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GOLF: PGA TOUR: THE PLAYERS continues to improve and evolve

/noticias.info/ By Lauren Deason, PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- In just 49 days, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., a golf-loving suburb of Jacksonville, will once again be infiltrated by the world's best golfers and overrun by the biggest golf fans.

It'd be nearly impossible to top all of the transformations made before THE PLAYERS Championship last year. The clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass was remodeled prior to the 2007 event, where Phil Mickelson captured his first PLAYERS title on a golf course that had been renovated from 2006 to 2007. The tournament also moved from March to a new date on Mother's Day in May.

All of these changes produced an event that was more fan friendly and exciting to watch than ever. The tournament raised $2.8 million for charity in 2007 and has given over $28 million in donations since 1977.

In 2007, the PGA TOUR also took golf from the course into the city as they implemented the inaugural Downtown Experience on Friday night. Jacksonvillians and guests in town for the golf tournament flocked to the riverside downtown area for a 9-hole putting challenge, inflatable driving range, interactive games and autograph sessions by PGA TOUR and Champions Tour members. The experience will be back in 2008.

Though massive changes weren't made for the 2008 event like they were for the 2007 affair, there will be several noteworthy new aspects at this year's PLAYERS Championship.

Fans looking to re-create some of their favorite moments from THE PLAYERS past will have to go no further than the renamed and rejuvenated "Stadium Village". This interactive experience will now be located behind the 18th green and feature three golf simulators.

Nos. 16, 17 and 18, widely regarded as one of the toughest finishing stretches in golf, are the subject for the three replica golf holes. Fans visiting the village can recreate Davis Love III's and Fred Couples' eagles on No. 16. Others will try their hand at hitting the famous island green on a mock 17th hole at the UBS 17th Challenge. And a one-third scale replica of the 18th green will allow visitors to remember and act out memorable moments on the final hole.

For the first time in 10 years the tournament will also have a new face at the helm.

In July 2007, Ron Cross took over as Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship for Brian Goin, who served in that capacity for a decade. Cross began his journey as a standard bearer for the first PLAYERS Championship held at TPC Sawgrass in 1982. His first job as a new college graduate at the PGA TOUR was in operations for THE PLAYERS, so he's had plenty of experience at the event.

Cross wants to focus efforts on growing the national fanbase for THE PLAYERS. He expects that changes, such as improved parking, will be made in the next five to ten years to help achieve this goal.

"It won't happen overnight," Cross said, adding that the 40,000 fans who can attend each day would likely be increased to 45,000 to 50,000 fans within a decade.

Furthermore, he thinks the tournament might take a cue from the Masters and began to sell tickets on a renewal basis.

"We expect ticket sales over the next 10 years will become a renewal process like our friends up the street in Augusta. We would have people renew their tickets and establish a waiting list for those seeking tickets."

Tickets are still available for the 2008 event, where Mickelson, Tiger Woods and local residents Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk are all expected to tee it up. Cross noted that sales are ahead of pace and tickets will likely sell out the week before the event so fans should snatch them up now.

The PGA TOUR Wives Association will additionally do something new at THE PLAYERS this year to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Citizens of the First Coast, which spans from the Georgia border to the Palm Coast area, can nominate special folks in the area who have given back to the community. Of these nominated "Champions", 20 will be selected to attend the 2008 event as VIP guests. Nominations conclude April 11th. notas_de_prensa_archivo