| Mayakoba Golf Classic: Second-Round Notebook |
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By Joel Schuchmann
Courtesy of PGATOUR.com
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico -- Fred Funk, one of three co-leaders at the Mayakoba Golf Classic through two rounds, has had nine previous leads/co-leads through 36 holes on the PGA TOUR, with one victory -- at the 1995 Ideon Classic. His most recent share of the 36-hole lead came at the 2004 Buick Championship, where he finished T3.
 | Co-leader Cameron Beckman has held one previous 36-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA TOUR -- at the 2003 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania, where he finished T5. Beckman has yet to bogey a hole at the Mayakoba Golf Classic through 36 holes. |
| Co-leader Boo Weekley's previous best position through 36 holes on TOUR was eighth at the 2002 Tampa Bay Classic, where he finished T22. His best career finish was T19 at the 2002 FedEx St.Jude Classic. |
| Two major champions sit among the top 10 through 36 holes - Mark Brooks (T10) won the 1996 PGA Championship, while Bob Tway (T10) won the 1986 PGA Championship. |
| Eight players among the top 10 are looking for their maiden PGA TOUR victory -- Boo Weekley (T1), Bill Haas (T4), Brian Gay (T4), Ryan Armour (T7), Jon Merrick (T7), Fabrizio Zanotti (T10), Michael Putnam (T10) and George McNeill (T10). Armour, Merrick, Putnam and McNeill are TOUR rookies, while non-member Zanotti is making his first PGA TOUR start. |
| Brian Gay is playing in his 261st career TOUR event -- his previous best finish was T2 at the 2001 MasterCard Colonial and the 2002 Buick Open. The 261 starts is 15th among active players for most starts without a win. |
| Sponsor Exemption Fabrizio Zanotti posted the low second round with a 7-under-par 63. He sits T10 through 36 holes. Shigeki Maruyama and Garrett Willis withdrew prior to the second round. |
| The cut came at even-par 140, with 79 players making it to the weekend. More than half (72 of 140) of the rounds were in the 60s on Friday with the scoring average creeping under par at 69.807. |
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About Mayakoba |
| Mayakoba is situated just south of Cancún on México's prized Caribbean coast - the Riviera Maya. A mere 40-minute drive from the towering hotels of Cancún visitors will discover a completely different experience. Here, nestled in a lush natural paradise, lies Mayakoba, a truly unique resort destination. Mayakoba is comprised of five luxury hotels, each featuring a range of culinary and spa experiences. An 18 hole Greg Norman championship golf course, El Camaleón, managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, offers players an ever-changing terrain that moves gracefully from mangroves to the sea. Created to harmonize with the unspoiled tropical forest, Mayakoba is connected with a series of lagoons enabling guests to wander effortlessly from place to place through the resort using the "lanchas" (covered boats) as well as a network of trails. Mayakoba, a luxury destination like no other where you are immersed in unspoiled natural beauty and the mysteries of an ancient civilization. |
| About OHL |
| Based in Madrid, OHL has 12,926 employees and an impressive average yearly growth rate of 16.6% since 2002. In 2006, its net sales amounted to 3.3 billion Euros. At the same time, OHL is strongly committed to environmental responsibility and in 2003 produced its first Sustainable Development Report. As Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, the chairman of the board of directors and the author of the report, noted, mindful attention to the long-term health of the environment creates a "virtuous circle" that benefits the company, its clients and the globe. OHL's ecological diligence has served it well in México, where strong government regulations are enforced to protect the environment. A presence in México since 1980, OHL employs 800 people there and has built highways, bridges, hotels and hospitals. The tourism complex at Mayakoba, which will eventually include two or three golf courses and six luxury hotels, is OHL's most ambitious hospitality project to date. |
| About Greg Norman Production Company |
| The Greg Norman Production Company (GNPC), a subsidiary of Great White Shark Enterprises, is devoted to event management and sports marketing. In addition to the PGA TOUR's Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancún, the GNPC operates the PGA TOUR-sanctioned Merrill Lynch Shootout. The GNPC prides itself on producing events and marketing initiatives that not only reflect the discerning standards of its namesake, but of its clients as well. Through its myriad relationships within golf, media and event industries, the GNPC is fully capable of providing its clients with a wide spectrum of services that will seamlessly build brand equity and generate a unique marketing and or hospitality medium. |
| About El Camaleón Golf Club |
| El Camaleón Golf Course at the Mayakoba resort is Greg Norman's latest masterwork. The 7,039-yard layout is unique - not just to México but to the entire world of golf. The course bends through three distinct landscapes--mangrove jungles, limestone canals and stunning, oceanfront stretches of sand. El Camaleón incorporates a cenote, a massive underground cavern, into the heart of the opening fairway. The handsome, Mayan influenced clubhouse that rises above the 18th green will feature a fine dining room with stunning views over the course. The adjoining practice facility and driving range are of international caliber. With Mayakoba's unique system of lagoons, golfers will be able to step out of their rooms and into a boat, which will ferry them directly to the first tee. El Camaleón Golf Course is managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. |
| About Golf PARa Todos |
| Golf FORE Everyone aims to create a fun-filled, diverse and educational program that teaches about the game of golf and its ideals. The program encourages active participation in the game as a participant and as a fan, and facilitates the integration of golf into the lives of all those within the community. Golf PARa Todos is a community program presented and created by the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
The inaugural installment of Golf PARa Todos was held in October 2007 at El Camaleón Golf Club in Playa del Carmen. A monthly program, Golf PARa Todos is open to people of all ages, backgrounds and levels of golf skill or knowledge. For more information, visit www.GolfParaTodos.org.
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| Media Contacts |
The Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancún is dedicated to assisting the media in covering this historic event. For more information on press releases, press conferences or attending the event, please contact the Mayakoba Golf Classic's media directors: Lee Patterson (USA) or Elisa Gaudet (Mexico and Latin America).
Lee Patterson
Media Director
Greg Norman Production Company
(704) 553-4790
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Elisa Gaudet
Founder, Executive Golf International
Latin America Media Director
NYC office: (646) 678-5747
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Schedule of Events |
Wed | Pro-Am Competition |
Thu | First Round* |
Fri | Second Round* |
Sat | Third Round* |
Sun | Final Round* |
*Broadcast: GOLF CHANNEL |
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El Camaleón Golf Club |
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El Camaleón is aptly named for its diverse layout and ever-changing landscape, which bends through tropical jungles, dense mangroves and oceanfront stretches. |
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