ORLANDO, FL (October 19, 2006) – Eagle Creek Golf Club in southeast Orlando will host the nation’s strongest collegiate golf programs November 3-5 as they compete in the 2006 Hooters Women’s Collegiate Match Play Championship.
This year’s tournament is highlighted by two-time defending NCAA champion Duke. The 16-team field also includes defending Match Play champion Purdue, local favorites Florida and Florida State and other top southeastern schools Georgia, Auburn and South Carolina. It is presented by the National Golf Coaches Association in association with Hooters of America, Inc. and is co-hosted by the Central Florida Sports Commission.
Eagle Creek Golf Club is an 18-hole layout, located minutes from Orlando International Airport. The course is a par 73, featuring five par 5’s and more than 90 bunkers and dramatic bulkheads reminiscent of those found in Scotland and England. Eagle Creek is an Audubon International Silver Signature Course and the first of the Florida golf courses to sport vibrant Mini Verde greens for exceptional play.
"Having this outstanding event here is another testament to the quality of the Eagle Creek golf experience," said Eagle Creek Director Of Golf, Tony Crawford. "We are thrilled and proud to be hosting such an elite tournament field."
Eagle Creek is a favorite among local players, visiting golfers and many tournament planners, having hosted the national finals of the Buick Scramble, the Florida Open, the Golf Channel’s Drive Chip & Putt Junior Challenge, and several Florida State Golf Association competitions. The 7,198-yard design by Ron Garl and Howard Swan has earned many honors in its two years, including being ranked 4 and 1/2 Stars by Golf Digest readers, and being named among the top 10 new courses of the decade in Florida by Travel & Leisure.
The 18th hole at Eagle Creek could be the deciding factor in the final round. The 18th hole was re-designed after the initial work had begun on the golf course, turning a beautiful par 4 into a stunning and dramatic par 5. The change gave Eagle Creek the only par-73 layout in Orlando.
The 18th is the definitive risk/reward hole. At 535 yards long, it tempts the player to go for the deep ball off the tee in hopes of reaching the long, narrow putting surface in two. But the drive must carry fairway bunkers on the left, and avoid the water hazard on the right. The green is completely fronted by water, and slopes dramatically from back to front. So whether hitting a third shot after playing it safe, or gambling to reach in two, the approach shot must be struck with great accuracy to assure a two-putt.
"Our 18th always is the talk of the Belfry after rounds," said Crawford. "Along with the beauty of the hole with our clubhouse visible from start to finish, the challenge and excitement it creates is the perfect ending to a great round of golf."
Other awards and honors garnered by Eagle Creek in its first two years include:
The Emerson International-owned golf course is "Distinctive Orlando Golf With A European Flair." It is designed to blend unobtrusively with the homes in the master-planned Eagle Creek Golf Community. Homebuyers have the option of choosing from different communities that make up Eagle Creek
For more information about Eagle Creek Golf Club, or to schedule a tee time please call 1-866-EAGLEGC, or visit the club’s at www.eaglecreekgolf.com.
Contact:
Mike Jamison
407-330-4674
mike@jamisongolf.com
