PGA Tour Winners, Star Rookie Commit To Next Week's Barbasol Championship in Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The list of accomplished professional golfers who will be playing in next week's Barbasol Championship in Kentucky continues to grow with the commitments of Charles Howell III, Hunter Mahan, Ben Crane, Jonathan Byrd and star rookie Beau Hossler.
“The commitment by players of this caliber is a great reflection of the confidence PGA Tour pros have in our inaugural tournament, the golf course, our organization, and frankly, the positive image of Kentucky,” said Brooks Downing, executive director of the event. “We sense their excitement in coming here to play, and we’re certainly excited to host and show them all our Bluegrass hospitality.”
The Barbasol Championship, the first state’s only annual PGA Tour event, will be played Thursday through Sunday, July 19-22, at Champions at Keene Trace in Nicholasville, just outside Lexington.
The field of 132 players currently represents close to 160 total Tour victories as well as major championships, multiple Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team appearances. The commitment deadline for players to play in the Barbasol Championship is Friday, July 13.
Charles Howell III, from Augusta, Ga., is a two-time PGA Tour winner. Howell captured the 2000 NCAA Division I individual golf championship while at Oklahoma State, also guiding the Cowboys to the NCAA Men’s team title. After receiving the prestigious Haskins Award for the outstanding collegiate golfer, he turned pro later that year and went on to capture the 2002 Michelob Championship in Williamsburg, Va., and the 2007 Nissan Open in Los Angeles. The 39-year old’s resurgent career saw him go into a playoff in the 2017 Quicken Loans National in Washington, D.C. before losing out to Kyle Stanley. He is currently ranked 34th on the FedExCup points list with four Top-10 finishes this season.
Hunter Mahan, another Oklahoma State Tour pro and Haskins Award winner (2003), will be recognizable to Kentucky golf fans. Mahan was a member of the United States squad that captured the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Mahan has six PGA Tour victories including two World Golf Championships and a FedExCup Playoff event since turning professional in 2003. His victory in the 2012 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship came 2&1 over Rory McIlroy. The 36-year old native Californian was a two-time first team All-American while at OK State, and runner-up in the 2002 U.S. Amateur Championship.
Five-time PGA Tour winner Ben Crane turned pro out of Oregon in 1999. His first victory came in 2003 at the Bellsouth Classic in Atlanta and his most recent win came in the 2014 FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis. The 42-year old also claimed two titles on the Web.com Tour before gaining his PGA TOUR playing privileges in 2002
Jonathan Byrd is perhaps best known of his “Walk Off Hole-In-One.” The five-time PGA Tour winner and 2002 Rookie of the Year captured the 2010 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Classic in Las Vegas in most dramatic fashion. On the fourth playoff hole and with daylight fading on the par-3 17th at TPC Summerlin, Byrd holed out his tee shot to capture his fourth Tour victory. The 40-year old was Clemson’s first four-time All-American. Byrd’s pro career is back on the upswing after winning the 2017 Web.com Tour Championship and returning this season to the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour rookie Beau Hossler has quickly made a name for himself as a professional with two runner-up performances already this season. The Texas star was tied for the lead after the final round of the Houston Open this past April before losing in a playoff to Ian Poulter. The 23-year old Californian tied for second at the recent Travelers Championship in Hartford, Conn., has five total Top-10 finishes this season, and is currently 23rd on the FedExCup points list.
Daily and week-long grounds passes can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. A Thursday grounds pass is $30 with Friday priced at $35 and the Saturday/Sunday rate at $40 per day. All four-day pass can be purchased for $100, with upgraded ticket options available as well.
Additional player commitments will be announced later this week. For detailed tournament information, visit www.barbasolchampionshipky.com.
KENTUCKY CONNECTIONS GROW STRONG FOR BARBASOL CHAMPIONSHIP
When the Barbasol Championship tees off next week at Champions at Keene Trace Golf Club, fans will be able to see some of the best golfers in the world July 19-22, but their rooting interest could likely be attached to several pros with ties to the Bluegrass State.
