The world’s eyes and best players were on Nicklaus designs last week,
as three Jack layouts hosted pro events in US, South Africa and Australia
Sherwood Country Club has been host venue for the Target World Challenge since 2000.
In a likely first for any golf course design firm, Nicklaus Design celebrated a hat trick last weekend with three Jack Nicklaus-designed courses hosting high-profile professional tournaments around the world, including the Target World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club, the South African Open at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, and the Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club.
Sherwood Country Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course which opened in 1989 and plays across and through a dramatic piece of property in Thousand Oaks, Calif., has been host venue for the Target World Challenge since 2000. And it was the tournament host, Tiger Woods, who walked away from Sherwood the winner for the second year in a row and fourth time overall. Woods set a tournament record for the largest margin of victory with a seven-shot margin over Masters champion Zach Johnson. He also bettered a 16-player field that included three 2007 major championship winners and competitors from seven different nations.
Sherwood was named to Golf Digest’s ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Courses six years after opening, and was among Golf Connoisseur’s 2007 list of the Top 40 Golf Communities in America.
Sherwood Country Club became the eighth venue featuring a Nicklaus Design course to play host to a PGA Tour-sanctioned event in 2007
"We pride ourselves on focusing our course design on the member or average player’s golf experience, but it is no secret that my father and our design team have always enjoyed the opportunity to create a layout that can test the best players in the world," said Jack Nicklaus II, president of Nicklaus Design. "When you design a golf course that challenges the world’s finest for a week, but for the other 51 weeks provides an enjoyable and memorable golf experience for the membership, you have found that successful and creative balance."
By hosting the South African Open, Pearl Valley became the 84th Nicklaus Design course to have hosted a professional tournament worldwide or USGA championship. In total, close to 600 professional events have been played on Nicklaus Design courses.
South African James Kingston kept the South African Open crown a local affair with his win at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, a Nicklaus Signature Course in the Cape Winelands region just outside Cape Town. Pearl Valley opened in November 2003 and just a few months later was named by Golf Digest magazine as the "Best New Course in South Africa."
Joining Woods and Kingston with wins last weekend was PGA Tour and European Tour star Craig Parry, whose 3-under-par 69 on the final day of play at the at the Australian Golf Club pushed him to 11-under 277 and a one-shot victory over a trio of players, including Presidents Cup standout Nick O’Hern and PGA Tour rookie sensation Brandt Snedeker.
The Australian Golf Club has hosted 17 Australian Opens, including seven since Jack re-designed the course in 1977. Among those Opens at The Australian Golf Club is Jack’s 1978 victory–one of his six Australian Open titles. The Australian has also hosted 12 Australian Amateur Championships-the first in 1901 and the most recent in 1999.
Your Privacy Choice