A group of San Diego golf leaders that led the charge to bring the '08 U.S. Open to Torrey Pines "has made overtures to the PGA about hosting that organization’s premier events," including the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, according to Tod Leonard of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The San Diego Championship Golf Association “sent a letter to the PGA two weeks ago formally inviting it to consider Torrey Pines as a future championship site.” The first available PGA is “in 2019 and the next possible Ryder Cup is 2024.” PGA Managing Dir of Tournaments Kerry Haigh said he is “excited” by the invitation. The letter to the PGA “was drafted by La Mesa attorney Jay Rains, whose vision of San Diego hosting a major championship led" to the '08 U.S. Open on the Torrey Pines South Course. Rains has “strong ties to the U.S. Golf Association and the PGA of America.” Leonard notes there are “several other key players working on San Diego’s behalf who were instrumental in the Open effort, including attorney Jeff Baglio, the next Century Club president in 2012, and former club president Tom Wornham.” The San Diego golf community since hosting the ’08 U.S. Open “has hoped to get word that the national championship would return to Torrey Pines,” but the USGA has awarded Opens through '19 “without San Diego getting much consideration.” Torrey Pines hosting the PGA, Ryder Cup or both “is plausible on numerous levels.” The South Course “now has a major pedigree beyond its annual hosting of the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open, and the PGA is very much in need of putting a West Coast venue into its rotation for the PGA and possibly Ryder Cup” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/16).
HOT ON THE MARKET: In Charleston, Tommy Braswell notes general admission tickets for the Saturday and Sunday rounds of the ’12 PGA Championship in Kiawah Island, S.C., “sold out late Sunday night.” Kiawah Island '12 PGA Championship Dir Brett Sterba Friday said that “general admission ($110), as well as Wanamaker Club packages ($500), are expected to go next.” The Wanamaker Club “includes access to the grounds all seven days as well as to an air-conditioned sports bar-themed pavilion” (Charleston POST & COURIER, 8/16).
