Historical past of the Galleri Basic golf match on PGA Tour Champions schedule
The Galleri Basic is a spring occasion on the PGA Tour Champions golf schedule
How did the Dinah Shore Match Course at Mission Hills Nation Membership, the house of an LPGA main championship for 51 years, make such a seamless transition to difficult the highest gamers on the PGA Tour Champions?
The person who oversees the panorama of the three programs at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage thinks he is aware of why.
“Out right here (within the Coachella Valley), a number of the properties are developed for housing and so they throw in a golf course, albeit a number of these golf programs are actually, actually good,” mentioned Jonas Conlan, in his third yr as director of agronomy at Mission Hills which is able to host this week’s Galleri Basic offered by Highlight 29 On line casino on the PGA Tour Champions.
“To me, this golf course looks like it’s a conventional golf course, in contrast to most others (within the desert),” Conlan added. “It’s as if you’re taking part in someplace out within the Midwest or Northern California. It’s not an Olympic Membership, it’s not an Oakland Hills. Nevertheless it has that really feel, with the bushes and the tight fairways and the sloping greens entrance to again.”
Again within the discipline this yr is Bernhard Langer, who missed the occasion final yr with a torn Achilles tendon and is joyful to be again within the desert venue.
“It’s a improbable venue, actually stunning golf course and in improbable form,” Langer mentioned. “Michelle (DeLancy, match director) does a beautiful job of working this match. It’s actually a pleasure to be right here all week and having fun with this sizzling climate for the time being.”
The Shore Course started internet hosting an LPGA occasion in 1972, and by 1983 that match, then known as the Nabisco Dinah Shore, was formally designated a significant championship for the ladies. That lasted till 2022, the final yr the occasion was performed at Mission Hills earlier than transferring to Houston because the Chevron Championship. However only one yr later, the Shore Course turned the house of the PGA Tour Champions return to the desert after three many years.
“By way of the golf course, it is proper up there,” mentioned Steven Alker, the reigning Charles Schwab Cup Champion who has completed second within the Galleri Basic the final two years. ” It is a disgrace it is not slightly bit later within the yr simply making ready for some majors as a result of it is that kind of golf course. That facet, they appear after us nice this week, good venue amenities, everybody right here has at all times been nice. It is good to come back again.”
One golfer very accustomed to the course is Fred {Couples}, who started a future of residing within the desert within the early Nineteen Eighties and routinely performed the Dinah Shore Course with good friend and fellow PGA Tour participant John Prepare dinner for years. {Couples} possible has extra rounds on the Shore Course that anybody within the discipline this week.
“We’re very fortunate,” {Couples} mentioned. “As everybody is aware of, the ladies (LPGA) had an extended, future right here. I believe that is the type of course the place if you happen to take a look at it, you actually need to hit a number of pictures.
“I do know the course fairly effectively. You’ve got bought to have the ability to minimize it, you have bought to have the ability to draw it, you have bought to have the ability to cease it,” {Couples} added earlier than his pro-am spherical Thursday. “I’ve heard it’s in completely good form, which isn’t unusual. I actually prefer it.”
Conlan believes the Shore Course, designed by Demond Muirhead and opened in 1971 with distinctive eucalyptus bushes and double-wide corridors for its holes, might do greater than host the PGA Tour Champions.
“When you constructed a number of tees, you may get a PGA (Tour) or Korn Ferry or one thing like that,” Conlan mentioned.
Langer is without doubt one of the best-known gamers within the Galleri Basic discipline that features seven members of the World Golf Corridor of Fame and 18 main championship winners of their time on the common PGA Tour. Topping that checklist is defending Galleri Basic champion Retief Goosen, who recorded a one-shot victory in final yr’s occasion over Alker. Goosen is a two-time U.S. Open champion and is within the World Golf Corridor of Fame.
The match encompasses a $2.2 million purse with the winner taking residence $300,000.
Alker just isn’t one of many main championship winners or a Corridor of Famer, however he’s the reigning PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Cup champion. He has additionally completed second within the Galleri Basic every of the primary two years of the match at Mission Hills.
Different high names within the discipline embrace {Couples}, a former Mission Hills Nation Membership member and Masters champions. David Toms, the 2023 Galleri Basic winner, can be competing this week as are names like Miguel Angel Jimenez, a two-time winner this season, and different 2025 winners Ernie Els and Justin Leonard. High names like David Duval, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Lehman and PGA Tour Champions newcomer Stewart Cink are additionally within the 79-player discipline.
Tee instances run from 8:10 to 10:26 a.m. on the primary and the tenth tees of the Dinah Shore Match Course, with play Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
