‘It’s so exciting’: Evette attends Myrtle Beach Classic
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Thousands of people including South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette have been attending the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Evette said that South Carolina is the fastest-growing state in the country and is made up of great hospitality and tourism. She said the Myrtle Beach Classic is a great representation.
“It’s so exciting to see a PGA event here in Myrtle Beach,” Evette said. “I love Myrtle Beach, it’s my second home and you can see the enthusiasm, people are excited. Myrtle Beach is the golf capital of our state.”
Evette said she’s not sure what took so long for the PGA Tour to have an event in Myrtle Beach, but it’s here now and it’s a huge economic driver.
“Small businesses love events like this. People come in from all over the state and other states use our restaurants, they’re buying gas, they’re stopping at the local grocery store, they’re getting coffee, they’re getting ice cream, these mom-and-pop businesses, they love these events,” she said.
Evette said if you’re a tourism state, golf is important, and more and more kids are getting involved.
“I’ve heard for years, being a mom, those golf scholarships are some of the most unused scholarships across the country,” she said.
Evette said her husband played in the Pro-Am on Wednesday, adding golf offers quality family time with some friendly competition. She said her and her family play regularly.
“I want to see all the events come to South Carolina,” Evette said. “These kinds of events make a brighter spotlight on South Carolina continuing to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family and start your business.”
Speaking of businesses, the Dunes Club merchandise store has already run out and ordered more products ahead of this weekend.
An assistant professional golfer and merchandiser, Cyndi Graham, said since this is the first PGA event they’ve had, it’s kind of a test run.
“We go with our normal pricing on our stuff so basically keystone on our retail,” Graham said.
Graham said the board of directors and club managers will determine where the profits made from the tournament will go.
Evette hopes to see this event continue to grow and see the LPGA come in. She said all hands-on deck is the reason events like this are possible and encourages everybody to come out and show their support.
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Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
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