March 21, 2024

Max Kennedy Of Louisville Takes Medalist Honors At Hackler Invitational And Earns A Spot In The 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic

Louisville senior is the first player announced in the 132-player field.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Mar. 21, 2024) — Max Kennedy, a senior at Louisville University, sank a six-foot putt for par on the last hole Wednesday to earn medalist honors at the General Hackler Invitational, giving him a spot in the upcoming Myrtle Beach Classic, which will be played May 6-12 at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club. The Cardinals also won the team title by five strokes over host Coastal Carolina.

Kennedy, from Dublin, Ireland, started the final round two strokes behind Clark Akers of Furman, but took the lead in the race to be the medalist in the 54-hole event with a birdie at the par-5 15th hole and then closed with three pars to finish a stroke ahead of John Houk of Chattanooga. Kennedy, who posted rounds of 68-71-69 for an 8-under total of 208 over the 7,233-yard par 72 layout, is the first player announced in the 132-player field.

“I can’t wait to compete with the pros. The opportunity is phenomenal,” said Kennedy, who won the second collegiate tournament of his career. “I stayed calm all day. I expected to be nervous, but I wasn’t nervous until the last green.”

The General Hackler Collegiate Championship has been played annually at the Dunes Club since 2015.

“The General Hackler Championship has continued to grow in stature over the years. And we hope that by awarding a spot in the Myrtle Beach Classic field to the individual medalist, we can work together to increase exposure for this collegiate event that has showcased many notable future professional golfers,” said Darren Nelson, tournament director for the Myrtle Beach Classic.

Among the household names in golf who have played in the Hackler are Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina), Bill Haas (Wake Forest), Cameron Young (Wake Forest), Patrick Reed (Augusta State), Corey Conners (Kent State) and Will Zalatoris (Wake Forest).

A Robert Trent Jones-designed course, the Dunes Club was incorporated in 1948. It was host to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on PGA TOUR Champions from 1994 to 1999, with notables Raymond Floyd, Jim Colbert, Jay Sigel, Gil Morgan, Hale Irwin and Gary McCord claiming titles. Twenty-one years earlier, the Dunes Club was the site of PGA TOUR Q-School Finals in 1973, with Ben Crenshaw taking medalist honors.

The Myrtle Beach Classic is a dual-field PGA TOUR event sponsored by Visit Myrtle Beach and managed by Sportfive, a global event management company. The local event will be one of two stops in the Palmetto State for the PGA TOUR in 2024, joining with the RBC Heritage in April at Harbour Town Golf Links.

About ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic

The ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, a dual-field PGA TOUR event hosting 120 players, will be played May 7-10, 2026, at Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., commonly known as the “Golf Capital of the World.” Updated information on the 2026 event can be found at myrtlebeachclassic.com.

About PGA Tour

By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.

The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas and administers PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. TOUR members represent the world’s best players, hailing from 28 countries and territories. Showcasing the biggest moments in the sport with history and legacy on the line, the PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 30 languages via 44 broadcast and digital partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $4 billion.

Fans can follow the PGA TOUR via: the PGA TOUR app and PGATOUR.COM; social media channels, including YouTube Facebook Instagram (in Spanish Korean and Japanese), LinkedIn, TikTok, X (in English, Spanish and Japanese); the PGA TOUR Channel on Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) platforms such as the Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, PlutoTV, Xumo, LG Channels, Tubi, Amazon’s Freevee, FireTV and Alexa devices; and WhatsApp (in English and Spanish), WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao and Douyin.

About ONEflight International

ONEflight International is a global private aviation company revolutionizing the luxury private jet travel industry since the company’s founding in 2010. It is the fastest growing market leader developing and implementing technological solutions for non-commercial air travel through BAJit, its proprietary online Book a Jet platform. With over 700 world-class selected aircraft charter operator partnerships and a network of 7,000 private jets worldwide, ONEflight empowers members to seamlessly search, select and book a private flight with a fleet of aircraft at their disposal and excellent customer service from booking to disembarking. Visit www.ONEflight.net for more information.

ONEflight firmly believes you don’t need to OWN; you just need to FLY.

For media inquiries, please contact: Dave Rajyagor – VP Strategic Initiatives, DaveRajyagor@oneflight.net, 720.575.4303.

About Visit Myrtle Beach

Visit Myrtle Beach is the destination marketing arm of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, which serves 14 communities that stretch 60 miles along the northeast coast of South Carolina, including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Loris, Atlantic Beach, Carolina Forest, Conway, Aynor, Socastee, Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach, and Pawleys Island. Visit Myrtle Beach promotes tourism through various partnerships and initiatives to advance the economic success of the region, popularly known as the Grand Strand and the “Golf Capital of the World.” Along with world-class golf and over 90 golf courses, Myrtle Beach offers fresh coastal Carolina cuisine, vibrant entertainment and family attractions, shopping and more. For more information, go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

About SPORTFIVE

SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence, and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.

While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.

Being at the center of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Soccer, Golf, Esports, Motorsport, Handball, Tennis, Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Rugby, Olympics, and Multi-Sport Events and many more.