Hilton Naples Top 5 Tuesday Poll: Who's Your Fave Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout Team in Naples Florida

Don’t forget to vote on the Hilton Naples Top 5 Tuesday Poll:   Which Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout Team Do you Want to see Win in Naples Florida? Voting ends Friday at 2:30pm


Photo by Michael O'Bryon Courtesy of
Franklin Tempeton Shootout website



Below is a snapshot of the 6 of the 12 teams striving to earn this year’s title (List courtesy of the Franklin Templeton Shootout Website)



Fredrik Jacobson & Greg Norman: These two will be playing together for the first time. Jacobson earned his first career victory earlier this season at the Travelers Championship. He also finished T14 at the U.S. Open and T16 at the Open Championship. Norman, who won in 1998 with Steve Elkington, will be making his 22nd appearance while Jacobson will be making his Shootout debut.

Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker: This marks the fourth consecutive year the 2009 champions will play together. Kelly and Stricker are both from Madison, Wisc., and were born exactly three months apart (Kelly-Nov. 23, 1966, Stricker-Feb. 23, 1967). They have combined for 14 PGA TOUR victories– Kelly three and Stricker 11, including two this year. Kelly has won two Shootout titles in six appearances. His first came in 2006 with Rod Pampling. Stricker, currently ranked fourth in the world, will compete for the fourth consecutive year.
Keegan Bradley & Brendan Steele: This duo of PGA TOUR rookies combined for three wins this year. Bradley is a two-time winner, including his victory at the PGA Championship. Steele won the Valero Texas Open. Both have famous relatives. Steele’s uncle is an actor who plays “Luke” on General Hospital and Bradley’s aunt is World Golf Hall of Fame member Pat Bradley.
Charles Howell III & Justin Leonard: This Oklahoma State and University of Texas team is together for the first time. Howell III is a two-time winner on TOUR and has enjoyed a consistent year, finishing third twice and among the top 10 on seven occasions. Leonard is a 12-time winner whose best finish this year was second at Disney. Leonard will be making his seventh appearance in the Shootout while Howell III is making his fourth and first since 2007.
Rickie Fowler & Camilo Villegas: You might have to fight the crowds to follow this team. These two dynamic young players could be favorites when the competition begins. Both have a “go-for-it” attitude. Fowler recently won his first professional event in Asia. Since 2010, when he was named Rookie of the Year, Fowler has been among the top 10 in 11 tournaments and finished second three times. Villegas is a three-time winner on TOUR and was a member of Norman’s President Cup team in 2009.
Anthony Kim & Webb Simpson: Another dynamic young team. Simpson has enjoyed a breakthrough year with multiple wins that earned him the No. 2 spot on the TOUR’s Official Money list, a nomination for Player of the Year and a trip to his first Presidents Cup. While this is Simpson’s first Shootout, Kim returns for his third. Last year, he and Chris DiMarco were tied for third. Combined, this duo has won five TOUR titles in the past four years.

This year, Golf Channel will televise Friday and NBC will broadcast the weekend competition.


To celebrate the success of the Shark Shootout event, the Hilton Naples unveils its new TeeTimesUSA golf vacation booking engine which allows future guests to go online and book tee times, hotel reservations and car rental all in a one-stop. Franklin Templeton Shootout returned to Naples 11 times to host their premiere PGA TOUR Post season event - now you too can play Florida Golf on one of Florida's Best Courses by booking the Hilton Naples Hotel.