Bethesda, Md. – For a state that finds itself off the map of professional golf, Colorado has been involved in a number of significant conversations.
An industry source said Tuesday that officials from the PGA of America will travel to the area early next month to meet with Jack Vickers, the founder of The International. It is expected the conversation will revolve around bringing the Senior PGA Championship to Castle Pines Golf Club. While the PGA Championship is booked until 2015, the Senior PGA Championship, which is traditionally held in late May or early June, is only scheduled through 2008.
Larry Thiel, the former executive director of of the now-defunct International, on Tuesday said his fellow officials hoped to bring an event back to the area sometime in the near future, but said “we do not have any meetings scheduled with the PGA at this time.”
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said it would be good to have an event at Castle Pines.
“We didn’t want to leave; the fans were great, the players loved it, it’s a place that looked fantastic on television – the question is, how do we get it done?” Finchem said. “We have to accept the fact that we have to wait until we have some flexibility in our schedule, but having said that, I can’t imagine that there won’t be some realignment in our schedule sometime in the next two or three years.”
The International was scheduled to start Thursday.
The new July date was part of a multitude of changes on the PGA Tour brought about by the FedEx Cup playoff system.
However, unable to find a title sponsor, the tournament folded in early February. Less than a month later, the tour announced the open spot would be filled by the AT&T National, an event hosted by Tiger Woods and his charitable foundation.
The world’s top-ranked player had not played at Castle Pines since 1999. His continued absence was cited by Vickers as one of the reasons The International was unable to secure the necessary financial commitments to continue.
So instead of guzzling milkshakes and trying to adjust to the altitude-induced tricks on their golf balls, players found themselves in suburban Washington, D.C., practicing for a tournament that many feel – given the host and the influence he wields in the game – will be a fixture for years to come.
“It’s not weird to be preparing for a tournament – having another tournament fill the empty slot was inevitable – but it’s weird not to be preparing in Denver this week,” 2001 International champion Tom Pernice Jr. said. “It’s disappointing, and I feel bad for Mr. Vickers, because The International was one of the top events the tour has ever had.”
A number of groups have been making efforts to fill in the gap. The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs will be the site of the 2008 Senior Men’s Open, and the USGA announced last week that the 2011 Women’s Open also will be held there.
After the success of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open at Cherry Hills Country Club, the LPGA Tour has expressed a great deal of interest in bringing a yearly tournament to the area. LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens has said she expects Denver to get an event no later than 2009.
Cherry Hills officials have made moves recently to get the men’s Open, inviting the USGA to host the U.S. Amateur there. In recent years, that has been a necessary precursor to getting the Open.
Similarly, the PGA of America has embarked on relationships with a number of courses around the country, granting them a Ryder Cup, provided they also host a PGA Championship.
Staff writer Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
