Champions Tour E-Notes - Week of August 13 In his nine starts at the JELD-WEN Tradition, Gil Morgan has won twice, finished in the Top-10 five times and has never shot a round higher than par. In his 26 rounds in the event, Morgan has been in the 60s 18 times and has 24 under-par rounds to his credit. This week's JELD-WEN Tradition will offer the winner a whopping 780 Charles Schwab Cup points. Jay Haas currently leads Brad Bryant by 194 points and Loren Roberts by 653, but he could be passed by either if they should win. This week's JELD-WEN Tradition will be the fourth major championship of the season. This year, for the first time, all five majors will be shown on network television. This week's tournament will have Saturday-Sunday coverage on NBC. GOLF Channel will provide early round coverage. This year's JELD-WEN Tradition will be played at the Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort. Honored by Golf Digest as one of "America's 100 Greatest Courses," Crosswater was designed by architect Bob Cupp. Earlier in 2007, the course hosted the PGA Professional National Championship and will host the USGA Senior Women's Amateur in September. Crosswater also served as the venue for the 2001 PGA Professional National Championship and the 2006 NCAA Championship. Lonnie Nielsen, the 2006 JELD-WEN Tradition runner-up, may have a leg up on the rest of the field at this year's event. Nielsen tied for 35th in the 34th PGA Professional National Championship at Crosswater in 2001. Earlier this year, Nielsen won his first career title on the Champions Tour at the Commerce Bank Championship and has been among the top five in three of his last four tournaments. Hale Irwin will be trying to equal a pair of senior major championship marks held by Jack Nicklaus when he tees it up at this week's JELD-WEN Tradition. Irwin will attempt to join Nicklaus in claiming a fourth different major title. In addition, Irwin could also tie Nicklaus' mark for most senior major victories (eight) with a victory at the Crosswater Club. Nicklaus won four JELD-WEN Tradition titles (1990, 1991, 1995-96), a pair of U.S. Senior Opens (1991, 1993), the 1990 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship and the 1991 Senior PGA Championship. Irwin has won four Senior PGA Championships (1996, 1997, 1998, 2004), a pair of U.S. Senior Opens (1998, 2000) and the 1999 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. He was the runner-up to Nicklaus in the 1996 Tradition. Tom Kite, the 2000 JELD-WEN Tradition winner, has also finished among the top five in three of the last four years in Oregon. Kite tied for second in 2003 and tied for fourth in 2004 and 2006. In his 16 rounds played in Oregon, Kite has been in the 60s seven times, with 13 sub-par rounds to his credit. Eduardo Romero made up five strokes on the final day in 2006, equaling the largest comeback in event history originally set by Jack Nicklaus in 1991. Romero became the first player in JELD-WEN history to start with a round of even-par and go on to win. He is also the first champion who did not win a tournament on the PGA TOUR. The last six winners of the JELD-WEN Tradition have recorded at least one round of 70 en route to victory. Jim Thorpe, the 2002 champion, shot 70 in each of his last three rounds before winning in a playoff. Craig Stadler, the 2004 champion, had a 70 in both his first and second rounds. |