Reynolds rebounds from storms; courses ready for PGA's best
That's what the grounds crew at Great Waters did on June 11, cleaning up debris following a storm that struck the Jack Nicklaus signature course.
The 41st PGA Professional National Championship, which opens Thursday and continues through Sunday, June 19-22, will feature contestants representing 43 states. They will compete on two of the resort's five world-class golf facilities -- Reynolds Landing and Great Waters. The Championship will be broadcast in prime time by GOLF Channel to a potential 110 million households.
The PGA Professional National Championship, with a $550,000 total purse, makes its sixth overall appearance in Georgia and first since 1979.
PGA Professional Bob Mauragas, the vice president of golf operations at Reynolds Plantation, had challenged his staff to be prepared for such emergencies. He said that he was proud how that maintenance staff restored the course on June 11, after what he described as a "mini-tornado" formed on Lake Oconee then swept inland and destroyed 28 trees, including snapping a 200-year oak like a matchstick.
"The pressure that golf superintendents are under to maintain the quality of all our courses is one thing, and it is a testimony to their ability to move on a dime," said Mauragas. "Within 24 hours, Great Waters was ready to play. We had golfers and caddies going out the next day and you couldn't tell that anything had happened."
The National Championship field will compete on Reynolds Landing's 6,926-yard, par-72 layout, and the 7,043-yard, par-72 Great Waters layout, which also will host the final two rounds.
Following 36 holes of play, the field will be trimmed to the low 70 scorers and ties.
The low 20 scorers earn berths into the 90th PGA Championship, August, 7-10, 2008, at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.
"It is wonderful to see the excitement generated by the members of this community, and to have the Championship on GOLF Channel will be something that they can savor for the rest of their lives," said Mauragas. "Our courses are ready for a championship, and they are in excellent shape. The players will find similarities between the two, considering Bob Cupp designed Reynolds Landing and he worked for Jack Nicklaus, whose signature work is Great Waters. Bob will be visiting us for the weekend rounds, and I know that he will be proud to see this resort hosting this championship."
Defending PGA Professional National Champion Chip Sullivan of Troutville, Va., will joined by 10 past Champions, and 12 Georgia PGA Professionals.
Chip Sullivan, 43, became the first reigning National Champion to compete in the Japan PGA Championship, tying for 18th last month. He returns to Reynolds Plantation, a site where last September he helped the United States rally defeat Great Britain & Ireland and capture the PGA Cup on the Oconee Course. Sullivan and the entire 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team, which was victorious last September over Great Britain & Ireland on the resort's Oconee Course, will duel for a piece of the $550,000 total purse.
"I have a lot of special memories from having helped win back the Llandudno Trophy in the PGA Cup," said Sullivan, the PGA director of golf at Ashley Plantation in Daleville, Va., who has had practice rounds earlier in the year on both Championship courses. "I look forward to taking my whole family in a few weeks and defending my title. I always said that whoever wins the Championship this year will have a heck of a fun ride enjoying the perks that comes with winning. It has been a wonderful experience for me and my family and I wish that everyone could have the same experience."
Other past Champions in the field are: John Traub of Rochester Hills, Mich. (1980), Bill Schumaker of Columbia City, Ind. (1984), who will be making his 28th appearance, a Championship record; Brett Upper of Scottsdale, Ariz. (1990); Ron McDougal of Eatontown, N.J. (1992); Steve Schneiter, Sandy, Utah (1995); Tim Thelen of College Station, Texas (2000, '03); Wayne DeFrancesco of Columbia, Md. (2001); Barry Evans of Charleston, W.Va. (2003); Mike Small of Champaign, Ill. (2005) and Ron Philo Jr. of Amelia Island, Fla. (2006).
Joining Sullivan are the remaining members of the 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team: Ryan Benzel of Bothell, Wash., Lee Rinker of Jupiter, Fla., Alan Schulte of Fishers, Ind., Butch Sheehan of Rancho Mirage, Calif., Small, Chris Starkjohann of Cardiff by the Sea, Calif., Thelen and Don Yrene of Scottsdale, Ariz. Benzel and Small were the only PGA Professionals to make the 36-hole cut in last year's PGA Championship.
The 12-member Georgia PGA contingent features: Tommy Brannen of Martinez; Randy Brooks of Cumming; Jeff Hull of Watkinsville; Greg Lee of Athens; 2007 Georgia PGA Champion Matthew Peterson of Watkinsville; Brian Puterbaugh of Johns Creek; Sonny Skinner of Sylvester; Clark Spratlin of Cumming; Craig Stevens of Dallas; Brian Stock of Augusta; Tim Weinhart of Alpharetta; Don Williams of Gainesville and Rob Williams of Valdosta.
In addition to the Walter Hagen Cup, the PGA Professional National Championship winner also receives an exemption into the next five PGA Professional National Championships, a spot on the 2009 PGA Cup Team and exemptions into six PGA Tour events over a 12-month period.
Established in 1968, The PGA Professional National Championship roster of Champions includes past and present Tour professionals: Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg, Don Massengale, Ed Dougherty, Larry Gilbert and Bruce Fleisher
The PGA Professional National Championship is presented by Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra; Buick and Club Car. GOLF Channel is an exclusive media partner, and the PGA Tour is the Supporting Sponsor of PGA of America Member Championships. The 41 Section Championships and the National Championship offer a combined purse of $1.5 million.
GOLF Channel prime time four-round coverage of the 41st PGA Professional National Championship, opens with first- and second-round broadcasts, Thurs., June 19 and Fri., June 20, from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. ET, and third- and final-round coverage Sat., June 21 and Sun., June 22, from 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. ET. The National Championship also will be re-aired June 19-22, from 2:30 a.m.-4:00 a.m. ET, and June 24, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET.
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