Century Club Charities and the Web.com Tour announced at a press conference today that a new tournament will debut on the schedule in 2018. The Country Club of Oxford will host the North Mississippi Classic April 16-22 with 156 players competing for a $550,000 purse. A three-year deal is in place through 2020.
“We are excited to bring the North Mississippi Classic to Oxford as we continue to grow the Web.com Tour with new events in strong markets,” said Web.com Tour President Dan Glod. “This community has demonstrated a passion for golf, and we are excited about the opportunity to partner with the Century Club Charities tournament team who have a proven track record in operating a successful PGA TOUR event. We are confident this will allow us to engage fans, volunteers, and local businesses as we look to cement our roots in North Mississippi and increase our charitable impact.”
The North Mississippi Classic will be the third PGA TOUR-sanctioned event to be held annually in Mississippi, joining the PGA TOUR’s Sanderson Farms Championship and the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic on PGA TOUR Champions. Mississippi is one of only five states to host an annual tournament on all three tours, with California, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina rounding out the list.
Century Club Charities Executive Director Steve Jent will oversee the North Mississippi Classic, whose proceeds will benefit charities throughout the region. The organization, whose mission is to promote the game of golf for the benefit of Mississippi charities, has raised over $12 million for statewide charities since 1994.
“Century Club Charities looks forward to hosting another great professional tournament, which will allow us to once again showcase Mississippi hospitality to some of the best golfers in the world—all while raising much needed money for a variety of deserving charities,” said Jeff Hubbard, president of Century Club Charities.
The Country Club of Oxford is a 2006 Jim Fazio design minutes south of the city and is one of the home courses for the golf teams of The University of Mississippi, which annually produces some of the top players in the SEC, including recent NCAA Individual Champion Braden Thornberry.
Several Web.com Tour graduates have enjoyed immediate PGA TOUR success over the last two seasons, including 2015-16 winners Emiliano Grillo (Frys.com Open), Smylie Kaufman (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), and Peter Malnati (Sanderson Farms Championship, and 2016-17 winners Cody Gribble (Sanderson Farms Championship), Rod Pampling (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), and Mackenzie Hughes (The RSM Classic).
About The Web.com Tour
Founded in 1990 and owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Web.com Tour continues to identify those players who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage. Web.com became the Tour’s umbrella sponsor in 2012, with a 10-year agreement in place through 2021. This season marks the 27th year of competition on the Web.com Tour. The PGA TOUR, through the efforts of its Tours and their tournaments, sponsors, players and volunteers, has surpassed $2 billion in charitable giving. To learn more about the PGA TOUR, the Web.com Tour, and to follow the season-long quest for a PGA TOUR card, visit PGATOUR.COM, or follow the Tour on social media via Twitter (@WebDotComTour), Facebook (facebook.com/WebDotComTour), and Instagram (Instagram.com/WebDotComTour).
About Century Club Charities
Century Club Charities is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt 501(c) 3 organization whose mission is to promote the game of golf for the benefit of Mississippi charities. Since 1994, Century Club Charities has served as the host organization for Mississippi’s PGA TOUR event, helping to raise over $12 million for statewide charities.