PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- A new qualifying system will be in place for this year’s Champions Tour National Qualifying Tournament and will take effect in 2007.

The top 30 players and ties in the national finals will be eligible to compete in weekly professional qualifiers held in conjunction with open, full-field Champions Tour events. Nine spots will be available in those Champions Tour events through the qualifiers. The q-school participants be joined in the qualifier by former PGA TOUR and Champions Tour players who meet pre-determined criteria.

The 2006 Champions Tour National Qualifying Tournament will include regional qualifiers (four sites), followed by the national finals:

Regional Qualifiers (Four Sites)

Dates: Oct. 31. – Nov. 3 (Tuesday through Friday)

Sites: (4): California – PGA Southern California Golf Club, Beaumont, Calif. Texas – Redstone Golf Club, Humble, Texas Florida – MetroWest Country Club, Orlando, Fla. Florida – The Moors Golf Club, Milton, Fla.

Format: 72 holes, stroke play

Field: Each site is scheduled for 78 players, with no cut. The number of players who advance to the national finals will be on a pro-rata basis per regional after taking into account players who receive exemptions into the national finals.

National Finals

Dates: Nov. 15 – 18 (Wednesday through Saturday)

Site: TPC Eagle Trace, Coral Springs, Fla.

Format: 72 holes, stroke play

Field: 90 players with a cut after 36 holes to the top 70 and ties, plus any players who remain within 10 shots of 30th position.

Purse: $200,000…will be distributed among the top 30 finishers and those tied for 30th place.

The entry fee for the National Qualifying Tournament is $2,500.

In keeping with current Champions Tour policy at its official tournaments, players are permitted to use golf carts during all stages of the qualifying tournament, unless conditions dictate otherwise as determined by the Champions Tour official on site. A player may also walk with a caddie (with caddie walking or taking a cart), walk and carry his clubs (at regional qualifiers only), or walk using a manual/electric pull cart (at regional qualifiers only).

The deadline for entry is Oct. 11, 2006.