The PGA Champions Tour’s newly-named “Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf presented by Bass Pro Shops” tournament will be played June 2-8, 2014 on the Big Cedars Par-3 Top of the Rock course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and the 18-hole Buffalo Ridge Springs Course located in the Ozark Mountains near Branson, Missouri, one of the country’s most unique and fun filled family vacation destinations. The move to Branson and the new name is just part of the excitement about the Legends of Golf tournament this year and here’s some reasons why:
1. Two Radically Different Type Courses In One Tournament: The two man teams will compete on two different type of courses, Big Cedars Par-3 Top of the Rock course and the 18-hole Buffalo Ridge Springs Course with 18 holes of the tournaments 54 holes being played on Buffalo Ridge Springs and 36 holes on Top of the Rock.
2. Three Different Playing Formats: Three different playing formats the “scramble,” “alternate shot” and “best ball” will be used for the different rounds of the tournament. Legends golfer Tom Watson said that the three different formats was unique and has never been done in a professional tournament before.
3. Two PGA Firsts: The Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf presented by Bass Pro Shops is the first PGA Tour sanctioned event to not only use the triple format to play, but to use a par -3 course as part of the tournament. PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, said. “If there was ever a Par-3 course worthy of PGA TOUR tournament play, Top of the Rock is it. It truly is an outstanding venue and a wonderful complement to the newly redesigned Buffalo Ridge Springs course.”
4. $2.75 Million Purse: The two divisions, one for players 50-65 and one for 65 and older will be competing for a total purse of $2.75 million. The final round of the tournament will be played at the Par-3 Top of the Rock Course.
5. “Branson Creek” Renamed to “Buffalo Ridge Springs” and For Good Reason: The 18 hole “Buffalo Ridge Springs” course being played on in the tournament was formerly named “Branson Creek.” It is a championship course that “has been rated the Number One Public Golf Course in Missouri by GOLF Magazine and has been named one of the Top 10 Missouri Courses by Golf Digest for 11 consecutive years” and has just undergone a major renovation. The course, in addition to sharing the natural beauty of the Ozarks with golfers “will bring them in contact with fields of native grasses and free-ranging buffalo relocated from nearby Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.”
“What a unique and wonderful event the tournament and its associated events will be,” said Annette Wood, Director of Sales and Marketing, Branson Tourism Center. “It highlights the variety and quality of golf that is available in Branson she added.
