PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco conducted annually at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Id. was awarded with the Web.com Tour’s Best Pro-Am Experience Award at the PGA TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on Thursday, December 7 in Boca Raton, Fla.
 
“We are honored to present the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco with this wonderful award,” said Web.com Tour President Dan Glod. “The tournament team did an incredible job creating a first-class experience for both amateur players and Web.com Tour professionals and we’re pleased to recognize their efforts.”
 
As the Web.com Tour event with the Best Pro-Am Experience the Albertsons Boise Open delivered on numerous fronts, including:

• Hershey Pro-Am Monday & Tuesday
• Pro-Am dinner and concert featuring Little Big Town
• Three premier golf courses hosting Pro-Am competition

 
“This is a tremendous honor to receive the award for best Pro-Am Experience,” said Albertsons Boise Open Executive Director Jeff Sanders. “It’s always a special week with the pressure of the Web.com Tour Finals and we look forward each year to creating a premier Pro-Am experience to compliment that.” The 2018 Albertsons Boise Open will return to Hillcrest Country Club September 13-16. 

By Chris Langrill
Special to the Idaho Statesman


At the end of the day, Chesson Hadley had a smile on his face.

But it took awhile for that smile to come to fruition.

Hadley began the fourth round of the Boise Open five strokes off the lead, but the Raleigh, N.C., golfer birdied three of the final four holes to rally down the stretch and win the golf tournament Sunday at Hillcrest Country Club.

“It’s stressful,” said Hadley, who finished at 16-under after shooting a final-round 65 on Sunday. “Your heart is beating out of your chest, you’re trying to breathe, you’re trying to get it under control.”

To make matters worse for Hadley, he had to wait for four groups to finish their rounds before he knew he had nailed down the win and the $180,000 check that came with the victory. It was Hadley’s fourth victory on the Web.com Tour.

“I kind of came out of nowhere,” Hadley said. “There were a lot of guys that I had to beat, to leapfrog and get into first place.”

Jonathan Randolph, playing in the final pairing, stood on the 17th tee knowing he needed to make up two shots to force a playoff. He finished par-birdie, and Hadley finally allowed himself to soak in the win.

“You know the … chance that you’re going to win is 90 percent, 95 percent but you cannot think that way,” Hadley said. “If I were to go into a playoff, Randolph or whoever it would be, would have such an advantage over me, because there could be a letdown, and he would be ecstatic.”

But the playoff didn’t come to fruition, and Hadley is heading back to the PGA Tour next season. He leads the Web.com Tour Finals money list with $207,000 after two of the four events in the Finals. The lanky Georgia Tech graduate lost his PGA Tour card in 2016, and has now played his way back on to golf’s biggest stage.

“Next year’s about taking the next step,” Hadley said. “I think next year will be a big year for me.”

It will also be a big year for Tyler Duncan. The 28-year-old Purdue graduate led after the second and third rounds, but he was one of the players Hadley passed on his way to victory.

But Duncan, like Hadley, was smiling at the end of the day. That’s because he had bumped up his earnings in the Finals to $43,157, more than enough to ensure a PGA Tour card of his own next season. It will be a whole new world for Duncan, who finished in a tie for fifth at 12-under.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” Duncan said. “It’s just something I haven’t felt before. It’s difficult, because the way that I finished is a little disappointing, but this is a great feeling.”

And he’s going to be experiencing another great feeling in the near future: He’s getting married soon.

“I’m just looking forward to the wedding (on Oct. 21) and the PGA Tour,” Duncan said.
As for Randolph, all he could do at the end of the day was tip his hat to Hadley.

“I did everything I could do, and kudos to him,” said Randolph, who has played 52 PGA Tour events and earned his way back on the Tour as he finished one stroke behind Hadley (and netted an $88,000 check).

Meridian resident and former Boise State golfer Troy Merritt shot a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for ninth at 11-under. Merritt has earned $22,375 in the first two events of the Web.com Tour Finals.

“It takes $32,000 to $35,000 to get your golf card back in these four events,” Merritt said. “So, a couple more solid weeks and we’ll be back on the PGA Tour.”

