Columbus State, Callaway Gardens to Host 2010 Men's and Women's Golf Championships

Columbus, GA – Peach Belt Conference Commissioner Dave Brunk has announced that Columbus State University will serve as host of the 2010 PBC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. The events will run simultaneously and will be held at the Callaway Gardens resort in Pine Mountain, GA. The men will play the famed Mountain View Course, home of the PGA Tour’s Buick Challenge for over 12 years, while the women will play the challenging Lake View layout. The tournaments will be held on April 12-13, 2010.

The women’s event will be the first in Peach Belt history as the conference reaches the minimum number of six teams needed to sponsor a championship for the first time. CSU will be one of the brand-new programs participating in the event, along with North Georgia College & State University. PBC members Armstrong Atlantic State and UNC Pembroke had been competing in the sport, while PBC newcomers Montevallo and Flagler each had programs in place to give the league the required number.

"We are grateful to Callaway Gardens and Columbus State for providing this unique opportunity for our student-athletes to compete at one of the top golf destinations in the country,” said Brunk. “Athletic Director Jay Sparks, his staff and the many volunteers committed to this championship will do a first-rate job in hosting this event and we simply could not ask for a better venue than Callaway Gardens. Given that we will begin a women's championship for the first time in 2010, it was very important for the Peach Belt to provide a memorable experience for both our men's and women's golfers and thanks to Columbus State and Callaway Gardens we can do that.”

“Callaway Gardens is very excited to host the Peach Belt Conference Championship in April 2010,” said Gail Hall, Golf Sales Manager for Callaway Gardens. "We understand this will be the first time the Peach Belt Conference Men’s Championship will be held at a site that was host to a PGA Event. We are also delighted to have the opportunity to host the inaugural PBC Women’s Championship on Callaway Gardens’ original course - Lake View - which was inspired by our founder Cason Callaway. We are absolutely thrilled to host both events.”

CSU Athletic Director Jay Sparks was delighted by the announcement and is looking forward to the host opportunity. "We haven't had that many opportunities to host a Peach Belt Championship event here at CSU, so from that standpoint this is great. Also, we are proud and very fortunate to have a tremendous resort such as Callaway Gardens to partner with for these two events. This is a great day in CSU athletic history," he said.

CSU previously hosted the PBC men’s championship in 1998 and again in 2006, both at Bull Creek Golf Course. The Cougars, led by rounds of 69-66 from Medalist and All-American Jaco Rall, won the 1998 event and finished second to USC Aiken in the 2006 tournament – the year USCA won the third of three consecutive national championships. According to PBC records, the 2010 men’s event will mark the first time the PBC Championship has been contested on a course that was once home to a PGA event.

CSU head coaches Mark Immelman (men) and Brian Padgett (women) like the idea of playing the PBC Championships in a first-class venue that is so close to home. “We are honored to be the host of the 2010 Peach Belt Championships, especially considering the magnitude of the event with it being the inaugural Men's and Women's Championships. I am excited at the prospect of the tournament and I look forward to staging a first-class event," said Immelman. Padgett added, “Callaway will serve as an excellent venue with 36 beautiful golf holes that present a great golfing challenge for the players. I'm looking forward to competing at the event in our first season of women's golf at CSU.”

Teams will arrive at Callaway Gardens on April 11 for practice rounds and the annual PBC awards dinner. Competition will begin on Monday, April 12 and conclude on Tuesday April 13.

Visit the Callaway Gardens website by clicking on the link below.