News >> MacKenzie Takes Viking Classic

Former Member Earns Second TOUR Victory

Madison, MS (September 21, 2008)…With three straight birdies on the 18th hole Sunday, former Hooters Tour member Will MacKenzie captured his second PGA TOUR victory at The Viking Championship (Picture courtesy of Martin/getty images).

The Greenville, North Carolina native carded rounds of 70-64-67-68 for a total of nineteen-under par 269 and spot in a three way playoff with Brian Gay and Marc Turnesa. MacKenzie, who birdied the 18th hole in regulation to get into the playoff, birdied it twice to outlast Turnesa in the second playoff hole.

The Viking Classic was the opening event of the Fall Series in which players have seven tournaments to improve their standing on the TOUR and attempt to finish in the top 125 money winners to secure playing privileges for next year.
MacKenzie, who was 178th with $235,997, jumped to 97th with $883,997 after collecting $648,000 for his first win since claiming the 2006 Reno Tahoe Open title.
"I wanted to keep my card," MacKenzie said. "But I wanted to win."
In his final two seasons on the Hooters Tour (03,04), MacKenzie collected three wins and over $105,000 in earnings. In 2004 MacKenzie played in twelve events, winning three times en route to Player of The Year honors.
 
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the 3rd largest men’s 72-hole professional golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours, and boasts alumni like 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis, 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk, British Open and PGA champion John Daly, two-time US Open winner Lee Janzen, British Open champion Tom Lehman, as well as PGA champion David Toms, Tour Championship winner Chad Campbell and back to back Reno Tahoe Open winner Vaughn Taylor to name just a few. All told, the NGA/Hooters Tour alumni have an incredible nine Majors to their credit. The NGA Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 golf professionals acquire their PGA, Nationwide and Champion’s Tour card. In fact, 42% of the players that earned their 2008 PGA Tour cards, and 47% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the NGA Hooters Tour.
 
For more information about the NGA Hooters Tour, please check out our website at www.hooterstour.com or contact the Tour office toll free at 800-992-8748.