Expectations high for inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic PGA Tour event

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Tickets for the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic PGA Tour event at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club went live Thursday morning.

The course is expecting an estimated 10,000 spectators next May.

Collins Wakefield, the club’s director of golf, said almost 4,000 people have applied to be a volunteer during the event.

Wakefield said they won’t know how many volunteers will be needed exactly until they have a better idea of how many tickets are sold, which he said are going quickly.

“My suggestion is, I will tell you, buy your tickets early,” Wakefield said.

Tournament Director Darren Nelson said he hopes they get announced to sell out in year one. “That’s certainly the goal,” he said.

This will be the first PGA Tour Event on the Grand Strand in 24 years.

“Thank you to Visit Myrtle Beach and the Chamber of Commerce for really having the vision to bring this event here,” Nelson said.

The classic is sure to bring economic gains to the city.

Jonathan Paris, sports tourism executive director for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, said he thinks the event will bring a lot of out-of-town visitors.

“But you know,” Paris said. “We just want to make sure that, that the community is represented and that the the event goes off as best as it can and really represents what our community is all about.”

It’s fitting the golf capital of the world has a PGA Tour Event.

Wakefield, said they have been working toward the goal for 75 years.

“And finally arose the opportunity and we took advantage of it,” he said. “The board got right on it. And we made the commitment.”

Most golf courses get two or three years to plan and prepare, but the Dunes Course only found out they were hosting the tournament in late April.

Dennis Nichol, director of the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, said the club has just been trying to make it work.

“And so really through the month of June July and August it was basically a construction site trying to work around our members and play golf and try and make everything work out.”

The final preparations have been placed, including putting overseed down so everything will be green and stripped up when the cameras go live on May 9.

The PGA Tournament has already brought a lot of exposure to the Dunes Golf and Beach Club and not just for the tournament.

The club’s director said that in the 16 years he has worked at the club this is the first time there has ever been a waitlist to become a member of the course.