2023 TPC Golf Tournament Guide

Cocina & Cantina City Star Homestead

WELCOME TO KORN FERRY TOUR GOLF

On behalf of everyone associated with the Korn Ferry Tour, from our dedicated staff, current membership and alumni, to the countless volunteers and proud sponsors, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2023 Ascendant presented by Blue

This week, you have the unique opportunity to connect with and follow the next generation of PGA TOUR stars, as a record-high 88 percent of PGA TOUR members are Korn Ferry Tour alumni.

The next Scottie Scheffler is in this field. You can walk with the next Max Homa at this event. You can witness the next Will Zalatoris hoist a trophy on the 18th green You can take home an autograph from the next Xander Schauffele You can see the next Tony Finau accomplish a lifelong goal and secure a PGA TOUR card. Those alumni are among the multitude of PGA TOUR winners who rose to stardom after graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour.

The Korn Ferry Tour will shape the foundation of future Presidents Cup teams, produce another No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, and perhaps even the next winner of a major championship. All those possibilities come into focus on the Korn Ferry Tour As PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan declared last year, the Korn Ferry Tour is golf’s ultimate proving ground.

You are joining us at an exciting time in our 34-year history

The 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season will see our membership compete for 30 PGA TOUR cards, five more than any previous season, and 25 more than our Tour awarded to our inaugural class in 1990. This season ’ s total purse is a Tour-record $28 million across 26 events and five countries. The Korn Ferry Tour continues to attract a robust group of international members and will capture more emerging talent through PGA TOUR University

Thank you for your support of the Korn Ferry Tour and our tournaments, and I hope you have a tremendous experience this week as you watch the next generation of PGA TOUR stars lay the foundation of their respective legacies.

Have fun this week,

Alex Baldwin Korn Ferry Tour President

The Ascendant presented by Blue KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

At a Glance

EVENT DATES: July 10-16

COMPETITION DATES: July 13-16

LOCATION: TPC Colorado at Heron Lakes 2375 TPC Parkway Berthoud

FIELD SIZE: 156 Player Field, Cut to 65 and Ties after 36 Holes

CHARITY: Proceeds from the event will support local charities

Tickets

Tickets for the The Ascendant presented by Blue are selling quick. Don’t miss out; get yours today!

Grounds Pass—$15

Provides admission to the tournament grounds for Wednesday’s Practice Round OR Wednesday’s Pro-Am Tournament (and additional player practice).

Good-Any-Day Pass $25

Provides admission to the tournament grounds any one day of your choice (Wednesday-Sunday).

All-Week Grounds Pass $55

Valued at $135, the All-Week Pass provides admission to the tournament grounds Wednesday-Sunday which includes access to spectate for the practice round (Wednesday), Pro-Am (Wednesday), and four days of competition (Thursday-Sunday).

Clubhouse Ticket $45 and Clubhouse Weekly Ticket—$90

These tickets provide you access to the newly opened, airconditioned TPC Colorado Clubhouse featuring a pay-as-yougo menu. A private patio extends behind 16th tee and allows excellent views of holes 16 and 18, as well as the breathtaking mountain range.

Hospitality Tickets $200-$210, Weekly $795

*Limited Tickets Available* The Summit Club by PointsBet provides you the perfect setting to watch unbelievable golf on holes 1, 15 and 16 and enjoy complimentary food and beverage in an amazing venue on the 15th green. Complimentary pairings guide included with each ticket.

All tickets provide access to all public areas around the course and the on-course shuttle.

Purchase your tickets at theAscendant.com/tickets.

Directions:

FROM DENVER - Interstate 25 North to Exit 250, West (6 miles) through the town of Berthoud, North on Berthoud Parkway, (2 miles). Cross Highway 287, make your first left onto the Heron Lakes Community on Grand Market, (½ mile) left on TPC Parkway to Clubhouse

FROM WYOMING - Interstate 25 South to Exit 250, West (6 miles) through the town of Berthoud, North on Berthoud Parkway, (2 miles). Cross Highway 287, make your first left onto the Heron Lakes Community on Grand Market, (½ mile) left on TPC Parkway to Clubhouse

FROM LONGMONT - North on Highway 287 to Berthoud Parkway, North 100 ft. make your first left into the Heron Lakes Community on Grand Market, (½ mile) left on TPC Parkway to Clubhouse

FROM LOVELAND - South Highway 287, through the traffic circle (1/2 mile) make a right into the Heron Lakes Community on Grand Market, (½ mile) left on TPC Parkway to Clubhouse

What Can I Bring?

