Classic. Toshiba continued as the title sponsor until 2018 when Hoag took over.

The William F. Bell designed Newport Beach Country Club is the host golf course and has set the stage for several fierce battles since its inception. Bob Murphy and Jay Sigel entered the record books in 1997 when the duo went 9 holes in a playoff before the winner was decided.

Newport Country Club is a par 72 golf course which is not as long as some on tour, measuring 6618 yards off the Championship tees.

The Galleri Classic

The Galleri Classic entered the Tour Champions fray in 2023, holding its first outing at the Dinah Shore course at the Mission Hills Country Club, Coachella Valley, California. The Par 72 golf course played 7,112 yards for the Galleri on average.

David Toms surged to victory in the inaugural version of this tournament played in 2023, beating Steven Alker by 4 shots.

Invited Celebrity Classic

Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, hosted the ClubCorp Classic in 2022, adding a new event to the Tour schedule. The event name changed to the Invited Celebrity Classic after the company rebranding in 2022.

The course measures 6973 yards off the black tees, and 71 is a par score. Scott Parel from Michigan was the first to get his hands on the trophy in the 2022 edition. Mark Hensby from Australia took the second iteration of the event in 2023 with a 54-hole score of 12 under par.

Mitsubishi Electric Classic

The PGA Tour Champions made the Mitsubishi Electric Classic a reality in 2013. However, its original title was the Greater Gwinnett Championship. Bernhard Langer won the inaugural event in 2013 by 3 strokes over Tom Lehman and Tom Pernice Jr.

TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, has put on the spectacle since it teed off over a decade ago. The 27-hole facility was designed by “The Great White Shark,” Greg Norman. The Stables/ Meadows are the usual combination for tournament events, but it may change depending on the years.

The Meadows and Stables 18-hole combination totals 7322 yards off the back tees and is a par 72 layout.

Insperity Invitational

The Insperity Invitational has cemented its place as a mainstay on the annual sporting calendar in Houston. It started in 2004 as the Administaff Small Business Classic and immediately entertained us. Larry Nelson crawled his way back from 7 shots down to force a playoff with Hale Irwin.

Nelson bagged the title, and the tournament holds firm two decades on. Since Administaff changed their name in 2008, the event is now the Insperity Invitational. It was initially played at Augusta Pines, Texas, but is now hosted by The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course.

The par 72 Tournament Course at Woodlands Country Club extends 7025 yards off the back tee. John Daly set the par 3 16th alight in the 1994 Shell Houston Open when he pured a 6 iron off the tee and drained the shot for a memorable ace.

Principal Charity Classic

The Principal Charity Classic resumes regulation tour play in June after back-to-back Majors in May. Des Moines, Iowa, has welcomed professionals with open arms since the event commenced in 2001 as the Allianz Championship.

Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines hosted the inaugural showing of the Principal Charity Classic. It moved twice between 2001 and 2012 before finding solace at the Wakonda Club, which has held the Classic since 2013. Wakonda totals 6,847 yards off the back tees and is a par 72. 

Jim Thorpe won the first-ever Principal Charity Classic beating Gil Morgan by 2 strokes in 2001. Jay Haas has lifted the trophy three times, more than any of his peers.

American Family Insurance Championship

Tour Champions professionals stay in the midwest for the American Family Insurance Championship played at University Ridge Golf Club, Madison, Wisconsin. Steve Stricker is the tournament host, and 78 of the tour’s best players are penciled in on the tee sheet.

The Championship was born in 2016, and Kirk Triplett claimed a 2 shot victory over Bart Bryant and Mike Goodes. University Ridge is a par 72 Robert Trent Jones Jr design and is slightly lengthy for senior tour pros, stretching 7,259 yards. 

The front nine is relatively open, while the back nine is lined with trees and demands course management from tee to green.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Open

After a stint in the midwest, the tour heads east to Upstate New York, where the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open awaits. En-Joie has gracefully hosted the event since its inception in 2007, where R.W. Eaks triumphed over Bruce Vaughan by 3 strokes.

En-Joie is a 7,030-yard track off the back tees, and 72 is a par score for the round. The course was originally designed and built by local businessman George F. Johnson, but upgrades were made in 1998 and 1999. The greens transformed from flat round greens into challenging large and undulated dance floors.

We particularly “enjoy” the En-Joie course for its local, friendly vibe and beautiful rolling hills. While it’s not nearly as polished as most of the courses on this tour, we found it to be one of the best for spectators, with free tickets and giveaways.

Boeing Classic

The Boeing Classic has become a permanent fixture on the PGA Tour Champions and Seattle sporting calendar. 2005 saw the first tee shot struck in the tournament when it was the Boeing Greater Seattle Classic.

David Eger claimed the inaugural trophy winning by 3 strokes over Tom Kite. However, in 2007, fans were treated to the largest contingent of players in a Tour Champions playoff. Seven players ended the tournament on 9 under par. Zimbabwean Denis Watson would eventually steal the show as he drained an eagle putt on the second playoff hole to bag the crown.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Club at Snoqualmie Ridge has hosted the tournament since it launched, frequently challenging the Pros. The 7,264-yard layout with a par score of 72 suits long hitters given its wide fairways. It also treats you to spectacular mountain and water vistas.

