Chris Baker’s whirlwind ‘firsts:’ player to SC tournament director to player again
Meet Chris Baker, believed to be the first former PGA Tour player to be named tournament director of a competition under the PGA Tour’s umbrella.
Meet Chris Baker, the first tournament director of a competition under the PGA Tour’s umbrella to play in a competition under the PGA Tour’s umbrella.
Maybe that sounds like a takeoff on Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” comedy routine, but the scenario describes the recent dizzying whirlwind in Baker’s professional life.
The timeline:
Just a couple of weeks ago, Baker, a native of Iowa, a resident of Columbia and a professional golfer for the past 16 years, accepted the offer to be tournament director of the Colonial Life Charity Classic. The Korn Ferry Tour event will be played for the first time in May 2026 at the Woodcreek Club in Elgin.
Wasting no time in delving into what he calls “a new challenge” in my life, he planned to attend the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am in the Greenville area to check out logistics and perhaps come up with ideas suitable for Woodcreek.
On Thursday morning, he teed off in the BMW event.
A fairy tale? Not at all.
Baker maintained a low Korn Ferry Tour status for 2025 and had competed in only six events. He had made only two cuts and earned a bit over $8,000 — making the decision to take on the tournament director offer an easy one.
Then ...
“Chris called me the other day and said, ‘Guess what? I’m 10th on the alternate list for the BMW,’ ” said Mark McClam, a mentor who has caddied for Baker. “Long story short, players kept withdrawing and he got in.”
Thus, Baker’s concentration this week will be what happens inside the ropes, and he will again enjoy the thrill of high-level competition — one factor he said that would be missing in his tourney director’s gig.
“I can still be a competitive player,” Baker said in talking about his future prior to the BMW opportunity, “but I couldn’t pass up the chance” to be the tournament director.
He reeled off a list of those who provided counsel: wife Kristen, a USC graduate and pharmacist at the Dorn VA hospital; Gene Hallman, an Irmo High graduate whose company Eventive Sports manages sports events; Colonial Life CEO Tim Arnold; Woodcreek owner Harold Pickrel; and McClam.
“We’ve got to put the tournament together from the ground up, and I will have a great team,” Baker said. “Eventive has done it before (tournaments on the PGA, PGA Champions and LPGA tours) and we have that experience.
“I can bring the perspective from the players’ points of view; I’ve been in their shoes. I know what they like and don’t like, and I know what we can do to make the Colonial Life Classic a great experience for them.”
The tournament staff will handle event operations from parking, ticketing, marketing and sponsorships. Volunteers to assist will be sought.
Baker calls Woodcreek, a Tom Fazio design, one of the top venues on the Korn Ferry Tour, and, he said: “I can guarantee the golf will be outstanding. They players are one step from the PGA Tour; they’re really good.”
After the BMW, Baker will be back at work on the new challenge in his life, overseeing the Colonial Life Classic. But he’ll keep his clubs handy ... just in case.
Chip shots. The Palmetto State contingent in the U.S. Open that begins June 12 includes exempt players Jacob Bridgeman, Lucas Glover, Dustin Johnson and Andrew Novak plus three who advanced through qualifying — USC standout Frankie Harris, former USC Aiken player Roberto Diaz and Inman’s Trent Phillips, who played at Georgia. ... Columbian Patrick Stephenson joined forces with former East Carolina teammate Stephen Lavenets (Willow Springs, North Carolina) to win the CGA’s Carolinas Four-Ball Championship at Camden CC. ... Greenville native Trace Crowe dominated in winning the Korn Ferry Tour’s UNC Health Championship in Raleigh.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 9:46 AM with the headline "Chris Baker’s whirlwind ‘firsts:’ player to SC tournament director to player again."