Exemption announced for Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS
Jackson Buchanan to compete at Panther Creek in late June
SPRINGFIELD – June 10, 2024 - The Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS announced additions to the tournament field at a virtual press conference this morning. Jackson Buchanan, Big Ten Golfer of the Year, and incoming University of Illinois senior for the upcoming tournament.
Buchanan, 22, a native of Dacula, Georgia, and an Operations Management major, is an incoming senior at University of Illinois. A standout on the course and in the classroom, Buchanan was recently named to the PING Third Team All-American Team and recently qualified for the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & C.C after the final round of qualifying at the Golf Club of Georgia, shooting thirteen under to take medalist honors.
“I am looking forward to competing later this month in Springfield.” Buchanan said. “Having my first experience competing on the Korn Ferry TOUR in central Illinois seems right to me, given the large number of Fighting Illini fans in the area and I’m hoping they come out to watch.”
Joining Buchanan for the virtual press conference was the recently named 2024 GCAA Midwest Coach of the Year, Mike Small. “Our golf program is a big supporter of competitive golf in the state of Illinois, and I am very excited about the opportunities that University of Illinois golfers have had to participate in the Korn Ferry Tour stop in Springfield.” Said Small. “I have had a number of players take part in the tournament at Panther Creek and appreciate what they continue to build there.”
Tournament director, Kate Peters, said organizers are excited to welcome Buchanan to Springfield and the 2024 field. “We have had a great partnership with Coach Small and the Men’s Golf Program at the University of Illinois for several years.” Said Peters. “Jackson just made sense for us, with his record and standing on the world amateur golf rankings and the opportunity to give him his first experience on the Korn Ferry TOUR, it was a logical choice. Our goal is to provide a platform for young golfers hoping to compete at the highest level with a chance to experience the competition on the Korn Ferry Tour, do well and help prepare them to move on to the PGA TOUR.”
The Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS is scheduled for June 27 -30 at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield. Fans planning to attend the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS can do so free of charge courtesy of a partnership with Visit Springfield. Fans can get their complimentary tickets at MemorialHealthChampionship.com. Daily passes into the tournament’s all-inclusive hospitality venue, J&J Gaming VIP Lounge, a premium spectator venue located between the 9th and 18th greens are also available for purchase for an additional fee. Walk-up attendance is permitted and is also at no charge via the partnership with Visit Springfield. Full schedule of events accompanies this release and is also available at the tournament’s website.
About the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS
The Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS, a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event on the Korn Ferry Tour, is conducted annually at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Illinois. This four-day, 72-hole competition features 156 players from around the world vying for a total purse of $1,000,000. As the path to the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour features some of the most talented professional golfers who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage. Since the inaugural
year in 2016, the tournament has continued to grow with an expected economic impact of over five million dollars on the central Illinois region.
About Korn Ferry Tour
Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour identifies and develops golf's next stars, preparing them to compete and win on the game's biggest stage. The Korn Ferry Tour, which has served as a path to the PGA TOUR since its inception, will award 30 PGA TOUR cards based off its points list in 2023, with the No. 1 player earning exemptions into the following year’s PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open. With more than 600 PGA TOUR titles, 28 major championships and six FedEx Cup champions, Korn Ferry Tour alumni make up 88 percent of the PGA TOUR’s current membership. To learn more about the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour and to follow the season-long quest for PGA TOUR cards, visit PGATOUR.COM or follow the Korn Ferry Tour on social media. Select Korn Ferry Tour events are televised annually on GOLF Channel in the United States, with tournament coverage available internationally in more than 170 countries and territories via 22 media partners.