The Barclays

For Immediate Release:  April 15, 2003

HARRISON, N.Y. - The 2004 Buick Classic will once again host the best the PGA TOUR has to offer as several players who were part of the unforgettable action this past weekend at The Masters have already committed to this year's event at Westchester Country Club, June 7-13.

Masters runner-up Ernie Els will come to the Buick Classic having already won on TOUR in 2004 when he successfully defended his title at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Els fired a brilliant final-round 67 at the Masters to finish one shot back of Phil Mickelson. Els led by as many as three strokes on the final day before Mickelson sank a birdie putt on the final hole to win. In five tournaments this year, Els ranks No. 7 on the PGA TOUR Money List with $1.7 million.

There can't be too many tournaments where Els feels more comfortable than the Buick Classic. Of the eight times he has played at Westchester, he has five top-10 finishes -- including his back-to-back victories in 1996 and 1997 -- and has never missed the cut.

"Ernie Els has enjoyed great success here at the Buick Classic," said Peter Mele, executive director. "Great tournaments are judged by their champions and Ernie Els is obviously one of the game's top players."

Third-round Masters leader Chris DiMarco and third-place finisher K.J. Choi  are also among the players to commit to the Buick Classic.

DiMarco played in the final group on Sunday with Mickelson after finishing the third round as a co-leader. It was his shot from the sand on the 18th hole that left him with a putt on the same line as Mickelson's, giving the eventual Masters champion a chance to see how the putt would break.

DiMarco's tie for sixth at The Masters gives him three top-10 finishes so far this year with six top-30 finishes out of the nine events he has played in 2004. This will be DiMarco's first trip back to the Buick Classic since 1999.

In a final-round full of incredible shots, perhaps K.J. Choi's may have been one of the most amazing of all. While Padraig Harrington and Kirk Triplett were busy acing the 16th hole, Choi became just the third player in Masters history to make eagle on the taxing 11th hole, a feat that clearly made it one of the best shots of the tournament. The shot propelled Choi to a third-place finish, giving him three top-10 finishes in 2004.

In 2002, Choi became the first player from South Korea to win on the PGA TOUR with his victory at the Compaq Classic of New Orleans. Choi currently ranks No. 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

"Watching the dramatic finish to The Masters only got me more excited about our event this year." Mele said. "With players like Chris DiMarco, Ernie Els and K.J. Choi committed, we expect some Sunday fireworks here as well. We know that commitments from golf's most exciting players will continue to roll in."

Tickets are still available and can be purchased at www.buickclassic.pgatour.com or by calling 877-874-0769. There are various types of tickets available, however, for the first time ever, single-day tickets can be purchased for only $35.

ABOUT BUICK 

Buick, the official car of golf and the original corporate sponsor of the PGA TOUR, has an endorsement agreement with Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 player.

Buick is the title-sponsor of four PGA TOUR events in 2004: The Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif. (Feb. 9-15); the Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, N.Y. (June 7-13); the Buick Open at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich.  (July26-Aug. 1); and the Buick Championship at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. (Aug. 23-29). Buick has donated more than $27.6 million to local charities from proceeds raised through its PGA TOUR events.

Buick is now in its third year as the official car of the PGA of America and the title-sponsor of the Buick Scramble, the world's largest amateur golf tournament.