ZURICH CLASSIC

Zurich Classic Golf News, Numbers and Pictures

Ellis Lucia / The Times-PicayuneTPC Louisiana is guaranteed a spot on the PGA Tour at least through 2014 after an agreement announced Wednesday by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

The state of Louisiana and the PGA Tour have entered into an agreement that will continue a tournament presence at TPC Louisiana through 2014, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday.

LOUISVILLE, KY. -- It ended with an embrace, with Miguel Angel Jimenez of Malaga, Spain, hugging Jim Furyk, born in West Chester, Pa., and now living in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

TPC Louisiana in Avondale sustained more damage from Hurricane Gustav than first believed and will be closed for an indefinite period of time, General Manager Luke Farabaugh said Thursday.

Farabaugh said approximately 300 trees were downed by Monday's storm that made landfall in southeast Louisiana, up from an initial report of 50-to-100.

Most of the fallen trees are in the wood lines and do not define the 7,500-yard, par 72 Pete Dye layout that serves as the host venue for the annual PGA Tour event, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

English Turn Golf & Country Club and Oak Harbor Golf Club are expected to resume business as soon as possible after sustaining minimal damage from Hurricane Gustav.

"We just got a lot of debris to pick up,'' said English Turn Director of Golf Derek Sanders, whose Jack Nicklaus-designed venue on the West Bank played host to the annual PGA Tour stop in New Orleans from 1989 through 2004.

"Less than 10 trees are down; no standing water. We still don't have electricity as of right now. We'll and open up for dining Friday night and golf Saturday morning. It all depends on the electricity. If we get our power up, we'll be going. We're going to open for golf just so people can get their minds off the storm and get back to a normal operation.''

At first glance, it appears TPC Louisiana in Avondale, which is home to the annual Zurich Classic of New Orleans, has weathered the storm.

"It looks like we dodged a bullet,'' TPC Louisiana General Manager Luke Farabaugh said Tuesday when reached in Tupelo, Miss., where he evacuated to escape Hurricane Gustav. "There are anywhere from 50 to 100 trees down - mostly smaller trees in the wood-lines - with some minor building damage, standing water in bunkers and power outage. But no significant trees that define the golf course are down.

"The challenge for us now is to be able to get all of our staff back in to town and get it all cleaned up.''

City Park officials have postponed a fund-raising tournament scheduled for today and the scheduled opening of the North Course on Saturday as well.

The "Play the Park'' fund-raising tournament, which coincided with the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, will be rescheduled. The North Course will open for public play Thursday.

Though Gustav could pose a threat to our area in the coming days, no weather horn has been sounded yet at City Park.

Tommy Brennan of Covington will be tryng to defend his title of Louisiana Golf Association Mid-Amateur Champion when this year's tournament begins Friday at Houma 's Ellendale Country Club.