Ridgewood To Host World's Top Golfers At Northern Trust
Nothing says do-or-die drama like the FedExCup Playoffs, the climax of the PGA TOUR season and the culmination of the season-long race for the FedExCup. And what better place to kick off the excitement of the Playoffs than here in New Jersey, home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the world, and at The Ridgewood Country Club, one of the oldest country clubs in the United States.
On August 21-26, the PGA TOUR returns to The Ridgewood Country Club for the first time since 2014 to host THE NORTHERN TRUST (formerly The Barclays), the first of four FedExCup Playoffs events. This is a can’t miss tournament – only the top-125 players in the standings qualify. Each Playoffs event offers quadruple the points of a regular season event, not to mention the $35 million in bonus money at the season’s end, so every single stroke matters.
From the moment the final putt dropped at Ridgewood in 2014, the staff has been hard at work getting ready for the TOUR’s return, with bunker restorations, green expansions and fairway improvements being made to restore the course back to its original design and improve the viewing experience for fans.
"Through a long-term golf course master plan, architect Gil Hanse, who has been working with Ridgewood since 1995, helped us restore the course back to its original A.W. Tillinghast roots,” said Todd Raisch, golf course superintendent at Ridgewood. “Nearly 15,000 square feet of greens were recovered, fairways were expanded approximately six acres and bunkers were reshaped back to their Golden Age design with state-of-the-art construction methods. Several fescue areas now line the course and a few new tees have been added bringing the course to 7,385 yards."
Ridgewoodhas hosted some of the most significant golf tournaments, including the 1935 Ryder Cup, 1974 U.S. Amateur, 1990 U.S. Senior Open and 2001 Senior PGA Championship. In the three years that THE NORTHERN TRUST has been played at Ridgewood, the course has produced exciting finishes with two playoffs (Vijay Singh/2008; Matt Kuchar/2010) and a two-stroke victory (Hunter Mahan/2014).
“We play such great golf courses here in the metropolitan area, and Ridgewood is sensational,” Phil Mickelson said heading into the 2014 event. “Tee‑to‑green, it's such a spectacular test of golf. The greens have such great views and undulations and contours, making it challenging to get the ball close to the hole. But, it’s a very fair test and I think all the players really love Ridgewood. To start the FedExCup here on a great course like Ridgewood – in the best shape it's ever been – we are going to have an exciting week and exciting month of golf.”
With the professional golf scene the most exciting it’s been in years, this year’s field is expected to be one of the strongest in tournament history. Tiger Woods is in contention again. Mickelson has already won this season. Patrick Reed, THE NORTHERN TRUST’s 2016 champion, took home the green jacket at the Masters Tournament, and Dustin Johnson, defending champion of THE NORTHERN TRUST, has notched two wins this season.
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to purchase your tickets to ensure you’re getting a front-row seat to all of the action. Tickets are available at THENORTHERNTRUST.com or by calling 844-868-7465. Join the conversation: follow @TheNTGolf on Twitter and Facebook and @thentgolf on Instagram to stay up-to-date on key tournament updates and previews.