The safety and well-being of everyone who attends a Tour event is a top priority, therefore guests are asked to follow provided guidelines for Permitted/Prohibited Items and Bag Policy. All persons and items are subject to search prior to entry. Persons found to be in possession of prohibited items or bags, will be asked to return those items to their vehicle before being allowed to board shuttles or enter the grounds. The tournament may not provide a “bag check” facility, so attendees are urged not to bring prohibited items. Visit TheAscendant.com/spectator-information for a complete list of permitted and prohibited items as well as outline of the Bag Policy

Schedule of Events

FRIDAY | JULY 14

CUT DAY (65 AND TIES MOVE ON TO THE WEEKEND)

SATURDAY | JULY 15

BLUE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION SUPPORTS EDUCATION DAY (ALL FACULTY, STAFF AND EDUCATORS WITH A SCHOOL ID GET IN FREE)

SUNDAY | JULY 16

CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY

Note: All events and times are subject to change

TPC Colorado Celebrates Fifth Year of Hosting The Ascendant Tournament

BY ANDY STONEHOUSE

While Colorado is still celebrating its NBA win, local golf fans have an equally exciting chance to watch and interact with the PGA stars of the future – in a Front Range tournament that continues to get bigger each year. It’s been a launchpad for rising PGA stars including Cameron Young and Will Zalatoris, who won the 2020 event, but has been sidelined by injuries.

This year’s fifth-annual Ascendant Tournament, held July 10-16 at Berthoud’s TPC Colorado course, is expected to draw more than 25,000 spectators. It’s a significant undertaking for hundreds of local volunteers and a big economic boost as up-and-coming young golfers make the transition to the big time.

Drew Blass, tournament director, says The Ascendant also serves as a major fundraiser for dozens of local charities, ranging from the UC Health Foundation to Colorado Children’s Hospital.

“The Korn Ferry Tour is a stepping stone to the PGA, but The Ascendant is also a huge local event as we coordinate the marshals, the 500-plus volunteers, the maintenance of the course and even the food,” he says. “Plus, many of our volunteers provide housing to more than 100 players and caddies – and end up building relationships with golfers like Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris Lots of guys on tour are excited to see if they can stay with the same local volunteers each year.”

The TPC Colorado event has become such a well-oiled machine that it was named both the Korn Ferry Tour’s top tournament of 2021, with Mark Fidrych

of Windsor selected as the tour’s top volunteer

“We were also ranked right up there last year, but you can’t win those awards back to back,” Blass says. “And we were named product of the year in 2019, our rookie year. It all shows how much the Front Range loves pro golf and has really embraced this event.”

The Ascendant’s host organizer is Colorado Golf Charities Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group which helps raise and distribute event funds for groups including Folds of Honor, Loveland’s House of Neighborly Services, the Colorado Community Association, the Colorado Golf Association and Colorado Youth Outdoors.

“That’s our end goal – to give back to the community,” Blass says. “In just five years, we’ve grown so significantly. Our volunteers serve as our ambassadors, and we’re now at the point where spectators from

14 states have already purchased tickets. It’s amazing to look at what we’ve built. Our community really did it.”

Blass has spent the last several weeks helping to coordinate that virtual army of volunteers, as well as helping to arrange on-site facilities including scaffolding, tents, office trailers and all the necessities for a week-long tournament.

