CROMWELL, Conn. — Adjustments can be made to the TPC River Highlands golf course after record-low scoring final week in the course of the PGA Tour’s annual Vacationers Championship, event officers stated Wednesday.
Andy Bessette, Vacationers’ govt vice chairman and chief administrative officer, advised The Related Press that officers on the membership are already modifications to the course to make it harder for the professionals subsequent 12 months.
“We take all of the suggestions we get very significantly,” Bessette stated. “I can let you know that adjustments are already within the works. We attempt for this to be a top-notch occasion, and we are going to do every part we are able to to enhance it yearly.”
Keegan Bradley received the event by capturing a course-record 23-under 257, a shot higher than Kenny Perry’s earlier document from 2009. There have been eight rounds of 62 or higher in the course of the week, which was marked by some wet, however not windy, days that saved the greens delicate.
After his ultimate spherical, Rory McIlroy, who completed at 18-under and in a tie for seventh place, referred to as the 6,852-yard, par-70 River Highlands course “out of date.”
“I do not significantly like when a event is like this,” he stated. “Sadly expertise has handed this course by, proper? It type of has made it out of date, particularly as delicate because it has been with slightly little bit of rain that we had. So, once more, just like the conversations going again to, you realize, limiting the golf ball and stuff like that, once we come to programs like this they simply do not current the problem that they used to.”
Bessette referred to as these feedback a “blessing in disguise.” He stated he despatched an electronic mail Monday to a number of of the highest golfers on tour asking for his or her suggestions.
“I advised them, I am not a golf course knowledgeable, however you’re. What can we do?” he stated.
He stated there have been about 10 particular ideas that he feels may be carried out instantly. He stated he talked to officers on the course, who agreed to change it.
He didn’t element these modification, however there have been ideas resembling rising the variety of hazards, rising out the tough, shrinking the greens or narrowing some fairways. Due to the land constraints, there’s not a lot that might instantly be accomplished to elongate the course, which is among the many shortest on tour, event officers have stated.
Nathan Grube, the event director, stated nothing particular has been determined for 2024.
“The Tour owns that property,” Grube stated. “It is a PGA Tour occasion that we’re part of, so in the end it is going to be their resolution. However they’ve all the time been a really, superb accomplice with regards to something that might profit the event.”
However McIlroy stated he wasn’t a fan of the thought of simply making fairways narrower and roughs rougher.
“That bunches everybody collectively,” he stated. “The blueprint is one thing like [Los Angeles Country Club, where the U.S. Open was held], the place you have got large targets, however in the event you miss it is penal. This is not that type of golf course. It isn’t that type of structure. It does not have the land to do this. So, you realize, sadly while you get delicate situations like this and you have got the perfect gamers on the earth, that is what is going on to occur.”
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