Report: Lake Merced expected to host Steph Curry-PGA Tour event

[December 10, 2018]    A new Bay Area PGA Tour event hosted by NBA All-Star Steph Curry is expected to debut next September at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that more than 80 percent of Lake Merced members approved a proposal for more than $3.6 million in course upgrades, which are considered a "prerequisite to holding the tournament."

Golf course architect Rees Jones will reportedly oversee the planned changes, which include lengthening the course to 7,300 yards, expanding the driving range and short-game practice area, rebuilding hole No. 10 into a 411-yard slight dogleg left par 4, renovation of the greens on Nos. 7, 12, 14 and 16 and the addition of several fairway bunkers.

Lake Merced is set to host the LPGA Mediheal Championship on May 2-5, which means the project must be finished quickly. The women's event has been staged at Lake Merced for four of the past five years with Lydia Ko winning three times. The Curry-hosted event is expected to take place in September, likely the week prior to the Safeway Open, which set for Sept. 26-29 in Napa, Calif.

The Golden State Warriors star has competed in two Web.com Tour events on sponsor exemptions but is not expected to compete in this tournament. Instead, Curry will be "actively recruiting" Tour players for the event while his charitable foundation reportedly will be involved in its operations.

An earlier Chronicle report noted that Corica Park's renovated South Course in Alameda, Calif., was in the mix to host the event after multiple visits in October from PGA Tour agronomists.

--Field Level Media

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