By Louis Fernandez, WRAL

The UNC Health Championship, a Korn Ferry Tour event, returns to Raleigh this week, running from May 30-June 2. It features 156 pro golfers for a total purse of $1 million.

“This tournament is a way for us to showcase our city, a great golf course here,” tournament director Brian Krusoe said earlier this week. “It’s really a big time sporting event and a way for us at UNC Health to bring something exciting to the community.”

For the second year in a row, Raleigh Country Club will host the event. The course was originally designed by renowned architect Donald Ross, who’s also responsible for No. 2 at Pinehurst, which will serve as host for the U.S. Open in June.

“North Carolina is a huge state for golf, we’ve got some of the best courses in the country,” Krusoe said. “We hope people take advantage of it and come out and see it.”

How to buy tickets

Tickets can be purchased on the UNC Health Championship website. Single-day tickets can be purchased for $20 while tickets are the entire event cost $40. Children 15 years old and younger get in free with a ticketed adult. Round 1 and Round 2 tee times begin at 6:45 a.m. with the final groupings getting started at 2:11 p.m.

Where to park

There is no public parking at Raleigh Country Club, however you can park at Walnut Creek Ampitheatre (enter off of Sunnybrook Road) and take a free shuttle bus to the tournament entrance from there. The buses will run continuously throughout the tournament. There will be no drop-offs at the main admissions, rideshare dropoffs only. Non rideshare public drop offs or pickups must be from the general parking lot at Walnut Creek Ampitheatre. For information on the tournament bag policy, click here.

Helping the community

Proceeds from this year’s tournament will go twoard the development of the new North Carolina Children’s Hospital. It will include the only freestanding hospital between Washington, DC and Atlanta dedicated solely for children. Other groups benefiting from proceeds from the event include local community partners like First Tee Triangle, Poe Center for Health Education, Southeast Raleigh Promise, Wake County Boys and Girls Club and Alliance Medical Ministry.

Roy Williams will serve as honorary chairman

“I do consider it an honor, there’s no question about that,” Williams said of being the honorary chairman for the UNC Health Championship. “I’ve been involved with the UNC Hospital people for a long, long time, since I came back as a coach for sure and tried to do a lot of things to raise more money.”

Williams took part in a Pro-Am on Wednesday and was excited for the opportunity to get out on the golf course.

“Look up at the sky, it looks like Carolina Blue. I know they don’t like to hear that in Raleigh, but that’s what it is,” Williams laughed.

Local players competing

There are plenty of local golfers competing at the UNC Health Championship, including Ryan Gerard and Carter Jenkins, who were both born in Raleigh. Five local players are in the Korn Ferry Tour Points top-50, while Gastonia, North Carolina native Taylor Dickson is the highest at No. 13 in the rankings.

Remembering Grayson Murray

Local PGA Tour pro Grayson Murray will be honored and remembered throughout the course of the UNC Health Championship. Murray died by suicide this past weekend.

“We’re going to try and commemorate him in a few different ways, on the first tee and with the PGA Tour and with Raleigh Country Club here to make sure his memory lives on,” Krusoe said. “These pros will be out here doing what they love, but with him in mind. He’ll be top of our minds this week for sure.”

Murray grew up excelling at the junior golf game in the area, winning a state championship at Leesville Road High School. He finished third at the UNC Health Championship in 2023.

Source: wralsportsfan.com