La Tempête ready to weather pros’ assault in Skins Game

The last two times the Telus World Skins Game came to Quebec, it showcased two of the newest golf courses in the province. And the same will be true when it returns next month for the first time in five years.

La Tempête Golf Club in Breakeyville, near Lévis, south of Quebec City, is where Mike Weir, Fred Couples, Geoff Ogilvy, Trevor Immelman and Ian Poulter will be for the 17th edition of the two-day shootout, starting June 22, the day after the final round of the 109th U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.

La Tempête opened in 2006 and had the final touches completed last year. It’s the region’s first true championship layout, and architect Darrell Huxham of Kirkland-based Huxham Golf Design Inc. said it should be more than up to the challenge of testing a fivesome of some of the best golfers in the world.

“I think the guys will enjoy it,” Huxham said.

“It’s over 7,000 yards long and can play tough if that’s what is required. For a new course, it definitely will be competition-ready.”

The Skins Game has been held in the province four times before, beginning in 1994 at Richelieu Valley in South Shore Ste. Julie, where Couples was the winner. Couples won again in 1996 at Summerlea in Vaudreuil-Dorion - like Richelieu Valley a private club. In 1999, Weir was the winner at Mont Tremblant’s Le Diable, while in 2004 Phil Mickelson won at Le Fontainebleau, just north of Montreal.

The Skins Game was the first big competitive test for Le Diable and Le Fontainebleau after opening in 1998 and 2003, respectively. The latter also is a Huxham design, done while he was still with Graham Cooke & Associates.

La Tempête, is a semi-private par-72 course. At nearly 7,100 yards, it features eight holes where water comes into play and a scorer’s back nine that includes three par-3s and three par-5s, one of which is the 590-yard 12th hole.

The massive lake that separates the 10th and 18th holes is the largest Huxham has designed and also the largest in the province.

“La Tempête is kind of hybrid with a feeling of Le Maître de Tremblant and Fontainebleau mixed together,” said Huxham, who also collaborated with Couples and architect Gene Bates on Le Maître.

“There are some open areas where we’ve got stadium mounds, fescues on the opening and closing holes on each nine. And then it sort of crosses over into a white pine, rolling woodland, parkland setting with a couple of big ravines and creeks you have to play over. There’s a diversity throughout the course.”

Tickets for the Skins Game sold out in less than an hour when they went on sale last month. But you can pay to play La Tempête. From June 1 to Oct. 31, green fees are $95 before 9 a.m. and $150 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (taxes not included). For more information, visit the club’s website at golflatempete.com.

From the Tour: Thomas Levet, who became an instant favourite with local fans while playing at the 2005 Montreal Open at Île de Montréal, won last week’s Spanish Open to become the first Frenchman to win five European PGA Tour events.

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