| ...Carolina Golf News Line | |
| Inaugural Charlotte Open to Draw Elite Field of Pros and Amateurs MATTHEWS, N.C. – After the Charlotte Hornets, the Carolina Panthers, and the Charlotte Bobcats, Charlotte has a new professional championship event. A significant addition to Charlotte golf arrives this fall with the formation of the Charlotte Open, an annual championship that will attract an elite field of professional and amateur golfers to Mecklenburg and Union County. The 2008 Charlotte Open takes place October 7-9 (Tuesday through Thursday) on the championship layout of Emerald Lake Golf Club. This 54-hole, stroke-play tournament will pay an estimated total purse of $100,000. |
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The Gary Wirth-designed Emerald Lake course will host the
first Charlotte Open. It offers, what
many believe to be, the area's best greens. This is a challenging layout
with rolling terrain designed around a 12-acre lake shown at left.
Photo by Golfholes.com |
“I want this to become the premier open golf championship in the Southeast” said Nick Jacobi, Tournament Director. “It is the first true championship in the Carolinas" Unlike others, it is open to anybody who qualifies. "Our goal is to draw working professionals, as well as touring pros and top-notch amateurs from across the Carolinas and beyond. We want professional golfers at every level, whether they are a working club pro, teaching pro, or play the Nationwide Tour or the PGA Tour. We welcome them to tee it up.” Jacobi feels several reasons that the Open will draw a large field. First, the purse is large enough to interest pros throughout the South. Second, the Charlotte area courses are great, and these courses provide an added draw. “The formula is in place for success,” said Jacobi. “We’ve created a tournament that gives golf professionals the opportunity to earn a very good check of $15,000 for a modest entry fee." The entry fees are set $225 for amateurs, $275 for Carolina PGA Pros, $325 other section PGA Pros, and Pros who play on tour for a living $550. The format for the Charlotte Open is 54 holes of stroke play. After the second day, the field will be cut to the low 50 and ties. A full field of 132 players is expected. There will be a Qualifier the week before if the entries exceed 132. The Charlotte Open Entry Form will be released in July 2008. Amateurs with verifiable handicaps of 5.5 or less are encouraged to enter. They will compete against the full field, but also have their own prize pool. A certain number of amateurs will make the cut, based on their number of entries. We want to get everybody involved, from the media to local businesses to Carolina golf fans. We think Charlotte, as the professional sports center of the Carolinas, is a great draw.” For further information Contact Nick Jacobi, 704-882-7888 nickjacobi@hotmail.com JW Farquhar Golfholes.com |