150 of the World’s Best Golfers to Play Hillcrest Country Club

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco returns to Hillcrest Country Club September 14-17. The event will be the second of four Web.com Tour Finals events where players compete for one of the 25 PGA TOUR cards available.

Boise, ID (August 7, 2017)—Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco Media Day hosted by Coca-Cola was held today at Hillcrest Country Club. The 2017 edition marks the 28th consecutive year the tournament will be held in Boise making it one of the longest standing tournaments on the Web.com Tour with the highest purse on Tour of $1 MILLION. The event included tournament updates in addition to a press conference featuring special guest Alex Prugh.

Prugh hails from Spokane, Washington and attended the University of Washington where he played four years on the Men’s Golf Team and was twice named to the All-Pac-10 team. Prugh was in the field last year in Boise where he carded rounds of 68-67-66-72 and finished in a tie for 24th. Looking ahead to this year’s tournament Prugh stated “Boise is a special place in September and I especially enjoy the Pacific Northwest in the fall.” When asked about the golf tournament Prugh said, “This has become a favorite amongst the guys on Tour. We circle this one at the beginning of the season.” Prugh currently ranks [   ] on the season-long money list and will look to continue his fine form heading into Boise.

As a Finals event this year’s field will once again include the top 75 players on the Web.com Tour Money List and those players ranked 126-200 in the PGA TOUR FedExCup standings. Last year’s Albertsons Boise Open was won by Michael Thomspon who closed with consecutive rounds of 64 over the weekend. Finishing T-4 was fan favorite Andrew “Beef” Johnston who elected to play the Web.com Tour Finals in an effort to secure his PGA TOUR status for the upcoming season. Johnston did so on the strength of his solid finish in Boise. Other notables in the field included Mackenzie Hughes, Xander Schauffele and 2016 Player of the Year Wesley Bryan each of whom have won during their PGA TOUR rookie seasons. “As a finals event we’re able to bring one of the strongest fields of the season to Boise” said Albertsons CEO Bob Miller. “With established PGA TOUR champions and the game’s future stars, this year’s tournament promises to be as exciting as ever.” Many of golf’s biggest names have played in Boise over the years including Bubba Watson (2005), Jason Day (2006), Justin Thomas (2014) and Rickie Fowler (2009) who made his professional debut at Hillcrest.

Albertsons Boise Open Executive Director Jeff Sanders announced the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave set to debut in 2017. Blue Cross of Idaho has pledged $40 for each birdie made throughout the week. “The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco has always been a charity driven event and we are excited to continue that tradition in 2017” said Executive Director Jeff Sanders. “We have been able to help some remarkable organizations throughout our 28 years here and we’re thrilled to have Blue Cross of Idaho on board to thank the men and women who protect us each day.” The Patriots Outpost will be open during play Thursday through Sunday and features catered lunch courtesy of Albertsons. Admission is free to all past and present Military members, Police and Fire Fighters and their families. Tournament week will begin Monday September 11th with the Blue Cross of Idaho 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at 12:00 PM around the tenth tee.

The tournament will also host the Idaho Statesman Junior Clinic presented by Tyson Foods on Wednesday September 13th beginning at 5:00 PM. Admission and parking are free and the clinic will be held on the driving range at Hillcrest Country Club. Litehouse Foods Family Day will be held on Saturday from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Pepsi Pavilion with complimentary games, face painting and more! Litehouse Foods, an Idaho based family owned company will be providing free samples of their fresh and delicious offerings to all specatators. Children under 17 are admitted free with a ticketed adult throughout the week. The Pepsi Pavilion and Albertsons tent will be open for the duration of the tournament Thursday through Sunday featuring free samples, and a variety of dining options. Sunday features Breakfast at Hillcrest presented by Yoplait and Nature Valley. Breakfast begins at 9:00 AM and is complimentary to all ticket holders.

2016 was a landmark year for the tournament off the course as well. The event raised $1.4 MILLION for charity, marking the tenth consecutive year the tournament raised more than $1 MILLION. “This event has become a fixture in the Boise community over the years” said Sanders. “Giving back to the community that surrounds us is of the utmost importance.” With the $1.4 MILLION raised last year the Albertsons Boise Open has now raised $20 MILLION for the Treasure Valley community since the inaugural event in 1990. A large portion of these charitable funds are raised through the Tyson Foods TICKETS Fore CHARITIES program which directs 100% of tournament ticket sales to charity. For more information visit AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

Media and Fans can follow the Albertsons Boise Open on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco announces the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave Program set to benefit local Police, Fire and Military charities.  
  
