Colin Montgomerie, José María Olazábal, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen and 2013 Mitsubishi Electric Classic champion Bernhard Langer boast an impressive 13 combined major championships, 15 Ryder Cup wins, 16 senior major championships and 41 PGA TOUR Champions victories. With the exceptions of Els and Montgomerie, each of these Hall of Famers have at least one Masters Tournament victory to his credit.
“With 56 PGA TOUR victories between them, we welcome the addition of these World Golf Hall of Fame members to an already distinguished and extremely competitive field,” says Ashley Hamilton, tournament director. “The inclusion of these household names means golf fans will not only have the opportunity to witness incredible play, but also watch their favorite seasoned players in-person at this year’s tournament.”
They will be joined by 72 other PGA TOUR Champions professionals who are vying for the $1.8 million prize purse and to increase their standing in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup points list.
The six World Golf Hall of Fame members include:
- Ernie Els, who won his first two PGA TOUR Champions titles two years ago at the Hoag Classic and the SAS Championship. He also boasts four major championships – including a pair of U.S. Open and Open Championship wins – among his 19 PGA TOUR victories. He played on eight Presidents’ Cup teams, winning in 1998 and 2003. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
- Retief Goosen, who is starting this PGA TOUR Champions season on a tear, having already notched three top-10 finishes and a win at the Hoag Classic in March. His other PGA TOUR Champions victory occurred at the 2019 Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
- Bernhard Langer, who has played in every Mitsubishi Electric Classic since its inception. Langer claimed his 18th career PGA TOUR Champions title at the inaugural tournament in 2013. The two-time Masters champion also earned the 2020-21 Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year after claiming his historic sixth Charles Schwab Cup. He entered the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.
- Colin Montgomerie, who counts three major championships among his seven PGA TOUR Champions victories. Since his tour debut in 2013, Montgomerie has racked up 57 top-10 Champions tour finishes, which includes 18 top three. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013 after a career that included 6 Ryder Cup wins in 9 appearances.
- José María Olazábal, who entered the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 after recording six wins on the PGA TOUR, including two Masters victories in 1994 and 1999. He won four Ryder Cups over the course of his career and captained the winning team in 2012.
- Vijay Singh, who has won four times since his debut on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit in 2013, including the 2018 Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. He also has won three major championships amongst his 34 victories on the PGA TOUR. In addition to his TOUR victories, he has also appeared on eight Presidents’ Cup teams, with victories in 1998 and 2003. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2006.
The full field of competitors will be released in the coming weeks.
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About Mitsubishi Electric Classic
The Mitsubishi Electric Classic returns to the metro Atlanta area May 2 – 8, 2022, 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 million since the first tournament in 2013. Follow the Mitsubishi Electric Classic online at mitsubishielectricclassic.com, on facebook.com/mitsubishielectricclassic, on Twitter @MEClassicGolf and on Instagram @mitsubishielectricclassic.
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers aged 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, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, 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-plus TV linear partners in 180-plus countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200-plus hours of live coverage distributed in 135-plus 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-plus countries and territories.
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