World No.3 Justin Thomas to make tournament debut in 2020 PNC Championship

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Thomas set to make his debut alongside his father
Posted on
November 6, 2020
by
The Editorial Team in
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The 2020 PNC Championship has confirmed 18 of the 20 players taking part in this yearโ€™s tournament, with 2017 US PGA Champion Justin Thomas set to make his debut alongside his dad, Mike, and defending champions Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason, heading a field rich in major-winners and their family members.

World No.3 Justin Thomas to make tournament debut in 2020 PNC Championship
Justin Thomas during the final round of The CJ Cup @ Shadow Creek.
(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)


Taking place at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes from Dec. 17-20, the recently re-named PNC Championship heads into a new era with a star-studded field that already boasts 49 Major titles and almost 1000 professional wins.


While this yearโ€™s tournament will take place without spectators due to COVID-19 related restrictions, fans will still be able to enjoy watching these A-list golfers and their partners. An extensive broadcast schedule is planned to air on NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock (click here for times.) There also will be enhanced social media coverage across all PNC Championship channels to ensure fans donโ€™t miss out on what continues to be the largest and most impressive gathering of golfโ€™s all-time legends each year.

Golfing royalty Gary Player, Greg Norman, Lee Janzen, Tom Kite, John Daly, Mark Oโ€™Meara, Retief Goosen, Tom Lehman and Vijay Singh are among the many major champions returning to participate in the PNC Championship. Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 Open Champion is also making his debut in the event alongside his son Eric. Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar will play with their sons this year, having previously partnered their fathers. In addition to four-time champion Langer, past champion David Duval returns along with ten-time major winner Annika Sorenstam, who made her debut last year.



Thomas, currently ranked No.3 on the Official World Golf Rankings commented; โ€œI canโ€™t think a better way to close out my golfing year than playing with my dad against so many of the worldโ€™s greatest golfers and their families. It will be a perfect way to finish before the Christmas break, and we are both very excited to make our debut in Orlando!โ€

Sorenstam, who played with her dad Tom in the 2019 edition and they will do so again this year said, โ€œI was thrilled to receive the invite to return to the PNC Championship. It is such a special tournament and my whole family enjoyed every minute of the experience last year, so we all canโ€™t wait to get back there this December.โ€


Padraig Harrington, three-time major winner and current European Ryder Cup Captain said, โ€œโ€œItโ€™s difficult to articulate just how much I appreciate having the opportunity to play alongside my son amongst such an impressive gathering of golfโ€™s legends.โ€

Six-time major winner Lee Trevino hasnโ€™t missed a single tournament since it debuted in 1995. Last year, he matched his best ever finish with a T-6th commented, โ€œThis is the highlight of my year from both a family and golfing point of view, and as long as I am welcome, I will be trying to win that elusive belt!โ€

With two golf stars to be announced shortly, the first 18 confirmed are:

Mark Calcavecchia USA
John DalyUSA
David Duval*USA
Jim FurykUSA
Retief GoosenRSA
Padraig HarringtonIRE
Lee JanzenUSA
Tom KiteUSA
Matt KucharUSA
Bernhard Langer* GER GER
Tom LehmanUSA
Greg Norman AUS AUS
Mark O'MearaUSA
Gary PlayerRSA
Vijay Singh FIJ FIJ
Annika Sorenstam SWE SWE
Justin ThomasUSA
Lee TrevinoUSA

*denotes past winner

Since the inaugural tournament in 1995, when ten major winners gathered with their sons, the Championship has continued to evolve and develop. It now features 20 major champions and their relatives competing for the total purse of $1,085,000 in a two-day 36-hole scramble for the Willie Park Trophy. The 2019 edition was won by two-time major champion Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason.

For over 20 years, the tournament has featured a multitude of family combinations including Father/Son, Father/Daughter, Father/Grandson, Son/Father and more recently, Daughter/Father when Annika Sorenstam paired with her father Tom Sorenstam. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has been the title sponsor of the tournament since 2012. 

To qualify for the PNC Championship, players must have won a major championship or The Players Championship. Their partner must not hold a PGA TOUR card. 

The PNC Championship is operated in partnership by IMG and NBC Sports. 

Past Champions:

1995 โ€“ Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr.
1996 โ€“ Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr.
1997 โ€“ Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr.
1998 โ€“ Bob Charles and David Charles
1999 โ€“ Jack Nicklaus and Gary Nicklaus
2000 โ€“ Raymond Floyd and Robert Floyd
2001 โ€“ Raymond Floyd and Robert Floyd
2002 โ€“ Craig Stadler and Kevin Stadler
2003 โ€“ Hale Irwin and Steve Irwin
2004 โ€“ Larry Nelson and Drew Nelson
2005 โ€“ Bernhard Langer and Stefan Langer
2006 โ€“ Bernhard Langer and Stefan Langer
2007 โ€“ Larry Nelson and Josh Nelson
2008 โ€“ Larry Nelson and Drew Nelson
2012 โ€“ Davis Love III and Davis โ€œDruโ€ Love IV
2013 โ€“ Stewart Cink and Connor Cink
2014 โ€“ Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer
2015 โ€“ Lanny Wadkins and Tucker Wadkins
2016 โ€“ David Duval and Nick Karavites
2017 โ€“ Angel Cabrera and Angel Cabrera, Jr.
2018 โ€“ Davis Love III and Davis โ€œDruโ€ Love IV
2019 โ€“ Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer

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About The Editorial Team

The editorial team at Golf Today strives to provide readers with captivating content that celebrates the rich heritage and exciting developments in the world of golf. Their collective expertise and dedication ensure that Golf Today remains a premier destination for golf enthusiasts seeking the latest news, insightful analysis, and engaging stories from the world of golf.

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