{"id":1250044,"date":"2024-03-15T16:18:07","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T16:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/?p=1250044"},"modified":"2024-03-16T21:43:34","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T21:43:34","slug":"pain-pride-personified-at-the-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/pain-pride-personified-at-the-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Pain, pride personified at The Players"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ponte Vedra, FL.<\/strong><\/em> This week’s Players Championship marks the 50th anniversary of the famed event being played at TPC \/ Sawgrass. The Players Championship was not embraced by players in its earliest days and much of that angst was directed at architect Pete Dye.<\/p>\n Dye envisioned a design in which no specific type of player would have an advantage. In looking at the winners over the years there is no specific type of player that has been a dominant force. Long hitters have won at times. On the flip side there have been winners such as Fred Funk and Calvin Peete who were deadly straight off the tee but hardly viewed as above average in total driver distance.<\/p>\n Over the years, Dye made various modifications to the course that opened in 1982. It was that same year when winner Jerry Pate pushed Dye and then PGA TOUR commissioner Deane Beman into the water off the 18th green as penalty for such a difficult course, then dove in himself.<\/p>\n Being the flagship event for the PGA TOUR has meant being on the cutting edge in terms of course conditioning and overall acceptance by those competing for the prestigious title.<\/p>\n “How this event has grown in size, scope and impact over the past five decades is something we’re extremely proud of,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “And we continue to focus on delivering the best championship to our players, fans and partners.”<\/p>\n Dye passed away at 94 in 2020 but he was able to keep a close eye on his most noted design given the annual stature the event generates.<\/p>\n