If sandy beaches, delicious South Carolina cuisine, and professional golf sound good to you, then this is the place to be.
“It harkens back to why you try to play professional golf for a living,” said Brandt Snedeker, the newly named President’s Cup Captain for 2026 at Medinah. “If I were a 22-year-old kid, I’d be so excited to play a PGA TOUR event anywhere, and this is such a cool golf course.”
The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach is hosting this opposite field event, in only its second year of existence, where Chris Gotterup is the defending champion.
Opposite fields are staged concurrently with signature events like this week’s Truist Championship, which offer much more prize money and FedEx Cup points.
“It’s all about playing opportunities,” said 29-year-old Nick Hardy, who turned pro in 2018 after receiving a sponsor exemption from the John Deere Classic. “I think you are seeing a lot more players signing up for these opposite field events, and it really is what the TOUR was hopeful of.”
300 FedExCup points, a two-year exemption through the 2027 season, and an invitation to next week’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, if not already exempt, await the Sunday winner here.
Hardy’s first and last victory came two years ago at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, while 22-year-old Tom Kim is already a three-time winner, and the top player entered at No. 41 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Kim, who has already earned a spot in the year’s second major, says the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic is a perfect location to fine-tune his game for what’s to come in Charlotte.
“The vibe is great, and I’m just here to do my thing. My game is getting a lot better, and with a major coming up next week, I want to get my reps in.”
Fans I met are proud of this community event, perhaps a considerably smaller, yet growing version of what attendees enjoy each year at Tampa’s Valspar Championship or the John Deere in the Quad Cities.
ONEflight is a private aviation company based in Denver that signed on as the title sponsor in partnership with the state and Visit Myrtle Beach, the area’s tourism bureau.
Ferren Rajput is CEO and President of Oneflight, a company he says grew from humble beginnings similar to the origins of this event.
ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic Trophy
“I was just telling the Governor that we have something here that you don’t see elsewhere, and it can only be noticed by someone who does not live here,” Rajput said. “The vibe, the southern hospitality, and the fans are so welcoming, and we are committed to growing it.”
Governor Henry McMaster was here to watch the Wednesday pro-am, unveil the new winner’s trophy, and reminded us that one unique element is 60 miles of beautiful beaches. A breathtaking view of them can be seen as players make the turn on the 9th hole of this 7,347-yard, par 71 layout.
On TV:
Golf Channel will provide live coverage this week from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