Shaw Charity Classic

The Tour makes its way north to Calgary, Canada, in mid-August for the Shaw Charity Classic, a mainstay on the schedule since 2013. Although the course plays a par 72 for amateurs, they corrected the rating to a par 70 for the Shaw Charity Classic.

Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club has welcomed the tour since 2013, measuring 7,158 yards from the black tees. In addition, the course sits at 3,590 feet above sea level, adding extra yards to each shot. Rocco Mediate lifted the first trophy in 2013, obliterating the field by 7 strokes.

The Ally Challenge

Grand Blanc Township in Michigan is the venue for the Ally Challenge, one of the newer events on tour. The PGA Tour Champions arrived at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in 2018 when Paul Broadhurst became the first champion.

The 7,112-yard golf course is a par 72 layout designed by Joe Lee and is relatively long for senior tour players, and is lined with trees. This demands a combination of driving distance, fairways, and greens in regulation.

Ascension Charity Classic

The Ascension Charity Classic is another tournament in its infancy on tour. It teed off for the first time in 2021 when David Toms beat Dicky Pride in a playoff. The St Louis-based Norwood Hills has hosted the first two Ascension Charity Classics on their West course, which is no stranger to tournament golf.

Norwood Hills plays 6,992 yards, and 71 is considered a par score. The fairways are lined with trees and demand an accurate tee shot to attack the flag on approach. In addition, 5 lakes are scattered throughout the links and come into play for half the round.

Sanford International

The tour returns to the Midwest in September for the Sanford International, another relatively young event. 2018 saw the Sanford International debut, and Steve Stricker showed his class to defeat Tim Petrovic and Jerry Smith by 4 shots.

Minnehaha Country Club is the host venue, littered with water hazards and tree-lined fairways. It is not the longest golf course on tour, reaching 6,530 yards off the burgundy tees, but it does demand precision to walk away with a low round.

Pure Insurance Championship

As we enter the back end of the season, the Tour Champions journeys to the West Coast for the Pure Insurance Championship. The famed Pebble Beach is the host venue for the event, originally titled the First Tee Open. However, organizers have changed the name on five occasions.

The Pure Insurance Championship became the official title in 2017 and has remained since. Craig Stadler lifted the cup in the inaugural event in 2004, winning by 3 strokes over Jay Haas.

Constellation Furyk & Friends

The Constellation Furyk and Friends event kicked off in 2021 as a way for the Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation to raise funds for at-risk children. Timuquana Country Club puts on the event, which was first won by Phil Mickelson in the 2020-21 season.

The Country Club is located a short distance from my base for two years when I was navigating the high seas. Timuquana measures 6,949 yards from the back tees and is a standard Par 72 layout. Finally, its tree-lined fairways leave little margin for error, demanding accuracy off the tee.

If you’re traveling with family, Furyk & Friends is one of our favorites to bring the kids. In 2023, the tournament went all out with food trucks, a petting zoo, free ice cream, and more!

SAS Championship

The SAS Championship has featured on the PGA Tour Champions since 2001, played at the Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. Bruce Lietzke won the inaugural outing and went back to back in 2002.

The 54-hole complex opts for the Meadow and Highlands combination of courses for the SAS, playing 7,237 yards and carrying a 72-par total.

Dominion Energy Charity Classic

The Dominion Energy Charity Classic is the first playoff round for the Charles Schwab Cup. The top 72 players on the money list will be invited to the no-cut event after the SAS Championship.

The Country Club of Virginia in Richmond has hosted the event since it teed off in 2016 when Scott McCarron bagged the title. The venue is dominated by tree-lined fairways and the odd water hazard, making accuracy vital for success.

Simmons Bank Championship

The top 54 golfers on the money list after the Dominion Energy Charity Classic progress to the Simmons Bank Championship. The penultimate event of the year is hosted by Pleasant Valley Country Club, a parkland golf course with lightning-quick greens.

The tournament has a new headline sponsor this year after the partnership with TimberTech expired at the end of 2023.

Charles Schwab Cup Championship

The entire season has built up to this moment, where the remaining top 36 players are the only ones invited. The tour travels to Phoenix Country Club, Arizona, for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Puerto Rico, Oklahoma, and California all hosted the event before its switch to Arizona in 2014. The initial Charles Schwab Cup Championship was called the New York Life Champions played in Dorado, Puerto Rico, with Mike Hill winning the first two editions.

The parkland-styled Phoenix Country Club has hosted the cup since 2017,  measuring 6,764 yards, and it is a par 71.

5 PGA Tour Champions Major Tournaments

Regions tradition.

Golf Course: Greystone G&CC, Birmingham, AL Tournament Purse: $2,500,000 Dates: May 10 – 12, 2024

Past champions.

The Regents Tradition was first played in 1989 at the Desert Mountain Cochise course. Don Bies won the inaugural event by a shot over my compatriot Gary Player. Since 2016, the Founders Course at Greystone Golf and Country Club has remained the host venue.

It is the first major on the calendar, typically occurring in the second week of May after the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship

Golf course: the golf club at harbor shores (mi) tournament purse: $3,500,000 dates: may 25 – may 28, 2024.

Like the PGA Championship, the senior edition is hosted at a different golf course every year. Years ago the tournament was hosted at Dunedin Golf Club in Florida from 1945 to 1962. Then, it moved to the PGA National Golf Club, which hosted it from 1982 to 2000.

The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship is the oldest senior golf tournament on the calendar, with Jock Hutchinson winning the first event in 1937 on 7 over par.

