Gwinnett Pro Golf Tourney Begins Friday With Strong Field

After a long hiatus, professional golf is returning to Gwinnett County.

The Greater Gwinnett Championship (GGC), a three-day PGA Champions Tour event, is set to play Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21 at the TPC Sugarloaf course.

The Greg Norman-designed course last hosted a PGA event in 2008, (formerly the BellSouth Classic) and attracted some of the top names in golf, including Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson.

The inaugural GGC marks the Champions Tour’s return to the Atlanta area for the first time since 2000. The Champions Tour schedule included the Nationwide Championship in Alpharetta from 1991-2000

The GGC has attracted a stellar field in its inaugural tournament.

In the field are three two-time Masters Champions:

• Tom Watson, 1977, 1981
• Ben Crenshaw, 1984, 1995
• Bernhard Langer, 1985, 1993

And four players who have won a Green Jacket one time:

• Craig Stadler, 1982
• Larry Mize, 1987
• Sandy Lyle, 1988
• Mark O'Meara, 1998

For those who've followed golf over the years, you'll no doubt recognize many golfers with Georgia ties.

Larry Nelson - Lives in Marietta, a former club pro who didn't start playing until after returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam, learned to play golf by reading Ben Hogan's book on the fundamentals of golf. Has 10 PGA wins and 19 Champion Tour wins.

Larry Mize - Lives in Columbus, orginally from Augusta where he worked the Masters scoreboard on the 3rd hole during his early teen years. He's probably best remembered for the chip-in he made at the Masters to beat Greg Norman in 1987. Has 4 PGA wins and 1 Champion Tour win.

Allen Doyle - Lives in LaGrange but was raised in Boston, where he got his start in golf as a caddy. He enjoyed a stellar amateur golf career, winning five amateur championships before turning pro at the age of 48. Since joining the Champions Tour in 1998 he has won four major championships including successfully defending his Senior Open Championship in 2006. He became the oldest player (at 57 years, 11 months and 17 days) to win the event.

James Mason - Lives in Sky Valley (Ga.) but was raised in Duluth. He turned pro at the age of 22 and joined the Champions Tour in 2001 winning once in the 2002 NFL Golf Classic and placed second in the 2011 Greater Hickory Classic.

Click here for the first-round pairings.

For ticket information, visit the Greater Gwinnett Championship website.