The Korn Ferry Tour returns to Knoxville, Tennessee, this week.
The Visit Knoxville Open takes place Thursday through Sunday at Holston Hills Country Club. Here are five things to know about the golf tournament. (Pictured above: Robby Shelton celebrates after winning the Knoxville Open in May 2019 at Fox Den Country Club in Farragut, Tennessee. Shelton was 15 under par.)
The return
The 2021 Korn Ferry Tour looks slightly different than in years past.
Its schedule is composed of elements from the current season and events from 2020. The latter includes the Knoxville Open, which was one of 10 events that were postponed or canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead of the typical one-year slate, this particular tour comprises both the 2020 and 2021 tournament schedules.
About development
The Korn Ferry Tour serves as the PGA Tour’s developmental tour.
It features golfers who have yet to make it to that level, or those who have but failed to maintain enough points to retain their PGA Tour card. It previously was known as the Web.com Tour and several other names.
Those who are in the top 25 on the money list by the end of the season are given memberships to the PGA Tour.
New venue
This will be the first year that the Knoxville Open will take place at Holston Hills.
It was meant to be the venue in 2020 before the event was postponed. Prior to Holston Hills, the Knoxville Open was held at Fox Den for 21 years.
Founded in 1927, Holston is a 180-acre course that sits on a set of hills adjacent to the Holston River. Although it hasn’t hosted the Knoxville Open yet, it has welcomed some important events, including the Knoxville Invitational during the 1945 PGA Tour.
Designed by legendary designer Donald Ross, Holston Hills is ranked No. 2 on Golfweek’s Best 2021 list of top private courses in Tennessee. It also ranks No. 98 on Golfweek’s Best Classic Courses list for all layouts built before 1960 in the United States.
Rich history
The Knoxville Open has been a part of the Korn Ferry Tour since its inaugural season in 1990.
In that time, six future PGA Tour title winners have won the event. Patton Kizzire, who holds two PGA titles (2017, 2018), is the most recent of the bunch, capturing the Knoxville Open in 2015.
Kizzire’s performance in 2015 garnered him Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year honors.
The Knoxville Open is one of only four remaining events that were a part of the original tour.
Spectator info
Single-day tickets are available on the Knoxville Open website for $10, while a ticket to the whole tournament is $25.
Parking will be available near Holston Hills for $5. There is a clear-bag policy in effect for any large bags.
Fans are prohibited from bringing cameras or folding chairs.