McCormack, Funk Honored by GWAA

HOUSTON (January 8, 2004) - International Management Group founder Mark McCormack, the man whose handshake deal with Arnold Palmer changed the face of golf, and 2003 Presidents Cup player Fred Funk have been honored with a pair of prestigious awards given by the Golf Writers Association of America.

McCormack, who died last May at the age of 72, won the William D. Richardson Award, given annually to recognize an individual who has consistently made an outstanding contribution to golf. The 47-year-old Funk, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, was the ASAP/Jim Murray Award winner for 2003. That award recognizes a player for cooperation, quotability and for accommodation to the media and for reflecting the most positive aspects of the working relationship between athlete and journalists.

They will be honored at the Annual GWAA Awards Dinner, April 7 in Augusta, Ga.

McCormack's famous handshake deal with Palmer in the early 1960s that formed IMG, an organization that transformed not only golf but the world of sports marketing. McCormack became one of sports' premier powerbrokers and was responsible for, among other things, the evolution of the European Tour, the formation of the Women's British Open, the Senior British Open and the World Match Play event. His empire, which generates an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue each year, also helped drive televised golf and created the World Ranking System.

McCormack's deal with Palmer opened the door for IMG to represent the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player in the early days. He diversified into other sports, including tennis, and modeling. IMG's glitzy client list includes Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Colin Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington and world-reknowned violinist Itzhak Perlman.

McCormack received the PGA of America's Distinguished Service Award in 2001. He received 40 percent of the vote. Jackie Burke, the USGA's Bob Jones Award winner, was second with 24 percent.

Funk, who finished 27th on the 2003 PGA TOUR money list, is one of the most gregarious players on the TOUR. Although he did not win in 2003, he was one of Nicklaus' captain's choices. Funk has been dealing with the media since his days as golf coach at the University of Maryland. He played in a number of U.S. Opens before earning his PGA TOUR card in 1988. His first win came at the 1992 Shell Houston Open.

Funk received 47 percent of the vote. Laura Davies was second with 24 percent.

This is the third year for the ASAP/Jim Murray Award. Previous winners are Nick Price and Arnold Palmer.

Past recipients of the Richardson Award, named for The New York Times' William D. Richardson who was instrumental in the founding of the GWAA in 1946, include Judy Bell, Nancy Lopez, Judy Rankin, Babe Zaharias, Ely Callaway, Ben Hogan, Pres. Dwight Eisenhower, Patty Berg, Gene Sarazen, Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Harvey Penick, Peggy Kirk Bell, Frank Hannigan, Kathy Whitworth and Lee Trevino.

In addition to McCormack and Funk, the 915-member GWAA will also honor their Players of Year - Woods, Sorenstam and Tom Watson - and Ben Hogan Award winner Bruce Edwards at the dinner. Watson will also be honored with the Charlie Bartlett Award. The professional organization takes an active role in protecting the interests of all golf journalists, works closely with all of golf's major governing bodies and the World Golf Hall of Fame and facilitates a scholarship/internship program which is currently helping students at 17 major U.S. universities.

Media Contact:
Melanie Hauser
Golf Writers Association of America
713-782-6664