Bill Haas, 2010 Winner
2003 Bob Hope Classic and Masters champion Mike Weir, former World No. 1 and 1999 Classic champion David Duval, author of the greatest round in Bob Hope Classic history with his final-round 59 in 1999, 1995 Classic champion and 2009 Masters runner-up Kenny Perry, 2008 Classic champion D.J. Trahan and 2009 Classic champion Pat Perez are among the latest PGA TOUR golfers to commit to the 128-player field in next week's 52nd Bob Hope Classic.
This quintet helps to form an established, competitive Bob Hope Classic field that previously announced playing commitments from 2009 British Open winner Stewart Cink, 2010 PGA TOUR money list and scoring average champ and FedExCup runner-up Matt Kuchar, 2007 Classic champion Charley Hoffman (No. 4 in the 2010 FedExCup) and defending Classic champ Bill Haas.
Haas won his first PGA TOUR title at the 2010 Bob Hope Classic and was one of seven golfers to win multiple PGA TOUR events in 2010. Kuchar and Hoffman won 2010 FedExCup Playoff events at The Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship, respectively.
Besides Haas, Kuchar and Hoffman, seven other PGA TOUR champions from 2010 - Bubba Watson, Ryan Palmer, Heath Slocum, Bill Lunde, Derek Lamely, Matt Bettencourt and Cameron Beckman - are expected to play the Bob Hope Classic. Watson and Kuchar tied for second place at last year's Bob Hope Classic, finishing one shot back of Haas' 30-under-par 330 total.
The Bob Hope Classic's early field also includes four 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup players in Kuchar, Cink, Watson and Jeff Overton, and eight players who finished in the top 30 of the 2010 FedExCup playoff standings - Kuchar, Hoffman, Watson, Palmer, Kevin Streelman, Kevin Na, Overton and Bo Van Pelt.
The $5 million Bob Hope Classic's early field now sports 10 of the Classic's past 11 champions. Previously announced Bob Hope Classic champions who have given early commitments to return to the Coachella Valley include Haas, Hoffman, Chad Campbell (2006 Classic champion), Justin Leonard (2005), Joe Durant (2001; set the Classic's 90-hole tournament record at 36-under-par 324), Jesper Parnevik (2000), Mark Brooks (1996) and Steve Jones (1989).
