Revamped Quail Hollow awaits Wachovia Championship
IN: News | US PGA | Wachovia Championship (2003) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 06 May 2003
The USPGA Tour gets a new event this week when the Wachovia Classic makes its debut and with the tournament carrying prize money of $US5.6 million, a quality field is almost guaranteed.
The venue is the Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, which was the home of the Kemper Open until pressure from the players saw the event moved to the Congressional Course near Maryland before moving down the road to the TPC at Avenel in Maryland.
The course was originally designed by George Cobb in 1961, underwent some changes by Arnold Palmer in the mid-80's and then a major redesign under North Carolina resident Tom Fazio in the late nineties.
The greens are G2 Bent Grass with the fairways, tees and rough all 419 Bermuda/Ryegrass. The course measures 7396 yards with a par of 72.
When the Financial Institution Wachovia decided they wanted to join the sponsors of the PGA Tour to further increase their already significant profile, they chose Charlotte, North Carolina. Not only because it is where their headquarters are based, but it is also considered by many people as the home of golf in the USA.
The field for the inaugural staging of the event has only Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Bob Estes missing from the top fifteen on this year's money list.
The leading contenders are Davis Love III, Mike Weir, in his first start since Augusta, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Jay Haas, Steve Flesch, Fred Couples, Chad Campbell and Justin Leonard.
Australasians currently entered are Steve Alker, Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, Michael Campbell, Greg Chalmers, Steve Elkington, Peter Lonard, Greg Norman, Geoff Ogilvy, Rod Pampling, Craig Perks, John Senden and Phil Tataurangi.
