Tiger Woods opens golf course near Branson: ‘I want to see a lot of birdies made here’
Tiger Woods brought out some of the biggest stars in golf and honored the memory of a past champion Tuesday in the Ozarks.
The occasion was the official opening of Payne’s Valley, the first public-access course in the U.S. designed by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design group.
Woods and fellow American Justin Thomas won a match against Europeans Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose in The Payne’s Valley Cup, and legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player were on hand to help dedicate the course about 10 miles south of Branson.
“I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out,” Woods said of the course before Tuesday’s match.
Woods said on a previous visit that he aimed top create wide landing areas and open green fronts, which can help shorter hitters. He said he wants the grounds to be a player’s friend.
“I want to see a lot of birdies made here,” Woods said. “I have always felt that golf is about bringing people together and this has served as my inspiration to design fun and playable courses.”
Woods said he was honored to work on the project with Johnny Morris, who founded Bass Pro Shops and Big Cedar Lodge. Woods called Morris “one of the premier conservationists of our time.”
“Tiger and I have been fishing and golfing friends for 20 years and we have long dreamed of designing and building a truly special experience for golf and conservation right here in the Ozarks,” Morris said. “Payne’s Valley fulfills that dream, and doing it with Tiger in honor of our late friend Payne makes it deeply special to me.”
One of the unusual features of the course is a 19th hole. It was designed by Morris to give players a chance to complete unsettled wagers and to showcase the beauty of the Ozarks. It decided Tuesday’s match, which finished tied but was decided by Thomas being closest to the hole off the tee.
After completing the final hole, golfers depart the island green and navigate a nature trail and natural cave system to return to the clubhouse.
The opening ceremony commemorated the life of Payne Stewart. A native of Springfield, Missouri, Stewart won 11 PGA Tour events, including three majors, before his death in an aviation accident in 1999 at age 42.
“To have the opportunity to represent Payne and his family and what he’s meant to the state of Missouri and the Ozarks — it’s an honor for me,” Woods said.
The event benefited the Payne Stewart Family Foundation.
Payne’s Valley joins four existing courses at the resort. The others include Buffalo Ridge Springs, which was designed by Tom Fazio; Ozarks National, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw; Mountain Top, a 13-hole course designed by Player; and Top of the Rock, a par-3 course designed by Nicklaus.
A putting course at the resort was designed by Kansas City native and golf legend Tom Watson.
Morris said he was very blessed to work with all the different designers on courses of varying lengths. Because Payne’s Valley can be walked by most players, Morris hopes it can help bring more big golf events to the course in the future.
“Today was a dream,” Morris said. “To have a chance to host a major championship is a dream also.”
This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 1:11 PM.