PGA Tour’s Korn Ferry Tour Returns to Berthoud

The Course

opportunities that remain at TPC Colorado. Members have premier access to starting times, Member-only golf and social events, precedence to Clubhouse restaurants with designated discounts, a golf simulator center and golf training, private locker rooms and Member-only entertainment lounges and priority access to the Lonetree Lake Club. Inquire in the Clubhouse for more information

TPC COLORADO’S AWARDS AND ACCOLADES INCLUDE:

TPC Colorado’s par-72, 7,991yard golf course was designed by Arthur Schaupeter Golf Course Architects and is the only PGA TOUR-managed golf course in Colorado The 18-hole golf course is located in northwest Berthoud and was built around the natural landscape of three reservoirs: Lonetree, McNeil and Welch. The total development covers 865 acres with a portion of the property dedicated to the Heron Lakes Community and over 130 acres of permanent open space dedicated to the preservation of natural lands and native wildlife.

TPC Colorado features the longest hole for any PGA TOUR event, hole no 13 named “Longer Still” sitting at 773-yards and features a legendary “Hell Bunker” that is 108 yards in length. The full course offers a range of short and long holes played from elevated ridges with panoramic views of Longs Peak, Mount Meeker and the entire Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The course is designed after the oldest style of golf courses, Scottish Links, with stacked sod pot bunkers and fescue-lined fairways alongside the sandy soiled shoreline of the large reservoirs While the course design might seem challenging to recreational golfers, the seven sets of tees allow the golfer multiple options of

play to their own strength and desires at any length

Upholding the PGA TOUR’s commitment to environmental excellence and sustainability of its golf courses, TPC Colorado has joined the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program and is committed to operational plans that practice mindful environmental management. Audubon International is a prestigious program that recognizes golf courses that uphold the highest standards to protect the natural environment and heritage of their course. Our property is home to one of the largest Great Blue Heron rookeries in the state of Colorado, and in an effort to protect the natural habitat of these birds and all wildlife, the agronomy team has planted hundreds of acres of milkweed, native grasses and plants, built bird boxes, installed water diffusers for natural algae reduction and other measures to reduce the use of chemicals and actions to conserve the amount of water used in course maintenance. TPC Colorado also participates in the Monarchs in the Rough program designed by the Audubon and the Environmental Defense Fund to augment natural occurrences of milkweed and other butterfly-attracting plants to provide a habitat for local monarch butterfly populations

There are limited Membership

• Rated as one of America’s Greatest Public Courses by GolfDigest (2021)

• Rated as one of the Best Courses you can Play in Colorado by GolfWeek (2021 and 2022)

• 2020 Caggy Award winner from AvidGolfer for Best Golf Course in the Front Range

• 2020 Development of the Year winner by Golf Inc Magazine

• Golden Fork Award recipient for Best New Food and Beverage by Golf Inc Magazine (2020)

• Rated 3rd Best New Private Course by GolfDigest (2019)

TPC Colorado is a semi-private golf course with limited starting times available for non-members. Non-members of TPC Colorado may make a starting time four (4) days in advance, Monday through Wednesday; based upon availability. Thursday through Sunday are reserved to the TPC Colorado Membership and the TPC Network; any available starting times can be sold only 24-hours in advance, based upon availability.

To learn more, visit our website at TPC.com/Colorado.

The Ascendant Presented by Blue is on the Rise

“Last year, we were very fortunate to have over 100 players, caddies, and their families stay in local homes Some stay in the same homes year after year. It’s not easy for these young pros on tour all year trying to make cuts and staying in hotels every night,” says Alyx Donahue, Championship Coordinator of The Ascendant presented by Blue.

New Stands Make Viewing Accessible

Every year the tournament surveys everyone who attends the event “They told us they wanted more viewing decks all around the course, not just at 15 and 18 So we are building public viewing decks on 16, 14 and 4,” Donahue says.

Viewing areas, shuttle and activities make Berthoud’s Korn Ferry event a top stop on the tour

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

When Berthoud’s own PGA tournament opened in 2019, the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes was very much an under-the-radar event. Since then, crowds have grown and attendees have been wowed by the play of future stars like Justin Thomas, Scotty Scheffler and Will Zalatoris.

Now, everybody is singing the praises of the re-titled event, The Ascendant presented by Blue. According to experts, it has become one of the best golf tournament experiences available to golfers and spectators.

