PGA Sand Belt

[mike_beene]

What if the PGA went every fifth year to Royal Melbourne? Wouldn't this give it some of the international appeal it needs?Wouldn't Australia embrace the event financially?TV times would be the big question.Just a thought for a Friday night(or is it Saturday down under?)

[Chris Kane]

Mike,

There is no doubt that the course is worthy (its probably equal to or better than any course that has hosted the PGA before!), and Australians would get right behind it as they did for the very successful Presidents Cup.

The facilities could cope: there is a public course next door which could hold the media centre and car parking etc.

Sad it will never happen!

[Mike_Cirba]

I'd love to watch it, and believe that someday, there will inevitably be a "world tour".  

Unfortunately, at present, the architectural merits of a potential tournament course seem to matter much less than the financial considerations and logistics for the most part (witness the Ryder Cup choices, as well as consideration of Torrey Pines for the US Open).

[Tom Doak]

While the PGA makes a great effort to bring out the top 100 players in the world, it is also traditionally the championship of the PGA of America, and includes club professionals in its field.  I doubt many of those fellows could afford to travel to Melbourne (the great majority of them to miss the cut).

Maybe we should just make the Australian PGA the fourth major.  They go to Royal Melbourne all the time, and they'd welcome any of our guys.