The Greenbrier Classic Preview

This week sees the first running of a new tournament on the PGA Tour schedule. The Greenbrier Classic will be contested over the famous West Virginia resort’s “Old White” course.

Jim Furyk starts favourite
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Lowdown: This week sees the first running of a new tournament on the PGA Tour schedule. The Greenbrier Classic will be contested over the famous West Virginia resort's "Old White" course. With the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational taking place next week at Firestone and the USPGA the following week, many of the top players are taking this week off competitive action to prepare. As a result, this will be a good opportunity for one of the PGA Tour's lesser lights to shine. The Old White course at The Greenbrier originally dates from 1914 and was the work of Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor. In 2006 Lester George completed a redesign that aimed to restore the layout to play as it had in its early years. Sam Snead, a former "Golf Professional Emeritus" at the Greenbrier, scored his final hole-in-one on the Old White course's 18th hole back in 1995. The Greenbrier is no stranger to professional competition. The club's Greenbrier Course was used for the Ryder Cup matches in 1979 and the 1994 Solheim Cup. It was also host to a Champions Tour event from 1985-87.

Venue: The Old White Course, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia Date: Jul 29 - Aug 1 Course stats: par 70, 7,020 yards Purse: $6,000,000 Winner: $1,080,000 Defending Champion: Shane Lowry (-17)

TV Coverage: Thursday 29 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 8pm Friday 30 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 8pm Saturday 31 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 6pm Sunday 1 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 6.30pm

Player Watch: Jim Furyk - The veteran American is the highest ranked player on the start sheet and he could take the lead in the FedEx Cup standings with a victory. Nick Watney - Has played well in recent weeks including a tie for seventh at the Open Championship. He's due a win. Matt Kuchar - He's had an extremely consistent season and is seventh on the FedEx Cup and Ryder Cup rankings. He'll be looking to consolidate and secure a spot on Corey Pavin's team for Celtic Manor.

Key hole: 18th. Unusually, The Old White Course finishes with a short par 3. At just 162 yards, it's a birdie chance. The tee shot must be fired over the river to a green surrounded by bunkers.

Skills required: Accurate approaches. The greens on the Old White course are extremely undulating and it's crucial to leave the ball on the correct side of the cup if you're to have a makeable putt. Although it will be on the greens the tournament is eventually decided, finding the right section of those greens will be key.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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