PGA Tour Returns to Asheville for First Time in 80 Years
By Staff Writer
2 min read
Key takeaways
- The inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville is the PGA Tour's first tournament in the city in more than 80 years.
- Ben Hogan won three straight titles at the old Asheville Land of the Sky Open from 1940 to 1942.
- Explore Asheville signed a four-year, $2.4 million deal to host the event through 2029.
- The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, a Jack Nicklaus design that opened in 2005, plays to a par of 71 with five par-3s and elevation changes from about 2,200 to 3,200 feet.
- The field includes 24 players ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking, led by Jacob Bridgeman at No. 29.
The PGA Tour returned to Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time in more than 80 years this week with the inaugural Biltmore Championship at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, reviving a Tour history that dates back to Ben Hogan.
What is the tournament's history in Asheville?
The Tour's previous presence in the area traces to the Asheville Land of the Sky Open, where Hogan won three consecutive titles from 1940 to 1942. Explore Asheville signed a four-year, $2.4 million agreement to host the new event through 2029, reconnecting the region with its Tour history.
What makes The Cliffs at Walnut Cove a unique test?
The Jack Nicklaus design opened in 2005 and is one of seven courses in The Cliffs portfolio across the Carolinas. It plays to a par of 71 with five par-3s, situated about 15 miles from downtown Asheville, with elevation ranging from roughly 2,200 to 3,200 feet as the routing climbs ridges and drops through valleys.
J.T. Poston said the course calls for shots he rarely sees elsewhere on Tour: "The 11th hole out here plays 23 yards downhill."
Who is playing this week?
The field includes 24 players ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking, with two inside the top 50. Jacob Bridgeman, a Clemson alum from South Carolina, is the highest-ranked player at No. 29, followed by Poston, who grew up an hour from Asheville and attended Western Carolina University, at No. 38.
The tournament is the first of eight events in the FedEx Cup Fall, which finalizes 2027 PGA Tour eligibility, including status for the top 100 and conditional status through No. 125. The winner earns $900,000 from the event's $5 million purse, 500 FedEx Cup points and a two-year Tour exemption.
The Biltmore Championship takes a one-week break next for the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, where Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun are among the U.S. team's 12 players.
Frequently asked questions
Why hasn't the PGA Tour played in Asheville in 80 years?
The Tour's last regular presence in the area was the Asheville Land of the Sky Open in the 1940s; the Biltmore Championship is the first Tour event to return to the city since then.
Who designed The Cliffs at Walnut Cove?
Jack Nicklaus designed the course, which opened in 2005 and plays to a par of 71.
How long is Asheville's Tour deal?
Explore Asheville signed a four-year, $2.4 million agreement to host the Biltmore Championship through 2029.
- biltmore championship
- asheville golf
- the cliffs at walnut cove
- jack nicklaus
- ben hogan
- jt poston
- fedex cup fall