Jack Nicklaus & John Daly among competitors for 2016 Father Son Challenge

November 13, 2016 | Filed under: Florida Events,Florida News,Golf,Orlando Charity Events,Orlando Events,Orlando Golf,Orlando News,Sport | Posted by: Admin - Nigel

Jack Nicklaus (pictured above left with son Jack Nicklaus II)) is among 13 World Golf Hall of Fame members who have committed to play in this year’s PNC Father/Son Challenge.

This year’s event takes place Dec. 8-11 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Grande Lakes in Orlando. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has been the title sponsor since 2012.

Nicklaus, 76, will play in his 15^th PNC Father/Son Challenge. He will be joined by his son, Jack Nicklaus II.

“I have said many times before that the PNC Father/Son is one of the most anticipated events of the year for me, as it gives me a chance to catch up with a lot of friends and a rare chance to tee it up with one of my sons,” said Nicklaus. “People always ask me what my dream foursome would be, and I always say I would try to bend the rules and play as a fivesome, so all four of my sons could come along. So to be able to partner with my son Jack II in a fun but competitive environment, such as the Father-Son, is going to make for a great couple of days.”

“I was looking at the incredible field they have assembled again this year,” Nicklaus continued, “and I see several fathers who are actually younger than my son. At a combined age of 130 years, is it too late for us to ask for shots?”

Fan favorite John Daly will play the PNC Father/Son Challenge for the first time, joined by his son, Little John. Daly, 50, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, joined the PGA TOUR Champions this year, making his debut at the Insperity Invitational in May.

To qualify for the PNC Father/Son Challenge, players must have won a major championship or The Players Championship. They play with either a son or daughter, and the partner must not hold a PGA Tour card.

“We are pleased to once again welcome a field full of golf’s legends and their children to the PNC Father/Son Challenge,” said Alastair Johnston, vice chairman of IMG, which co-founded and produces the event with NBC Sports. “Some of our fathers continue to actively compete in tournament golf on tours around the globe, while others have retired from regular competition. In any case, they return each year to the PNC Father/Son Challenge for the unique opportunity to tee it up alongside their children.”

Over the 19 years of the tournament, 24 World Golf Hall of Fame Members have played in the championship, averaging 67 percent 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.

Last year, World Golf Hall of Fame member Lanny Wadkins, and his son, Tucker, (both pictured above) who works as a full-time investor relations professional, won the event in a four-team playoff over Fred and Taylor Funk, Larry and Drew Nelson and Davis and Dru Love. The Wadkins, Funk and Nelson teams are scheduled to return to this year’s field.

They will be joined by other former champions Bernhard and Jason Langer as well as a field of greats who have amassed 335 PGA TOUR victories and 64 major championships.

“As a co-founder of the Father/Son Challenge, NBC is extremely proud to showcase the game’s greatest players and the camaraderie with their children through the game of golf,” said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports Group. “Through the collective efforts of our partners at PNC Bank, Ritz-Carlton and IMG, fans nationwide will share in the bond these players have with their children in one of the most special events in golf.”

NBC Sports and Golf Channel will team up to provide eight hours of weekend coverage:

Friday, Dec.9: Pro-Am Special, airing at 4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

Saturday, Dec. 10: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) and 4-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

Sunday, Dec. 11: 2-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) and 3-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

Golf Channel and NBC’s joint broadcast team of Steve Sands and Justin Leonard in the broadcast booth, will be joined by Peter Jacobsen from an on-course tower and David Feherty and Notah Begay III reporting from the course. Jimmy Roberts will conduct post-round interviews and deliver his signature essays.

2016 PNC Father/Son Challenge Field (bold denotes World Golf Hall Of Fame)

Stewart Cink / Connor Cink
John Daly / Little John Daly
David Duval / Nick Karavites
Steve Elkington / Sam Elkington
Nick Faldo / Matthew Faldo
Raymond Floyd / Robert Floyd
Fred Funk / Taylor Funk
Retief Goosen / Leo Goosen
Hale Irwin / Steve Irwin
Lee Janzen / Connor Janzen
Bernhard Langer / Christina Langer
Sandy Lyle / Stuart Lyle
Larry Nelson / Josh Nelson
Jack Nicklaus / Jack Nicklaus II
Mark O’Meara / Shaun O’Meara
Nick Price / Greg Price
Vijay Singh / Qass Singh
Curtis Strange / David Strange
Lee Trevino / Daniel Trevino
Lanny Wadkins / Tucker Wadkins

The 20-team field competes in a scramble format over 36 holes for the $1,085,000 prize purse and the Willie Park trophy, named after Willie Park, and his son Willie Park Jr., who combined to win the British Open five times.

Tickets are now on sale, priced at $15 per day or $45 for a full tournament pass (four days), by visiting www.pncfathersonchallenge.com or by calling 844-434-3925. Active military and children age 15 years and younger receive complimentary admission with an accompanying adult.

Past Champions of the Father/Son Challenge

1995 – Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr.

1996 – Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr.

1997 – Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr.

1998 – Bob Charles and David Charles

1999 – Jack Nicklaus and Gary Nicklaus

2000 – Raymond Floyd and Robert Floyd

2001 – Raymond Floyd and Robert Floyd

2002 – Craig Stadler and Kevin Stadler

2003 – Hale Irwin and Steve Irwin

2004 – Larry Nelson and Drew Nelson

2005 – Bernhard Langer and Stefan Langer