Nationwide Tour moves to the Stadion Classic at University of Georgia Golf Club, Athens
Nationwide tour now moves to the Stadion Classic at the University of Georgia Golf Club, Athens scheduled from May 2 to 8, 2011. The tournament is being held in continuation since 2006, when Australian Paul Gow won the inaugural tournament. The previous
venue was the Jennings Mill Country Club and the event was later moved to the Robert Trent Jr. designed layout at the UGA.
Legendary golfer Chip Beck, along with the former Nationwide trailblazer Bubba Watson, are the honourary co-chairs of this year’s event. Watson, on Tuesday, also donated his share of the $50,000 from Ryder Cup’s Play Golf America University Program fund
to the UGA, which also happens to be his former school.
Watson has played on the Nationwide Tour for three seasons and finally moved over to the PGA Tour. He has won three times on the tour and is coming out recently from his victory at the Zurich Classic last week.
Meanwhile, Beck was one of the golfing legends in the late 80’s and 90’s. He won three times on the PGA Tour and participated in three Ryder Cups. He remained in the Top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for a staggering 40 weeks. Beck was also
the honourary chair in the last year’s event.
“Serving as honorary chair last year was such a great honor and I am thrilled to return this year,” Beck said. “This event ties together two institutions that have had a major impact on my life -- the University of Georgia and the PGA TOUR -- and I couldn't
be more thrilled to return to Athens this spring to host some great young golf talent.”
Featuring in the stellar field of the Nationwide Tour, would be Ted Potter Jr. who is coming out of his most recent and maiden victory on the tour at the South Georgia Classic. Potter shattered the previous tournament record to clinch the title with a whooping
16-under, 272, three shots clear of the runner-up and Tour’s money leader Mathew Goggin.
Potter is only the second Monday qualifier who has won a tournament after Kyle Reifers, who won the 2006 Chattanooga Classic presented by Black Creek. He now has full year’s exemption to participate in the tour events and will pose a serious threat to the
established golfers of the tour.
Much to his relief, Goggin has decided to take a break from Nationwide Tour and will be joining the field for the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. on a sponsor's exemption. The total purse of the tournament is $550,000, out
of which the winner will collect his share of $99,000.
University of Georgia Golf Club was renovated by Love in the year 2006, but is originally a Robert Trent Jr. layout, first developed by the university community in 1968. The Par-71, 7,240 yards course is a sweet blend of rolling greens and stringent sand
bunkers, strategically laid to create problems off the tee.
The 18-hole course is located on the University of Georgia campus and operates under Department of Auxiliary Services. The course provides excellent sports opportunities to students and the faculty at affordable rates. The course is also the host of the
annual Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic and has hosted the SEC Championship for men and women and Ladies NCAA Championships three times.
Four of the Top 5 in the Money List, excluding Goggin, will strengthen the field at the Stadion Classic this week. Brenden Pappas, Daniel Chopra, Brett Wetterich as well as Potter will be participating in the event.
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