More than 20,000 are expected to attend this year’s Ascendant presented by Blue from July 10 to 16 at TPC Colorado. TPC Colorado’s 8,000-yard course is famous for its wide-open views of the Front Range, its 5,030-foot elevation and the longest par five hole at any PGA event.

PGA Notes The Ascendant Presented by Blue’s Success

The Ascendant presented by Blue was ranked the Tournament of the Year in 2021 on the Korn Ferry tour

The PGA has been impressed by the attendance, the accessibility and the community support behind The Ascendant presented by Blue, according to Zach Dirlam, communications

manager for the Korn Ferry Tour.

“It’s undisputedly one of the highest rated tournaments, if not the highest rated tournament, on our annual player surveys,” Dirlam says.

Lots of golf tournaments are well attended on Saturdays and Sundays, but The Ascendant presented by Blue is busy all week. “The Ascendanthas a larger turnout on Thursdays and Fridays than we typically see at other Korn Ferry stops,” he says.

The national Korn Ferry Tour features the best college and amateur players on the cusp of joining the PGA TOUR. A total of 56 players will vie for the event’s largest ever purse: $1 million.

“It’s pretty incredible to see the success that the golfers we’ve seen here over the past five years have had on the PGA Tour,” says Drew Blass, Tournament Director of the Ascendant He recommends keeping an eye on two locals, former University of Colorado players Jeremy Paul and Colorado native Sam Saunders.

A striking example of how warmly Northern Colorado has embraced the tournament is a program that welcomes golfers to homes in Berthoud, Fort Collins and Longmont

Zach Dirlam, communications manager for the Korn Ferry Tour, attends thirteen or more tournaments a year He notes how close the TPC Colorado grandstands are to the play. “Those are some of the closest places anyone will ever find on tour where you are able to watch players like these with the tournament on the line,” he says

The Ascendant makes attending easy by continuing to offer on-site parking and a free and frequent City of Berthoud-sponsored free shuttle service around the course

TPC Colorado is one of the most accessible courses for the elderly and those with mobility issues. “You can watch five holes right from the clubhouse The free trolley picks you up at parking and can drop you off at multiple holes around the golf course,” says Alyx Donahue

One mission of the tournament is to welcome the potential next generation of golfers. Kids 15 and under enter free with a ticketed adult. Families can enjoy the Junior Activity Area’s life-size Legos, chill in The Visit Loveland Cool Chalet, and swing at inflatables in the Birdie Ball Interactive Area. A new junior program, Heron Lakes Jr. Pro Shoot Out, allows kids 8 to 17 to play six holes with a pro

The Ascendant presented by Blue remains a prime opportunity to see the future names on the Sunday leader board before you have to pay top dollar to watch them at Augusta or Pebble Beach.

“The question is: Who is going to be the next star in this year’s class? No one really knows but you are going to see guys who are going to contend in major championships and win on the PGA Tour very soon,” says Zach Dirlam.

