Deutsche Bank Championship Blue Notes -- June

Welcome to Blue Notes, the official newsletter of the Deutsche Bank Championship. In it, you will find information for and about the Deutsche Bank Championship, as well as the PGA TOUR, the Tournament Players Club of Boston and local golf happenings.

Trio of Deutsche Bank Championship Winners Make Up Marquee Grouping This Week at U.S. Open
As the 2008 U.S. Open gets underway this week at Torrey Pines Golf Course South just outside of San Diego, the premier opening round grouping will have a distinct "Deutsche Bank Championship" feel to it.

For the first two rounds of this year’s U.S. Open, the USGA has chosen to group the world’s top three players together – Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Adam Scott – all winners of the Deutsche Bank Championship. Scott was the inaugural champion in 2003, while Woods won in 2006 and Mickelson is the reigning champion, having staved off Woods in a final day duel a year ago.

Now, these three Deutsche Bank Championship winners will play together on one of golf’s biggest stages. To add to the drama, the USGA and its two television network partners, ESPN and NBC, are capitalizing on the event’s West Coast location and broadcasting the event during prime time in the Eastern Time zone.

Fans are sure to be treated to plenty of golfing drama as the national championship is played at the famed Torrey Pines Golf Course South for the first time in the event’s 114-year history. In addition to the power trio of Woods, Mickelson, and Scott, the USGA will also group together the remaining players in the World Ranking’s top 12. Ernie Els, Justin Rose, and Geoff Ogilvy make up another trio. Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia and 2005 Deutsche Bank Champion Vijay Singh comprise another. K.J. Choi, Jim Furyk, and Steve Stricker round out the top 12.

All eyes, though, will likely be on Woods, who will be making his first tournament start since having knee surgery two days after the Masters in April. The world’s number one golfer is looking forward to returning to competitive golf and to playing the Torrey Pines course, where he won the Buick Invitational for the fourth straight time in January.

This isn’t the first time that Woods will enter the U.S. Open after an extended layoff. Though he has missed the last eight weeks heading into this year’s Open, he missed nine weeks in 2006 after his father, Earl, died. Woods missed the cut in the Open that year, the only time he has not played the weekend of a major since turning professional.

As for the rest of the field, everyone will face tough conditions that include near impossible rough and smooth, lightning-quick greens that have become synonymous with the U.S. Open.

Defending Champ Mickelson Continues On His Winning Ways

Mickelson’s imagination for shot-making, combined with his aggressive, go-for-broke style of golf, is a principal reason why he carries such a faithful, fervent following. The 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship winner’s flair for the dramatic again paid huge dividends again last month when he won his second Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Entrenched in deep rough amid the 18th hole tree line with no view to the green, Mickelson’s gap wedge from 140 yards lifted off underneath one tree and thrust itself over the next. By the time Mickelson, who made the rare decision to carry five wedges in his bag, jogged out to escape the tree line and wonder what had become of his blind shot, his anxiety turned to awe upon watching his ball land on the green and trickle toward the flag, nine feet away.

The ensuing birdie on the 72nd hole earned Mickelson a one stroke victory at Colonial and his 34th PGA TOUR win (13th all-time on the TOUR win list, two wins behind Lloyd Mangrum). Mickelson, who also won February’s Northern Trust Open at Riviera CC in Los Angeles, is the only golfer to garner multiple PGA TOUR victories in each of the past five seasons.

The creative shot artist and world's second ranked golfer called the wedge one of the best five shots in his 17-year PGA TOUR career. Mickelson’s latest example of finishing strong is all too reminiscent of his Deutsche Bank Championship performance at TPC Boston last Labor Day. Mickelson posted the low final round of the tournament, 5-under-par 66, to hold off Woods and grab the trophy and $1.26 million in his first Deutsche Bank Championship.

Mickelson and Woods were paired for the first two rounds of last year’s Deutsche Bank Championship by virtue of their FedEx Cup playoff points standings, which eventually led to sellout crowds of 25,000 on the weekend as the Deutsche Bank Championship became the most sought after sporting ticket in New England.

