TIGER WOODS will design his first public access course in the Midwestern state of Missouri. The new track will be located at Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains and is set to open in 2019.
The course will be called ‘Payne’s Valley’ in tribute to the late Payne Stewart, a two-time US Open champion and Ozarks native, and it is a collaboration between the 14-time major winner, conservationist Johnny Morris and the Stewart family.
Stewart, who died in a plane crash in 1999, and his father Bill were instrumental in helping to establish golf in the region and the course is a nod to that legacy.
Speaking about the unique tie with his designer partners, Woods said was proud to see the project come to fruition.
“Together, we’re tremendously excited to create a publicly accessible world-class golf experience in the centre of America,” said the former world No.1. The new course will be located adjacent to a new 13-hole short course designed by Gary Player - due to open in 2017 - and Ozarks National, a layout designed by Coore & Crenshaw which will open in 2018.