Boise, ID (August 7, 2017)—Today at the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco Media Day hosted by Coca-Cola tournament officials announced the launch of the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program. This new campaign raises charitable funds by collecting per-birdie pledges from corporations and individuals in the area. The Title Sponsor, Blue Cross of Idaho has committed $40 per birdie throughout the week. Last year saw 1,610 birdies made by PGA TOUR professionals and with this initiative, funds raised will go towards local police, fire and military charities. The tournament has set a goal of $100 per birdie for the inaugural campaign.

Benefiting charities of the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave include the Boise Firefighters Local 149 Burnout Fund, Boise Rescue Mission, Mission 43, Veteran Golfers Association and Boise Police Activities League. “We feel strongly that it is important to honor those who protect and serve our community” said Tournament Executive Director Jeff Sanders. “We are excited to launch the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program this year and raise money for those who sacrifice so much for our safety.” The Boise community is invited to join Blue Cross of Idaho and Albertsons in raising money for Boise’s brave and can do so by visiting AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

New leaderboards will be featured on the 17th and 18th holes this year at Hillcrest Country Club and will provide updates on money raised by the Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program throughout the week. The 17th green will feature an American Flag, tended by military personnel. New this year the Patriots Outpost will be located on the 17th green and will feature complimentary lunch along with some of the best views on the course. This venue is open to all active Police, Fire and Military members free of admission.

The 28th Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco will open on Monday, September 11th with the Blue Cross of Idaho 9/11 Memorial Ceremony. Set to include a performance of “America the Beautiful,” and the Military Honor Guard raising the American Flag. This special ceremony will provide a patriotic start to the week and mark the kick-off of the inaugural Blue Cross of Idaho Birdies for the Boise Brave program. The ceremony will begin at 12:00 PM and is being held around the scenic tenth tee at Hillcrest Country Club.

Media and Fans can follow the Albertsons Boise Open on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The birdie putt on the seventh hole Sunday was from 24-1/2 feet. When it dropped, Si Woo Kim knew he stood alone atop THE PLAYERS Championship leaderboard. Then something unexpected happened in the pressure-packed environment on one of golf’s most challenging tests.

Kim got comfortable.

Wait, let’s amend that.

Kim – the youngest active player on the PGA TOUR — got comfortable.

Comfort is not supposed to be an option, not here, not at TPC Sawgrass, and especially not for 21-year-olds with limited experience in these matters. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course is meant to rattle your cages, test your mettle, fray your nerves.

But on a Sunday afternoon when the heat is usually ramped up, Kim became the coolest player on the course. Calm. In control.

“Once he got the lead,” said his caddie, Mark Carens, “that was the least pressure he felt.”

So for his final 11 holes, while his chasers struggled to keep pace and make him sweat, the Korean-born Kim — who now lives in Dallas, Texas – piloted a steady ship, deftly relying on his scrambling ability to bail him out of any precarious situations. He never stumbled, eventually producing a bogey-free 3-under 69 and a 10-under total – good enough to make him the youngest champ in PLAYERS history.

The statistic that most reflects his winning round was easy to identify: Kim missed 10 greens in regulation, and successfully scrambled each time. Three of those were out of greenside bunkers — and each one was a thing of beauty.

“If you are on your game and playing well, that’s the things you do,” said Louis Oosthuizen, his playing partner Sunday. “You up-and-down when you’re in trouble. You don’t give shots away. If you can do that around this golf course, you can outscore everyone.

“And he played like someone that was doing it for five or six years, like it was just another round of golf. … Never once did he look flustered.”

That’s surprising, given his age. But then, he seems to be a player who’s ahead of the curve.

Kim gained his TOUR card through q-school at age 17-1/2 – and then had to wait a half-year before reaching the mandatory age of 18 to play on TOUR. After spending two years on the Web.com Tour, he regained his TOUR card for the 2015-16 season and made a big early impression on his caddie. In his fourth start, he opened with consecutive bogey-free rounds (sound familiar?) en route to a tie for 17th.

