Featured Golf News
Poppy Hills Removed from Pebble Beach Pro-Am Rotation
The annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am will have a new golf course in its three-course rotation next year with the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club replacing Poppy Hills.
The move, which is opposed by the Northern California Golf Association, came due to player complaints about the hilly, sometimes wet Poppy Hills layout. The 2010 event is scheduled for February 8-14 and it will be the 25th anniversary of AT&T's title sponsorship.
Since it replaced the private Cypress Point in 1991, the undulating Poppy Hills course has proven somewhat controversial. Some PGA Tour players like it, while others have criticized it.
The Shore Course will join the rotation with Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach Golf Links, the host course and site of the 2010 U.S. Open.
"The PGA Tour and its players have enjoyed and valued the relationship with Poppy Hills over the past 19 years," said PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem. "The Northern California Golf Association does great things for golf, especially with their youth programs and we look forward to continuing our support of its efforts. Adding the Monterey Peninsula Country Club's Shore Course to the rotation allows the tournament to return to its roots, when the club was part of the rotation from the beginning. I have spoken to many players about this and they are excited that the Shore Course is being added to this stellar rotation."
Added Clint Eastwood, Monterey Peninsula Foundation board chairman: "We, too, are looking forward to MPCC's return. We feel it will have a tremendous impact on the strategic charitable goals the Foundation has set for the future."
Michael Hexner, president of the Northern California Golf Association, had a different take on the change. In a statement Hexner wrote: "The Northern California Golf Association is disappointed and saddened by the decision today to move the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am away from a great publicly accessible course like Poppy Hills.
"For 18 years, Poppy Hills and the NCGA have been valuable partners to AT&T and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation as hosts to this great PGA Tour event. This partnership has allowed us to expand our youth programs, including providing $2 green fees for juniors, and make golf available to all players.
"While we are disappointed with today's decision, we express hope that the AT&T will return to Poppy Hills soon. No matter what the future brings, the NCGA and Poppy Hills will continue to promote the game of golf to the next generation of golfers."
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