Lexington picks up PGA Tour event...

[Jeff Drummond]

2018 Barbasol Championship moving to Lexington area

PGA TOUR event to be held July 16-22 at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky


NICHOLASVILLE, Kentucky (October 18, 2017) – With new host facility Keene Trace Golf Club serving as the backdrop and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin heading a delegation of state and local dignitaries who joined PGA TOUR executive Andy Pazder, it was announced today that the 2018 Barbasol Championship will become Kentucky’s first PGA TOUR tournament in decades, come next July 16-22.


The fourth-year event will be contested on the Arthur Hills-designed Champions course in Nicholasville, approximately 10 miles from downtown Lexington. The move for the Barbasol Championship follows a successful three-year run at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Grand National course in Opelika, Alabama.


It will be the first PGA TOUR tournament to be held in the state since the Kentucky Derby Open was contested in Louisville from 1957-59. Gary Player claimed his first TOUR victory in the 1958 event. PGA TOUR Champions also held the Bank One Classic in Lexington from 1983-97.

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About PGA TOUR

The PGA TOUR is the leading global platform in professional golf, showcasing the highest expression of excellence, both on and off the course. The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, grow and protect the game of golf and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.


The PGA TOUR co-sanctions more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China. Its members represent the world’s best players, hailing from 24 countries (89 members are from outside the United States). Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1.1 billion households in 227 countries and territories in 23 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2016, tournaments across all Tours generated a record of more than $166 million for local and national charitable organizations, bringing the all-time total to $2.46 billion.


The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

 

[Mashburned]

* Nicholasville

 

[cawoodsct]

Sweet!

 

[Tskware]

I am heading to the post event cocktail party right now!

 

[ukalumni00]

Won't get to see the major stars there because it coincides with "The Open", but its always fun to watch a PGA Tour Pro in person. Seemed the community in Alabama did not support it much when seeing the galleries on tv. Bet KY will represent much better.

 

[cawoodsct]

Pretty good field this year for opposite a major event

http://www.golfchannel.com/tours/pga-tour/2017/barbasol-championship/

 

[funKYcat75]

That’s awesome. Can’t wait.

 

[vhcat70]

Uppity of Lex taking N-ville's spotlight. Why downplay them?

 

[anthonys735]

Heard it was happening, good to see it finalized. Solid field this past year. Should be a fun weekend.

 

[kev69]

It's a cool thing for the state.

 

[Glenn's take]

Will probably go on Saturday but I may decide to go Thursday or Friday too. I wish it wasn't up against the Open but beggars can't be choosers.

 

[cawoodsct]

Will probably go on Saturday but I may decide to go Thursday or Friday too. I wish it wasn't up against the Open but beggars can't be choosers.

Let us know which day you pick, Glenn.

 

[rudd1]

-ambiguous take, glenn.

 

[ukalum01]

I immediately thought of volunteering and probably will. Would love to see the community embrace and support this event.

 

[K-mac18]

Think this is pretty cool. Might not get all the top names because of The Open but still should get a lot of great players.

Went to the PGA back in 2014 will probably go to this too.

 

[Mash 2.4]

Haven't played there. PGA guys gonna light it up?

 

[cawoodsct]

Haven't played there. PGA guys gonna light it up?

Hard course for me and you but yes they will light it up.

 

[TruBluCatFan]

Can’t wait; for 2 things.

1. Can’t wait for this event. Great for KY golf.
2. For UKO’s snarky comment.

 

[cole854]

Can’t wait; for 2 things.

1. Can’t wait for this event. Great for KY golf.
2. For UKO’s snarky comment.

You have issues.

It is great for the state, especially since the recent attempts at a Champions and LPGA event have not worked out. Nice, fairly difficult course at the best private facility in Central Ky, but could be a logistical issue for the shuttles...will be interesting on how they lay this out for the fans.

Given my neighbor is one of the directors of this event, I will get a prime volunteer slot, and will have you removed, Ron.

 

[Get Bucket$]

Can’t wait; for 3 things.

1. Can’t wait for this event. Great for KY golf.
2. For UKO’s snarky comment.
3. Glen to let catpaw know what days he's going.

 

[Mashburned]

Uppity of Lex taking N-ville's spotlight. Why downplay them?

Exactly. I heard another Copper River is being built.

 

[Tskware]

They are going to reverse the 9s, the 210 yard par 3 over the water will be 18. They have already sold 16 of the 20 corporate boxes to be erected behind the green. Parking will be at Keeneland with buses to shuttle in the crowd.

Prevailing view is that it will be a birdie fest, just like it was in Alabama, PGA does not want -4 to win a regular tour event. Not sure if it will be par 70 or 71, but they are going to add two new (much longer tees) on what is now #4 and #11.

Hate to give up my home course for three or four weeks, but think overall it will be a great event. Not been a regular PGA event in Kentucky since the 1950s.

I am curious to see how many people show up each day. They said it was not well attended in Alabama, but July down there is just brutal. I am hoping 15-20,000 per day, but we will see.

 

[B.B.d.K.]

Poster here had the scoop on this about 6 months ago, but he wasn't buying it until it was official.


As far as the course ---> -7 (by an amateur, and only 3 days) won the Kentucky Open there this year, the pros will eat that place alive. Not sure what, if anything, can be done as far as course setup.

Either way, it's great for KY, and I definitely plan to attend a day or two.

 

[Tskware]

As far as the course ---> -7 (by an amateur, and only 3 days) won the Kentucky Open there this year, the pros will eat that place alive. Not sure what, if anything, can be done as far as course setup.

That is what all the members think as well, although we hosted the US Open qualifying round a couple of years ago, and even par was the low round of the day (was shitty weather though), one of the highest qualifying scores in the country.

P.S. I am 99% sure the Open was at Keene, not Champions this past summer. And I was surprised the winning score was only -7, thought they would go much lower at Keene.

 

[TruBluCatFan]

You have issues.

It is great for the state, especially since the recent attempts at a Champions and LPGA event have not worked out. Nice, fairly difficult course at the best private facility in Central Ky, but could be a logistical issue for the shuttles...will be interesting on how they lay this out for the fans.

Given my neighbor is one of the directors of this event, I will get a prime volunteer slot, and will have you removed, Ron.

I have lots of issues. Giving you a hard time is one of my favorite issues.

 

[tfields01]

The Am was at Keene this year. Like -15 won that.

The Open was at Champions last year or the year before- Kent Bulle won, but I even thought he was like 10 under or something.

I haven't played it since they re-did the green complexes, so I don't know how much tougher that made the course. But still, I bet the winning score is -20 or better. Just doesn't have enough length for the modern tour player. They'll hit wedges into #1, #3 (depending on wind), #4, #6, #7, #10, #13 (if downwind), #17 and #18 (if they hit driver), not to mention reach all of the Par 5's in two. Par 3's have some teeth, but that's the only big defense.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]