Jack and Barbara Nicklaus to serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the 2005 U.S. Senior Open at NCR Country Club

Organizers of the 2005 U.S. Senior Open Championship, which will be held at NCR Country Club, announced today that Jack and Barbara Nicklaus will serve as Honorary Chairpersons of the national Championship to be held in Kettering, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton, the week of July 25-31, 2005. Nicklaus, a two-time winner of the U.S. Senior Open (1991 and '93), grew up in Columbus, less than a 90-minute drive from Dayton.

"We consider it a special honor to be recognized by the championship, the club, and the USGA at such an important golf event in our home state," Jack Nicklaus said. "We are thrilled to see the U.S. Senior Open come to NCR Country Club - a course that I have always enjoyed visiting and playing. The Championship will no doubt be a great experience for Buckeye golf fans!"

"The contribution that Jack and Barbara Nicklaus have made to golf, not only in their home state of Ohio, but around the world, is what we are recognizing in asking them to serve as our Honorary Chairpersons," said Mike McCall, general chairman of the 2005 U.S. Senior Open. "We are flattered that they have accepted our invitation and will lend their support to what will be the biggest sporting event the Miami Valley has ever hosted."

NCR Country Club, founded in 1954 and designed by Dick Wilson, last hosted Nicklaus in the 1969 PGA Championship, won by Raymond Floyd. Additionally, NCR Country Club hosted the 1986 U.S. Women's Open and the 1998 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

With over 14 hours of live television coverage emanating from the Miami Valley on both ESPN and NBC, and names like Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Ray Floyd, Curtis Strange, Hale Irwin and Tom Kite likely to compete alongside Nicklaus, sellout crowds of 25,000 per day are expected. The Championship is projected to have an economic impact of between $30-40 million on the area.

The 2005 U.S. Senior Open will be hosted at NCR Country Club and directed by the United States Golf Association during the week of July 25-31, 2005. Tickets to this event, as well as applications for the general public to volunteer, will be available in the spring of 2004.