THANK YOU to the 2023 Sponsors

• A1 Organics

• Advance Contracting Group

• Avista Adventist Hospital

• Agfinity

• Bank of Colorado

• Beacon Building Products

• Best of Breckenridge

• BirdieBall

• Blue Frog Roofing

• Bobo’s Oat Bars

• CALFRAC Well Services Corp

• CBS Colorado

• Centennial Leasing & Sales of Northern Colorado

• Citywide Banks

• Clyde May’s

• Colorado Chevy Dealers

• Colorado Golf Association

• Colorado Kustom Carts

• Colorado PGA

• Colorado Tourism Office

• Corkat Data Solutions

• Corona Premier

• Concept Signs and Graphics

• Coors

• Cypress Ascendant Dermatology Specialists

• Edward Jones

• Esh’s Grocery Market

• Events com

• First Interstate Bank

• FirstBank

• First Tee of Green Valley Ranch

• First Tee of the Colorado Rocky Mountains

• Flood & Peterson

• Great American Classics

• Heron Lakes Development Group

• High Country Beverage

• Highland Meadows Golf Course

• Hillside Commercial Group

• ImageAV

• Jack & Sun

• JBS

• Kodiak Transportation

• Korn Ferry Tour

• Landmark Homes

• Liberty Mutual

• Lindgren Landscape

• Loan Depot

• LocaliQ

• Logos Imaging, LLC

• Loveland Dairy Queen

• Maestro Dobel Tequila

• MHC-Kenworth

• NAI Affinity

• New Belgium Brewing Company

• NOCO Style

• OneTouchPoint

• Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies

• Ouray Sportswear

• Par Excellence Golf Partners, LLC

• Paul Hummel - Investment Center Advisor Group

• Pawnee Waste Services

• PepsiCo

• Pins and Aces

• PNC Bank

• ProEM

• PointsBet

• PointsWest Community Bank

• Proximo Spirits

• RevelXP

• Rhone

• RNDC

• Root Source Digital

• StreetMedia Group

• Sunshine Beverages

• Swift

• TAG Insurance Services

• The Perl Group at Morgan Stanley

• The Box Portable Storage

• Timberline Oil Tools

• Tito’s Homemade Vodka

• Toll Brothers

• Town of Berthoud

• TPC Colorado

• Trans-Colorado Excavation

• Travelers

• Visit Loveland

• WhiteClaw

• Zico

Golf’s Gifts

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

In its five years as a tournament, The Ascendant by Blue has formed strong partnerships with a wide range of Northern Colorado community organizations

There’s a good reason, according to Alyx Donahue, Championship Coordinator of The Ascendant presented by Blue.

“This tournament is operated as a 501 C3 charitable organization, our question each year is: ‘How can we make an impact in this community? How can we give back?’ she says.

Since the tournament was born as a non-profit organization, the tournament generated almost $500,000 to donate to all these different groups, according to Donahue.

The Ascendant by Blue has been a strong supporter of veterans’ groups.

“We partner with the Veterans Community Project, a local nonprofit working to house veterans. Our heroes pavilion will include one of the tiny homes that are being used to house homeless veterans,” Donahue says.

A special Folds of Honor benefit is part of TPC Colorado’s 13th hole, the longest par five on any PGA Tour tournament course. A donation is made for every birdie made on the hole.

“Last year, we had just under 100 birdies made and we donated $10,000 to Folds of Honor,” Donahue says.

Active and retired military with a valid military ID continue to have free access to the tournament.

With the support The Ascendant

presented by Blue provides, the Community Foundation in Northern Colorado was able to build a whole new floor for its House of Neighborly Services, providing homeless residents the opportunity to get off the streets, according to Donahue.

Another primary focus of the event’s charitable giving is to support young golfers. “Last year Ascendant presented $50,000 checks last year to two First Tee organizations that helps get golf into schools,” she says. Volunteers for its Swing and Read program helps kids learn how to read and swing a golf club,” she says.

Other organizations that have received donations include Special Olympics in Northern Colorado, Colorado Children’s Hospital, Realities for Children, Thompson School District, United Way of Laramie County, UC Health Northern Colorado Foundation and Berthoud Community Library District.

For more information: theascendant.com/ charity

Rock The Block Adds To The Excitement And Intrigue Of This Year’s Tournament

BY DARIAN ARMER

As the 2023 Ascendant Tournament gets ready to kick off for the fifth year, tournament goers have even more than usual to look forward to.

The recent completion of HGTV’s Rock the Block at Heron Lakes at TPC Colorado in Berthoud, where the tournament is held, adds a different air of excitement to the event this year.

“The entire season four was filmed in our community last year. Four different teams of celebrities compete to win notoriety,” says Emily Warren Kupec, COO of Hillside Commercial Group, development group of Heron Lakes.

According to HGTV, four groups of top HGTV designers had just weeks and a limited budget to renovate four blank-slate homes on the same block with their signature styles. The designers

who received the highest appraisal get bragging rights and a street named in their honor.

The series finale aired April 17, and since then, Kupec says they’ve hosted numerous public tours of the houses.

“Our community at Heron Lakes embraced this whole venture. It was hush hush for all of last year. Just last month we hosted a resident tour and had more than 600 TPC Colorado members walking through the houses,” she says. “The overall feeling of the show is that Heron Lakes is the epitome of Colorado living and Colorado lifestyle and this show really provided an opportunity for us as the development team to showcase this community to the world, essentially. This was a unique opportunity and we currently have all four houses listed available for sale.”

