Scottsdale, AZ (Jan. 16, 2007) – Phil Mickelson’s first course design, Whisper Rock, in Scottsdale, Arizona, opened to significant acclaim in 2001. Last August, Mickelson quietly opened Phil Mickelson Design. He has signed contracts, conducted site visits and begun extensive design plans for two new upscale private course projects, and is in final negotiations with two other properties.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the creative experience at Whisper Rock and I’m really excited about continuing my work in course design on a wider scale," said Mickelson. "The properties we’re involved with are magnificent golf development settings and the variety of locations and terrains offers a great challenge for our team. We spent a lot of the past six months working on these projects and are excited to finally make this announcement. Phil Mickelson Design is ready to create communities where people can have the time of their lives."
The first project is River Rock, a collaboration between Legasus Properties and owners Tony Corliss and Ted Morlock. Mickelson will design an 18-hole course in the rugged, scenic mountains for the project, which includes five non-contiguous parcels totaling more than 4,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains at Cashiers, North Carolina. He will also be involved with the residential master plan in and around the private course. Rick Smith is set to design a 9-hole, par-3 course on the property. (See www.RiverRockNC.com for details.)
The second project is Diamante Cabo, owned by Ken Jowdy. The project expands across more than 1,500 acres and is located on Pacific Ocean beachfront just north of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California. Mickelson will create the ultra exclusive "Oasis" course, with just 40 premium residential offerings. The second course, located near the water, called the "Dunes," is already underway and is designed by Davis Love III. (See www.DiamanteLife.com for details.)
Phil Mickelson Design is also in final negotiations with groups in Hawaii and the Caribbean for exclusive Phil Mickelson coastal golf properties.
Last year, Mickelson agreed to design 27 holes of golf at Palmwood, an environmentally sensitive, private, master-planned community near Palm Springs. Scheduled to get underway in the spring, Palmwood includes residential and commercial space, and is set to use solar energy throughout the project. An 18-hole Dave Pelz Teaching Academy layout is part of the plan.
Mickelson is working on River Rock with golf course architects Todd Schoeder and Jeff Zimmerman of Design Workshop, a Denver-based company. Architect Gary Stephenson of Dallas, who collaborated on Whisper Rock, will work with Mickelson on Cabo and has been very active in the Palmwood project.
Whisper Rock, built on essentially flat Sonoran desert land, was ranked 67th Best New Modern Course by GolfWeek in 2006. With the courses listed above, Mickelson has the chance to add a very different desert course in California, a pure mountain course in North Carolina, and ocean-side venues in Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean. Phil Mickelson Design will be involved in the master planning for all residences at all future venues.
Contact:
T.R. Reinman
619-889-0097
treinman@gaylordsports.com
