America’s best come to Bluffton: Belfair hosts national championship for PGA club pros
Alex Beach of the Westchester Country Club in Harrison, New York, surged to the top of the leaderboard at 8-under-par Tuesday after two rounds of the the 52nd PGA Professional Championship in Bluffton.
Play in the nationally-televised, $650,000 tournament, which is free and open to the public, continues through Wednesday at the Belfair residential community in Bluffton.
The largest all-professional national championship in the game opened Sunday with a 312-player field of club professionals representing 45 states tackling the Tom Fazio-designed East and West courses in Belfair.
The field was to be trimmed to the low 90 scorers and ties Monday evening, and it will be cut the low 70 scorers and ties after Tuesday’s round. The final two rounds will be played over the West Course, ranked among Golfweek’s Top 100 private residential golf courses. The East Course recently underwent a major enhancement as part of the club’s $20 million capital improvement plan.
James Swift, PGA director of golf at Belfair, his staff, and some 650 volunteers are making it possible. Belfair follows the Ocean Course of Kiawah Island (2005) and The Dunes Club of Myrtle Beach (2014) as South Carolina hosts sites.
Of note this year, four women represent the largest-ever contingent of women in the tournament.
Also, pro Jim White, 69, of Nebraska was playing in his 30th PGA Professional Championship.
Former champion Ron Philo Jr., 53, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, shot a 6-under-par 66 Sunday on the West Course to take the first-round lead.
The 29-year-old Alex Beach rode six birdies to sole position of second place after his first round on the West Course.
Players were still on the courses Monday at press time.
National television
Tuesday: The Golf Channel: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: The Golf Channel: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
At stake
Money: Total purse $650,000.
Exemptions: Champion receives exemptions for the 2019 PGA Championship, 2019 PGA Cup, and six PGA Tour events over a 12-month period. The low 20 scorers earn a berth in the 101st PGA Championship at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
Prestige: The champion’s name is inscribed in the Walter Hagen Cup, named after the legendary golfer, five-time PGA Champion and one of the 35 charter members of the PGA of America.
Sponsors
Presenting partners: Cadillac, OMEGA, Club Car
Supporting partners: Titleist/FootJoy, Nike, TaylorMade, Golf Channel, PGA Tour
Local Supporting partners: Kroger, Hargray, Old Town Trolley Tours, Orfiks, Enterprise, PGA Tour Superstore, South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police, Hilton Head Regional Healthcare