Kupec says they plan to do some really fun things surrounding the Ascendant

Tour with Rock the Block. One such event is a morning of mimosas and tours with the Korn Ferry Wives Association.

“They like to do interesting kinds of things together when traveling for tournaments, so we’re going to open doors up to them for an event like that,” she says. “We’re potentially going to host a couple players to stay for the week in one of them.”

“Because of how it’s laid out you can park and enjoy multiple holes or hangout in the clubhouse,” he says. “We also have the Heroes Pavilion to thank and honor our military personnel. This year we’ve partnered with Landmark Homes to showcase the Veteran’s Community Project, as well. It’s a great group in Longmont that is building tiny homes to get vets off the street. We’ll have a tiny home on display.”

For more information and tickets to the tournament, visit theascendant.com.

One of the primary focuses of the event’s charitable giving is to support young golfers

Cypress Ascendant Services Embraces Korn Ferry Tour Title Sponsorship

BY SHELLEY WIDHALM

When the owner of TPC Colorado asked Cypress Ascendant Services to be the title sponsor of one of the Korn Ferry Tour stops, the answer was pretty obvious.

“If you know Jon Turner, you know that it’s tough to say ‘no’ to someone with his type of charisma So we said ‘yes,’” said Ken Manqueros, COO of Cypress Ascendant Holdings, LLC, a boutique private equity firm in San Diego, Calif., and the parent company of Cypress Ascendant Services. “Meeting all the vendors, the golf community and mostly the people who come to enjoy the tournament and support the community has been the real bonus for Cypress Ascendant Services.”

Turner is one of the owners and the developer of Heron Lakes Investments, LLC, which opened TPC Colorado Golf

in 2018. Cypress Ascendant Services is the official title insurer of the PGA Tour, which provides an opportunity to be part of the Korn Ferry tournament. Being a title or naming sponsor is an investment that provides brand significant marketing rights, inclusive in the name of the tournament, and a prominent marketing opportunity in communication and promotional activities.

The company was founded earlier this year as a property technology company under the umbrella of Cypress Ascendant Holdings and has locations in Colorado, Arizona and California. Property Technology (or PropTech) is a relatively new term for companies that offer property information to clients.

Cypress Ascendant Services provides property technology data and title and closing services As a licensed title insurance agent, the company also handles traditional real estate closings in

most states.

“The need for property information has grown exponentially in the last few years as a result of the explosive growth in home equity,” Manqueros said “Equity loans, or HELOCS (Home Equity Lines of Credit), require a snapshot of the liens and encumbrances on a property. This is public information, but delivering it quickly and electronically is a craft in which we take great pride.”

Cypress Ascendant aims to embody relationships and connectivity by supporting its local communities

“As licensed title and escrow agents, we live in the locales in which we serve We know that ‘location, location, location’ is more than just a catch phrase; it’s a directive,” Manqueros said. For more information about The Ascendant presented by Blue, including ticketing and volunteer opportunities, please visit theAscendant com

Korn Ferry’s New Top 30 Qualify: An Explanation of Changes

BY BRITTANY ANAS

The Korn Ferry Tour is considered the major pipeline to the PGA tour and a highly anticipated tour event coming to Berthoud on July 10-16, giving golf-loving Coloradans a chance to scout future stars.

TPC Colorado – an 18-hole championship course in Berthoud and the only PGA Tour-managed course in Colorado – is the stage of The Ascendant presented by Blue, PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour event

This year marks the fifth year of the annual tournament, and 156 golfers will be battling for prize money and a chance to ascend to the PGA Tour Thirty tour cards, up from 25 in previous years, will be awarded to this year’s top golfers. Stakes are high this year, too, as the Korn Ferry entered a new era in 2023. Tour members are competing for $28 million total prize money, which is the highest purse in Tour history and a 37.6 percent increase from the previous

season. The Ascendant presented by Blue purse registers at $1 million.

