April 16, 2004

WINSTON-SALEM, NC — As the date of Golf?s biggest tournament draws a mere two months away, a large contingent of the 2004 Carl Spackler Open field will convene at Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem, NC this weekend.  This proves once again that the Golden Jacket is the most coveted prize in Golf.

Players hoping to gain an advantage on the rest of the field are past Champions and Champion hopefuls alike.  Just look at the pedigree of these players: 2002 Golfapalooza Champion Jason ?Randy? Watson, Open Member Greg Garrett, 2001 Carl Spackler Open Champ Greg Long, 2002 On Tour Champion Chris Lashley, Open Member Brian Long, and Captain?s Club Member and CEO Jeremy Myers. All of these guys will be inspecting every inch of the course with a tough slope of 135 and a rating of 73.6.

?I?m definitely stepping up my preparation a notch.  I want to prove to myself, and to the golf world, that my 2002 Golfapalooza win was not a fluke.  My game is really coming around right now, and I want that Championship Trophy so badly I can taste it,? proclaimed Jason Watson.  ?This course sets up perfectly for my game,? he added.

?There is no coincidence that most of these guys that are down here 54 days early are also Champions of the On Tour, the CSOC or Golfapalooza.  That?s why I?m here with them.  I want to make sure that I know every nook and cranny of this golf course, and then use that information to form a game plan for June.  Sure, I had a 76 at Thorn Apple in 2002, but I need to do that for three rounds, not just one if I?m going to win the Open this year,? said Greg Garrett.  ?I know what Mickelson felt like before his breakthrough last weekend at the Masters,? added Garrett.

Word has it that Watson has been working feverishly on his bunker play in preparation for the 102 sand traps that guard various areas of the course, and that Garrett, widely known on the On Tour circuit as the best player to never have won a major, is working on his mental preparation with a sports psychologist.  The rest of the field will see just how far ahead of the game they are after they post their scores this weekend.