U.S. Senior Open

Golf Course: SentryWorld, Stevens Point, WI Tournament Purse: $4,000,000 Dates: Jun 27 – Jun 30, 2024

The third PGA TOUR major of the season sees the pros vie for the coveted Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy. The U.S. Senior Open is played at a different golf course every year.

Winged Foot hosted the first U.S. Senior Open in 1980, and Argentine Roberto De Vicenzo claimed a 4-stroke victory.

Bridgestone Senior Players Championship

Golf Course: Firestone Country Club, Akron, OH Tournament Purse: $3,500,000 Dates: Jul 11 – Jul 14, 2024

The penultimate PGA Tour Champions major hits our screens in mid-July 2024 when the Kaulig Companies Championship returns to Firestone Country Club. The South Course or the “Monster” as it is colloquially known, is the chosen track.

It measures 7,400 yards off the Championship tees and is a par 70, with only one par 5 on each nine. The course is best suited to long hitters, and Jerry Kelly will attempt to win here for the third time in four years.

The inaugural Kaulig Companies Championship went ahead in 1983 at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio. Miller Barber was the first to etch his name onto the trophy defeating Gene Littler by one stroke.

Senior Open Championship

Golf Course: Carnoustie Links, Scotland Tournament Purse: $2,850,000 Dates: Jul 25 – Jul 28, 2024

The Senior Open Championship returns to Carnoustie for the first time since 2016. Englishman Paul Broadhurst walked away victorious on that weekend. This is the third time that ‘Car-nasty hosts the best in the seniors game, and Alex Čejka will look to defend the title he won at Royal Porthcawl in 2023.

Gale-force winds and rain always remain a threat. We will see plenty of punch shots on approach and bump and runs around the dance floor. The first official Senior Open Championship was played at Turnberry in 1987 as Neil Coles walked away with a one-stroke victory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the pga champions playing.

The PGA Champions play on the PGA Tour Champions, for former tour and major winners. The Tour hosts over 28 tournaments a year at different venues across North America, Europe, and Africa.

What is the difference between PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions?

The PGA Tour is for professional golfers under the age of 50. Conversely, the PGA Tour Champions is for past tour winners and major champions over 50 .

What yardage does the PGA Champions Tour play?

The yardage on the PGA Senior Tour courses plays between 6800 to 7300 yards. The yardage differs depending on the golf course and changes from one week to another.

How much do Champions Tour players make?

The 2023 PGA Champions Tour average was $303,404. Steve Stricker topped the list, winning $3,986,063, while Dennis Hendershott was at the bottom, taking home $1080.

How much do caddies make on the Champions Tour?

Caddies on the Champions Tour typically take home 5 to 10% of their players’ PGA Senior Tour winnings. However, each player-caddie agreement varies as there are no specific guidelines. 

Final Thoughts on the PGA Tour Champions

There you have everything you need to know about the PGA Tour Champions 2024. I have covered it all, from the schedules, history and past winners. It is evident that Bernhard Langer is a dominant force on the Tour, as he is tied with Hale Irwin for the most victories.

I recommend you bookmark this guide to refer back to for dates, past winners and tournament information. It is everything you need to stay updated and informed about the PGA Tour Champions.

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Matt Callcott-Stevens has lived and breathed golf since he was four. As a junior, he played competitively, until he discovered his talents were better suited to writing about the game. Matt holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing through the Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona and has provided golf game improvement tips to seniors and the average golfer for seven years.

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© 2024 Senior Golf Source

The Galleri Classic unveils its 2024 PGA Tour Champions field, including six World Golf Hall of Famers, five past World No. 1s and 19 PGA Tour major champions at Mission Hills Country Club

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. – The majority of the field for The Galleri Classic Presented by Spotlight 29 Casino was finalized on Friday with 74-of-78 players set for the second-annual PGA TOUR Champions golf tournament, contested March 29-31 on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at iconic Mission Hills Country Club.

The Galleri Classic, named after title sponsor GRAIL’s multi-cancer early detection test, is a 54-hole event and next week’s winner will be awarded $330,000 from a $2.2 million purse.

Those entered into next week’s Galleri Classic include 2023 PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year and Charles Schwab Cup winner Steve Stricker, 2023 Galleri Classic champion David Toms, World Golf Hall of Famers and past World No. 1s Fred Couples, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, World Golf Hall of Famer Retief Goosen, past World No. 1s David Duval and Tom Lehman, two-time major champion and long-hitting fan favorite John Daly and 2023 Galleri Classic runner-up and 2022 Charles Schwab Cup champion Steven Alker. Stricker will raise awareness of multi-cancer early detection as an ambassador for Galleri.

Daily ticket options for The Galleri Classic, including official Pro-Am rounds on Wednesday and Thursday (March 27-28) and three rounds of competition from March 29-31, are on sale at the tournament’s website, www.TheGalleriClassic.com .

“PGA TOUR Champions golf in the Coachella Valley is a perfect match, as evidenced by last year’s inaugural Galleri Classic, and we are confident our 2024 sequel can be even better than the original,” said Michelle DeLancy, tournament director of The Galleri Classic. “We believe The Galleri Classic is already one of the circuit’s premier events, and we have the golf course and a field of legends, major champions and personalities to prove it.”

