![]() The tournament would be a welcome sight to the area with the state of Alabama being among one of the best in the country for golf but often overlooked. How it is set up would be up to the governing body, but we have a great piece of property and would be able to set it up to test the best in the world,” he said. We think we have a golf course that can stand up to the best players in the world. “We had a significant renovation in 2017. “There has been so much positive change at Shoal Creek since they last hosted the PGA, and I hope they can get another shot in 2022.”Īnd with those changes, Bailey knows the course offers what would be a great test for the world’s best. “I’ve seen first-hand how hard this staff and membership has worked to improve Shoal Creek in every way,” PGA Tour pro and Birmingham native Smylie Kaufman said on Twitter. Women’s Open, the course went through extensive upgrades with changes to full sand greens, a new grass, new bunkers, narrower fairways on every hole and more difficult greens. Now, 30 years after Shoal Creek’s last PGA Championship stirred up controversy, the course seems primed to be a host once again both from a competitive and inclusive standpoint. Women’s Open in 2018 with players from all around the world participating in the major championship. The PGA Tour Champions moved the Regions Tradition there from 2011-2015, and then the USGA brought the U.S. Junior Amateur was the first when the USGA brought the event to Shoal Creek in 2008, and that seemed to start the redemption path. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who is both Black and female.īut it still took a while for the club to host any USGA, PGA of America or PGA Tour event again. Now, Shoal Creek has members of different races and sexes, including former U.S. Shortly after, Augusta National added its first Black member as did many other courses, setting up a new and more inclusive future in the sport. 9-12, 1990, and that moment changed the sport’s landscape moving forward.įrom that point on, the PGA of America, PGA Tour and USGA all required clubs to not discriminate in any way when selecting members. ![]() His comments almost forced the tournament to be moved in the weeks leading up to the championship, but former PGA of America CEO Jim Awtrey helped put some of the fire out by convincing the club to invite Black Birmingham businessman Louis Willie to join the club as a member. Just prior to the 1990 PGA Championship, a firestorm surrounded the tournament after comments made by Thompson about the lack of Black members at the course, saying “This is our home and we pick and choose who we want.” It’s a community event that looks appealing from both an economic and competitive standpoint.”īut it’s up to the PGA of America as to where the tournament will go, and one of the reasons it has been 30 years since Shoal Creek hosted is because of its presence during a crossroads in golf history. “We’ve proven that we have the capacity to support and host that type of event. “That is the biggest event in women’s golf and despite a tropical storm in May, we put on a great championship,” Bailey said. ![]() But the course’s staff went to work and got the course in pristine shape to put on an impressive tournament. Just days before the tournament, Tropical Storm Alberto dumped torrential rains onto the course and downed several trees the Sunday night of tournament week.
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