http://www.wyndhamchampionship.com/logos/wyndhamchamp300.jpghttp://www.wyndhamchampionship.com/logos/fedexcuppga200.jpg

According to the News & Record, the Triad's only major league sport, now known as the Wyndham Championship could moved from Forest Oaks Country Club to the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro. Forest Oaks was like 4 or 5 miles south of Greensboro city limits so the move will bring the tourney within Greensboro and closer to High Point and Winston-Salem. Sedgefield Country Club was the origional course of the tournament back in 1938 when it was known as the Greater Greensboro Open. the tournament in Greensboro is one of the oldest in the PGA and the move to Sedgefiend will bring back the prestige of the tourney with the old tudor style club house serving as the back drop. (almost Augusta like prestige) The club house at Forest Oaks badly needs remodeling. thats why you never see a shot of the club house on tv during the tournament. The Sedegefield course will attract more top golf players becasue many thought the course at Forest Oaks was gimmicky. In addition the name change and the new date will likely attract Tiger Woods. Tiger has never played in Greensboro for two reasons. The former dates were bad timimg for him and becasue he had a contract with Buick, some say he didnt want to play at a tournament with the name Chrysler in it. but that has changed now. whats so good about the new date is that its the last tour date for the new FedEx point system, similar to NASCAR. many of the top players around the country will want to play in Greensboro to rack up those last points. many thought that Charlotte landing a PGA event (Wachovia Championship) had alot to do with the lack of support for the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. The changes for Greensboro's PGA tournament will once again make Greensboro the premier PGA event in NC and will be considered one of the premier events among the likes of Augusta.

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EC0101/70131037 (http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070201/NEWSREC0101/70131037)

http://www.sedgefieldcc.org/

http://www.wyndhamchampionship.com

clubhouse at the Sedegefield Country Club serves as the backdrop at the 18th hole. built in 1925
http://www.downtownstadium.org/wyndham.jpg
http://www.sedgefieldcc.org/images/sitepicts/Clubhouse1.jpg

Wyndham Championship to be FedExCup regular season finale


GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The PGA TOUR’s new FedExCup format, a highly anticipated, season-long points competition leading to the four-event PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, will culminate at the newly christened Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., beginning next year.

The PGA TOUR, the Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE – WYN) Friday announced a four-year agreement that provides Wyndham Worldwide with full title sponsorship of the legendary PGA TOUR event.

“As a global leader in the hospitality industry, we are honored to sponsor one of the longest-standing events on the PGA TOUR schedule with a rich history spanning more than 65 years,” said Stephen P. Holmes, Wyndham Worldwide chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to working with the Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation, tournament volunteers, the PGA TOUR and the people and businesses throughout the entire Piedmont Triad to ensure the Wyndham Championship takes its rightful place as a world-class event on the PGA TOUR.”

As the final FedExCup regular season event, a total of 25,000 FedExCup points will be available, as well as determination of final seedings for the four-event PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup that immediately follow the Wyndham Championship. The 2007 Wyndham Championship will feature a $5 million purse with the winner receiving $900,000.

“We are truly excited to begin Wyndham Worldwide’s association with the PGA TOUR at such a pivotal event within the new FedExCup format and competition,” said Franz S. Hanning, Wyndham Vacation Ownership president and chief executive officer. “The Wyndham Championship will play a key role in determining the season’s ultimate champion, and we welcome the opportunity to become part of history in the making at Greensboro for many years to come.”

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Wyndham Worldwide to our family of tournament title sponsors and to one of the longest-running events on the PGA TOUR,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Greensboro certainly has a rich history on TOUR and now takes on increased significance as the tournament that finalizes the seedings for the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Between this new partnership with such a quality international corporation and the tournament’s role in the restructured schedule, Greensboro is well positioned for growth and success in the years to come.”

In conjunction with its sponsorship, Wyndham Worldwide will launch a media campaign featuring national broadcast and print advertising to support its Wyndham Hotel Group and Wyndham Vacation Ownership brands. In addition, Wyndham will leverage the sponsorship as part of ongoing global marketing activities designed to engage PGA TOUR fans as well as Wyndham Worldwide hotel guests and timeshare owners across the spectrum of its domestic and international lodging and hospitality businesses.

