St Andrews Golf Magazine March 2015 by St Andrews Golf Magazine

Welcome to March in

coverage of The Open in the UK from 2017.

We roundup all the latest news in golf and look ahead to March on the LPGA.

In the latest of our exclusive interviews on the #RoadToTheOpen we speak to the 1999 Open Champion, Paul Lawrie.

We are edging towards spring on the east coast of Scotland, with the days getting longer and the nights getting shorter. The golf courses are getting busier and St Andrews is readying itself for one of its busiest ever summers.

With the club season’s picking up pace we bring you the latest results from the local clubs in St Andrews, we also react to the announcement of the first female members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

This month we welcome our first dedicated writer on the women’s game – Cristina Panama, from Guadalajara, Mexico will bring you all the news from the tour. Going forward we hope to recruit further writers across Scotland, in St Andrews and all over the world.

Hosting The Open is a tremendous opportunity for everyone in the town, it is a chance to grow the game even more and inspire those youngsters who sit at home on their PlayStation’s to get out there and play golf; it is a chance to show the whole town off to the visiting public from around the world and it is a chance to boost our economy.

On the PGA Tour the best golfers in the world gather in the Sunshine State for the 2015 Florida Swing, we bring you a comprehensive preview to one of the great stretches of tournament golf in the game.

This month we begin a two-part investigation into what the businesses of St Andrews are doing to encourage visitors to The Open to spend their money in St Andrews. We also react to the enormous decision to award Sky Sports the rights to live

If you are interested in joining the team then don’t hesitate to contact us at info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com We hope you enjoy the 12th edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine. Subscribe for free via our Facebook page or by visiting www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com

Our Travel 2015 supplement brings you destination guides to The Palm Beaches, Miami, Tampa Bay and Orlando. We take you to Busch Gardens and Disney World, among other tourist spots in America’s golfing state. Tiger Woods made an horrific return to the game last month, and we ask if his ignominious exit at Torrey Pines signals the beginning of the end for his illustrious and controversial career.

Matt Hooper Co-editors

Colin Donaldson

By Royal Appointment – Princess Anne headlines list of first women members of Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews

MAJOR INVESTIGATION – OUR TOWN’S SUPER BOWL PART 1

Paul Lawrie interview

Sky’s Grand Slam

BBC loses The Open after 60 years

Editors: Matt Hooper Colin Donaldson 55

The Palm Beaches

Miami

LPGA editor:

Tampa Bay

Cristina Panama

Orlando Images ©:

Rory wins in Dubai

Jason Day victorious at Torrey Pines

Tiger Woods: Is this the beginning of the end?

Florida Swing preview

2016 Ryder Cup captains unveiled

LPGA news

Life on Tour with Michael Buttacavoli

R&A, Buckingham Palace, Qatar Stadium Plus, www.tvnewsroom.co.uk, USGA/John Mummert, DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES - The Official Tourism Marketing Corporation for Palm Beach County, OMEGA Watches Ltd, PGA Resort, Keith Allison, Tour Pro Golf Clubs, Charles Clegg

©St Andrews Golf Magazine Ltd 2015 info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com

By Royal Appointment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Princess Anne headlines list of first women members of Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews On September 18, 2014 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews voted overwhelmingly to admit women members, and Secretary Peter Dawson confirmed that several would be invited in a speedy fashion. Last month the club confirmed the first 7, as honorary members, making the R&A the only mixed-sex private, golfing institution in St Andrews. Princess Anne joins her brother Andrew (former R&A Captain) as a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The Princess Royalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inclusion as one of the first women members in the club was the headline of a list of members which is varied and global in origin.

The Princess has played a visible role in the development of sport in the UK, herself an Olympic Athlete in Equestrianism in 1976 Olympic Games and taking the role of the British representative in the International Olympic Committee. Anne was voted as BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1971 and was a part of the organizing committee for the London 2012 Olympic Games. She joins the Duke of Edinburgh (her father, Prince Philip), Duke of York (her brother, Prince Andrew) and the Duke of Kent (First Cousin of Anne’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II) as honorary members of the club. Time will only tell but it seems Anne’s career within the administration of sport may be a key reason she has been invited to become a member, especially with golf returning to the Olympic Games next August. Somewhat ironically, she once said “Golf seems like an arduous way to go for a walk, I prefer to take the dogs out.” Members of the Royal Family are not required to play golf in order to be a member of the R&A.

George Macgregor, captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said: "It is an honour and a privilege for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club to welcome these remarkable women as honorary members. "The Princess Royal enjoys a strong bond with Scotland and has shown great energy and commitment to developing sport through her work in the Olympic movement. "This is an historic day for the club and we could not be more proud also to welcome women who have distinguished themselves in golf over many years and have been great players and champions. "They are extremely worthy additions to our roll of honorary members and will become ambassadors for the club as they have been for the sport of golf throughout their careers." The Princess Royal is joined by Dame Laura Davies, who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this July, here in St Andrews. Davies is without doubt the most successful British lady golfer of all-time, collecting 4 Majors in a career which included 85 professional titles won on five continents.

Annika Sorenstam and Louise Suggs, two of the most successful female golfers of all-time, with a combined 21 major titles to their credit, have also accepted honorary membership. Former LPGA stars Lally Seggard and Renee Powell join British amateur player Belle Robertson in the group of seven honorary members to be inducted. 7 regular female members have also been added to the membership of the R&A, but in keeping with the club’s policy they were not named. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews follows Augusta National in admitting women to its membership, the host of The Masters did so in 2012. Former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore were admitted in August 2012 after years of pressure from equality groups, media and women in the game. The Spring Meeting, held in May, is sure to be worth keeping an eye on to see if any of these famous female members take part in one of the biggest traditions of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews By Charles Clegg

Last month the world’s most watched, annual sports event took place in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area of Arizona. The match was hyped up by the media, as ever because it is the finale to the NFL season, and it delivered with a thrilling contest. But Super Bowl 49 was about far more than 3 hours of American Football and 65,000 fans attending the match at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The economic impact of the Super Bowl to a host city is estimated anywhere between $30million and $500million. This takes into account spend of fans including food, drink, accommodation and merchandise, as well as future tourism benefits. The economic impact forecasts of major sporting events are renowned for being inflated in order to justify the enormous outlay the hosts make to stage the event. The cost of staging the Olympic Games to London was estimated at around $14.6billion and the total economic impact is estimated to be around £16.5billion. Whatever the numbers, the hype, there can be no question hosting The Super

Bowl is significant for a host city, and hosting The Open is just as significant to St Andrews. In 2010 The Open was reported to have generated £40.1million directly to the Fife economy, according to the R&A/Event Scotland. In a recent meeting hosted by BID St Andrews at the Byre Theatre, Ken Dalton (BID St Andrews Chairman) said “We want to encourage businesses in the town to think about the week of The Open as a festival in the evenings – for example, staying open until 10pm and encouraging the feeling among visitors that there is a need to stay in the town in the evening – and stay longer.” The total attendance for the 2000 Open Championship in St Andrews was 239,000 at an average of 34,000 per day. Attendances at the 2005 Open were 223,000 and reduced further in 2010, down to 201,000, due to the bad weather. On average some 20,000 extra people are in the town per day during The Open, and this figure goes up significantly on each of the four championship days. The other Open

Championship venues are somewhat out of town, and spectators stay in hotels and guest houses across several locations, so the economic impact is dispersed across a much greater area. The 2010 Ryder Cup was hosted at the Celtic Manor Resort, which has a Newport address but is actually located some 4 miles outside of the city and many spectators stayed in Cardiff or further afield rather than Newport. With the unique setting of the Old Course and the incredible number of hotel beds available in a relatively small town, St Andrews has a great opportunity to boost its economy and reputation. St Andrews is an easy-to-walk town, which is advantageous to keeping visitors to The Open in the town centre during the evenings. Last month St Andrews Golf Magazine conducted a survey of local businesses plans for The Open. We will bring you our findings in April’s edition as we get closer to The Open in St Andrews, below are some ideas for what our town should do during Open week to take advantage of 7 days in the global spotlight.

Late night shopping/opening With up to 50,000 spectators attending The Open each day, and the vast majority of those being non-residents, this can be one of the biggest shopping weeks in our town’s history. Spectators who attend The Open will not be able to leave the course and re-enter without purchasing another ticket, so it is likely that the day time in the town will not be as busy as expected. So for our shops to take advantage of the vast number of visitors it is somewhat essential that they stay open later. This may even give business-owners the opportunity to begin trading at a later time during the afternoon, and attend The Open itself.

Live music The Super Bowl has the Half-time Show, the Olympic Games has an Opening Ceremony, what does The Open have? The answer is nothing, in terms of evening entertainment; St Andrews

has the opportunity to start something new and special. With two superb beaches and an historic castle ruins, St Andrews is not short of natural settings to host evening music. St Salvator’s Quad, Market Street and South Street could also host live music. Hosting a series of concerts in the evening, of different genres, would also cater for the non-golfer in the town who has to make sacrifices during the week of The Open, and attract others to the town. Attracting major international acts, who could perform alongside local talent, would increase the exposure for the rest of the town to a global audience.

homeless by raising awareness and funds money through both online programs and large events.

Since 1992, the Taste of the NFL (a 501c3 organization) has rallied the country's top chefs and the NFL's greatest players to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. This is done through via three avenues: 

 The Taste of The Open / Taste of St Andrews This is an event which could be taken forward as an official Open Championship event, but we could be the ones which launch it. The NFL has an event called ‘The Taste of the NFL’, which is staged on the eve of the Super Bowl in the host city. It has a mission to address the needs of the hungry and



On-line donations during the KICK HUNGER CHALLENGE® (September – December) Locally hosted Taste Of The NFL events by an NFL team and their food bank featuring their players and local chefs The Super Bowl Taste Of The NFL - The Party with a Purpose®. Held on the eve of Super Bowl in the host city. This event is a unique way to experience exceptional cuisine, meet NFL players and coaches, and support our fight against hunger.

Through the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who help make “Taste of the NFL – Party With A Purpose” the single most successful charitable event at the Super Bowl, the Taste of the NFL organization continues to help feed the 37 million Americans who have turned to their local food banks for assistance. Millions of needs, thousands of families and dozens of new hunger projects have been affected by this major volunteer effort. Like it or not, there is a homelessness problem in St Andrews, and the gap between the haves and the have not’s in this town is larger than it has ever been. This kind of event can help to rectify this socially divisive problem and showcase the incredible culinary talents in St Andrews.

Open Parties During the week of last month’s Super Bowl the Scottsdale-Phoenix Area was host to over 70 Super Bowl Parties. Many are hosted by publishers, magazines,

broadcasters and major brands, while many are hosted by local bars and venues. These parties are attended by the rich and famous, the media and players from the sport.

We have a chance, let’s take it. St Andrews has a 7 day window to the world, yes our town is already worldfamous for its university and the golf, but let’s promote its food, drink, natural and historic wonders and its hospitality.

St Andrews’ many hotels, bars and venues could create global headlines through hosting one such party, and attract the wider media to the town in addition to the golfing media.

This Open Championship week we have the chance to create a legacy and transform this town inside and out. Let us create something truly special for those thousands of people who will be making the Pilgrimage to the home of golf this July.

Confirmed events during The Open

In the second part of our investigation next month we bring you our findings from our survey of local businesses and we bring you news of more events in the town throughout The Open.

12-19 July Monday 13 July

World Golf Hall of Fame Induction, Laura Davies, David Graham, Mark O’Meara and A.W. Tillinghast will be enshrined into the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum as the Class of 2015. The Induction Ceremony will be held on Monday, July 13, 2015 at the University of St Andrews.

BY MATT HOOPER

“It’s raining and windy, Paul Lawrie is a great bad weather player, having grown up in Aberdeen, he will do well this week” is just one of the many stereotypes said about the 1999 Open Champion. I don’t know any player, for the record, that likes playing in bad weather, it just so happens that Paul Lawrie is a very talented golfer and can win in all conditions. Because if it was a true statement then every Scot would be a major champion.

In his near thirty year professional career he has only won 8 times on the European Tour, and after his 2002 Celtic Manor Wales Open win he didn’t win for another nine years on the tour. Yet this is a player who can summon up the skill, will and character to win from a record 10 strokes behind in the final round of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie. I spoke to Paul about the week 16 years ago and began by asking him – Coming to Carnoustie, did you feel good about your game?

You don’t have to dig very deep to find out that Paul Lawrie is immensely proud of his achievements, so much so that when I asked him if he thought he had underachieved he answered: “No I've overachieved actually as I turned pro at 5 handicap and won 8 times on tour one of which was a major and played in two Ryder cups, pretty good for an underachiever!!!!!”

“Yes as I had won in Qatar earlier in the year and was looking forward to the open at Carnoustie for months as it’s a course I had played quite a lot”

8 wins, a Claret Jug and playing in arguably the two greatest Ryder Cups of all time! Yes I would say that is a sensational career for most golfers on the planet. The reason I asked that question though was because Paul possesses outrageous talent.

“The fairways were very narrow and the rough extremely long and thick but it was the same for everyone but looking back I'm sure the R&A hadn't meant for it to be that tough”

Everyone always says how brutal Carnoustie was that week, just how hard was it and was it poorly set up in your opinion?

Going into the weekend did you feel like you were well set for a good championship? “Yes I was in a good position heading into the weekend and felt comfortable with my position in the event” Talk about your third round of 76, did you feel like it was all over and you were just playing for a decent finish? “I didn't feel I was going to win if that's what you mean but I was 13th heading into final round so decent week” Your final round of 67 was extraordinary, talk about it and was it your best round ever? “Yes I'd say Sunday at Carnoustie has to be up there as one of my best final rounds but my singles at Medinah (2012 Ryder Cup) would be my best ever as was -6 for The 14 holes I played” Where were you when Van de Velde was playing 18 and what was your reaction?

“We went to the range to hit some balls in case we were involved in playoff” All of the talk on that day and since has been about Van de Velde’s collapse. Does it annoy you that your round of 67, and the fact you achieved the biggest comeback in Major Championship history is so often over-looked? “Yes a wee bit but that's how people see things and he did collapse so natural for people to jump on that as it was dramatic but would have been nice to read how well I took my chance but that didn't happen” The 4-iron to 18 in the play-off, is it the best shot of your life? What sort of discussion went into deciding which club to hit? “It was a four iron and yes it was a lovely shot to pull off under the circumstances, sticking to my routine was the secret” Following his incredible victory in the 1999 Open Championship Lawrie took his place in the 1999 European Ryder

Cup team at Brookline, hitting the first tee shot on Friday morning. His stock was at its height, and he joined the PGA Tour for the 2000 season, it didn’t go to plan for the Scot. It would be 2 years before we saw him lift a trophy again, ironically Carnoustie would play a huge part in his first and only win at the home of golf, St Andrews. He played another iconic shot in the mist on the Monday to defeat Ernie Els, a birdie putt from the Valley of Sin to win by 1 stroke and take the inaugural Alfred Dunhill Links Championship home. 2 years later you dramatically won the inaugural Alfred Dunhill Links, what did you feel like when you holed the putt from the valley of sin to win? “It was special to win an event at the old course and extremely special to have Martin Gilbert there with me as he has been a friend and main sponsor for years” It was another epic battle; this time with Ernie Els, how special was it to add a win at the home of golf to the Claret Jug?

“Very nice indeed it's always cool to win in Scotland which I've been lucky enough to do three times now.” You have played in arguably the two greatest Ryder Cups ever, with differing outcomes, where does the 2012 Ryder Cup rank in your career? “It was a huge effort to get myself back into the Ryder Cup team, not just by me but the whole team from my wife to coach, Physio, fitness, and it was very cool to win it” In 2011 and 2012 Paul’s career enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence, winning three times and making it into that 2012 Ryder Cup team, but he has failed to win since. I asked him – You haven’t won since 2012, leading up to St Andrews how do you feel 2015 has gone so far? “I have played 4 events made four cuts so not to bad and I feel 2015 is going to be a good year” Later this summer Paul will host the Paul Lawrie Saltire Energy Match Play at Murcar Links, just outside of Aberdeen, something is justifiably proud of.

“I can't wait for the tournament to come around, we’re all very excited and looking forward to it We feel we can grow it but slowly is the plan, we are very lucky that Mike Loggie shares my vision for giving back and he is superb to have on board” There is no question that Paul Lawrie is one of Scotland’s most underappreciated sportsmen. He won a Major title long before Andy Murray was even on the scene in Tennis, he has succeeded on the global stage when our Football and Rugby teams have failed time and time again. And he has created history. Lawrie didn’t just win The Open Championship, he won it in one of the most spectacular ways imaginable on arguably the hardest course we have ever seen for a major championship. He hit one of the all-time great shots we have seen in golf, let alone in a major, on the final playoff hole under the pressure of an Open Championship in his homeland.

In the Ryder Cup he has a 4-3-1 record and is unbeaten in two singles matches, played on the two most dramatic days in Ryder Cup history. He was part of a team which was humbled from four points in front, and was part of a team which roared back from four points behind. On either occasion he showed dignity and class, and no little skill. No matter where Paul is in the world he has time for home, time for the man or woman on the street. Now he is giving back and trying to develop the game through his foundation and through an event on the European Tour. We have had Lyle and Montgomerie, loud and brash, bold and bright. Both won titles and money, and the fame which goes with it. Paul has gone about things in a different manner, but nothing can ever take away from the fact that in the last 29 years only he has won The Open Championship for Scotland. It is 16 years since a Scot last won a Major, that Scot is quiet but determined, that Scot is Paul Stewart Lawrie.

“In Sky, we have an excellent broadcast partner for the coming years. It is now well established as the home of live golf in the UK and Ireland and it has demonstrated tremendous enthusiasm and admiration for The Open” Peter Dawson, R&A

“We look forward to working with The R&A to entertain and engage new and existing golf fans through our multi-platform coverage and also at the grassroots level via Sky Academy.” Managing director, Barney Francis

It took 25 years, but finally Sky has its own Grand Slam Last month’s eagerly awaited announcement of the new UK television contract for The Open Championship was greeted with uproar in some corners, but with delight at the Sky studios in Isleworth, London. Sky Sports signed a five-year deal to be the exclusive home of live Open Championship golf from 2017 to 2021, ending 60 years of the oldest major championship on the BBC. It completes the set of major championships for Sky, who also signed a contract to become the exclusive live home of the RICOH Women’s British Open from 2017 last month. 24 years ago Sky’s US Open coverage extended to Richard Keys and Ewen Murray in the London studio giving

special comments to supplement the ABC feed from Hazeltine National. Now Sky present outside broadcasts from 22 European Tour events and 31 PGA Tour events, including 3 World Golf Championships. But it is their acquisition of each of golf’s majors which are the most significant in its unrivalled golf portfolio. In 1994 they broadcast on site at the US PGA Championship for the first time, then in 1996 they did so for the first time at the US Open Championship. This gave Sky complete coverage of the PGA Tour, including 2 of the 3 US majors. It took some 14 years for them to add to their major line-up but in 2011 they won the rights to show live coverage of all four days of The Masters. And now they have claimed the crown jewel in golf, The Open Championship. With Sky’s unrivalled collection of golf tournaments there can be no question that they will do The Open justice. They can bring a year-round focus to the championship as they currently broadcast each of the 14 Open Qualifying Series events live anyway.

The deal to broadcast The Open also includes rights to show the home match of the Walker Cup, adding to the rights they already had, through the USGA to the matches in the United States. Sky’s amateur golf portfolio now includes the US Amateur, The Amateur Championship, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup and Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. Sky also broadcast live coverage of the Senior PGA Championship, US Senior Open, Senior Open and selected tournaments on the European Senior Tour, as well as highlights from every Champions Tour event. It is the complete package and the dedication to showing golf week-inweek-out that helped convince the R&A that Sky was the best home for The Open. “In Sky, we have an excellent broadcast partner for the coming years. It is now well established as the home of live golf in the UK and Ireland and it has demonstrated tremendous enthusiasm and admiration for The Open. Sky submitted a very strong proposal stressing its commitment to innovation and a determination to enhance live

coverage of the Championship and the quality of its bid was a significant factor. It is essential to invest in our Championship to ensure that it remains at the pinnacle of our sport. The R&A is committed to delivering the best possible experience for spectators, players and viewers and believe the new arrangement supports this mission. Another important consideration in our decision was that fans of The Open do not need to be Sky subscribers to enjoy live coverage of the Championship. Through ‘NOW TV’ viewers can watch The Open, taking a daily or weekly package without the need for a contract. Our agreement with Sky also includes a limitation on advertising to a maximum of four minutes per hour, with each break lasting just 60 seconds.” Sky’s award winning golf broadcast team includes hosts David Livingstone, Robert Lee and Sarah Stirk; commentators Ewen Murray, Bruce Critchley, Mark Roe, Steve Beddow and Richard Boxall; oncourse commentators Howard Clark, Wayne Riley and Tim Barter; studio analysts and co-commentators Butch Harmon, Colin Montgomerie, Rich Beem,

Andrew Coltart, Tony Johnstone, John Hawksworth, Jamie Spence and Gary Christian; and in the shot centre, Denis Pugh and Simon Holmes. Occasional contributors to their coverage include Jack Nicklaus, Tony Jacklin, Darren Clarke, Jean Van de Velde, David Howell, Paul McGinley, Gary Murphy, Mickey Walker, Laura Davies, Alison Nicholas and Trish Johnson. With golf taking up thousands of hours each year on Sky Sports there is no question that The Open Championship is the logical next, and final step for Sky in creating a television home for golf in the UK. For the R&A they really didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much choice, in Sky they have a company willing to invest, in BBC they have a public body not interested in the development of the sport.

What is the future for Sky? In August 2013 the USGA announced that FOX had surprisingly been awarded rights to cover the US Open and all other USGA events. This ended a 20 year deal with NBC, and was the first time a golf major had gone to another broadcaster other than the big three networks. FOX entered the US network broadcasting picture in 1986, to challenge the established networks of CBS, ABC and NBC. FOX, like the other major networks, offer a wide range of affiliates across the country, catering for the entire country with local news and regional variations of sport. FOX became the nations most watched network in 2007. In addition to their network offering FOX Broadcasting Company have a network of cable channels, including FOX Sports 1, 2 and FOX Sports Networks. With the successful $1billion bid to broadcast the US Open from 2015, FOX will broadcast their coverage across their network channel and their cable channel, FOX Sports 1. Last month they unveiled their schedule as follows:

June 18 (Thursday) – First Round, Noon8 p.m. (Fox Sports 1); 8-11 p.m. (Fox) June 19 (Friday) – Second Round, Noon8 p.m. (Fox Sports 1); 8-11 p.m. (Fox) June 20 (Saturday) – Third Round, 2-10 p.m. (Fox) June 21 (Sunday) – Final Round, 210:30 p.m. (Fox June 22 (Monday) – Playoff (if necessary), Noon-4 p.m. (Fox) Sky is currently a subscription service, but can also be viewed pay-per-view through the NOW TV service, but with the acquisition of some of the most valued sporting properties, could their future lie in a new terrestrial channel? The most recent addition to the terrestrial network channels in the UK was Channel 5 in 1997. Sky did not bid for the license when the UK Government licensed the fifth network in 1995, but with the growth over the last 20 years and diversity now offered by Sky; they could now create one a terrestrial offering which would trump any available on BBC or ITV.

Sky’s acquisition of The Open, in addition to the four majors, the Ryder Cup, Premier League Football, International Cricket, Formula 1 and ATP World Tour tennis, gives them the broadest collection of sports properties in UK broadcasting. With Sky News, Sky 1, Sky Living and Sky Movies they have more than enough programming to produce a high quality and diverse terrestrial, free-to-air channel. On this channel they could sell advertising at a premium because of the quality programming they are showing. The Open could be broadcast across Sky Sports 1/4 and a Sky network channel, making The Open available free-to-air to the masses. Additional coverage could be broadcast on Sky Sports 1 or 4 in the times when the main broadcast is on the Sky network. This mirrors what NBC and Golf Channel do for selected events throughout the year, with the main broadcast on NBC and spotlight coverage of selected holes on Golf Channel. Whichever way they choose to broadcast it, The Open’s future is in safe hands with Sky Sports. BBC has a huge void to fill.

“We're obviously disappointed that we were unable to retain live TV coverage of The Open Championship” Barbara Slater, Director of Sport

It would be very easy to blame the decline of Golf on BBC on the current Director of Sport, Barbara Slater. In reality it is not one personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fault, there are many to blame, from top to bottom, including the license-fee payer. Since Sky made a major move into sports broadcasting in 1992 with the acquisition of Premier League Football, the rights which BBC holds have been vulnerable to the might of Sky Sports. It would be easy to point the finger at the Rupert Murdoch-owned Empire, but what are they doing that is so wrong, so offensive?

Union, Rugby League, Athletics, Formula 1, Boxing and more. Sportsnight was a weekly programme rounding up the best of sport; sometimes special shows would feature live Football and Boxing. It was broadcast on a Tuesday from 1968 to 1973 and then on a Wednesday until it was taken off the air by BBC in 1997. Grandstand was the flagship sports programme on the BBC. It was broadcast on a Saturday on BBC1 from 12.15pm-5.30pm and on a Sunday on BBC2.

Sky is simply trying to build a package to sell to their subscribers, they are almost universally acclaimed for their production and expertise, and they are committed to sports broadcasting.

On many occasions there would be special themed versions relating to the major events being shown such as the FA Cup Final, World Cup or Olympic Games.

BBC, in its role as the public service broadcaster, has a responsibility to provide a variety of programming across all genres, but just 25 years ago it had a vast portfolio of sporting properties.

Golf played a significant part in the Grandstand schedule; one such key example can be found on YouTube from September 1991 with the EPSON Grand Prix of Europe, a significant European Tour event at the time, featuring heavily on a schedule which encompassed Football, Boxing, Volleyball, Horse Racing, Motor Sport, Tennis and Golf.

Broadcast through its brands of Sportsnight and Grandstand, BBC showed First Division Football, International Cricket, Tennis, Rugby

Sky began covering the European Tour in 1993 and within 2 years they had bought the rights to the Ryder Cup, in addition to the US Open, PGA Championship and PGA Tour. For many years it had been speculated that Sky would make a serious bid for The Masters and sure enough in 2011 they got what they wanted.

And now, in 2015, Sky has been awarded the rights to broadcast The Open exclusively live. Sky are rumoured to have signed up to a deal which costs £75m over 5 years, which equates to £15m each year. This money will help to grow golf through development programmes in the UK and Ireland. BBC has recently renewed its contract with the Premier League to show highlights each week on Match of the Day. They paid £204m over four years, which is £51m per year. The BBC receives £3.6billion every year from television license fee payers – Three point six billion! So, when BBC says that they wanted to get value for money for the license-fee payers then refusing to match Sky’s bid is totally unacceptable. Over five years, £75m is approximately 0.41% of the total money the BBC receives over five years from license-fee payers. The refusal to spend less than half of one percent on rights to The Open is completely without justification.

Shortly after the announcement by the R&A the LGU announced that Sky Sports will show the RICOH Women’s British Open from 2017. This means that from 2017 the only live golf on BBC will be the Saturday and Sunday of The Masters. They will show highlights of the following:     



The Open – 2 hours per day Thursday to Sunday RICOH Women’s British Open – 1 hour per day Thursday to Sunday Ryder Cup – 2 hours per day Friday to Sunday BMW PGA Championship – 1 hour per day Thursday to Sunday Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open – 1 hour per day Thursday to Sunday Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – BBC SCOTLAND ONLY – 1 hour per day Thursday to Sunday Irish Open – BBC NORTHERN IRELAND ONLY – 1 hour per day Thursday to Sunday The Masters – Thursday and Friday Only

How Golf can gain a place in the BBC schedules again From 2017 BBC will have highlights of the BMW PGA Championship, Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, The Open and the Ryder Cup. And maybe that is where the recovery of BBC Golf lies, in highlights shown in prime time or even as a part of a re-launched Sportsnight across the BBC channels and online. Currently there are no highlights only rights with the European Tour, Sky has the entire package, showing live coverage and highlights of every event. They also show highlights of the Ladies European Tour. BBC could make an offer to the European Tour and Ladies European Tour to broadcast nightly highlights of every event on each of the two tours. A part of the European Tour rights are the World Golf Championships, three of which are played in the United States. The BBC golf theme music is iconic, and its original version, not the modern, over-produced version, is as synonymous with golf as the Match of the Day theme tune is with football.

Driving Ahead

Magnificent McIlroy makes it four wins out of seven on the European Tour By Matt Hooper

In Abu Dhabi he came up just 1 shot shy of a perfect start to the season, finishing in second place behind Gary Stal. In Dubai there was no doubt from the first day to the last, McIlroy was going to win. Rounds of 66, 64, 66 and 70 gave him a three shot victory and a four-day score of 22-under-par. The victory is the perfect launching pad for McIlroyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major season. It is his fourth victory in his last 7 European Tour starts, and is part of a run of 7 events in which he has finished in the top two. The OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic is his 10th European Tour win since turning professional in 2007, and his 16th worldwide career win. McIlroy heads for Florida and the Honda Classic, WGCCadillac Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational, as his build-up to the 2015 Masters Tournament intensifies.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a beautiful Day

Jason gets year off to the perfect start at Torrey Pines

Jason Day defeated JB Holmes in extra holes to win the Farmers Insurance Open to claim his second PGA Tour win of his career. Day and Holmes tied with Harris English and Scott Stallings on 9-underpar through 72 holes, both Day and Holmes made birdie on the 18th to force the playoff into a second extra hole.

Tigerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disastrous comeback

Is this the beginning of the end? By Matt Hooper

The Waste Management Phoenix Open was one of the most anticipated golf tournaments in recent months and years following the announcement that Tiger Woods would be making his longawaited return to competitive golf after injury. Ticket sales were even greater than normal at this spectacular event, and the record for Thursday and the week overall was broken. But for the organisers the dream scenario of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson going head-to-head for the title did not materialize, after both missed the cut. For Mickelson it was one of those weeks, he just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hole a putt, but for Tiger it was the continuation of short game woes, shown at the Hero World Challenge in December, which helped to see him finish in a tie for last place, some 12 shots off the cut mark. His short game was truly terrible, and he clearly showed a lack of confidence, as well as conflicting swing patterns from his old Sean Foley swing to his new Chris Como swing. In 36 holes Woods hit less than 50% of the fairways, only 50% of the greens

and made three double bogeys and one treble bogey on the way to recording his worst score as a professional. It could not be described in any other way than being disastrous. It was a personal disaster for Woods, who had been commenting on how good he felt coming into the tournament. It was a disaster for the tournament and its sponsors, who saw television ratings plummet to the worst in over three years. And it was a disaster for the PGA Tour, with Rory McIlroy playing in Dubai on the European Tour, the PGA Tour needed Woods to spark interest over the weekend of the most prominent event in 2015 to date.

it might be the last time we see him win again. On the morning of his first round Woods said that he had trouble “activating his glutes”, or Gluteus Maximus to me and you. As the morning continued you could see he was in pain, but he continued to swing powerfully at the ball, find pieces of the property he and most others didn’t realise existed. His game was truly all over the place, he short game was even worse than in Phoenix. He sculled several pitches and he was unable to recover from some truly wild tee shots.

Following the missed cut in the Arizona desert Woods and the tour headed to Torrey Pines.

After 12 holes of his round he indicated to his caddie Joe Lecava to pick up his ball, ending the agony for golfer, playing companion and spectator.

Woods has won 8 times around the South Course, including the 2008 US Open, his most recent major championship win.

His withdrawal was the 9th time in two years in which Woods has failed to complete 72 holes of a tournament.

After his demise this year you have to wonder if that Monday playoff win over Rocco Mediate is the last time we will see Woods lift a major title again. Maybe

Shortly after he announced, once again, he was taking a “leave of absence from professional golf”. How many times are we going to hear this from Tiger?

Is this the beginning of the end of the professional career of Tiger Woods? It could well be. In 2009 he was shockingly defeated by YE Yang in the PGA Championship, it was the first time ever that Woods had lost a 54-hole lead in a major championship. Then that autumn his personal life unravelled. He left the game for five months and returned at The 2010 Masters. He finished in a tie for fourth place and his form in the majors over the last five years have seen him record just five top ten finishes out of 15 major appearances. In 2012 he won 3 PGA Tour events and added five more wins in 2013 to return to world number one. But in many ways this just masked his decline. Since he last won in August 2013 Woods has played 18 tournaments, finishing in the top ten on 3 occasions, missing 3 cuts and withdrawing from 3 additional tournaments. He has fallen from 1st to 70th on the world rankings and there doesn’t seem to be any net to catch him.

26 February to 22 March

By Matt Hooper

This month the countdown to golf’s first Major, The Masters, intensifies as the world’s best gather in Florida for the four best events of 2015 so far. The Florida Swing begins with the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens and concludes in Orlando at Arnie’s Place, following stops in Miami and Tampa Bay. On Tour gives you the complete guide to the history of the Florida Swing and previews each event, and then our Travel 2015 section takes you to the great golfing destinations of the Sunshine State.

Pinehurst markets itself as the Home of American Golf but the real home of golf in America has become Florida. The home of the PGA Tour is at Ponte Vedra Beach near Jacksonville, Florida and the home of the PGA of America is in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The state has more than 1,250 courses and more than any other state across the United States of America, Palm Beach County has more golf courses than any other county in the United States. Golf drives Florida's economy with 167,000 people working in the

industry across the state and the economic impact of the golf industry is a staggering $13.8billion, the state has 3,500 PGA professionals and over 200,000 people are members of golf clubs in the Sunshine State. The numbers are incredible, the weather tends to be incredible and golf in Florida is …... amazing. Florida's position as 'the home of American golf' makes it the perfect destination for the largest trade show in golf. The PGA Merchandise Show takes place every year in the last week of January in Orlando, Florida. The show is an exhibition for all of the top golf equipment manufacturers, is attended by over 40,000 industry professionals from at least 75 countries and is really the launch for the year's new products. As well as exhibitions there are numerous conferences which take place throughout the week relating to all facets of the golf industry and the PGA Awards take place during the show as well. The PGA Merchandise Show, now the world’s largest and most influential golf business event grew from humble

beginnings in Dunedin, Fla., in 1954, when a handful of golf merchandisers assembled in the PGA National Golf Club parking lot during a series of PGA winter tournaments. By 1957, the number of manufacturers’ representatives had become so large; approximately 50 by then, those PGA officials leased a tent. The PGA Merchandise Show moved when The PGA of America’s winter tournaments relocated to Florida’s East Coast. In 1963, the Show was held at the Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Country Club; from 1964–73 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (now known as Ballen Isles Country Club); and in 1974, moved back to Port St. Lucie, still under a circus sized tent. The PGA Merchandise Show and winter tournaments moved to Orlando, Fla., in 1975, where the show was indoors for the first time. In 1982, The PGA of America relocated to the new PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, a mile from its former headquarters. The PGA Merchandise Show was subsequently moved to the Miami Beach Convention Center, where it remained for three years.

Due to the continuing demand for increased space capacity, The PGA moved the Show to the new Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in 1985 and again the Show was quickly filled to capacity. As the PGA Merchandise Show grew so did the West Building of the Convention Center, which added 200,000 gross square feet in 1989 and nearly doubled in size to 1.1 million gross square feet in 1996. In 1998, The PGA of America sold an equity share of its golf shows to Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading trade show organizer. In partnership, The PGA and Reed, under the umbrella of PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions, produce and manage the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando and the PGA Expo in Las Vegas. Since the PGA/Reed partnership, the PGA Merchandise Show has evolved to become an all-encompassing global platform for the introduction of new products, indoor & outdoor product testing, wide-ranging education seminars, industry symposiums right on the show floor, national awards presentations, fashion features, player development programs, professional networking events and more.

The PGA Show is covered extensively by the media including on PGA.com, the Golf Channel, Sirius XM Radio and ESPN Radio, there is also an App available on iPhone and Android. Florida has staged many big golf tournaments throughout history including the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship, but on an annual basis it stages five of the PGA Tour's most significant events, four of which make up the Florida Swing in the month of March. The Florida Swing has evolved since 1970, ranging from 3 to 5 tournaments, settling on 4 tournaments in 1986 and the tournaments which make up the series have changed slightly over the years but have mainly included Bay Hill Club and Lodge, a course in Palm Beach Gardens and Doral Resort. Between 1982 and 2006 The Players Championship was played at the Tournament Players Club Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach in March and the tournament grew to be regarded as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fifth Majorâ&#x20AC;?, but coinciding with a restructuring of the PGA Tour season in 2007 The Players Championship moved to May and the event played in the Tampa Bay region replaced it as one of

the four Florida Swing tournaments in March. Seminole Golf Club is consistently ranked as one of America's greatest courses and was built in 1929 by Donald Ross, but in the main Florida's golf course design boom happened from 1960 onward. The Blue Monster course at Doral was built in 1962 and was followed by the Inverrary Country Club in 1970 and Bay Hill in 1972. These three courses have been at the core of developing the modern Florida Swing with the Doral Open first being played in 1962, the Florida Citrus Open in 1966 and the Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic in 1972. These tournaments have gone on to become three of the PGA Tour's leading early-season tournaments under different names and sponsors, and in the case of the Inverrary Classic moved to another course. Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician and he hosted the Jackie Gleason Inverrary Classic at Inverrary Country Club from 1972 to 1980, following which American Motors and then Honda assumed title sponsorship.

The tournament left Inverrary in 1983 after 11 successful editions of the tournament and moved to the Tournament Players Club at Eagle Trace for the 1984 edition through the 1991 Honda Classic. Four years at Weston Hills Country Club were followed by the last playing of the tournament at TPC Eagle Trace in 1996; the event remained in Coral Springs at the TPC at Heron Bay from 1997 to 2002 before moving to Palm Beach Gardens.

This year the Honda Classic has attracted its strongest ever field with 16 of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 25 playing, led by world number one and 2012 champion Rory McIlroy. Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler and Hideki Matsuyama lead the challenge to McIlroy.

Players from Australia, Sweden, England, Scotland, Argentina, Ireland, Venezuela, Korea, South Africa, New Zealand, Italy, Northern Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Wales, Zimbabwe, Germany, Denmark, Canada, France, Mexico, Fiji, Colombia and the United States will compete for the Honda Classic title as the Florida Swing tees off in Palm Beach Gardens.

