Live update: Rain is falling on the PGA tournament in Myrtle Beach. Will this delay play?

How many people are at the Myrtle Beach Classic? Here’s what we know

UPDATED: 1:40 P.M.

Attracting 40,000 spectators and having 10,000 people a day has been the Myrtle Beach Classic’s attendance goal, but crowds are small on the first day.

While people attend, the crowds have been sparse in places watching the tournament. Around 1 p.m. spectators were waiting for the shuttle service to return to the parking lots.

Wayne Jackson, Joe Austin, and Josh Goldsmith were sitting in lawn chairs on the back nine of the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, watching the action. All three are originally from Virginia, but Jackson now lives in Surfside Beach.

Austin said the group will be at the tournament for parts of all four days and regularly visits Myrtle Beach to play golf; they even have a tee time at Oyster Bay on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Goldsmith said the action was slow but added it was early. Austin also said that if it rained, they’d leave until it stopped.

Tournament Director Darren Nelson said that 5,000 people attended the pro-am practice round on May 8, 2024, and thousands of tickets were left on the market.

“Today, we’ll have probably between eight 9000 tickets out there in the market,” He said. “For the weekend, probably closer to 15,000.”

- Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com

Rain impacts the PGA event in Myrtle Beach. Here’s what we know.

UPDATED: 1:22 P.M.

Myrtle Beach’s first PGA Tour golf tournament is getting rain.

Inclement weather was anticipated for part of the Myrtle Beach Classic. The National Weather Service’s Wilmington office forecasted potential rain and storms May 9 and 10, 2024, and clearer weather for May 11 and May 12, 2024, in Myrtle Beach.

- Sun News Staff

Is the Myrtle Beach Classic ‘Dirty Myrtle’ or family-friendly?

UPDATED 12:32 P.M.

The sun is out at the Myrtle Beach Classic, as spectators mingle around the course, watching the golfers play.

Many are retiree-aged, young families walking around with their kids and golf enthusiasts wearing what they would on the links.

Visit Myrtle Beach President and CEO Karen Riordan said the tournament caters to a family-friendly audience in contrast to PGA tournaments like the WM Phoenix Open, known for loud crowds, pyrotechnic concerts, and stadium-like seating.

“This still is Myrtle Beach. It’s come as you are. It’s very relaxed,” Riordan said. “We’re not looking to create a party atmosphere; we’re looking to create a wonderful fan experience.”

Tournament Director Darren Nelson added the tournament will attain its own character as the Myrtle Beach Classic continues year over year.

“We’re not really trying to create a certain vibe,” He added. “We do have the hospitality areas. Whether those get rowdy or not, we’ll see.”

- Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com

Check out the social media posts from the Myrtle Beach Classic

UPDATED: 11:20 A.M.

Here are some social media posts from the Myrtle Beach Classic PGA event circulating today.

Are the best PGA Tour Golfers teeing off in the Myrtle Beach Classic? Here’s what you need to know

UPDATED 9:15 A.M.

Don’t expect top PGA Tour golfers like 2024 Masters Tournament winner Scottie Scheffler to participate in the Myrtle Beach Classic.

The Wells Fargo Championship, a PGA Tour signature event with a $20 million event purse, is starting at the same time as the Myrtle Beach Classic. Many of the tour’s best golfers participate in the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, which tees off at 11 a.m.

However, the PGA Tour is promoting the Myrtle Beach Classic, posting highlights and videos to its X, formerly Twitter account.

Interested golf fans can see who’s participating in the Wells Fargo Championship by checking the tournament’s roster. You can read more about how golfers qualified for the Myrtle Beach Classic here.

- Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com

What’s going on at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte?

UPDATED 9:02 A.M.

The 2024 Wells Fargo Championship returns to Quail Hollow Club for the 19th time on Monday and is expected to draw thousands of spectators to Charlotte.

The field includes 2023 champion Wyndham Clark, back to defend his title, and three-time tournament champion Rory Mcllroy, along with previous winners Lucas Glover , Rickie Fowler, and Brian Harman.

