Myrtle Beach to host PGA Tour event beginning in 2024

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach will host a PGA Tour event beginning in 2024 at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, according to an announcement Wednesday morning from the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and the PGA.

It will be the first ever PGA Tour event on the Grand Strand.

The event, called the “Myrtle Beach Classic” is part of the PGA Tour’s 2024 FedEx Cup Regular Season “as a Full-Field additional event played the same week as a Designated event,” according to the announcement.

Exact dates for the tournament will be announced at a later date.

A PGA Designated event are the tournaments with more history and name recognition, like the Heritage Classic in Hilton Head, with purses of about $20 million, meaning many big names may skip the tournament in favor of one of the Designated events.

The Myrtle Beach Classic purse will be $3.9 million, according to the announcement. 300 FedEx points will be awarded to the winner.

The four-year contract for the event was signed Monday. Visit Myrtle Beach will be the event’s title sponsor as part of the chamber’s push deeper into sports tourism.

“This is a dream that we’ve had for many years to have — what you all know, what we affectionately call the golf capital of the world — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, have its own PGA Tour tournament,” said Karen Riordan, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “That dream is being realized today.”

“Winning on the PGA Tour is among the most difficult accomplishments in all of sports,” said Kelly Jensen, vice president of PGA Tour. “To be the best you have to beat the best, so with that said, I can promise you 72 holes of intense competition from the PGA Tour’s best and a week of excitement for fans.”

The club estimates the cost of upgrades will be about $1 million.

“All the tee boxes are being leveled and planted with zoysia grass, the short-game area will be enhanced, the putting green will be enlarged,” said Collins Wakefield, president of Dunes Golf and Beach Club.

Tourism leaders expect the new tournament to generate about $60 million in economic impact each year.

“The Myrtle Beach Classic at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club will showcase all that Myrtle Beach has to offer for our visitors and residents,” Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune said.

Horry County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner said “we gladly welcome this new PGA Tour Event to Horry County.”

The Myrtle Beach Classic will be one of two tour stops in South Carolina.

The Dunes Golf and Beach Club is a Robert Trent Jones-designed course that was incorporated in May 1948. It hosted the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on PGA Tour Champions from 1994 to 1999.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.