The Frys.com Open's move to CordeValle south of San Jose next fall reinforces an important point for valley golf fans.
They're very lucky.
Choices normally favor the consumer with such events as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the Reno-Tahoe Open, the American Century Celebrity at Edgewood Tahoe, the LPGA tour stop in Danville and the Walmart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach only short car drives away. The Presidents Cup at Harding Park in San Francisco was another perk.
Next year, the options multiply with the U.S. Open — read: Tiger Woods — coming back to Pebble Beach, and the Frys.com, one of the closest to home of them all.
Frys.com, a regular stop on the Tour's Fall Series since 2006, has been switched from Grayhawk in Scottsdale, Ariz., to CordeValle in San Martin 30 miles south of San Jose. This brings it closer to the title sponsor's South Bay headquarters.
The relocation has been described as a temporary change while plans are completed for an eventual tournament home at the Institute, a course owned by Frys Electronics founder John Fry, at Morgan Hill.
Regardless, CordeValle will serve the Tour crowd quite nicely, thank you.
Since its opening in 1999, CordeValle has impressed all guests with its Robert Trent Jones Jr. course and five-star award-winning resort.
The 7,169 yard par-72, nestled into the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains, sends the golfer on a dazzling walk up and down natural elevation changes, through broad meadows and over canyons. Streams, sycamores and mature oaks, and strategic bunkering decorate the landscape which is bordered by the Clos LaChance vineyards.
"CordeValle is one of those 'core golf' experiences," Jones said. "It is perhaps my finest golf creation."
We'll see how the Tour rank and file responds next Oct. 14-17. Recent history tells us local fans will be drawn there. All the area's tournaments are supported by valley golfers who serve as volunteers or pay their admission ticket and enjoy the action.
• THE SHAG BAG — Modesto native Matt Bettencourt picked up $8,000 for his tie for sixth last weekend at the 38th Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational. One stroke off the lead going into the last day, Bettencourt shot 72 at Pebble after rounds of 72 Saturday at Pebble, 71 at Spyglass Hill and 67 at Del Monte. Mark Brooks, the 1996 PGA champion, won the tournament for the third time and pocketed $60,0000. Monterey native Mina Harigae was the LPGA Tour's best scorer. ...More than $2,500, double the net over last year, was raised at St. Stanislaus Golf for the third annual Rally For The Cure for breast cancer awareness last month. ...Brings a smile: Gary Burch of Modesto turned 61 Friday and shot a 1-under 61 Saturday at Ripon's Jack Tone Golf. ...
Sue Fiscoe, the City of Modesto golf director who became the first woman district director appointed to The PGA of America's Board of Directors last week, thanks her family for her golf success. "My father got me involved in golf when I was 12 years old," said Fiscoe, a native of Syracuse, N.Y. "I was into show horses, but he wanted me doing something safer and stuck a golf club into my hands. I've loved the game ever since."...
If you're thinking about teeing it up on Thanksgiving Day: Stevinson Ranch offers a turkey day shoot, a best ball twosome, Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The course closes at 2:30 p.m.
• HOLES-IN-ONE — Anil Kahatri, Modesto, 146-yard eighth at Del Rio CC (Bluff), 6-iron. ...Jeanne Abbott, Modesto, 111-yard second at Del Rio (Bluff), 7-iron. ...JoAnne Holtzclaw, Modesto, 102-yard sixth at Jack Tone Golf, Ripon, 6-iron. ...Carl Shafer, Knights Ferry, 111-yard 13th at Jack Tone, pitching wedge.
Bee staff writer Ron Agostini can be reached at ragostini@modbee.com or 578-2302.
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