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Couples, Jimenez and Montgomerie to Play in 2016 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic

2016-03-18
Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic

Two Hall of Famers and “The Most Interesting Man in Golf” to headline PGA TOUR Champions event

Biloxi, Miss. (March 18, 2016) – Fred Couples, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Colin Montgomerie will headline a field of 26 of the top 30 money winners from the PGA Tour Champions in the 2016 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic later this month.

Couples, a 2013 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, is the 2012 MGRC champion. He has a career round average of 69.75 in four appearances at Fallen Oak. He won his first time out, and has finished T12, 5th and T15 the last three years. He has 11 PGA TOUR Champions career victories, and 15 PGA TOUR wins, including the 1992 Masters Tournament.

Jimenez, known as “the most interesting man in golf,” will be playing a second straight year after finishing T22 last year. A native of Spain, he has two PGA TOUR Champions victories in nine career starts, including the 2015 Mitsubishi Electric Championship. He has 21 international victories, and finished tied for 4th at The Masters in 2014.

Montgomerie, a 2013 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, makes his third straight trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, finishing T6 and T5 his first two starts. A native of Scotland, he won three PGA TOUR Champions majors, the 2014 and 2015 Senior PGA Championship and the 2014 U.S. Senior Open. He has recorded 50 career victories.

The tournament has generated over $90 million in direct economic impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast since its inception in 2010 and last year surpassed the $1 million mark in total charitable giving. The three-day tournament is scheduled to air on the Golf Channel once again this year, exposing the region and its attractions to a live national and international television audience.

The final field of players will be announced later today. The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, which is presented by C Spire, will be held from March 28 – April 3 at Fallen Oak in Biloxi, Mississippi. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased online at http://www.2016mgrc.com or by contacting the tournament office at 228.896.6365. Children 16 and under accompanied by a ticketed adult receive free admission. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

ABOUT THE MISSISSIPPI GULF RESORT CLASSIC
In addition to C Spire as the tournament’s presenting sponsor, the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic is uniquely funded by a group of 11 consortium partners who view the event as an ideal way to promote the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The 2016 consortium partners are C Spire, Mississippi Power, Beau Rivage Hotel & Resort-Fallen Oak, IP Resort & Spa, F.E.B. Distributing, Habitat for Humanity, Hard Rock Biloxi, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, Hancock Bank, Hollywood Gulf Coast/Boomtown, Coca-Cola and Roy Anderson Corp. The tournament is administered through the MGRC Foundation, Inc. and will benefit Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.