Wheaties Honors Golf Legends Woods and Nicklaus

New special-edition Wheaties package unveiled by Jack Nicklaus at Florida press conference

North Palm Beach, Florida - Monday, June 9, 2003 - Two of golf's all-time champions will soon visit millions of breakfast tables across the country as Wheaties announces a new special-edition package featuring Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, "The Golden Bear."

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While Woods has been Wheaties' official spokesperson since 1998 and has appeared on the box more than a dozen times, this new package marks the first Wheaties appearance for Nicklaus. His illustrious accomplishments as a golfer, course designer and ambassador for the game are well-known:

·Nicklaus has been named "Golfer of the Century" by many major golf publications, as well as being named Individual Male Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated. ESPN named him one of the 10 Greatest Athletes of the Century.

·His career has spanned five decades, and his legend has been built with 100 professional tournament victories worldwide and a record 18 major professional championship titles.

·Nicklaus is the only player to have won each of the game's four majors at least twice, and the only player to have completed the career "Grand Slam" on both the regular and senior tours.

"This is quite an honor for me," Nicklaus said. "To join the wonderful list of Wheaties champions is a thrill, and to be on the box with a tremendous golfer and person such as Tiger makes it even more special."

"Both Tiger and Jack have had an enduring influence on golf by playing the game like it was meant to be played," said Wheaties Marketing Manager Brian Kittelson. "They are both great champions. While we've had a relationship with Tiger for a number of years, we are extraordinarily honored to welcome Jack Nicklaus into the Wheaties family."

Despite being separated by their generations, the two golfers are unmistakably linked by their greatness. Nicklaus turned pro in 1962 and won three tournaments that year, including the U.S. Open, putting him squarely on the path to becoming the most dominant player of his era. In 1997 at age 21, Woods became the youngest player to win the Masters, also breaking several records along the way. His 18-under-par 270 broke the record for the lowest 72-hole score and his 12-stroke win set the mark for widest margin of victory. Nicklaus had previously set both of those scoring records.

The soon-to-be-released 18-ounce package will be available nationally beginning this month. The back of the package features each golfer's commentary on the other, as well as golf-related fitness tips from the American College of Sports Medicine through its newly announced relationship with Wheaties.

Wheaties began its involvement with sports in the mid-1930s with a sign on the left field wall at Nicollet Park near downtown Minneapolis. General Mills' broadcast deal with the minor league Minneapolis Millers on WCCO Radio included the large signboard that Wheaties would use to introduce its new ad slogan: "Wheaties--The Breakfast of Champions." From that rather modest start, Wheaties has built a tradition that includes many of the greatest athletes of all time. Learn more about the crunchy whole-wheat cereal in the fabled orange box at www.wheaties.com.