“It was unbelievable,” Carens said.

Then at the Wyndham Championship last August, in just his 23rd start on TOUR, Kim shot a second-round 60 – he missed a 50-foot putt on his final hole for a 59. He eventually won that week in convincing fashion, by five strokes in a final round that seemed eerily familiar to how THE PLAYERS unfolded. Once Kim snagged the lead, he never let it go.

He credits the week at Sedgefield with helping him deal with Sunday’s pressure. He said knowing he had a two-year exemption on TOUR freed him up to be more aggressive. (Of course, by winning THE PLAYERS, he now has another five years.)

“Because of that experience,” Kim said through his interpreter, “I could be relieved and I could be very stable. I just focused on myself and I didn’t try to think about others’ scores.”

There wasn’t much to think about, honestly.

Third-round co-leaders Kyle Stanley and J.B. Holmes, playing in the final group, were a collective 15 over. Most of that was on Holmes, who shot a 12-over 84. The previous two PLAYERS winners, Rickie Fowler and Jason Day, shot 79 and 80, respectively. The two players who did shoot lower than Kim on Sunday — Brendan Steele and FedExCup leader/world No. 1 Dustin Johnson — started too far back to make noise.

Oosthuizen and Ian Poulter supplied the most pressure, both making their biggest moves at the par-5 11th. Oosthuizen eagled the hole to go to 7 under; Poulter birdied it to reach 9 under. But Poulter quickly gave the stroke back on the next hole and Oosthuizen stumbled with consecutive bogeys.

Both had the edge on Kim in experience, especially in dealing with intense situations – Oosthuizen’s an Open champ, Poulter’s a Ryder Cup star. But they could not match Kim on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, instead finishing tied for second, three strokes separating them from the winner.

“You have to take your hat off,” Poulter said. “You have to respect some good golf, and that’s exactly what he’s done.”

The performance speaks for itself, but in some ways, Kim’s win was most unexpected.

Consider his Strokes Gained rankings – the TOUR’s primary method to reflect a player’s performance in certain areas against the field — coming into this week:
Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee – ranked 205th.
Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green – ranked 203rd.
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green – ranked 204rd.
Strokes Gained: Putting – ranked 183rd.
Strokes Gained: Total – ranked 203rd.

His only solid category was Around-the-Green, in which he ranked 41st, a reflection of his short-game prowess.

Noting the statistics, the Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee called Kim’s win “perhaps the greatest upset you’ll ever see.” TPC Sawgrass, Chamblee added, “puts everybody on edge, pretty much turns it into a scrambling contest – and he won it.”

But perhaps we shouldn’t view this win as a huge surprise. You don’t just stumble into two TOUR wins before reaching the age of 22. Perhaps Kim is the next great Korean star, following in the footsteps of another PLAYERS champ, his mentor K.J. Choi. After all, Kim’s done something not even his more celebrated 20-somethings Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy can claim – winning at TPC Sawgrass.

Unlike Spieth and McIlroy, though, Kim must one day put his golf career on hold to fulfill the mandatory military service for his country. Considering how he played this week, how bright his future is now, it will be a shame to see him go.

Hopefully it won’t happen soon. Plenty of opportunities – big opportunities – await, including the Presidents Cup later this year. The International Team has a new star to lean on.

“He’s still young and he was just so calm today,” said the South African Oosthuizen, an International fixture. “He’s going to be great to have as a teammate.”

Having just spent 18 holes with the young man, it’s evident Oosthuizen would rather be playing with him than against him.

May 14, 2017
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

The SBS Tournament of Champions kicks off the 2017 PGA TOUR calendar year this week on the island of Maui. This elite field is comprised of 32 PGA TOUR winners and is reserved for 2016 champions only. 25 of these 32 players are Boise Open alums once again proving that the path to PGA TOUR stardom runs directly through Boise. Two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson will tee it up in Hawaii, he finished T11 at the 2005 Albertsons Boise Open. World number one and three time winner in 2016 Jason Day also has a spot in the field, Day opened with a round of 65 at Hillcrest Country Club where he competed in the 2006 Boise Open.