The Galleri Classic awarded sponsor exemptions to 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 Open Championship winner John Daly, Notah Begay III, Boo Weekley, Mario Tiziani (tied for fifth place in the 2023 Galleri Classic) and Jeff Brehaut.

The Galleri Classic’s final three spots will be determined within the Coachella Valley on Tuesday, March 26 at the tournament’s 18-hole open qualifying event, held at Bermuda Dunes Country Club (Classic course) in Bermuda Dunes, Calif.

By the numbers, The Galleri Classic field features:

— Six World Golf Hall of Famers – Vijay Singh (Class of 2006), Jose Maria Olazabal (Class of 2009), Ernie Els (Class of 2011), Fred Couples (Class of 2013), Mark O’Meara (Class of 2015) and Retief Goosen (Class of 2019).

— Five of the 25 World No. 1-ranked golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking (since it began in 1986) – Fred Couples, Tom Lehman, Ernie Els, David Duval and Vijay Singh.

— Nineteen (19) major champions on the PGA TOUR and 24 PGA TOUR Champions major winners. The following eight golfers have won major titles on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions:

- Tom Lehman (1996 Open Championship; three senior majors) - Fred Couples (1992 Masters; two senior majors) - Vijay Singh (2000 Masters, 1998 and 2004 PGA Championship; one senior major) - Retief Goosen (2001 and 2004 U.S. Open; one senior major) - Mark O’Meara (1998 Masters and 1998 Open Championship; one senior major) - Darren Clarke (2011 Open Championship; one senior major) - Jim Furyk (2003 U.S. Open; one senior major) - David Toms (2001 PGA Championship; one senior major)

Other major champions on the PGA TOUR (without a senior major): Mark Calcavecchia, John Daly, David Duval, Ernie Els, Lee Janzen, Justin Leonard, Jose Maria Olazabal, Corey Pavin, Jeff Sluman, Mike Weir and Y.E. Yang.

n  Eight champions in the Coachella Valley at The American Express (PGA TOUR) – Brian Gay (2013), Justin Leonard (2005), Mike Weir (2003), Joe Durant (2001), David Duval (1999), Fred Couples (1998), Corey Pavin (1987, 1991) and Jay Haas (1988).

Stay updated on The Galleri Classic at www.TheGalleriClassic.com and by following the event on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/gallericlassic ), Instagram (@GalleriClassic) and Twitter (@GalleriClassic).

The Galleri Classic Presented by Spotlight 29 Casino field (74 of 78 players)

Alker, Steven Allan, Steve Allen, Michael Ames, Stephen Andrade, Billy Appleby, Stuart Austin, Woody Barron, Doug Begay III, Notah + Bertsch, Shane Bransdon, David Brehaut, Jeff + Broadhurst, Paul Calcavecchia, Mark Cejka, Alex Choi, K.J. Clarke, Darren Couples, Fred Daly, John + Dawson, Marco DiMarco, Chris Duke, Ken Durant, Joe Duval, David Els, Ernie Estes, Bob Flesch, Steve Frost, David Funk, Fred Furyk, Jim Gay, Brian Gonzalez, Ricardo Goosen, Retief Goydos, Paul Green, Richard Haas, Jay Hensby, Mark Jaidee, Thongchai Janzen, Lee Jiménez, Miguel Angel Jobe, Brandt Karlsson, Robert Kelly, Jerry Labritz, Rob Lehman, Tom Leonard, Justin Maggert, Jeff Mayfair, Billy McCarron, Scott Mediate, Rocco O'Meara, Mark Olazábal, José María Pampling, Rod Pavin, Corey Pernice Jr., Tom Pride, Dicky Quigley, Brett Sauers, Gene Singh, Vijay Slocum, Heath Sluman, Jeff Stankowski, Paul Stricker, Steve Sutherland, Kevin Tanigawa, Ken Tiziani, Mario + Toms, David Triplett, Kirk Verplank, Scott Weekley, Boo + Weir, Mike Wi, Charlie Wright, Michael Yang, Y.E.

3 Tuesday qualifiers (TBD) + Sponsor Exemption

MEDIA CONTACT: Damian Secore, Brener Zwikel & Associates 951-454-6047; [email protected]

Champions Tour Live Blog: Retief Goosen wins Galleri Classic 2024

04/01/2024 by Golf Post Editors

Get all live updates for the Champions Tour’s The Galleri Classic here. The event is played at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, United States of America.

Retief Goosen wins on the Champions Tour. (Photo: Getty)

03/29 – 03/31/2024

Champions Tour : The Galleri Classic 2024

Mission Hills Country Club – Rancho Mirage, California, United States of America

• Prize money: $2,200,000
• Defending champion: David Toms

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The Galleri Classic 2024 Live Scores

The The Galleri Classic in the season 2024 is being played in Rancho Mirage, California, United States of America at the Mission Hills Country Club. The tournament starts at the Friday, 29th of March and ends at the Sunday, 31st of March 2024. The The Galleri Classic is part of the Champions Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of $2,200,000. The course for the tournament at Mission Hills Country Club plays at Par 72.

The Champions Tour is playing as part of the Galleri Classic in Rancho Mirage, California. Defending champion David Toms, along with the German representative Alex Cejka, are among the participants.

