The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Over the course of his legendary career, Jack Nicklaus has contributed as much, or more, as anyone to the game of golf, and this summer Canadian fans will be able to help pay tribute to him when the Golden Bear returns to Canada to play in the TELUS Skins Game July 4-5 at Whistler's Nicklaus North Golf Course.Ê Nicklaus will be participating in the event just one week before playing in his final British Open at St. Andrews. Also joining Nicklaus in the foursome competing for $360,000 in prize money will be Canadian PGA Tour player Stephen Ames, who has been rocketing up the Golf World Rankings over the past two seasons.Ê They will be joining Vijay Singh and John Daly, who were both announced previously. "Each year, the TELUS Skins Game is a highlight of the Canadian summer sporting schedule, and on behalf of Canadian fans, we thought it was important this year to thank Jack Nicklaus for everything he has given to the game of golf," said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO.Ê "This year's event will be a celebration of the game, and one of the men who made it great. We're thrilled to be able to share this event with golf fans from all corners of the country." This year's event will mark Nicklaus' third appearance in the Canadian Skins Game.Ê He participated in the inaugural event in 1993 at Devil's Pulpit in Caledon, Ontario and again in 1997 at Nicklaus North Golf Course, a course that he himself designed.Ê For Stephen Ames, 2005 will be his first appearance in the event and he becomes the third Canadian to participate, joining Mike Weir (1998-2002) and Ian Leggatt (2003).Ê "I'm looking forward to returning to Canada's TELUS Skins Game and to Nicklaus North," said Nicklaus.Ê "I've always enjoyed my long association with Canada and its people, whether it be the decades I competed in the Canadian Open, designing golf courses, or just coming up with Barbara and the family to fish.Ê Nicklaus North is a fabulous course in a beautiful setting.Ê I think it will be a good test for Vijay, John, Stephen and certainly myself." Nicklaus dominated professional golf in the 1960's and 70's compiling a list of career accomplishments that have become the standard by which most of today's players are measured.Ê He won 18 professional major championships, including a record number of Masters titles (six).Ê He is tied for the most PGA Championship (five) and U.S. Open (four) victories.Ê Nicklaus has also earned three British Open titles, making him the only person to win each of the Grand Slam tournaments at least three times. In fact, only four players (Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Tiger Woods) won the career Grand Slam once, and Nicklaus is the only golfer in history to do so on both the regular and senior tours.Ê Ames, who will turn 41 on April 28, enjoyed a career year on the PGA Tour in 2004.Ê He had a career-best 11 top-10 finishes, including his first Tour victory at the Cialis Western Open in July, and finished the year eighth on the Tour money list. Over the years, the Skins Game line-up has included many of the biggest names in golf, including: Nick Price, Ray Floyd, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Ben Crenshaw, Greg Norman, John Daly, Ernie Els, Mark O'Meara, Mike Weir, Ian Leggatt, David Duval, Sergio Garcia, Hank Kuehne, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson, the winner of the 2004 TELUS Skins Game.