“As one of the most prestigious dates within the PGA TOUR’s new FedExCup format, the Wyndham Championship will provide a broad platform to reach and connect with business and leisure travelers globally,” said Steven A. Rudnitsky, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer. “Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is well known for its warm, personal and distinctive brand of hospitality and we are tremendously pleased to join in the company of the PGA TOUR in extending our welcome to golf enthusiasts around the world.”

agreed. the move is essential. Grandover would be a nice site but the problem is that Wyndham is a resort hotel chain and it wouldnt fair well for them to host an event at another resort hotel unless Wyndham bought Grandover from Koury Corp. Who knows...at some point that may happen. That rumor has been going around. But for now Sedgefield Country Club is the course that everyone is looking at. I love the Tudor Style Clubhouse. It give the course a prestigous look and thats the kind of image Greensboro's event needs. It goes back to the roots of the tournament. I personally thought Greensboro was going to lose its PGA event a few years back after the gaining popularity of the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte. But now things are looking good for Greensboro's event and the last date on the FedEx Cup point system should make the Wyndham Championship a more popular event than the Wachovia Championship. In any event, expect to see Tiger Woods come to Greensboro for the first time and he will definately bring the crowds. The sponsor change is the greatest thing that could have happened to Greensboro.

[b]Interesting history, the club house at Sedgefield Country Club was built in 1925 and was the Sedgefield Inn. Its also the birthplace of the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference)

Sedgefield Country Club is located in close proximity to the Grandover Resort which also another rumored site for the Wyndham Championship. However, because Wyndham is a resort hotel chain, they likely wouldnt sponser an event held at another name brand resort hotel. The Grandover Resort would have to become the Wyndham Resort if any PGA event they sponser is played there.

Grandover Resort
http://www.golfersdream.com/GrandoverResort7.jpg

I am not into golf, at all, but attracting names like Tiger Woods is always a great thing for the area :okay: Major tournaments offer exposure to the area, no matter what.

I agree. Events like this help put Greensboro's name on the national map.

more info on a move to Sedgefield Country Club

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/NEWSREC0101/302020008

The GGC (or whatever it's called now) has always been a prestigious tournament---I'm glad it's moving back to its former course. I'd love to see Tiger participate, as nowadays, it seems his participations qualifies a tournament's status. I'd shudder to see what would happen if Tiger decided that the British Open or the Masters were just too much trouble........

Check out the list (courtesy of Sports Illustrated) that shows the top 8 athletes with the most endorsement earnings in 2005 (in millions). I took the list from an article (Big payoff may be Manning's prize (http://www.newsobserver.com/104/story/538843.html)) in today's News & Observer, our major local newspaper:


Tiger Woods (Golf) $87
Phil Mickelson (Golf) $40
LeBron James (Basketball) $24
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Auto Racing) $20
Kobe Bryant (Basketball) $18
Jeff Gordon (Auto Racing) $15
Shaquille O'Neal (Basketball) $14
Peyton Manning (Football) $11.5

Having Tiger Woods in the tournament will more than increase visibility and validate the event. A major promotion for GSO, if you ask me. The numbers above should speak for themselves.

Check out the list (courtesy of Sports Illustrated) that shows the top 8 athletes with the most endorsement earnings in 2005 (in millions). I took the list from an article (Big payoff may be Manning's prize (http://www.newsobserver.com/104/story/538843.html)) in today's News & Observer, our major local newspaper:


Tiger Woods (Golf) $87
Phil Mickelson (Golf) $40
LeBron James (Basketball) $24
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Auto Racing) $20
Kobe Bryant (Basketball) $18
Jeff Gordon (Auto Racing) $15
Shaquille O'Neal (Basketball) $14
Peyton Manning (Football) $11.5

Having Tiger Woods in the tournament will more than increase visibility and validate the event. A major promotion for GSO, if you ask me. The numbers above should speak for themselves.

Thats why everyone wants Tiger. That man alone can do wonders for any event, particularly if he goes to that event every year. He is certainly welcomed to come play in Greensboro. Lets hope that he comes. Most of the money Tiger has earned is off of endorsements. I know Nike is paying him a killing.