The McGladrey Classic will be the 27th of 30 holes in the $1 million Kodak Challenge competition. Rickie Fowler currently leads the Kodak Challenge at 12-under-par.
“Basically unchanged since its original design in 1920, Number 13 at the Seaside Course is a classic par-4, as beautiful as it is challenging,” said Love. “For this reason, it fits perfectly into the Kodak Challenge. The late season action of the Kodak Challenge looks to be exciting again this year, and we’re pleased that the players and fans of The McGladrey Classic can be a part of it.”
The Kodak Challenge celebrates beautiful holes and memorable moments on the PGA TOUR and challenges players to perform their best on 30 designated Kodak Challenge holes.
A few of the memorable Kodak holes this year were the 18th hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the "Wild Hole" at TPC Scottsdale.
PGA Tour golfers must play at least 18 of the 30 designated Kodak Challenge holes. The player with the lowest cumulative score on his best 18 Kodak Challenge holes will win $1 million. The Kodak Challenge concludes on No. 17 at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic on November 11-14. The McGladrey Classic joins the Kodak Challenge at a highly competitive juncture. Fifteen PGA TOUR players are currently within three strokes of Fowler, and another eighteen sit four shots back.
According to Steve Powell, director of program development for the Kodak Challenge, The McGladrey Classic is a great addition to the final chapter of the Kodak Challenge season.
“No. 13 at The McGladrey Classic brings added excitement to the final stretch of the Kodak Challenge, as it gives pros a challenging, yet viable scoring opportunity. With just seven holes to go and more than 30 TOUR players within striking distance of our leader, our Kodak Challenge hole at Sea Island is sure to deliver some great action,” Powell commented.
About the Par 4, 408-yard Hole #13 at The Seaside Course:
Golfers need to take steady aim off the tee as this dog leg left has bunkers along the entire right side of the fairway and a marsh along the left. Depending on the wind, a driver will still leave golfers with a middle iron in to the green, which is protected by a front side bunker.
Kodak Challenge Provides Picture-Taking Moments
Since the Kodak Challenge records a player’s best 18 Kodak Challenge holes scores, pros with a full Kodak Challenge scorecard can move up the leaderboard quickly. Once a player reaches 18 holes, subsequent holes (beyond 18) provide the opportunity to replace bogeys and pars on their Kodak Challenge scorecards with birdies (or even eagles!). This can create a one, two, or even three-shot swing in a player’s score on just one hole.
Several players within striking distance of Fowler have bogeys to replace, including Steve Lowery (-10), Jimmy Walker (-9) and Aaron Baddeley (-9). Three other players at 8-under-par have bogeys on their Kodak Challenge scorecards.
Kevin Streelman claimed the first Kodak Challenge title at the PGA TOUR’s final event of the 2009 season, the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Streelman’s early-round birdie at No. 17 on the Magnolia Course clinched the Kodak Challenge crown, netting the second-year TOUR professional the Kodak Challenge trophy and the winner-take-all $1 million prize.
Here's the up-to-date Kodak Challenge Leaderboard (as of 8/18) with the name of golfer, holes played and score:
Rickie Fowler 16 -12
Troy Merritt 17 -11
Brendon de Jonge 17 -10
Ted Purdy 17 -10
Steve Lowery 15 -10
Charlie Wi 14 -10
Carl Pettersson 16 -9
Mark Wilson 16 -9
Jason Bohn 15 -9
John Senden 13 -9
Zach Johnson 12 -9
