2011 Senior PGA Turns Louisville Into a Golf Town Again
Louisville may not be a major-league sports city, but it sure knows how to host a big event. Of course, all those years of putting on the world's biggest horse race on the first Saturday in May hasn't hurt. But the evolving process of becoming a golf mecca picks up steam this May when the 2011 Senior PGA Championship returns to Valhalla Golf Club in eastern Jefferson County. In 2004, Hale Irwin won the first Senior PGA held in Louisville.
It marks the fifth time the eyes of the golf world have focused on Valhalla, the PGA of America-owned course built in 1986. The site hosted the PGA Championship in 2000 (won by Mark Brooks in a playoff against Kentuckian Kenny Perry) and 2004 (when Tiger Woods captured another playoff win over Bob May). In 2004, Hale Irwin won the Senior PGA, and in 2008, the golf world’s eyes focused on Valhalla for the Ryder Cup, won by the United States team. Valhalla became only the fourth location in the world to host each of those three events.
Of course, crowds in Louisville showed up in force for each of the events, and not just the competition. Golf fans have gobbled up tickets to practice rounds and the city offers up a number of related events while the pros are here.
The lineup of pros eligible to compete will keep those galleries filled during the May 24-29 event. Familiar names including Fred Couples, Greg Norman and Tom Watson are expected to play. Paul Azinger, who captained the American team to victory during the 2008 Ryder Cup here, is expected to compete, as is Perry, the Glasgow, Kentucky, native who always seems to be at his best in his home state.
Valhalla was built with the idea of hosting major championships in mind. Dwight Gahm, a business leader and golf enthusiast, commissioned the legendary Jack Nicklaus to design the course on 486 acres. Along with his three sons, Gahm pushed the PGA to host its championship at Valhalla, and the organization agreed to come here in 1996. By 2000, the PGA had purchased the facility.
Consistently ranked as the No. 1 course in Kentucky, Valhalla is also known for its excellent sight lines and views for watching tournament golf. The spectacular finishing hole, for example, can accommodate 20,000 fans.
Posted on Mar 24, 2011 by Rick Redding
