What goes into getting ready for the Myrtle Beach Classic

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - The Myrtle Beach Classic held a media day on Monday morning at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club ahead of the inaugural event on May 9.

Along with announcing nine local charities that will benefit from the PGA Tour event, Dunes Golf and Beach Club President Blair Anderson gave details on the projects that have taken place over the past 12 months that helped make this possible, including:

Expanding the size of the practice putting green by making it one-third larger than it was.
All 18 Championship Tees were stripped, laser leveled, expanded and re-sodded.
The new tee box on hole No. 8, currently a Par 5, will be played as a Par 4 this year during the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Reconstruction of the practice chipping area.
Construction of a new bunker practice area to the right of the driving range.
1st tee renovations, as well as a new wall and starter house.
Pond bank renovations on holes No. 1 and No. 18.
New tee box on hole No. 14.
Parking lot and maintenance facility renovations.

Tournament Director Darren Nelson mentioned several updates about the event, including:

132 of the best PGA Tour players in the world to showcase their talents at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club.
One of 36 PGA Tour events on the schedule, with a purse of about $4,000,000 and 300 FedEx points to be available to the champion.
About 4,000 people signed up online to be volunteers to which they filled about 1,500 openings.
Official Partners announced: Pepsi, official non-alcoholic beverage. Grand Strand Health, official health care. Cadillac, official vehicle. Diageo, official spirits. Southern Crown Partners, official alcohol partner. Special beer to be announced, that will be showcased during the tournament week.
Several exemption opportunities like “The Q,” a first-of-its-kind event that will feature eight prominent YouTube golfers and eight professional and amateur golfers competing for one spot in the Myrtle Beach Classic at TPC Myrtle Beach on March 4. The annual General Hackler Collegiate Championship will offer another exemption spot from March 18-20.
Monday, May 6, the opening day of tournament week, will see the first annual Ignite Women’s Bunch. Guest speakers are still to be announced.
On Tuesday, May 7, Project Golf will host a junior clinic.
Tuesday evening will also see a Pro-Am pairing draft party. MC’d by Charlie Rymer in an NFL player-style draft. Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna White to be a special guest that evening. Vanna White is also rumored to be playing in the Pro-Am, and the Myrtle Beach area native is set to be attending several special events throughout the week.
Up to 52 teams will play in the official Wednesday Pro-AM. As of Monday, Feb. 26, there were still spots available if you are interested.
Thursday, May 9, there will be opening ceremonies on the No. 1 tee.
Both Thursday evening and Saturday evening, there will be concerts held on the Ocean Lawn, with further details and announcements to be made on April 2.
Thursday evening before the concert, the United States Army Parachute Team, nicknamed the Golden Knights, will parachute onto the beach near the clubhouse.