PGA pros, fans tee up windfall for Edison-area businesses

By JACQUELINE DURETT Correspondent

 Top: Bubba Watson, who is ranked No. 3 in the Golf-World Rankings, and Phil Mickelson (below), who has won five major championships in his career, will be teeing it up this week at the Barclays, the first event in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup, at the Plainfield Country Club.  op: shooting FILE PHOTOS Top: Bubba Watson, who is ranked No. 3 in the Golf-World Rankings, and Phil Mickelson (below), who has won five major championships in his career, will be teeing it up this week at the Barclays, the first event in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup, at the Plainfield Country Club. op: shooting FILE PHOTOS As the golf world focuses on the township playing as the host to the Barclays FedExClub Playoffs at the Plainfield Country Club, Edison officials and merchants are focused on the people — and profits — the event will bring to the area.

The event, which draws the top 125 golfers in the world, rotates regionally each year; it was last held in Edison four years ago. Courses are chosen based on criteria, including the integrity of the course, capacity for crowds and whether the community would like to host the PGA. The tournament is expected to draw up to 130,000 visitors to the Woodland Avenue course.

This week’s event, which runs Aug. 27- 30, is the first round of the PGA playoffs, with a total purse of $8.25 million, including $1.48 million for the winner.

Practice rounds — held on the three days preceding the tournament — are open to the public.

“Players who played the best for the past 12 months will be here,” explained Peter Mele, executive director of the event.

Notable golfers Jason Day and Justin Rose are among those who qualified for the Barclays. Day is fresh off winning the PGA Championship that was concluded on Aug. 16 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Mele said the Barclays will have a significant impact on Edison.

“It puts Edison on the world stage,” he said, adding that it is televised in more than 220 countries.

Locally, the event’s big tourist draw has an impact on hotels, restaurants and more, Mele added.

“These playoffs will have a significant beneficial and far-reaching economic impact to Edison and across central New Jersey,” Mayor Thomas Lankey said. “It is also a tremendous opportunity to showcase our community and our area to an international audience.”

Township officials estimated that players, fans, spectators and their families visiting from around the world would generate between $30 million and $35 million for the region’s economy by patronizing area hotels, businesses and tourist destinations.

The Barclays will also have a longerterm impact on the area, according to Mele. The PGA gives back to the host community through $1.5 million in charitable donations. The Edison-area charities have not been named yet, but Mele said the PGA tries to contribute some of those funds to athletic groups, such as youth leagues.

Aside from being a financial boon for the area, Mele said the event itself is both fan- and family-friendly because it has affordable attendance options, parking is accessible and unlike in many other sports, fans can get within inches of the golfers. In addition, the golfers also are generally amenable to interacting with fans — taking pictures and signing autographs, Mele said. “It’s a great spectator golf course,” he said of Plainfield Country Club.

In fact, this kind of event, he said, is likely to create new fans.

Because of the event’s popularity, some township roads will be closed to accommodate shuttle bus service to and from the country club.

According to township officials, Woodland Avenue will be closed to traffic from Oak Tree Road to Dolores Drive, and Old Raritan Avenue will be closed to traffic from Inman Avenue to Woodland Avenue. These roads will be closed only during the hours of tournament play, and for a short time before and after to accommodate arrivals and departures.

Residents on the Edison side of Woodland Avenue will be issued special permits that will allow them to access their properties. South Plainfield is making its own accommodations for residents who live on the borough’s side of Woodland Avenue, officials said.

Regular on-street parking rules will remain in effect and will be enforced on all other Edison streets in the vicinity of the Plainfield Country Club, according to Edison police Sgt. Robert Dudash. Back in 2011, the Barclays was cut short by Hurricane Irene, according to Mele, who said all involved in the event are excited about returning to Edison.

Council President Robert Diehl mentioned the tournament at the Aug. 17 Township Council meeting, citing the positive impact the event has on the township and its businesses, such as hotels and restaurants.

“We are bringing in a lot people,” Diehl said. “It’s a wonderful event.”

The Barclays FedExCup Playoffs is scheduled for more than 18 hours of live television coverage on CBS Sports and the Golf Channel. Through affiliates, coverage will be available to more than 890 million households in 32 languages, across 224 countries and territories. SiriusXM Radio will provide exclusive play-by-play coverage to more than 27 million North American subscribers, officials said.

Though very limited, tickets were not sold out as of press time. The event did sell out four years ago, however, so Mele advised buying tickets in advance if possible.

“Come on out,” Mele said. “It’s a lot of fun.”