PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Masters Champion Bubba Watson, the fourth left-hander in history to capture a major championship and third to earn a green jacket, has become the first to earn a berth in the 30th PGA Grand Slam of Golf.
Watson, who captured The Masters in a two-hole playoff with South African Louis Oosthuizen last weekend, will join the year’s three other major champions, Oct. 22-24, in Bermuda at Port Royal Golf Course.
The PGA Grand Slam of Golf, the season-ending showcase event that boasts the most difficult qualification requirement in the game – a major championship – will be televised by TNT to a worldwide audience. The event now features Watson, whose recovery shot from the woods on the 10th hole ranks as one of the most memorable to seal victory in a major championship.
“I’ve never had a dream go this far, so I can’t really say it’s a dream come true,” Watson said. “I don’t even know what happened on the back nine, it’s all a blur. … Nervous on every shot, every putt. Went into a playoff. I got in these trees and hit a crazy shot that I saw in my head, and somehow I’m here talking to you with a green jacket on.”
Port Royal Golf Course joins the Fairmont Southampton as the official hotel site for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda. The 6,842-yard, par-71 Port Royal is a public course that opened for play in 1970.
The PGA Grand Slam of Golf features a $1.35 million purse, with the winner receiving $600,000, second place $300,000, third place $250,000 and fourth place $200,000.
TNT’s prime-time broadcast of the event reaches a worldwide audience of 88.9 million U.S. homes and international viewers in more than 100 countries.
The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is hosted by the Bermuda Department of Tourism, Port Royal Golf Course, and the Fairmont Southampton Hotel.
The remainder of the foursome for the 30th PGA Grand Slam of Golf features the winner of the U.S. Open Championship, June 14-17, at The Olympic Club in San Francisco; the Open Championship, July 19-22, at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England; and the 94th PGA Championship, Aug. 9-12, at The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.
The PGA of America
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.
Contact:
Julius Mason
561/624-8444
jmason@pgahq.com
Michele Cooper
732/469-5700
michele@mastrocomm.com
