Senior PGA Tour Professionals Hale Irwin, Larry Nelson and Bruce Lietzke have committed to play at the Lightpath Long Island Classic, July 29 - Aug. 4 at the Meadow Brook Club in Jericho.

"This will be Bruce Lietzke's first time playing at our event," said Jack Russell, tournament director. "Bruce and defending champ Bobby Wadkins are good friends and it will be great to watch them compete for the top prize of $255,000 from the $1,700,000 purse. However, they must contend with Hale who seems determined to capture the money title again, and Larry who says he can't wait to come back."

Irwin joined the PGA Tour in 1968 and had 20 wins including three US Open victories (1974, 1979, 1990). He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1995 and was Rookie of the Year and in 1997 and 1998 won player, money-winner and scoring leader of the year honors. His 32 Senior Tour wins are the most for any player and include: three consecutive PGA Seniors' Championships (1996, 1997, 1998), two US Senior Open victories (1998, 2000), and Senior Tour Championship (1998). He opened the 2002 season with a win at the Senior Skins game and again in March at the Toshiba Senior Classic. Irwin who is competing in the 2002 US Open at Bethpage Black is having a banner year on the Senior PGA Tour.

Nelson joined the PGA Tour in 1974 and had 10 wins including two PGA championships (1981, 1987) and the US Open Championship in 1983. In 1998, he joined the Senior PGA Tour and won three events. The following year he posted two more wins and in 2000 became Senior PGA Tour Player of the Year and its leading money winner with six victories. He backed up his previous year leading the Senior Tour with five more trips to the winner's circle in 2001. He tied for second with Allen Doule at the Lightpath Classic last year, one stroke behind Bobby Wadkins.

In his 25-year career on the PGA Tour, Bruce Lietzke won 13 events, which was a remarkable number of victories due to his limited play. Putting family first, since 1989 Lietzke played in less than 20 events each year and yet remained competitive. With his children now grown, Lietzke who turned 50 last July, joined the Senior PGA Tour and quickly won two events - of the 10 events he played, he had seven top 10 finishes. Off to a good start in 2002 he won the Audi Senior Classic in February, and the TD Waterhouse in May.

"The excitement of the 2002 Lightpath Long Island Classic is building and we are thrilled to bring world-class golfers and live championship play to Long Island golf fans," said Joseph Lhota, executive vice president of Cablevision Systems Corporation and co-chair of the Lightpath Long Island Classic. "This tournament provides us the opportunity to highlight Lightpath's business solutions to the appropriate audience, while raising money for Schneider Children's Hospital."

Bobby Wadkins will be defending his title in a stellar field of 78 Senior PGA Tour professionals including past champions Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino, Bruce Fleisher, Dana Quigley, George Archer, John Bland and Don Bies as well as crowd favorites Allen Doyle, Gil Morgan and Chi Chi Rodriquez.

Tickets for the Lightpath Long Island Classic can be purchased by calling 674-GOLF or Ticketmaster at (877) 803-7065. Tickets can also be ordered online at www.ticketmaster.com.