After successful debut, Myrtle Beach’s PGA Tour tournament tees up stronger Year Two

The first step of any project is just that — the first, a toe in the water to test the temperature.

What happens next — after the glitz and glamor of a successful opening — matters more.

The folks who operate Myrtle Beach’s venture into sponsoring a PGA Tour tournament understand, and they delve into Year Two determined to enhance of their 2024 debut that received solid reviews.

Now, it’s on to 2025. The tournament has a new co-sponsor and a new name — ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic — and some new wrinkles that include big-name celebrities competing in the Wednesday pro-am.

The dates will be May 8-11 at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club course, one of South Carolina’s treasures, and the Mother’s Day finish provides an obvious opportunity to honor moms in attendance.

There’s more, including family day on Saturday and post-round concerts on Thursday (Chairmen of the Board) and Saturday (Tyler Hubbard).

But the golf is the attraction.

Often called the Golf Capital of the World, the Grand Strand area of South Carolina earned that nickname thanks to tourists flocking to its myriad of courses. But only rarely — a U.S. Women’s Open more than 50 years ago, an LPGA major plus a short-lived LPGA event and the PGA Senior Championship back in the 1990s among a few others — did the area offer high-level professional golf.

That changed with the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic, a dual-field PGA Tour event that provides playing opportunities for members who do not qualify for the higher-profile Signature tournaments. That means no Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy will be in the field again this year, but that does not mean quality golf will be lacking.

PGA officials never miss an opportunity to emphasize the depth of the Tour’s talent — remember the “These Guys Are Good” slogan — and last May’s Myrtle Beach Classic provides the proof.

Six players who competed here a year ago have combined to win seven PGA Tour tournaments since.

Robert MacIntyre, who tied for 13th in 2024, captured both the RBC Canadian Open and the Scottish Open and is now 19th in the world rankings. In addition, Davis Thompson, Patton Kizzire, Harry Hall, Davis Riley and Joe Highsmith have added Tour titles to their resumes since leaving the Grand Strand.

Chris Gotterup ran away with the title at 22-under-par 262 in the first Myrtle Beach Classic.

“An outlier,” Dennis Nichol, the Dunes’ long time head professional, said. “There were a bunch of guys 15- or 16-under, which is about what we expected.”

Nichol said the rough will probably be a bit longer for this year’s tournament, which will play to par-71 for the pros rather than the usual par-72. For the pros, the second hole will be lengthened and the eighth changes from a short (for the pros) par-5 to a long par-4 that generally plays into the wind.

ONEflight International became a co-sponsor with Visit Myrtle Beach, and the addition of the Denver-based aviation company led to some of the company’s clients participating in the Wednesday Pro-Am. Officials say that Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell and Anthony Anderson have committed to play.

The Myrtle Beach Classic joins the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage (April 17-20 on Hilton Head Island) and the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am (June 5-8 in Greer) to give the state high-profile pro golf weeks in successive months.

Tickets for the Myrtle Beach tourney are on sale at www.myrtlebeachclassic.com.

Chip shots. USC shared the team title and the Gamecocks’ Louise Rydqvist tied for individual honors in the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate at Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island. LSU used a strong finish to tie Carolina, fifth-ranked nationally, for team honors in one of the strongest fields in women’s college golf. Rydqvist and Arkansas’ Kendall Todd finished with matching 1-under-par 212s. ... The Columbia team of Brent Blaum and Stewart Jolly fired a final round of 14-under-par 58 to run away the SCGA’s Partners Championship by five strokes at Spring Valley CC and the WildeWood Club. ... Arrow Aarva Shah (Melbourne, Australia) claimed the boys’ title and Kayla Bryant (Boca Raton, Florida) earned the girls’ crown in the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship at TPC Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet. ... Want a challenge? Try your skills at the South Carolina Golf Association’s fantasy golf challenge at some of pro golf’s top tournaments. Go to www.scgolf.org for details.

This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 9:37 AM.