More than $4 million awarded to charity in six-year history

2011 Frys.com open awards $1,000,000 to charity

SAN MARTIN, Calif. – Frys.com Open Tournament Chairperson and Fry’s Electronics Executive Vice President Kathy Kolder announced today that the 2011 Frys.com Open, an official event on the PGA TOUR, awarded $1,000,000 from tournament proceeds to a number of designated charities.
“The 2011 Frys.com Open was a resounding success,” Kolder said. “The strength of our field combined with the beautiful Northern California weather in October helped us set new tournament records for attendance and charity dollars. I can’t thank the local community and all of our volunteers enough for their support.”
The tournament raised $800,000 in 2010, and in its six year history has awarded more than $4 million to charity.

The tournament’s main beneficiary is The American Institute of Mathematics, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based organization whose chief goal is to expand the frontiers of mathematical knowledge by funding focused research projects, conferences and the development of an on-line mathematics library. Other beneficiaries include The First Tee of San Jose, Northern California Golf Association, American Cancer Society and many other local charities.
After serving as tournament director in 2007 in Las Vegas and in 2010-2011 in San Jose, Ian Knight is resigning. We are proud to announce that Jeff Sanchez, who was the 2011 Frys.com Open assistant tournament director, is replacing Knight as tournament director. Sanchez, 36, a PGA Class A Member since 1999, was most recently the head golf professional at Silver Creek Valley Country Club in San Jose for the past eight seasons before joining the Frys.com Open team in late 2011.

“Jeff is respected in the area for his work as a golf professional in the Northern California PGA Section,” said Duke Butler, who will continue in his role as tournament president. “He was a key contributor to the Frys.com Open as a volunteer in recent years, in addition to working in an official capacity as assistant tournament director in 2011.”
The 2011 Frys.com Open finished in dramatic fashion as Bryce Molder outlasted Briny Baird in a six-hole playoff to capture his first PGA TOUR victory.

The Frys.com Open is part of the PGA TOUR’s Fall Series and features a full-field (132 players), four-day tournament with a $5 million purse and a $900,000 payout to the winner. The tournament will be played Oct. 8-14, 2012 at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif., located just 25 minutes south of title sponsor Fry’s Electronics headquarters in San Jose, Calif. For more information go to www.frysopengolf.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/frysopengolf.

A TOURNAMENT POEM… by Duke Butler

http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/r464/index.html

Woods Looks at His Return as a Chance at Much More

Putting hurts Tiger Woods in a round of 73

Tiger Woods struggles, shoots 73

Tiger Woods has frustrating 1st round at CordeValle

Tim Kawakami: Disastrous putting costs Tiger Woods in first-round 73 at Frys.com Open

Tiger’s Not-Triumphant Return, The Reviews

Live blog: Rollercoaster round for Tiger includes tossed club

Woods’s return to glory will have to wait for at least one more day

Woods disappoints at Frys.Com Open: A fan’s take

Matteson looking for his third win at the Frys.com Open

Ricky Barnes

Defending Champion Rocco Mediate leads an outstanding field of professionals which includes Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, Paul Casey, Trevor Immelman, Steve Elkington, David Duval , Justin Leonard and former Champions Troy Matteson, Cameron Beckman and George McNeill. Californians Ricky Barnes, Spencer Levin, Kevin Chappell, Joseph Bramlett, Zack Miller and Tom Pernice Jr. will also be a draw for local fans.

“Obviously, we are very excited Tiger has decided to play in our event,” said Kathy Kolder, Frys.com Open Tournament Chairperson and Executive Vice President of Fry’s Electronics. “The boost in marquee value he brings will not only help the tournament and increase the tournament’s economic impact in San Jose, but it will also help us raise more funds for participating charities.”

Woods, who says he is healthy for the first time in many months, wants to add competitive rounds in a PGA TOUR event. He also wants to continue to hone his new swing in a tournament environment now that Presidents Cup Captain Fred Couples recently named him to the U.S. Team for the November matches in Australia. Woods has not visited CordeValle; however, he is well aware that his fellow professionals gave the course favorable reviews last year. Additionally, his agent, Mark Steinberg, visited the Club during the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach last year.

Born in California, Woods is very familiar with the San Jose area, having attended Stanford where he played on the school’s golf team in 1995 and 1996. While at Stanford, Woods won the NCAA individual championship in 1996. As a professional he has experienced great success in the state of California, winning a total of 16 PGA TOUR events – the most recent being the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines where he defeated 2010 Frys.com Open defending champion Rocco Mediate in a 19-hole playoff.

Tournament President Duke Butler, a veteran of PGA TOUR business, has a long and respectful relationship with Woods and Steinberg. In recent years, Butler has introduced Steinberg to Fry’s Electronics, an electronics retailer with corporate headquarters located in San Jose, Calif. CEO John Fry and Kolder have a long term strategy to make the tournament prominent, possibly moving it to The Institute, a course Fry’s Electronics owns in Morgan Hill, Calif., no earlier than 2013.

