Golf
Tournament format
The format is as follows: an amateur and professional are paired for three days for a total of 54 holes, rotating over the three golf courses. 180 pros and 180 amateurs compete in the event for a total field of 360. Low 60 professionals and 25 pro-am teams play the final day -- provided that they, like the pros, make the cut. Bringing the annual tournament to the peninsula is year-round work. The Monterey Peninsula Golf Foundation, which does business as AT&T Pebble Beach Golf Charities, is the governing body of the tournament. The board appoints an operating committee to run the tournament. Since Bing’s death in 1977, the golf Foundation has been responsible for all aspects of staging the tournament and disbursing funds to be used for charity.
Volunteers
The tournament operation is run by a seven-member executive committee and their assistants. A total of more than 1,000 people put in over 50,000 man-hours each year to stage this annual event. Many of the volunteers have been working on the tournament since it moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 1947; that it is an honor to be a volunteer is unquestioned.
Nowhere is this more evident then the highly prized position of marshal. The “redcoats” get out there on the course at 6:00 and brave the elements to keep the crowds, media and golfers at a good-humored distance. The job requires a blend of patience, timing and golf knowledge. To obtain a position on the marshals team is very hard. There is an on going joke that says that someone has to die before you get to be a tournament marshal. It may be a joke, but the truth is these marshals don’t give up their position for anything.
Corporate Sponsorship
In the early years of the tournament on the Peninsula, it wasn’t too long before major companies began chipping in to help cover expenses for the tournament. It wasn’t long after that the corporate sponsorship starting becoming an area of revenue. In early 1985, AT&T company approached the foundation to explore the idea of sponsoring the tournament at Pebble Beach. After considerable discussion, the Foundation agreed to an association with AT&T. Kathryn Crosby, however, was concerned that the tournament would become a “corporate sideshow” rather than continue as the friendly get-together started by her husband, and withdrew the Crosby name from the tournament. Hence the adopted name AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Bing’s sons, Harry and Nathaniel, have continued their involvement with the tournament and serve on the board of directors.
Monies To Charity
While the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro- Am Charities, the charitable arm of the Monterey Peninsula Golf Foundation, selects a few grants each year, the majority of the proceeds from the tournament are handed over to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Youth Fund.
Carmel Youth Center
The Carmel Youth Center is a (501-c) non-profit organization formed in 1949 to promote, build and maintain a youth center for the use of young people ages 12-20, who attend or reside in the boundaries of the Carmel Unified School District. The Carmel Youth Center receives no funding from the city of Carmel or any other government agency. All funding arrives from individual donations and grants. The main fund-raiser is supplying volunteers (over 300) to man the concession stands at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Golf Tournament.
The Carmel Youth Center has been working at the Pro-Am Tournament for over 45 years. During those 45 years the community on the Monterey Peninsula have pulled together to ensure that the Center stays in good shape. Individuals from the area volunteer their time and work the concession stands at the AT&T tournament. In return a portion of the profits from these concession stands is donated to the youth center. These volunteers consider it a privilege to help their community and enjoy coming out year after year to help
American_Express_Golf_Championships
The World Golf Championships-American Express Championship, which debuted in 1999, is one of four World Golf Championships events. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours.
Eligible players for the American Express Championship are the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking and leaders of the official money lists and orders of merit of the six Federation member Tours not otherwise eligible via the Ranking.
The format for the American Express Championship is 72 holes of stroke play with no cut. The estimated field size is 60-65 players.
The first two years of the American Express Championship, the tournament was held at the Valderrama Golf Club in Andalucia, Spain. Valderrama is a former site of the Ryder Cup and one of the most recognized courses in Europe. This venue set the stage for two memorable and exciting Championships.
In 1999, a sudden death playoff was needed to decide the champion of the inaugural American Express Championship. Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1-ranked player, squared off against the home country favorite, Miguel Angel Jimenez. Both players shot a 10-under-par total of 278 for 72 holes. Woods birdied the first extra hole to secure the title. With his performance at Valderrama, he earned a $1 million first prize and produced his eighth and final victory of 1999.
Mike Weir captured the American Express Championship in 2000. Mike won the title by shooting an 11-under-par total of 277. England's Lee Westwood finished second, two shots back. The victory and a strong showing in The Presidents Cup capped off a great year for Weir.
The 2001 American Express Championship was scheduled to be held from Sept. 11-16 at the Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Mo. The 2001 event was canceled due to the terrorist attacks of September 11.
The 2002 American Express Championship was held at Mount Juliet Conrad in Co. Kilkenny, Thomastown, Ireland. Tiger Woods set a tournament record with a 25-under-par total of 263 to claim victory by one shot over Retief Goosen. The Jack Nicklaus-designed Mount Juliet Conrad layout received high praise from the world's best players.
