to the Monterey Peninsula for the British Open, which rotates between the sandy, windswept landscapes of Spanish Bay and Pacific Grove Golf Links. (For the tournaments at PG, an 18-hole round consists of playing the back nine twice in succession.) Thus begins one of the high points of the season—back-to-back majors—as the British is immediately followed by the PGA Championship at Bay- onet, one of the most feared courses on the schedule. Following the PGA is the beginning of the FedEx Ground Delivery Cup, a scaled-back version of the “playoffs” in which the winner of the season-long points race receives free shipping services for a year, rather than $10 million. The three-week run begins at
CordeValle, with the Garlic Open, and then moves on to Half Moon Bay, for the Coastal Views Classic. And then, at long last,
comes the big season finale, the Tour Championship at Poppy Hills. Thanks to firm, sunny conditions and a host of recent upgrades, Poppy has been reinvented as one of the Tour players’ favorite venues. It’s also a feel-good week for the fans and local golf com- munity because rather than give the $8 million purse to the players all the prize money is donated to a much noble cause: supporting the Northern California Golf Association Foundation.
Alan Shipnuck is senior writer for Sports Illustrated and writes two weekly columns for
cnnsi.com.
Cypress Point
Save green, buy Platinum
Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert offers two of the Coachella Valley’s best plays, Firecliff and Mountain View.
One Legendary Location...Two Unforgettable Courses.
www.desertwillow.com/platinumclubcard 38-995 Desert Willow Dr. • Palm Desert, CA • 92260
For tee times 866.616.9307
Award-Winning Golf • Golf Outings • Golf School Business Meetings • Banquets • Weddings • Scenic Dining
PHOTOS: JOANN DOST
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