Next month, the Minnehaha County Country Club in Sioux Falls will host the first ever PGA Tour Champions event in state history with the 'Sanford International.' This newly created event will take place September 17-23.
Two-time US Open Champion Andy North ('78 and '85) said this event has been in the works for a long time. Along with the PGA Tours Champions event, an exhibition legends game will also take place. It has been announced that World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus is scheduled to participate in that legends round on Saturday September 22nd.
“To get Jack Nicklaus involved, to come here to Sioux Falls, for people to be able to go out and watch the best golfer to ever play - it’s going to be really exciting,” said North.
North and Nicklaus also plan to run a golf clinic for kids after the exhibition round of golf on Saturday.
“Once the exhibition round of golf is over, Jack and myself will do a clinic,” said North. “We hope that we can get a ton of kids to show up, maybe some moms and dads. Maybe this is a day that will get some people involved in the game of golf, who maybe wouldn’t have got involved in it.”
North explained it’s important to recognize the youth of the sport and that anyone who ever did anything great, started somewhere.
"I was lucky enough to watch some good players when I was a kid," said North. "Nicklaus was one of my heroes when I grew up, and to get the chance to play with him and be a good friend, that’s special."
This year’s Sanford International golf event is the first of a five-year agreement to host the golf extravaganza in Sioux Falls. The purse prize for the tournament PGA Tour Champions event is $1.8 million.
For more information about the Sanford International PGA Tour Champions event, click here.
