The PGA Tour begins its new wrap-around scheduling this week with the first event of the 2014 season at the Frys.com Open.
This will be the seventh Frys.com Open held at the CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California. The par-71, 7,379 yard golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1969. It will offer a total purse of $5 million with $900,000 going to the winner.
The Frys.com was formerly one of the tournaments held in the Fall Series after the conclusion of the FedEx Cup playoffs. It was not able offer FedEx Cup points or an automatic exemption into the Masters. Beginning this year it is fully accredited tournament in the FedEx Cup series, is able to draw a stronger field, making the sponsors as well as the fans happy.
The old Fall Series gave players outside the top-125 on the PGA Tour money list a last chance to earn their playing privileges for the next season and avoid Q-School. Now with all PGA Tour cards issued via the Web.com Tour and no Q-School, tour professionals can get a head start on next season by playing in the six events that kick off the 2014 season.
The new schedule also includes tournaments outside the continental United States in Malaysia, China and Mexico.
All six past champions of the Frys.com Open Mike Weir, Cameron Beckman, Troy Matteson, Rocco Mediate, Bryce Molder and Jonas Blixt are in the field.
Nine winners from the 2013 PGA Tour are in the field at the Frys.com Open. Blixt earned his first PGA Tour title last year at the Frys.com and will defend this week. He also won the 2013 Greenbrier Classic in July.
International Presidents Cup team rookie Hideki Matsuyama will play the PGA Tour full time in 2014 and is making his debut this week. Joining him at the Frys.com are fellow teammates, Angel Cabrera and Marc Leishman.
Veterans Fred Funk and Paul Goydos will join former champion Rocco Mediate at CordeValle Golf Club.
The Frys.com can be viewed Thursday, October 10 through Sunday, October 13 on the Golf Channel 5:00-8:00 PM ET.