This is the last year Charlotte’s PGA Tour event will carry the Wells Fargo name after the company elected to end its tournament sponsorship in December, The Charlotte Observer reported.

- The Charlotte Observer

Rain may also be coming to the first day of the Myrtle Beach Classic. Here’s the latest on the weather

UPDATED 8:55 A.M.

Rain could be inbound to the Myrtle Beach Classic. According to AccuWeather’s radar, rain could start in the Myrtle Beach area around 9:45 a.m. EST. It is cloudy at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, but no rain yet.The National Weather Service’s Wilmington forecast for the Myrtle Beach area predicts possible storms after 1 p.m. EST, with some being severe.

NWS also reported a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a 40 percent chance of precipitation, mainly after 1 p.m. The weather could be a factor in play for the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic tournament. Rain is expected for Thursday, May 9, 2024, and Friday, May 10, although NWS forecasts sunny skies for the weekend.

- Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com

Cloudy skies about about a dozen attendees follow early golfers at the Myrtle Beach Classic Thursday morning

UPDATED 8:40 A.M.

The course is quiet as the tournament gets underway. The skies are cloudy without precipitation; about 10 attendees follow the golfers as play gets under.

Tournament Director Darren Nelson said that ticket sales had exceeded 40,000, the initial goal for the tournament. He added that the Myrtle Beach Classic specifically focused on attracting local Grand Strand residents and spectators from nearby North Carolina. For comparison, the Carolina Country Music Fest has an attendance of about 35,000, and Bike Week has 300,000 attendees.

- Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com

Golfers teed off for the first time in the Myrtle Beach Classic at 6:50 am EST.

UPDATED 8:12 A.M.

Want to watch golfers you know? Check the tee times here.

– Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com

Severe storms, high temps to hit Myrtle Beach SC area. Here’s when and what to expect

The Myrtle Beach area may experience severe weather Thursday, including high wind gusts and possible tornadoes.

You can also expect it to be hot and humid with temperatures reaching the mid-90s, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The weather comes when thousands will be in Myrtle Beach for the Grand Strand’s first PGA Tour tournament that begins Thursday, May 9, 2024, and runs through Sunday, May 12, 2024.

Tickets, traffic delays, parking. What to know and expect for Myrtle Beach PGA tournament

The Myrtle Beach Classic will tee off in May 2024, bringing thousands to the Myrtle Beach area. Visitors and locals will be at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, watching professionals play one of the Grand Strand’s oldest courses in Myrtle Beach’s first PGA tournament.

Myrtle Beach Classic Tournament Director Darren Nelson said that close to 24,000 tickets have been sold, with the projected final total expected to be 40,000.

Tickets can be purchased online, but Nelson added that interested spectators can buy tickets at the gate, which is open to the public at 6 a.m., according to a fact sheet for the tournament.

Is there a dress code?

Once on club grounds, viewers can either sit in one of the general admission areas or walk the course with the golfers as they play.

While attendees are expected to wear golf attire, Nelson said there is no dress code.

He recommended that attendees bring comfortable shoes to walk in if they choose to follow the action hole-to-hole.

Which local celebrities will be in attendance?

The Myrtle Beach Classic will also feature local celebrities. WPDE Meteorologist Ed Piotrowski and musician Greg Rowles will be at the Myrtle Beach Classic, announcing golfers’ names before they tee off, Nelson said. Rowles recently opened his own musical theater in North Myrtle Beach, which began having shows April 1, 2024.

These are three golfers to watch in the PGA Tour’s first Myrtle Beach Classic

Brandt Snedeker - Of the players in the field, Snedeker is probably the most well-known to fans of the PGA.

Matt Atkins - An alum of the University of South Carolina Aiken, Atkins won a spot to play in the Myrtle Beach Classic in a unique way.

George Bryan, IV - Despite finishing second in The Q, Bryan received a spot on the Myrtle Beach Classic roster during a video call from Tournament Director Darren Nelson. Bryan, who turned pro in 2010, is a Palmetto State native and attended the University of South Carolina.