GOLF

Golf Magazine lists Piñon Hills GC as possible candidate to host 2022 PGA Championships

Matt Hollinshead
Farmington Daily Times
Farmington's Pinon Hills Golf Course, seen in this 2017 file photo, was suggested by Golf Magazine as one of the top five municipal courses capable of hosting a major PGA championship event in 2022.

FARMINGTON — Piñon Hills Golf Course continues to garner national recognition, this time making Golf Magazine’s list of five municipal courses that’d be ideal host sites for the 2022 PGA Championships.

And those within the City of Farmington and its golf scene want to see that dream become a reality.

“We’re going to make a little push to capitalize on that publicity, as far-fetched as it may be… We have an extremely active golf community,” Farmington Mayor Nate Duckett said.

According to the list, the five potential locations are PHGC, Washington’s Chambers Bay Golf Course, New Jersey’s Neshanic Valley Golf Course, California’s Torrey Pines North Course and New York’s Bethpage Black Course.

This came after PGA of America voted to remove Trump National Bedminster from consideration on Sunday, according to Golf Magazine.

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"I think Piñon Hills is a gem in this area, and it has been for a long time," First Tee of San Juan County Program Director Tom Yost said. "Hopefully the golf course will get more recognition."

Last August, PHGC was listed as one of the top-14 municipal golf courses nationwide.

Duckett said the latest announcement is a positive boost to the community and can uplift “everybody’s spirits,” adding that golf is among the few sports Farmington-area youth have been able to play during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unified partner Scot Morin, right, helps his athlete Alex Correa with his footwork, Friday, Aug. 24, 2018 during the Four Corners Invitational at the Pinon Hills Golf Course in Farmington. Golf Magazine recently touted the municipal course as a possible candidate for a PGA golfing event.

Duckett also said Farmington would be an ideal PGA Tour Championships setting to help bolster the Four Corners region’s profile for tourism, economic development and retirement destination profiles.

“There’s so much worthy of people’s attention,” Duckett said.

Yost said more infrastructure work, like improving cell phone broadband connection and adding extra hotel services, would need to be addressed to ensure the city hosts a PGA Championships event down the road, but added that the course alone is as good as anywhere else.

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"Just being considered would be a huge boost," Yost said, adding it would help bolster the local economy.

Matt Hollinshead covers sports for the Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4577, Hollinshead@daily-times.com and on Twitter at @MattH_717.

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