3M Championship Preview – All Good Thinks Come To An End

By Jim McNaney

On June 18^th, 2018, months of speculation about the future of the 3M Championship came to an end. 3M, the PGA TOUR and Pro Links Sports announced a new seven year deal to bring the PGA TOUR to Minnesota. Beginning in 2019, the 3M Open, the first official PGA TOUR event held in Minnesota since the 2009 PGA Championship, will replace the 3M Championship.

Looking Back

While 2019 will be the first time in a decade the regular TOUR will play in Minnesota, the PGA TOUR Champions will be making its 26-annual appearance, July 30^th through August 5^th. The driving force behind this event is charity. Over the past two and a half decades, the 3M Championship has donated more than $26 million to Allina Health’s various foundations: Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation, Mercy & Unity Hospitals Foundations and United Hospital Foundation.

Beginning in 1993, the inaugural event, The Burnet Senior Classic was held at Bunker Hills Golf Club with fan favorite Chi-Chi Rodriguez taking home the trophy. In 2001, 3M assumed the title sponsorship and moved the event to the TPC Twin Cities in Baine. Over the next 17 years, the championship built a reputation as one of the player’s favorite stops on Tour all year. It has produced multiple play-off finishes and final hole drama. In fact, 8 times since 2001, the tournament was either decided by 1 stroke or went to a play-off.

2017 was no exception. Paul Goydos outlasted Gene Sauers to take home the title with a total score of 20 under par. Low scoring is a hallmark of this event with the average score since the move to TPC at 16.75 under par for the week making putting and ball striking a must.

Given those conditions, the list of past champions is no surprise. Bernhard Langer (2009, 2012) and Kenny Perry (2014-15) both won twice, with Perry the only back-to-back champion. Hale Irwin holds the tournament record with three victories in 1997, 1999 and 2001. Other’s that demonstrate those skills exceptionally are Joe Durant (2016), Tom Kite (2004), Raymond Floyd (1995) and now putting and short-game guru Dave Stockton in 1994.

Innovation

Another calling card of the 3M Championship over the years has been constant innovation. For several years, all general admission passes to the event are free (a tradition that will carry on in its final installment). The idea, championed by Pro Links Sports Executive Director Hollis Cavner, became a family tradition in early August for many Twin Cities golf fans.

Saturday, August 4^th, also marks the 15^th edition of the annual highlight of the golf season for Minnesotans – the Post-It Products Greats of Golf Challenge returns. A team competition pairing Hall of Fame members like Gary Player, Hale Irwin, Ben Crenshaw and Fuzzy Zoeller against other legends of golf and headlined by Lee Trevino, Annika Sorenstam and Jack Nicklaus.

“We hope all Minnesota golf fans come out and enjoy the legends of the game in our final year on the PGA TOUR Champions,” said Cavner.

Looking Forward

While 2018 is certainly the end of an era in Twin Cities golf, 2019 brings a new level of excitement. While the dates for the inaugural PGA TOUR 3M Open have not yet been set, organizers hope to build off the success of the 3M Championship.

A seven-year deal with the PGA TOUR, the 3M Open will be hosted by the nonprofit 3M Open Fund keeping the event at TPC Twin Cities.

“3M is honored to welcome the top players on the PGA TOUR to the Twin Cities, and we look forward to the many opportunities this tournament will bring to support our community,” said Paul Keel, 3M senior vice president of Business Development and Marketing Sales. “We’ve formed a great relationship with PGA TOUR Champions over the last 25 years and are excited to build on that partnership with the 3M Open.”

PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan echoed the excitement for the new full-field event. “We are delighted to partner with 3M for this new PGA TOUR event in the Twin Cities, a community that has shown tremendous support for professional golf over the years with PGA TOUR Champions, the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, and has deservedly played host to the biggest events in sports – Super Bowls, Final Fours, among them. The 3M Open will also continue 3M’s commitment to charity and positively impacting lives,” said Monahan.

The new PGA TOUR event will continue to be managed by Cavner and Pro Link Sports. “I would like to thank 3M for their tremendous support of PGA TOOUR Champions golf, and with their continued commitment we now have the opportunity to bring PGA TOUR golf to the fans of Minnesota every year,” said Cavner. “We’ve been able to donate millions of dollars to charity and we expect to do even more with the 3M Open. This is a true win for Minnesota.”

What To Look For In 2018

History tells us that the final 3M Championship should be filled with low scores and final round drama. This year’s field features fan favorites as well as some of the hottest players on PGA TOUR Champions for 2018. Last year’s champion Paul Goydos will return to defend. Past champions like Perry and Langer will also play. Fan favorites like John Daly, Scott McCarron (winner earlier this year), Peter Jacobsen and Colin Montgomerie are all scheduled to appear. Upper Midwest golf will be well represented again this year. Wisconsin’s dynamic duo of Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly will again participate. Kelly and Stricker are both showing great form. Kelly is having his best campaign in years and Stricker is playing well on both PGA TOUR Champions and the PGA TOUR. If you like pulling for players with Minnesota connections, Alexandria’s favorite son Tom Lehman is making a return trip as well as John Harris and part-time Minnesota resident Rocco Mediate.

Saying Goodbye

While 2018 may be the final year for the 3M Championship; the future looks very bright for professional golf in Minnesota. Along with the 3M Open in 2019, next year bring the best in women’s professional golf with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club and the Ryder Cup returns to Chaska in 2028.

Minnesotans are noted for long goodbyes. From July 30^th to August 5^th, golf fans have a week to send off the PGA TOUR Champions in style. According to Cavner, “We can’t thank our supporters and volunteers enough for their continuous support, allowing us to make a difference in the community year after year.”

Thanks for the memories 3M Championship.