March 9, 2021
It was an exceptional week for Puerto Rico on the world golf stage last week. Island native Rafa Campos played brilliantly during the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open that concluded February 28, and the United States Golf Association welcomed the Puerto Rico Golf Association into its network of Allied Golf Associations (AGA), becoming the 59th AGA and first outside of the 50 United States.
Steps from the ocean, the Championship Course at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve hosted the world’s best players in the Puerto Rico Open, a PGA TOUR event that concluded yesterday. The beauty and design of the course and resort are indicative of the Caribbean Island’s golf destination and its 18 courses.
“The Puerto Rico Open illuminated the Island’s positive shift pertaining to events and travel,” said Brad Dean, CEO.
Puerto Rico is home to 18 courses – with new ones planned – world-class beaches, dozens of resorts, thousands of restaurants, and is traveller friendly. As the air hub of the Caribbean, a top Airbnb destination, and a bilingual Island that requires no passport for U.S. citizens, it is ideally suited for invigorating escapes.
The plethora of health and safety protocols in place enabled the world-class golf tournament and Island to continue their long-standing partnership, mirroring the positive emerging trends in Puerto Rico.
“The Puerto Rico Open was the largest, highest-profile event to be held on the Island since the pandemic began, and the wonderful partnership illuminated Puerto Rico’s positive shift pertaining to events and travel,” said Brad Dean, CEO, Discover Puerto Rico. “Our Destination Marketing Organization’s mission is to showcase Puerto Rico’s global brand, and the PGA TOUR partnership and Golf Channel coverage highlighted our golf courses, culture, history and many other attributes.”
Campos thrilled the golf world with his play on the Championship Course at Grand Reserve Golf Club, an amenity of the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. Finishing tied for third, he was in contention to win the championship until the very end.
“It was a great week, and I’m very happy,” Campos said. “I’m very fortunate and want to thank all the fans out here, the supporters in Puerto Rico.”
Along with PGA TOUR member Campos, Puerto Rico was represented in the tournament by Edward Figueroa, who qualified through the 2020 Golf Puerto Rico Island Championship.
Campos and Figueroa added to Puerto Rico’s rich golf history. Legendary champion Chi Chi Rodriguez won eight times on the PGA TOUR. He designed El Legado, a popular 18-hole course in Guayama. It is one of Puerto Rico’s wonderfully diverse yet complementary playing options, including four of the top 50 rated courses in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and the Atlantic Islands (source: Golfweek).
Other course designers represented on the Island include Tom and George Fazio, Greg Norman, Gary Player, Rees Jones, Tom Kite, Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and his son Robert Trent Jones, Jr. All are open to the public, and many are amenities of beautiful resorts, including Royal Isabela; Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino; The St. Regis Bahia Beach; Wyndham Grand Rio Mar; Palmas del Mar; Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve; and the aforementioned Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve.