ACE Group Classic tees off at new host venue Quail West  PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator Everything's coming up aces this week on the Champions Tour, as the pros head to Quail West Golf Club for the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla. And one question is, can Jay Haas finally get a lucky hand and win in Florida? The Charles Schwab Cup points leader is 0 for 105 in the Sunshine State on both the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour. He'll be challenged by 2006 champion Loren Roberts, who is right on his tail this year in Charles Schwab Cup points with 348 to Haas' 353.
Last year, Roberts set a Champions Tour record when he won the ACE Group Classic and became the first player to win the three opening events on Tour. Fending off a late charge by Hale Irwin, Roberts held on to win by one stroke over Brad Bryant and R.W. Eaks. The 7,057-yard course has not yet hosted this tournament. Though the ACE Group Classic celebrates its 20th anniversary and has been held in the Naples area for all of that time -- the third-longest span in one metropolitan area on Tour -- it moved from recent venue The Club at TwinEagles to the Quail West course. "It's a fantastic clubhouse and the course is in great shape. It's great to be playing in my adopted home," said Peter Jacobsen, who resides in Bonita Springs, Fla. "Naples is a growing area. The west coast of Florida fits my lifestyle and it has fantastic weather." This is the Tour's third consecutive week in Florida, following last week's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am at the TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla. and the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton. Mark James won the Allianz Championship, while Tom Watson notched his first victory in Florida by winning the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. Nick Price, who debuted at the start of this Florida swing, will be back this week after two top-20 finishes. Mark O'Meara, the other "rookie" on Tour, competes for the second week following a tie for 38th in his debut. Other recognizable faces in the field include Curtis Strange, Gary Player, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Kite and Scott Hoch. "I bought a place here at Quail West. I don't know much about this course, though. I've been hurt and haven't had a chance to play it," said Hoch, who will compete for the first time in the Naples area this week. "There are big greens and there's some rough out there." Seventy-eight players will tee it up starting on Friday for the fifth of 29 official Charles Schwab Cup events. Copyright 2007 PGATOUR.com. All rights reserved. |
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