Nationwide Tour to host reunion during PLAYERS

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Zach Johnson (shown here in 2004) won twice on the Nationwide Tour.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- On Monday, May 4, the Nationwide Tour will host a reunion of Tour alumni who are competing in THE PLAYERS Championship and other invited guests as part of the Tour's ongoing 20th-year celebration.

The "20th-Year Reunion" will take place at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., site of the 2009 PLAYERS Championship and home of PGA TOUR headquarters.

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Johnson Wagner made it to the PGA TOUR after two wins on the Nationwide Tour in 2006.

The staging ground for the event will be "The Truck." "The Truck" is the 18-wheel vehicle that is the centerpiece of the operational compound at all Nationwide Tour events. It often doubles as the Tour's gathering spot after play. Since the Tour was launched in 1990, players have fond recollections of their days on the Nationwide Tour and of the tournament personnel and Tour staff members who run the events.

"The Truck" features several mementos from former players who are now on the PGA TOUR such as a Zach Johnson-autographed Masters flag that arrived two days after his 2007 Augusta win and a flat-screen TV donated by Johnson Wagner. One other well-known item is "Great White", a large cooler that is signed by every tournament winner and donated to a tournament charity to auction at the end of the season.

The intent of the reunion is to bring as many former players together as possible to thank them for their role in the Nationwide Tour's development and growth, put focus on the 20th-year celebration among current PGA TOUR players, and have fun and reminisce.

"The Nationwide Tour truly has a spirit and an atmosphere all its own," said Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee. "When players move on to the PGA TOUR they leave with many fond memories of the Tour and the people associated with it. Our reunion event will allow many of our alumni and several Nationwide Tour staff members to capture that spirit for a night on the PGA TOUR when everyone gets together on May 4th. It will be a special evening!"

"I really enjoyed the time I spent on the Nationwide Tour," said 2003 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year Zach Johnson. "Not only was the competition exactly what I needed to get to the PGA TOUR, it was a fun place, too. There are a lot of good people at the tournament level and on the staff who care a great deal about the Tour and the players and will do whatever they can to make life on the road as easy and enjoyable as possible. I would not trade my Nationwide Tour experience for anything. My PGA TOUR security would not be possible without it. I'm looking forward to catching up with a lot of friends on the 4th."

Calfee will be among those on hand to greet the alumni and has promised to take his turn behind the grill where he'll cook barbecue, hamburgers and other items.