• COURSE: The Tour returns to Vista Valencia which last hosted the Tour Championship in 2013.
• CHECK IN TIME: 8:40am, October 16
• FIELD WATCH: Defending champion and current #1 Ed Quiroz, and 4-time champion Chris Moawad highlight a 9-man field. Armen Grigorian makes his first Tour Championship start in 4 years, while 4 others who missed last year round out the field. Handicaps: Ed Quiroz (18), Chris Moawad (18), Martin Witt (32), Clint Crump (30), Patrick Bird (34), Gerry Vaughan (34), Walter Vargas (22), Armen Grigorian (18), John Frost (34), Tim Joe (34).
• COURSE RECORD: 79, Chris Moawad (2013), Best rounds: Front-9: 44, P-Jay Fidler (2013) Back-9: 34, Chris Moawad (2013)
• LAST YEAR: In just his 2nd start of the season, and 9th of his career, Ed Quiroz won his first major after pulling the “double” with best net and gross. 2014 defending champion Martin Witt finished runner up.
• STORYLINES: 4-time Tour Champion Chris Moawad makes the 100th start of his career. He’ll attempt to extend his tournament record to 5 victories, which would tie the Tour record for most wins in a single tournament. On top of that, Moawad – who’s finished top-3 in all but 1 tournament he’s played in this year – is aiming to extend his Tour record of Player of the Year awards to 4. He’ll have to overtake current #1 and defending Tour Champion Ed Quiroz by finishing in the top-3 and ahead of Quiroz. Quiroz has his own aspirations: win Player of the Year in just his 2nd year on Tour and, successfully defend his title to become the first golfer to win Match Play and the Tour Championship in same season.
• APPROACH SHOTS: Chris Moawad will become the 2nd golfer to reach 100 career starts (Tim Joe the first to reach this milestone)… Ed Quiroz will attempt to join Chris Moawad and Travis Gordon as the only golfers to pull the “double”, 2 majors in a single season. Moawad is the only golfer to successfully repeat at the Tour Championship (2006-07)… Chris Moawad and Armen Grigorian share the most wins in a major (7)… $8 unclaimed from the Devil Ball Shootout rolls over to Sunday’s round in the birdie pool… Gerry Vaughan will make his 85th career start… The winner of the Tour’s longest running, and eponymous tournament, receives an automatic birth in next year’s Masters, green fees for both the Tour Championship and 2017 season opener.
PAST CHAMPIONS:
2015, Ed Quiroz
2014, Martin Witt
2013, Chris Moawad
2012, P-Jay Fidler
2011, Doug Vargas
2010, Clint Crump
2009, Chris Moawad
2008, Walter Vargas
2007, Chris Moawad
2006, Chris Moawad
2005, Armen Grigorian
2004, Patrick Bird
2003, John Frost