Principal Charity Classic: Fred Couples and 10 others to watch in Champions Tour event
The Principal Charity Classic kicks off Friday as some of the golf’s best in the Champions Tour converge on Des Moines for three days of competition for a cause.
With limits on attendance in the past couple years, this year’s event is expected to draw large crowds and the field for the 2022 tournament reflects that heightened interest.
Seven World Golf Hall of Famers and other fan favorites highlight the golfers competing this year at the Wakonda Club. From Stephen Ames to Fred Couples, here are some of the golfers to keep an eye on at the Principal Charity Classic this weekend.
Steven Alker
Alker has found a lot of success this season, accumulating nearly $2 million in winnings through nine PGA Tour Champions events this season. He comes into Des Moines as its No. 1 golfer and will look to add to his prize total.
Friday tee time: 11:20 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Stephen Ames
The last Principal Charity Classic champion is back again this year after beating Mike Weir in 2021. Ames is currently fourth on the PGA Tour Champions leaderboard.
Friday tee time: 11:30 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Doug Barron
Tied for third in last year’s tournament, Barron is currently 21st among PGA Tour Champions golfers.
Friday tee time: 11:10 a.m. (No. 10 tee)
Fred Couples
A World Golf Hall of Famer and former World No. 1 will be making an appearance in Des Moines this weekend. Ever the fan favorite, Couples has won 64 professional tournaments and has been a fixture in pro golf for four decades.
Friday tee time: 11:30 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Jay Haas
Haas is no stranger to winning the Principal Charity Classic. He took home the top prize in 2007, 2008 and 2012. It’s been 10 years since that last win, so could the anniversary hold something special for the native Midwesterner?
Friday tee time: 10:20 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Miguel Angel Jimenez
The decorated Spanish golfer has come close to winning the Principal Charity Classic but has never taken home the title. He’s second only to Alker among PGA Tour Champions entering this weekend’s tournament.
Friday tee time: 11:20 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Bernhard Langer
First is Alker, second is Jimenez and third is Langer coming into the Principal Charity Classic. The German golfer, one of golf's top sensations in the 1980s and a two-time Masters champion (1985, 1993), is going strong this season.
Friday tee time: 11:10 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Tom Lehman
Lehman has been awarded Player of the Year on three different PGA Tours: PGA Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA Tour Champions. He has 35 professional wins, including 12 tournament wins at PGA Tour Champions events.
Friday tee time: 10:40 a.m. (No. 10 tee)
Steve Stricker
The No. 6 golfer on the PGA Tour Champions leaderboard heads into the Wakonda Club as among the group's most accomplished. The Wisconsin native and former Big Ten golfer (Illinois) comes to Des Moines with 31 career wins and is just over a decade removed from being the World's No. 2 golfer.
Friday tee time: 11:30 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Kevin Sutherland
Sutherland was a runner-up in 2017 before winning the Principal Charity Classic in 2019. He’s back this year, currently ranked 31st on PGA Tour Champions Tour after eight events.
Friday tee time: 10:50 a.m. (No. 1 tee)
Willie Wood
Wood was tied with Doug Barron and Tim Herron for third at last year’s tournament. All three are back this year, and Wood could be poised to do well again. It was his top finish in the 2021 PCC.
Friday tee time: 10 a.m. (No. 10 tee)
Full field
Steven Alker
Michael Allen
Robert Allenby
Stephen Ames
Billy Andrade
Stuart Appleby
Woody Austin
Doug Barron
Cameron Beckman
Shane Bertsch
David Branshaw
Mark Calcavecchia
Alex Cejka
Darren Clarke
Russ Cochran
Fred Couples
Marco Dawson
Glen Day
Chris DiMarco
Stephen Dodd
Ken Duke
Joe Durant
Ernie Els
Steve Flesch
David Frost
Fred Funk
Jim Furyk
Tom Gillis
Retief Goosen
Paul Goydos
Jay Haas
Tim Herron
John Huston
Thongchai Jaidee
Lee Janzen
Miguel Angel Jimenez
Brandt Jobe
Steve Jones
Jerry Kelly
Rob Labritz
Bernhard Langer
Tom Lehman
Davis Love III
Jeff Maggert
Billy Mayfair
Scott McCarron
Rocco Mediate
Colin Montgomerie
Jose Maria Olazabal
Rod Pampling
Scott Parel
Jesper Parnevik
Corey Pavin
Tom Pernice Jr.
Tim Petrovic
Dicky Pride
Brett Quigley
Roger Rowland
Gene Sauers
John Senden
Wes Short Jr.
Steve Stricker
Kevin Sutherland
Ken Tanigawa
Mario Tiziani
Esteban Toledo
Tommy Tolles
David Toms
Kirk Triplett
Scott Verplank
Duffy Waldorf
Mark Walker
Willie Wood
Y.E. Yang
Alyssa Hertel is a college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Principal Charity Classic: Fred Couples and 10 others to watch in Des Moines
