Transitions Championship 2009 Tournament Fact Sheet
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Transitions Championship 2009 Tournament Fact Sheet What: The Transitions Championship is a 72-hole official PGA TOUR event that will include week-long activities reinforcing the connection between healthy sight and an overall healthy lifestyle. Schedule: Sunday, March 15 “Live Your Vision” 5K Race/Walk for Charity Monday, March 16 Shelton Quarles’ Celebrity Pro-Am Benefiting the IMPACT Foundation Tuesday, March 17 Professional Practice Rounds and Evening Gala-Pairings Party (private) Wednesday, March 18 Transitions Championship Pro-Am Thursday, March 19 1st Round Transitions Championship Friday, March 20 2nd Round Transitions Championship Saturday, March 21 3rd Round Transitions Championship Sunday, March 22 Final Round Transitions Championship Monday, March 23 Monday After Challenge (play the course the pros play) Where: Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Palm Harbor, Florida Copperhead Course (Par 71 - 7,340 yards)* Who: There are 144 PGA TOUR golfers in the tournament. History: Transitions Optical is the new title sponsor of the PGA TOUR event. Last year, known as the PODS Championship, the tournament was previously the JCPenney Classic for 23 years, which featured mixed teams of PGA TOUR and LPGA pros. Mirroring Transitions Optical’s global presence, the tournament has featured champions from all around the world. Sean O’Hair, the youngest competitor ever to triumph on the Copperhead Course, won the tournament in March 2008. K.J. Choi is the only two-time winner with victories in 2002 and 2006. Other winners include John Huston in 2000, Retief Goosen in 2003, Vijay Singh in 2004, Carl Pettersson in 2005 and Mark Calcavecchia in 2007. There was no tournament in 2001. Benefiting: The Transitions Championship will benefit over 150 local Tampa Bay charities. In the last four years, the tournament has made a charitable contribution of more than $7 million, bringing total contributions to more than $22 million in the last 32 years. PGA TOUR: In addition to prize money, PGA TOUR golfers are competing for FedEx Cup points that will qualify and seed them for the PGA TOUR playoffs – a series of four high-stakes tournaments beginning in August. Sponsor: Transitions® lenses are the #1 recommended photochromic lenses worldwide and the ideal everyday choice for healthy sight. Clear indoors and at night, they automatically darken outdoors as light conditions change to block 100% of UV rays. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Pinellas Park, FL, Transitions has more than 1,200 employees worldwide with offices and manufacturing throughout 15 countries. Tickets: Tickets are available at participating Publix Super Markets and also by visiting www.transitionschampionship.com or calling the tournament office at 727-942-5566. Tickets purchased in advance are: $ 40 per day (Tuesday – Sunday) and $99 for a Weekly Badge. Additional tickets and sponsorship packages are available by calling the tournament office. Organization: The tournament is administered by the Copperheads, a volunteer board of distinguished citizens, led by General Chairman, Peter Jones and Tournament Director, Gerald Goodman. *The Copperhead Course is considered one of the favorite tournament courses by PGA TOUR members. Course Fun Facts #1 PAR 5 560 YARDS To the casual golfer, it is hard to im agine a heavily-bunkered hole that spans 560 yards could be easy – but in relation to par the 1st hole traditionally ranks as the easiest on the course. Sean O ’H air began last year’s rally to victory w ith a birdie here. #2 PAR 4 435 YARDS This hole w as lengthened several years ago and as a result the pros began having to use driver off the tee m ore often to drive the ball to the dogleg for a look at the green. As a result m ore and m ore w ayw ard drives began to w ander into the w ater on the right or the w oods on the left and scores have edged higher. #3 PAR 4 455 YARDS It isn’t often that a 455-yard hole dictates a layup off the tee, but m any pros prefer not to challenge the w ater hazard. The hole ranks as the third-hardest on the course in tournam ent play