The PGA Tour has a rare off-week on the schedule next week, which means the best golf on the planet might be happening Oct. 26-27 in Edmond, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City, at the Oak Tree National Pro-Scratch Invitational, where the purse is all of $30,000.
But where else can you see world No. 4 Viktor Hovland, who banked $18 million as FedEx Cup champion, play in a two-day competition for a first prize of $12,500?
The former Oklahoma State golfer, who still calls Stillwater home, will make his first appearance since the Ryder Cup at the Pete Dye layout and team with former Oklahoma State golfer Ian Davis, the 2022 Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur Champion.
Hovland, who won the Memorial, BMW Championship and Tour Championship this season, is an Oak Tree National member, and according to Golf Oklahoma, his trophies from those three victories are currently on display in the OTN clubhouse. He and his partner better bring their ‘A game’ because they will be facing a stacked field that includes fellow PGA Tour members Taylor Moore, Austin Eckroat, Max McGreevy, Robert Streb and Sam Stevens, as well as 2024 PGA Tour rookies Kevin Dougherty, Chris Gotterup and Scott Gutschewski.
There will be LIV Golf players, too, including former Cowboys Charles Howell III, Peter Uihlein and Matthew Wolff. There will be one noticeable absence: member Talor Gooch, who last week won LIV Season long points race cashing an $18 million bonus check and has won this event three times previously, is unable to play due to a prior commitment.
Quade Cummins, Logan McAllister, Josh Creel, Rhein Gibson, Tom Whitney and Michael Gellerman are representing the Korn Ferry Tour. Several other pros with Oklahoma ties and who are working their way up the pro ranks are expected to play as well: Zach Bauchou, Jonathan Brightwell, Blaine Hale, Matt Mabry, Tyson Reeder, Charlie Saxon and Jared Strathe.
Ryan Munson, who is serving as unofficial tournament chairman and helped assemble the field, told Golf Oklahoma it was “by far the best field” in the history of the event dating to 2010.
The tournament is not open to the public and really ought to be seeking a TV or streaming partner. Paging the Golf Channel!
