Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa Named North America's 2013 Golf Resort of The Year by The International Association of Golf Tour Operators

Renowned for its exclusive access to THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa has been recognized as North America's "2013 Golf Resort of The Year" by The International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). The prestigious award was determined by 487 specialist golf tour operators from 59 different countries and was formally presented to the resort at the annual IAGTO Awards Ceremony & Gala, held on November 15, 2012, at the Tivoli Marina Vilamoura resort in Algarve, Portugal.

"With eight world-class championship courses, the best golf instruction available from the TOUR Academy at TPC Sawgrass and exceptionally priced golf packages, Sawgrass is a one-of-a-kind destination for those with passion for the game," said Tom Manno, General Manager of Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa. "We are honored to receive this international recognition as the 2013 Golf Resort of the Year for North America from IAGTO and will continue to serve our guests with unparalleled golf experiences."

Established in 2000, the IAGTO Golf Travel Awards are the official annual awards for the golf tourism industry."The Golf Resort of The Year" award is divided into three regional categories including North America, Europe and the Rest of the World. IAGTO tour operators evaluated Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa on a number of criteria including customer satisfaction, quality of golf courses and accommodations, value, accessibility to tee times, speed of communication, and quality of service.

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About Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa
Located in Northeast Florida, the resort is an ideal getaway for leisure and family travel. With 506 guest rooms and 24 suites including 80 private villas, the resort offers 10 restaurants and lounge venues, over 56,000-square feet of event space and a 25,000-square foot spa. The resort allows guests and the public to access 8 championship golf courses and a private beach club. The hotel is the host hotel of THE PLAYERS golf championships.