The Korn Ferry Tour’s annual season-ending tournament, highlighted by the celebratory PGA TOUR Card Ceremony, remains in southern Indiana through 2028
The Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance announced a five-year partnership with French Lick Resort to host the Korn Ferry Tour’s annual season-ending tournament and the hallowed PGA TOUR Card Ceremony at the Pete Dye Course through at least 2028, beginning with the 2024 playing of the event.
The partnership was publicly announced Tuesday afternoon during a press conference in Evansville, Indiana, at the headquarters of United Leasing & Finance, an official sponsor of Korn Ferry Tour events since 2012.
“We are looking forward to our partnership with French Lick Resort and working with their team of great people,” said United Leasing & Finance Executive Chairman Ronald D. Romain. “While we have certainly enjoyed our years at Victoria National, I am very pleased and excited to announce this new partnership with Steve Ferguson, Joseph Vezzoso, and Dave Harner from the French Lick Resort organization. The Pete Dye Course is a world-class venue, and I am anxious to see how Korn Ferry Tour players navigate their way around this difficult golf course. Likewise, I want to express my appreciation for our continuing and longstanding relationship with the PGA TOUR. It is as strong as ever. Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin and her team of professionals are outstanding and help ensure the success of our tournament.”
French Lick Resort is a destination consisting of three grand hotels (two of which are on the National Register of Historic Places), two world-class spas, resort-style gaming, horseback riding, activities for children, and 169,000 square feet of meeting space. It is also home to two championship golf courses — The Pete Dye Course and The Donald Ross Course. The Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance will be contested on The Pete Dye Course, best known for hosting the 2015 Senior PGA Championship.
“It’s truly a thrill for French Lick Resort to be the new home of the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-ending tournament and PGA TOUR Card Ceremony,” said Joe Vezzoso, Vice President of Sales at French Lick Resort. “To continue hosting this tournament in southern Indiana is a major point of pride for our resort and community. Our brand of Hoosier hospitality is second to none, and we’re eager for both the golfers and fans to experience our beautiful historic hotels and award-winning Pete Dye Course. We’re already excited for 2024 and the opportunity to welcome the Korn Ferry Tour to French Lick Resort in the coming years.”
Originally conceived as a sketch on a napkin at a nearby restaurant before World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Pete Dye carved it into the hilltops of southern Indiana, the course measures 8,102 yards from the professional tees. The Pete Dye Course sits on one of Indiana’s highest elevation points, providing 40-mile panoramic views of the southern Indiana countryside, and
features a variety of elevation changes, narrow fairways, and rugged, intense terrain. Trouble also lurks in the form of three man-made lakes and “volcano” bunkers.
The Pete Dye Course at French Lick was named Best New Public Course by “Golf Digest” in 2009, as well as the 2017 Jemsek National Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association. The course was also No. 19 on the most recent edition of the “Golf Digest” ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.
“We are so proud to partner with United Leasing & Finance to bring the Korn Ferry Tour’s premier event to The Pete Dye Course,” said Dave Harner, Director of Golf at French Lick Resort. “We have hosted scores of championship golf events in the last 13 years and partnering with the Korn Ferry Tour brings us to the next level of championship golf. Without fail, The Pete Dye Course stands its own against even the greatest players. The challenges are unique, and the winner of this event will be the player who is patient, accurate, and has every kind of shot in their arsenal.”
The tournament remaining in southern Indiana ensures the nonprofit Golf Gives Back will continue to be the host organization for the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance. Since 2012, Golf Gives Back has donated more than $2.2 million to regional charitable organizations, including its signature charity for net tournament proceeds, Building Blocks, which funds early childhood education for disadvantaged families across 28 counties in southern Indiana.
“We are incredibly excited for the future of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance as it moves to The Pete Dye Course at French Lick,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “Adding a demanding, championship-caliber golf course to our schedule, especially for our season-ending event, ensures the top-performing players on the Korn Ferry Tour will be put to the test as they compete to earn PGA TOUR membership. We are very appreciative of Victoria National Golf Club’s hospitality over the last decade, and we are thrilled for what the future holds at French Lick Resort.”
The 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance will be held Oct. 5 to 8 at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana. Victoria National has hosted a Korn Ferry Tour event annually since 2012.
In addition to the three preceding Finals events this year, along with the 2023 BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX and 2023 Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank, all four rounds of the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance will air on GOLF Channel.
Competition dates for the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance, the first event of French Lick’s tenure as the host venue, will be announced following the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season.
About United Leasing & Finance
Founded in 1964, United Leasing & Finance is an independent direct lender committed to providing equipment financing solutions to businesses across the U.S. and Canada. Our experienced team of finance professionals shares a passion for helping businesses grow. We understand every business is unique, which is why we work closely with our clients to create custom financing solutions tailored to their specific needs. With almost 60 years of experience, we’ve built a reputation for being a trusted partner to businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Partner with us to see how we can help your business grow. Learn more by visiting www.unitedevv.com.
About the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance
The Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance is the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-ending event. The tournament has been played at a variety of courses, and in 2023, will be held at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana.
The format of the tournament is a 72-hole stroke play event contested over four days. The field for the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance comprises the top 75 players on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List. The tournament has no cut and features a $1.5-million purse. Thirty PGA TOUR cards are awarded to the top 30 players on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List at the conclusion of the event. To learn more, visit www.tourchampulf.com.
