MONTEREY, Calif. (Sept. 14, 2020) – Pebble Beach Golf Links has a long, storied history and for a handful of professionals entered in the 2020 PURE Insurance Championship, they will be returning to the site of some of their greatest career accomplishments. That is certainly the case for Tom Kite, Mark O’Meara, Davis Love III, and Kirk Triplett when the PGA TOUR Champions event tees off Friday, Sept. 18 at the famed layout overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Kite claimed the lone major of his great career when he captured the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has witnessed O’Meara winning no fewer than five times, Love III twice. Triplett’s great memories are recent as he is not only defending champion of the PURE Insurance Championship, defeating Billy Andrade on the first playoff hole in 2019, but he went back-to-back with victories in this tournament in 2012 and 2013.
This year’s PURE Insurance Championship, with a $2.1 million purse, will have a different look from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There will neither be First Tee junior players in the field nor any on-course spectators. Eighty professionals will be joined by 80 amateurs for the 54-hole event and the action can be followed on the Golf Channel, which will air the tournament all three days including Sunday’s final round live from noon to 3 p.m. PDT.
In addition to the four who have made their mark at Pebble Beach, the field is loaded. Every player ranked in the Top 10 of the Charles Schwab Cup Money List is entered, including No. 1 Bernard Langer, No. 2 Miguel Ángel Jiménez, No. 4 Ernie Els, and No. 8 Fred Couples. Jerry Kelly, ranked No. 7, comes in with a hot hand after winning last month’s Bridgestone Senior Players Championship — the lone major played this season on the Champions Tour.
Jim Furyk, dubbed “Mr. 58” for his memorable round at The Travelers Championship in 2016, is in the field for the first time. The 2003 U.S. Open winner became eligible to participate on the Champions circuit earlier this year when he turned 50.
“While we will dearly miss the First Tee teens and the spectators this season, we clearly have a stellar field – arguably the best group of pros this event has ever seen,” said Steve John, tournament director and CEO for Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the host organization.
John added that despite the format changes for 2020, the tournament will continue to serve as a critical contributor to the First Tee program, which for more than 23 years has made a difference in the lives of over 15 million young people, enabling them to achieve their goals and realize their dreams. First Tee has spent more than 20 years building experiences that build character.
Through generous donations made by PURE Insurance Championship amateur participants $270,000 will be given to support First Tee and their efforts to empower youth through technology. Through this charitable donation, First Tee will be positioned to build a digital infrastructure that improves kids’ experience and engagement, as well as virtual education and training for adults.
“More than ever, this contribution will be a game changer and help First Tee extend its mission and strengthen its ability to have a positive impact on young people,” John said.
Beyond its donation to First Tee, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation also announced it is making a major donation to help with fire relief efforts in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, regions already struggling with widespread challenges brought on by the pandemic. Through contributions from the PURE Insurance Championship amateur participants, the Foundation will donate another $270,000 to help the two counties continue to battle, and recover from, the devastating fires.
For more tournament information, visit PureInsuranceChampionship.com.
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About Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties. www.montereypeninsulafoundation.org; www.attpbgolf.com; www.pureinsurancechampionship.org
About PURE
Privilege Underwriters Inc. (PUI), a member of the Tokio Marine Group of Companies, was founded in 2006 and is the holding company for the PURE Group and related entities. PUI and its subsidiaries provide capital support and operational services to the policyholder-owned entity, PURE.
PURE is dedicated to creating an exceptional experience for responsible high net worth families, providing customizable coverage for high-value homes, automobiles, jewelry, art, personal liability, watercraft, flood, fraud, and cyber fraud. In return for a fee, PURE Risk Management LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of PUI, serves as Attorney-in-Fact for PURE. The PURE Group’s low cost of capital, careful member selection and proactive risk management all contribute to highly competitive rates and a Financial Strength Rating of “A (Excellent)” from A.M. Best Company, Inc. Today, PURE’s membership includes more than 95,000 families from across the U.S.
About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”) First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit youth development organization under the umbrella of PGA TOUR, Inc. Our mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, First Tee has expanded to reach more than 3.6 million young people annually on golf courses, in schools and at youth centers. Its headquarters are in St. Augustine, Florida, USA, with programs in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
About PGA TOUR Champions PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 33 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. In 2019, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $58 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour
