41st PGA Professional National Championship Set for Reynolds Plantation

The Reynolds Landing and Great Waters courses in Greensboro, Ga., are ready to host 312 players for the 41st PGA Professional National Championship. The event is set to start Thursday and run through Sunday, June 19-22.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Great Waters sustained damage from a recent storm. But crews cleaned up the debris in preparation for the event, which will feature contestants from 43 states. They will also compete on the Reynolds Landing 18; the resort has five courses overall.

The championship will be broadcast in prime time by Golf Channel. Boasting a $550,000 purse, the event will make its sixth overall appearance in Georgia and first since 1979.

Bob Mauragas, the VP of golf operations at Reynolds Plantation, said he was proud how the maintenance staff restored the course on June 11, after what he described as a "mini-tornado" formed on Lake Oconee swept inland and destroyed 28 trees, including snapping a 200-year oak like a matchstick.

"The pressure that golf superintendents are under to maintain the quality of all our courses is one thing, and it is a testimony to their ability to move on a dime," said Mauragas. "Within 24 hours, Great Waters was ready to play. We had golfers and caddies going out the next day and you couldn't tell that anything had happened."

The field will compete on the 6,926-yard, par-72 Reynolds Landing and the 7,043-yard, par-72 Great Waters, which will host the final two rounds. Following 36 holes the field will be trimmed to the low 70 scorers and ties. At the end of the tournament the low 20 scorers earn berths into the 90th PGA Championship, August, 7-10, 2008, at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.

"It is wonderful to see the excitement generated by the members of this community, and to have the championship on Golf Channel will be something that they can savor for the rest of their lives," said Mauragas. "Our courses are ready for a championship, and they are in excellent shape. The players will find similarities between the two, considering Bob Cupp designed Reynolds Landing and he worked for Jack Nicklaus, whose signature work is Great Waters. Bob will be visiting us for the weekend rounds, and I know that he will be proud to see this resort hosting this championship."

Defending champion Chip Sullivan of Troutville, Va., will joined by 10 past winners and 12 Georgia PGA professionals. Sullivan, 43, became the first reigning champion to compete in the Japan PGA Championship, tying for 18th last month. He returns to Reynolds Plantation, the site where last September he helped the United States to rally and defeat Great Britain & Ireland in the PGA Cup on the Oconee Course.

"I have a lot of special memories from having helped win back the Llandudno Trophy in the PGA Cup," said Sullivan, director of golf at Ashley Plantation in Daleville, Va. "I look forward to taking my whole family in a few weeks and defending my title. I always said that whoever wins the championship this year will have a heck of a fun ride enjoying the perks that comes with winning. It has been a wonderful experience for me and my family and I wish that everyone could have the same experience."

Other past winners in the field include: John Traub of Rochester Hills, Mich. (1980), Bill Schumaker of Columbia City, Ind. (1984), who will be making his record 28th appearance; Brett Upper of Scottsdale, Ariz. (1990); Ron McDougal of Eatontown, N.J. (1992); Steve Schneiter, Sandy, Utah (1995); Tim Thelen of College Station, Texas (2000, '03); Wayne DeFrancesco of Columbia, Md. (2001); Barry Evans of Charleston, W.Va. (2003); Mike Small of Champaign, Ill. (2005) and Ron Philo Jr. of Amelia Island, Fla. (2006).

Joining Sullivan are the remaining members of the 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team: Ryan Benzel of Bothell, Wash., Lee Rinker of Jupiter, Fla., Alan Schulte of Fishers, Ind., Butch Sheehan of Rancho Mirage, Calif., Small, Chris Starkjohann of Cardiff by the Sea, Calif., Thelen and Don Yrene of Scottsdale, Ariz. Benzel and Small were the only club professionals to make the 36-hole cut in last year's PGA Championship.

The 12-member Georgia contingent features: Tommy Brannen of Martinez; Randy Brooks of Cumming; Jeff Hull of Watkinsville; Greg Lee of Athens; 2007 Georgia PGA Champion Matthew Peterson of Watkinsville; Brian Puterbaugh of Johns Creek; Sonny Skinner of Sylvester; Clark Spratlin of Cumming; Craig Stevens of Dallas; Brian Stock of Augusta; Tim Weinhart of Alpharetta; Don Williams of Gainesville and Rob Williams of Valdosta.

In addition to the Walter Hagen Cup, the winner also receives an exemption into the next five PGA Professional National Championships, a spot on the 2009 PGA Cup Team and exemptions into six PGA Tour events over a 12-month period.

Established in 1968, The PGA Professional National Championship roster of champions includes Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg, Don Massengale, Ed Dougherty, Larry Gilbert and Bruce Fleisher.