Former Gators Paired With Michelle Wie At The Sony Open
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 | Men's Golf
Former Gators Chris Couch and Camillo Villegas are scheduled to tee off at the Sony Open with teenage sensation Michelle Wie. The trio will play their opening round at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. local time.
Couch was a two-time All-American at Florida and won SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 1992. He was a member of the Gators 1993 NCAA Championship team before turning professional in 1995. The native of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., earned his best finish on the PGA Tour at the 1999 Sony Open when he tied for seventh. Couch begins his return to the PGA Tour on Thursday after finishing third on the Nationwide Tour money list last season. He currently resides in Gainesville, Fla. and is a member of the Gainesville Country Club.
Villegas will make his debut as a full-time member of the PGA Tour on Thursday. The 2004 Florida graduate earned his PGA card in November after finishing 13th on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2005. Villegas was one of the most decorated golfers in Gator history. During his four-year collegiate career he earned eight individual medals, including one at the 2001 NCAA East Regional tournament. The four-time All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year, helped the Gators win their fourth NCAA Championship in 2001.
Wie earned international attention after become only the third female golfer to play in a PGA Tour event since 1945. The native of Honolulu, Hawaii turned professional on her 16th birthday in October, but has no affiliation with either the LPGA or PGA Tours. She earned a sponsor's exemption for this weekend's event.
The Sony Open will conclude on Sunday with a $5.1 million purse. Live coverage of the tournament can be seen on ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m. eastern time.
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