Tucson, Ariz. (March 5, 2026) – 2026 Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences Tournament Chairman Dan Nentl today announced the initial round of player commitments for the upcoming PGA TOUR Champions tournament, set to be played March 20 – 22 at La Paloma Country Club in Tucson.
Steven Alker will return to defend his 2025 title against a strong field of competitors that includes Cologuard ambassador Jerry Kelly, a collection of past tournament champions and World Golf Hall of Fame members. Among the past champions set to compete are Joe Durant (2024), David Toms (2023), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2022), Kevin Sutherland (2021), Bernhard Langer (2020), Tom Lehman (2017) and Woody Austin (2016). Defending Charles Schwab Cup winner Stewart Cink, along with World Golf Hall of Fame members Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington have also committed to the tournament. Other professionals currently in the Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences field include Darren Clarke, David Duval as well as PGA TOUR Champions rookies Zach Johnson, Ryan Armour and Ben Crane.
The 2026 Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences will feature a 78-player field competing for a $2.2 million purse, with $330,000 to the winner. PGA TOUR Champions golfers have until Friday, March 13 to commit to play in the Cologuard Classic and the tournament has five sponsor exemptions to award prior to the start of the tournament. Therefore, the field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the tournament.
Golf fans making a minimum $5 online donation to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona between now and March 20, 2026, will receive a complimentary general admission ticket to Saturday, March 21 of the 2026 Cologuard Classic, compliments of presenting sponsor Exact Sciences. Donations can be made online at www.cologuardclassic.com. In addition, on Saturday, March 21, non-perishable food items and monetary donations can be made at the PGA TOUR Champions tournament’s main entrance in exchange for a complimentary general admission ticket. Exact Sciences will match the funds donated by fans, up to $10,000, with all proceeds collected going to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. In tandem with this program, Friday, March 20 is Folds of Honor Friday AND Dress in Blue Day at the Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences, honoring the brave men and women who serve our nation as well as commemorating National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Fans, players, caddies and announcers are encouraged to wear blue to help raise awareness of colon cancer.
Since its inception, community impact has been a focus of the Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences. Over the past nine years, tournament proceeds and fundraising efforts by Exact Sciences and the Tucson Conquistadores have supported colorectal cancer awareness, food insecurity in Southern Arizona, and Tucson youth athletic programs.
Since 1962, the Conquistadores have contributed more than $39 million to local charities, including nearly $3.9 million since 2018, Exact Sciences’ first year as title sponsor.
For tickets and more information on the Cologuard Classic, visit www.CologuardClassic.com.
About Exact Sciences
A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences (Nasdaq: EXAS) helps patients and health care providers make timely, informed decisions before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis. The company’s growing portfolio includes well-established brands such as Cologuard® and Oncotype DX®, along with innovative solutions like Cancerguard® for multi-cancer early detection and Oncodetect® for molecular residual disease and recurrence monitoring. Exact Sciences continues to invest in a robust pipeline of advanced cancer diagnostics aimed at improving outcomes. For more information, visit ExactSciences.com, follow @ExactSciences on X, or connect on LinkedIn and Facebook.
About the Cologuard® and Cologuard Plus™ tests
Developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, the Cologuard® and Cologuard Plus™ tests are first-line, noninvasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening options for adults aged 45 or older who are at average risk for the disease.
The Cologuard test revolutionized CRC screening by detecting specific DNA markers and blood in stool associated with cancer and precancer, allowing patients to complete the collection kit at home without special preparation or time off, and return the kit to the lab for results. It is included in national screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society (2018) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2021). Since its inception in 2014, Cologuard has been used to screen for more CRC 20 million times.
Building on this success, the FDA-approved Cologuard Plus test raises the performance bar even further and features novel biomarkers, improved laboratory processes, and enhanced sample stability. Through high performance, the Cologuard Plus test is designed to reduce the likelihood of false positives, helping to minimize unnecessary follow-up colonoscopies. Both tests demonstrate Exact Sciences’ commitment to improving CRC screening access and outcomes.
About The Tucson Conquistadores
The Tucson Conquistadores, Inc. is a nonprofit organized for the purpose of supporting local youth and special needs amateur athletics primarily in Southern Arizona, with an emphasis on offering life enhancing opportunities to give back to the local community. The Conquistadores are comprised of up to 59 active business and professional members and a total membership of 223 who represent a cross-section of the Tucson community. The Conquistadores have raised more than $39 million for local charities since their inception in 1962, including more than $3,900,000 since the 2018 tournament, Cologuard’s first as title sponsor. Key beneficiaries of the Conquistadores' fundraising efforts include Southern Arizona youth athletic programs, First Tee-Tucson and colon cancer advocacy organizations. In addition to their involvement with professional golf, the group has also established the Tucson Conquistadores Foundation. Follow the Tucson Conquistadores online at www.tucsonconquistadores.com.
ABOUT PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, on Facebook, on X (@ChampionsTour), on Instagram (@pgatourchampions) and on TikTok (pgatourchampions). All events are televised in the United States on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, PGA TOUR Champions coverage is available in more than 170 countries and territories via 22 media partners.
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