The PGA Tour will pass through Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time in 86 years. Scheduled for September 17-20, the event will take place at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, a renowned Jack Nicklaus signature golf course. This tournament will, most likely, be a monumental moment in the region’s sporting history. It’s a rebirth of a proud tradition that hasn’t featured professional golfers playing in the territory since 1942.
The tournament, officially called the Biltmore Championship, is one of the first events of the FedEx Cup Fall series. The PGA Tour made its first visit to Asheville in the early 1940s. It was once home to the Land of the Sky Open from 1940–42. It’s the same state where legendary golfer Ben Hogan won his first individual tour title in 1940. He maintained that chokehold atop the same stage by winning three straight crowns there in succession.
Following the PGA Tour’s final stop, Asheville continued the momentum by welcoming a number of other prominent golfing events. In particular, it hosted events of the rival LPGA Tour from 1957 to 1960. North Carolina may not have hosted a PGA Tour event in years, but it continues to glimmer as a golfing mecca. The Tar Heel State features annual PGA Tour stops like the Truist Championship in Charlotte and the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro.
The return of the PGA Tour is a cause for excitement for Asheville, with a new four-year deal announced just last week. Local sponsors such as the Biltmore Estate and Explore Asheville are helping to sponsor the championship. Their support underscores the area’s commitment to being one of the world’s premier golfing destinations.
Golf enthusiasts and local businesses alike anticipate the economic impact and tourism boost that this event is expected to bring. The Biltmore Championship is historically very important. It provides Asheville an opportunity to shine, featuring its breathtaking beauty and southern hospitality to a national audience.
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