The surprise announcement by USGA came during a gala tribute to Pine Needles owner and golfing great Peggy Kirk Bell at the Carolina hotel Saturday.
Cora Jane Blanchard, chairman of the Women’s Committee of the USGA, thanked Bell for what she has done for women’s golf and talked about what a great Championship it has been so far. She presented a picture signed by all of the golfers and some other gifts.
Then Blanchard popped the announcement that the Open would return to Pine Needles in six years. She turned to Bell and asked, “What are you guys doing in 2007?”
“I didn’t hear what she said at first,” Bell told The Pilot. “I am kind of deaf. I asked her what she said.”
The room erupted in a standing ovation.
“That was certainly the climax of the evening,” Bell said. “I said, ‘OK, it’s time for the Steering Committee to get back to work. I just hope I last that long. I will be 86, you know.”
All week, there has been speculation about when the Open would return to Pine Needles. The USGA announced sites earlier this week for 2005 and 2008.
Bell has been lobbying USGA officials all week to bring the Open back to Southern Pines.
“I’ve been telling them, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good at this. You need to come back,’” Bell said. “They kept telling me that they were thinking about it. It shocked the heck out of me that they would announce it tonight.”
Kelly Miller, Bell’s son-in-law and chief operating officer of Pine Needles, was also shocked, but extremely pleased by the announcement.
“It’s obviously very exciting,” Miller said Saturday night. “It is a great tribute. I couldn’t be prouder of our people. It has been a real team effort.
“It’s been a phenomenal week with the support we’ve gotten from the Women’s Open Steering Committee, the volunteers, corporate North Carolina and the fans. That is what it’s all about.”
Pine Needles hosted the Open for the first time in 1996. In an unprecedented move, the USGA announced during the trophy presentation on the 18th green that it would return to Pine Needles in 2001.
“They had never done that before,” Miller said. “To make the announcement before the final round has been played is unbelievable.”
After the USGA announced sites for the 2005 and 2008 Women’s Opens, there was widespread speculation about the Open returning to Pine Needles in either 2006 or 2007.
Miller and Bell both felt that 2006 might be too soon on the heels of the U.S. Open that will be played in Pinehurst in 2005.
“I think having two years’ separation is plenty of time,” Miller said. “It will give the volunteers and all of the others involved a year to breathe. I don’t think we will have any problems building up the excitement for the (2007) Women’s Open.”
Miller and Bell have lobbied the USGA to put Pine Needles in a regular rotation to host the Women’s Open.
“I think that is a part of their plan,” he said. “We certainly would like to see that happen.”
As for now, Miller is looking forward to the final round of the 2001 Open today.
“You have to take them one at a time,” Miller said. “It is pretty neat that they would make this announcement before the last putt falls.”
Bell said there is no doubt that Pine Needles and the area will be ready for the Women’s Open to return in 2007.
“We have a great group of people here,” Bell said. “They know what it takes to make it happen. We have wonderful volunteers. They work hard. It’s not a walk in the park. It takes a lot of people, and we have the best.”
