October 23, 2008–Stewart Cink and Kenny Perry, two members of the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team, are scheduled to represent the PGA Tour team in the upcoming Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge at Las Vegas golf course Rio Secco Golf Club (pictured). Other Las Vegas golf courses to be used for pro-am events are Cascata and Bear's Best Las Vegas. The Cup heroes will be joined by U.S. Open hero Rocco Mediate in the Las Vegas golf tournament that pits the PGA Tour against the LPGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
The LPGA Tour team includes Natalie Gulbis, who lives amongst three Las Vegas golf courses at Lake Las Vegas Resort. The other two players are Christie Kerr and Helen Alfredsson while the Champions Tour is represented by Nick Price, Jay Haas and Fred Funk. The Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge will be played November 11 at Rio Secco Golf Club, one of two Las Vegas golf courses designed by Rees Jones, with the other being Cascata. The event is open to public.
Rio Secco and Cascata are public, resort Las Vegas golf courses that are open to all players, and are operated by Harrah's Golf. You can make your Las Vegas golf tee times online for Rio Secco Golf Club or Cascata, or book your official Las Vegas golf packages online at Harrah's Golf Vacations. You can also call a special toll free number–866-941-7703–to ask about special Las Vegas golf deals. Cascata is offering special rates currently. Rio Secco is also home to the Butch Harmon School of Golf and is a host of the annual Tiger Jam event that benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. Cascata was once called "Golf's hidden treasure" by Sports Illustrated and is a true must-play on a golfer's bucket list.
Perry, a native Kentuckian, thrilled his home-state fans at Valhalla, and earned 2.5 points during the event. Cink only earned one point during the Cup but provided solid leadership to the young team. Mediate will be forever linked to the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines where he battled Tiger Woods in an 18-hole Monday playoff before losing. Woods, who spent many hours at Rio Secco while working with Harmon (he holds the course record), has called that Open the "best win of his career."
The Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge is the only professional golf tournament that pits three players from the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours against each other in competitive, head-to-head threesomes for Tour bragging rights and a share of the $1 million purse. Each threesome consists of one player from each Tour competing in two separate, nine-hole stroke play matches. The one-of-a-kind contest is scheduled to air on ABC Television December 13 and 14, 2008. The primary objective of the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge has remained constant throughout the 16-year history of the event — generate national awareness and funds for foster care adoption programs for the event's sole beneficiary, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Through 2007, more than $25 million has been raised.