Troy University Athletics
Former Trojan Ben Bates Returns To PGA
10/28/2009 8:15:00 PM | Golf (M)
Former national champion golfer Ben Bates will make his return to the PGA Tour this weekend at the 2009 Viking Classic at Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Miss.
Bates was a member of the 1984 Troy State national championship team and was a three-time collegiate All-American. He has played professionally as a member of the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour since 1984.
He is the Nationwide Tour's all-time cuts made leader with more than 200 in his career. He played in his 1,000th round on tour in 2007 and has won two events on the Nationwide Tour including the 1997 Wichita Open where he defeated Carl Paulson, Jeff Brehaut and Chris Smith in a four-man playoff.
Bates also won The Reese's Cup Classic in a playoff in 2004.
A native of Quincy, Fla., Bates has more than $1.5 million in combined career earnings from the Nationwide and PGA Tours.
Live tournament action and highlights from the Viking Classic will air on the Golf Channel all weekend.