Perry, Hoch latest to commit to The Shark Shootout

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NAPLES, Fla. -- Host Greg Norman announced Friday that defending champions Kenny Perry and Scott Hoch will return to Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Dec. 9-13 for The Shark Shootout.

Norman, the tournament host for this 21st edition, also announced a total of 20 competitors scheduled to compete in the 24-person, 12-team field.

The group represents success in various categories on golf's worldwide stage.

Six players among the initial commitments won PGA TOUR tournaments during the 2009 season and four of those are multiple winners this year. This group accumulated 11 tournament victories this year. Steve Stricker won three times while Zach Johnson, Brian Gay and Perry each won two titles. Jerry Kelly and Nick Watney were both winners as well. This same group competed in last week's 30-player THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

Nine players are currently ranked among the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking -- Stricker (3), Perry (6), Johnson (18), Ian Poulter (20), Ross Fisher (25), Watney (34), Justin Leonard (37), Gay (38) and Scott Verplank (48).

Several past champions of The Shark Shootout will return. While Hoch and Perry are the most recent, Fred Couples has won three times while Mark Calcavecchia and Jeff Sluman have won twice, Norman and Kelly once.

Eight major championship winners are in the field this year, including World Golf Hall of Fame member Nick Price. Price leads the group with two PGA Championships and a British Open. Other major champions are Couples, Calcavecchia, Johnson, Leonard, Norman, Leonard and Sluman.

Fred Funk, winner of the U.S. Senior Open a few weeks ago, will return for his eighth straight appearance. Three-time TOUR winner Chris DiMarco will compete in his fourth Shootout. This twosome was a team last year. However, they had to withdraw in the final round due an injury to Funk's knee.

Chad Campbell, a four-time TOUR winner, will compete in his fourth shootout and Boo Weekley, a 2008 Ryder Cup standout, will return after finishing second in his Shootout debut last year.

Co-defending champion Perry, received the prestigious Payne Stewart Award last week. The award is given annually to a player sharing Stewart's respect for the traditions of the game.

This will mark Norman's 21st appearance in The Shark Shootout, held annually to raise funds and awareness for CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

The final field will consist of 24 professionals paired into 12 two-person teams. The Shark Shootout, widely regarded as the PGA TOUR's premier post-season event, will once again feature a modified alternate-shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. This year, GOLF CHANNEL will televise Friday and NBC will broadcast the weekend competition.