Arnold Palmer will headline a pro-am at the World Golf Village this fall that may turn into a major event.
“It’s going to be a work in progress,” said World Golf Village Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter. “We’ll start with this and see where it goes.”
Officials at the Village have always talked about a signature event to accompany the annual Hall of Fame inductions but nothing has emerged. The Village has hosted the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in the spring and a small pro-am for Wachovia Securities customers at other times, but nothing has been linked to the induction ceremonies.
The event this year will be on Sunday, Nov. 14, and will be followed by a dinner tentatively titled “Night of Legends.” It’s hoped that many past honorees will attend as well as the current class, which this year will see Charlie Sifford, Isao Aoki, Tom Kite and Marlene Stewart Streit inducted on Monday, Nov. 15.
The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf was played at the World Golf Village from 1999 to 2002 but it never took hold, mostly due to its proximity to The Players Championship which was played just a few weeks earlier.
The Wachovia event was a pro-am with the bank bringing in a few name golfers such as Tom Watson to play with customers.