Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, Heritage to share weeks in 2011

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Aug. 26, 2010: The PGA TOUR announced a one-year only schedule change that moves The Heritage (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) a week later to April 18-24 in 2011. Traditionally played the week following The Masters, The Heritage in 2011 will be held the same week as the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, the Champions Tour team event in nearby Savannah, Ga.

This one-time change is due to an anomaly in the 2011 schedule that adds an extra week between the Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship. The Valero Texas Open agreed to move from May to April to fill the extra week. However, due to a variety of reasons, the original date proposed by the PGA TOUR was not workable for the Valero Texas Open, which made the week following the Masters the most viable option.

"First, in light of recent speculation about The Heritage's immediate future, we are pleased to confirm that it will return to the PGA TOUR schedule in 2011," said Rick George, PGA TOUR chief of operations. "While having two events in the same market during the same week is not an ideal situation, it does provide us the unique opportunity to showcase the best of the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour to that region, and we expect both tournaments to continue to be very successful events.

"This is a one-time change to the PGA TOUR schedule, and our hope and intent is for The Heritage to return to its long-standing position the week after the Masters in 2012," George added. "Our thanks to both tournaments for agreeing to the resolution, and we know they will work together to provide the best experience for area golf fans, while also positively impacting the local economy and many deserving charities."

"While there will be some adjustments due to the schedule change, we look forward to another highly successful Heritage tournament in 2011," said Steve Wilmot, tournament director of The Heritage. "Our thanks go out to the many Heritage fans, volunteers and sponsors for their understanding, and we look forward to returning to our traditional post-Masters date in 2012."

"The Heritage Classic has been a PGA TOUR staple for many years and we are happy for their Foundation, Tournament Staff, and the folks in the Hilton Head community that the Heritage Classic is on the 2011 TOUR schedule," said Joe Rotellini, executive director of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. "They have worked hard to get it done. We look forward to working with Steve and his team on possible partnerships for this one-year phenomenon."

Players sympathetic to Furyk, offer suggestions on future rulings

PARAMUS, N.J., Aug. 25, 2010: If we learned anything this month, it's that breaking a rule in golf can have harsh consequences. Dustin Johnson felt the sting in the bunker at Whistling Straits. And now Jim Furyk won't play this week after oversleeping for his pro-am tee time Wednesday and being declared ineligible to compete at The Barclays.

Furyk, the No. 3 player in FedExCup points, took responsibilities for his actions and only blamed himself for failing to meet his obligations. "The rules are rules," he said.

His fellow competitors were certainly sympathetic upon hearing of Furyk's fate.

"It was a bit of a surprise," said Ernie Els, No. 1 in FedExCup and scheduled to play with Furyk and No. 2 Steve Stricker in the first two rounds this week. "Obviously a bit of a shock ... He paid the ultimate penalty being late to the pro-am."

"It's tough," added Tiger Woods. "It's a new rule. And we don't have to agree with it. But it is our new policy."

In 2004, the PGA TOUR instituted the rule that unless players had a medical excuse for missing a pro-am tee time, they would be declared ineligible for that week's event. In 2006, the rule was amended so that players who had family emergencies would also be allowed to miss the pro-am without penalty.

The rule has come into play a few times, including at the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard when John Daly missed his Wednesday pro-am tee time. Retief Goosen was ruled ineligible for the 2005 Nissan Open (now Northern Trust Open) when he missed his pro-am tee time.

Slugger White, Vice President of Rules and Competitions for the PGA TOUR, said Furyk handled the ruling in a professional manner.

"A commitment to play in the tournament is a commitment to play in the pro-am," White said. "It is unfortunate for Jim. It is unfortunate for the tournament. He is a fan favorite and everybody likes him. He is a really good guy, but my hands are tie.d

Phil Mickelson said he told PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem that he disagreed with the harshness of the rule because it doesn't apply to everybody in the field. He said only the players who participate in the pro-am must adhere to the rule.

"If you're going to have a rule that does not apply to everybody because not everybody played the pro-am, you cannot have it affect the competition," Mickelson said. "...It applies to only half the field and yet it affects the integrity of the competition."

Els suggested that instead of being declared ineligible to play, perhaps the penalty could involve a reduction in FedExCup points -- especially during the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

"You can have an argument to say, 'OK, these are the Playoffs.' We should have a different set of rules out here, maybe," Els said. "... Now that it's happened, maybe we should re-evaluate the rules for the Playoffs system."

But for now, the bottom line is that Furyk is out this week.