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Tavistock Cup

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The Tavistock Cup is a team golf event played in Florida that features the top-ranked golf professional members of six international golf clubs: Albany, Isleworth, Lake Nona, Oak Tree National, Primland, and Queenwood. The two-day tournament is an officially-sanctioned, unofficial-money PGA Tour event. The inaugural Tavistock Cup matches were held at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in 2004.

Contents

Through 2010, the Tavistock Cup was contested by Isleworth and Lake Nona golf clubs. In 2011, the Tavistock Cup was expanded with the addition of teams representing the clubs of Albany and Queenwood, which are located in the Bahamas and outside London, respectively.

Opened in 2010, Albany is Tavistock Group’s newest golf club community, and Queenwood became the first golf club not developed by Tavistock Group to participate in the Tavistock Cup. In 2013, the Tavistock Cup further expanded to a six-team competition by adding Oak Tree National and Primland golf clubs.

Each team consists of four golf professional members who play for prize money, team hole-in-one prizes and the title of World Golf and Country Club Champion. The professional members of these six golf clubs have collectively won more than 1,012 worldwide tournaments, including 67 major championships, through 2012.

Tickets are not sold to the public; only club members, residents, sponsors, designated charities and invited guests are able to attend the event. Once in, there are no ropes separating spectators from the players. Spectators wear the official team colors of Albany Pink, Isleworth Red, Lake Nona Blue, Oak Tree Orange, Primland Gold or Queenwood Green to show their support for their team.

Since the tournament's inception, Tavistock Cup has donated millions of dollars to philanthropic organizations around the globe, including various player charities as well as education, health and human services, youth development and community programs designed to grow the game of golf.

The Tavistock Cup is televised each year on the Golf Channel in the United States and Canada and on international affiliates throughout the United Kingdom, Asia, Australia, Latin America and South Africa.

History

The Tavistock Cup began in 2004 as a friendly crosstown rivalry between Isleworth and Lake Nona. Each year, the clubs' golf professional members, all of whom are members or residents at either club, compete for the title of World Golf and Country Club Champion.

Isleworth clinched the inaugural victory of the Tavistock Cup in 2004 at Lake Nona. In 2005 the event was played at Isleworth, where each team earned 8 ½ points out of a possible 17 at the end of regulation play. After three holes of sudden death, play was called due to darkness and the teams finished in a tie. Since a winner was not declared, the captains decided the competition should return to Isleworth in 2006. That year Team Isleworth secured another victory.

In 2007, Team Lake Nona claimed their first Tavistock Cup by defeating Team Isleworth with a final score of 22-8. Tiger Woods shot 8-under-par (64) on Tuesday and took home the Payne Stewart Salver Award for low medalist. Retief Goosen was awarded a brand-new 2007 Cadillac Escalade after his shot landed closest to the pin on Hole #17 on Tuesday, one foot and 10 inches from the hole. Besides leading his team to victory, Ernie Els also secured an additional $100,000 for his team by winning the Old Mutual Long Drive Challenge on Monday at Hole #11.

In 2008, the Tavistock Cup returned to Isleworth where the home team defended their turf and beat Team Lake Nona with a final score of 19½ - 11½. J. B. Holmes swept the competition by winning the Old Mutual Long Drive Challenge, the Cadillac Closet to the Pin and the Payne Stewart Salver Award for low medalist with a score of -4 (68).

In 2009, Isleworth took a 6 to 4 point lead into the second day singles matches, but Lake Nona rallied and won 11 points outright and halved four matches. Isleworth scored seven points in singles play. This left Lake Nona with 17 points and Isleworth 13. The Old Mutual Long Drive Challenge was won by Retief Goosen, who hit a 325-yard drive on Hole #9, and by Tiger Woods, who hit a 320-yard drive on Hole #15. The closest to the pin shot of the tournament was hit by Ben Curtis who landed his tee shot on Hole #4 four feet and two inches from the cup. The Payne Stewart Salver Award went to Graeme McDowell, who shot a 6-under-par (66) during Round 2. It was the second Tavistock Cup win for Lake Nona and the first Payne Stewart Medalist for the team.

In 2010, Lake Nona claimed its second consecutive Tavistock Cup title and third overall win over Isleworth with a score of 17-13. Team Isleworth's Nick O'Hern claimed the low medalist for Day Two posting a score of -7 (65). He took home the Payne Stewart Salver Award and the $300,000 prize. Team Lake Nona's Graeme McDowell was runner-up with a score of (-5) 67. Team Lake Nona's Retief Goosen claimed the closest to the pin challenge on Hole # 2, Team Isleworth's Robert Allenby on Hole #5, Team Isleworth's J.B. Holmes on Hole # 11 and Team Lake Nona's Ben Curtis on Hole # 15. The past seven matches have left Isleworth and Lake Nona tied in the series. Each club has claimed three Tavistock Cup titles, with the 2005 matches ending in a tie following a sudden-death playoff.

In 2011, Tavistock Cup introduced a new format, adding two additional clubs to the interclub matches, Albany and Queenwood Golf Club. Tavistock Cup's 24-man field hailed from all corners of the globe. Team Lake Nona dominated Round 2 of the Tavistock Cup capturing its fourth win in the tournament’s eight-year history. With a score of 43-under par, Team Lake Nona overtook Team Isleworth on their home turf in the singles stroke-play format. As the low medalist for Day Two, Lake Nona’s Oliver Wilson helped lead his team to victory with a score of -7 (65). Wilson took home the Payne Stewart Salver Award and the $200,000 prize. Team Isleworth’s Robert Allenby was runner-up with a score of -6 (66). Team Albany came in 16 shots behind Lake Nona at 27-under par. Isleworth came in third place with a score of 25-under par. Queenwood finished fourth at 18-under par.

