PGA Golf Tournament Ends

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) -- Fred Funk came to Mexico aiming to show the young guys on the PGA Tour that he could still play championship golf at age 50. And he managed to do it, despite a back problem that left him aching like an old-timer.

The 50-year-old Funk overcame the pain and a rocky final round to win the Mayakoba Golf Classic on the second hole of a playoff with Jose Coceres, making him only the second man to win on the regular tour after winning on the Champions Tour.

"It shows that the old guy has still got something," Funk said. "It's a very satisfying win.

"I think I validated how good the players are on the Champions Tour. Even though you are 50 or 51 through 55 ... age doesn't really mean anything. I just want to see how long I can last."

Funk led the tournament, the PGA Tour's first in Mexico, from the start, setting the course record with an 8-under 62 Thursday. He never lost the lead, but was tied several times, including from the 14th hole Sunday until sinking a birdie putt in the playoff.

Read the complete story here.

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Volunteers Needed for Mayakoba Golf Classic

If you're a golf fan and you plan on being in the Riviera Maya during February 21-25, you may consider volunteering for the Mayakoba Golf Classic PGA tournament. Volunteers are needed for all types of duties, ranging from greeting players at the airport to spotting balls along the fairway.

More information can be found on the Mayakoba site.

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Spanish Developers Building in Riviera Maya

As printed in the International Herald Tribune:

PLAYA DEL CARMEN -- For its first large-scale residential and hotel development in Mexico, the Spanish conglomerate Obrascón Huarte Lain is building a sprawling complex around a series of man-made canals and lagoons along the Caribbean coast south of Cancún.

Small boats ferry residents and guests around Mayakoba, a 40-hectare, or almost 100- acre, project, the first phase of which opened last year. The site is planned to eventually include six luxury hotels and dozens of private villas for a total cost of $1.5 billion.

"There is no place to do this kind of development in Spain," said Juan Aguilar, director of Mayakoba. So Mexico has become the hot new territory for Spanish developers.

See the full article in the International Herald Tribune.

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Tickets On Sale for Riviera Maya PGA Tournament

PLAYA DEL CARMEN — PGA TOUR players are starting to make plans for the 2007 season and are including the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya - Cancun as part of their schedule for the February 19-25 tournament at the Mayakoba resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Major championship winners Mark Calcavecchia, Jeff Sluman and Steve Elkington have indicated they plan to participate in Mexico’s first-ever official PGA TOUR event. Past PGA TOUR champions John Cook, J.B. Holmes and Dean Wilson have also added their names as possible competitors in February.

“Now that the 2006 season is behind them, players are starting to focus on where they will be competing in 2007 and we are excited to see a few of these stars make initial plans to come to Playa del Carmen,” said Tournament Director Larson Segerdahl. “We know that players are already talking about the Cancun Riviera Maya region of Mexico as an exotic resort destination. Also, the opportunity to play in a historical event for Mexico has created quite an interest among the TOUR membership.”

Greg Norman, the course-designer and winner of over 90 worldwide golf tournaments, is also expected to participate in this premier PGA TOUR event.

Also included in the field will be four players who qualify through an Open Qualifying Tournament to be held at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club in Playa del Carmen on Monday, February 19, 2007.

TICKET SALES

Tickets for the inaugural Mayakoba Golf Classic will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 15th. Fans and businesses will have several options to purchase tickets for the five day event by visiting www.mayakobagolfclassic.com, calling 984-873-4916 in Mexico or 888-66-SHARK in the United States.

Weekly tickets, which include ground access only Wednesday through Sunday, are available for $100 USD. The daily ticket option begins with the Wednesday Pro-Am for $20 USD. Competition days, Thursday through Sunday, are $30 USD.

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