Champions Tour live

The PGA Tour Champions , formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour and Champions Tour, is a professional golf tournament series designed specifically for golfers aged 50 and over. This tour offers a platform for experienced golfers who have already completed their regular career on the PGA Tour . The PGA Tour Champions is characterised by shorter tournaments, usually over three rounds instead of the usual four, and there is no cut so that all qualified players compete in the entire tournament.

The participants are often former PGA Tour players and Major winners, which gives the Tour a high level of competitiveness and prestige. The PGA Tour Champions allows fans to continue to see some of the most legendary names in golf in action. The Tour also includes unique team and match play events that differ from the usual PGA Tour formats.

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Steve Stricker, Fred Couples, Ernie Els among 10 players to watch in Galleri Classic golf tourney

T he PGA Tour Champions returns to the desert this week with the second annual Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

From major champions to golfers who won The American Express title in the desert, here’s a look at 10 players to watch this week:

Steve Stricker

The history of the PGA Tour Champions is built on players having dominant seasons, from Lee Trevino to Hale Irwin to Bernhard Langer. Stricker may be the latest in that line after a six-win season in 2023 that included three majors and a second place in another major. Stricker broke 70 in all three rounds of the Galleri Classic last year, eventually tying for fifth. He’s a threat in any tournament he plays.

Steven Alker

You understand how good Alker’s 2022 season was when you remember that he won twice in 2023 including the season-ending Charles Schwab Champions but the year was kind of a letdown. Alker, from New Zealand, won four times in 2022 Including the KitchenAid Senior PGA Champions on the way to player of the year honors. Alker made a late charge to finish second in the Galleri Classic in 2023 and should be in contention again this year after already winning once this season.

Toms started 2023 with two wins in his first five starts, including the inaugural Galleri Classic. While those were his only victories of the season, he added eight more top-10 finishes and was one of the consistent names on leaderboards throughout the season. With the same focus he brought to 2023, Toms should again be on leaderboards in 2024.

Miguel Angel Jimenez

One of the most consistent winners on the PGA Tour Champions through the years, 2023 was the first year Jimenez did not win a senior event since joining the tour in 2014. But the 13-time tour winner from Spain has already contended in several events on the tour this year, including a third-place finish in the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach last week.

Stephen Ames

If not for Stricker, Ames would have made a serious run at player of the year honors on the PGA Tour Champions last year. Ames won four times in 2023, and a win at the Chubb Classic this year gives him seven career senior victories. Ames is another player likely to contend for a win every week.

Fred Couples

Couples is always a fan favorite, and that is especially true in the desert where he has been a part-time resident for years. Couples might not be the winning player he was in past years, but he knows more about the Mission Hills course than anyone in the tournament from his years of playing the course when representing Landmark Land, which owned Mission Hills at one time.

A four-time major winner on the regular tour, Els still has the silky swing that makes you wonder how he has only won three times on the PGA Tour Champions. He has the length and the driving ability to take advantage of the par-5s on the Dinah Shore Course, and his last win on the tour was the Hoag Classic in Orange County last season.

The big-hitting Daly has been hampered by injuries in recent years and even in the last few months, but that hasn't stopped him from being a fan favorite. The question with Daly is can he fight off the injuries to put together three solid rounds of golf and get into contention.

Retief Goosen

A two-time U.S. Open champion renown for his putting prowess, Goosen made a strong run at the inaugural Galleri Classic before finishing in a tie for third. Goosen's game seems to fit Mission Hills, particular his putting stroke on what can be some tricky greens on the Dinah Shore Course.

The most recent of Durant's five wins on the PGA Tour Champions came earlier this month at the Cologuard Classic in Arizona. Durant has a strong connection with the desert, having won the American Express tournament in 2001 with a PGA Tour record 36-under par total for the five-day tournament.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Steve Stricker, Fred Couples, Ernie Els among 10 players to watch in Galleri Classic golf tourney

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PGA TOUR Champions and GRAIL Announce The Galleri® Classic New tournament will be played at historic Mission Hills Country Club in 2023

RANCHO MIRAGE and MENLO PARK, Calif.  – PGA TOUR Champions and GRAIL, LLC today announced a partnership to host a new professional golf tournament in Rancho Mirage, California. The Galleri® Classic, named after GRAIL’s multi-cancer early detection test, will debut March 20 – 26, 2023 at the renowned Mission Hills Country Club. This marks the first time PGA TOUR Champions has hosted a tournament in Coachella Valley since 1993.

The Galleri Classic will feature 78 PGA TOUR Champions professionals, including World Golf Hall of Fame members, who will play 54 holes of stroke play for a purse of $2.2 million. The Galleri Classic will be the latest addition to the PGA TOUR Champions schedule and will benefit cancer-related causes.

“We are thrilled to partner with GRAIL to bring PGA TOUR Champions golf back to such a storied community at the Mission Hills Country Club,” said PGA TOUR Champions President  Miller Brady . “World Golf Hall of Fame members and legends of the game will enjoy a tremendous week of competition here, while providing the passionate, local golf fans with a unique, incredible experience, and we look forward to making a positive impact in the community for years to come.”