If the 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship began tomorrow, Woods and Mickelson would be paired together again for the Friday/Saturday rounds. The tandem entered the U.S. Open ranked 1-2 in FedEx Cup playoff points. Mickelson led the PGA TOUR in scoring average (69.48) and ranked second to Woods on the TOUR money list, less than $600,000 behind.

The Woods-Mickelson sequel at TPC Boston is only two and a half months away. Let the countdown continue.

Make Dad Happy this Father’s Day by Giving the Gift of Deutsche Bank Championship Tickets

Those looking for the perfect gift this Father’s Day need look no further.

If you’re hoping to put a smile on Dad’s face, give him the opportunity to watch golfing greats like Woods, Mickelson, and the rest of the top 120 players on the PGA TOUR at this year’s Deutsche Bank Championship.

Tickets for the Championship went on sale June 2 and will remain on sale until Sunday, June 15 – Father’s Day – or until sold out. This is the perfect opportunity to get up close to your favorite golfers at the beautiful TPC Boston in Norton, MA this Labor Day weekend.

Ticket prices start at just $25 for practice and Pro-Am rounds and at just $55 for each of the four Championship rounds, Friday through Monday. Weekly and competition round booklets as well as hospitality tickets are also available.

If you want to be that favorite son or daughter this Father’s Day, log on to www.dbchampionship.com, call 877-TIX-4DBC, or visit any Stop & Shop location and pick up your Deutsche Bank Championship tickets today!

Blue Notables

Could Leonard re-capture playoff magic in Boston?

New England golf fans surely have a soft spot in their hearts for Justin Leonard. After all, he provided one of the most thrilling moments in New England golf history when he sank a 45-foot putt on the 17th hole at The Country Club to clinch an improbable U.S. victory at the 1999 Ryder Cup. With his recent play, it looks like he could be back in the region for more potential heroics at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Leonard won the Stanford St. Jude Championship in a playoff last week, securing his fifth top-10 finish this year. The victory vaulted him nine places to third in the FedEx Cup points standings, making him a virtual lock to qualify for play at TPC Boston on Labor Day weekend.

Deutsche Bank to support AJGA

The Deutsche Bank Championship is known throughout New England for being a leader in charitable contributions to the region. Now, the company that has its name on the Championship has taken its involvement in golf and charities a step further, as Deutsche Bank announced in May an endowment to help fund the American Junior Golf Association’s ACE Grant program. The ACE Grant program helps ensure that all young golfers have competitive golf opportunities, regardless of their financial resources. Since the program began in 2003, the AJGA has awarded 266 ACE Grants totaling $937,000 to 170 junior golfers. “We are proud to partner with the AJGA to support the ACE Grant program, which will benefit many worthy kids in New England and around the country,” said Seth Waugh, the CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas.

Birdies for Charity accepting pledges

One of the most popular and well-received charitable programs of any stop on the PGA TOUR, the Deutsche Bank Championship’s Birdies for Charity program is already accepting pledges for the 2008 Championship. Birdies for Charity supports 33 local New England charities and the Tiger Woods Learning Center, and last year raised a record $300,000 as part of the Championship’s $3.3 million overall contribution to charity. The program allows fans to participate by pledging a specific amount per birdie made during the four competitive rounds of the tournament. Those who pledge can also guess the total number of birdies that will be made: last year, the grand prize for guessing the total number of birdies was Red Sox season tickets. Fans can pledge by going to www.dbchampionship.com and clicking on “Charity.”

Perry’s a grinder

FedEx Cup points may be the sole determining factor by which players get in to the four PGA TOUR Playoffs events, but there are clearly different approaches to accumulating those points. Woods, for instance, entered the U.S. Open leading the points standings, having earned 17,745 points in just five events (three wins, a second place finish at a major and a fifth). Kenny Perry has taken a different route. Fourth entering the Open with 10,623 points, he had played in 16 events – only a handful of players on TOUR have more starts than him this season. Perry has shot up the standings in the last month, thanks to a second-place finish at the AT&T Classic and a win at The Memorial.