Myrtle Beach has long been the self-proclaimed golf capital of the world, with its World Amateur in June, and fantastic courses such as those at the Legends Golf Resort, operated by Century Golf Partners and Arnold Palmer Golf Management.
This week is even more special with the PGA TOUR’s ONEflight Myrtle Beach Pro-Am.
Chris Gotterup returns as defending champion after winning last year’s inaugural event here and is fresh off three consecutive top-20 finishes, including a tie for 12th place at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
This event is played the same week as the Truist Championship, giving plenty of TOUR winners and Korn Ferry Tour graduates an opportunity to earn, despite not qualifying for that “Signature Event” in Philadelphia.
300 FedExCup points, a two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR through the 2027 season, and an invitation to next week’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, if not already exempt, go to the winner. The Truist was relocated this year to accommodate golf’s second major of the year.
Tom Kim is the highest-ranked player set to tee it up here at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club. At No. 41 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Kim has one top-10 finish in his 11 starts this season.
Other notables in this field include newly named President’s Cup Captain Brandt Snedeker and Bill Haas, both former FedEx Cup Champions, along with 2018 Champion Golfer of the Year Francesco Molinari, the only major winner in the field.
Golf Channel will provide live coverage this week from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Thursday and Friday and from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
With ONEflight International now sharing title sponsorship with Visit Myrtle Beach, this year’s tournament has a star-studded pro-am featuring Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell, both ambassadors of ONEflight, a private aviation company based in Denver.
Other celebrities on site are David Arquette, Michael Chiklis, Matt Corboy, Wallis Day, Jennie Garth, Carmine Giovinazzo, and Robert Herjavec. Also, Candice King, Greg Kinnear, Cass Meyer, Michael Mondavi, Esai Morales, Michael Pena, Rob Riggle, and Nick Swisher. In addition, North Myrtle Beach’s own Vanna White, of Wheel of Fortune for more than 40 years, will again take part in the Wednesday Pro-Am. Two of the 132 professional golfers will join the celebrities for nine holes apiece and a team of amateur partners.
A Robert Trent Jones-designed course, the Dunes Club opened in 1948 and, from 1994 to 1999, played host to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on PGA TOUR Champions. The winners were Raymond Floyd, Jim Colbert, Jay Sigel, Gil Morgan, Hale Irwin, and Gary McCord.
