Sports
17 Legends commit to Folds of Honor Greats of Golf Competition at Insperity Invitational
Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, and Annika are coming back to The Woodlands, Texas and they are bringing some additional fire power with them to take on 12 legends of the game in the Folds of Honor Greats of Golf on May 4, 2024 – an annual tradition held in conjunction with the Insperity Invitational presented by UnitedHealthcare.
Tom Watson will make his debut at the Folds of Honor Greats of Golf Competition where he will play in a fivesome with The Golden Bear, The Black Knight, The Merry Mex and Annika.
The Folds of Honor Greats of Golf exhibition is a spectator-friendly 9-hole scramble that will feature 17 golf legends during the second round of the PGA TOUR Champions Insperity Invitational. The distinguished group of golf’s greats will tee it up at The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course for the special Saturday competition.
“We feel very privileged to add Tom Watson’s name to this group of legendary golfers when they come back to the Houston area later this month. Tom is simply one of the greatest to ever play, and I know he will take this golf exhibition to a whole new level,” said Bryan Naugle, Executive Director, Insperity Invitational, who has reunited these extraordinary ambassadors of golf at the Insperity Invitational for 11 straight years.
“The Folds of Honor Greats of Golf provides hours of entertainment and a lifetime of memories for our fans each year, and this year promises to be no different. It is going to be a real treat for golf fans in southern Texas, and we are thrilled to have them all with us once again.”
Watson, the 14th World Golf Hall of Fame member on the tee sheet for the exhibition, won 39 times on the PGA TOUR, including eight majors. Throughout his illustrious career, he captured five Claret Jugs as the British Open Champion (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983) and won both the 1982 US Open and the Masters Tournament in 1977 and 1981.
Named Golfer of the Decade in the 1980’s for his 19 wins and 86 top-10 finishes, Watson is a six-time PGA TOUR Player-of-the-Year and was the leading money-winner five times throughout his career. After playing on four Ryder Cup teams for the United States (1977, 1981, 1983, 1989), Watson captained the 1993 Ryder Cup squad to a come-from-behind victory. Watson also won 14 times, including six major titles, on the PGA TOUR Champions.
He joins a distinguished group who have combined for 266 PGA TOUR victories, 156 LPGA TOUR victories, 85 major championship titles, and 171 PGA TOUR Champions wins. Seven of these players have won six or more major championships: Nicklaus (18); Annika (10); Player (9); Watson (8); Inkster (7); and both Bradley and Trevino (6).
The teams will play a scramble format. Each group will feature one of the greatest women’s golfers ever to play the game.
Team Majors Team Hall of Fame Team Legends Team Greats
Annika* Pat Bradley* Nancy Lopez* Juli Inkster*
Jack Nicklaus* David Graham* Dave Stockton Ben Crenshaw*
Gary Player* Tony Jacklin* Larry Nelson* Bill Rogers
Lee Trevino* Tom Kite* Hale Irwin* Andy North
Tom Watson*
*Denotes World Golf Hall of Fame Member
The world class gathering of the game’s greatest players will tee off on the 10th hole (approximately 2 p.m.) after the last group in the official PGA TOUR Champions competition makes the turn onto the back nine for a nine-hole scramble exhibition.
Insperity Invitational Partners with World Long Drive for John Daly Grip It and Rip It Long Drive Competition
There will be a whole lot more than just bragging rights of beating one of golf’s longest hitters on the line at the 2024 Insperity Invitational John Daly Grip It and Rip It Long Drive Competition, held May 3, on the Driving Range at The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course following first-round play.
The Insperity Invitational has partnered with World Long Drive, providing the winner of the John Daly Grip It and Rip It Long Drive Competition a spot to compete in the World Long Drive Championship.
The top-two long-drivers at each of the six qualifying locations including the following four public sites in Austin, Houston, San Antonio and The Woodlands will have the unique opportunity to take on Long John Daly while meeting head-to-head at the Insperity Invitational.
Golfinity – Austin, TX East River 9 – Houston, TX Black Horse Golf Club – Houston, TX
March 30-April 6 April 5 April 7
(Hours of Operation) 5-9 p.m. 10 a.m. – 2 pm.
Alamo City Golf Trail
April 13
9 a.m.
The 12 contestants will each have three chances to grip it and rip it. Contestants hitting order will be determined at a Meet and Greet with John Daly prior to teeing it up on the driving range.
“We are grateful to John, who has been a wonderful champion for our tournament since he joined the PGA TOUR Champions in 2016, and to World Long Drive for providing amateurs in Texas with this truly unique qualifying experience for the World Long Drive Championship,” added Naugle. “We are continuously trying to improve the fan experience at the Insperity Invitational and this event is always a favorite, filled with laughter while giving spectators the chance to witness some of the longest hitters in the Houston area. This year, there is a little bit more on the line and will be fun to watch.”
The winner of the John Daly Grip It and Rip It Long Drive Competition will head to the 2024 World Long Drive Championship in August at Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta where qualifiers from over 24 countries will compete for a $400,000 World Championship purse.
The Insperity Invitational offers free grounds only admission tickets courtesy of Insperity, Woodforest National Bank and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. For updated information on all aspects of the Insperity Invitational, fans are encouraged to visit www.insperityinvitational.com.
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