PALM
BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (July 23, 2013) – For the first time ever, golf
fans worldwide will be able to have a direct impact on the hole location
of a major
championship, through the newly created “PGA Championship Pick the Hole
Location Challenge Hosted by Jack Nicklaus.” The Challenge will be
conducted in conjunction with the 95th PGA Championship, the Season’s
Final Major, at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester,
N.Y., Aug. 5-11.
A
collaborative learning experience between The PGA of America and
record-tying, five-time PGA Champion Jack Nicklaus, the “PGA
Championship Pick the Hole Location
Challenge” is designed to educate fans on how course setup impacts a
golfer’s strategy in playing a hole; attract more people to the game;
and help explain what hole location information players are provided
each day.
As a result, fans are encouraged to visit
PGA.com
from July 23-Aug. 10, in order to vote for one of four exciting and
challenging final-round hole locations
for the par-3, 181-yard 15th hole at Oak Hill. Nicklaus, whose final
PGA Championship victory occurred at Oak Hill in 1980, collaborated with
PGA Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh to select the picturesque
15th hole due to the impact it will likely have
on the PGA Championship’s outcome. As a result, Haigh has identified
and selected each of these four distinct Championship hole locations for
fans to vote. On August 11, during Sunday’s final round coverage on TNT
and CBS, fans will be able to see the winning
hole position that will be used on the 15th green.
“The
opportunity for fans to take part in the interactive ‘PGA Championship
Pick the Hole Location Challenge’ is part of a new era in engagement
that connects
golf fans with the Season’s Final Major in a fun and dramatic way,”
said PGA President Ted Bishop. “The PGA of America is delighted to
present this innovative opportunity, as we believe this is the first
time that consumers have been able to make a direct
and significant impact on a global sports arena. We are honored that
the legendary Jack Nicklaus will lead fans as their host and teacher in
understanding the nuances that the greatest players in golf consider and
think about regarding course setup and hole
locations—and the effect their selection will have on the eventual
outcome of the 95th PGA Championship.”
PGA.com,
the Official Website of The PGA of America which is managed by Turner
Sports, will also offer
video vignettes from Nicklaus that will educate golfers on how course
setup impacts a golfer’s strategy in playing a hole. Fans are also
encouraged to follow the conversation via #pgachamp #YouPick.
“The
chance for golf fans to interact with the PGA Championship and play a
role in shaping the outcome of the final round fascinates me,” Nicklaus
said. “It’s
like being able to call the shots during the fourth quarter of the
Super Bowl. In addition to playing a key role in the outcome of the
Championship, golf fans can learn many aspects of on-course strategy, as
The PGA of America and I present educational videos
to enhance their golf experience. I believe this new concept will serve
as an exciting hands-on learning experience for golf fans and I’m happy
to be involved.”
Haigh,
who has set up PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, Senior PGA Championship
presented by KitchenAid, and PGA Grand Slam of Golf courses since 1989,
is excited
about the possibilities of the Challenge. “Now, golf fans will
experience what is involved with the selection of hole locations, as
well as the dramatic effect that this placement has on the game plans of
the world’s best players. Accordingly, golf enthusiasts
can then turn to the legendary Jack Nicklaus for his exclusive insight
on golf course management.”
A sweepstakes will also be held on
PGA.com
in conjunction with the “PGA Championship Pick the Hole Location
Challenge,” with entrants having an opportunity
to win a behind-the-scenes experience for two during the 2014 PGA
Championship at Nicklaus-designed Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.
The
PGA Championship perennially features the strongest field in golf and
is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world. Since 1916,
golf’s best
professionals have been competing for the PGA Championship’s coveted
Wanamaker Trophy, with a list of champions that includes: Rory McIlroy,
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Walter
Hagen and Nicklaus.
About 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.
About PGA.com
PGA.com
is the official online destination for The PGA of America and is home
to the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship, The PGA Grand Slam
of Golf
and The Ryder Cup. Beginning in 2002, Turner Sports and the PGA formed a
multi-year alliance with a mission to serve the golfing public, PGA
Professionals and the golf industry with products and services to grow
the game of golf. The two organizations recently
expanded the deal through 2019 to include licensing with Turner’s
Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) serving as the PGA’s licensing agent
in the youth marketplace.
As
a leader and innovator in broadband golf coverage, PGA.com continues to
gain success for its PGA.com LIVE video presentation of PGA’s premier
events. In 2012,
PGA.com’s PGA Championship LIVE received a Sports Emmy for Outstanding
New Approaches in Sports; in 2010, PGA.com garnered a Webby Award for
Best Interactive Video for its 2010 Ryder Cup LIVE coverage. In 2009,
PGA.com’s on air, online and mobile coverage
of the PGA Championship was nominated for an Emmy® by the National
Television Academy and was awarded a CommArts Interactive award for the
PGA Championship LIVE video and the PGA Championship iPhone app.