Bruce E. Borland

(1958 - 1999)

Born: November 4,1958, Peoria, Illinois

Died: October 25, 1999, South Dakota, at age 40

Mr. Borland was a 1981 graduate of the University of Illinois, where he earned his degree in landscape architecture.

He began his golf course design career by working with Chicago firms David Gill & Associates, then Killian and Nugent and Hitchcock Landscape Architecture Design.

He earned membership into the American Society of Golf Course Architects in 1986, and established his own Chicago-based design firm in 1989.

He joined Nicklaus Design during a 1990 expansion of the golf-course design firm. He was the design associate on 10 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses, including nationally acclaimed Colleton River Plantation in Hilton Head, S.C., and one co-design course. Bruce was also the solo designer on two projects

Mr. Borland was among the first course architects to use computer design.

Bruce's untimely death was the result of private Lear jet crash in South Dakota.

He died in the plane crash that also claimed the life of golf Hall of Famer Payne Stewart, the golfer's agents - Robert Fraley and Van Ardan - and the pilots, Michael Kling and Stephanie Bellegarrigue.

According to published reports, Borland had not met Stewart before the flight and was invited aboard at the last minute because he was unable to catch a commercial flight.

Borland was to meet with Stewart to discuss designing a new golf course.