New Orleans (March 31, 2005) – Carlos Franco, Robert Damron and Dean Wilson have committed to play in the 2005 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The Zurich Classic is scheduled for April 25 – May 1 at the Tournament Players Club of Louisiana.

Franco holds the distinction of being one of only nine two-time winners at the New Orleans event (1999,2000), and one of only four players with successive victories. His two other victories on TOUR were also at the same tournament: the 1999 Greater Milwaukee Open and the 2004 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. Franco also holds 25 international wins. He is a three-time member of the World Cup team and a two-time member of the Presidents Cup team.

Damron holds one PGA TOUR victory at the 2001 Verizon Byron Nelson Classic. Last year, he finished T2 at the same tournament and ranked in the top-100 on the PGA TOUR money list. His best finish this year was T14 at the Buick Invitational. Damron has played the New Orleans event every year since 1997. His best finish here was T12 in 1998.

Wilson has six international victories and won the 2003 and 2004 Champions Challenge with Mike Weir. This will be Wilson’s third visit to the New Orleans event. In 2004, he made a career-high 33 starts on the PGA TOUR, and finished in money 16 times. Wilson is well-known for playing the first two rounds of the historic 2003 Bank of America Colonial with Annika Sorenstam.

About the Fore!Kids Foundation: The Fore!Kids Foundation produces the annual stop on the PGA TOUR in New Orleans. The Foundation also hosts an annual American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) event at the Tournament Players Club of Louisiana, a summer Junior Golf Program, the Golf Ball (a black tie gala) as well as a series of events in which amateurs participate and the proceeds are distributed to a specific charity. In the last five years alone, the Foundation has been able to raise more than $5 million for area charities. Additionally, the Fore!Kids Foundation, through the PGA TOUR event, provides an estimated $24 million in annual economic impact to the City and State. The tournament is televised to an international audience, allowing millions of people to see some of the area's greatest attractions.

About Zurich Financial Services: Zurich Financial Services (www.zurich.com) is an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network that focuses its activities on its key markets in North America and Europe. Founded in 1872, Zurich is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Through its offices in more than 50 countries, 62,000 Zurich employees serve clients in more than 120 countries. In North America (www.zurichna.com), Zurich is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the large global corporate, middle market and small business sectors.

Also a member of the Zurich global network in North America is the Farmers Insurance Group (www.farmers.com). Farmers is the third largest personal lines insurance group in the United States, providing auto, home, specialty, small business, life and investment products.