Grande Lakes Orlando Resort Welcomes Back PNC Father/Son Challenge

A golf tradition returns for the second year in a row to The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes as the charity PNC Father/Son Challenge tees off December 12-15, 2013. Click here for high-resolution version

ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - Nov 21, 2013) - A golf tradition returns for the second year in a row to The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes as the charity PNC Father/Son Challenge tees off December 12-15, 2013. Grande Lakes Orlando, comprised of The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels, will welcome Jack Nicklaus and an expanded 20-player field of golf legends for the family-oriented, 36-hole tournament.

The family-oriented event, held for 15 years from 1994-2008, made a triumphant return last season with new title sponsor, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. This year's field, headlined by Jack Nicklaus, boasts 430 worldwide wins and 59 major championships. Defending champion Davis Love III, playing alongside his son, Davis "Dru" Love IV, looks to retain his title on Grande Lakes' pristine, Greg Norman-designed, 18-hole golf course. Davis and Nicklaus, who will play this year with son Jackie, will be joined by past winners Larry Nelson, Bernhard Langer, Hale Irwin, and Raymond Floyd.

"We're delighted to welcome the PNC Father/Son Challenge to our resort once again," said Jim Burns, Vice President and Managing Director, Grande Lakes Orlando. "It is a natural fit for our property's family-friendly activities that offer great bonding opportunities, not just on the golf course but with our fly-fishing, eco-tours and more."

Tournament-goers can take advantage of the PNC Father/Son Challenge Weekend Package, available at both The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott, Grande Lakes Orlando. Package includes:

• Lake front room accommodations

• $50 resort credit per stay

• Commemorative golf tag

• Two tickets for the tournament (Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15)

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grand Lakes: rates start at $359/night; available December 11-15.

The Orlando resort package requires a minimum two-night stay, based on availability. Package excludes tax. Offer does not apply to groups of 10 or more rooms and cannot be combined with any other promotions. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply. Advance reservations required.

The 20 teams will compete in a 36-hole scramble format over two days for the $1-million prize purse. The winning team will take the Willie Park Trophy, named after Willie Park and his son Willie Park Jr., who combined to win an unprecedented five British Opens. To qualify for the PNC Father/Son Challenge, participants must have won either a major championship or Players Championship in their career. Tournament proceeds will benefit the Arnold Palmer Medical Center and will be directed to the Healthy Families Orange Program offered by the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families.

The 2013 PNC Father/Son Challenge Field:
Stewart Cink/Connor Cink (son), David Duval/Dean Karavites (son), Steve Elkington/Sam Elkington (son), Nick Faldo/Matthew Faldo (son), Raymond Floyd/Raymond Floyd Jr. (son), Hale Irwin/Steve Irwin (son), Lee Janzen/Connor Janzen (son), Bernhard Langer/Christina Langer (daughter), Davis Love III/Davis (Dru) Love IV (son), Sandy Lyle/James Lyle (son), Larry Nelson/Drew Nelson (son), Jack Nicklaus/Jack Nicklaus II (son), Mark O'Meara/Shaun O'Meara (son), Nick Price/Greg Price (son), Dave Stockton/Dave Stockton Jr. (son), Curtis Strange/Tom Strange (son), Vijay Singh/Qass Singh (son), Lee Trevino/Daniel Trevino (son), Lanny Wadkins/Tucker Wadkins (son), Fuzzy Zoeller/Gretchen Chappo (daughter).

For more details on tournament history and past champions, visit www.pncfathersonchallenge.com and follow the event on Twitter @PNCFatherSon.

About Grande Lakes Orlando
Grande Lakes Orlando is a unique 500-acre resort with a luxury 582-room Ritz-Carlton and deluxe 1,000-room JW Marriott Hotels. In particular, the Grande Lakes Adventure Experience program, which includes kayak and canoe eco-tours and a fishing school, reflects the luxury Orlando resort's natural surroundings. Grande Lakes also offers the culinary mastery of award-winning Chefs Norman Van Aken and Melissa Kelly, new total-wellness inspired treatment programs at The Ritz-Carlton Spa and Golf Digest Schools' golf instruction. The estate is located 15 minutes from the Orlando International Airport, five minutes from the Orange County Convention Center and minutes from the major theme parks.

Guests at both hotels can enjoy all the facilities and services at Grande Lakes Orlando, including the 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Greg Norman, the 40,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa offering a new rooftop eco-space, a wide selection of natural treatments, baths and hydrotherapies, and advice from the world's first Citrus Consultant. Membership offerings are also available through The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes Members Club. For more information about Grande Lakes Orlando, visit www.grandelakes.com.

Follow Grande Lakes Orlando on Twitter at @JW_Orlando and @RC_Orlando.

About PNC
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management.

About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, fashion and media business, with 3,500 employees operating in more than 30 countries around the globe. IMG's areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG's Joint Ventures in India, Brazil, China and Turkey; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Golf and IMG Tennis; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academy; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 84 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, an award that originated in 1987. Its purpose is to promote the awareness of quality excellence, recognize quality achievements of companies and publicize successful quality strategies. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company won the award in 1992 and 1999. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR).