| Vienna, Austria 05.23.2006 | | | | track the progress of their favorite teams. |
| | | | |
| Although Austria did not qualify for the | | | | Â |
| FIFA World Cup in Germany, the National Team | | | | |
| is still playing friendly matches to give | | | | Â |
| continuity to the National squad and give | | | | |
| opportunity to young players to demonstrate | | | | Cialis Western Open |
| their skills in the international scenario. | | | | |
| | | | July 6th- 9th |
| One of those friendly matches will take | | | | |
| place on May 23rd when they face Croatia in | | | | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Illinois |
| home soil, as part of the programmed FIFA | | | | |
| dates for the teams to prepare for the World | | | | Live on XM 146/USA/ABC |
| Cup. | | | | |
| | | | Purse: $5,000,000 |
| Austria was in group 6 of the European zone, | | | | |
| a very hard group that counted with the | | | | Last Champion: Jim Furyk |
| presence of England and Poland, which were | | | | |
| the two, teams that qualified to Germany | | | | The Cialis Western Open, conducted by the |
| 2006. | | | | Western Golf Association, has a history |
| | | | unparalleled by all but one golf championship |
| Austria has a great canter of young players | | | | in the United States. First held in 1899, the |
| that given the continuity needed might | | | | Western Open is the oldest championship on |
| accomplish great things in the future for | | | | the PGA TOUR and the second oldest |
| their country. | | | | professional golf championship in the nation. |
| | | | Only the U.S. Open, first conducted in 1895 |
| Now other story awaits for Croatia a team | | | | by the United States Golf Association, is |
| that is qualified to the World Cup and will | | | | older. |
| use this match up against Austria to give | | | | |
| the final tune up to their squad before the | | | | When the PGA TOUR professionals come to |
| World Cup Starts. | | | | Chicago each year to compete in the Cialis |
| | | | Western Open, they are following in the |
| This will be their third successive | | | | hallowed footsteps of golf's all-time greats. |
| appearance to the final stage of the | | | | Past champions include golf's greatest |
| tournament since they are an independent | | | | legends, including Chick Evans, Walter Hagen, |
| country. Croatia finished on top of the | | | | Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam |
| qualifying round in group 8 from the Europe | | | | Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The |
| zone. | | | | past two decades have seen Tom Watson, Hale |
| | | | Irwin, Tom Weiskopf, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price |
| In teams news Croatia’s coach Zlatko | | | | and Tiger Woods add their names to the |
| Kranjcar announced on Friday an expected | | | | Western Open's J. K. Wadley Cup's impressive |
| 24-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in | | | | roster of champions. |
| Germany next month where he said he hoped | | | | |
| his team would reach the second round at | | | | Today, the Western Open is considered the |
| least. | | | | founding event of the PGA TOUR. Much has |
| | | | changed since 1899, including the prize |
| "I earlier said I would pick the players who | | | | money. This year's 102nd Western Open purse |
| carried the burden of qualifying so I've had | | | | totals $5 million, with the winner earning |
| a pretty clear picture of who to choose for | | | | $900,000. In the Western Open's initial year, |
| some time," Kranjcar told a news conference. | | | | the total purse was $150, with the winner |
| | | | earning $50. |
| In the group stage Croatia faces Brazil, | | | | |
| Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw | | | | On last year's tournament Furyk , after |
| his team progressing. "I can feel a great | | | | finishing second three times last year, |
| team spirit in the squad and I think we're | | | | including a devastating loss the previous |
| well capable of doing it," he said. As we | | | | weekend, Furyk against all Sportsbook odds |
| see the Croatian team is very motivated | | | | answered Woods' charge with three straight |
| toward the start of the World Cup and is a | | | | birdies and hung on to win the Cialis Western |
| team that can give big surprises if they keep | | | | Open. It was his 10th PGA TOUR victory and |
| playing like they did in the qualifying | | | | the first since the 2003 Buick Open. |
| round. | | | | |
| | | | After tapping in for a birdie, Furyk took off |
| Most sports books will have lines for these | | | | his cap and shook hands with third round |
| friendly matches that might not be as | | | | co-leader Ben Curtis. Furyk then turned and |
| exciting as the World Cup matches but still | | | | pumped his fists to the cheering crowd before |
| is a chance for the sports betting fans to | | | | sharing a long hug with caddie Fluff Cowan. |