Southern superintendents win 24th Annual World Championship

Following three days of play in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. at the historic Greenbrier Resort’s Old White, Snead and Greenbrier courses, the 24th annual John Deere World Championship came to a close with a two-hole playoff in which sixflight-winning teams competed. The championshipteam included Jeff Robinson of Greenville Turf & Tractor, Piedmont, S.C., Paul Hood of Willow Creek Golf Club, Knoxville, Tenn., Matt Jones of Landmark Golf Club at Avalon, Lenoir City, Tenn., and Ed Kruse of John Deere Golf, Cary, N.C. The team won the C.B. MacDonald flight with a net score of 162 for the three-round tournament, and after the two-hole playoff the winners finished with a net score of 162.

“This year’s tournament was a success, bringing turf professionals from around the world together to play on some of the most esteemed courses in the U.S.,” said Cory Niehaus, tournament director. “Throughout the year, John Deere Golf supports turf professionals with multiple opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer learning, and the World Championship is another event that allows us to provide that.”

The John Deere World Championship tournament is designed for members of golf course management teams across the globe to come together to participate in fun and competitive play. For this year’s tournament 248 players represented eight countries. The teams were divided into six flights and the winner of each flight competed for the overall championship title in the playoff.

“Strong, sustained relationships are the basis of success in the golf industry,”said Gregg Breningmeyer, global director of sales and marketing, John Deere Golf. “And it’s an honor for John Deere Golf to have the opportunity to strengthen our own relationships, while also helping our customers and industry partners grow theirs at events like this. It was an additional special honor this year to celebrate our partner relationship with The Greenbrier Resort and bring the World Championship and its players to these legendary grounds.”

As part of its new relationship with The Greenbrier Resort, John Deere has been tapped for mowing and maintenance equipment for all four courses at the resort and recently supported Superintendent Kelly Shumate with product and personnel during the inaugural Greenbrier Classic