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LPGA: Founders Cup Preview

By Mike Randleman

Mar 19, 2015; PHOENIX, AZ, USA; A two hour rain delay halted the start of round one of the JTBC Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2015; PHOENIX, AZ, USA; A two hour rain delay halted the start of round one of the JTBC Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 21, 2015; PHOENIX, AZ, USA; Lydia Ko hits her second on the 8th hole during round three of the JTBC Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports /

Tournament play will span two nines at the 36-hole Wildfire Golf Club

Coincidentally on the same week as the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour, the front nine in play this week at the Founders Cup is the back nine of the Arnold Palmer Course. The other track at Wildfire is the Nick Faldo Course, which also lends its back nine for competition.

Both nines add to 6,679 yards playing at a par 72. The yardage skews a bit long for an LPGA event, but Wildfire also sits about 1,700 feet above sea level. That’s not enough to dramatically impact club selection (wait for May’s Lorena Ochoa Match Play in Mexico City for some real elevation), but it could add a few yards here and there.

Related Story: Lorena Ochoa Match Play Just Got Better!

Wildfire has been on board as the host venue since the tournament began in 2011. It features Mini-Verde grass on the greens and Bermuda overseeded with rye in the fairways.

You, too, can tee it up at Wildfire. Rates start as low as $49 for a Twilight round in May through September.

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Golf Advisor ranks the Palmer Course as the No. 22 Top Course in AZ in 2015 and No. 16 in 2014. Faldo ranked No. 23 in 2015 and ’16, No. 14 in 2014.

Wildfire’s website touts it as one of the ‘Best Courses You Can Play’ by Golfweek Magazine, one of ‘America’s Top Golf Courses’ by Zagat, among other accolades.

Tournament play will feature the standard four par-5s and four par-3s with 12 par-4s.

Three years out of six the Founders Cup came down to the 18th hole, a par-4, 420-yarder.

Both nines feature rather large fairways with nearly 200 bunkers around the course. Large, undulating greens are prevalent.

There are perhaps a few more trees and foliage than your prototypical desert course, but some gigantic cacti will remind you where you are fairly quickly.

Next: Arnold Palmer Invitational Power Rankings

Who are you liking for the Founders Cup? Will Sei Young Kim successfully defend her championship? Will there be a 5th new 2017 LPGA Champion? Could the Founders Cup produce a Rolex 1st Time Champion this year?

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