Golf's Elite to Compete at Annual MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME

Golf's Elite to Compete at Annual MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME

Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Fred Couples and Fred Funk to Play Annual Thanksgiving Weekend Event - November 26-27, 2005

NEW YORK, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Merrill Lynch (NYSE:MER), ESPN Regional Television (ERT) and Trans World International (TWI) today announced the four professional golfers competing in the 2005 MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 26-27, at the Trilogy Golf Club in La Quinta, CA. Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Fred Couples and Fred Funk will compete for $1 million in prize money in the unique "skins game" format, annually one of golf's highest rated telecasts and one of the richest two-day events in the history of golf.

ABC Sports will televise the event Saturday, Nov. 26 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. (ET) and Sunday, Nov. 27 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. (ET). The 23rd edition of the event is a joint venture of ESPN Regional Television, Inc. and Trans World International (TWI).

"The MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME is an extraordinary golfing tradition, and this year's field promises a fun, competitive and thrilling competition in the games greatest format," said Bob McCann, President of Merrill Lynch, Global Private Client Group. "Merrill Lynch is proud to sponsor this event on behalf of our clients, employees and golfing fans nationwide."

In the SKINS GAME format, players compete for money for each hole rather than low score for the round. A player must win a hole outright to win a skin. If a hole is tied, the skin(s) and money carries over to the next hole. Each of the first six holes (1 through 6) will be worth $25,000. Each of the second six holes (7 through 12) will be worth $50,000. Holes 13 through 17 will each be worth $70,000, and the 18th hole, the "TOTAL MERRILL SUPER SKIN," will be worth $200,000.

Contestants

The 2005 MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME features four of golf's greatest names, each of which have agreed to donate 20 percent of their winnings ($200,000) out of the $1 million purse to their favorite charities.

Tiger Woods is having another banner year with two major titles -- the Masters and the British Open, a second in the US Open and a tie for fourth in the PGA Championship. Already one of the most decorated golfers in history, Woods owns 45 PGA Tour victories and 17 other titles worldwide. Included in that total are 10 majors and nine World Golf Championship events, the last coming in this year's WGC-NEC Invitational. Along with Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player, Woods is one of five golfers to win the career grand slam. Currently, Woods sits atop the Tour money list with more than $8.6 million in earnings. He ranks first in scoring average at 69.69 and second in driving distance. He has five victories, three seconds and two thirds in 18 outings this year. Woods had his best MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME finish last year, although losing the playoff to Fred Couples, he had five skins and took home $310,000.

Fred Couples is the most prolific player in MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME history. With his victory last year, Couples earned his fifth title -- second consecutive -- and vaulted past Jack Nicklaus for most MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME appearances with 11. Couples holds the records for Most Career Skins Won (77), Most Career Skins Money ($3,515,000) and most birdies in one year (nine in 1999). Besides his 15 Tour titles, Couples owns 34 victories worldwide. Couples has earned $1,696,696 on the PGA TOUR this year, his second best year in his career. He tied for third in the British Open.

Annika Sorenstam is enjoying another stellar season, one in which she began in scintillating fashion. Sorenstam followed her 10-victory 2004 campaign by winning her first three tournaments, six of her first eight and she has seven wins on the year. Included in that total were romps in the season's first two majors: the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the LPGA Championship. Currently, Sorenstam is in her customary spot atop the LPGA money list ($1,957,200) and also leads the LPGA in stroke average (69.33), greens in regulation (76 percent), rounds under par (73.5 percent), top-10 finishes (11 in 14 tournaments), rounds in the 60s (63.3 percent), putting (1.74) and Rolex Player of the Year points (312). She is on her way to pass the $2 million mark in earnings for the fifth straight year and already has amassed $18 million in her career.

Fred Funk, known as one of the most popular players on Tour for his easygoing demeanor, is making his MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME debut. Funk made Tour history in March when he became the oldest winner of the Players Championship and qualified for the SKINS GAME. The then 48-year-old Funk endured a weather-mandated, 33-hole Monday finish; holding off Scott Verplank, Luke Donald and Tom Lehman by a stroke to win his seventh career title and a five-year exemption that will keep Funk on Tour until he's 54. Currently, Funk is third in driving accuracy (75.3 percent) and 10th on the money list with more than $2.5 million in earnings.

Tickets, further information

Tickets for the MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME, as well as corporate entertainment packages and hospitality tents, are available by calling the tournament office at (760) 771-0707 or (866) SKINTIX (754-6849). Tickets also are available on the Trilogy website at www.trilogylife.com.

Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta is located at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in La Quinta, CA. This will mark the third year that the club will play host to the event. The par-72 course is open to the public.

Merrill Lynch (NYSE:MER) has offices in 35 countries and total client assets of approximately $1.6 trillion. As an investment bank, it is a leading global underwriter of debt and equity securities and strategic advisor to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Through Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, the company is one of the world's largest managers of financial assets, with assets under management of $488 billion. For more information on Merrill Lynch, please visit www.ml.com.

Trilogy is a member of the J.F. Shea family of companies. Over the past century, the J. F. Shea family of companies has accomplished many extraordinary milestones including completing work on the foundation of the landmark Golden Gate Bridge, working on San Francisco Bay Area's Rapid Transit System (BART) and serving as a managing partner for the construction of the Hoover Dam. Yet, Shea's most satisfying achievements continue to revolve around listening to our customer's needs and satisfying those needs by providing an extensive selection of new home floor plans and quality workmanship in the finest neighborhoods and communities available today. For more information please visit the company's website at www.sheahomes.com.

ESPN Regional Television (ERT) is the nation's largest producer and distributor of collegiate sports programming, producing more than 550 sporting events per year. In addition to event sponsorship, ERT produces 400 events for national, regional and local networks, serves as the exclusive syndication rights-holder for college conferences (Big 12, Big Ten, BIG EAST, Conference USA, Mountain West and WAC) and exclusive marketing rights-holder for select schools (Kansas, Oregon, UNLV, TCU, UAB, South Florida and Iowa State). In recent years, ESPN, Inc. has created or acquired events it owns markets and televises to increase its value to advertisers and affiliates.

IMG's Trans World International subsidiary, TWI, is the largest independent source and distributor of television sports programming with over 4,000 hours of programming produced and packaged annually for network broadcasts. From Wimbledon and the British Open to the sports news coverage around the globe, TWI delivers sports television and events to millions worldwide. Over the course of its history, TWI has developed the largest, most comprehensive global sports archive library and maintains important archive partnerships with major sports organizations.

IMG is the world's premier sports and lifestyle management and marketing firm, with an international staff of more than 2,200 people in 70 offices in 30 countries. IMG is also commercially involved in an average of 11 major sports and cultural events around the world every day; IMG Consulting works with many of the world's largest corporations on marketing and sponsorship programs; IMG's stadium and arena group works with leagues and franchises worldwide; IMG is the world's largest non-character licensing firm, and is a leading literary agency and book packager. In addition, IMG Models is the world's number one international model management firm, IMG owns and operates top sports and fitness academies, and IMG Artists is the top global performing arts management firm.

Source: MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME

CONTACT: Steve Brener, ext. 103, Dana von Louda, ext. 107, or Brian Robin, ext. 110, all of Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc., +1-818-344-6195, for MERRILL LYNCH SKINS GAME; or Tom Reller of Merrill Lynch, +1-609-282-3197, Thomas_reller@ml.com; or Mark Mandel of ABC Sports, +1-212-456-4867; or Michelle Olson of Trilogy, +1-480-368-7999

Web site: http://www.trilogylife.com/

Web site: http://www.sheahomes.com/

Web site: http://www.ml.com/

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