LEXINGTON – The Bluegrass State’s only annual official PGA TOUR tournament, the Barbasol Championship, announced its initial player field today, headlined by five former major championship winners with a total of eight majors between them.
Davis Love III (1997 PGA Championship), Retief Goosen (2001, 2004 U.S. Open), Brittany Lincicome (2009, 2015 ANA Inspiration [LPGA]), Angel Cabrera (2007 U.S. Open, 2009 Masters), and Y.E. Yang (2009 PGA) have all committed to the Barbasol Championship, to be held July 19-22 at Champions at Keene Trace in Nicholasville, just outside Lexington.
“We could not be more pleased with the initial list of player commitments, including these major champions,” said tournament Executive Director Brooks Downing. “With these accomplished stars in the field along with all the young up-and-coming talent on the PGA TOUR, the four days of competition will be very intriguing and entertaining to watch.”
The field of 132 players currently represents more than 150 total PGA TOUR victories as well as multiple Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team appearances. The commitment deadline for players to play in the Barbasol Championship is Friday, July 13.
“This is just a quick view of some of the stars that have signed up on the preliminary list,” Downing added. “We will announce more next week as the list continues to take shape.” The field will not be final until the Friday before the tournament, when all TOUR members must submit their names if they intend to play in the event.
Daily and week-long grounds passes can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. A Thursday grounds pass is $30 with Friday priced at $35 and the Saturday/Sunday rate at $40 per day. A four-day grounds pass can be purchased for $100, with upgraded ticket options available as well.
“Central Kentucky has attracted attention from all over the world for our horse-racing industry, and now we will be attracting worldwide attention for golf,” said Bluegrass Sports Commission President & CEO Brian Miller. “We look forward to showcasing the Bluegrass to local and regional golf fans, and a national and international TV audience.”
Love III’s commitment, previously announced, includes the participation of his son, Dru, a former Alabama standout now striving to gain PGA TOUR eligibility. The elder Love, in addition to his PGA crown, also captured THE PLAYERS Championship in 1992 and 2003 among this 21 TOUR victories, and has served several terms on the PGA TOUR Policy Board as a Player Director.
Goosen, nicknamed “Iceman” for his calm on-course demeanor and affectionately called “Goose,” was the winner of the 2001 and 2004 U.S. Open. The South African is one of the most accomplished international golfers with 36 victories around the world, including seven on the PGA TOUR, and led the PGA European Tour’s Order of Merit (money list) on two occasions. He has been an International team member in the Presidents Cup six times.
Lincicome, also previously announced, is one of the longest hitters on the LPGA, earning her the nickname “Bam Bam.” She will be the fifth LPGA member ever to compete in an official PGA TOUR event. In addition to her two majors, her eight total LPGA wins also include back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018 in the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic.
Cabrera from Argentina has been a member of both the PGA TOUR and European Tour. He captured the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters, and lost in a playoff to Adam Scott in the 2013 Masters. Nicknamed “El Pato” (“The Duck”) for his walking style, Cabrera learned the game as a caddie, and now has 46 professional victories in his career.
Yang has 12 professional victories but his biggest was defeating Tiger Woods in a come-from-behind duel to capture the 2009 PGA Championship. The South Korean is the only Asian-born male to win a major championship. He also captured the 2009 Honda Classic as well as two European Tour wins and five victories on the Japan Tour.
Additional player commitments will be announced over the coming weeks. For detailed tournament information, visit www.barbasolchampionshipky.com