Golf fans may need a passport to enjoy next year’s PGA Grand Slam of Golf. At a press conference Tuesday, Bermuda’s Tourism Minister Ewart Brown strongly indicated that the Professional Golfers’ Association is going to move the annual Grand Slam
Golf fans may need a passport to enjoy next year’s PGA Grand Slam of Golf.
At a press conference Tuesday, Bermuda’s Tourism Minister Ewart Brown strongly indicated that the Professional Golfers’ Association is going to move the annual Grand Slam event from the mid-Pacific to the mid-Atlantic next year.
“I am pleased to announce the Bermuda Department of Tourism is in the final stages of negotiations with the PGA of America to host the Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda in October, 2007 and 2008,” Brown said at the televised press conference.
Though Brown stated a final contract has yet to be signed, the announcement is the strongest indicator to date that this November’s event could be Kaua‘i’s last hurrah as the tournament’s home.
PGA officials reportedly visited Bermuda this summer to scout courses suitable to host the event. The Mid Ocean Golf Club and Tucker’s Point — both located in a small settlement in St. George’s Parish — were mentioned as potential sites for the tournament. According to Brown, the move is part of a greater effort to boost Bermuda’s profile as a golf destination.
Officials from the Grand Hyatt, Poipu Bay and Kawailoa Development — which owns both — said nothing is final.
Grand Hyatt director of sales and marketing Katy Britzmann was not aware of the announcement from Bermuda but confirmed that the resort does not currently have a finalized contract for 2007.
“I think it would be a loss for the island,” Britzmann said regarding the possibility of the event leaving Kaua‘i.
When reached on the Mainland yesterday afternoon, Kawailoa Development general manager Jun Fukada said he has not heard anything official at this time.
Craig Sassada, director of golf at Poipu Bay, said yesterday he had only seen what was on the Internet — one article Thursday from a Bermuda paper, The Royal Gazette, which called the move “little more than a formality.”
Citing last year’s rumors that the event was headed to either Las Vegas or Bermuda for 2006, Sassada said he’s not worried.
“If there is any kind of official announcement, it would not come from any other source than the PGA of America,” he said. “The article said ‘final process of negotiation.’ I don’t think anything’s final because none of us here know anything about it.”
Sassada said Poipu Bay has also been in negotiations with the PGA of America, and though nothing has been finalized, the contract for next month’s event wasn’t signed until early this year.
“Obviously we are not hoping we have to go through that,” he said.
History would indicate they won’t.
Sassada said Poipu Bay’s relationship with the PGA has always been good, evinced by the fact that the tournament — originally designed to move from course to course each year — hasn’t budged in 13 years.
“This will be the 24th year of the tournament and we will have had it more than half the time,” he said. “It’s worked out great for the PGA and it’s worked out great for us.”
Kaua‘i also hosted the event in 1991, at the Kauai Lagoons Resort’s Kiele Course.
Sassada acknowledged that the Grand Slam is a major financial contributor to the island, but said Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i as a whole, would still maintain its reputation as a world-class golf destination even if the event left.
Fittingly, the Hawaii Tourism Authority announced a new four-year contract with the PGA yesterday, ensuring that at least the season-opening tournaments for both the PGA and Champions tours will remain in Hawai‘i. The press release mentioned the Grand Slam, along with five other men’s and two women’s tournaments, but did not indicate that the contract ensured the event’s future on Kaua‘i.
HTA officials were not immediately available for comment.
In previous years, PGA officials have made an official announcement regarding the location of the following year’s tournament at a banquet dinner at the end of each year’s event. The decision to return to Po‘ipu for 2006, however, wasn’t announced until this past March. The Grand Slam is generally decided on a year-by-year basis.
According to PGA officials, several locations have expressed interest in hosting the Grand Slam in recent years, including Las Vegas and Caribbean islands.
Bermuda’s Tourism Ministry has reportedly guaranteed the PGA $1.5 million to bring the event there.
Julius Mason, senior director of public and media relations for the PGA of America, did not return phone calls by press time.
Last year at the press conference following his record-setting sixth win at the Grand Slam, world number one Tiger Woods made his feelings clear when asked how he felt about the possibility of the PGA moving the event.
“I feel very comfortable here,” said Woods, who closed with an eight-under par 64 for a seven-stroke victory over defending champion Phil Mickelson. “I’ve always enjoyed playing Po‘ipu. I don’t see any reason why they should move (the event) because it is such a wonderful place.”
Billed as “the most exclusive event in golf,” the Grand Slam brings together the winners of the season’s four major golf tournaments Nov. 21 and 22 on Kaua‘i’s South Side. As the winner of the British Open and PGA Championship, Woods is set to return, alongside U.S. Open champ Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk and Mike Weir. Furyk, first on the alternate list, fills in because Woods won two majors. Master’s winner Phil Mickelson backed out late last month, and, after Ernie Els declined, Weir — next on the rankings list — punched his ticket. The alternate list is based on the performance of past major winners in 2006 majors.
• Todd A. Vines is the editor of Essential Kauai, Kauai Publishing Company’s visitor publication. He can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 256) or tvines@kauaipubco.com.
• Ford Gunter, associate editor, contributed to this report.
