Field Includes Competitors with PGA TOUR Experience, Local Golfers
(ST. AUGUSTINE, FL) – St. Johns Golf & Country Club – owned by The St. Joe Company and managed by Billy Casper Golf – will host the first-stage tournament of the 2009 PGA TOUR Qualifying School, Wednesday, October 21 through Saturday, October 24.
The 72-hole, stroke-play tournament at St. Johns will be contested between roughly 80 golfers with the top qualifiers advancing to the second stage of competition. St. Johns was selected by the PGA TOUR as one of only 11 golf courses across the United States to host a first round qualifying competition. This marks the fifth time St. Johns will host a Q-School event.
Q-School competitors at St. Johns who regularly played on the PGA TOUR are Tadd Fujikawa, Dan Olsen, Brent Schwarzrock, Mario Tiziani and Jay Haas, Jr, son of PGA and Champions TOUR veteran Jay Haas.
Local players include John Arnette, Chase Baldwin, Ramon Bescansa, Vince Covello, Jeff Dennis, Russell Knox, Tom Murray and Michael O’Neal.
In 2008, Leif Olsen and Matthew Borchert made it through the Qualifying event at St. Johns to earn their PGA TOUR Card. Several PGA TOUR regulars, including Carl Paulson, David Gossett, Guy Boros and Chris Couch have played TOUR qualifying rounds at St. Johns in past years.
“St. Johns is proud to once again be selected by the PGA TOUR to host this important first step for golfers to earn their way onto the TOUR,” says Dan Zimmer, General Manager of St. Johns. “The course will showcase TOUR-quality conditions and offer a true test for all competitors.”
St. Johns, a Clyde Johnston-designed course located just north of St. Augustine, is a gem that attracts golfers from across the southeastern United States. Carved out of a pine forest, the course offers a great test for every skill level. From the championship tees, the course is a decidedly robust par-72 playing 7,236 yards with occasionally arduous wind patterns.
The PGA TOUR qualifying system dates back to 1965 and currently involves three stages. At the end of the qualifying process, 25 players, plus those who tied, earn their PGA TOUR card for the following season.
For more information on St. Johns, visit www.stjohnsgolf.com or call 904.940.3200.
About JOE
The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE), a publicly held company based in Jacksonville, is one of Florida’s largest real estate development companies and Northwest Florida’s largest private landowner. JOE is primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant interests in timber.
More information about JOE can be found at our website at www.joe.com.
About Billy Casper Golf
Widely respected as a high-performance, full-service owner/operator of golf courses, BCG manages properties in 25 states and outside the U.S. The company provides turnkey club operations for public-agency and private owners, developers and investors. Founded 20 years ago in cooperation with golf legend Billy Casper, BCG is based in Vienna, VA with regional offices strategically convenient to courses’ locales.
BCG’s best-of-breed infrastructure shows clients favorable returns on investments. Critically-acclaimed by industry leaders and media, BCG economies of scale help daily-fee, municipal, resort and private courses make and save money while delivering a personal touch.
Buffalo Communications – a division of BCG – is America’s foremost golf-lifestyle publicity, media-relations and marketing-communications agency. In addition to creating PR and implementing programs for BCG courses, Buffalo represents many of golf’s top brands (products, resorts, destinations and communities) worldwide.
For more information about Billy Casper Golf/Buffalo Communications, www.billycaspergolf.com, www.buffalocommunications.com, 703.761.1444.
Contact:
Nick Lashinsky
Billy Casper Golf / Buffalo Communications
703.891.3324
nlashinsky@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
www.billycaspergolf.com