Also new in 2023, 30 PGA Tour cards will be awarded via the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-long standings. Back in 1990, only five tour cards were awarded, and, from 2007 to 2022, 25 cards were awarded each year

One more thing to note: There’s no longer separate point standings for the pre-Finals and Finals events. The cumulative Korn Ferry Tour Points List will determine 2024 PGA Tour membership for the top 30 finishers.

Each of the first 22 events, including the one in Berthoud, will allocate 500 points to the winner. Each of the four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events will allocate 600 points to the winner Eligibility for the first 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Finals event will be determined by the Points List at the conclusion of the Magnit Championship Aug. 17-20 in New Jersey.

Zach Dirlam, media specialist with the Korn Ferry Tour, says fans can look forward to another strong field

Title Contenders To Watch

competing at The Ascendant presented by Blue, which was named the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Tournament of the Year. Things like charity engagement, unique fan experiences, and a large volunteer pool (there were more than 700) helped notch this recognition.

Golf-loving Coloradans who want to preview the next generation of PGA stars have a chance to

“Fans will see the next generation of PGA TOUR stars, several of which competed at TPC Colorado as Korn Ferry Tour members on their path to the tour,” says Zach Dirlam, media specialist with the Korn Ferry Tour.

Those coming to watch the event have several ticket options, including a “good-any-day” grounds pass that starts at $25. Upgraded Clubhouse Tickets and Hospitality Tickets are also available.

Pro tip? “Take the opportunity to watch our membership play the scenic par-3 16th, as the seating and standing areas around the tee box are among the most unique vantage points at any Korn Ferry Tour event,” Dirlam says.

PGA TOUR UNIVERSITY

It is likely eight members of the PGA TOUR University Class of 2023 will tee it up at TPC Colorado, and nearly all of them have at least one top-25 since joining the Korn Ferry Tour in June.

Most notably, Dumont de Chassart won his professional and Korn Ferry Tour debut, then flirted with victory a week later until Castillo thwarted he and past Korn Ferry Tour winner Kyle Jones in a playoff.

BEN KOHLES

The only two-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, Ben Kohles is in pursuit of the coveted Three-Victory Promotion, which would earn him an immediate promotion to the PGA TOUR.

JEREMY PAUL

The top returner from last year’s event, Paul finished T3 in his tournament debut. A Colorado alum by way of Germany, he closed with a final-round 6-under 66 and finished just two strokes behind the champion, Zecheng Dou.

DAVID SKINNS

One of the aforementioned elder statesman of the Korn Ferry Tour, David Skinns returns to The Ascendant presented by Blue after playing the 2021-22 season as a rookie on the PGA TOUR.

TOM WHITNEY

Enjoying his best season to date, United States Air Force veteran Tom Whitney is well positioned in the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour Points List as he pursues his first PGA TOUR card.

PGA TOUR University proved once again to be a tremendous influx of talent midway through the Korn Ferry Tour season, and any one of the eight players fans can expect to see in Colorado – Castillo, Dumont de Chassart, Fred Biondi, Ryan Burnett, Yuxin Lin, William Mouw, Ross Steelman, Patrick Welch – are capable of winning.

The History of “The Truck” at the Korn Ferry Tour

BY ANDY STONEHOUSE

It might seem unlikely that a tractortrailer used for the technicalities of official tournament scoring might become the hottest destination on the Korn Ferry Tour, but such is the slightly unusual story of “The Truck.”

And while the 53-foot operations staff trailer is often the first vehicle to arrive when the tour arrives in locales such as Berthoud, it quickly becomes the center of activity and social connections for the pros, the players, tour volunteers and fans alike – during the entire week-long tournament. It’s also completely open to the public.

Shane Suber, manager of tournament operations with the PGA-sanctioned Korn Ferry Tour, says that the oversized vehicle performs a double duty as both a behind-the-scenes technical hub and a traveling museum and meeting spot for both up-and-coming pro golfers and the occasional celebrity.

“We put about 30,000 miles on The Truck every year as we travel to about 25 different events 200 days a year, and in that role, it’s simply an operations and scoring trailer,” Suber says. “But it’s also evolved into a place where the pros and spectators alike can interact. We’ve got tons of memorabilia, flags and signed items by famous players.”

