For the first time since 1959, the PGA Tour is heading to Kentucky.
The Barbasol Championship, the opposite field event held the same week as The Open, is being moved to the Champions Course at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Ky. according to a release by the Tour.
The event had been held at the Grand National course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Opelika, Ala. since its inception in 2015. When the 2017-2018 schedule was released a few weeks back, it had the location for the event listed as “TBD” though.
The last PGA Tour event to be held in the Bluegrass State was the Kentucky Derby Open from 1957-1959. Gary Player earned his first Tour win at the event in 1958.
“Being selected as the latest PGA Tour stop is a significant development, and we are excited to showcase the greatness of Kentucky to golf fans from around the world,” said Kentucky governor Matt Bevin. “It will be an incredible honor for Kentucky to host these individuals and corporate guests each summer.”
The event will continue to offer the same $3.5 million purse with $630,000 going to the winner. Past champions of the event include Scott Piercy (2015), Aaron Baddeley (2016), and Grayson Murray last year.
