Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am
Monday Apr 14 – Sunday Apr 20, 2008
  • Purse: $1.7 million
  • Winning Share: $255,000

Celebs hit the links in Florida

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Apr. 18, 2008
By Lauren Deason, PGATOUR.COM Editorial Coordinator

It's a g'day to be a spectator at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. In addition to the usual Champions Tour greats, several famous faces will hit the links at TPC Tampa Bay. Here's who will be there:

Stone Phillips: This former "Dateline NBC" anchor is famous for his talent as a TV personality but did you know he was also blessed with the athletic gene? Phillips quarterbacked the Yale University football team while he was a student there and led them to an Ivy League Championship in 1976. Will those skills translate to the golf course?

george_lopez.jpg
Gross/Getty Images
George Lopez sports an interesting get-up in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Chris Sullivan: Also known as one of the men to thank for those tasty Bloomin' Onions. This Florida entrepreneur and former CEO of Outback Steakhouse was fascinated by all things Australian when he began the popular chain headquartered in Tampa, Fla., with a Down Under flair. Sullivan, a bona fide golf nut with a house near Pebble Beach, started it in 1988 (two years after the release of the wildly popular movie "Crocodile Dundee").

George Lopez: Arguably the biggest golf fan in Hollywood, comedian Lopez hosts the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on the PGA TOUR and enjoys playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Lopez's impressive list of non golf-related credentials includes his self-titled hit TV show "The George Lopez Show" plus the 2007 film "Balls of Fury".

Craig T. Nelson: Coach Hayden Fox leaves the football behind this week to play a little golf. Nelson gained popularity as Coach Fox on the TV show "Coach" (1989-1997) but also acted in the films "Private Benjamin", "Turner & Hooch", "The Incredibles" and recently "The Family Stone".

Fred McGriff: Fred "Crime Dog" McGriff captured a World Series title with the Atlanta Braves in 1995. The big-hitting five-time MLB All-Star played first base but was best known for his knack for home runs. The Tampa, Fla., resident never hit more than 37 in a season but finished just seven homers shy of 500.

Bob Basham: He co-founded Outback Steakhouse with Sullivan and helped the first steakhouse in Tampa grow into a $3-billion chain. Basham originally planned to become an FBI agent but, when he graduated from the University of Maryland, discovered that he needed business experience before he could join their ranks. He went to work for his brother, who taught him the ropes of the business world, and years later he put those skills to use in the restaurant industry.

Dale Jarrett: A NASCAR great, Jarrett won 32 times on the racing circuit and captured the Winston Cup in 1999. He retired from points racing at the 2008 Food City 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway but not before leaving a legacy as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.

Joe Theismann: While a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame, he was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1970. Theismann's name was originally pronounced as "THEEZ-man" until his college hallmates hung a banner that read, "Theisman for Heisman" and forever changed the pronunciation. While in the NFL, he lead the Washington Redskins to a Super Bowl victory in 1983.

Nancy Lopez: This World Golf Hall of Fame member won 48 times during her career on the LPGA Tour. She was the best player on the women's circuit from the late '70s to the late '80s and, in a cool twist, won the honor of LPGA Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and the Vare Trophy in the same season (1978).

Vince Gill: A 19-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, Gill's country, bluegrass and soul combo has helped him sell more than 22 million albums. He and wife Amy Grant are huge golf fans -- they host a golf classic every year in Aspen, Colo. -- and count several Champions Tour players as their friends.

Vinny Testaverde: This quarterback won the Heisman Trophy in 1986 while attending the University of Miami. Testaverde went on to NFL success after being the first overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987. In a career that included stints with the New York Jets, the Dallas Cowboys and most recently the Carolina Panthers, Testaverde was twice selected to the Pro Bowl.

Ronde Barber: Currently the cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he and twin brother Tiki have made the name "Barber" famous in the NFL. In 2005, Ronde made NFL history when he became the first cornerback ever to catch at least 20 interceptions and record at least 20 sacks in his career.

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