September 22, 2014
Poppy Hills’ official return as a professional golf venue is just days away.
The recently renovated Poppy Hills course, which re-opened on April 4, will act as a co-hosting course when the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach gets underway on Friday.
The First Tee Open features 81 members of the Champions Tour playing side-by-side with 81 juniors representing The First Tee.
There’ll be a Ryder Cup flavor at the championship, too. Former U.S. captains Tom Kite (1997), Ben Crenshaw (1999), Tom Lehman (2006) and Davis Love III (2008) are among the field. Overall, there’ll be over 20 players with previous Ryder Cup experience in the field.
The Nature Valley First Tee Open is a benefit for The First Tee, a nonprofit youth development organization successfully utilizing the game of golf and its inherent values to help young people build character and learn the life skills required for success on and off the golf course.
The tournament is hosted by Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which also stages the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, an event that has generated more than $120 million for charity since 1937.
Poppy Hills is no stranger to pro tour competition, as it co-hosted the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from 1991-2009, as well as the Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational for four years.
Friday’s first round and Saturday’s second round will see the field split between Poppy Hills and Pebble Beach. Sunday’s final round will be held exclusively at Pebble Beach.
Admission is free.
