Farmers Almanac More Rain

For seniors seeking shelter from Mother Nature, Ada, Mich., may not be the place to go.

The Champions Tour packs its bags and heads from a soggy Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., where the weather wreaked havoc during the course of last weeks Senior PGA Championship, and heads to the Wolverine State for the Farmers Charity Classic.

But this tournament has also seen more than its fair share of weather-related problems over its 18-year history.

Twice the event has been reduced to 36 holes (in 1990 and 94) due to inclement weather. Only one event on the current Champions Tour calendar, the Kroger Classic, has been reduced more often (three times).

Five of the last 10 times the event has been played, at least one round has been delayed due to rain or lightning. And only three times during the past decade has the tournament experienced a completely dry three days.

One of those three, however, occurred last year. While the pro-am was washed out on Wednesday, the tournament itself was unaffected by Mother Nature.

Doug Tewell was the winner in 2003, defeating Eamonn Darcy on the third playoff hole. It was the fourth playoff in tournament history and the first since the event moved to Egypt Valley Country Club (par 72, 6,960 yards) in 1994.

The victory was Tewells seventh on tour, and his most recent to date. He tied for third in the season-opening MasterCard Championship, but hasnt since cracked the top 10.

Larry Nelson is the only player to repeat as champion in this event, doing so in 2000 and 2001. He tied for 19th in his bid for a three-peat in 02 and did not play last year due to the death of his mother-in-law.

George Archer is the only other multiple champion (1993 and 98).

This is the 14th event on the 2004 Champions Tour schedule. Last year it was situated between the Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Open. This year it once again falls right after the Sr. PGA, but the Senior Open is now eight weeks down the road.

In fact, the tour will play four regular events before they play three consecutive majors over a four-week span: the Ford Senior Players Championship, Senior British Open and U.S. Senior Open.

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Full Coverage - Farmers Charity Classic