Champions Tour players are pumped to play Minnehaha CC for Sanford International
Sanford International field is strongest ever
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) -Onida native Tom Byrum and his buddies from the Champions Tour are in Sioux Falls for the week. And the Sanford International starts tomorrow.
Today was the final day or pro-ams in what has been a week long of festivities. All former champs are here including the initial winner Steve Stricker. And there’s new faces like Padraig Harrigton who’s been tearing it up since turning 50 this year.
The one thing they all have in common is their love to compete. And the guys who have won here before, are pumped to be back.
Steve Stricker says, ”It’s a good old school golf course. The green are undulated, they’re tough. You’ve got to manuever the balls out into the fairways. It usually plays pretty firm and fast which is fun for us.”
Darren Clarke says, ”First and foremost the golf course is incredible. The fairways are like greens and the greens are as pure as you’re going to get. So the course superintendent and everyone involved has done an amazing job to give us this golf course.”
Andy North says, ”I think we’re moving the right direction. We’ve got the best field ever. The golf course is fantastic. Now we just need Mother Nature to do her thing and it will be fine.”
Padraig Harrington says, ”The reality is the winner is the guy who is the strongest mentally and all the way through the game putting-wise. So yes (hitting it long) sets me up, but I’ve got to do the other things well in order to win.”>
Lots of great players are here this year... But Harrington will be really fun to watch with his distance off the tee and great all-around game. Tee times start at 11:25 tomorrow on both 1 and 10... Davis Love III, Fred Couples and Steve Stricker are the premier group of the day at 1:15. Padraig is with Harrington and Steve Alker at 1:05.
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