Jack and Gary Nicklaus Set to Defend Father/Son Title...Eight Years Later

This weekend’s 18-Team Invitational in Orlando Brings the Modern History of Golf to One Playing Field

ORLANDO, Fla. – Most gaps between title defenses are measured in months. For Jack and Gary Nicklaus, it is measured in years. As in eight years.

“Gary and I won the Father/Son in 1999, and we never had the opportunity to defend because Gary earned his PGA Tour card for the 2000 season,” Jack explained. “This has always been Jackie’s tournament; however, when Jackie injured his heel in 1999, I played with Gary and it happened to be the tournament we won—of course, not before getting past Raymond (Floyd) and his son in that playoff. Now that Gary has not been an active touring professional for a few years, and, in fact, regained his amateur status earlier this year, Jackie felt like the only fair thing to do was let Gary play again.”

So, Jack and Gary—eight years removed from their dramatic 1999 Father/Son victory at TwinEagles in Naples—will make up Team Nicklaus, as the field is set for this weekend’s 13th annual Del Webb Father/Son Challenge at ChampionsGate Golf Resort outside Orlando.  

NBC will televise the event on Saturday from 2:30-4:30 p.m. EST, and on Sunday from 3-6 p.m. EST.

Jack and Gary Nicklaus will highlight an 18-team field that includes 62 major championships, 422 PGA Tour victories and 156 Champions Tour titles.

In this unique invitational, each father must have won at least one major championship on the PGA Tour to qualify. He is then partnered with his son, grandson in the case of Arnold Palmer (the Nicklauses' playing partners Saturday in the 9:40 a.m. grouping), or daughter in the case of Fuzzy Zoeller, in the 36-hole scramble format.

“Once Jackie made the gesture to Gary, the boys have since decided they will alternate years,” Jack added. “We can only hope that we will be in a position to defend again.”

“More important, this weekend is an opportunity for me to team up with one of my sons in a fun yet competitive environment. I always enjoy and relish each opportunity I have to play with one of my sons, and since I play almost no golf any more, that makes this Father/Son event that much more special. I look forward to it.”

This is just the second competitive appearance of 2007 for Jack; however, he does have a chance to make it a win streak, since his last showing was a victory with Tom Watson in the Wendy’s Champions Skins Game in January.

Jack and Gary shot a record-tying 60-59—119 to win the 1999 event in a playoff over Raymond and Robert Floyd. That year, Team Nicklaus and Team Floyd finished the 36 holes five shots clear of all challengers.

In last year’s Father/Son, a pair of Jacks thrilled fans with a back-nine charge that included birdies on eight straight holes after making the turn at 2-under. That charge brought them to 10-under through 18 holes and left them three shots back of the first-round leaders, Davis and Dru Love. They finished in a tie for sixth at 62-63—125.

Bernhard and Stefan Langer look to three-peat this year, which hasn’t been done in the Del Webb Father/Son Challenge since the Floyds—Raymond and Ray Jr.—won the first three. Floyd joined younger son Robert to again successfully defend in 2000-2001.

In both 2005 and 2006, the Langers started with a 13-under-par 59 and finished with a 60, earning one-shot victories both years.

Besides the lucrative $1.085 million purse, the teams also play to win the prestigious Willie Park Trophy, which is based upon the original championship prize of the British Open in 1860. The trophy, a red leather belt with sterling silver embellishments, similar to the belts awarded in modern times to boxing champions, was named after Park in honor of being the first winner of the British Open, the world’s oldest golf championship.

For more information on the Del Webb Father/Son Challenge, you can call the tournament office at 866-871-6337 or visit www.delwebbfatherson.com.

2007 Del Webb Father/Son Challenge Field