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Tag Archives: PGA Tour
Walt Disney World Event Drops Off PGA Tour
The PGA Tour‘s event in Mexico will anchor a six-tournament schedule next fall that for the first time since 1971 will not include Walt Disney World.
Disney has been part of the PGA Tour since Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural event in 1971. It was not a big shock that Disney was dropped from the PGA Tour. Disney lost its title sponsor when the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals did not renew, and Disney did not aggressively pursue a replacement. It was always a favorite week of the year for players with young families.
The 2013-14 season will commence with the Frys.com Open on Oct. 10-13 in San Martin, Calif., the week following the Presidents Cup. The PGA Tour then moves to the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas on Oct. 17-20 before going overseas for two straight weeks.
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What a Day for Donald at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic at Walt Disney World Resort
There were a lot of marquee golfers battling to win the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic tournament at Walt Disney World Resort on Sunday. But given that the tournament was at Disney, it was fitting that a guy named Donald – i.e. Luke Donald – walked away with the trophy. And of course the other Donald – i.e. Donald Duck – was there to congratulate him. They “quacked’’ each other up.
Seriously, Luke Donald put on quite a show. Starting the day five strokes off the lead, he sank six straight birdies on the final nine holes of Disney’s Magnolia course Sunday to win the tournament by two strokes and secure the PGA Tour’s year-end money title. With his $2 million lead on the European Tour money list, he likely will become the first player to capture the PGA Tour and European money titles in the same year.
If you missed the finish Sunday, don’t worry. You have plenty of time to plan for next year’s tournament (Nov. 5-11) which will again be the final event of the 2012 PGA Tour season.
Source Disney Parks Blog
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Walt Disney World Resort Links with Arnold Palmer Golf Management
Walt Disney World Resort and Arnold Palmer Golf Management have signed a 20-year strategic alliance to create even more magic for Disney golfers. Beginning Sept. 25, Arnold Palmer Golf Management will operate, manage, maintain and help promote all five Disney courses including Disney’s Palm and Magnolia, Lake Buena Vista, Osprey Ridge and Oak Trail golf courses.
As part of this long-term alliance agreement, golf legend Arnold Palmer and his golf course design team will be actively engaged in implementing strategic and innovative design features to several of the golf courses. Future enhancements include plans for a full renovation of Disney’s Palm under his direction to become an Arnold Palmer designed course.
“After 40 years as a golf course architect, I’m looking forward to this opportunity to contribute to Disney’s rich and storied golf legacy,” said Arnold Palmer. “I’ve enjoyed a lifetime of memories playing golf and it will be a great reward to pass that on to those who share a passion both for Disney and the game of golf.”
With an extensive following of serious golf enthusiasts, Arnold Palmer Golf Management is known for its excellent course conditions, pace of play, service standards and player development. In addition to course operation, the company also manages “Palmer Advantage,” a reciprocal club and concierge service program, that provides members with unique travel benefits and access to more than 250 private clubs, resorts and golf courses around the world.
“Drawing on Arnold Palmer Golf Management’s expertise and experience enables us to build on our mutual strengths and extend our appeal both among leisure players and avid golfers,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises. “We’re excited about this new collaboration, which will benefit Disney guests and Palmer Advantage club members wanting a destination golf experience.”
The agreement gives Arnold Palmer Golf Management an opportunity to add a uniquely Disney, family-friendly golf destination to its portfolio of more than 70 private clubs and championship golf courses. Disney Golf will be promoted within the Palmer Advantage network of golf devotees, through a dedicated website and featured within the exclusive publication, “Kingdom Magazine,” which celebrates Mr. Palmer’s contributions to the game of golf and extensive philanthropic ambassadorship.
“With a reputation for service excellence and exceptional family entertainment, Walt Disney World is an ideal complement to our member offerings,” said Jim Hinckley, president of Arnold Palmer Golf Management. “This collaboration will give our members both a superior golf experience and a one-of-a-kind family golf vacation.”
