Robotic, 26-foot dinosaur scaring away Aussie PGA
- By Ryan Lavner
- Dec 11, 2012 8:15 AM ET
Sure, erecting a 26-foot Tyrannosaurus rex between the ninth and 10th holes likely didn’t help, but it was announced Tuesday that the Palmer Coolum Resort in Queensland will no longer host the Australian PGA Championship after this season.
The search for a new home began after negotiations with tournament officials and billionaire owner Clive Palmer broke down. Coolum has hosted the event since 2002.
Television viewers will notice a few oddities with the venue this week, namely a massive robotic dinosaur that moves and makes raptor noises (though Palmer agreed to turn it off during competition). There are also some 60-plus signs – promoting Palmer’s own companies – painted on the grass. Players will be able to take a free drop under a ground-under-repair local rule.
PGA chief executive Brian Thorburn told reporters Tuesday, “It will definitely be played in Queensland – it just won’t be here. I think it is very sad. We have had a great run on the Sunshine Coast, it has been fantastic, but nothing stays forever.”
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Lavner is a staff writer for GolfChannel.com and is in charge of GolfTalkCentral.
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