91
PRESIDENTS CUP
When?
September, every other year.
Future Locations:
2009-San Francisco, CA
2011-Melbourne, Australia
Significance:
Every two years, the top male golfers in the United States compete against an International team composed of non-European players representing the best in the world. The Presidents Cup, created and coordinated by the PGA Tour, is not so much about competition as it is about the enjoyment of golf and all-out fun. The event boasts honorary chairmen of certain renown, including past U.S. Presidents and dignitaries from other countries. Proceeds of the event are not doled out in prize money for the participants. The net revenue is distributed to charities chosen by the players, captains, and their assistants.
Members of the U.S. team are selected based on official earnings and golfers from overseas are picked based on their official world golf ranking. Often compared to its much older counterpart, the Ryder Cup, the event shares a similar format with twelve players on each side led by a non-playing captain. The set-up deviates a bit from the Ryder Cup with an extra six matches. All twelve players compete in foursome and four-ball matches on Thursday and Friday, playing six matches per session. Two players sit out each session on Saturday with a schedule of only five matches. On Sunday, each team member competes in a one-on-one singles match. Points are assigned for each victory and half-points are given for a tie. The team that scores 17.5 points or more is declared the winner.
Who attends?
Golf fans who like to watch their country team up and take on some of the world’s best golf courses.
History
Non-European golfers have a rare chance to show off their skills in the Presidents Cup. Led by David Graham, they first played the United States Team, captained by Hale Irwin, from September 16-18, 1994, at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. The U.S. won by a score of 20-12. Chris DiMarco provided a dramatic ending when he holed a fifteen-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to put the U.S. up by one point. The teams have traded victories, except for 2003 (the 9/11 attacks pushed the Cup to odd-numbered years), when they tied and decided to share the Cup.
Former U.S. President and avid golfer Gerald Ford served as the Honorary Chairman for the inaugural Cup. 1996 saw George H. W. Bush, four years out of the White House, chairing the proceedings. History was made at the 2000 event when Bill Clinton became the first sitting President to be Honorary Chairman.
In the end, the winner is not the golfers or which one brings home the largest monetary winnings. The golfers may take home a Cup championship, but the charities are the real champions as their cups runneth over with millions of dollars.
Notable Athletes:
Tiger Woods
Fred Couples
Jack Nicklaus
Ernie Els
Mike Weir
Retief Goosen
Vijay Singh
Traditions:
The only tradition that matters is that the money raised by this event is always donated to different charities worldwide.
Things to know before you go:
Ace: A hole-in-one.
Front nine: The first half of a round of golf.
Back nine: The second half of a round of golf.
Fore: A warning cry to other players that your ball is headed in their direction.
Par: A certain number of shots needed to hole your ball depending on the hole’s distance and difficulty.
Birdie: One under par.
Eagle: Two under par.
Albatross: Three under par.
Bogey: One over par. Double and triple bogeys are self-explanatory.
Tickets:
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.com
Travel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.com
Premiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.com
Notable Quotes:
“I think maybe you had to be there to recognize what it meant to the game of golf. People were arm in arm, they were singing as they came away from the greens. Everyone was absolutely ecstatic. I think it was the most special event I have ever been involved with.”—JACK NICKLAUS, golfing legend
“I think the great thing about the Presidents Cup . . . it’s played in different parts of the world.... And it’s played in different countries and it boosts the golf all over the world, which we like to see. And it’s also an opportunity for us as old cooks now to still be able to compete against each other.”—GARY PLAYER, golfing legend
Relevant Websites: