The legacy of hosting a major or regional NCAA golf championship at Mission Inn Resort & Club every year since the 1990s is going to extend at least through 2020, with confirmation that the iconic central Florida golf venue located in Howey-in-the-Hills has added two more NCAA regionals to its schedule.
By securing the 2019 NCAA Division II Men’s Regionals and 2020 NCAA Division II Women’s Regionals, Mission Inn Resort & Club will hit the 24-year mark for consecutive seasons serving as home for NCAA golf competition. It is a record few facilities can boast.
“Extending our relationship with the NCAA through golf is a ‘winning streak’ for Mission Inn Resort & Club, making it 23 years in a row,” said Bud Beucher, Vice President and General Manager for Mission Inn Resort. “These schools, the coaches and players, are family to us, returning home every year. We are proud to be part of that history.”
Located just 35 minutes northwest of Orlando, Mission Inn Resort & Club has a lot to offer collegiate golf programs and has virtually perfected the overall tournament experience. In 2018 Mission Inn will host the NCAA Women’s Division II Golf Championship.This year, Mission Inn hosted the Men’s Division III Championship.
“The resort is a self-contained campus, with our rooms and restaurants all close together,” says Joe Lewandowski, Mission Inn’s head golf professional. “With very few distractions, it’s a great place for teams to really focus on their championship.”
Mission Inn’s appeal begins with the resort’s two award-winning golf courses: The must-play El Campeón (The Champion) is one of the oldest 18-hole courses in the South, having opened in 1917. An original member of the Florida Historic Golf Trail, El Campeón’s classic design accentuates 85-foot elevation changes that are unique to the central Florida region.
Las Colinas (The Hills), which opened in 1992, lives up to its name with wide fairways rolling over gentle rises. Its large, undulating greens are surrounded by tropical vegetation, and incorporate large water hazards on many holes.
Built in classic Spanish Colonial style, Mission Inn Resort’s main buildings feature176 graciously appointed guestrooms, suites, and villas, as well as three restaurants and two lounges.
“And the players are just a two-minute shuttle ride from the courses and practice facilities,” Lewandowski notes. “They can practice right after their round, or head to the room and then come back in the evening to practice.
Mission Inn is also home of the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, recently an incubator of LPGA talent.
For additional information call (800) 874-9053 or (352) 324-3101, or visit www.missioninnresort.com.
ENDS