The Country Club at Mirasol hosted four editions of the Honda Classic prior to perhaps the most important change of course in recent years for any PGA Tour event; PGA National has elevated the tournament to a new status since first hosting in 2007 and the event seems to have the buzz of the old Jackie Gleason Classic along with a world-class field.

Live coverage on 26 February, 7pm

The Doral Open was first played in 1962 and was always played on the Blue Monster Course at Doral Country Club, later known as the Doral Resort and Spa until its final edition in 2006. The tournament had several names on a theme from 1962 to 2000 including Doral Open in the title and was sponsored by Fleet Management Company Ryder from 1987 to 2000. In 2001 and 2002 Telecommunications Company Genuity renamed the tournament as the Genuity Championship and for the last four years of the Doral Open the tournament was known as the Ford Championship at Doral. The tournament always attracted a strong field and in 2005 9 of the world's top 10 featured, with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson duelling for the title and Woods' win returned him to World Number One.

In 2007, coinciding with the restructuring of the PGA Tour schedule the World Golf Championships changed dates and the tournament formerly sponsored by American Express was relocated to Doral, replacing the Doral Open. From 2007 to 2010 the event was known as the WGC-CA Championship and for the last five years has been sponsored by Cadillac as part of General Motors' return to sponsoring golf tournaments. There was some debate around the changing of the management of the tournament with the PGA Tour assuming control of the event when it became a World Golf Championship in 2007. In 2012 Donald Trump purchased the resort and under the stewardship of Gil Hanse, the Blue Monster Course was transformed.

The likes of Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Steve Elkington, Ray Floyd, Ben Crenshaw, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods among others have won at Doral, backing up the claim that Doral has to being one of the most revered courses in all of American golf. Unquestionably the most famous hole at Doral is the 18th, which also has the name Blue Monster. The hole also is deserving of this name, with a huge lake to the left side of the fairway which wraps itself around the lake and has thick rough and bunkers up the right. The green is angled to a North-West position on a compass and is very shallow with bunkers on the right side and nowhere to bail out at all. It has produced some of the most infamous moments in PGA Tour history including Craig Parry's holed second shot to win in 2004.

With the WGC-Cadillac Match Play moving from February to May the WGCCadillac Championship has assumed the role of first World Golf Championship of the year. The tournament is set to be the first event of the year with the entire world top fifty in attendance. That will not include Tiger Woods after his poor return to the tour last month saw him fall outside the top fifty. This is the 9th staging of the WGCCadillac Championship at Doral, prior to 2007 the championship alternated between the United States and Europe. It was played as the final WGC of the year and visited Valderrama, Mount Juliet, The Grove, Harding Park and the Capital City Golf Club near Atlanta. Patrick Reed is the defending champion and comes to Miami having already won this season, defeating Jimmy Walker in a playoff in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in the first week of January.

Live coverage on 5 March, 6pm

When The Players Championship moved to May it was replaced on the schedule in the Florida Swing by a tournament that had until 2007 been played in the autumn as part of the PGA Tour's Fall Finish in the lead-up to The Tour Championship.

The Tampa Bay Classic was first played in 2000 opposite the WGC-American Express Championship and from 20032006 it was positioned as the final fullfield tournament on the tour prior to The Tour Championship. The tournament was sponsored by Chrysler from 2003-2006 and known as the Chrysler Championship.

From 2007 to 2008 the event was known as the PODS Championship and from 2009 to 2012 was sponsored by Transitions Optical Inc. Valspar, a brand of BB&T, assumed title sponsorship of the Valspar Championship in 2014.

The Copperhead Course is arguably the toughest of the four courses on the Florida Swing, with considerably more elevation change than the other courses and an almost US Open style character. The final three holes are known as the Snake Pit, they played 0.564 over par in 2014. The par four 16th is by far the toughest of the three and played as the course's toughest hole at +0.309. Since the tournament moved to March it has attracted many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest players, and the reputation of the course at Innisbrook has grown nationally and internationally. This year the tournament has recruited former world number ones Adam Scott and Lee Westwood, along with Matt Kuchar, Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington, KJ Choi, Justin Rose, Jason Dufner, Henrik Stenson, Jim Furyk, Luke Donald, Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter and Brandt Snedeker.

Live coverage on 12 March, 8pm

The Bay Hill Club and Lodge was built in the 1960's and acquired by Arnold Palmer in 1974, and in 1978 the Florida Citrus Open (which was played at Rio Pinar Country Club from 1966 to 1977) moved to the course and was known as the Bay Hill Citrus Classic in 1979 and then the Bay Hill Classic until 1984. Hertz were title sponsors from 1985 to 1988 and then from 1989 onwards the tournament had the suffix 'Invitational' and was sponsored by Nestle from 1989 to 1995, Cooper Tires from 2002 to 2003 and MasterCard from 2004 to 2006. In 2007, again coinciding with the PGA Tour restructuring its season the tournament was re-branded as the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, reflecting more visibly the hosting of the tournament by Arnold Palmer. This year, for the first time in his career, world number one Rory McIlroy has accepted Palmer’s invitation to play at Bay Hill. "I'm delighted to add the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill to my 2015 playing schedule," McIlroy said.

"Mr Palmer is the father figure of modern golf, widening its appeal and bringing the game to a new audience. Every playing professional of my generation owes a debt of gratitude to Arnold Palmer." "I am very pleased that Rory is going to be playing here," Palmer said. “I have talked to Rory about playing here, and it didn't work into his schedule in the past, but he told me that when it did work into his schedule that he would be here, and he is making good on his word.”

The final week of the Florida Swing will see McIlroy joined by Masters Champion Bubba Watson, former world number one and 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, former world number one and past API Champion Vijay Singh, Brandt Snedeker, Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson, Keegan Bradley, Ian Poulter, Zach Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Hideki Matsuyama.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational has a roll of honour comparable to any great event in the game with Tiger Woods winning a record 8 times. 1979 Bob Byman

1997 Phil Mickelson

1980 Dave Eichelberger

1998 Ernie Els

1981 Andy Bean

1999 Tim Herron

1982 Tom Kite

2000 Tiger Woods

1983 Mike Nicolette

2001 Tiger Woods

1984 Gary Koch

2002 Tiger Woods

1985 Fuzzy Zoeller

2003 Tiger Woods

1986 Dan Forsman

2004 Chad Campbell

1987 Payne Stewart

2005 Kenny Perry

1988 Paul Azinger

2006 Rod Pampling

1989 Tom Kite

2007 Vijay Singh

1990 Robert Gamez

2008 Tiger Woods

1991 Andrew Magee

2009 Tiger Woods

1992 Fred Couples

2010 Ernie Els

1993 Ben Crenshaw

2011 Martin Laird

1994 Loren Roberts

2012 Tiger Woods

1995 Loren Roberts

2013 Tiger Woods

1996 Paul Goydos

2014 Matt Every

McIlroy will be eager to add his name to Woods, Singh, Els and Couples as world number ones to have won at Bay Hill as he moves towards his date with destiny at Augusta next month. Live coverage on 19 March, 7pm

Davis Love III returns as Captain America as US’ new ‘process’ begins Davis Love III was unveiled as the 2016 United States Ryder Cup captain at PGA National last month, shockingly making a return to the role after the defeat at Medinah. It is the second time in succession that the US have selected a captain which has previously filled the position. Love follows Tom Watson, whose ignominious failure at Gleneagles was the Launchpad for the PGA of America to address the process it uses to select captains and run the United States Ryder Cup team. Love will be assisted by Tom Lehman and three others to be announced in the coming months. The new process means that two of the four vice captains must be past US Ryder Cup captains and two must be Ryder Cup players with experience.

Love will sit on the new PGA of America Ryder Cup committee, along with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, PGA Vice President Phil Levy, CEO Pete Bevacqua and PGA of America President Derek Sprague. A new points system and major changes to the way the captain selects wildcards for the team were also unveiled in Palm Beach Gardens.

Three of the four Captain’s Picks will be announced after the conclusion of the BMW Championship, which is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, September 11, 2016. The final Captain’s pick will take place Sunday evening after the TOUR Championship, Sept. 25, 2016. This new timetable also is pushed back two weeks. Full details of the new points system can be found by clicking below:

Love’s opposite number will be Darren Clarke, who was also announced as European Ryder Cup captain last month. Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Bjorn were the other candidates considered, and will no doubt be the leading candidates for the role in France 2018. The 2016 Ryder Cup is part of #Historic2016 – the year when Golf Returns to the Olympic Games, the PGA of America celebrates its 100th birthday and the final Open Championship broadcast on BBC among other historic occasions.

CHOI TAKES THE SEASON OPENER AS KO MAKES HISTORY The LPGA kicked off its season with great atmosphere and somewhat different in terms of the players who dominated the tour at end of 2014. With a solid game and rounds of 68-70-66-68, Na Yeon Choi rallied to win the season at the inaugural Coates Golf Championship in Ocala, Florida. (Jan 28- Feb 1). Everything pointed towards a playoff in the first event between the Race to the CME Globe winner; Lydia Ko and the now 13-time champion Na Yeon Choi.

This month our new LPGA editor, Cristina Panama, from Guadalajara, Mexico, reviews a thrilling and historic start to the new season and looks ahead to a packed March as the LPGA embarks on its global journey in the Race to the CME Globe.

On Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s round Ko teed off as the tournament leader and rapidly made a pair of birdies to push four strokes clear of the field and just two from Choi. Na Yeon caught fire and holed three consecutive birdies to get herself to 15under. Both players shared the lead after the 8th hole. Choi got her birdie in at No.7 while Lydia caught a bogey at the eighth to drop one shot back at 16under. It all came down to the 17th hole. Ko drove into a fairway bunker; her second shot with a hybrid went into a stand of trees down the right side and ended up

with a double-bogey on her scorecard. This dropped her one shot back as Choi saved her par from off the green and took the absolute lead. On the 72nd hole both players made par as the South Korean walked off with the Coates Golf Championship 2015 title. The 17-year-old teenager may have not taken the win home that afternoon, but she got an even better second place prize: moving into the Rolex Rankings at No. 1. With her leading game at the LPGA opener Ko managed to surpass Inbee Park on the women’s golf ranking and became the youngest player in golf history to be ranked No.1 in the world. Tiger Woods was previously the youngest golfer to become world No. 1 in 1997 at the tender age of 21. Shin Ji-yai held the women's record after getting into the highest spot in 2010 when she was 22. For the rest of this season we’ll have to stay tuned to Lydia Ko and her quest to remain in the No.1 spot as well as to the rookies on tour. Notable players like Morgan Pressel, Suzann Pettersen, Belen Mozo and Danielle Kang did not make the cut in

this first event. Will this be the new era on women's golf? Perhaps you will see new faces winning titles and not just a few players dominating the entire tour.

STORM IN PARADISE ISLAND Everything looked like as if the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) had stopped in paradise for the second event of the season, the Pure Silk Bahamas (Feb 5-8) at the Atlantis Resort. Even though the weather wasn’t perfect this didn’t stop South Korean rookie, Sei Young Kim from catching her first win on tour. It was just before teeing up for first round of the Pure Silk Bahamas event when LPGA commissioner Mike Whan handed Lydia Ko and her caddie their new bib in a brief ceremony. "As the world No. 1-ranked player in the world, you’ll be wearing the Rolex No. 1ranking bib,”said Whan. Jason Hamilton, Ko’s caddie, already knows what it’s like to be on a world’s No. 1 bag and have the bib. Hamilton had been with Yani Tseng during her dominant stretch on the LPGA from 2011

thru 2013 and has experienced the feeling. “He is used to it more than me,” said Ko. After the morning rounds were finished, it was Brooke Pancake who took the lead with a 6-under, just one shot ahead of Inbee Park, Brittany Lincicome and Natalie Gulbis. Pancake finished as the overnight leader when 60 of the players teeing up in the afternoon had to suspend their rounds due to inclement weather. Play was scheduled to return to the course at 8:00a.m. Friday to finish the first round. Round two was suspended due to darkness. The weather improved for the following days of the event but the windy conditions still made some players rounds somewhat complicated. It spite of the weather conditions, players like Gerina Piller, Sandra Gal, Brooke Pancake and Lexi Thompson caught fire and managed to turn in notable scorecards. After the third round Piller led the stacked leaderboard that included 13 players within two shots of the lead.

But it was Sei Young Kim, Sun Young Yoo and Ariya Jutanugarn who were able to handle the adverse conditions of the course and post a 14-under score for the tournament. The title had to be defined in a three-way playoff that didn’t have to extend for long. It was in the first playoff hole where Kim holed an 8-foot birdie putt to beat Yoo and Jutanugarn. With her win at Paradise Island, Kim climbs seventeen spots in the Rolex Rankings; she’s now No. 23 in the world and the first rookie to win on tour this year. This year’s rookie class consists of 32 players and they all seem to have brought their best golf game to the LPGA. It was recently at the Pure Silk Bahamas when we saw two of the rookies go in to a three-way playoff. Some of the new tour member favorites go from Hyo- Joo Kim (2014 Evian Champion), Ariya Jutanugarn, Q-Baek (KEB Hana Bank Classic 2014 winner). Some of the new tour member favorites go from Hyo- Joo Kim (2014 Evian Champion), Ariya Jutanugarn, Q-Baek (KEB Hana Bank Classic 2014 winner), Sakura Yokomine (23 time winner on the

JLPGA), Minjee Lee (Co-winner on QSchool), Sei Young Kim, Charley Hull (top rookie honours on LET) to Cheyenne Woods.

MINI ASIAN SWING TO COME After playing the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) will head to Asia, Thailand and Singapore for two stops on the tour. The Siam Country Club’s Pettaya Old Course in Chonburi, will host the Honda LPGA Thailand February 26 thru March 1 where Anna Nordqvist seeks to defend her title won in 2014 holding off top-ranked Inbee Park with a 15-under score. The Swedish player has had ups and downs over the last years and it seemed like as if she had forgotten how to win. The thought of giving up on golf had even crossed her mind. But her winning spirit came back and the Honda LPGA Thailand 2014 title ended her four-year drought without a win. The 2015 season has started on a good path for Nordqvist, in both the Coates Golf Championship and Pure Silk

Bahamas. Nordqvist made the cut and walked her way up into the leader board, finishing in a tie for 24th and 19th. It will be in Asia where we’ll see if Rolex Ranking number 13th can come across another win and regain the ranking spots she lost over the last few months (Nordqvist was 10th after winning twice in 2014). The second Asia stop on tour will be Singapore, where newly-wed Paula Creamer will be the defending champion. The HSBC Women’s Champions will take place at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course March 5 thru 8. In the field for this week we’ll be able to see some of the past champions like Stacey Lewis and Karrie Webb Fans will have their expectations way up high for this tournament as well as Paula Creamer after her spectacular win over the Spaniard Azahara Muñoz. All LPGA lovers can recall how Creamer sank that 75-foot eagle putt on the second playoff hole against Muñoz to win another title since the 2010 U.S. Women's Open. Will the ‘Pink Panther’ surprise us again this 2015? Both defending champions of the first Asian swing of the year have their eyes

on the Solheim Cup points and will be trying to fulfil their team coaches. Anna could make the European Team based on her Rolex Rankings points, which currently stands at 4.17. On the other hand, Creamer will have to work hard to make de US Team. She lost two spots in the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golf ranking and is currently ninth in Solheim Cup, just points below Jessica Korda and Gerina Piller. March finishes with the Kia Classic, where Anna Nordqvist returns to Carlsbad, California to defend her title won in 2014 (March 26-29). In the last edition of the tournament Anna managed to win the trophy after a round of 67 and a total of 13-under, with Lizette Salas being nearest contender with 12-under.

By Cristina Panama

After a couple weeks off from golf over the winter, I am back working on my game and excited to compete again. I have full status on PGA Tour LatinoamĂŠrica and Canada as well as conditional status on the Web.com Tour for 2015. I did not get into the first two Web.com events, but I hope to get a start soon. I can improve my status by playing well once I get my opportunity, which will move me up in the reshuffle category. In the meantime, I will be playing on PGA Tour LatinoamĂŠrica once the season starts in mid-March in Bogota. I have spent my off season working very hard on certain areas that needed improvement. I started seeing a new trainer in the gym and feel a lot more energized throughout the day. After having such a busy and chaotic year in 2014, I lost muscle mass which really made me feel weak and tired at times. I want to make sure I have better stamina for 2015 and develop a workout plan to follow throughout the year.

I am also working very hard on my short game. When trying to improve an area of your game, I think it is important to give yourself a realistic timetable. I know my short game will not reach the level I know it can be at overnight. It won't only take a few weeks either. My goal is simply to continue to improve it as I play more events. It will require paying close attention to my statistics in order to get a good idea of how I am doing. I am confident I will see a difference as I get deeper into my schedule. I look forward to giving you more updates in another month after my season has officially started. By Michael Buttacavoli

#LifeOnTour @mbutta326

One of the stars of 2015? Charley Hull has made an eyecatching start to the year and could be the next great British hope

Welcome This month to coincide with the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing we take you on a tour of the Sunshine State, taking in the sights of America’s first state. We visit Busch Gardens, Sea World Orlando, Innisbrook Resort and Walt Disney World Orlando, in addition to the four host courses of the Honda Classic, Cadillac Championship, Valspar Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational. St Andrews Golf Magazine is looking for a dedicated Travel writer and if you are interested then don’t hesitate to contact us at info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com

19.3million people live in Florida making it the fourth most populous state in the United States, with 1000 people moving to the state every day and 60million visitors every year it is clear that the state of Florida is one of the most popular destinations in the world. It is easy to see why. Almost constant sunshine and the laid back atmosphere make it a relaxing place for a holiday for adults, for children there is Disney World and for golfers there are 1,250 courses ranging from the up-scale resort to the championship venue and the daily fee municipal course. When the world's best come to Florida this week they will begin a four-week tour of the state, visiting four unique destinations and playing on four worldclass major championship calibre courses, the kind of which attracts millions of tourists to this part of the world every year. Palm Beach Gardens, Miami, the Tampa Bay area and Orlando will welcome thousands of spectators and the world's best golfers to their leading courses, PGA Tour events and to their cosmopolitan cities.

The Palm Beaches, also referred to as Palm Beach County, has 38 distinctive cities and towns, which are divided into 15 distinct districts. These are Palm Beach and Worth Avenue, Clematis Street, City Place, Convention & Entertainment District, Antique Row, Northwood Village, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter/Juno Beach, Lake Worth, Delray Beach, Downtown Boca Raton, Wellington, Boca Town Center and Glades Road, Lake Okeechobee as well as Boynton Beach. The area is very popular with touring professionals including world number one Rory McIlroy and former world number one Lee Westwood who both live there. Palm Beach County has more golf courses than any other county in America, underlining its credentials as the unofficial home of golf in the United States and Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capital of Golf. Located in Southeast Florida, the 2,000square-mile region is the largest county southeast of the Mississippi River and its land area is bigger than two U.S. states â&#x20AC;&#x201D; both Delaware and Rhode Island. Palm Beach County is approximately 60 miles north of Miami and 150 miles southeast of Orlando.