The 2003 American Express Championship was held at Capital City Club's Crabapple Course in Woodstock, Ga. Tiger Woods claimed his third American Express Championship and eighth World Golf Championships title with a 6-under par total of 274. Tied for second place, two shots back, were Vijay Singh, Stuart Appleby and Tim Herron.
The American Express Championship returned to Mount Juliet Conrad in 2004. Ernie Els recorded an 18-under-par total of 270 that was good enough for a one-shot victory of Thomas Bjorn. The win was Els' second World Golf Championship victory. In 2001, he teamed with Retief Goosen to win the World Cup for South Africa.
Proceeds from the American Express Championship benefit The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation which is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible golf to those who otherwise might not have an opportunity to play the game, with a special emphasis on kids. The Championship also helped launch the first First Tee chapter outside of North America. La Canada Golf Club of Andalucia, Spain has been joined by Montreal, Canada and Puerto Rico as First Tee locations outside of the U.S.
The International Federation of PGA Tours, formed in 1996, created the World Golf Championships to enhance the competitive structure of professional golf worldwide while preserving the traditions and strengths of its six member Tours. The member Tours are the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Southern Africa Tour.
The Asian PGA became the sixth member of the Federation in November 1999, having joined as an associate member in 1998. In March 2000, it was announced that the Canadian Tour had been named an Associate Member of the Federation.
Bellsouth_Classic_Golf
England's Luke Donald, who is ranked among the top 20 in the current World Golf Rankings, will play in the 37th annual BellSouth Classic. The PGA TOUR event will be contested March 28th -- April 3rd at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth, GA. Donald will attempt to become just the fourth foreign champion in BellSouth Classic history. He will join 142 of the world's top golfers in seeking a first prize check of $900,000. The 72-hole PGA TOUR event offers a total purse of $5 million, an 11% increase from last year. Here are some quick facts on Donald:
o Regarded as one of the best young players in the game, Donald is off to another great start this year with a second place tie at the Buick Invitational (for the second straight year) and a tie for ninth at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He currently stands at 18th in the World Rankings.
o Along with Harrington, he also earned more than $1 million on both the PGA TOUR and European Tours last year. On the latter, he did it in just six events while winning both the Scandinavian Masters and the Omega European Masters.
o Donald finished eighth at last year's BellSouth Classic, his first BSC top 10 in three starts at Sugarloaf. He made his first Ryder Cup team last fall, helping the European side to their lopsided victory.
Tournament Note:
o As was announced last week, the BellSouth Classic will offer free admission during tournament week to active duty military personnel and one guest (plus his/her children under 12). The event will also do something special for our troops stateside and overseas who love the game but have little opportunity to play. Between March 31st and April 3rd, the tournament will set up collection points at various businesses in the metro Atlanta area (including select GolfSmith and GolfTec locations) where the public can drop off good used and new clubs, balls and tees. Some of these chains may extend the opportunity to their stores throughout the region. BellSouth Corporation will also establish collection locations at company buildings throughout its nine-state region so that employees in those areas can also participate (these locations will not be available to the public). After the tournament, the equipment will be shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan and to other military installations around the world.
British_Open_Golf The Claret Jug, or to use its proper name, The Golf Champion Trophy, is presented to each year’s winner of The Open Championship. Yet it is not the original prize. When the Championship began at Prestwick in 1860, the winner was presented with the Challenge Belt, made of rich morocco leather, embellished with a silver buckle and emblems.
The Silver Claret Jug
The impetus to provide the Challenge Belt had come from the Earl of Eglinton and derived from his keen interest in medieval pageantry. He was pre-eminent in encouraging sport throughout the social spectrum and was a leading light in setting up The Open Championship. The Earl donated many trophies for competition, including a gold belt for competition among the Irvine Archers. The original Challenge Belt was purchased by the members of Prestwick Golf Club.
According to the first rule of the new golf competition: “The party winning the belt shall always leave the belt with the treasurer of the club until he produces a guarantee to the satisfaction of the above committee that the belt shall be safely kept and laid on the table at the next meeting to compete for it until it becomes the property of the winner by being won three times in succession.” In 1870, just 10 years after The Open Championship began, Tom Morris Junior won for the third consecutive time and became the owner of the belt. The future direction of the Championship was discussed at Prestwick Golf Club’s Spring Meeting in April 1871, during which a key proposal was put forward by Gilbert Mitchell Innes: “In contemplation of St Andrews, Musselburgh and other clubs joining in the purchase of a Belt to be played for over four or more greens it is not expedient for the club to provide a Belt to be played for solely at Prestwick.”