Liberty National Golf Club's "tight space" on its 150 acres in Jersey City means organizers for this year's Presidents Cup "must add more bleachers to better accommodate the anticipated sellout crowds of 25,000 per day," according to Andy Vasquez of the Bergen RECORD. During the two previous PGA Tour events at Liberty National in '09 and '13, there were grandstands on "about nine of the 18 holes." For the Presidents Cup, "there will be grandstands on 15 of the 18 holes," and major construction work "will continue all the way until early September." The event is Sept. 26-Oct. 1. Meanwhile, a "small village of tents, hospitality structures, and other infrastructure is slowly rising." Five "double decker structures will be built, 5,000 grandstand seats will tower over the course and more than 200,000 square feet of flooring and carpet will be laid." The Presidents Cup is by "far the biggest event the club has ever seen." Construction crews have been on site "daily since early June, building their own miniature city in the shadow of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty." Preparations "have been under way" since '14, and the "first decision was to change the routing of the course." The previous fifth hole will "now be the first hole, and the rest of the holes will be played in order." The decision, which was "made in conjunction with NBC, the broadcast partner for the event, was made because of the format." Tournament organizers also "flipped the driving range, building a new tee deck near the new No. 1 tee." Players will "now warm up hitting back at the Manhattan skyline" (Bergen RECORD, 7/31).
