More in Store for 2019 WI State Open
We caught up with Joe Stadler, Executive Director of the Wisconsin PGA, while he was onsite for April 30th’s WPGA Pro-Am. The hot topic of discussion involved the 2019 Wisconsin State Open – and the expansive changes that will take place at next year’s tourney on Geneva National’s Palmer and Trevino tracks.
“Historically, the Wisconsin Open is hosted on one course for 156 golfers, but we’re going to expand the field to 204 by utilizing two courses in 2019,” says Stadler. “The field will have the opportunity to play both the Palmer and Trevino courses, then the final 60 contenders will play 36 on Trevino."
According to Stadler, this widens the window of opportunity for a greater number of Wisconsin resident amateurs, junior golfers, and PGA and non-PGA members. The bottom line: more golfers will qualify to play and compete for a total purse of around $65,000. “Hopefully, this new format will be successful, and we’ll repeat it again in two years in Kohler,” says Stadler.
With three championship courses in one stellar location, Geneva National is the ideal site for testing out a two-course event, per Stadler. “The staff at Geneva National have a proven track record for successfully running these types of events, the views are excellent, the vacation location is optimal, and the courses here speak for themselves – three great designers and bent grass fairways, tees and greens in top condition,” he notes.
Stadler adds that the two courses’ new Better Billy Bunkers are a plus. “While they weren’t a deciding factor, the better drainage will be one less thing to worry about,” he notes. “We’ve had events where we’ve had to wait to play until washouts were fixed. Sometimes we’ve even chipped in to help resurrect the course.”
The takeaway here? Two challenging-yet-fun courses combined with an expanded field = more fun to be had at the 2019 Wisconsin Open! Keep an eye on the qualifier schedule and give it a go!
About Geneva National Resort & Club
Geneva National Resort & Club is located along the wooded slopes and shores of Lake Como in the Newport of the Midwest - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Geneva National features a legendary trifecta of semi-private golf courses designed by Palmer, Player and Trevino paired with on-course lodging and award-winning dining at one singular and stellar location. Explore the possibilities at www.genevanationalresort.com.