Young stars such as Daniel Berger (’14 Boise Alum), Justin Thomas (’14) and Mackenzie Hughes (’16) will all be in the field as the odds are heavily in the Boise Alum’s favors. 2005 Albertsons Boise Open Champion Greg Chalmers seeks a win to kick off the New Year. He earned his spot in the Tournament of Champions with his first PGA TOUR victory at the age of 42. Stay tuned as the Boise Alums seek to be crowned the Champion of Champions in Maui!

Hillcrest Country Club- Boise, ID- The longest running event on the Web.com Tour has set a lofty standard over the past 26 years. Stars like Michelle Wie, Rickie Fowler, and John Daly have all teed it up at Hillcrest. Young guns Justin Thomas, Smylie Kaufman and Daniel Berger have each played in the Boise Open and gone on to win PGA TOUR titles in the same calendar year. The history of the Albertsons Boise Open is rich, here’s what we did this year to add to that history.

$1 Million to Charity… Again The Albertsons Boise Open generated well over $1 Million for Treasure Valley Charities again this year bringing the total since the inaugural Boise Open to $20 Million directly benefiting the local community. Tickets FORE Charity recipients receive their proceeds on a monthly basis throughout the year meaning the Albertsons Boise Open benefits the Treasure Valley Community well beyond tournament week. With $20 Million raised and a bright future ahead, the Albertsons Boise Open continues to give back to the community that embraces it each year.

Bagger of the year goes to… Web.com Tour stars Trey Mullinax, JT Poston and a host of others got a jump on the competition, putting their shopping skills to the test down the street from Hillcrest at the neighborhood Albertsons store. Roberto Diaz took home the title, however most importantly Tickets FORE Charity partner Tyson Foods donated an entire truck load of frozen chicken to the Idaho Food Bank.

And then there was the golf… Allenby, Villegas, Stallings. The caliber of names had never been higher here in Boise with well over 30 combined PGA TOUR wins amongst the field. However there was one name who grabbed the 36 hole lead and with it the title of fan favorite this week in Boise. Andrew “Beef” Johnston (pictured) drew quite a following over the weekend en route to a solo fourth place finish. Chants of “Beef” echoed around the fairways of Hillcrest, and they will continue to ring on the PGA TOUR next year as Johnston locked up his PGA TOUR card for next season with his strong showing in Boise. Sunday saw plenty of drama as Stallings, Miguel Angel Carballo and eventual champion Michael Thompson all held the lead at one point. Trailing by multiple shots late Sunday, Thompson kept the pedal down and closed with a 64 to slam the door and leave Boise with his PGA TOUR status solidified for next season. From missing the playoffs on the PGA TOUR to having his name displayed in Times Square it was a whirlwind week for Thompson, and we are proud to have him as our champion of the 27th Albertsons Boise Open.

See you next year Boise! Next September the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco returns as part of the Web.com Tour Finals. This assures another stellar field teeing it up with fall in the air at Hillcrest Country Club. Mark your calendars and watch as the names we saw here in Boise top the leader boards on the PGA TOUR next season.

Eight awards handed out at PGA TOUR’s annual Tournament Meetings in Miami

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The Web.com Tour honored six tournaments, a volunteer and a charity at the PGA TOUR’s annual Tournament Meetings on Wednesday, December 2 in Miami, Fla. with the unveiling of the season-ending Tournament Awards.

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco – one of the Tour’s original events dating back to 1990 – claimed the prestigious President’s Award, given annually to the Tournament of the Year.

“On behalf of the Web.com Tour, I am pleased to present the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco with the 2015 President’s Award,” said Web.com Tour President Bill Calfee. “Jeff Sanders and his team have delivered one of our top events for over 25 years, and eclipsed their own lofty standards this past year on a number of successful fronts.”

As the winner of the President’s Award, the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco succeeded in putting forth a top-notch tournament in many key areas, including:

• Player and fan experience during both tournament and Pro-Am rounds.
• Sales activation within the local and national markets.
• Social media campaigns used to drive attendance and engagement.
• Charitable efforts benefitting the local community through tournament initiatives.
• Volunteer support, sponsor experience, board engagement, revenue generation, title sponsor integration, community engagement and overall event presentation.

