The Senior PGA Tour golf event, which has been played in Utah for the past 20 years, will have a new name as well as a new format in 2002.
The tournament, which has been known as the Novell Utah Showdown for the past three years, will officially be known as the Uniting Fore Care Classic presented by Novell. The tournament will be held at Park Meadows Country Club in Park City Aug. 19-25.
Also, as announced last summer, the tournament will be played for the first time using a Modified Stableford scoring format like the PGA Tour's The International, with positive points awarded for birdies and eagles and negative points for bogeys and worse.
"This tournament's tremendous history and success over the years will only lend momentum to what should be an exciting new atmosphere in 2002," said tournament director Bryan Naugle. "We're looking forward to more of the great support we've received from the Senior PGA Tour and its players as we continue to host the best, most established tournament on the schedule."
The tournament's primary new sponsor is the DreamWeaver Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation formed in 2000 in Park City by Skip Klintworth. The foundation is an online nonprofit health-care community that collects medical equipment, supplies and materials from hospitals and medical providers and redirects those resources, as well as additional funding, to humanitarian health-care agencies around the world.
"The Uniting Fore Care Classic tournament concept is unique in that it brings together the best elements of three major segments of society — professional sports, corporate sponsorships and a major charitable cause — to help people around the world," Klintworth said. "We're excited about the tremendous opportunities this unique mix of talent presents, especially as it's taking place in our own back yard."
Having a charity as the top sponsor for a tournament is a new concept that PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem endorses.
"The Senior PGA Tour commends the DreamWeaver Foundation for its vision and commitment to raising funds for these many worthy causes that are located not only in Utah but around the world," Finchem said in a prepared statement. "The Senior Tour is excited about this new partnership, and our players look forward to returning once again to Park City, one of the country's most attractive areas."
When the tournament started in 1982, it was known as the Shootout at Jeremy Ranch. Since then, it has undergone several name and sponsor changes and has been known as the Showdown Classic, Franklin Showdown Classic, Franklin Quest Championship and Utah Showdown before becoming the Novell Showdown.
While a long-term sponsorship deal with the DreamWeaver Foundation has not been finalized, tournament officials expect to have a long-term deal in place before next year's tournament is played. Although Novell won't be the main sponsor any more, the company will still play a supportive role as a presenting sponsor.
"They are extremely enthusiastic about this new cause and remain very much a part of the team," Naugle said. "Novell has been such an essential part of our success in recent years, we only look forward to that relationship continuing for a long time to come."
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