Place, Venue & Date Changes for Tradition


The Tradition has been held for the last time in Central Oregon. The Champions Tour major formerly called the Jeld-Wen Tradition concluded last Sunday, with Fred Funk winning it for the second time, is moving to Alabama.

The event will now be called the Regions Tradition after its new title sponsor, Birmingham-based Regions Financial Corp. The event will be played May 2-8, 2011, at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club.

Shoal Creek hosted the 1984 and 1990 PGA Championships as well as the 1986 U.S. Amateur and 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur. The club was the focus of controversy prior to the 1990 PGA Championship because of its then all-white membership. The PGA of America was going to pull out of its commitment for that major, but struck a compromise with the club after local insurance executive Louis Willie was invited to become an honorary member.

Because of that uproar, the PGA Tour, United States Golf Association and PGA of America took steps to prevent any club with exclusionary policies from hosting one of their tournaments.

The Jeld-Wen Tradition has been held for the past four years in August at Crosswater Club in Sunriver Resort, south of Bend. It will replace the Birmingham's Regions Charity Classic on the Champions Tour schedule.