OJ’s Newest Ambassador Peter Hanson As he enters his first year as OJ’s global golf ambassador – and arguably the defining season of an already illustrious career to date, US-based Swede Peter Hanson picks out three leading US courses, two in his own back yard in Florida, the other near Chicago where the 35-year-old savoured Ryder Cup success with Team Europe last fall.
Orlando Blooms for Swedish Star With golf courses galore in the socalled, ‘Sunshine state of Florida,’ to choose from, local resident and new OJ global golf ambassador Peter Hanson picks two of his favourite tracks in the state, Lake Nona, not much more than a three-weed from his Orlando home and where the evocative Tavistock Cup is played and the beguiling Blue Monster at Doral, where he hopes to feature in the final shakeout at the prestigious WGC Cadillac Championship this year, having narrowly missed out last year.
With almost 1,500 golf courses to choose from in the US state of Florida, locals and tourists alike are spoiled for choice, no fewer than half-a-dozen featuring in the legendary ‘Florida Swing,’ on the PGA Tour, starting with the Honda Classic at PGA National Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens and ending with the prestigious Players Championship – often referred to as the ‘Fifth unofficial ‘Major,’ - over the TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach. In between, the WGC Cadillac Championship, played over the fearsome Blue Monster course at Doral, the Tampa Bay Championship at Copperhead, Palm Harbour, the legendary Arnold Palmer’s Invitational at Bay Hill and the Tavistock Cup at Lake Nona, where the golfing superstars of Lake Nona take on arch rivals from nearby Isleworth, Albany, Queenwood and, for the first time in the 10-year history of the event, nearby Oak Tree National and Primland.
All of which means that Swedish superstar Peter Hanson has at least six-weeks guaranteed, ‘At home,’ playing the sport he loves, and for money, but getting home to wife Sanna and young children Stella and Tim each evening, like a regular job, a rare luxury for one of the world’s most travelled professionals. “We are extremely fortunate to be born with the gift of being able to play golf to the highest of standards, and for fabulous amounts of money too, whilst being able to travel the world pursuing our passion is a rare privilege indeed,” says Peter Hanson, explaining, “And while it’s the best ‘Job’ in the world, the only downside is being away from home comforts, family and friends, sometimes for weeks at a time.” The OJ ambassador continues, “The ‘Florida Swing,’ is as close as it gets to a routine, regular job for me, commuting to and from ‘Work,’ each day, home for dinner, tuck the kids up in bed, read them a bedtime story, relax in my own home.” 9