Six Hall of Famers, 19 major championship winners part of second Galleri Classic field
For David Toms, the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club was a revelation in the first year of hosting a PGA Tour Champions event in 2023, especially the course's most famous hole.
“I obviously knew about the 18th hole, which is an interesting golf hole compared to the rest of the golf course, a little bit different,” Toms said of the par-5 with its island green made famous through 51 years of hosting an LPGA event. “You’ve got so much water on every shot basically. A lot of other holes you don’t have any water at all.”
Toms and the rest of the PGA Tour Champions players will get a second chance to master the Shore Course this week at the second Galleri Classic presented by Spotlight 29 Casino. A year after the senior tour returned to the desert after nearly three decades, the seniors will again play a 54-hole event for a $2.2 million purse.
Toms, who won by four shots at 16-under 200 last year thanks to opening and closing rounds of 7-under 65, will lead a field of 78 golfers. The field includes six World Golf Hall of Famers, 19 winners of major championships on the regular tour, 54 players who won at least once on the regular tour and 50 players who have won on the PGA Tour Champions.
More: Bernhard Langer's absence from Galleri Classic a reminder of how good he's been
Among the top players in the field are Steve Stricker, who was the 2023 PGA Tour Champions player of the year with six wins including three majors. Other top names include Fred Couples, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, Darren Clarke, John Daly, David Duval, Jim Furyk and Mark Calcavecchia, all major championship winners.
Calcavecchia is in a group of golfers making their debut in the desert senior event, along with Notah Begay III and two other major winners, Justin Leonard and Mark O’Meara.
Other top names include Steven Alker, the 2022 tour player of the year and a winner already this year,
Tee times run from 8:20 a.m. to 10:26 a.m. each day on the first and 10th tees of the Shore Course in Rancho Mirage.
Stricker a favorite
Stricker, who finished tied for fifth in the inaugural event last March, returns to the event as a newly signed ambassador for Grail, the title sponsor.
"My game hasn't been quite up to speed where I would like it. But I turned the corner," said Stricker, who is looking for his first win of 2024.
Stricker said the seniors enjoyed the inaugural event, especially the golf course.
"It's a perfect sport for us. The course is immaculate," Stricker said. "There is not a blade of grass out of place. It's a great venue. The type of people, the demographic, it's an older generation who lives here, and we are old, too."
As for the course, Stricker said it is a style of course that the senior pros are familiar with.
Stricker might have an advantage on the Shore Course, since he has caddied for his daughter the last few years in LPGA qualifying, though that is in August in high temperatures.
"It is a wonderful course, no matter what level you are at," Stricker said. "There is room to hit it, but not a lot of room. If you want to be able to score here, you have to play out of the fairways. The greens, they can hide some of the pins on the greens. They are fair. It is kind of right in front of you. There is nothing tricky about it, but it is a good challenge."
Fred Couples, who once lived at Mission Hills and still lives in the desert, said he's pleased the senior tour is back in the desert, particularly at the Shore Course.
"I played this course a lot with John Cook and (baseball star) George Brett, and it was always fun to be here." Couples said.
"I'm so happy we have a tournament here now," Couples added. "I'm old and a cripple, but I played last year and hopefully I have a couple more years of playing in this thing. It's great for the town, great for the community. A lot of old friends. What is it, high 70s today. It's beautiful."
Michelle Delancy, tournament director for the Galleri Classic, said she was pleased with the first year of the event, especially the crowds that showed up for the first PGA Tour Champions event in the desert in three decades.
“We are hopeful the same group of crowds or larger crowds will show up this year,” Delancy said. “We also learned that people like to buy their tickets closer to the event as they learn more about the event. Our pricing is affordable to many ($30 daily tickets). Kids under 15 get in free, military gets in free with two guests. So trying to get to where it is an affordable ticket and people can brings their guests.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Six Hall of Famers, 19 major championship winners part of second Galleri Classic field
