Brooks Koepka Headlines 123-Player Field at Myrtle Beach Classic
Brooks Koepka is not in the field, but the oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic has a sharper edge this week because 123 players are competing at Dunes Golf and Beach Club with a PGA Championship berth available to the winner. That puts the event squarely on the line for players chasing one of the week’s last direct paths into next week’s major.
Dunes Golf and Beach Club Setup
Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is playing as a par 71 at 7,347 yards, with three par 5s and bermudagrass greens that could reach 12½ feet on the Stimpmeter. The rough is bermudagrass at 2½ inches this year, a step up from the two-inch height used in the first edition.
The course has already shown a narrow scoring window. Both cuts on the par 71 landed at 2-under 140 in the first two editions, and Chris Gotterup won the inaugural event by six strokes. Those numbers give returning players a clear map of what the setup has demanded before.
Oneflight Myrtle Beach Field
Marco Penge withdrew from the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Championship and was replaced by Taylor Montgomery, leaving the field at 123 players for the week. As of Tuesday, 26 commits in Myrtle Beach already knew they would be headed to suburban Philadelphia for the major, which trims the number of players still trying to play their way in.
Rob Bolton noted that the champion will gain entry into next week’s PGA Championship if not already exempt. The tournament is also the first stop of three on the next phase of the Aon Swing 5 for entry into the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, so the result reaches beyond one week in Myrtle Beach.
Weather and PGA Championship
Daytime temperatures should peak in the 70s, with rain still a reasonable possibility during the week. That leaves the course setup and the scoring line at least as important as the forecast, especially for players trying to climb into the PGA Championship field rather than settle for a middling finish.
For the 123 players at Dunes, the route is simple: finish high enough to take the PGA Championship spot or leave with the burden of knowing the door was open and they missed it.
