New York State and the PGA TOUR have reached an agreement to take The Barclays, the first event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, to Bethpage State Park's Black Course in 2012 and 2016.
Bethpage Black, in Farmingdale, became the first publicly owned and operated course to host the U.S. Open in 2002. It also hosted the 2009 U.S. Open. Bethpage Black was designed by famed golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1936 and will now host the first tournament in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.
The event, which is expected to generate millions of dollars in revenue for New York State and Nassau County, will be paid for entirely by the PGA – no taxpayer dollars will be used to subsidize The Barclays.
"The PGA TOUR's decision to hold the The Barclays at the scenic Bethpage Black golf course proves that New York's pristine golf courses are among the best in the nation," Governor Cuomo said today.
"We are committed to bringing world class events like the PGA TOUR and the prestige that comes with it back to New York. This will have a positive economic impact on Long Island and beyond, and New York looks forward to welcoming players and fans back to the Empire State."
New York State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said, "The Bethpage Black is an unforgettable place to both play and watch great golf. I'm grateful to Governor Cuomo and the PGA TOUR for the opportunity to host The Barclays golf tournament at Bethpage State Park, and to show again why our state park system is such a great asset to New York State."
In the early 1930s, the Bethpage Park Authority purchased the Lenox Hills Country Club and other adjacent properties to build what we now know as Bethpage State Park. Famed golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast was hired to design and oversee construction of three new golf courses (Black, Red and Blue) as well as modify the Lenox Hills Course which became the Green Course.
"This is a tremendous announcement for the PGA TOUR, The Barclays and for Bethpage," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.
"This partnership will allow The Barclays to continue on its recent tradition of being contested at some of the best courses throughout New York and New Jersey. Fans and players alike will share in their excitement and anticipation of being a part of this event in 2012 and beyond."
About The Barclays
The Barclays has been a part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1967 when Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural event at Westchester Country Club. Since that time, some of the greatest players in the game have earned the title including World Golf Hall of Fame members Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Hale Irwin, Curtis Strange and the new defending champion, Matt Kuchar, 2010 winner of The Barclays.
Many of the world's current top players have won the event as well, including two-time champions Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia, and four-time champion Vijay Singh. As the first of four events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, The Barclays plays a leading role in the FedExCup, the season-long competition that is the centerpiece of the PGA TOUR season.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world's premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 100 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. The PGA TOUR's mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.
In 2011, the three Tours collectively have tournaments in 29 states and in 12 countries and territories outside of the United States. PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to approximately 500 million households in 224 countries and territories in 29 languages.
Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2010, tournaments on the three Tours generated more than $120 million for local charitable organizations, bringing the TOUR's all-time total of charitable contributions to more than $1.6 billion. The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
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