Charles Schwab Challenge Champions Choices Announced
FORT WORTH, TX – May 2, 2023 – The long–running tournament tradition of champions voting in two players has placed University of Texas grads Cole Hammer and Pierceson Coody in the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge field.
This unique tradition allows Colonial champions to choose promising young professionals who have never before been eligible for the prestigious invitational event.
The tournament celebrates its 77th championship this year, May 22–28 at Colonial Country Club.
Our Champions have chosen two up-and-coming players that will compete in the 2023 #CharlesSchwabChallenge. Congratulations to @cole_hammer6765 and @pierceson_coody pic.twitter.com/voDyyH2ewI
— Charles Schwab Challenge (@CSChallengeFW) May 3, 2023
The two players helped lead Texas to the 2022 NCAA Championship title just a year ago. Cole Hammer is a Houston native who won co–medalist honors at the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship before his career at UT.
As an amateur, Hammer represented the U.S. on the 2019 and 2021 Walker Cup Teams, as well as the 2019 Palmer Cup team.
Coody has won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in the last year.
The Plano resident has played in four PGA Tour events this season and finished tied for 14th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
As an amateur, Coody represented the U.S. on the 2021 Walker Cup Team, as well as the 2020 and 2021 Palmer Cup teams. His grandfather, Charles Coody, won the 1971 Masters. His twin brother, Parker, also played on the 2022 Texas NCAA championship team.
Charles Schwab Challenge champions have done well over the years with their picks, and some choices have returned to win the tournament later in their careers.
Other Champions’ Choice invitees who made their professional debut in Fort Worth with this honor were Paul Azinger, Billy Mayfair, Mark O’Meara, Curtis Strange and Stewart Cink.
Nine years ago, eventual 2015 Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth was invited as a Champions’ Choice; he later became the 2016 Colonial champion.
Defending champion Sam Burns was a Champions’ Choice invitee in 2018 and became the eighth such player to come back and win the event in their career.
In all, 76 of the former 135 choices have become PGA Tour tournament winners, racking up 427 victories and 29
majors.
A purse of $8.7 million awaits the final field of 120 contestants.
Tickets are on sale now at charlesschwabchallenge.com
