2016 Hooters Championship Preview

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• COURSE: Arroyo Seco, South Pasadena plays host for the first time since 2008. John Frost and Doug Vargas were the last winners at Arroyo Seco.

• CHECK IN TIME: 8:15am

• FIELD WATCH: 6 teams are scheduled to play; 4-time champion Martin Witt, P-Jay Fidler, and former champions Walter Vargas and Travois Gordón will not start. Teams: Frost/Moawad, E. Quiroz/Mann, Vargas/Vaughan, Crump/Freitas, Grigorian/Bird, T. Joe/R. Quiroz

• RECORD FOR MOST POINTS: 32, Grigorian/Gordón (2014), Witt/D. Vargas (2012)

• LAST YEAR: Eventual champions John Frost and Chris Moawad scored points on all but 6 holes and were the only team without any negative points. The win was Frost’s record-tying 4th and Moawad’s first in 8 years.  A 2nd round rally by the team of Martin Witt and Nik Freitas came up short, leaving them to settle for 2nd, 3 points back.

• STORYLINES: Frost/Moawad will attempt to be only the 2nd team to ever successfully defend their title. Their 20 points last year was the lowest winning point total in Hooters history. The pair, though, were the 6th 1st round leaders to go on to win in the 11 editions of the tournament. Tim Joe (40), Rene Quiroz (39), and Gerry Vaughan (33), are hoping to end long winless streaks.

• SHORT CHIPS: Patrick Bird is the only golfer who has never missed the Hooters.  Gerry Vaughan will be making his 80th career start.  His withdrawal last year led to his then partner Doug Vargas to withdraw.  Fast forward a year and they’ll try again. A 5th victory would place John Frost #1 on the all-time Hooters wins list.  A win by Grigorian or Vargas would place one in a 4-way tie for #1. 5 players will be making their season debut: Bird (90th career start), D. Vargas (85th), R. Quiroz (40th), Mann, and Freitas.

PAST CHAMPIONS:
2014: Armen Grigorian / Travois Gordón
2013: John Frost / Patrick Bird
2012: Martin Witt / Doug Vargas
2011: Martin Witt / Doug Vargas
2010: John Frost / Gil Ferro
2009: Martin Witt / Armen Grigorian
2008: John Frost / Doug Vargas
2007: Chris Moawad / Gerry Vaughan
2006: Patrick Bird / Walter Vargas
2005: Armen Grigorian / Cary Sachs
2004: no tournament
2003: Martin Witt / Clint Crump (match play format)

Tournament Format:
Hole-In-One will earn 10 points
Birdie (2), 6 points
Par (3), 3 points
Bogey (4), 1 point
Double Bogey (5), 0 points
Triple Bogey (6), -1 points
Quadruple bogey (7) or higher, -3 points