THE COLONY, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a press conference held Monday, LPGA and event officials announced that Old American Golf Club will host the Volunteers of America LPGA North Dallas Classic in 2018. The event, which takes place April 30 – May 6, will feature 144 of the top women golfers in a four-day stroke-play event and a $1.3 million purse.
“We’re excited to host our first LPGA Tour event and witness the top players in the world test their game at Old American,” said Mike McCabe, general manager of Old American Golf Club. “We’re the only venue in Texas to have the honor of hosting an LPGA event of this caliber. We’re eager to showcase our course as well as the areas in and around the city of The Colony.”
Course architect Tripp Davis, in collaboration with Justin Leonard, designed the Old American course and is looking forward to the event as well. “I can’t wait to see the top women play this highly strategic golf course,” he said.
Additionally, the Classic plans to continue to build upon its tradition of community engagement through a number of special events.
“Our vision is to create a golf event that impacts the community, not just the golf fan,” said Andy Bush, Executive Director at Octagon, the company managing the event. “We expect to enhance the experience by developing it into a lifestyle and cultural event, with culinary partnerships featuring Dean Fearing, women’s programs and live music for youth and families.”
Jack Matthews, president of Matthews Southwest and developer behind Old American, said responding to the ‘ask’ from the LPGA to host the event was an easy yes. “We’re in synch with the visionaries behind this event and agree that it’s all about community. It’s something we established long ago in our relationship with the city of The Colony and was a main objective in the creation of The Tribute development in which Old American laid its foundation.”
Volunteers of America, a non-profit organization that provides programs and services to impact lives, is in its fourth year as the event’s title sponsor.
Photos from the press conference can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/yce7l6hq
About Old American Golf Club:
Inspired by the ‘Golden Age’ of golf course architecture between 1911 and 1937, Old American’s natural contours, hazard styles, native grasses and green shapes were influenced by such masterpieces as Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links, Prairie Dunes and Crystal Downs.
Davis, an accomplished amateur player and former All-American at the University of Oklahoma and Leonard, who played his college golf at the University of Texas, toured and played a handful of America’s classic Golden Age golf courses prior to starting the design process for The Old American.
The result is a golf course that emphasizes strategy and shot-making and flows with a natural rhythm from first tee to 18th green. Old American features six sets of tees, ranging from the 5215-yard forward markers to the 7174-yard “Leonard” tournament tees. Davis and Leonard conceived the routing and layout with both medal and match play in mind, as golfers are required to hold “steady to par” through a number of holes, but enticed to gamble on birdie or better during select stretches of the course. For more information, visit www.oldamericangolfclub.com.
About The Tribute Development:
Located in The Colony on a Lake Lewisville peninsula one mile west of FM 423 on Lebanon Road, The Tribute (www.thetribute.com) is a 1,600 acre master planned community that will include more than 2,000 homes ranging in price from $340,000 to over $1 million at build out. The Tribute boasts two 18-hole award winning golf courses with club houses and more than 250 acres of natural open space with a trail system and canals. The Tribute is located in the Little Elm ISD.