As an annual stop on the PGA TOUR and a host for PGA TOUR Champions events for 12 years, Coachella Valley has an incredibly rich golf history. Several current PGA TOUR Champions members have won here including David Duval, who made history with his final-round 59 to win the 1999 American Express, class of 2022 rookies Justin Leonard (2005 American Express) and Brian Gay (2013), two-time winner Corey Pavin (1987 & 1991), Mike Weir (2003), Joe Durant (2001), Fred Couples (1998) and Jay Haas (1988). Additionally, many World Golf Hall of Fame members have won in Palm Springs including Hale Irwin (1998 Senior Match Play Challenge), Raymond Floyd (1993 Gulfstream Aerospace Invitational), Chi Chi Rodriguez (1991 Vintage Arco Invitational), Lee Trevino (1990 Vintage Chrysler Invitational), Bob Charles (1987 Vintage Chrysler Invitational), Peter Thomson (1985 Vintage Invitational) and Gene Littler (1983 Vintage Invitational).

“GRAIL and PGA TOUR Champions have a shared commitment to positively impact the lives of people and communities that we touch. At 50 years of age and older, Champions Tour Players have likely had personal experiences with cancer and can inspire the next generation to improve health care,” said Bob Ragusa , Chief Executive Officer at GRAIL. “We are excited to join forces to build awareness for multi-cancer early detection and raise proceeds to support cancer-related causes.”

GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. Galleri, a first-of-kind multi-cancer early detection blood test offered by GRAIL, has been shown to detect many cancers that are not commonly screened for today. When a common cancer signal is found, test results can point to where in the body the cancer is located with high accuracy to help healthcare providers guide the next steps to diagnosis. Galleri is intended for people with an elevated risk of cancer, such as those aged 50 or older, and is to be used in addition to recommended cancer screenings.

“We are proud to continue our professional golf history here at Mission Hills Country Club dating back to 1972,” said ClubCorp CEO David Pillsbury . “So many of the current legends on PGA TOUR Champions have a history of competing at events in the Coachella Valley. Mission Hills Country Club has proved to be a perfect host to professional golf events from the challenging major championship golf course to all of the amenities for fans, sponsors and players. This will quickly become one of the very best venues on the PGA TOUR Champions schedule and most importantly will continue to have a positive impact on the local community.”

Mission Hills Country Club, known worldwide for its rich history and tradition after hosting professional golf events for the last five decades, has evolved into a Coachella Valley golf club for all seasons. The 18 th hole and “Poppie’s Pond” are traditionally one of the more memorable and historic finishing holes in professional golf. The ClubCorp owned facility offers a unique golf experience, with three very diverse golf courses designed by some of the biggest names in golf course design (Arnold Palmer Course, Pete Dye Challenge Course and Dinah Shore Tournament Course). All three courses have six tee locations allowing players to play the course at their desired comfort level.

All rounds of The Galleri Classic will be broadcast nationally on GOLF Channel, the TOUR’s exclusive cable-television partner that reaches close to 70 million U.S. households and in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV.

The Galleri Classic will be managed and operated by Wasserman. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman is a global sports, entertainment and lifestyle marketing agency offering expertise in Event Management, Athlete Representation, Marketing and Media. Wasserman Events manages and operates multiple tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and LPGA. Additionally, Wasserman organizes several corporate events and consults for a variety of sponsors on their partnerships across the professional golf landscape.

To access and download imagery from Mission Hills Country Club, click here .

About GRAIL

GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by developing pioneering technology to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types early. The company is using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to enhance the scientific understanding of cancer biology, and to develop its multi-cancer early detection blood test. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. GRAIL, LLC, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN).

For more information, please visit grail.co m. About Galleri ® The earlier that cancer is detected, the higher the chance of successful outcomes. The Galleri multi-cancer early detection test can detect cancer signals across more than 50 types of cancer, as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual, through a routine blood draw. When a cancer signal is detected, the Galleri test predicts the cancer signal origin, or where the cancer is located in the body, with high accuracy to help guide the next steps to diagnosis. The Galleri test requires a prescription from a licensed health care provider and should be used in addition to recommended cancer screenings such as mammography, colonoscopy, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, or cervical cancer screening. It is intended for use in people with an elevated risk of cancer, such as those aged 50 or older.

For more information about Galleri, visit galleri.com.

Important Galleri Safety Information The Galleri test is recommended for use in adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those aged 50 or older. The Galleri test may not detect a cancer signal across all cancers and should be used in addition to routine cancer screening tests recommended by a healthcare provider. Galleri is intended to detect cancer signals and predict where in the body the cancer signal is located. Use of Galleri is not recommended in individuals who are pregnant, 21 years old or younger, or undergoing active cancer treatment.

Results should be interpreted by a healthcare provider in the context of medical history, clinical signs and symptoms. A test result of “Cancer Signal Not Detected” does not rule out cancer. A test result of “Cancer Signal Detected” requires confirmatory diagnostic evaluation by medically established procedures (e.g. imaging) to confirm cancer.

If cancer is not confirmed with further testing, it could mean that cancer is not present or testing was insufficient to detect cancer, including due to the cancer being located in a different part of the body. False-positive (a cancer signal detected when cancer is not present) and false-negative (a cancer signal not detected when cancer is present) test results do occur. Rx only.

Laboratory/Test Information GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) and accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The Galleri test was developed, and its performance characteristics were determined by GRAIL. The Galleri test has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is regulated under CLIA to perform high-complexity testing. The Galleri test is intended for clinical purposes.

