How Columbia’s Korn Ferry golf event went from idea to reality in 16 short months
Skyboxes overlook the 18th green and gallery ropes stretch across the emerald acres. A couple of challenging, new tee boxes are in place, and scoreboards in strategic locations are loaded with details that would dazzle the most ardent golf aficionado.
Welcome to the Woodcreek Club and its staging of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Colonial Life Charity Classic — a weeklong series of activities that range from high-level professional golf to post-play concerts to family-themed opportunities. Competition begins on Thursday.
“Like the Heritage, the Myrtle Beach tournament and the BMW in Greenville, (the Colonial Life) is great for golf in the state,” said Biff Lathrop, executive director of the South Carolina Golf Association.
The tournament is also a dream come true for Gene Hallman, who grew up in the Columbia area, graduated from Irmo High and owns Eventive Sports, a sports event company based in Alabama. His operation oversees a myriad of events around the country — football, baseball, golf and motorsports — and he always wanted to bring one to his old stomping grounds.
And here it is ... on the fast track. The pieces of the puzzle fell nicely into place and the Colonial Life Charity Classic’s first tee shot Thursday will come just 16 months from its genesis.
How relationships built the golf tournament
The relationships that created the event began long ago with Hallman’s friendship with Mark McClam, which developed in their College of Charleston days. Add McClam’s connection with PGA Tour golfer Chris Baker, who had moved to the Columbia area, Woodcreek owner Harold Pickrel and Colonial Life executive Tim Arnold, a fellow Woodcreek member.
Hallman gave Baker a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour event that his company operates in Bermuda. And since Arnold’s company had provided the golfer with some financial support, the executive received a spot in the pro-am.
“We really connected,” Hallman said. “We were talking in an Italian restaurant in Bermuda about tournaments and Tim said he would like to learn more about it.”
In January 2025, Hallman’s company secured a Korn Ferry tournament date from the PGA Tour. His first call went to McClam.
“I called Harold (Pickrel) about Woodcreek holding the tournament, and he said, ‘I’m in,’” McClam said. “I called Tim (Arnold) about being the title sponsor and he said the same thing. So, I got to call Gene and tell him we have a site and a title sponsor in two days.
“The beauty of everything is, Harold has spared no expense in striving to move the tournament to the top of the food chain.”
‘PGA Tour clubhouse’ and Fazio-designed golf course
Indeed, among other things, Pickrel has remodeled the clubhouse — workers headed into the weekend putting the finishing touches on the project — and the players will be in for a treat.
“It’s a PGA Tour clubhouse,” said Baker, now the tournament director.
“What Harold has done is nothing short of phenomenal,” Hallman said.
With the build-out of skyboxes, gallery ropes, scoreboards and all the rest, the tournament will have the feel of a PGA Tour event. Add a Tom Fazio-designed course (par 70, 7,032 yards) and a practice area that Hallman calls “as good as it gets. The players will be impressed, and that’s what we want.”
The field of 156 players includes 23 who have won recent Korn Ferry tournaments, including former Clemson stars Bryson Nimmer and Doc Redman. Players with South Carolina connections include Jonathan Byrd (five PGA Tour wins), Ben Martin, Matt NeSmith, Nathan Franks, Christian Salzar, Trent Phillips, Carson Young and Matt Atkins.
They will compete for shares of a $1 million purse, but the big winner, Hallman said, “will be the United Way,” the tournament’s charity.
“Most of the players might not be familiar, but a lot of people didn’t know Scottie Scheffler when he played in (Korn Ferry) tournaments a few years ago,” Hallman said. “Probably 80 percent of today’s PGA Tour players came through Korn Ferry competition.”
The Korn Ferry Tour, of course, is the prime pathway to the PGA Tour. The top 20 on the points list at season’s end will earn a spot in golf’s major league for next year, and the competition is fierce.
Korn Ferry parking, tickets and concerts
Parking for fans will be at the old Verizon Call Center on Spears Creek Church Road, with shuttle service to the golf course. Both are complimentary. Ticket information and a schedule of events, including the performers in the after-play concerts Thursday, Friday and Saturday, are available online at ColonialLifeCC.com.
“Everything has come together very well, especially for a first-time event,” Hallman said. “We’ve had great support from the city of Columbia, Richland County and the state. Really, we have a perfect date before the weather gets too hot. We have volunteers and (other) sponsors jumped on board, so we’re excited.”
Looking ahead?
“We have a five-year commitment” from Colonial Life and Woodcreek, Hallman said, “and we look to grow the relationship over the years.”
Colonial Life Charity Classic
Where: The Woodcreek Club
Parking, shuttle: Free at the former Verizon Call Center, 501 Spears Creek Church Road, Elgin
Dates and times: Public gates open at 6:30 a.m. daily Thursday to Sunday (May 14-17)
Tee times: 6:40 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 6:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Tickets: $22.64 daily. Kids 15 and under get in free with a ticketed adult. Tickets include access to post-round concerts. Military tickets are free and include one guest admission.