Eighteen-time major champion Jack Nicklaus and his grandson, GT Nicklaus, headline a field of golf’s greatest champions, teeing it up alongside their family members at the 21st playing of the PNC Father/Son Challenge this year.
Nicklaus is one of 11 World Golf Hall of Fame members playing in the tournament this year including Retief Goosen, who will be enshrined with the Class of 2019. Goosen and his son, Leo, are making their third appearance in the PNC Father/Son Challenge. Other Hall of Fame members in the field include Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Lee Trevino.
“Since day one, I have rotated between my sons as playing partners, usually alternating between Gary and Jackie,” said Nicklaus. “This year was supposed to be Jackie’s turn, but he said he thought it would be a good idea if GT played again as my partner, so he relinquished his spot to GT. I thought that was a very nice gesture by Jackie. GT had a memorable experience playing in his first PNC Father/Son last December, and he certainly created a different sort of memory for himself—as well as me and the family!—in April with his first hole-in-one at Augusta National during the Masters Par-3 Contest. Since playing last year in the Father/Son, GT has grown a lot as a golfer. Unfortunately, his grandfather hasn’t. So go GT!”
Newcomers in 2018 include former European Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke and his son, Tyrone; U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk, playing with his father and swing coach, Mike; Matt Kuchar, playing with his father, Peter; and David Toms, playing with his son, Carter.
“I feel so fortunate to be able to play in the PNC Father/Son Challenge alongside my dad,” said Furyk. “My entire golf career has been a family affair and my dad has been there every step of the way. He has taught me so many lessons about life and my golf swing, so to have this opportunity to team up with him is nothing short of a dream come true. I know our entire family is going to enjoy the event and I’m sure the competitive juices will be flowing.”
The 21st playing of the PNC Father/Son Challenge will take place Dec. 13-16 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has been the title sponsor of the tournament since 2012. To qualify for the PNC Father/Son Challenge, players must have won a major championship or The Players Championship. Their partner must not hold a PGA TOUR card.
“When we started the PNC Father/Son Challenge, our goal was to showcase the family bonds that golf creates and give the legends of our game an opportunity to share their success with the ones they love most,” said Alastair Johnston, vice chairman, IMG. “More than two decades later, our mission remains the same as we welcome a field of major champions who will combine their passion for family and golf, and create lifelong memories that no trophy can provide. As the event continues to evolve, we are also thrilled to welcome more professional sons to our field and watch as they pull back the curtain on their successful careers for their fathers.”
Over the 20 years of the tournament, 24 World Golf Hall of Fame Members have played in the championship, averaging two-thirds of the professional field each year. The winning team of the two-day, 36-hole scramble receives the Willie Park Trophy, in memory of the father and son British Open champions Willie Park Sr. and Willie Park Jr. This year’s purse is $1,085,000.
“Showcasing golf’s most celebrated champions alongside their families in the PNC Father/Son Challenge is a wonderful honor we look forward to each December,” said Jon Miller, president of programming, NBC Sports Group. “This unique event on the golf calendar has become a real treat for viewers to get a glimpse at the special bonds that extend across generations, as well as a perfect opportunity to see the legends of the game in a relaxed, competitive setting.”
Tickets are now on sale, priced at $15 per day or $45 for a full tournament pass (four days), by visiting pncfathersonchallenge.com. Active military and children age 15 years and younger receive complimentary admission with an accompanying adult. NBC/Golf Channel will provide coverage of the PNC Father/Son Challenge and is operated jointly by IMG and NBC/Golf Channel.
2018 PNC Father/Son Challenge Field
- Stewart Cink/Connor Cink
- Darren Clarke/Tyrone Clarke
- John Daly/Little John Daly
- David Duval/Nick Karavites
- Nick Faldo/Matthew Faldo
- Jim Furyk/Mike Furyk
- Retief Goosen/Leo Goosen
- Lee Janzen/Connor Janzen
- Tom Kite/David Kite
- Matt Kuchar/Peter Kuchar
- Bernhard Langer/Jackie Langer John
- Davis Love III/Dru Love
- Jack Nicklaus/GT Nicklaus
- Greg Norman/Greg Norman, Jr.
- Mark O’Meara/Shaun O’Meara
- erry Pate/Wesley Pate
- Nick Price/Greg Price
- Vijay Singh/Qass Singh
- David Toms/Carter Toms
- Lee Trevino/Daniel Trevino
About PNC
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
About NBC Sports Group
When the Comcast-NBCUniversal transaction was completed in January 2011, the sports assets of the two companies combined to form NBC Sports Group, which serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company consists of NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBCSN, Golf Channel, NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports Radio and NBC Sports Digital, which includes NBCSports.com, NBCOlympics.com, GolfChannel.com, the digital assets of the NBC Sports Regional Networks, Rotoworld, the NBC Sports Talk franchise, multiple apps, and two transactional sports businesses, GolfNow and SportsEngine. NBC Sports Group possesses an unparalleled collection of television rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee, the NFL, NHL, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, The R&A, PGA of America, Churchill Downs, Premier League, Tour de France, French Open, IndyCar and many more.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in sports training and league development, as well as marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. IMG is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network.