The Truck’s technical role is a facility to coordinate the management of electronic scoreboards, the ShotLink system and the challenging work of gathering scoring data during the tournament.

Most importantly, The Truck serves as a virtual lifeline to the hundreds of young players who participate in the Korn Ferry Tour as a possible stepping stone to a PGA career Suber says it’s a recognizable and friendly environment –with all-important air conditioning – for those younger players to interact with more seasoned tour regulars and learn the ropes of being on a busy, dynamic and audience-facing professional sporting

event.

“My bosses started building that culture 20, 30 years ago and it’s a critical connection for younger golfers. It’s a place for sharing information and giving support, especially for guys who are straight out of college and have never been on the road before. They’re staying in different hotels and playing on different courses all summer, and The Truck is the one constant in all of that.”

It’s also the base for junior clinics held throughout the tour, where many of those players team up with tour pros to interact directly with the public and learn more of those sports leadership skills that help make PGA events more than just a spectator sport.

“We let the players know that activities

like this help you become a professional athlete. You already know how to golf, well, but here’s how to interact with people, and help build what might be a lifelong following of fans.”

Famous visitors have also dropped by, including Tom Watson, Ken Griffey Jr., Vince Gill and Stephen Curry, many of whom have signed autographs.

For more information about The Truck, visit truckkarma.com

More than just an operations trailer, it’s also the central hub for players, pros and volunteers on the 200-day tour season

The 53-foot operations staff trailer has become one of the hottest destinations on the Korn Ferry Tour Tom Watson poses for a photo with the Operations Team

Players and Housing

BY ROSS MAAK

For those up-and-coming golfers hoping to make the big time, or those journeymen remaining in the hunt for the big money of the PGA Tour, players on the Korn Ferry Tour get a little different experience on their trip to Berthoud for The Ascendant.

Organizers strive to provide a stay at a private home for each of the players, caddies and even some spouses and family members, as opposed to a more standard stay at an area hotel.

The tradition started back in 2019 but, of course, took a couple years off during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was brought back in 2021.

“It’s a unique experience that players and their hosts get to have because you’re creating a friendship with the player/caddie, cheering them on during the week and throughout the season,” Ascendant Event Coordinator Alyx Donahue said in an email.

Donahue went on to share the story of one player and his caddie who became close with his host family The golfer ended up taking the host’s kids to the pool and even invited the entire family to his wedding.

And the players seem to appreciate it.

While much of the time during the 26week season finds the players and caddies living in hotels, they can end up spending the entire week with a host family while here for the Ascendant.

“Players are so gracious and appreciative of the housing,” said Erika DeMars, also with The Ascendant. “They are here all week for the event. They arrive on that Monday of the event, and if they make the cut, they’re here until Sunday. A full week in a hotel adds up.”

Finding homes for hundreds of people is quite the undertaking, too. Last year, for instance, 68 different homes in Berthoud, Loveland, Fort Collins, Longmont, Windsor and other northern Colorado neighborhoods were used.

Shifting schedules, depending on how players do at other events, can leave organizers scrambling. DeMars said initially getting the housing organized was a challenge.

“Each year we’ve learned what worked and what didn’t, and we debrief after the event to change or streamline our processes,” DeMars said. “We’re lucky that all the hosts are flexible and understanding when we do make changes.”

Organizers also have a large pool of people and neighbors from which to draw. DeMars said they initially reach out to people who have housed golfers previously, then they start sending out information with a host sign-up link in daily messaging to TPC Colorado members, area residents and even surrounding golf courses.

Regardless, players, caddies and their families seem to appreciate having a home to live in during their stay.

Players and their caddies are hosted in private homes near the course by volunteers vs staying in a hotel

“It’s a unique experience that players and their hosts get to have because you ’ re creating a friendship with the player/caddie, cheering them on during the week and throughout the season.”

Sunrise

at TPC Colorado in Berthoud

TPC Colorado boasts the most “housed” players on the Tour – and it makes for a truly memorable experience.

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