Pavin wants Ryder Cup players to play Celtic Manor early

Published 11:07 pm Wednesday, June 3, 2009

NEWPORT, Wales — U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin wants his players to find time to play Celtic Manor before they arrive to defend the trophy in October 2010.

In a joint press conference with his European counterpart Colin Montgomerie, Pavin said he would be asking potential team players either to take part in next year’s Wales Open on the 2010 course that will be used for the Ryder Cup or find time around the playing of the British Open.

Pavin, on his first trip to Celtic Manor, is playing the Wales Open this week, but next year it could be a problem because it falls two weeks before the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

“It is obviously a little different for us, but what I’m going to do is ask my players who come over for The Open Championship, either before or after, to try to get a couple practice rounds here,” Pavin said. “I certainly would like my potential players to see the course once or twice before Ryder Cup week.”

New course for Pebble Beach Pro-Am

The Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will have a new golf course in its rotation next year with the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club replacing Poppy Hills.

Monterey Peninsula, last used in the three-course rotation in 1977, will join Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill at the PGA Tour event.

It will be the first change in courses at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am since 1991, when Cypress Point was replaced by Poppy Hills because of membership issues.

Poppy was the least favorite among players, with bumpy greens and five par 5s that often led to rounds lasting six hours or more.