By RON BALICKI
Senior WriterFor only the second time in the tournament’s history, the Ping/
Golfweek Preview will not be played in 2009 at the site of the following spring’s NCAA Men’s Division I Championship.
The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn., just outside of Chattanooga, which will host the 2010 NCAA finals, has decided not to stage the Preview next fall.
“We wish we could host the Preview – there’s no doubt about that – but we don’t feel that it’s the right thing to do for the sake of the course,” Honors head professional Henrik Simonsen told the
Chattanooga Times Free Press. “It would be difficult for us to host the Preview because our (zoysia grass) fairways don’t heal the way they would if they were Bermuda or bentgrass. It would show signs of wear and tear from all of the quality players coming in.”
The only other time the Preview was held at a site different from the NCAA venue was 1995, when the tournament also was scheduled to be held at The Honors Course, which hosted the ’96 NCAA finals. The ’95 tournament, called the Ping/
Golfweek Invitational, was staged at Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon, where Arizona State won the team title and went on to capture the NCAA title at The Honors in the spring.
Ping and
Golfweek have agreed to again hold an invitational event next fall, with the dates and site still to be determined.
“We would love to keep with the tradition of the Preview, but we certainly respect the decision of The Honors Course,” said Scott Sullivan of Ping. “This is what they choose to do, and we definitely have no hard feelings.
“We’ve already started working on Plan B and finding a quality championship course to host the event next fall. Hopefully within the next week or two, we’ll be able to make an announcement on the site and dates.”
Said
Golfweek vice president/publisher Terry Olson: “We regret not being able to hold the Preview at The Honors, but understand their decision. We plan to move forward. As we did in 1995, we will stage a first-class tournament at an outstanding venue. I feel confident we will be able to assemble the best field we possibly can, just as we have in the past.”
Various site possibilities are being looked at for the 2009 Ping/
Golfweek Invitational.
“Sure, it’s always nice to be able to play the course that will be used for the national championship, but as a coach I think the quality of competition is equally important,” said Georgia coach Chris Haack. “I have no doubt next year’s field will again be one of the strongest of any tournament in college golf. It still will be one of the most prestigious events on the schedule.”
• • •
Ron Balicki is a
Golfweek senior writer. To reach him email
rbalicki@golfweek.com.
Posted: 10/7/2008
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