About PGA TOUR Champions

PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament

For GRAIL: Corporate Communications Trish Rowland [email protected]

For PGA TOUR Champions: Allie LeClair 920-901-9032 [email protected]

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PGA Tour Champions is picking up where the LPGA left off with fresh event in the California desert

The 18th hole at Mission Hills Country Club has been an iconic spot for decades in women's golf.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — World Golf Hall of Famer Patty Sheehan was hanging around the clubhouse at her home course, Mission Hills Country Club, a couple of weeks ago when a group of reporters stopped by to say hello. There was a gathering at the course that day to promote the new PGA Tour Champions’ Galleri Classic in late March.

“Yeah, I’ve signed up as a volunteer,” Sheehan said. “Still waiting to hear what I’m going to do. I’ll go anywhere they want me.”

The 66-year-old noted that her top three choices were walking scorer, handing balls out on the range or player hospitality. She ultimately got the job as a scorer. So imagine this: the six-time LPGA Tour major winner and 1996 champion at Mission Hills trailing the great male players of her era, punching their scores into a little computer.

MORE: Bernhard Langer equals Hale Irwin's Champions Tour victory record

That scene alone says a lot about the transition that’s taking place in the Coachella Valley this week. After 51 years of celebrating the best players in the women’s game, the California desert communities in the Palm Springs area said goodbye last April to the LPGA major that was long associated with Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage and the course named after the tournament’s founder, Dinah Shore.

Now called the Chevron Championship (formerly the ANA Inspiration and referred to by traditionalists as “The Dinah”), the tournament has moved to Texas where it will be held next month. That change was announced late in 2021 and the ball immediately got rolling on a possible Champions Tour event in the valley. Then last April, with the towels barely dry from winner Jennifer Kupcho making the last champion’s leap into Poppie’s Pond, it was announced that the men’s senior players were indeed coming with a new tournament, the Galleri Classic, with a first-time sponsor—and that it would be played on the Mission Hills Dinah Course where her statue stands near the 18th hole.

“The timing was perfect. It’s probably one of the fastest title sponsor opportunities that the Champions Tour has put together,” said Michelle DeLancy, the Galleri tournament director who served in the same role for the senior tour’s Boeing Classic outside Seattle.

David Duval created won of the greatest highlights in Coachella Valley golf history when he shot 59 to win the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

According to DeLancy, the biotech company Grail jumped into its first sports sponsorship believing it had an excellent opportunity through golf and the desert population to reach its most sought-after demographic—those who are 50 and older. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., Grail developed the test known as Galleri that can detect more than 50 cancers through a blood screening. Since Grail signed on, the tournament has identified six cancer-related charity partners to receive proceeds from the Classic.  Grail will have a mobile unit at the tournament to offer the Galleri test.

“This is just bringing it to where the people are,” Grail CEO Bob Ragusa said. “We realize that a lot of people have difficulty getting to appointments and a lab, so bringing it to where people are is important.”

The community, DeLancy said, has shown enthusiasm for a tournament that will bring back many of the now-50-and-older PGA Tour stars who competed for so many decades in the numerous iterations of the Bob Hope Desert Classic. The field of 78 that begins the 54-hole event on Friday includes most of the senior biggies: Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, John Daly, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh, David Duval, Colin Montgomerie, Mark O’Meara and, of course, Bernhard Langer, whose next victory will make him the all-time winningest player in PGA Tour Champions history. Even the fan in Sheehan got a glint in her eye knowing that Fred Couples would be there.

At the press conference earlier in the day, Fred Funk said of Couples, "He's our rock star."

MORE: This Hall of Famer ran an experiment on his golf swing. Here's the results

John Cook, an 11-time PGA Tour winner who grew up at Mission Hills, is also entered, and he told the Desert Sun newspaper that this will be his last senior event because he’s focused on his TV commentating career.

“I chose the Hoag [Classic] at Newport Beach [last week], and I chose Mission Hills,” Cook, 65, said. “These will probably be the last two I play, quite honestly. I don’t see myself older than 65 years old trying to come out and compete. What better places to call it a career than Newport and Mission Hills.”

Champion Stacy Lewis and others leap into Poppie's Pond after the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

MARK RALSTON

Of course, there has already been some fun bar room speculation about if the Galleri winner might take a leap into Poppie's Pond. In a recent interview with Forbes, Duval joked, "They might just waddle in slowly. It'll be fascinating to see."

Not wanting to compete against the PGA Tour and LPGA events over the years, PGA Tour Champions hasn’t held an event in the Coachella Valley since 1997, when the last versions of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf was played at PGA West. Other events there included the Vintage Invitational, played in the 1980s and 1990s.

Now the seniors are back, with guys who are bit more gray and wrinkled, but that's all good, because so is their gallery.

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RANCHO MIRAGE, CA (July 25, 2023) ---  Rick Garboski of the Golf Development Complex is crowned the champion at the 2023 Southern California Senior PGA Professional Championship at Mission Hills Country Club.  

It marks Garboski’s first win at the Senior Section Championship as he ran away with the tournament on the back nine. Garboski started his front nine with a strong performance of 3-under-par and followed that up with a 5-under-par to win the tournament by six strokes. Garboski fired a 65-64-129 total for a 15-under-par two-day score marking the second-lowest two-day score in the section’s history (Jeff Hart, 128, 2019).

Garboski will lead eleven other PGA Professionals to the 35th Senior PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club, Wannamaker & Ryder Courses in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on October 26-29, 2023. In addition, five alternates will hope to get the call to be entered into the prestigious field.