Below is the complete list of award-winning tournaments:
President’s Award (Tournament of the Year)
Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco

Best Social Media Campaign
Rex Hospital Open

Best Player Experience
BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation

Best Pro-Am Experience
Air Capital Classic presented by Aetna

Outstanding Achievement Award
Digital Ally Open

TRUCK Award
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship

Volunteer of the Year
Bob Bidwell (Rex Hospital Open)

Charity of the Year
The Arc of the Ozarks (Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper)

The Web.com Tour will kick off its 27th season in January of next year.

The 2016 Web.com Tour season will kick off in Panama City, Panama with the Panama Claro Championship.

###

ABOUT THE ALBERTSONS BOISE OPEN PRESENTED BY KRAFT & NABISCO
The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco is one of only four Web.com Tour events that have existed since the Tour’s inception in 1990, and the event has played host to many of golf’s current superstars.  The Albertsons Boise Open is much more than a golf tournament, having provided over $18 Million to Idaho non-profit organizations in its history.  In addition, the tournament showcases Boise and the State of Idaho to millions of viewers nationally and internationally on Golf Channel.  The Albertsons Boise Open returns to Hillcrest Country Club September 12-18, 2016.  Next year will mark a new and exciting chapter, as the tournament will become one of the four prestigious Web.com Tour Finals events. The 2016 Albertsons Boise Open will feature its strongest field to date as the Top 75 Web.com Tour players from the regular season will battle it out with 75 PGA TOUR players for their 2016-2017 PGA TOUR cards.  Thanks to the Tyson Foods TICKETS Fore CHARITY program, 100% of all ticket sales support local charities.  For more information, please visit www.AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

ABOUT THE WEB.COM TOUR
Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Web.Com Tour continues to identify those players who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage. In 2013, the Web.com Tour became The Path to the PGA TOUR with all 50 available PGA TOUR cards coming through the Web.com Tour and the season culminating at the four-event Web.com Tour Finals. Web.com became the Tour’s umbrella sponsor on June 27, 2012. A 10-year agreement (through 2021) is in place. The Tour is in its 26th year of competition in 2015. Three out of four PGA TOUR members are Web.com Tour alumni. Tour alumni have won 425 PGA TOUR titles, including 21 majors and five PLAYERS Championships. The PGA TOUR, through the efforts of its tours and their tournaments, sponsors, players and volunteers, surpassed $2 billion in charitable giving in Jan. 2014. To learn more about the PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour and to follow the season-long quest for a PGA TOUR card, visit PGATOUR.COM, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco will become part of the four-event, season-culminating Web.com Tour Finals in September of 2016 in Boise, and Albertsons also announced an extension through 2019

(Boise, ID  –  July 7, 2015) –  Albertsons executives, sponsors, special guests, and tournament organizers gathered tonight at Boise Centre on the Grove for the annual Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco Pro-Am Dinner.  Albertsons Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Miller announced that the Albertsons Boise Open will become one of four Web.com Tour Finals events on the 2016 schedule, greatly elevating its stature and moving the event back to September beginning next year.  Having long been referred to as one of the most prestigious events on the Web.com Tour, the Albertsons Boise Open purse will now reflect that reputation, as it will be tied for the largest Web.com Tour purse at $1 Million.  Miller also announced an extension for the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco through 2019.

Given its new position on the Web.com Tour schedule beginning in 2016, the Albertsons Boise Open will receive attention from national and international golf communities.  The Web.com Tour Finals, a four-tournament playoff series similar to the format of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup, features the Top 75 players from the regular season Web.com Tour money list, and matches them up against the players ranked #126-200 on the PGA TOUR.  Therefore, for the first time in history, many current PGA TOUR players will be in the 2016 Albertsons Boise Open field.  At the conclusion of the Web.com Tour Finals, the Top 50 on the Finals money list earn their PGA TOUR cards for the following season.

