The 2007 Funai Classic
/ Magnolia Course
The 2007 Funai Classic at Walt Disney World Resort will mark
the 37th year of the PGA Tour event in Orland. The tournament
was founded in 1971 as the Walt Disney World Open Invitational.
From 1974 to 1981, the tournament was played as a two-man team event
with a better-ball format. The Classic will be played on two of
Disney's finest courses, The
Magnolia Course and The
Palm Course.
Beginning with a three-peat by Jack Nicklaus in 1971, 1972, and
1973, this PGA event continues to bring the best players in the
world to Disney, including past champions Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh
and Mark O'Meara.
The Funai Classic is part of the PGA Tour's Fall Series as of
2007. The tournament is one of the player's favorites because
of the location in Orlando, Florida. This is one stop on the PGA
Tour where you will see many of the player's families, most of which
will be enjoying the parks in Disney.
The Magnolia is the longest of the Disney courses. Designed
in classic TOUR-style, the wide fairways invite you to hit the ball,
and hit it hard! But beware, 11 of the 18 holes boast water, and
97 bunkers dot the landscape and guard sizeable, undulating greens.
In 1993, 23 years after opening, the Magnolia received a refreshing
face-lift. Course architect Lee returned to redesign all 18 greens
and the main putting green. The putting surfaces, which had lost
their shape through years of routine maintenance, were restored
to their original condition. Aside from the greens, Lee had teeing
areas realigned to their original form.
Purse: $4,600,000
Winning Share: $828,000
Palm Course Yards: 6,957 / Magnolia Course Yards: 7,516
|
|
|
Hole #1
Avoid the trees to the left. Position off tee is all important.
Green is large. Pin position right is toughest.
|
|
|
Hole #2
Don't flirt with the right side. Plenty of room left. Green
with five sand bunkers is testy. Lower left pin is a sucker
pin. Play for the middle of the green. |
|
|
Hole #3
A fine short par 3 - usually 6 or 7 iron, depending on wind.
It's a hole you think "2" -- but one bad swing, and
you've made a 4! |
|
|
Hole #4
Need to hit good, solid drive to go for green in two. When going
for green, avoid long sand bunker left. If you lay-up, use mid
iron to leave a full wedge approach. Don't let all the sand
bunkers scare you!
|
|
|
Hole #5
Play this hole with a cut driver. Downwind, I use a 3-wood.
Important to be in fairway, which makes approach shot straight
forward to a well-bunkered green.
|
|
|
Hole #6
Famous home of Mickey Mouse sand bunker! Solid par 3, requiring
mid to long iron shot. Avoid Mickey and two side sand bunkers
for best result. |
|
|
Hole #7
This is not a difficult hole, if you avoid the water hazard
left. The wind and subtle pin placements make it difficult
at times to get ball close to hole with second
|
|
|
Hole #8
From pro tee, this hole is extremely tough to reach in two.
Hit a solid drive and 3 wood to leave a short iron or wedge
to a sloping green. Staying below the hole gives you best chance
for birdie. |
|
|
Hole #9
Excellent Par 4. Requires long drive to leave a mid to long
iron approach to a large green that is penalizing if you miss
left. I'll take par here any time! |
|
|
Hole #10
I've had my share of luck here. Eagle in '83 pushed me to victory.
After a good drive, green is very reachable with wood or long
iron. Hit it high to hold smaller green.
|
|
|
Hole #11
One of the easier holes, if you put the ball in the fairway.
Only way to take a big number is to mis-hit shot into water
off the tee or around the green.
|
|
|
Hole #12
Par 3 that plays slightly shorter than yardage. Play for middle
of green. Difficult up and down from anywhere, if you miss the
green.
|
|
|
Hole #13
Position tee shot anywhere in fairway with driver or 3-wood,
depending on wind conditions. Leaves short iron or wedge. Green
has more undulation than most on Magnolia.. |
|
|
Hole #14
Tee shot not very difficult. Being a three-shot hole for me,
I find avoiding water on left for second shot critical. Back
right pin position slopes away from fairway, making it difficult
to get shot close for birdie. |
|
|
Hole #15
Very good hole, played with long iron to an elevated, undulated
green, which makes chipping or pitching very difficult. I won
the 1986 Golf Classic here in playoff with par. |
|
|
Hole #16
Keep tee shot left center off the tee to allow for a better
approach to green. The large green allows you to be aggressive,
knowing that 17 and 18 yield limited birdies. Trust your yardage
- it looks shorter and plays longer. |
|
|
Hole #17
The most dangerous hole on the course. Tee shot over water,
then a long mid-iron to a well-protected narrow green. Give
me a 4 here and I'll run to 18! |
|
|
Hole #18
Demanding driving hole, with a well-protected green. Beware
of water right, it can come into play. Par is good here anytime. |
|
|
|
|