ABOUT THE FRYS.COM OPEN
The Frys.com Open is part of the PGA TOUR’s Fall Series and features a full-field (132 players), four-day tournament with a $5 million purse and $900,000 payout to the winner. Now in its sixth year, the Frys.com Open has raised more than $3 million for charities, with more than $800,000 awarded in 2010 alone. The tournament will be played Oct. 5-9, 2011 at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif., located just 25 minutes south of title sponsor Fry’s Electronics headquarters in San Jose, Calif. For more information go to www.frysopengolf.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/frysopengolf.

ABOUT FRY’S ELECTRONICS
Fry’s Electronics, Inc. was founded in 1985 in Sunnyvale, California in a 20,000 square foot location by the three Fry brothers, John, Randy, and Dave; and Kathy Kolder. Fry’s was founded as a Silicon Valley retail electronics store to provide a one-stop-shopping environment for the hi-tech professional. Fry’s continues to keep hi-tech professionals supplied with products representing the latest technological trends and advances in the personal computer marketplace. Fry’s retails over 50,000 electronic items within each store, now totaling 34. There are currently 8 stores in Northern California, 9 stores in Southern California, 8 stores in Texas, 2 stores in Arizona, 2 stores in Georgia, and 1 store each in Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Illinois, and Indiana. The stores range in size from 50,000 to over 180,000 square feet. For more information call (408) 350-1484 or visit www.frys.com.

“Patrick Cantlay is a very talented young up-and-comer who is quickly making a name for himself both at UCLA and as an amateur on the PGA TOUR,” said Knight. ” He has played in a total of tour PGA TOUR events, making the cut and finishing in the top 25 in each. He is a great addition to our field.”

Cantlay, who was born and raised in California and currently in his sophomore year at UCLA, is the number one golfer in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. As a member of the UCLA golf team, Cantlay has helped the team win four tournaments in 2011 while earning the 2011 GCAA Division 1 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award. As a freshman, he was named National Freshman of the year, winning the Phil Mickelson Award in addition to being the Pac-10 Player of the Year. Cantlay also has close ties with the site of the 2011 Frys.com Open-CordeValle- winning the 2010 Gifford Collegiate with scores of 67,69 and 71.

Cantlay became a household name this year, playing in several PGA TOUR events and qualifying for one major championship- the 2011 US Open. At the US Open, Cantlay was one of the three amateurs to make the cut and rounds of 70 and 72 over the weekend assured him of the low amateur title. He finished T-9 at the 2011 RBC Canadian Open, T-20 at the 2011 AT&T National and set a course record 60 at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.

The Frys.com Open is part of the PGA TOUR’s Fall Series and features a full-field (132) players), four-day tournament with a $5 million purse and $900,000 payout to the winner. Now in its sixth year, the Frys.com Open has raised more than 3 million for charities, with more than $800,000 awarded in 2010 alone. The tournament will be played Oct 3-9, 2011 at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif. For more information go to www.frysopengolf.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/frysopengolf.

With the nines at CordeValle reversed for the Frys.com Open, it makes for more birdie and eagle opportunities, just as Bobby Jones suggested for the Augusta National Golf Club for The Masters, which began in 1934.

The 15th hole is a par five of 510 to 540 yards, reachable in two shots by many of the pros, and it finishes just below the beautiful Clos La Chance Winery.

The 17th is a par four of 358 yards at its longest, and 295 yards from the forward tees. The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed hole has a green that slopes upwardly from front to back, and shots hit a little long often roll back toward the center of the green.

The TOUR competitions staff, with head rules official Mark Russell’s blessing, moved the tee markers forward to the 295 yard area for both weekend days last year.

Many fans will remember Rocco Mediate holing a wedge from 116 yards for an eagle two on Sunday, which led him winning the tournament.

Fellow competitor Alex Prugh, playing with Rocco, had driven the green for the second consecutive day and had a two footer for eagle prior to Rocco’s shot. Anticipating this, his approach shot might spin back on the same line where Prugh’s ball was at rest. Rocco had Alex mark his ball by placing a small coin underneath it. The Rock was right, for his approach spun back on that line into the hole.

Not all pros trying to drive the green make it safely. A lake covers the entire right side of the fairway and front right of the green, so trouble awaits those who spray their drives.

Three sponsors help to enhance the drama of the 17th. It is a Kodak Challenge hole. This is a year long competition on the PGA TOUR in which pros accumulate their best scores, in relation to par, on eighteen beautiful holes, among thirty opportunities, from different tournaments. The winner earns $1,000,000. Kevin Streelman won the inaugural Kodak Challenge in 2009 and Troy Merritt earned the cash last year.

Audi sponsors The Drive, an elevated platform located between the par three sixteenth green and the seventh tee. From there fans can watch the action at #15, #16 and #17 and see the latest Audi automobiles on display.

Finally is the Bud Fore Birdies hospitality area located about 60 to 100 yards short, left of the green. It is a sports bar where fans can enjoy a low cost Bud, Bud Light or Michelob Ultra, catch some shade and watch the leaders on The Golf Channel.

A grandstand and concessions are nearby and Masters style chairs, carefully placed and free for use by fans, are near the green.

The 17th prompted Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee to comment on the air last year, “this is the most exciting golf tournament I have ever seen.”