It’s the silly season in golf, with a number of creative and interesting non-tour events occupying the the schedule. One of those events is the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge, a match play event that pits three members from the LPGA, Champions Tour, and PGA Tour against each other. It’s not a recently-concevied silly season idea, but rather a historic event, as 2012 will be the 21st edition of the 3-Tour Challenge. Some of the biggest names in the history of the game have played in it, and the teams are loaded with familiar American and international names again this year.
Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge 2012: Jason Day, Davis Love III highlight event featuring all 3 tours
The 21st edition of the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge will feature some of the biggest names from all three major American tours.
Gregory Shamus
The PGA Tour team is comprised of Jason Day, Davis Love III and Nick Watney. All three players had successful fall seasons on Tour, and enter the Challenge in form and playing some of their best golf. Day is a talented Aussie who was in contention at almost every major last year. He dropped off a bit in 2012, but has picked up his play recently. Watney had a comparably down year, but salvaged it with a FedExCup win at The Barclays in late August. Love has played a full schedule during the Fall Series and rebounded nicely from the demoralizing collapse at Medinah.
The LPGA team features Natalie Gulbis, Stacy Lewis and Suzann Pettersen. Those are three of the most recognized names on the women’s tour. Pettersen is a deadly consistent Norwegian who’s experienced success all over the world. She has eight career LPGA victories and is constantly at the top of the LPGA money list. Gulbis is Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge mainstay and this will be her seventh straight appearance in the event. Lewis is a major winner and one of the top young players in the LPGA, earning 14 top 10 finishes as she ascended to become the highest ranked American in the game.
The veteran representatives from the Champions Tour will be Fred Funk, Tom Lehman and Bernhard Langer. All three are among the most decorated Champions Tour players. Langer and Lehman have had particular success wiping out the senior competition in recent seasons. The gregarious Funk is always a hit at events like this, and his game is good enough for him to play on both Tours. Langer has been the most dominant player on the senior circuit, earning 16 wins since 2007 -- more than any other player. He was injured and dropped off at the start of this season but is back in shape and healthy for the Challenge. Lehman has been at the top of the Champions Tour money list the past two seasons, and he had 10 top 10 finishes in 2012.
The 3-Tour Challenge, which benefits adoption, will go off on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from Rio Secco Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nev.
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