Australian PGA Championship Moved to Royal Pines Resort on Gold Coast

The Australian PGA Championship is set to move to a new location after Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast agreed a new five year deal following the golf tournament’s controversy-marred split from billionaire Clive Palmer’s Coolum resort.

Royal Pines is already the long-term host of the Australian Ladies Masters and is keen to continue in that role.

Announcing the new deal for the Australian PGA Championship, Royal Pines’ owners promised to invest $5 million strengthening the championship course over the five years and to work closely with the men’s and women’s tours to make it the ‘home of championship golf in Queensland’.

The tournament was played at the former Hyatt resort at Coolum for the past 11 years and the move away followed a public falling out with owner Clive Palmer.

There were disagreements over issues including a number of painted signs on fairways.

Chief executive of the PGA of Australia Brian Thorburn said the venue shift had the backing of the Queensland Government, Tourism and Events and Gold Coast Council and Tourism.

He said the tournament’s tradition from Coolum of being a fun and relaxed tournament would continue on the Gold Coast.

He was confident the move would not only attract many of Australia’s best players but also some of the world’s biggest stars.

Dates for the 2013 tournament will be announced in the next few weeks.