A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Palmer has amassed 62 PGA TOUR victories, including seven major championships, and 10 Champions Tour victories, including two major championships. He was the first player in PGA TOUR history to reach $1 million in official career earnings and is tied with Jack Nicklaus for the record of most consecutive years winning at least one tournament (17).
"For 17 years I looked forward to coming to Portland and playing in The Challenge each summer," said Palmer, "I'm so pleased that Peter has brought back this great event and I can't wait to be there."
Joining Jacobsen and Palmer as members of the tournament's main field are John Cook, Ben Crenshaw, Jay Haas, Bernhard Langer and Fuzzy Zoeller.
- John Cook; Winner of 11 PGA TOUR tournaments and seven Champions tour tournaments, including two so far in 2011, Cook participated in 11 Challenge events, finishing in first place in 1994 and 2000 with then-partner Mark O'Meara.
- Ben Crenshaw; Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and winner of 19 PGA TOUR tournaments, including the 1984 and 1995 Masters Tournaments. Crenshaw participated in eight Challenge events, finishing in first place in 1991 with then-partner Paul Azinger.
- Jay Haas; Winner of nine PGA TOUR tournaments and 14 Champions Tour tournaments, including three major championships. The 2006 and 2008 Charles Schwab Cup winner, Haas participated in nine Challenge events, his best finish being a T2 in 1997 with then-partner Phil Mickelson.
- Bernhard Langer; Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and winner of three PGA TOUR tournaments, including two Masters Tournaments, 14 Champions Tour tournaments and 58 International tournaments. This will be Langer's first appearance in a Challenge event.
- Fuzzy Zoeller; A fan-favorite and winner of 10 PGA TOUR tournaments, including two major championships, and two Champions Tour tournaments, including one major championship. Zoeller participated in 12 Challenge events, his best finish being second place in 2001 with then-partner Jean Van de Velde.
Tickets for the 2011 Umpqua Bank Challenge will go on sale May 9. For the most up-to-date tournament information and news, including details on volunteering, ticket prices, parking and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.umpquabankchallenge.com or call (866) 503-2003.
About The Umpqua Bank Challenge
The Umpqua Bank Challenge, http://www.umpquabankchallenge.com, is a three-day exhibition-style golf tournament set for August 28-30, 2011 at Portland Golf Club in Portland, Ore. The tournament will feature The Regence Pro-am on Sunday and The Umpqua Bank Challenge main field competition on Monday and Tuesday, where sixteen PGA TOUR professionals will pair into eight two-person teams and play for a $750,000 purse. Hosted by PGA TOUR professional and Portland-native Peter Jacobsen, proceeds from The Umpqua Bank Challenge will benefit the tournament's two partner charities; The Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel and the "I Have a Dream" Foundation-Oregon.
About Peter Jacobsen SPORTS
Founded in 1988, Peter Jacobsen SPORTS, LLC, http://www.peterjacobsensports.com, is a full-service sports and entertainment marketing firm that specializes in event sales, management and operations, sponsorship consulting and player/talent relations. The company is independently owned and has more than 20 full-time employees across three offices – Portland, Ore., Bonita Springs, Fla., and Providence, R.I. Since its inception, PJS has managed more than 250 events around the United States.
About Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank, http://www.umpquabank.com, headquartered in Roseburg, Ore., is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ) and has 184 locations between San Francisco and Seattle, along the Oregon and Northern California Coast, and in Central Oregon and Northern Nevada. Umpqua Bank has been recognized for its innovative customer experience and banking strategy by national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Fast Company and CNBC. The company has been recognized for the past five years in a row on FORTUNE magazine's list of the country's "100 Best Companies To Work For." Umpqua Holdings also owns a retail brokerage subsidiary, Umpqua Investments Inc., which offers services through Umpqua Bank stores and in dedicated offices throughout Oregon. Umpqua's Private Bank Division serves high net worth individuals and non-profits providing customized financial solutions and offerings. Umpqua Holdings Corporation is headquartered in Portland, Ore. For more information, visit http://www.umpquabank.com.