DULUTH, Ga. (March 22, 2023) – Golf enthusiasts can look forward to watching previous Mitsubishi Electric Classic winners when Georgia’s premier PGA TOUR Champions event returns to TPC Sugarloaf May 1-7. Past champions will vie for the $2 million prize purse alongside 70 other PGA TOUR Champions professionals seeking to boost their standing in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup points list.
“From Steve Flesch’s comeback victory last year to Bernhard Langer’s three-stroke victory in 2013, the tournament has proven to be an exciting event to watch since its inception,” said tournament director, Ashley Hamilton. “The return of our champions will certainly bring another year of exceptional competition to one of the region’s most noted courses.”
The past champions include:
- Steve Flesch, who is the only two-time Mitsubishi Electric Classic champion. Flesch earned his first PGA TOUR Champions title in a two-hole playoff victory over Bernhard Langer and Scott Parel at the 2018 Mitsubishi Electric Classic. Despite falling four shots behind David Toms on the last day of the 2022 tournament, Flesch made a comeback to win his second Mitsubishi Electric Classic title, finishing 11-under 205.
- Dicky Pride, who earned his first win on PGA TOUR Champions at the 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic. After opening with 71, he shot back-to-back 67s on the weekend to post 11-under and win by three strokes over Stephen Ames, Kirk Triplett and Paul Goydos. With his win, he became the 14th open qualifier to win on the PGA TOUR Champions and the 18th player with wins on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour.
- Scott McCarron, who earned a two-shot, wire-to-wire victory at the 2019 tournament. The win marked McCarron’s third victory at TPC Sugarloaf, with the other two at the PGA TOUR’s BellSouth Classic in 1997 and 2001. McCarron currently has 11 PGA TOUR Champions victories.
- Stephen Ames, who set a tournament 54-hole scoring record with his 15-under-par 201 on his way to victory in 2017. Ames is the 11th player to win on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and Korn Ferry Tour. Following his win at the Trophy Hassan II in February, Ames now holds three PGA TOUR Champions titles.
- Woody Austin, who became the first multiple-winner of the 2016 season when he defeated Wes Short, Jr., in a two-hole playoff. Austin currently has four PGA TOUR Champions victories.
- Olin Browne, who has two PGA TOUR Champions wins since joining in 2009. Browne drained a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in a weather-shortened Saturday finish to win the 2015 tournament.
- Miguel Ángel Jiménez, who became the 18th PGA TOUR Champions player to win in his debut event when he won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in 2014. Jimenez has 13 PGA TOUR Champions victories and has competed on four European Ryder Cup teams.
- Bernhard Langer, who won the inaugural tournament in 2013 by three strokes, has played in every Mitsubishi Electric Classic since its inception. The 65-year-old German claimed his 45th PGA TOUR Champions title in February at the Chubb Classic, matching Hale Irwin for the most titles in PGA TOUR Champions history.
The full field of competitors will be released in the coming weeks.
To purchase tickets, please visit: mitsubishielectricclassic.com/tickets
For more information, visit: mitsubishielectricclassic.com
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About Mitsubishi Electric Classic
The Mitsubishi Electric Classic returns to the metro Atlanta area May 1-7, 2023, and looks forward to welcoming players on PGA TOUR Champions such as Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer, John Daly, Vijay Singh, Mike Weir and Jim Furyk. The Mitsubishi Electric Classic proudly stands as a premier golf tournament on the PGA TOUR Champions, but this event is much more than a golf tournament. The event, which will benefit local charities through the Gwinnett Championship Foundation Inc., has raised over $3.6 million since the first tournament in 2013. Follow the Mitsubishi Electric Classic online at mitsubishielectricclassic.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (@MEClassicGolf) and on Instagram (@mitsubishielectricclassic).
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 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. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (@ChampionsTour), on Instagram (@pgatourchampions) and on TikTok (@pgatourchampions).
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. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 180+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.
Media Contact:
Sydney Lowe
slowe@gwinnettsportscommission.com
770-814-6058