2020 TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW
July 31-August 2, 2020
August 13-16, 2020
The Ally Challenge
Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship
Tournament Record 200, Jerry Kelly, 2019
Tournament 18-hole Record 63, Scott McCarron, 2018
Media Coverage Golf Channel
More Information www.theallychallenge.com
Course Insight Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club opened in 1957, designed by James Gilmore Harrison on former farmland, with Joe Lee doing a redesign in 1967. The course was the site of the PGA TOUR’s Buick Open from 1958-69 and 1977-2009. Among current PGA TOUR Champions players, Vijay Singh won three times and Kenny Perry two. Before hosting the first Ally Challenge in 2018, more than 100 trees that had overgrown fairways or bunkers were removed. 164
PGA TOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE 2020
T45A Champs T45 Ally Challenge R.indd 164
CHARITY BENEFIT The Ally Challenge raised more than $1.5 million in 2019 for charitable organizations in southeastern Michigan and beyond. The primary beneficiaries were Genesee County Habitat for Humanity and United Way of Genesee County.
Yardage 7,400; par 70 Tournament Record 261, Jack Nicklaus, 1990; Kenny Perry, 2013 Tournament 18-hole Record 62, Olin Browne, 2012; Fred Couples, 2013; Retief Goosen, 2019
Media Coverage Golf Channel More Information www.pgatour.com/champions/ tournaments/bridgestone-seniorplayers-championship.html Course Insight Firestone Country Club was established in 1929, with the South Course designed by Bert Way. Robert Trent Jones Sr. extensively redesigned it prior to the 1960 PGA Championship— the first of three times Firestone held that event. The layout is known for a collection of long and rugged par 4s and for the 667-yard par-5 16th hole, known as “The Monster.” The course has hosted various PGA TOUR events over the years, including a World Golf Championships event in 1999-2001 and 2003-2018 before transitioning to hosting PGA TOUR Champions in 2019.
HOW RETIEF GOOSEN WON
Retief Goosen birdied the last two holes to score a two-stroke victory over Jay Haas and Tim Petrovic with a 72-hole total of 6-under 274. Goosen seemingly took control with a 62 in the second round for a three-stroke lead, but stumbled to a 75 in the third round to fall one behind. “I played great the first two rounds, and then didn’t play all that bad yesterday [in the third round], just let the course get the better of me,” Goosen said after the victory. The PGA TOUR Champions rookie rebounded to claim his first senior victory thanks to a final-round 68 that included an eagle on the second hole and the two closing birdies. Haas shot a 67 and Petrovic a 68 on Sunday to move up the leaderboard.
CHARITY BENEFIT The Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship and Ambassador of Golf Event presented by FirstEnergy Foundation generated $825,000 in charitable funds in 2019. Some of the charities included AkronCanton Regional Foodbank, Akron Children’s Hospital, The First Tee of Greater Akron, Summa Health System, Cleveland Clinic Akron General and more.
IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES; US PGA TOUR
7,085; par 72
Jerry Kelly made only one bogey in 54 holes, that coming on the ninth hole of the first round, as he shot 16-under par 200 for a two-stroke victory. “My driver was great all week, that was putting me in good position,” said Kelly, who hit 27 of 28 fairways over the first two rounds and 11 of 14 in the final round. The 52-year-old birdied the first five holes of the back nine on Saturday on the way to a 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Woody Austin, who won the 1995 Buick Open at Warwick Hills, and Scott McCarron. While McCarron fell out of the picture with a 75, Austin remained close and was one behind through 14 holes. An Austin bogey on 15 and Kelly birdie on 17 settled things, Kelly finishing with a 68 and Austin a 69 with a birdie on the closing hole.
Location FIRESTONE COUNTY CLUB (SOUTH COURSE), AKRON, OHIO
19 20
Yardage
HOW JERRY KELLY WON
19 20
Location WARWICK HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, GRAND BLANC, MICH.
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