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Calcavecchia, Simpson Commit To Play In 2003 John Deere Classic Former British and U.S. Open Champs Add "Major" Flavor To Quad Cities PGA Tour Event; 2001 Champion David Gossett Also Makes It Official Along with Midwesterners Chris Smith and Skip Kendall Contact Barry Cronin EAST MOLINE, Ill. (August 13, 2003) - Former British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia and former U.S. Open champion Scott Simpson will compete in the 2003 John Deere Classic Sept. 8-14 at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. In addition, 2001 John Deere Classic champion David Gossett officially committed to play in the tournament earlier this week along with Milwaukee native Skip Kendall and Hoosier Chris Smith. "As major champions, Mark Calcavecchia and Scott Simpson represent the kind of high quality veteran players who have helped make the PGA Tour the great success it is today," said John Deere Classic tournament director Clair Peterson. "This will be the first time Mark and Scott have competed at the TPC at Deere Run and, if they are like so many of the pros who have played here, I think they,re really going to enjoy it." The tournament moved to Deere Run from Oakwood CC in 2000. Calcavecchia, winner of the 1989 British Open and 10 other PGA Tour events, will be playing in his 10th Quad Cities event and his first since 1994. This year, the 43-year-old native of Laurel, Nebraska has three top 10 finishes in 17 events - including a T-2 at Houston and a T-9 at The Memorial - and has made 14 cuts. Now a resident of Phoenix, Calcavecchia is ranked 45th on the 2003 money list (as of Aug. 13) with more than $1 million in the bank. He is ranked fourth in birdies, making an average of 4.35 birdies per round, and is 18th in putting with 1.729 putts per green in regulation. Simpson, 47, won the 1987 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club by one stroke over Tom Watson. In 1991, Payne Stewart defeated him in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open at Hazeltine National GC. He has a total of seven PGA Tour victories, including the 1980 Western Open and the 1993 Byron Nelson Classic. vThis year, Simpson has made four cuts in 14 starts, his best finish a tie for 27th at the MCI Heritage tournament at Harbour Town. He is playing on a sponsor's exemption this year. Simpson will be playing in only his second event in the Quad Cities. The only other time he played here was in 1979 when he tied for 65th at Oakwood CC. Gossett made his mark on John Deere Classic history in 2001 when he won on a sponsor's exemption, becoming the tournament's 15th first-time winner by edging Briny Baird by one stroke on the 72nd hole. This year, Gossett, 24, has made 12 cuts in 19, including two top 10 finishes, and stands 76th on the money list with more than $650,000 in winnings. Gossett tied for 10th in the 2002 John Deere Classic. He has played eight rounds at Deere Run, shooting seven rounds in the 60s and one 70. Also returning to the John Deere Classic field this year are fellow Midwesterners Skip Kendall of Milwaukee and Chris Smith of Indianapolis. Kendall, 38, has been having a solid year, making 17 cuts in 21 events, including two top 10s, and winning more than $850,000. This will be his sixth event in the Quad Cities and his second time playing at Deere Run. He missed the cut the last time he was here in 2000. Smith, 34, has made 12 cuts in his 23 events this year with one top 10 finish (at Milwaukee) and $386,888 in winnings so far, good for 123rd on the Tour money list. This will be his fifth tournament in the Quad Cities and his second at Deere Run. He missed the cut in 2000. His lone PGA Tour victory came at the 2002 Buick Classic. |