University of Louisville grad Derek Fathauer and Owensboro, Ky., product Matt Atkins will be in the 132-man field, it was announced Monday, July 9 by the tournament.
“Golf is certainly a global game, and we will have outstanding American and International players in our field,” Downing said. “But we love and support our Kentuckians, and it’s always special to have pros with close ties to the Bluegrass State in our event. Fans and media will enjoy following these players and cheering them on to play well.”
Previously announced to compete was Lexington native and Morehead State grad Josh Teater, and University of Kentucky teammates Cooper Musselman and Chip McDaniel. Teater, the winner of the 2009 Utah Championship on the Web.com Tour, played on the PGA Tour during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Musselman and McDaniel both just completed their senior seasons at UK, leading the Wildcats to their 10th NCAA Golf Championship appearance. Musselman is the reigning Kentucky Open champion, while McDaniel owns two Kentucky Amateur titles (2013, 2017). Both are turning pro at the Barbasol Championship.
Fathauer, 32, appeared in three U.S. Amateur Championships while a member of the U of L golf team, making the quarterfinals of match play in both 2007 and 2008. He gained PGA Tour eligibility through the 2008 Qualifying Tournament. After losing his Tour card, he regained PGA Tour eligibility by winning the 2014 Web.com Tour Championship and finishing as the season’s leading money winner. Fathauer recorded two Top-10 finishes during the 2016-17 season, and despite having only one Top-10 finish this season, he comes in on a hot streak, having made the cut in four of his last six tournament starts.
Atkins, 27, graduated from Apollo High School in Owensboro in 2009, going on to play for the University of South Carolina-Aiken golf team. He gained eligibility for the 2015 Web.com Tour and recorded a 3-shot victory in the 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship, a springboard to finishing 19th on the regular-season money list to gain his 2017-18 PGA Tour card. With only four cuts made so far in 16 starts, Atkins will be looking for familiar turf and fan support to improve his chances of retaining PGA Tour eligibility for next season.
Spectator Parking & Shuttle Information
All spectator parking for the Barbasol Championship will be at Keeneland with shuttle buses running to the course continuously throughout the day. Daily parking during competition rounds on Thursday-Sunday is $10 per day with free parking offered for practice days on Tuesday/Wednesday.
There will be no spectator parking at Champions at Keene Trace. In addition, Delaney Ferry Road near the course will be “restricted access,” and no local “park and walk” opportunities will be available. Those spectators utilizing a ride-share drop-off and pick-up lot will be available off Keene South Elkhorn Road (KY-1267) with local shuttle transporting spectators to the course.
Spectator parking passes for Thursday-Sunday at Keeneland are available for purchase now at www.BarbasolChampionshipKY.com. Keeneland also will play host to the Concours d’Elegance car show on Saturday, July 21, so spectators are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance to secure a spot at the track.
Parking/Shuttle Fast Facts
All general parking will be at Keeneland and patrons must enter at Gate 2 (Old Clubhouse entrance)
Keeneland shuttles will start running at approximately 7 a.m. on Thursday-Sunday and run approximately 90 minutes following the conclusion of play each evening
Price: $10 per tournament day with free parking available on Tuesday/Wednesday
No parking or drop-offs allowed at the course or within a 1.5 mile stretch of Delaney Ferry Road around the course
Ride-share (Uber, Lyft, taxi) lot will be available on Keene South Elkhorn (KY-1267) with local shuttles to the course
Tournament Bag Policies
A clear-bag policy will be in effect for spectators coming to the Barbasol Championship. No bags larger than 6” x 6” x 6”, other than diaper and medical bags, will be permitted. Clear bags smaller than 12” x 6” x 12” and 1-gallon plastic freezer bags will be allowed. Full tournament policies, including prohibited items, can be found at www.barbasolchampionshipky.com/policies.
