New nine creates new challenge at Mitsubishi Electric Classic

Steve Flesch will defend his PGA TOUR Champions Mitsubishi Electric Classic title this week at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, under unique circumstances.

He’ll be playing the front nine for the first time, as will most of his challengers.

TPC Sugarloaf has three nines – The Meadows, The Stables and The Pines. The tournament always has been contested with The Stables as the front nine and The Meadows as the back nine. The facility began a $20 million renovation in late 2016, and with changes ongoing for The Stables course, The Pines will be utilized for the first time.

“In a way it’s weird,” Flesch said about defending a title on a course with a nine he hadn’t seen. “I really like the Stables side and was very familiar with it, so a new nine takes away any familiarity I had. But we’re all first-timers now.”

The grasses have changed throughout the complex. The fairways went from Bermuda grass to Zeon Zoysia. The greens were changed from Bentgrass to Tifeagle, a grass developed in Tifton, Georgia. Some trees were removed to improve sightlines, particularly on The Pines course, and bunkers were reconfigured and reimagined with stacked-sod facing. Many are steeper, and more figure to be in play than ever before.

“What the players are going to see is characteristics that are even between The Pines and The Meadows,” TPC Sugarloaf head pro John Barrett said. “They haven’t seen The Meadows with the new grass. The greens are rolling somewhere between 12.5 and 13 on the Stimpmeter. It’s a dramatic change from Bentgrass greens and typically overseeded fairways. You’ll get a nice lie in the fairways. The firm and fast greens are a huge protection to the golf course.

“These guys play really well so a slick putting surface will be a good challenge. The dramatic grass-faced bunkers are reminiscent of a links course. They’re challenging and beautiful.”

Barrett said upon arrival most players immediately headed to play The Pines and get a feel for it. Flesch said it plays much shorter than The Stables.

“There are only two to three driver holes with the rest being 3-wood off the tee,” Flesch said. “The bunkering is really pretty.

“The (Pines) nine is what I'd characterize as a placement-type course. Angles into the greens are important, and the greens are very undulated and tricky. Right now they are really firm and fast so getting the ball close to the hole will be tough.”

There could be a lot of talk about the new greens. Georgia resident Billy Andrade managed to play The Pines a couple of times before this week and said the tour staff could get the surface as fast as they want it to be.

"I saw one tour official on the ninth hole put a hole location on the back right,” Andrade said. “With soft Bent greens, you could fire right at it. But these greens are firm, and that’s a long hole. If you hit 6-iron right at that pin it won’t hold. It will go over. There’s 10-15 yards of roll between where the ball lands and ends up.”

Flesch said he expected the par-4 ninth to be one of the toughest holes for the week. He also cited the par-3 fourth as another potentially dangerous spot.

“How difficult it (The Pines) plays will hinge on the weather and wind,” Flesch said. “It's a tricky nine holes, but there are some birdie opportunities out there.”

Flesch, 51, got his only PGA TOUR Champions victory at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in a playoff over Bernhard Langer and Scott Parel. He has only one top-25 finish this season, a T5 at the Hoag Classic.

Andrade, 55, had his best finish of 2019 at the last stop on the schedule, the Rapiscan Systems Classic, where he tied for third. He will be making his sixth start at the Mitsubishi event; he posted a best finish of eighth in 2016.

While Andrade hopes to keep the ball rolling, he isn’t sure the renovations suit his game.

“I think that it favors a high-ball hitter and favors guys that are a little longer,” Andrade said. “Going in with shorter clubs you have a better chance, but it will be hard to get close to the hole because of the slopes and firmness.

“It’s a helluva test. I think it will turn out to be one of hardest courses we play.”