A bid to bring an under-the-lights event involving Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler to Detroit Golf Club (DGC) a week before the U.S. Open "has failed," according to Lynn Henning of the DETROIT NEWS. DGC execs said that the event "was canceled when negotiation's between the event's sponsor, Quicken Loans, and the participants failed to reach a deal." The event had "been targeted for June 7." McIlroy and Fowler were to "have been joined by two celebrity golfers in an 18-hole square-off," and among those considered were singer Justin Timberlake and actor Mark Wahlberg. Henning noted DGC "became victim of high-end bargaining beyond its control." DGC officials and members had "wanted desperately to seal a Tour deal but were not involved in negotiations." DGC was to "have received a rental fee from the proceeds and was otherwise detached from substantive business conversations" (DETROITNEWS.com, 3/26). Quicken Loans in a statement said, "Conversations never progressed to a stage where they warranted widespread speculation" (FREEP.com, 3/25).
