Notah Begay Breaks Silence About When Tiger Woods Will Play Again

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Notah Begay-Navajo

Native Brief: VERONA, NEW YORK - After weeks of speculation about whether Woods would play in any golf this year, Notah Begay, Navajo, who roomed with Woods at Stanford University, broke the news that Woods will play in the fourth annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge on Wednesday, August 31.

The announcement came in a news release issued on Thursday. The tournament had previously been scheduled to take place on July 5, but was postponed pending Woods' decision to play.

An elite group has been assembled to tee off for the fourth annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge on August 31 at Turning Stone Resort's Atunyote Golf Club on Oneida Indian Nation lands near Verona, New York. The group includes: PGA TOUR stars Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler and Hunter Mahan will join Begay along with top LPGA golfers Annika Sorenstam, Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen and Natalie Gulbis.

The challenge is being played to raise awareness and funding for the improved health and wellness of Native American youth on Indian reservations nationwide.

"I'm excited and very appreciative to have these incredible golfers involved with this year's event," said Begay. "Having instantly recognized names like Tiger (Woods) and Annika (Sorenstam), as well as some of the sport's established and rising stars, draws a great deal of positive attention to the Foundation's mission of empowering Native youth to sustain active, healthy and productive lives."

"Notah's Foundation does wonderful things for Native American youth, and I'm happy to be a part of that mission," said Sorenstam. "The great work his Foundation does aligns closely with my efforts to fight childhood obesity. It's a cause we can all get behind, and one I'm excited to continue supporting by playing in the NB3 Foundation Challenge."

All proceeds from the tournament go directly to benefit the Notah Begay III Foundation. A strong and ever-growing partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation and the support of the professional golfers who have participated helped the event raise more than $2.4 million to support the foundation's mission during its first three years.

The Notah Begay III Foundation was founded in 2005 by Begay, the only full-blooded American Indian on the PGA TOUR. In an effort to make a difference in the lives of Native American youth, the Foundation took on the mission to reduce the incidences of childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and promote the leadership development of Native youth.

Driven by Native staff, the Foundation is committed to developing sustainable and evidence-based sports, health, wellness and leadership development programming that can be replicated throughout Indian Country.

For the second straight year, the NB3 Foundation Challenge event will feature PGA and LPGA TOUR players in a mixed team, best ball format with a total purse of $275,000. Woods, a long-time friend and former college teammate of Begay's, is a golf legend. He owns 14 professional golf major championships, the second-highest total in the history of the men's game, and his 71 PGA TOUR victories ranks third all-time.

posted July 16, 2011 9:30 am edt