and has been the hardest to birdie. #4 PAR 3 195 YARDS If they hit the ball on the green, the pros w ill w ant to be short and left of the hole for a m ore m akeable uphill putt. But the fronting bunker is not a favored destination. There never has been a hole-in-one here in m ore than 3,000 tee shots in tournam ent play. #5 PAR 5 605 YARDS W ith an uphill drive and blind second shot, this is one of the few par 5 holes that today’s pros rarely reach in tw o. All of the other par 5’s on the Copperhead have been eagled at least 30 tim es in tournam ent play, the 5th has yielded only five. O ne of those w as by Ryuji Im ada in the 3rd round last year on his w ay to a runner-up finish. #6 PAR 4 465 YARDS It m ay look to you like the fairw ay slopes dow n too far to the left that it w ould be im possible to hold a drive. W ell, it’s not quite im possible, but even the best players in the w orld often end up dow n along the tree line or even w orse. It ranks as the second-hardest hole on the course, although M ark Calcavecchia m ade a nice birdie here on his w ay to victory in 2007. #7 PAR 4 420 YARDS This is a fine golf hole, but com pared to the terror that precedes it, the 7th can seem tam e. W ith the green sloping sharply dow nw ards, if the ball is behind the green, the best shot is to be just under the hole. #8 PAR 3 235 YARDS A long par 3, the 8th presents a severe challenge to birdie for even the finest golfers. O nly one hole in one has been recorded here. That cam e from Stew art Cink in 2003. #9 PAR 4 430 YARDS W ith an uphill second shot, this is a challenging test that ranks near the m iddle of difficulty am ong the 18 great holes that m ake up the Copperhead. The last tw o w inners have been happy to m ake par here on all four days and m ove on to the back nine. 10TH H O LE PAR 4 445 YARDS The back nine at Copperhead starts w ith this dow nhill par 4. It usually ranks as one of the toughest holes on the course to birdie. Vijay Singh started a run of three straight birdies here in the 1st round in 2004 as he shot 65 and w ent on to set the tournam ent record w ith his w inning score of 18 under par. TH 11 H O LE PAR 5 575 YARDS Even at 575 yards, the big-hitters can usually get close to this green in tw o, but holding their shots on the putting surface can be difficult w ith all the fronting bunkers. Sean O ’H air w on the 2008 tournam ent w ith a final score of 4 under—and he w ent 3 under alone on the 11th w ith birdies in all but the second round. 12TH H O LE PAR 4 380 YARDS Relatively short for a par 4, the 12th has yielded m ore birdies than any hole on the course that isn’t a par 5—but w ith the fronting w ater and tough bunker, a big score is also possible. TH 13 H O LE PAR 3 200 YARDS Even w ith the best pros, m any tee shots com e up short of the green and in the w ater. There have been nearly as m any scores of double bogey or higher here as on the other four par 3’s com bined. W inner M ark Calcavecchia took over the 2007 tournam ent w ith a birdie here. TH 14 H O LE PAR 5 590 YARDS This “double dog leg” par 5 is literally a signature hole w ith Innisbrook spelled out in the planting about 100 yards short of the green. Carl Pettersson had his only birdie during the back nine of his w inning final round here at 14. TH 15 H O LE PAR 3 215 YARDS This is the only hole on the course that has never had a score of triple bogey or higher. M athias G ronberg had the only hole in one, back in 2004. TH 16 H O LE PAR 4 475 YARDS Just like an average golfer, m any of the top pros leave their drives in the w ater dow n the right side of the fairw ay. It ranks as the hardest hole on the course w ith nearly tw ice as m any of double bogey or higher than any other. John H uston m ade a big birdie here in w inning the first PG A TO U R event on the Copperhead in 2000. TH 17 H O LE PAR 3 215 YARDS The top pros find this hole relatively easy to m ake par on, but hard to birdie. It is the only hole w ith m ore than one hole in one w ith Jonathan Kaye in 2004 and Ryan M oore in 2007 producing aces. TH 18 H O LE PAR 4 445 YARDS A dem anding hole that w ill still rew ard tw o w ell-struck shots, the 18th has seen its share of final round golf dram a.