Same tournament, different name in New Orleans
IN: News | US PGA | HP Classic of New Orleans (2003) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 30 Apr 2003
The HP Classic of New Orleans goes under a different name this year with the giant Hewlett-Packard and Compaq companies amalgamating in 2002.
The Jack Nicklaus English Turn Golf Club, which opened in 1988, has been the venue of the New Orleans based tournament since 1989 when Tim Simpson won the inaugural staging of the event. There has been an interesting mixture of winners since then with K.J.Choi, David Toms, and Carlos Franco, who has won the title twice, being the most recent.
The course measures some 7116 yards or 6500 metres with Tifdwarf Bermuda greens and 419 Bermuda fairways with common Bermuda in the roughs. The greens during the tournament are expected to run at 10.5 on the stimpmeter.
The name English Turn dates back to 1699 when the French and English were engaged in a battle on the Mississippi river. The outnumbered French conned the English into believing they were stronger in number than they actually were and the English reversed their ship and took flight down river.
This year the event will see leading players such as Davis Love, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, David Toms, Hal Sutton and Jeff Sluman, Jerry Kelly and Charles Howell III lining up.
Of the Australasians, no doubt Geoff Ogilvy will be among the favourites following his second placing here last year and his good run of late with a third placing at the MCI Heritage and seventh last week at the Shell Houston Open.
Others to keep an eye on will be Steve Alker, Aaron Baddeley, Stuart Appleby, Greg Chalmers, Gavin Coles, Mathew Goggin, Scott Laycock, James McLean, Anthony Painter, Craig Perks and John Senden.
The event carries a total purse of $US5,000,000 with $US900,000 going to the winner.
