New Orleans, LA (April 17, 2006) – Stephen Ames and Tim Herron have committed to play in the upcoming Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The event will take place April 24 - 30, 2006 at English Turn Golf and Country Club.

Stephen Ames has claimed victory twice on the PGA TOUR, with the most recent coming at this year's Players Championship. The TPC at Sawgrass, which played difficult for the rest of the field, saw Ames blow away the strongest field in golf firing a final round 67 to finish at 14 under par -- six shots clear of his closest competitor. In five trips, Ames has fared extremely well in the Big Easy, finishing in the top ten 3 times and having never missed a cut.

Three-time PGA TOUR winner Tim Herron finished the 2005 season in the top 30 on the money list for the third time in a career that now spans over a decade. The 2005 season for Herron also included seven top-10 finishes, the best being a tie for 3rd at the Chrysler Championship, and over $2 million in earnings. Herron is making his fifth return to New Orleans where he will try to better his 2005 efforts that did not allow him to hang around for the weekend.

About the Fore!Kids Foundation
The Fore!Kids Foundation produces the annual stop on the PGA TOUR in New Orleans. The Foundation also hosts 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. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated more than $13 million to area charities. Additionally, the Fore!Kids Foundation, through the PGA TOUR event, provides an estimated $25 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 Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 55,000 people serving customers in more than 120 countries.