Greatest moments: 19th, 20th moments unveiled

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Sep. 21, 2009

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The final two spots of the Nationwide Tour's "20 Greatest Moments" program, which spotlights the Tour's 20th-year celebration were unveiled over the weekend. Moments No. 19 and 20 featured Paul Stankowski's back-to-back wins on the Nationwide Tour and PGA TOUR in 1996 and the launch of GOLF CHANNEL in 1995 and its impact in providing exposure for the Tour.

A fan vote conducted on PGATOUR.COM will determine the most popular moment among the 20 that have been identified. There will be five finalists. Fans can vote for their favorite moment among the five at www.PGATOUR.COM/Top20, beginning today. The top moment will be announced on GOLF CHANNEL and PGATOUR.COM during the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C.

1996: Stankowski captures back-to-back wins on Nationwide Tour and PGA TOUR
Proving Nationwide Tour players have the game to win on any tour, alumnus Paul Stankowski captured back-to-back titles on the Nationwide Tour and PGA TOUR in the spring of 1996. A non-exempt PGA TOUR member, Stankowski won the Louisiana Open near Lafayette by four shots. As sixth alternate in the next week's PGA TOUR event, the California native went to Atlanta for the BellSouth Classic and on Wednesday learned he was in the field. The good vibes from Louisiana carried over as Stankowski outlasted Brandel Chamblee on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff on Easter Sunday. In winning back-to-back titles, Stankowski accomplished something no other TOUR player had ever done before or has since. From Atlanta, he headed east on I-20 to Augusta and his first Masters tournament. WATCH video

1995: GOLF CHANNEL is born, broadly expanding Nationwide Tour's reach
With the backing of one of the game's true greats, Arnold Palmer, the GOLF CHANNEL was born in January of 1995. GOLF CHANNEL would televise seven Nationwide Tour events that first year, beginning with the Pensacola Open. More than 170 Nationwide Tour events have aired since. With an ever-expanding growth and reach, 120 million viewers worldwide now have access to "golf's home." Recognizing the growing stature and impact of the Nationwide Tour, GOLF CHANNEL is the Tour's exclusive television home and continues to showcase the PGA TOUR's "official proving ground" in the U.S. and abroad. WATCH video

The "20 Greatest Moments" is the centerpiece of this year's 20th-year celebration of the Nationwide Tour. The roster of "Moments" features events and activities that have had significant bearing on the evolution, growth, impact and promotion of the Tour over the last 20 years, both on and off the golf course. "Moments" will involve alumni highlights from the Nationwide Tour and PGA TOUR and will span the late 1980s, '90s and current decade.

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