Chattanooga area golf professionals who want to play in the Chattanooga Classic are going to have to play their way in.
There are no free exemptions this year.
Tournament director Mickey McCamish said Wednesday that the two unrestricted sponsor exemptions have been sold to the NGA Hooters Tour and the All-America Pro Golf Tour for a total of $20,000.
One golfer from each mini-tour will compete with the Nationwide Tour regulars on Oct. 6-10 at Black Creek Club.
“I want to do everything possible to retain this tournament in Chattanooga, and I don’t want it to go the way of the NCAA championship game or the Spring Fling,” McCamish said. “We have to make different decisions than have been made in the past.
“I’m doing this because I want to keep the tournament here and we have to do things a little different than’s been done in the past.”
That means local pros – including Bryce Ledford, Adam Mitchell and Paul Apyan Jr., – will have to Monday-qualify for the tournament by finishing in the top seven in 18-hole events at Cleveland Country Club or the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay on Oct., 3.
“It keeps the politics out of it,” said Apyan, who received an exemption last year. “Now that we’re all pros, we’ll go out and have to ‘Make your keep’ as they say. You have to earn your spot this year.”
McCamish and the executive committee could have selected from a number of players with local ties, familiar names or outstanding amateur careers.
They could have chosen those with famous family ties such as Manuel Villegas or Arnold Palmer’s grandson Sam Saunders. Or they could have invited golfers with outstanding college and amateur records such as Drew Weaver. The seven-member committee had seven different opinions but settled on one: Get the checks and let the golfers play their way in.
“It’s a shame that it has to go that way, to pretty much sell them out, yet with that said, they have to do what’s best for the tournament,” said Mitchell, who has received two exemptions. “I couldn’t be thankful enough for those exemptions. Now, it’s a one-day shoot-out for us all and we’re going to have to make a bunch of birdies.”
The two restricted sponsor exemptions – awarded to golfers with some sort of PGA Tour status – will be awarded in the coming weeks. McCamish reached out to John Daly, but the polarizing pro will be playing overseas the week of the Classic. Bobby Clampett is another possibility.
“We don’t have a title sponsor, and until that occurs, we’ll have to do things a little different,” said McCamish, who noted a title sponsor could be named soon. “I’m looking out long-term for the tournament. In the short term [local pros] will have to go through the qualifier. Long-term, if this is a step that helps us retain this tournament here, then they’ll have other opportunities to receive an unrestricted exemption.”