When asked about earning an exemption into the Senior PGA Professional Championship, Garboski said, “I’m extremely excited about earning the exemption and qualifying into the Senior PGA Professional Championship. It was one of my goals to finish inside the top 10, and I just played great over the last two days. I didn’t miss a green today, and it was like I either made birdie or should have made birdie. I’m looking forward to joining my fellow professionals and representing the SoCal Section.”

Special thanks to our partners: Cadillac, Golf Channel, PGA TOUR, PuttView, ZICO, Yamaha, and Mission Hills Country Club.

Thank you to the staff and host PGA Professional Michael Holyk of Mission Hills Country Club for being gracious hosts of the Championship. 

Lastly, thank you to our dedicated Rules Officials: Chair Person Ron O'Connor, PGA, Gary Albin, Lee Wortman.

List of Qualifying Players Rick Garboski – Golf Development Complex

Brian Smock – Coronado Golf Course

Alan Sorensen – Buena Vista Golf Course  (*Exempt)

Tim Parun – Coronado Golf Course

Jeff Hart – Life Member Active

Steve Holms – Rustic Canyon Golf Course

Mike Mitchell – Hideaway Golf Club

Bruce Nakamura – Aviara Golf Academy

Scott Mallory – Journey at Pechanga

David Magdziasz – PGA West – Jack Nicklaus Resort Course

Paul Dietsche – Redlands Country Club

Geoffrey Dean – PGA West Private Golf Courses

Alternates In Order Bob Knee – Aviara Golf Academy

Mike Fergin – Mesa Verde Country Club

Chi Choi – Monarch Beach Golf Links

Steve Vaughn – The Crossings at Carlsbad

Scott Miller – North Ranch Country Club

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After losing lpga major, mission hills to host pga tour champions event in 2023.

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Mission Hills will still host a tour event in 2023, after all.

A year after losing the year’s first LPGA major, the renowned course in Rancho Mirage, California, has signed on to host the PGA Tour Champion’s new Galleri Classic.

The event will be held March 24-26, 2023 – about a week before the ladies would have teed it up in the first LPGA major of the year.

Now named the Chevron Championship, the LPGA major will instead shift to Houston in spring 2023. It had been staged at Mission Hills for the past 50 years.

The senior circuit hasn’t hosted a tournament in the Coachella Valley since 1993. The 54-hole event will feature a $2.2 million purse.

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Five things to know as the PGA's senior tour heads back to the desert

The news of a new PGA Tour Champions tournament in the Coachella Valley next year is certainly good for the image of the desert as a golf magnet, for both recreational and professional players. When the LPGA announced it was leaving the desert after 51 years, the Coachella Valley was down to a single televised professional golf tournament, The American Express on the PGA Tour. With the addition of the Galleri Classic, the desert is back to two televised events for 2023.

But it is possible that even golf fans in the desert aren’t all that up to date on the senior tour. After all, the tour hasn’t been in the desert since 1997 with the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at PGA West. And the tour certainly fights with the LPGA for media attention after the men’s regular tour.

So with 11 months before the seniors hit the first tee at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, here are a few things you might want to know about the tour behind the desert’s new event:

There are winners you don’t know

Yes, there are Hall of Famers who win. But there are also players who were journeymen at best on the regular tour who pop up and win on the senior circuit. The last PGA Tour Champions event three weeks ago in Mississippi was won by Steve Alker, a tour rookie from New Zealand who hasn’t played on the regular PGA Tour since 2017 and who has been playing on the Korn Ferry Tour the last few years. In coming weeks defending champions on the Champions Tour will include Dicky Pride, Stephen Dodd and Doug Barron. There is good golf from players who you have only passing knowledge of on the senior tour.

The stars do win, though

Bernhard Langer is the biggest winner on tour this days with 43 wins at the age of 64, just two wins short of Hale Irwin’s record of 45. Phil Mickelson has four wins in limited play in senior events, and who knows how limited that play will be in the next few years. But other winners last year in the last year have been Jim Furyk, Lee Janzen, Steve Stricker and Retief Goosen.

There is no cut

The PGA Tour Champions has limited fields, with 78 players to play in the Galleri Classic in Rancho Mirage next spring. With far fewer players than a PGA Tour event, there is no need for a cut during the tournament. So all 78 players who start will get to play on Sunday, assuming there are no injuries or illnesses. So a bad first round doesn’t necessarily doom a players, because there are guaranteed two more rounds.

There are new players every year

Alker, Brian Gay and David Duval are the names of some of the golfers who have turned 50 within the last year and are playing full seasons this year. Before the Galleri Classic next spring, golfers like Justin Leonard and Notah Begay will turn 50. There is no way to know how much, if any, golf those players will play on the PGA Tour Champions next year, but there is always fresh blood in the 50-and-over set.

The golf is better than you might think

If these guys could play on the PGA Tour event week, the would, so don’t expect that caliber of play from the PGA Tour Champions golfers. But with the right course setup, there are birdies and eagles to be had from the seniors. The Dinah Shore Tournament Course will stretch out to more than 7,000 yards for the seniors, but it certainly won’t be 7,400 yards. So the golfers will be able to make birdies and please the galleries. Just last month Goosen won the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach at 15-under par for 54 holes, and that’s crowd-pleasing golf.

Larry Bohannan is The Desert Sun golf writer. He can be reached at [email protected] or (760) 778-4633. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @larry_bohannan. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Desert Sun.

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