Ryo Ishikawa, Tim Clark and Paul Casey Join Wyndham Field

GREENSBORO, N.C. – When Ryo Ishikawa, Tim Clark and Paul Casey joined the Wyndham championship field, three more international stars made plans to visit the Piedmont Triad’s PGA TOUR event, it was announced today.  The 73rd annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 13-19, 2012.

These players join a field that already includes defending champion and 2012 U.S. Open Champion Webb Simpson, 2012 Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III, 2011 FedExCup champion Bill Haas, Jason Dufner who is currently third in the FedExCup point standings and eighth in the Official World Golf Rankings, former Wyndham winners Brandt Snedeker and Carl Pettersson, 2001 PGA Championship winner David Toms, two-time major winner John Daly, 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and 1997 Open Championship winner Justin Leonard.

Ishikawa is 67th in the Official World Golf Rankings; he finished sixth on the 2011 Japan Golf Tour order of merit.  The Japanese superstar has two top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR this year including a runner-up finish at the Puerto Rico Open.  Ishikawa, who will turn 21 next month, has 11 international victories but is still seeking his first PGA TOUR win.  Last year, the Saitama, Japan native pledged to donate all of his season earnings to help survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan’s Pacific coast.  He also pledged to donate $1,200 for every birdie he made last year. He is making his first Wyndham Championship appearance.

Clark returns to the Wyndham for his sixth appearance and his first since 2008 when he finished tied for sixth in the first tournament after the return to Sedgefield Country Club.  The NC State alumnus is back on TOUR following elbow surgery.  He is 124th in the current FedExCup point standings. Last month at the RBC Canadian Open, Clark fired a second-round 62, his best round since returning to the TOUR. He finished tied for 15th but recorded his best finish of the season, tied for fourth, at the John Deere Classic on July 15.  Clark is a native of Durban, South African and lives in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Casey is a former top-10 player in the Official World Golf Rankings and is known as one of the most prolific European Ryder Cup players.  He has been plagued by injuries for the last two years battling turf toe last year and dislocating his right shoulder while snow-boarding in January.  Casey is now back to full strength and striving to make the FedExCup playoffs and his fourth appearance on the European Ryder Cup team.  He will be making his third Wyndham Championship appearance.  He finished tied for 26th in 2008 and tied for 47th last year.  The Cheltenham, England native lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. and has 12 international wins.

“Having these three international stars join the Wyndham Championship field speaks volumes about our spot on the PGA TOUR schedule,” tournament director Mark Brazil said.  “Tim and Paul are seasoned veterans with strong resumes, and we are very happy to introduce Ryo Ishikawa to Piedmont Triad fans.  Having seen him in the past couple of years at several PGA TOUR events, I can honestly say that this kid is an international superstar.  Ryo is a very special talent and clearly has what it takes to win on the PGA TOUR.”

Contested annually on the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., the Wyndham Championship was founded in 1938 and is the seventh-oldest event on the PGA TOUR.  Buy one, get one free tickets are available at Piedmont Triad-area Harris Teeter locations, at wyndhamchampionship.com or through the tournament office.  The tournament thanks title sponsor Wyndham Worldwide, presenting sponsor BB&T and Premier Partners, Cadillac, Harris Teeter, McConnell Golf, Sunbrella®, Technology Concepts & Design, Inc. and VF Corporation for their continued support.  Additional tournament information, including ticket packages and sponsorship information, is available at wyndhamchampionship.com or through the tournament office at (336) 379-1570.  For more information about Wyndham Worldwide, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

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