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Myrtle Beach Classic breaks attendance record amid star-studded field

adam benson
·5 min read
7

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — If there was any question about whether a PGA Tour tournament could succeed in the world’s golf capital, the Myrtle Beach Classic put it to rest.

Saturday’s “moving day” at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club drew 15,281 fans — already making it the most successful first-year tournament in PGA history.

“We are truly thrilled and humbled by Saturday’s attendance figures at the Myrtle Beach Classic,” Karen Riordan, president and CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach, said in a statement. “But we know that golfers, fans and families love The Beach, and this our time to shine as The Golf Capital of the World.”

Organizers said in December that 8,000 had already been sold for the tournament.

Tee times for Sunday’s final round were between 6:50 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Chris Gotterup is seeking his first PGA Tour win and opens the day as the leader, sitting at 18 under par.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen is in a three-way tie for second alongside Jorge Campillo of Spain and Scotland’s Robert Macintyre, all at 14 under par.

Here’s a recap of the sights, sounds and fun facts around the Myrtle Beach Classic.

The Myrtle Beach Classic is here to stay

Last May, the PGA Tour and Visit Myrtle Beach announced a four-year agreement establishing the Myrtle Beach Classic as a FedEx Cup tournament, making it the first ever in the city’s history and the first sanctioned major tournament on the Grand Strand in 24 years.

The winner gets 300 FedEx Cup points and splits a $3.9 million purse.

The Myrtle Beach Classic becomes South Carolina’s second PGA Tour stop this year, along with the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links.

The Dunes Golf and Beach Club has a championship pedigree

Incorporated in May 1948, the Robert Trent Jones-designed course hosted the season-sending Charles Schwab Championship on the PGA Tour Champions circuit from 1994 through 1999 with winners including Raymond Floyd, Jim Colbert, Jay Sigel, Gil Morgan, Hale Irwin and Gary McCord.

The Dunes Golf and Beach Club also hosted the PGA Tour’s Q-School finals in October 1973, with future World Golf Hall of Famer Ben Crenshaw finishing first.

Consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top 100 courses, it’s also hosted U.S. Golf Association, collegiate and men’s and women’s state amateur competitions.

Charities will benefit from the Myrtle Beach Classic

Tournaments under the PGA Tour umbrella donate their net proceeds each year to support local philanthropic organizations. The totals are close to $4 billion to date — more than all other major sports leagues combined.

A total of $225,000 was allocated from the Classic, to be split among nine charities:

  • Help 4 Kids

  • Blue Star Mothers of Coastal Carolina

  • Boys and Girls Club of the Grand Strand

  • Champion Autism Network

  • Recovery Center

  • Classy Smiles

  • Helping Hand of Myrtle Beach

  • Project Golf

  • SOS Care

What they’re saying

Elected officials, celebrities, golfers and patrons have all praised the course’s preparation and community’s support of the Myrtle Beach Classic, with many simply asking why it took so long for South Carolina’s leading tourism destination and powerhouse of the sport to land a top-tier PGA tournament.

“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,” Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette told News13 on Friday.

“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,” she said.

Blades Brown, 16, made his PGA Tour debut this weekend on a player’s exemption, and told News13’s Scotty Powell the course was in championship shape.

“I’m so pumped to be here. The course is in phenomenal condition,” he said. “I’m so grateful to be here.”

Matt Wallace has one career PGA Tour win under his belt and visited Myrtle Beach for the first time with the start of this year’s tournament.

“The course is really nice. It gives me a lot of Valspar, Copperhead course, that type of vibe,” he told Scotty. “The 18th hole is a great finishing hole.”

North Myrtle Beach native Vanna White was tapped as the Classic’s ambassador, competing in a Wednesday pro-am and interacting with fans.

“I’m so excited about it, because I am a huge golfer,” she told News13’s Trish Williford.

Tournament director Darren Nelson said in the days leading up to tee-off that Myrtle Beach had already proven to be a prime location for elite golfers.

“It’s incredible the excitement this market has for this event,” he said. “All the groups coming together and the ingredients were there to host a PGA tour event in Myrtle Beach and we are seeing that too as we get closer to tournament week.”

Nelson said The Dunes’ history and reputation also made it an obvious pick to host the inaugural tournament.

“We are really trying to elevate the brand of Myrtle Beach. So, when they looked at different golf courses, certainly the Dunes Golf and Beach Club was one of the first they looked at,” he said. “It speaks for itself the condition it’s in.”

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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