Reynolds Plantation's Oconee Course picked for PGA Cup

The PGA Cup, the premier international competition for PGA Professionals, will make its first appearance in Georgia when the 23rd edition of the Ryder Cup-like event is played Sept. 21-23 at the renowned Oconee Course at Reynolds Plantation.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The Oconee Course at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga., one of the country's premier resort venues and an acclaimed Rees Jones design, has been named the site of the 23rd PGA Cup, Sept. 21-23, 2007, the premier international competition for PGA Professionals.

Marking its first appearance in Georgia, the PGA Cup is structured after the Ryder Cup and brings together 10-member teams of U.S. PGA Professionals facing a 10-member team from Great Britain & Ireland. In 2005, the U.S. suffered its first defeat since 1984, a 15-11 decision at The K Club in Straffan, Ireland.

Since the PGA Cup originated in 1973 as an outgrowth of the PGA Professional National Championship, the United States has never been defeated on home soil, and owns a 14-4-3 overall record.

"The PGA Cup is a one-of-a-kind event for a PGA Professional, and a wonderful goal that our finest playing members aspire to experience," said former PGA of America President Roger Warren. "We are very pleased that The Oconee Course at Reynolds Plantation will serve as host of the next PGA Cup, and that it will provide a championship setting that will be among the most memorable in the history of this event."

The Oconee ("Oh-KONE-ee") Course, named after the lake that serves as the centerpiece of the Reynolds Plantation, made its debut in 2002 and immediately displayed its versatility in being selected among the "Ten Best New Upscale Courses" by Golf Digest, and garnered a No. 5 ranking for Golf For Women's "50 Best Courses for Women." The course is part of a community that features a 251-room Ritz-Carlton Lodge that also opened in 2002.

"Both Reynolds Plantation and I are extremely humbled by the opportunity to host one of the most prestigious PGA of America events," said Bob Mauragas, Vice President of Golf at Reynolds Plantation, "and we are looking forward to watching the best PGA Professionals of the world test the championship architecture of Rees Jones."

Oconee, the Creek Indian name for "Great Waters," is aptly titled for a championship course that may extend to more than 7,100 yards. The famed lake comes into play on five holes, and additional water hazards affecting four other holes. Interior creeks and ponds, as well as extensive bunkering, ensure a challenging but fair test for a player of any ability.

The Oconee Course lies in Georgia's most northwestern county, and is what Jones hailed as a layout that required little alteration to achieve a championship design.

"We have uncovered a dramatic golf course without changing a lot of what we found when we got here," said Jones, whose career handiwork includes seven U.S. Open venues, five PGA Championship courses and three Ryder Cup sites. "The classic golf course that we designed fits the land perfectly."

The 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team was completed at the conclusion of the 2007 PGA Professional National Championship. The U.S. Team will include the top finishers from both the 2006 and 2007 national Championships who accumulate points based on their finish at the respective Championships.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary, The PGA of America was founded in 1916, and is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.