WGC Match Play Day One Snow And The Future In Tucson
If you'd like to see the crime scene photos from Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain where first day play was suspended, ESPN.com has a few here, or there's JD Cuban's telling shot posted on Golf Digest's Tumblr page.
The images of the second and far more powerful snow storm to hit the place since it's been host should also double for the resort's obituary as site to the WGC Accenture Match Play. The current 1-year contract ends this week.
Not that any players will shed a tear since the place nearly finished last in the Golf World player survey, it's in a remote locale and has never exuded anything other than "soulless modern resort course" on television. Even back in 2008 when Jack Nicklaus and Tim Finchem were envisioning the remote place, it sounded awful.
But before you nominate a replacement, especially in some far off land, you have to understand the PGA Tour has many very strict parameters to it is played at a quality course. They start with what Accenture wants, then move to what Accenture needs and finally, what Accenture wants must also be taken into consideration.
Anyone know what Accenture wants? I still vote for PGA West Stadium. Great match play design, better weather, better crowds, it's not Dove Mountain and it's not Florida.
Geoff
**Rex Hoggard vents about the lost cause that has been Dove Mountain, capped off by Wednesday's snow storm. He insists the event is signed there until 2014, but last May's press release definitely only mentioned 2013.
If all this sounds like sour grapes frozen solid by Wednesday’s Nor’wester, consider one Tour member’s take this week when informed the press corps had a distaste for Dove Mountain. “So do the players,” he said.
Reader Comments (35)
- Better weather
- The matchplay is a punter's dream
- The date is far enough away from the Shriner's Open in October
I'm no expert on Vegas courses...but there's another TPC besides Summerlin, no? There must be a suitable venue...that said, not sure what Accenture's appetite would be for relocation to sin city...
I would take the tournament to the South.
Better weather, better crowds, and it's not California.
PGA West would canibalize the Humana being only about a month apart.
The "south" already has too many tour stops.
TPC Las Vegas (next to TPC Summerlin) is a non-descript course through a residential development and is worse than Dove Mountain.
The main problem is the time of year and the lack of options in the southern part of the US with most other regions already being very well represented by tour stops elsewhere in the year.
Maybe it is time for the PGA Tour to finally embrace international golf and stage an Australasian swing with two events in February with the 2nd stop being a WGC. Also, the Euro tour has essentially abandoned Aus and NZ. And if played at first light, could be primetime in the US.
Otherwise, you will have Dove Mountain for the foreseeable future.
I think Vegas would be the logical place to go, especially given how the tournament lends itself to gambling. Wasn't the old Las Vegas Invitational played at about this time of the year? Maybe the Vegas event and the Tucson event can trade places on the schedule.
I think Kiawah would be a fantastic match play site.
Different PGA West Course. Stadium in the Pete Dye course they all hated when the Hope was played there, but it's been softened in spots and the guys hit it about 50 yards longer than they did then.
Vegas would be fantastic visually and as a market but Commissioner Monk is frightened to death of the gambling culture and the weather there can be so fickle, especially with unrelenting winds.
As for extended to 2014 at Dove Mountain, there has been no announcement on that so either Hoggard knows something we don't or has it wrong.
From a fan experience it is the best because the tickets are limited and you can see the players up close. There is no other event I know of where you can watch a major champion play a shot with only 50 other people watching. The 11-13 loop on this course has par 5, par 3 and par 5 and almost every match has holes won or lost with big risk reward shots. Tucson would support the event more if it were in Tucson. The trouble is few courses there are long enough to challenge the new equipment (ie. golf ball)
They need to move the match play around the world. As for weather delays a snow day is not as bad as a rain soaked slog like La Costa was. Tucson drains better.
The weather in Vegas at this time of year is no better than Tucson- could be great or not so great. Rain can happen in CA at this time of year too.
I'd lobby Accenture hard for Cabo.
Florida
Doak
Coore & Crenshaw
What could be better
I miss La Costa though.
Today (Thursday) is a brand new day and play is scheduled to resume at 10:30...12:30...1:30...2:00...2:30...3:00 (all time EST).
Maybe a move to a course in Death Valley in in order...think of the marketing possibilities folks!!!
The Streamsong owner, Mosaic (NYSE - MOS) could afford to sponsor the event if need be!!
Aside from the scenic views at CDS, Lacosta is a tougher challenge for tour players. The course isnt long enough either.
I played Lacosta in November and loved it, I know there were previous issues with the course but if they were addressed, it still is a very good course. Not too far from Lacosta and a good option would be Barona Creek. The web.com used it back in 07 or 08 for the tour championship.