Watch the Best of the PGA at The Barclays-Aug 18-24
The first round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, The Barclays, is sure to be filled with much excitement when 144 of the leading PGA Tour professionals tee it up at the legendary Ridgewood Country Club.
Most of the top-ranked players, including fan-favorite Phil Mickelson, defending champion Steve Stricker, top-ranked Jim Furyk, Players Championship winner Sergio Garcia, multiple 2008 PGA Tour winners Anthony Kim and Kenny Perry, two-time British Open winner and recent PGA Champion Padraig Harrington, are scheduled to participate.
The event, which was played last year at Westchester Country Club, moves to the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Ridgewood Country Club, located on the Hackensack River in northern New Jersey. The tournament dates are the week of August 18-24th. Ridgewood has hosted several other professional tournaments in the past, starting with the 1935 Ryder Cup and most recently the US Senior Open.
“Typically after the PGA Championship, the players lose some interest in playing, but with this new FedEx Cup format, the Barclays becomes a very meaningful event for the players,” commented defending champion Steve Stricker during a recent conference call. “I am looking forward to coming back and know there will be lots of excitement surrounding the tournament.”
While fans would have loved to have see Tiger Woods, due to his season-ending knee surgery, the door for a new FedEx Cup winner has been left wide open.
Expect to see a high caliber of play, as players will encounter some of Tillinghast’s classic designs, while trying to avoid the high rough conditions. The 7,319-yard layout is a composite from the 27-holes at Ridgewood. One of the most interesting holes will be the 291-yard, par-4, 5th hole (nicknamed “Five and Dime”). Will a player attempt to drive the “plateau green” which is surrounded by six deadly bunkers? Who knows?
The tournament’s charity recipients are the First Tee of Metropolitan New York, Children’s Aid and Family Services, The Valley Hospital Foundation, The Valley Hospital Auxiliary, Ridgewood YMCA, Junior League of Bergen County, Ridgewood Education Foundation, and West Bergen Mental Health Care. 100% of the charity funds raised, mostly from ticket sales, go to the local community.
Practice round tickets (good for both Tuesday and Wednesday) are $35/ in advance, $45/ at the gate, and tournament tickets are $45 in advance/ $55 at the gate. Children under age 12 will be admitted for free when accompanied by a ticket holder (limited to 2 children per ticket holder). Ticket and other tournament information is available on-line, at www.thebarclaysgolf.com. The event will also be shown like on the Golf Channel, both Thursday and Friday rounds, and on CBS for the weekend rounds.
The event will be played at the new Liberty National Golf Club in 2009.
