News >> NGA Hooters Tour Begins 2010 Season At Golden Hills
The Ocala Marion Sports Commission Classic
Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club
March 1-7, 2010
$200,000 Purse
Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club
March 1-7, 2010
$200,000 Purse
Golf fans it’s time to take the clubs out of closet and time for The National Golf Association’s Hooters Professional Golf Tour to gear up for another exciting season. The 2010 campaign is shaping up to be one of the best ever for the Hooters Tour, which starts it’s twenty-second season as the number one developmental tour behind the Nationwide Tour. The 2010 season kicks off next week with the Ocala Marion Sports Commission Classic presented by Michelob Ultra in Ocala, Florida. The opening event will be contested over the challenging Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club which is owned and operated by the Castro family and famed course designer Rees Jones. Golden Hills, a 7,300 yard par 72 design, recently hosted the 2009 US Women’s Mid-Amateur.
Golden Hills is tucked into the traditional rolling hills of “horse country” in north central Florida, home to more than 600 thoroughbred horse farms and six Kentucky Derby winners. The course features the highest elevation in Marion Country, at 500 feet. Many of the fairways are tree lined, while the large majority of the greens are elevated and undulated. The course was opened in 1964 and boasts Heavyweight Boxing legend Rocky Marciano as a founding member. Rees Jones renovated the course in 2004-05. (Pictured left, the signature 18th hole at Golden Hills)“The #1 goal of The Hooters Tour has always been, and always will be to help professional golfers achieve their dream of playing on The PGA Tour,” said Robin L. Waters, Hooters Tour President. “Playing challenging courses like Golden Hills will provide invaluable experience to our players. Our players are going to love the course and the fans are going to see some great golf.”
The field for the Ocala Marion Sports Commission Classic will 
include Ocala natives Jeffrey Hill, 2006 and 2009 Hooters Tour Player of the Year Ted Potter Jr (5 career Hooters Tour wins), former PGA Tour players Roger Rowland (1 career Hooters Tour win) and Grant Waite. Along with these local players, the field will include a group of players that have captured Hooters Tour titles in the past. The list of players includes Todd Bailey (3), Mark Blakefield (1), Ben Briscoe (1), Jeff Corr (2), Marion Dantzler (1), Matthew Harmon (2), Russell Knox (1), Grant Leaver (1), Andrew Medley (3), David Miller (1), Phillip Pettitt Jr (1), Jim Renner (1) and Michael Welch (1). All told, there will be twenty-five combined wins in the field next week in Ocala. (Pictured Right, 2009 Hooters Tour Player of the year Ted Potter)
include Ocala natives Jeffrey Hill, 2006 and 2009 Hooters Tour Player of the Year Ted Potter Jr (5 career Hooters Tour wins), former PGA Tour players Roger Rowland (1 career Hooters Tour win) and Grant Waite. Along with these local players, the field will include a group of players that have captured Hooters Tour titles in the past. The list of players includes Todd Bailey (3), Mark Blakefield (1), Ben Briscoe (1), Jeff Corr (2), Marion Dantzler (1), Matthew Harmon (2), Russell Knox (1), Grant Leaver (1), Andrew Medley (3), David Miller (1), Phillip Pettitt Jr (1), Jim Renner (1) and Michael Welch (1). All told, there will be twenty-five combined wins in the field next week in Ocala. (Pictured Right, 2009 Hooters Tour Player of the year Ted Potter)The 2010 season will be the best yet with stops at Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club (Host course of US Women's Mid-Amateur), Rock Barn Golf & Spa (Host to the Champions Tour Greater Hickory Classic 2003-present), Cherry Blossom GC (Golfweek #1 in KY 5 years running), McCormick, SC (Consistently voted best event by players), The Auburn University Club (Host site of PGA Tour Q-School 2007-Present as well as the home course for Auburn University men’s and women’s golf teams), Callaway Gardens (Host to the PGA Tour’s Buick Challenge for 12 years as well as Stage 2 of PGA Tour Q-School 2008-present) as well as a stop at Mount Vintage Plantation (Host to the LPGA Tour’s Asahi Ryokuken International Championship 2001-2004).
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the 3rd largest men’s 72-hole professional golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours, and boasts alumni like 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 British Open winner Ben Curtis, 2003 US Open winner Jim Furyk, two time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, British Open and PGA Champion John Daly, as well as British Open winner Tom Lehman, PGA Champion David Toms, 2003 Tour Championship Winner Chad Campbell, 2004 & 2005 Reno Tahoe Open winner Vaughn Taylor and TPC winner Craig Perks to name just a few. All told, the NGA/Hooters Tour’s alumni have an incredible 11 “Majors” to their credit. The NGA/Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 professionals acquire their PGA, Senior PGA, and Nationwide Tour cards. In fact, 48% of the players that earned their 2010 PGA Tour card, and 53% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the NGA/Hooters Tour.
For more information about the NGA/Hooters Tour, please visit our web site, www.NGAHOOTERSTOUR.com. If you have any questions about sponsorship opportunities or interview requests before or during tournament week please contact Regional Tournament Director Ryan Waters at (803) 348.3045 the NGA/Hooters Tour office at 843-281-TOUR (8687).