Week 3 Approach Shots: ACE Group Classic

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HAPPY 22ND BIRTHDAY: The Champions Tour stop in Naples is one of the oldest on the entire circuit. This year marks the 22nd anniversary for the Champions Tour stop in Naples, tied (with the Tampa stop) for the second longest span in one metropolitan area. When Gary Player won the inaugural event in 1988 by one stroke over Dave Hill, he pocketed a check for $45,000 from the $300,000 purse. This year's winner will take home $240,000 from a total purse of $1.6 million. The 2009 event will be the 11th that has been title sponsored by The ACE Group.

Quick facts

WHAT: Third of 26 official Charles Schwab Cup events WHEN: Feb. 20-22 WHERE: Naples, Fla. COURSE: TPC Treviso Bay WHAT'S AT STAKE: $1.6 million ($240,000 to the winner) TV: 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET Friday on GOLF CHANNEL; 1:00-4:00 p.m. ET Saturday-Sunday on GOLF CHANNEL KEY LINKS: Tee Times | Scores | Power Rankings | Tournament site

NEW DIGS: The TPC Treviso Bay is the newest of 27 clubs in the TPC network and the Arthur Hills/Hal Sutton-designed layout, completed late in 2008, will be the eighth different venue for a Champions Tour event in Naples. Treviso Bay is Naples' newest luxury golf and lifestyle master planned community. The development is bordered on the south by the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Reserve, one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. The TPC Treviso Bay is also the first of four facilities in the network to host a Champions Tour event in 2009 (TPC Tampa Bay, TPC Twin Cities, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge).

ON THE SHELF: The ACE Group Classic is the only event on the Champions Tour schedule that is officially hosted by a player. However, this year Peter Jacobsen will be unable to compete in the event after undergoing rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder on January 16th. While preparing for the 2009 season, Jacobsen injured his shoulder hitting golf balls. Scott Simpson will also miss this year's ACE Group Classic. Simpson is out of action after suffering a broken wrist in the off-season.

SUNSHINE SUCCESS: Hale Irwin has won a combined 65 times in his career between the Champions Tour and PGA TOUR, including a record 45 titles on the 50-and-over circuit. Of his 65 wins, nine have come in Florida. Lee Trevino leads all players on the Champions Tour in Florida victories with 13 combined (six on the PGA TOUR, seven on the Champions Tour), while Jack Nicklaus won 12 times in the Sunshine State. Raymond Floyd and Gary Player won nine times there.

RECORD BREAKER: Gary Koch, playing this week on a sponsor's exemption, owns the nine- and 18-hole records at The ACE Group Classic. Koch fired a back-nine 28 (8-under) in the first round in 2004 at The Club at TwinEagles. His final nine-hole score led to a 10-under 62. Koch eventually lost to Craig Stadler in a playoff that also included Tom Watson.

REMEMBER LAST YEAR? Scott Hoch made it two wins in a row with his playoff victory in Naples. One week after winning the Allianz Championship, Hoch drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the 54th hole to grab a spot in the four-man playoff and then made another eight-footer for birdie on the first extra hole to defeat Tom Jenkins, Brad Bryant and Tom Kite for the title. Jenkins had entered the final round with a two-stroke lead but was unable to convert birdie opportunities at Nos. 17 and 18 that would have won him the tournament in regulation.

Weather forecast for the ACE Group Classic

FRIDAY, Rd. 1 SATURDAY, Rd. 2 SUNDAY, Rd. 3 Partly cloudy Temp: 70 high/43 low Partly cloudy Temp: 74 high/54 low Partly cloudy Temp: 72 high/46 low

DTN/Meteorlogix is the official weather provider of the PGA TOUR. For more information, click here

ACE Group Classic snippets

Impressive resumes: Nine players in Naples also won this week's PGA TOUR event in Los Angeles. Former Northern Trust Open winners include: Dave Stockton (1974), Hale Irwin (1976), Tom Purtzer (1977), Gil Morgan (1978, 1983), Lanny Wadkins (1979), David Edwards (1984), Chip Beck (1988), Tom Kite (1993) and Craig Stadler (1996). Hint: Final group is the place to be. The winner of the ACE Group Classic has come out of the final group in each of the last eight years. The last time it didn't happen was in 2000, when Lanny Wadkins needed a final-round 64 to rally from three strokes back and eventually triumph in a playoff. Repeat offenders: If Scott Hoch wins again this year, he will be joining an elite group of players. Four players have won the event twice, including Lee Trevino (1990-91), Mike Hill (1993-94), Hale Irwin (1997, 2002) and Gil Morgan (1998, 2001). Up and running: The First Tee of Naples/Collier was started last year with assistance from the ACE Group Classic. Through the SNAG (Starting New At Golf) program, the tournament donated equipment to all elementary schools in Lee and Collier counties and hired teaching professionals to train all PE teachers. More on Green Talkin' food with Scott Hoch: Ever wanted to know what defending champion likes to eat when he's about to tee it up or his favorite place to eat in the country? We've got the answers.More on Hoch