By CRAIG SMITH University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban will join professional golfer Jerry Pate and three other amateurs for a 9:15 a.m. tee time Thursday (April 29) in a Pro-Am team format at Fallen Oak in advance of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, which will start Friday and run through Sunday (April 30-May 2).
 
Saban, whose football team won the national collegiate title and posted a 14-0 record in 2009, will be joined by amateur partners Roy Anderson, Bobby Mandal and Bo Mandal. Pate, an Alabama alumnus, won the 1976 U.S. Open at Atlanta Athletic Club.
 
Professionals and amateurs will be paired in 52 teams each day for Pro-Am competitions on Wednesday and Thursday. All professionals in the field for the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic will play at least one of the two days. Tee times will run each day from 7:15 a.m. through 2:15 p.m.
 
The Pro-Ams days are open to the public with paid admission. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster, from the Tournament office at (228) 896-6365 or at the gate for $15 each. Tickets can be used any day of the tournament. All general parking will be staged at the IP Resort and Spa. Visit www.msgulfresortclassic.com for details and directions.
 
The Classic is one of 26 official events on the Champions Tour for 2010, and the field of 78 players will compete for the $1.6 million purse and a $240,000 first prize. Competitive rounds in the 54-hole event are set for Friday through Sunday. The benefiting charity of the tournament is Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
 
Fallen Oak is the exclusive home course for the guests of Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. The Tom Fazio-designed course, which was opened in 2006, has earned 12 national honors and is ranked the second best gaming resort course in the country.

The following players have committed to the final field list for the inaugural Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic set for April 28-May 2 at Fallen Oak. This list does not include Lee Trevino, who withdrew Friday (April 23) due to knee problems. Ian Woosnam was forced to withdraw because of travel problems. But, Mark O’Meara, Sandy Lyle and Larry Mize are major winners who were added on Friday.

 
Tommy Armour III
*Paul Azinger
Andy Bean
Chip Beck
Ronnie Black
Phil Blackmar
Brad Bryant
Bobby Clampett
Keith Clearwater
Russ Cochran
Jim Colbert
John Cook
*Ben Crenshaw
Jim Dent
Allen Doyle
Dave Eichelberger
David Eger
Keith Fergus
Vicente Fernandez
Bruce Fleisher
Dan Forsman
David Frost
Fred Funk
Bob Gilder
Mike Goodes
Ken Green
Jay Haas
Gary Hallberg
Steve Haskins
Morris Hatalsky
*Hale Irwin
John Jacobs
Peter Jacobsen
Mark James
Tom Jenkins
Gene Jones
*Tom Kite
*Bernhard Langer
*Sandy Lyle
Wayne Levi
Bruce Lietzke
Blaine McCallister
Mike McCullough
*Larry Mize
Gil Morgan
Jodie Mudd
Bob Murphy
*Larry Nelson
Lonnie Nielsen
*Mark O’Meara
Joe Ozaki
*Jerry Pate
David Peoples
Don Pooley
*Nick Price
Tom Purtzer
Mike Reid
Loren Roberts
Eduardo Romero
Jim Roy
Peter Senior
Jay Sigel
*Scott Simpson
Tim Simpson
Joey Sindelar
Jeff Sluman
*Craig Stadler
*Hal Sutton
Doug Tewell
Leonard Thompson
*Bob Tway
Bobby Wadkins
Tom Wargo
Denis Watson
Mark Wiebe

 
*-- major champions (15 champions with 25 major championships)
Bold – World Golf Hall of Fame member (6)
Note: Three spots held for Monday qualifiers (to be held at The Bridges)