The Atlantic Ocean hems the eastern half of the county with beach stretching 47 miles from north to south. The northwest part of the county includes Lake Okeechobee, the second largest freshwater lake in the United States.

PGA National Resort and Spa

1973 where it spent 7 years before moving into 30,000 square feet offices at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens. The resort now has five courses, the first was The Haig (named after legendary PGA Professional, 11-time Major Champion and Ryder Cup captain Walter Hagen), opened in 1980. This was followed by The Champion, The Squire (named after the first golfer to achieve the Grand Slam, Gene Sarazen), The Palmer (named after Arnold Palmer) and The Estates. The Champion course is now the host of The Honda Classic after a $4m renovation in 2002, the course is now regarded as one of the most challenging and respected courses on the PGA Tour.

The PGA of America moved to Florida from Chicago in 1956, into offices in Dunedin, Pinellas County on the West Coast of the state. 9 years later the organisation moved across to the East Coast and Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach County and then into Lake Park, Palm Beach County in

Single day tickets from $45 | Weekly tickets from $125 | other ticketing options available at www.thehondaclassic.com

The whole resort underwent a $100million refurbishment in 2008 and is now one of the most luxurious and popular resorts in Florida. The resort has six types of Guestroom and Junior Suite: RESORT ROOM (KING OR TWO BEDS), DELUXE ROOM (KING OR TWO BEDS), PREMIUM POOL VIEW ROOM (KING OR TWO BEDS), RESORT JUNIOR SUITE (KING OR TWO BEDS), DELUXE JUNIOR SUITE (KING OR TWO BEDS) and PREMIUM POOL VIEW JUNIOR SUITE (KING OR TWO BEDS). Their guestrooms provide an ideal escape, but for more room, consider one of their Junior Suites to add dining and living space, including a pull-out sofa. To honour its golfing heritage there is a PGA Suite and a Legends Suite, each are perfect for entertaining and hosting special occasions. Both suites are over 1,000 square feet in size and include large living room equipped with a pool table, elegant sofa and sitting area, 42inch LCD HD TV, executive desk, full bathroom with tub/shower combination and two sinks, dry bar with minirefrigerator and a Keurig coffee maker.

The Presidential Suite is ideal for the avid golf fan who is visiting the PGA National Resort during the Honda Classic. The suite offers a full living room suitable for entertaining, 42-inch LCD HD TV, dining table that seats eight, kitchen with a full-size refrigerator and wet bar and a full bathroom. The private master bedroom features a beautiful four-poster bed with a sitting area, walk-in closet, separate dressing area and full bathroom with granite and marble touches and separate vanity area. The resort also offers Spa Suites, Media Suites and a selection of Club Cottages across the property. PGA National has an extensive Spa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PGA National Waters of the World â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and nine restaurants are on the property. Several packages can be found by clicking the link below:

Why not pay a visit to The Breakers® Palm Beach, Florida’s oldest golf course, laid out in 1896 by Alexander H Findley. The Breakers Palm Beach is an American icon, boasting two championship courses. Its historic on-site par‐70 Ocean Course is meticulously designed to entice and challenge golfers of all handicaps. Restored to highlight its historic roots and provide a vintage feel for golfers, its 6,167 yards demand precision. Guests may also be transferred to The Breakers Rees Jones® Course 10 miles off property. After a recent refurbishment, it has become one of the premier golf experiences in the southeast United States, reflecting the incomparable new‐classic style of eminent golf course architect Rees Jones.

The world's best then move on to Miami for the first World Golf Championship of 2015 at the Doral Resort and Spa and the WGC-Cadillac Championship. The City of Miami has a population of 408,568 but is within the Miami Metropolitan Area which is inhabited by over 5.5m people in the South-eastern corner of Florida. Miami is known as 'The Gateway to the Americas' and its port employs over 175,000 people and generates an economic impact of $18billion per year for the city, 38million people visit Miami every year with over 4million passing through its port at some stage each year. The skyline of Miami is one of the most recognizable in the world through television shows such as CSI Miami and Miami Vice; the NFL's Super Bowl has been staged in the city on 10 occasions, the most recent being in 2010 and the city has hosted the ATP World Tour at the Miami Open since 1985. The NASCAR season begins and finishes in Florida, with the Daytona 500 in February and the Ford 400 at Miami Homestead Speedway in November.

These television shows and iconic global sporting events are watched around the world and because of this Miami has grown to become one of the world's most recognizable cities consistently ranked as one of the world's top fifty cities. The Doral Resort and the Blue Monster Course in particular really stand out among the golf courses in the Miami area, which in comparison to courses in Orlando, Jacksonville and Palm Beach are less well-known. But sometimes it is better to have one, iconic course rather than a plethora of average ones, and for American golfers the Blue Monster stands out as one of the country's most infamous layouts.

‘EXPERIENCE THE RETURN OF A TRIUMPHANT ICON’ The Doral Resort and its golf courses were given a major upgrade when Donald Trump purchased the property in 2012. In true Donald Trump style he announced that he purchased Doral with the intent of creating the “Greatest Golf Resort in America”, and he says that “We have totally redesigned every aspect of

the resort, bringing it up to the highest standards and levels of luxury”. Of the Blue Monster, the new brochure for Doral says “…he didn’t just renovate it, he reimagined it. He challenged renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse to spare no expense in creating a new legend.” The Red Tiger, Golden Palm and Silver Fox courses were also given upgrades as Doral reaches for the stars and lives out the vision of its ambitious owner.

TRUMP NATIONAL DORAL Miami 90 holes of golf across 5 courses Home to the WGC-Cadillac Championship Jim McLean Golf School TaylorMade Performance Lab The industry’s first LED-lighted practice facility featuring 40 hitting stations and short game practice area 7,000 square feet of golf retail 643 deluxe rooms Rooms starting at $304 per night

Other courses you may wish to play in the Miami area include Miami International Links and the Country Club of Miami. You may even want to venture into the Keys for spectacular golf at Key West Golf Club. Key West Golf Club opened in the early 1920s as a nine-hole facility. In the 1950s, another nine holes were added. In 1983, Rees Jones redesigned the current 18. Key West was Rees Jones’ first design with his own firm. Key West Golf Club is the Southernmost golf course in the United States, but at just 3 hours south of Miami, the city is the perfect base to visit Key West to enjoy golf and a piece of America in the Caribbean for the day. On Key Biscayne, just 12 miles from Miami city centre, is Crandon Golf. Crandon is the only public golf course on Biscayne Bay. Crandon was the site of the Senior PGA Tour for 18 years, attracting golf’s greats including Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Don Messengale, Ray Floyd and Gary Player. The course is considered one of the most beautiful and difficult par-72 courses in the state of Florida. Crandon’s

seventh hole is touted as “One of the Greatest Holes in Golf,” a gorgeous par 4 that doglegs to the right and sends your golf ball soaring over sparkling water. The course has been rated in the top ten courses by Golfweek, and one of America’s top 75 upscale courses by Golf Digest. From the first hole – a dog leg par 5 that requires a drive over water and mangroves – to the last – another par 5 with water on both sides of the fairway – Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne is, in many ways, Miami’s signature golf course. It is the perfect alternative to civilization where you can spend a day enveloped by the tropics. Crandon Golf is an explosion of color and light surrounded by water, mangroves and lush, tropical foliage. Secluded and inviting.

The third week of the Florida Swing takes the TOUR to the Tampa Bay area on the West Coast of Florida and the newest event in the series, the Valspar Championship at the Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor just north of St Petersburg. Tampa Bay is a large, natural harbour in the West of Florida and the large surrounding area is given the name of the Tampa Bay area although there is no actual place called Tampa Bay.

100,000 people. The Tampa Bay region is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Rays, major sporting franchises in the NFL and Major League Baseball which have brought global attention to the area with their achievements in their respective sports in recent years.

The 2012 Republican National Convention was held in Tampa at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The Tampa Bay area has hosted four Super Bowls, at the Tampa Stadium in 1984 and 1991 and at the Raymond James Stadium in 2001 and 2009.

The Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of over 4.2m people and over 90,000 people each year move to the area. St Petersburg is the fourth most populous city in the state of Florida and attracts millions of tourists to the area each year, St Petersburg stages the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg Indy Car race each March which showcases the skyline of St Petersburg across the world on television. The city is locally known as St. Pete and the beach was formally renamed St. Pete Beach in 1994 after a vote by residents. St Petersburg is the second largest city in the area, with Tampa being the largest with over 345,000 inhabitants and Clearwater being home to just over

Take a tour of Tropicana Field during your time in the Tampa Bay area, tickets $9 for adults

Take a tour of Raymond James Stadium during your time in the Tampa Bay area, tickets $7 for adults

Tampa Bay is also home to one of the world's top 25 tourist attractions, Busch Gardens is an African-themed animal theme park located in Tampa and welcomes over 4million people every year. The resort has attractions for all age groups, families and friends including rides such as Cheetah Hunt, Falcon’s Fury, SheiKra, Montu, Scorpion and Kumba. Sesame Street Safari of Fun is Busch Gardens’® newest kid's area with kidfriendly rides, cool water fun and plenty of memorable adventures. Fly through the desert with Grover. Climb in Elmo’s Tree House. Splash in Bert and Ernie’s watering hole. You can even dine with your child's furry friends. Animals are at the heart of Busch Gardens® and the resort is one of America’s largest Zoo’s with over 12,000 habitats. The Serengeti Plain® is a 65-acre recreation of life on the home of the last great migration on earth. While enjoying your safari you'll see hundreds of fascinating animals and have up-close encounters with some you can even feed by hand.

