A new PGA TOUR tournament, the Myrtle Beach Classic, sponsored by Visit Myrtle Beach will debut in 2024 along South Carolina’s Grand Strand. A four-year agreement establishing the event was announced recently during a ceremony at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, with South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish in attendance along with representatives from the PGA TOUR, Visit Myrtle Beach, Golf Tourism Solutions, the City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County, South Carolina.
The Myrtle Beach Classic will be part of the PGA TOUR’s 2024 FedExCup Regular Season as a Full-Field additional event played the same week as a Designated event. The tournament will feature a purse of $3.9 million with 300 FedExCup points awarded to the champion.
Tournament dates for the Myrtle Beach Classic will be announced at a later date along with the full 2024 FedExCup schedule. The 2024 PGA TOUR schedule season begins in January with the FedExCup Regular Season, followed by three FedExCup Playoffs events in August and the FedExCup Fall starting in September.
“We are thrilled to announce the debut of the Myrtle Beach Classic, an exciting new playing opportunity for our members in one of our country’s most recognized and visited destinations,” said PGA TOUR President Tyler Dennis. “With its incredible passion for golf, the Myrtle Beach community is a natural fit to bring this tournament to life. We look forward to partnering with Visit Myrtle Beach for a first-class tournament at a championship venue in Dunes Golf and Beach Club.”
The Myrtle Beach Classic will be one of two stops in the Palmetto State for the PGA TOUR in 2024, along with the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links, an event that made its debut in 1969.
“South Carolina is known for our beaches and golf, and generations of visitors have enjoyed both in Myrtle Beach,” said Duane Parrish, director, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. “The Palmetto State has the weather, the landscapes and the variety of courses that make us the perfect destination for every kind of golf vacation. Hosting PGA TOUR events gives us an unparalleled opportunity to share that allure with golf viewers around the world.
“This four-year partnership is a huge win for Myrtle Beach golf and for the greater tourism industry, and it will undoubtedly inspire countless trips to ‘The Beach’ and to South Carolina as a whole.”
“Visit Myrtle Beach is excited to serve as title sponsor of this amazing new PGA TOUR event,” said Karen Riordan, President and CEO, Visit Myrtle Beach. “Myrtle Beach has long been described as the golf capital of the world with over 90 courses for golf enthusiasts. We see the Myrtle Beach Classic as a great opportunity to show the world what an incredible destination we have. With top notch golf, 60 miles of gorgeous beaches, over 2,000 great restaurants and dozens of fun attractions and amusements, the Myrtle Beach area is a great vacation choice.”
The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, a Robert Trent Jones-designed course, was incorporated in May 1948 and hosted the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on PGA TOUR Champions from 1994 to 1999, with winners that included Raymond Floyd, Jim Colbert, Jay Sigel, Gil Morgan, Hale Irwin and Gary McCord.
The Dunes Club was also the site of PGA TOUR Q-School Finals in October 1973, with three-time defending NCAA champion Ben Crenshaw taking medalist honors. The following month, the future World Golf Hall of Fame member would become only the second player ever at the time to win in his first start as a PGA TOUR member.