Transitions Championship Confirms World-Class Field with 14 of Top 25 World Ranked Players

INNISBROOK, Fla., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The Transitions Championship today announced the strongest field in tournament history with many who rank among the top 40 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including Steve Stricker, Ian Poulter, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Geoff Ogilvy, Kenny Perry, Sergio Garcia, Sean O'Hair, Retief Goosen and many more.  Exemptions have been accepted by crowd favorites, John Daly and Rocco Mediate, Ross Fisher and Japanese phenoms Ryo Ishikawa and Yuta Ikeda compete for the first time in a US stroke-play event.

"This year represents our best field in this tournament's history," said tournament director Gerald Goodman.  "With 14 of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Ranking competing at the Transitions Championship, those in the Tampa Bay area will be able to see some of the best golf right here on Innisbrook's Copperhead Course and have the opportunity to participate in a unique spectator experience that is like no other on TOUR."

In addition to the Transitions Championship Pro-Am that takes place today and tournament play that runs from Thursday through Sunday, Transitions has expanded the Healthy Sight Village area behind the 18th green, including experiences and activities for the entire family focused on the connection between healthy sight and sports performance and its role as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.  The Live Your Vision Pavilion within the Village will host a range of activities throughout the week, including:

• "Transitions Championship Youth Wellness Day" -- Nearly 800 Tampa Bay area school children visit the Transitions Championship to receive complimentary vision screenings, swing and putting lessons with Innisbrook golf instructors, a sports/vision clinic with sports vision expert Dr. Larry Lampert and professional swing coach Matt Killen and participate in healthy sight and wellness-related interactive games, activities and much more
• "Healthy Lifestyles with Innisbrook Resort" -- Join Innisbrook's sports/fitness and wellness experts to learn more about choices in healthy dining, fitness and participate in wellness activities with staff from Innisbrook's Indaba Spa
• "Improve Your Vision, Improve Your Game" -- Learn how healthy, quality sight impacts athletic performance with swing instructors, special visits from PGA TOUR players and a special visit with Erik Estrada who will issue "Sightations" to spectators who are not properly protecting their eyes
• "Protect Your Skin, Protect Your Sight" -- Find out how to protect your skin and eyes from the sun with BeWell.com and win a chance to star in a video vignette with celebrity doctor Janet Taylor, MD
• "Healthy Lifestyles in Sight" -- Attendees can participate in diabetes screenings and healthy snack demonstrations and tastings with BayCare Health System

Transitions and many partner organizations are featured within the Healthy Sight Village, including the American Optometric Association, adidas Eyewear, BayCare Health System, Bess the Book Bus, BeWell.com, Bright House Networks, Carl Zeiss Vision, Essilor Vision Foundation, Innisbrook Resort, LensCrafters, Nike Vision, OneSight, Optos, SoloHealth, The Vision Council, Visionworks, and VSP.

"Transitions is committed to furthering its mission of educating consumers here locally and around the world about the importance of healthy, quality sight," said Dave Cole, managing director, Transitions Optical.  "Our partnership with the PGA TOUR and as the Official Eyewear, we have a tremendous opportunity to raise awareness about proper eyecare and eyewear and provide a unified voice to the entire optical industry."

The Transitions Championship will benefit over 100 local Tampa Bay charities.  In the last five years, the tournament has made a charitable contribution of more than $9 million, bringing the total contributions to more than $24 million in the last 33 years.  Tickets for the Transitions Championship are on sale now by visiting www.transitionschampionship.com or by calling (727) 942-5566.

About The Transitions Championship

The Transitions Championship is a 72-hole official PGA TOUR^® event played on the famed Copperhead Course at Innisbrook:  A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort in Innisbrook, Florida.  Transitions Optical is the title sponsor of the PGA TOUR event, which draws a field of 144 of the finest golfers from around the world and was won last year by Retief Goosen.  The Transitions Championship benefits more than 100 Tampa Bay area charities and has contributed more than $9 million in the last five years.  The upcoming Transitions Championship will be the tenth PGA TOUR event sponsored by The Copperheads since 2000 (the 2001 tournament was cancelled following the attacks of 9/11).  The tournament tees off March 15-21, 2010 and will include a week of tournament-related activities reinforcing the connection between healthy sight and an overall healthy lifestyle.

SOURCE Transitions Optical, Inc.