The 2012 Tavistock Cup featured the same four teams and was contested at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club for the first time since 2009. Lake Nona won the Tavistock Cup for the fourth consecutive time and has collected five overall Tavistock Cup victories in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. For the first time since the tournament’s inception, the Payne Stewart Salver Award was shared by five participants who finished the final round at 5-under-par (67): Robert Allenby, Thomas Bjorn, Ernie Els, Ross Fisher and Retief Goosen. The Salver Award is given each year in memory of the former Isleworth member and late champion golfer Payne Stewart to the player with the lowest score in the final round.

2011 Tavistock Cup

The 2011 Tavistock Cup was contested at Isleworth Golf & Country Club, March 14 and 15.

Team Albany was represented by Arjun Atwal, Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods.

Team Isleworth's lineup included Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Brian Davis, J. B. Holmes, Sean O'Hair and Lee Janzen.

Team Lake Nona was represented by Ross Fisher, Retief Goosen, Peter Hanson, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson.

Team Queenwood's competitors included Thomas Bjørn, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Søren Kjeldsen, Paul McGinley and Adam Scott. Queenwood is the first club outside of Tavistock Group to participate in the tournament.

Lake Nona won the World Golf and Country Club title for the third consecutive year and the fourth time in Tavistock Cup history.

2012 Tavistock Cup

The 2012 Tavistock Cup was contested at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, March 19 and 20.

The rosters were:

  • Team Albany: Tim Clark, Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods.
  • Team Isleworth: Robert Allenby, Daniel Chopra, Charles Howell III, Sean O'Hair, and newcomers Bo Van Pelt and Bubba Watson.
  • Team Lake Nona: Ben Curtis, Ross Fisher, Retief Goosen, Peter Hanson, Graeme McDowell and Tavistock Cup rookie Gary Woodland.
  • Team Queenwood: Thomas Bjørn, David Howell, Søren Kjeldsen, newcomer Tom Lewis, Paul McGinley and Adam Scott.
  • The tournament was won by Team Lake Nona for the fourth consecutive time. Scores: Lake Nona –41, Isleworth –39, Queenwood –31, Albany –26

    2013 Tavistock Cup

    The 2013 Tavistock Cup was contested at Isleworth Golf & Country Club March 25 and 26.

    The rosters were:

  • Team Albany: Tim Clark, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods.
  • Team Isleworth: Brian Davis, D. A. Points, Bo Van Pelt and Bubba Watson.
  • Team Lake Nona: Ross Fisher, Peter Hanson, Graeme McDowell and Henrik Stenson.
  • Team Oak Tree National: Rickie Fowler, Charles Howell III, Bob Tway and Scott Verplank.
  • Team Primland: Fred Couples, Bill Haas, Jay Haas and Webb Simpson.
  • Team Queenwood: Martin Laird, Tom Lewis, Paul McGinley and Adam Scott.
  • Tavistock Cup sponsors

  • Anadarka
  • Audi
  • Audemars Piguet
  • BB&T Insurance Services
  • BBVA Compass
  • Christie's International Real Estate
  • Citi Private Bank
  • FIJI Water
  • Grey Goose
  • Golf Channel
  • Heineken
  • HUGO BOSS
  • HSBC Private Bank
  • Ingersoll Rand
  • Insurance Office of America
  • ISPS
  • Knight
  • Nautique
  • Nemours Children's Hospital
  • Orlando Magic
  • RBC Capital Markets
  • Ruth's Chris
  • Sentient Jet
  • Tullow
  • Waldorf Astoria Orlando
  • World Fuel Services
  • WSM
  • Purse

    Purse:

  • $2.15 million
  • Team prize breakdown:

  • Winning team receives $600,000
  • Runner-up team receives $400,000
  • Third-place team receives $300,000
  • Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place team receives $50,000 per player.
  • Long Drive Challenge takes place on Hole #7 during Round 1 and awards $40,000 to be split among the four members of the team with the player who hits the longest drive.
  • The par 3s will feature team hole-in-one prizes, but the player who hits the single best shot on each of these holes over the two-day competition will receive a gift valued at $20,000 or more from Sentient Jet on Hole #2, Audemars Piguet on Hole #5, Polk Audio on Hole #11 and Hugo Boss on Hole #15.
  • Should a player hit a hole-in-one, that player will win the prize for his entire team and himself. If a player hits a hole-in-one on Hole #15, then each of the players on that team will receive $50,000 to direct to the charities of their choosing on behalf of Hugo Boss.
  • Individual prize breakdown:

  • The Payne Stewart Salver Award is presented to the low Medalist on Tuesday along with $100,000
  • Runner-up Medalist - $75,000
  • Third Place Medalist - $50,000
  • Results

    (*In 2005, both teams earned 8½ of the possible 17 points after 18 holes. After three holes in a sudden death tie-breaker, play was called due to darkness. Each player on both teams took home $87,500 each.)

    References

    Tavistock Cup Wikipedia