Golf: Hyundai to replace Diners Club as Team Match Play title

sponsor

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT COAST - The postseason event formerly known as the Diners

Club Matches at Pelican Hill Golf Club in December has a new title

sponsor, Hyundai, and will return this year to the resort course owned by

the Irvine Co., sources confirmed Friday.

The made-for-television golf tournament, featuring eight players from

each of the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA tours, will be Dec. 16-17 and

include defending champion Jack Nicklaus. ABC will once again televise

the event live.

Pelican Hill, the high-end daily fee facility with two golf courses,

agreed to a one-year contract with Gaylord Entertainment, formerly Jack

Nicklaus Productions, which produces the event.

Hyundai will replace Diners Club, which was the original title

sponsor. The Korean car maker is based in Fountain Valley.

An announcement will be made next week and a press conference at

Pelican Hill will be scheduled for later this month to introduce Hyundai,

according to insiders.

Last year, the first time the event was played at Pelican Hill, 14

holes of the tournament were played on the Ocean North course and final

four on the Ocean South.

This year, only the south course will be used and tournament director

Gary Pollard said a shuttle service will be available to help galleries

move around the hilly layout designed for golf carts.

“I’m thrilled to have it back here at Pelican Hill again,” Pollard

said. “I think the marketplace has a greater awareness of the event.”

Ticket prices have also been slashed almost in half, with single-day

passes on the weekend dropping from $65 to $35 and three-day badges going

from $125 to $65.

Furthermore, the Pelican Hill Grill, closed to the public last year,

will open its facility for fans at $45 (for the pro-am on Friday, Dec.

15), $55 (Dec. 16) and $60 (Dec. 17), a cost that does not include food

and beverages.

“It gets you where you want to be, where some people insisted they

wanted to be (last year),” Pollard said. “Those will be the first tickets

to sell out.”

The defending champions who gain automatic entry to the event are

Nicklaus and Tom Watson of the Senior PGA Tour, Fred Couples and Mark

Calcavecchia of the PGA Tour, and Juli Inkster and Dottie Pepper of the

ladies tour.