Since Walt Disney World opened with two 18-hole courses in 1971, golf has been a key component of the resort. Over the past four decades, Disney World has hosted professional and amateur golf tournaments, including one of the longest-running events in PGA Tour history – the PGA Tour’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. Disney has also hosted the LPGA Tour, NCAA golf championships and dozens of celebrity golf tournaments.
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Robert Garrigus claims first PGA TOUR title at Walt Disney World Resort
BIG CHEESE & THE CHAMPION: Robert Garrigus shot 8-under par in the final round of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World Resort on Nov. 14, 2010 to capture his first PGA TOUR title.
Preston Mack, photograph
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PGA Stars Abound at 40th Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Disneyworld
Vijay Singh, who captured the 2003 Disney Classic, and United States Ryder Cup team participants Stewart Cink, Rickie Fowler and Jeff Overton, and assistant captains Tom Lehman and Davis Love III lead the field at the 40th annual Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World Resort, Nov. 11-14.
Cink, Fowler, Lehman, Love, Overton and Singh are among the 128 players vying for $4.7 million in prize money at Disney’s Magnolia and Palm golf courses. Fowler, Aaron Baddeley and Troy Merritt stand to win even more because they are also battling to win the $1 million Kodak Challenge. Several other players are fighting to finish the year among the tour’s Top 125 money list.
Overall, this year’s field includes five former Classic champions (Joe Durant, John Huston, Love, Ryan Palmer and Singh), 11 past major winners, (Rich Beem, Mark Calcavecchia, Cink, Ben Curtis, Todd Hamilton, Lee Janzen, Lehman, Justin Leonard, Love, Shaun Micheel and Singh) and five players who have earned more than $2 million on tour this year (Holmes, Overton, Palmer, Heath Slocum and Brendon de Jonge).
Merritt currently leads the Kodak Challenge by one stroke over Fowler and Baddeley. Merritt had carded nine Kodak Challenge birdies before posting an eagle on the final day of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open to take the outright lead for the first time this season. Currently eight PGA TOUR pros are within three strokes of the lead.
Huston, a seven-time winner on the PGA TOUR, including two Disney Classic wins in 1992 and 1998, leads an accomplished list of sponsor exemptions, which also includes 2003 PGA Championship winner Micheel and five-time tour winner Billy Mayfair. Chris DiMarco was previously announced as sponsor exemption, but gained entrance into the tournament by way of his ranking this season. Mike Perez is the fourth sponsor exemption. The complete field can be found at pgatour.com: CLICK HERE.
Tour veteran D.A. Points of suburban Orlando is in the field again, partly because his 9-year-old nephew, Carson Chorney, was treated for neuroblastoma – a rare form of cancer – at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Shands Children’s Hospital, two of Children’s Miracle Network’s 170 hospitals nationwide.
The two-day pro-am field, which will compete the Thursday and Friday of tournament week, is also set, headlined by Julius “Dr. J” Erving, recent World Series champion Aaron Rowand of the San Francisco Giants, White Sox star A.J. Pierzynski, and Tampa Bay Rays players Carlos Pena and James Shields. Two children who have been treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals will also compete in the pro-am, A.J. Selig, 16, and Raymond Parra, 12.
The winner of this year’s Classic will join an impressive group of former champions. That list includes 14 players who also have won “majors, such as Tiger Woods, Singh, Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart and Raymond Floyd.
Tournament rounds on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 will begin at 6:45 a.m. on both the Magnolia and Palm courses. At the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 70 scores for the weekend round on the Magnolia course. All four rounds will be televised live on The Golf Channel from 1-4 p.m. ET, but fans in attendance can also experience the Wine & Dine Walk – five specialty locations offering culinary pairings of tapas-sized appetizers, entrees, desserts and wines from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Tickets for individual rounds ($10), week-long badges ($20) and a new one-day Wine & Dine ticket ($45) are available at www.ChildrensMiracleNetworkClassic.com or through www.ticketmaster.com. The new Wine & Dine ticket is good for five entrees, one at each location, and one beverage. All net proceeds from the tournament go to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals, including the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando, and Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville.
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