News >> Curtis Takes 84 Lumber Classic

Former Hooters Tour Member Earns Third PGA Victory
 
Photo from PGA TOURFarmington, PA (September 17, 2006)…It took nearly three years for former Hooters Tour member Ben Curtis to capture his second career PGA Tour title but it took him only three months to capture his third career title and second of the season.
 
The Kent, Ohio native fired rounds of 66-69-69-70 for a four day total of fourteen-under par 274, two shots better than Augusta’s Charles Howell III. Howell III closed with an even par 72 on Sunday.
 
“Obviously, I still need to improve on the putting,'' the twenty-nine year old said. "This week was a good week for putting but, overall, I still need work on getting consistent with that.''
 
With his win, Curtis collects $828,000 and becomes the sixth multiple winner this season on the PGA Tour, joining Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stuart Appleby and Geoff Ogilvy.
 
Curtis will not have the chance to defend either of his 2006 titles, curiously both will not appear back on the PGA Tour schedule for 2007.
 
"As a player you always like to see how you can handle defending the title, and I had an opportunity once a few years back,'' Curtis said. "It's a tough thing to deal with but a lot of fun, as well. It's good to have all the eyes on you for one week.''
 
In two full seasons on the Hooters Tour Curtis collected one win and more than $91,500 in earnings. In his twenty-five career starts on the Hooters Tour, Curtis made the cut in twenty-three with seven top 5’s and twelve top ten’s.
 
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 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, 2004 Bellsouth winner Zach Johnson 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, 34% of the players that earned their 2006 PGA Tour cards, and 43% 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.