You’ll meet animals like familiar favourites, zebras, giraffes and ostriches while learning about other exotic animal species. Busch Gardens® is certainly one of the most interactive zoo experiences you can have, and no attraction illustrates that better than the Edge of Africa®. Embark on a walking safari through Edge of Africa® and encounter exotic African animals in naturalistic habitats, including hippos, lions, hyenas, lemurs, meerkats, crocodiles and lappet-faced vultures. Busch Gardens® is like Walt Disney World with animals, and as they do in Orlando, Busch Gardens® put on several entertaining shows. A is for Africa® is A musical performance that brings tales of imagination and adventure to life starring Elmo, Abby, Zoe, Grover and Cookie Monster presented several times daily at the Sesame Street® Safari of Fun's™ Sunny Day Theatre. For ticket details click here

Tampa Bay is home to over 50 golf courses, five of which are at the Innisbrook Golf and Spa Resort, including the Copperhead course which hosts the Valspar Championship. The tournament has been played at the resort every year since it was established in 2000 and has grown exponentially in the last five years since it became a part of the Florida Swing. The Copperhead Course was built in 1974 and has been ranked as the third best course in Florida by Golf Week Magazine, the course is renowned for its unusual undulating nature in comparison to other Florida courses and is among the most difficult courses on the PGA Tour.

The newly renovated Innisbrook is one of America's most celebrated Florida golf resorts. The resort consistently receives top accolades - including Golf Magazine's "Top 100 You Can Play," and Golf Digest's "Top 75 Golf Resorts in America". The Copperhead Course is the flagship course of the resort which features five golf courses.

One of the major attractions of the Innisbrook Resort is its encouragement of families, and the Fox-Squirrel course is a 9-hole, 1236 yard course.

The Island Course measures over 7,000 yards and has hosted NCAA, USGA and LPGA events.

It costs $25 for a resort guest to play the course.

The North Course, located on terrain similar to that of the Copperhead Course and measures a much more leisurely 6,300 yards. The South Course is over 6,600 yards long.

The 9 holes consist of holes 1-4 and 1418 of the South Course and holes 10-18 of the North Course when South is scheduled to be closed.

Bed and Breakfast at the resort costs from $248 per night based on two adults sharing a room, more packages available at www.innisbrookgolfresort.com

Weekly book of tickets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $65 Daily tickets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $40 ($30 thru March 8) Other ticketing options available at www.valsparchampionship.com

The TOUR then moves back to the East Coast of Florida for the crescendo to the 2015 Florida Swing in Orlando. With seven of the top theme parks all in one sunny location, Orlando is the theme park capital of the world. And, with more than 57 million visitors in 2012, this Central Florida city is also the most visited tourist destination in the United States. From theme parks and sunshine to its continuously evolving dining scene, Orlando is the only destination where everyone in a travel party can do it all and enjoy it all together. Orlando is best-known as home to the world’s top theme parks and water parks including the four theme parks and two water parks at Walt Disney World Resort – Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach Water Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, and Typhoon Lagoon; the two theme parks at Universal Orlando Resort – Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida; three parks from SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment – SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica – SeaWorld’s Waterpark and Discovery Cove; and LEGOLAND Florida. With a unique mix of legendary theme parks, water parks, spectacular

museums, world-class entertainment and blockbuster rides and attractions, it would take about 67 days to visit all of the entertaining offerings in Orlando. SeaWorld Orlando is visited by over 5 million people each year and holds several seasonal celebrations throughout the year.

This year its 50th birthday celebrations feature a "Sea of Surprises", the event subtitle. The Surprise Squad is wandering around SeaWorld during this time and giving out free rewards.

Weekday tickets from $70

The University of Central Florida is located in Orlando and is the second largest University in the United States by enrolment with just under 60,000 students; the University celebrated its 50th birthday in 2013. The University has students from 140 countries enrolled on its many programs across 12 colleges. In 2006 the University established its Medical College in the emerging Medical City at Lake Nona. Campus tours are free but you are required to sign up in advance because of their popularity.

Plan Your Visit The best time to experience UCF is when classes are in session. Consider visiting: ď&#x201A;ˇ ď&#x201A;ˇ

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays In January, February, May, June, or November

Walt Disney World Resort is the biggest being the most visited entertainment resort in the world, Walt Disney World Resort was built in 1965 and opened in 1971; the Palm and Magnolia golf courses on the resort hosted the Disney Golf Classic on the PGA Tour from 1971 to 2012. The resort employs over 65,000 people and generates over $1billion in wages and has an estimated economic impact of $18.2billion to the state of Florida. Walt Disney World is very much all about five star luxury and customer service from the start to finish of a visitors stay. Disney's Magical Express is a complimentary round-trip airport shuttle/baggage delivery service which is available for guests booking vacations that include overnight accommodations at 22 Disney hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort. Magic Kingdom, the first Walt Disney World Resort theme park, debuted in 1971 – 16 years after Walt Disney’s first park, Disneyland,

opened in Anaheim, Calif. Magic Kingdom’s blue- and gold-turreted, 18tower icon, Cinderella Castle, rises 189 feet above the park’s 142 acres. The park is divided into six themed lands:      

Main Street, U.S.A. Adventureland Frontierland Liberty Square Fantasyland Tomorrowland

Epcot, the second Walt Disney World Resort theme park, opened Oct. 1, 1982 — 11 years after the Magic Kingdom debuted. The 305-acre park, identified by its iconic Spaceship Earth geodesic sphere, features two distinct areas. Future World is a showcase of discovery filled with new ideas and technology, plus an exploration of planet Earth from land and sea to air and space. World Showcase is a kaleidoscope of nations featuring architecturally authentic buildings and backdrops that

celebrate their cultural heritage, arts and entertainment. The 11 nations plus an African-themed Outpost are situated along a 1.3-mile promenade encircling the 40-acre World Showcase Lagoon.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios debuted on May 1, 1989 at Walt Disney World Resort to immerse guests in the glamour of show business 365 days a year with thrilling attractions Broadway-style shows, world-class entertainment and television and radio production facilities. The park is divided into seven themed lands of attractions:       

Hollywood Boulevard Echo Lake Streets of America Pixar Place Mickey Avenue Animation Courtyard Sunset Boulevard

Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the fourth Walt Disney World theme park celebrates one amazing adventure after another with wild animals, exciting attractions, lavish stage shows and lovable characters!

Walt Disney World isn’t just a playground for children and their parents, it is a significant golf resort in itself, with three 18-hole golf courses, a 9-hole course and miniature golf.

Highlights include a runaway train adventure, an authentic African safari, a whirling white-water raft ride, a thrilling race back in time to prehistoric worlds, and two Broadway-style musical stage shows based on hit Disney films.

The Downtown Disney area is an exciting metropolis of restaurants, theatres and merchandise shops incorporating the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and the West Side.

This 18-hole championship course features shimmering lakes, tropical sands, palm trees and sloping greens. Operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management. Disney's Palm Golf Course is rated 4 stars by Golf Digest and includes 9 water hazards and 94 bunkers—providing plenty of challenges for novices and seasoned pros alike.

Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course is a beautiful 9-hole course with rolling greens and exciting challenges. Certified by Audubon International as a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary. Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course lets you test your skills with holes ranging from 132 to 517 yards from the white tees; holes 5, 6 and 7 are routed around a deep canal and a picturesque pond. Operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management and featuring junior tees for younger golfers, this walking course is fun for the whole family.

Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course has hosted the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour and USGA events.

Certified by Audubon International as a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary and rated an impressive 4 stars by Golf Digest, the 18-hole course was conceived by Joe Lee and most notably features elevated bunkered greens that put a premium on accurate approach shots. Test your skills and fortitude at the demanding 7th hole with its challenging island green.

Certified by Audubon International as a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary and rated 4 stars by Golf Digest, Disney's Magnolia Golf Course represents a paradise for serious golfers, as well as a thrilling challenge for players at all levels. The Magnolia course is the hardest and most renowned track at Walt Disney World, and was the premier course of the rotation to stage Walt Disney World’s PGA Tour event. Founded as the Walt Disney World Open Invitational in 1971 the resort hosted the PGA Tour for over 40 years. Jack Nicklaus won the first three tournaments. From 1974 to 1981 the tournament was a two-man team event.

Named for its majestic magnolia trees, this course features elevated tees, spacious greens and challenging water hazards. Wide fairways invite you to hit the ball and hit it long, but beware—11 of the 18 holes boast water hazards and 97 bunkers dot the landscape.

Major champions and world number ones have triumphed at Walt Disney World, including Tiger Woods in 1996. It was Tiger’s second win on the PGA Tour in his rookie season and secured his place in the season-ending Tour Championship. The tournament ceased to be a part of the PGA Tour from 2013 and professional tour golf has not returned to this iconic destination.

Orlando has a plethora of top-end resort courses including Champions Gate, Grande Lakes, The Reserve at Orange Lake, Hunters Creek, Grande Pines, Grand Cypress, Deer Creek, Stonegate golf club, Red Tail, Faldo Golf Institute and Kissimmee Golf Club among others. But the three courses which stand out for worldwide audiences are Lake Nona, Isleworth Golf and Country Club and the Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

Grounds Badge Weekly $99 Advance w/ MasterCard | $110 Advance | $120 At Gate Practice/Pro-Am Badge $40.50 Advance w/ MasterCard | $45 Advance | $50 Gate

Isleworth

Any One Day $45 Advance w/ MasterCard | $50 Advance | $55 At Gate Lake Nona The golf course at Bay Hill was built in the 1960's and in 1974 was bought by Arnold Palmer and over the years his team have developed the club and course to a world-class standard and consequently the Bay Hill Invitational, later to become the API, has become one of golf's great tournaments outside of the Majors.

Other ticketing options available at www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com

Grand Cypress Golf Club

Click below for a comprehensive guide to Orlandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golfing treats ChampionsGate Golf Club