Champions Tour Event Offering Free Admission For Second Year

3M Championship Offering Free Admission Tickets Again This Year

3M Championship officials yesterday announced that fans "again will be able to follow the world's top 50-and-over players at TPC Twin Cities for no charge" during the Aug. 6-8 Champions Tour event, according to Brian Stensaas of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. The tournament last year gave away general admission tickets "in part because avid golf fans were already digging deep to pony up for another big event in town: the PGA Championship." Because of the free tickets, "no official attendance report was kept, but the galleries were packed." 3M Championship Tournament Dir Hollis Cavner: "It's a no-brainer. We had so many people coming up and thanking us (last summer). The crowds last year, even with the PGA coming to town, were great." Golfer Bernhard Langer: "It creates a better atmosphere, even better than before." Meanwhile, Stensaas reports 3M "has extended its sponsorship of the event through 2015" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/3).

COME ONE, COME ALL: Entry to the Honda Indy Toronto on Friday, July 16 "will be free admission, compliments of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association." There will be "no reserved seats anywhere on the grounds of the [Canadian National Exhibition] where the race will be held -- except for designated corporate suites." Driver Paul Tracy is "being sponsored by Honda Canada in this year's Indy and will be racing in support of Make-A-Wish Canada, a children's charity that the Honda dealers hope will benefit from the Free Friday" (THESTAR.com, 6/2).