Casa de Campo Resort’s legendary Teeth of the Dog golf course, one of architect Pete Dye’s indisputable masterpieces, is finally ready for its on-camera close up. The PGA Tour’s “Latinoamerican Tour” Dominican Republic Open will be held there this May 12-18.
“We look forward to welcoming the finest golfers from the Dominican Republic and literally, from all over the Americas, and watching them take on the challenge of Teeth of the Dog,” said Gilles Gagnon, Director of Golf, obviously elated that Teeth of the Dog will be re-introduced to the television-viewing golfing public, as it richly deserves. The 90 holes of Pete Dye Golf at arguably the greatest resort on the planet have long been a Holy Grail quest for ardent golfers, on their golf bucket list right below Pebble Beach and Scotland/Ireland.
“Everyone who has been to Casa de Campo, speaks of the place in holy whispers,” explained AWITP correspondent Rodney Zilla. “All the courses are drop-dead gorgeous, but also make you think all the way around. And, happily, they don’t have things like railroad ties or island greens. Instead it’s pure Pete Dye, fiendishly clever in its intricacies, but not so visually terrifying as he usually is, and everyone loves that.”
Zilla is right – when playing Pete Dye courses, planning the right shot is every bit as important as the execution because all the courses at Casa put a premium on placement. Get out of position on a Pete Dye par-4 and you’re fighting for a par.
“They’ll be going toe-to-toe with perhaps the most intellectually demanding architect of our generation,” asserted Zilla. “It will be tough.”
Even Pete Dye agrees that mastering the par-4s will be the key to scoring well at Teeth of the Dog.
“On the front, the two toughest holes are four and six, both long par-4s, and then on the back 17 and 18 are a great finishing stretch. That’ll be tough for them, but I also think – and hope – they shoot some good scores,” Dye confided.
The 2013 Dominican Republic Open at Punta Cana was won by U.S. tour pro Ryan Blaum, of Miami, Fla., who finished with a 279 total, 9 under par, which was two shots ahead of runner-up Maximiliano Godoy of Argentina.
