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RITZ-CARLTON GOLF CLUB – Dove Mountain

Site of the 2012 Southwestern Amateur

SOUTHWESTERN AMATEUR . . . Started in 1915 - the longest running men’s amateur golf championship in the western United States

DESERT MOUNTAIN TO BE FUTURE HOME OF SOUTHWESTERN AMATEUR GOLF TOURNAMENT BEGINNING IN 2013	2012 TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Longest Running Men’s Amateur Tournament in Western United States Finds Four-Year Home at Scottsdale’s Premiere Private Golf and Residential Community	Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain
SCOTTSDALE – The Southwestern Golf Association (SWGA) and Desert Mountain Club, Inc. announced a one-year agreement calling for Desert Mountain to host the Southwestern Amateur Golf Tournament -- the longest running men’s amateur golf tournament in the western United States – beginning in 2013.	The Board of Directors is now making final entry arrangements for the 97th Annual Southwestern Amateur Tournament to be conducted at the home of the PGA Tour's WGC Accenture World Match Play Championship - The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain in Marana (outside Tucson), Arizona.
Terms of the agreement also include three automatic renewals, meaning the tournament will be contested on one of Desert Mountain’s six Jack Nicklaus-designed signature golf courses on a rotating basis through 2016.	Recognized as one of the most-challenging courses the PGA Tour plays each year, the Jack Nicklaus design will certainly test the skills of the best amateur players in the world when in plays host to the the 97th Southwestern Amateur June 12th through 15th, 2012.
The Southwestern Amateur – played each year in mid-June The southwestern United States' most prestigious amateur golf tournament (CLICK HERE FOR FULL RELEASE)	The format will be a 72 hole stroke play event with a cut after 36 holes to the lowest 60 scores and ties. This year's tournament will also include the college team challenge within the overall championship during the first two rounds.

2002 CHAMPION - NICK WATNEY AT 2011 PRESIDENT'S CUP	TOURNAMENT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
2002 Southwestern Amateur Champion Nick Watney recently played in his first President's Cup championship in Melbourne, Australia. Nick continues the long list of previous Southwestern Amateur winners that have gone on to the PGA Tour to become PGA Tour winners and now representatives of the United States during team competitions. Joining previous Southwestern Amateur winners to represent the US in Ryder Cup or President's Cup teams are Mark O'Meara, Corey Pavin, Craig Stadler, and Jay Haas.	The Southwestern Amateur is a men's amateur stroke play golf championship that is annually conducted for top-ranked collegiate, junior, mid-amateur, and senior players from around the United States and throughout the world. Players of international reputation and elite amateurs are invited to play in this highly ranked event. Annually ranked amongst the top 20 amateur golf tournaments conducted in the United States, the tournament has a distinguished list of previous champions and participants.
Many other Southwestern Amateur tournament winners and participants have gone on to great success with victories on the PGA Tour including Ryan Palmer, Jim Carter, Ted Purdy Billy Mayfair, Edward Loar, Rich Beem and Tim Herron.	Over 30 previous participants of this championship have gone on to become champions on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Champions Tour, and European Tour. The partial list of champions also includes US Open, Masters, and British Open winners, including Mark O'Meara, Craig Stadler, Jay Haas and Corey Pavin.
	The tournament has been conducted every year since 1915 with the exception of 2 years during World War II making it the longest running tournament in the western United States. The tournament is also recognized as a leader in attracting international players. Dating back to the early 1970's, the Southwestern Amateur has played host to many different countries national champions and players from national teams. The tournament invites national champions from all nations and provides all national champions with preferred entry status. National champions from Japan, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Mexico, have joined the United States as countries represented in previous years.

Mark O'Meara (Long Beach State) 1980 Southwestern Amateur Champion, 1998 Masters Champion and British Open Champion, 34 Professional Wins (16 PGA Tour)