LOUISVILLE, KY (July 25, 2023) – For the third year in a row, one of the most prestigious events in Kentucky men's golf returns to Persimmon Ridge Golf Club to identify the best male golfer in the state. The past two years have seen Patrick Newcomb and J.B. Williams take this title. The 2011 iteration of the tournament was also held at Persimmon Ridge, with champion Brandon Brown in the 2023 field. 

The field for the 104^th edition of the Open contains 67 professionals and 89 amateurs, with 2010 champion Andy Roberts competing in addition to Brown. The professional side includes a lot of talent in its lineup, though the amateurs will certainly create a lot of competition. Many amateurs in the field are prominent junior golfers in the state, or have since gone on to play for top-tier college teams around the country. 

Below is a list of notable pairings in the field and their highlights. 

• Warren Thomis, Clay Pendergrass and Kyle Wilshire: (12:45 p.m. off 1 on Tuesday and 8:00 a.m. off 10 on Wednesday) – This group includes some incredible junior golfers in Thomis and Pendergrass and a pro in Wilshire. Thomis took home the victory at the Kentucky Boys Junior just two weeks ago at Big Blue and looks to be in great competitive shape. Pendergrass will start his freshman year playing for The University of Louisville in the fall after a stellar junior career that included a handful of high school wins. Wilshire was a great college and junior player in his own right, and has competed in events on the PGA Tour. 
• Billy Basham, Michael Long and Canon Claycomb: (10:00 a.m. off 10 on Monday and 2:45 p.m. on off 1 on Wednesday) – This group of younger players brings a lot of accolades to the table. Basham, who had a successful college career at Eastern Kentucky University, now plays for the Minor League Golf Tour, where he has collected a few top-10 finishes. Long will begin his college golf career at Austin Peay State University in the fall. His junior golf successes include helping his high school, Trinity, win their first state title in 17 years in 2020 and setting the course record at Nevel Meade Golf Club after shooting an 11-under 61. Claycomb enters the tournament ranked in the top 50 of the WAGR. A standout at the University of Alabama, some of his recent highlights include a top-5 finish at the 2023 SEC Championship, and a top-25 finish at the D1 Championship in the stroke play portion of the tournament. 
• Colby Wollitz, Daniel Iceman and Andy Roberts: (1:25 p.m. off 1 on Monday and 8:40 a.m. on off 10 on Wednesday) – This pairing includes two pros in Wollitz and Iceman and 2010 champion in Roberts. Nationally-ranked instructor Wollitz, out of Hurstbourne Country Club, was named the Teacher of the Year in 2021 for the Kentucky PGA. A great player in his own right, he has won multiple section events. Iceman, who coaches out of Weissinger Hills Golf Course, spent time playing on the PGA Tour Canada and is a three-time winner of the ROLEX Assistant Player of the Year title. Roberts is no stranger to taking home impressive tournament titles, claiming the 2018 Kentucky Mid-Amateur victory in addition to the 2010 Kentucky Open. 
• Brandon Brown, Nicholas Tenuta, Wesley Beard: (9:50 a.m. off 1 on Monday and 2:35 p.m. on off 10 on Wednesday) – A past Kentucky Open champion at Persimmon Ridge returns in Brown. His impressive resume includes some PGA Tour play, including the Barracuda Championship (then the Reno-Tahoe Championship) and the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion. Tenuta, a former player at The University of Louisville, started competing on the PGA Tour Canada circuit this year. Beard begins his college golf career at The University of Kentucky this fall, with junior highlights including four top-25 finishes at AJGA tournaments.

 

The yardage this year is nearly identical to that of last year, so it will certainly be interesting to see how the scores will compare. 

Dates of Competition	July 25-27, 2023
Championship Venue	Persimmon Ridge Golf Club
Course Details	7,200 yards – 147 slope – 75.2 course rating
Course Architect	Arthur Hills
Course Opening	1989
Number of Competitors	156
Youngest Competitor	Luke Bryant (15)
Oldest Competitor	Kevin Wirth (61)
Cities Represented	Louisville (51), Lexington (15), Bowling Green (13), Richmond (5), Georgetown (5), Owensboro (4), Shelbyville (4), Paducah (3), Crestwood (3), Hopkinsville (3), La Grange (3), Nicholasville (3), Union (3), Prospect (2), Frankfort (2), Elizabethtown (2), Hodgenville (2), Simpsonville (2), Bardstown, Beattyville, Benton, Beaver Dam, California, Campbellsville, Central City, Cecilia, Clay City, Danville, Eminence, Hazard, Highland Heights, Fisherville, Florence, Fort Thomas, Grayson, Jeffersontown, Leitchfield, London, Manchester, Mount Sterling, Olive Hill, Pembroke, Pikeville, Scottsville, Somerset, Taylorsville, Vanceburg, Cincinnati (OH)
2022 Results	Click here