News >> Alumni Update

Hooters Alums Start Strong On Nationwide Tour
 
Queenstown, New Zealand (January 31, 2010)…The 2010 Nationwide Tour kicked off the season this past week in New Zealand at The Hills Golf Club for the Michael Hill New Zealand Open. For a handful of former Hooters Tour players, this meant a chance at starting their charge to the Top 25 and a spot on the 2011 PGA TOUR. (Pictured Left: 2007 Hooters Tour Player of The Year Casey Wittenberg)
 
Casey Wittenberg, the 2007 Hooters Tour Player of the Year, started his quest for the 25 strong on Sunday with a final round four-under par 68 that moved him from a tie for 28th to start the day to all alone in 6th place at nine-under par for the tournament. Wittenberg last played the Nationwide Tour in 2008 and finished inside the Top 25 with a 15th place finish.
 
Not to be outdone by Wittenberg, former Georgia standout Kevin Kisner also player well in New Zealand in his first tournament. Kisner, the 2008 Savannah Lakes Resort Classic winner on the Hooters Tour, carded rounds of 69-69-72-70 for a three day total of eight-under par 280 and tie for seventh with Martin Piller. Kisner is playing his first full season on the Nationwide Tour after finishing well enough at PGA Q-School Qualifying.
  
Kisner and Wittenberg weren’t the only former Hooters Tour player that played well during The Michael Hill New Zealand Open as fellow alums Mark Anderson (T-23), Rob Oppenheim (T-23) and DJ Brigman (T-23) all finished in the Top 25 for the week.
 
While these players made statements on the Nationwide Sunday, fellow alums Matt Every (T-15), Scott Piercy (T-20), John Rollins (T-20), Spencer Levin (T-22) and Vance Veazey (T-22) all played well in the PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, California.
 
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 2009 British Open Champion, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 US Open Champion Jim Furyk, 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis, British and PGA Champion John Daly, Two-time US Open Champion 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 Winner Vaughn Taylor to name just a few. In all told, the NGA Hooters Tour alumni have an incredible ELEVEN MAJOR championships to their credit. The NGA Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 golf professionals acquire their PGA, Nationwide and Champion’s Tour cards. In fact, 48% of the players that earned their 2010 PGA Tour cards and 53% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the Hooters Tour.
  
For more information about NGA Hooters Professional Golf Tour, check out our website at www.hooterstour.com or contact our Tour office toll free at 800-992-8648.
 
HOOTS: Current Hooters Tour player Joshua Wooding will make his PGA Tour debut this week at historic Riviera Golf Club for the Northern Trust Open after receiving the annual exemption  at the media day.
 
Wooding was chosen from a pool of applications to receive the exemption, sponsored by Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS), which annually provides a playing opportunity for a top golfer who represents the advancement of diversity in golf and wouldn't otherwise be eligible to compete in the 2010 tournament. (Pictured Left: Joshua Wooding)
 
"Joshua is a talented golfer and a true leader who understands the importance of promoting diversity in professional golf," said Northern Trust Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frederick H. Waddell. "This unique exemption reflects Northern Trust's long-standing commitment to promoting diversity throughout our company because we know it is fundamental to our strength. We are proud to offer Joshua this exemption and look forward to watching his success."
 
Wooding, 23, finished 20th on the 2008-09 NGA Hooters Tours’ Bridgestone Winter Series money list with a victory. The former USC Trojan golfer also played the 2009 Regular Hooters Tour and finished 34th on the season long money list with two top ten finishes. 

"I am honored to receive the Northern Trust Open Exemption," Wooding said. "This incredible opportunity will create a springboard for me to advance my career and continue my quest to participate at the highest level. More importantly, the Northern Trust Open Exemption will assist me in meeting my future goals of giving back and helping to widen the path for other minority golfers."
 
Wooding participated in a PLAY event at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. PLAY is an 18-day, city-wide event with 18 golfers -- including celebrities and notable Angelenos -- putting, chipping and driving their way through iconic Los Angeles locations in a countdown to the PGA TOUR's Northern Trust Open. Wooding chipped a golf ball through the peristyle arches under the famed Olympic Torch. CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO