GET TO KNOW CROOKED CAT AT ORANGE COUNTY NATIONAL

Phil Ritson, born in Zimbabwe, spent the last six decades of his life primarily as a golf instructor. Famed swing coach David Leadbetter called Ritson a “pioneer of modern instruction” and Golf Magazine named him a Top 100 Teacher for Life. At one point, Ritson was the Golf Director at Walt Disney World before branching out to golf architecture. His involvement with Orange County National was “an example of his creativeness and his pride,” according to a Golf Channel report, and the street leading to the complex course is named in his honor. Ritson passed away in 2017.

Dave Harman grew up in Ohio and was a 6-foot-6, 300-pound football player. He received a scholarship to play at Ohio State, but in the summer before his freshman season, he took a job helping to build courses for Jack Nicklaus’ design firm. An accident with a heavy piece of equipment resulted in a knee injury and the end of his football career, but he enjoyed golf architecture and eventually went to work for Arnold Palmer in Orlando before branching out on his own. “There’s not much I like better than moving dirt. I love to take a hunk of ground and make something,” he once told the Orlando Sentinel. Harman passed away in 2005 from cancer.

Isao Aoki, born in Japan, is one of golf’s most successful players, with 80 professional victories spread over six different tours. His first win came in 1973; his last in 2008, and he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. Aoki has been involved in a handful of golf courses, but Orange County National appears to be the only one in the U.S. Aoki is 80 years old.

FUN FACTS

· Orange County National has two 18-hole championship courses (Crooked Cat, the competition course for LIV Golf Orlando; and Panther Lake) along with a 9-hole short course called the Tooth.

· The last seven holes of Crooked Cat are the highlight of the course. With two beautiful and challenging par 3s, and two reachable par 5s, the final groups on Sunday should provide an exciting finish.

· “The idea on this golf course was to create a little more of a links feel. Which means more open fairways, some good undulation to it, some grass bunkers,” said an Orange County National spokesman about Crooked Cat in 1999, less than a year after it opened.

· Crooked Cat has been host to multiple elite events, including a qualifying school tournament in 2007 in which current LIV Golf member Dustin Johnson won his card. Brendan Steele also participated in that event.

· Orange County National has the world’s largest driving range, a circular area that covers 42 acres. In addition, there is a 22,000 square foot main putting green.

HOLES TO WATCH

No. 9. With prevailing winds, this 400-yard par 4 becomes drivable for many of the competitors. They can choose risk and reward and cut the corner over the water on this dogleg left.

No. 12. Considered the most difficult par 4 on Crooked Cat, this 464-yard hole requires a carry over water into the prevailing wind on the tee shot, which sets up an approach to a narrow green surrounded by water on the right and bunkers on the left.

No. 17. This par 5 playing only 506 yards will be an exciting hole. With most of the competitors able to reach the green in two, eagles will come into play.

TURF TYPES

Greens: Champions Bermuda

Tees, Fairways, and Rough: 419 Bermuda

Tees and Fairways are overseeded with Ryegrass.