The Albertsons Boise Open has brought some of golf’s greatest up and coming talent to the area over the years while also playing a vital role in helping local charities. CEO Bob Miller said, “We are very pleased to continue this great tradition here in our home town, and are thrilled to have the event become part of the prestigious Web.com Tour Finals. I have watched this tournament evolve and the competition get tougher and tougher with each year, and I’ve also been able to see the positive impact of this event on hundreds of charities throughout the Treasure Valley. We’re thrilled to be part of it and are excited to announce that it’s moving back to September next year and is here to stay.”

Jeff Sanders, Executive Director of the Albertsons Boise Open, said, “This all started from a one year agreement back in 1989, and I’m proud to say that 26 years later, it’s become a tradition. I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams back in 1989 we would be still going strong with Albertsons as our original title sponsor. Albertsons’ title sponsorship has made it all possible. We are excited about the opportunity to showcase the amazing talent of both PGA TOUR and Web.Com Tour players in Boise and to continue to play a major role in providing much needed charity dollars to the Boise community for years to come. Our sights are set on reaching $25 Million to Treasure Valley organizations by the end of 2019. Albertsons has been such a great title sponsor for 26 years and we are very grateful to Bob Miller and the Executive Team for the decision to keep it going.”

The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco has given over $18 Million to hundreds of Treasure Valley charities since 1990, an all-time record on the Web.com Tour, and it has given over $1 million to charities in each of the last 9 years.
The Albertsons Boise Open has a fantastic week of activities in store this week at Hillcrest Country Club.  Michelob Ultra Rockin’ the Fairway, a three-part live music series on-site at Hillcrest Country Club this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings featuring Marcus Eaton, Pilot Error, and the David Andrews Band at the conclusion of golf action. Family Day featuring games, mascots, face painting, snow cones, and reptile shows will take place on Saturday from 11 AM – 3 PM.  The Free Bisquick Pancake Breakfast for all ticket holders will be Sunday beginning at 9 AM.  The Patriots’ Outpost hospitality area, open to all active, retired, and reserve military and their families, will be open Thursday to Sunday beginning at 10 AM.  For more information or to buy tickets, please visit www.AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

MEDIA CONTACT
Jeff Sanders
Albertsons Boise Open Executive Director
JSanders@lagardere-se.com
(503) 924-6200

David Babcock
Albertsons Boise Open Tournament Director
DBabcock@lagardere-se.com
(503) 924-6202


ABOUT THE ALBERTSONS BOISE OPEN PRESENTED BY KRAFT & NABISCO
The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco is one of only four Web.com Tour events that have existed since the Tour’s inception in 1990, and the event has played host to many of golf’s current superstars.  The Albertsons Boise Open is much more than a golf tournament, having provided over $18 Million to Idaho non-profit organizations in its history.  In addition, the tournament showcases Boise and the State of Idaho to millions of viewers nationally and internationally on Golf Channel.  The Albertsons Boise Open returns to Hillcrest Country Club July 9-12, 2015.  Thanks to the Tyson Foods TICKETS Fore CHARITY™ program, 100% of all ticket sales support local charities.  For more information, please visit www.AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com.

ABOUT THE WEB.COM TOUR
The Web.com Tour is now The Path to the PGA TOUR with all 50 available PGA TOUR cards coming through the Web.com Tour and the season culminating at the four-event Web.com Tour Finals, which will include the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft & Nabisco. Web.com became the Tour’s umbrella sponsor in June of 2012. The Tour enters its 26th year of competition in 2015. Three out of four PGA TOUR members are Web.com Tour alumni. Tour alumni have won 411 PGA TOUR titles, including 19 majors and five PLAYERS Championships. The PGA TOUR surpassed $2 billion in charitable giving in Jan. 2014. To learn more about the PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour visit PGATOUR.COM, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT LAGARDÈRE UNLIMITED
A division of the Lagardère Group dedicated to Sports and Entertainment, Lagardère Unlimited deploys its international expertise in six complementary business lines: Events management; Talent representation; Stadium & Arena operations; Marketing services and brand activation; Media rights production and distribution; and sports academy management. Lagardère Unlimited has more than 1,300 employees and conducts business in more than 20 countries. Current Lagardère Golf clients include PGA TOUR stars Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Keegan Bradley.  The Lagardère Unlimited Golf Event Management Division is led by industry veteran Jeff Sanders.

For more information, please visit: AlbertsonsBoiseOpen.com