LEHI — The Champions Challenge started out six years ago mainly as a father-and-son celebrity golf tournament.
"It's always been pretty much a senior event," tournament spokesman and host Johnny Miller said.
However, the annual best-ball match has evolved into a much bigger event and now not only showcases some of the game's legends but current PGA Tour stars and the two reigning champions of this year's majors.
At a press conference Monday, Miller announced that Draper resident and current Masters champion Mike Weir and U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk will lead a field of seven current PGA stars and five senior legends who will tee it up Aug. 4-5 at Thanksgiving Point in the Trend Micro Champions Challenge.
Tournament organizers had both Weir and Furyk committed to the event long before their major wins. Weir's storybook Masters win and Furyk's steady U.S. Open victory were simply a fortunate jackpot for the Champions Challenge. The only other thing that would make the event better is if one of the other five PGA Tour players scheduled to play won the British Open later this month.
"We sort of hit a home run with the players we have this year," tournament director Ken Leister said.
The event has drawn as many as 25,000 fans in years past. But with Weir and Furyk in the field of 24, organizers believe they could get double that many golf fans this year.
Weir will partner with good friend Dean Wilson, also a former BYU golfer who is having good success in his first year as a PGA Tour regular. Leister originally tried to get Weir to invite former PGA Championship winner David Toms, but Toms didn't think the trip to Utah was financially worthwhile.
Furyk almost begged to play just so he could compete with his father, Mike Furyk, as his partner. The Furyks are committed for two years.
"You've got to be motivated to play here for sentimental reasons," Miller said.
The purse for this year's tournament will be $400,000, with the winning team splitting $100,000. Tournament officials are negotiating with the Golf Channel to televise the 2004 event.
Defending champs John Daley and up-and-coming PGA Tour star Pat Perez will return to defend the title they won last year. Jack Nicklaus, one of golf's greatest ever, will come back to team with son Mike. His other two sons, Gary Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus Jr., will also team up. Miller, who will team with son Todd, said getting the Nicklaus family to come back to Utah is not too difficult.
"It's probably one of the highlights of the year for them," Miller said.
Dave Stockton will be back with his son, Dave Stockton Jr. They'll be paired with Craig Stadler and son Kevin. Hale Irwin will again play with son Steve. Billy Casper, who recently had a hip replaced and has lost nearly 70 pounds, will again team with son Bobby. Andy Miller, a PGA Tour rookie, will team with fellow tour youngster Ty Tryon. Two of Johnny Miller's sons, John Miller Jr. and Scott Miller, will be a team. Gary Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus Jr. round out the field.
Several legends, such as Raymond Floyd and Gary Player, wanted to play with their sons but were turned away. There also wasn't a spot in this year's event for local senior star Bruce Summerhays and one of his golfing sons. Miller said one of his goals is to inject new blood into the tournament each year so golf fans can see stars who haven't played in Utah before.
"We can get about anyone we want," he said.
Tickets for the Champions Challenge are now available through Ticketmaster, either online or at Ticketmaster outlets. Money raised by the tournament will go to benefit the Caring Foundation for Children, a program that provides dental care for about 19,000 uninsured children.
E-MAIL: jimr@desnews.com