For the second time in five weeks, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., is host to a notable tournament. The acclaimed and nationally ranked venue is host to this week’s Hotel Fitness Championship–an inaugural event and the first in the new Web.com Tour Finals series. This comes on the heels of the USGA’s 65th U.S. Junior Girls Championship played there last month.
This week’s field is composed of the top 75 players from the 2013 Web.com Tour money list, as well as the players who finished 126-200 on the 2013 PGA Tour FedExCup points list. In total, 131 players will compete for 50 PGA TOUR cards for the 2013-14 season, as well as $1 million in prize money, including $180,000 for the champion.
“The new format for the Web.com Tour, with a four-tournament finish somewhat like the FedEx Cup, is neat,” Jack Nicklaus said. “I think that for the guys who are playing in it, to have a year-end challenge is kind of fun. I think it is great that Sycamore Hills, a golf course that I was proud to design, is host. I think the guys will enjoy it. It is a wonderful golf course and a good test of golf.”
Sycamore Hills sits on rolling topography featuring tall sycamores, burr oak and spruce. The narrow Aboite River gently flows throughout the layout. The design is marked by generous fairways, peninsula greens and an abundance of sandy waste areas. The design opened in 1989, and in addition to its elite tournament history, the course consistently ranks well. Golf Digest included Sycamore Hills among its “America’s Top 100 Courses” in 2011-12. The course also ranked among Indiana’s top-five venues in Golf Digest’s Best In State rankings for 2013-14.
Tournament director David Butler IV spoke about the strength of the field on behalf of the Western Golf Association, the organization charged with running this week’s tournament.
“This field consists of both highly recognizable names in golf as well as the upcoming PGA TOUR standouts. There’s a lot on the line as these players compete to earn their PGA TOUR cards for next season,” Butler said. “With such a high level of competition, patrons are guaranteed to see world-class golf this week.”
Watch the inaugural Hotel Fitness Championship on the Golf Channel today from 3:00-5:00 p.m., Friday from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday from 1:00-3:00 p.m., and Sunday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. All times are Eastern Standard Time. To learn more about the tournament, visit www.hotelfitnesschampionship.com.
