If you haven't already heard, there's a well-known golf tournament on the PGA circuit with big-name players coming to Wilmington, North Carolina this May. The Wells Fargo Championship is usually held at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC but this year it's being hosted at Eagle Point Golf Club in the nearby city of Wilmington. It's an exciting time with upwards of 25,000 spectators anticipated to attend each day of the golf tournament, bringing a lot of attention and revenue to Wilmington and the surrounding area.
What is the Wells Fargo Golf Championship and who's playing?
Since 2003, the Wells Fargo Championship has raised over $19 million for charity. Champions for Education, based in Charlotte, NC, operate and manage all aspects of the tournament and is the non-profit tournament host of the Wells Fargo Championship—and has been in operation since the tournament was founded by Wells Fargo, Quail Hollow Club and the PGA TOUR in 2002.
The Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament format is based on 72 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes, the field of 156 competitors is cut to the low 70 scores and ties. There’s big money up for grabs with this year’s purse of $7.5 million; $1.35 million of which goes to the first-place winner.
The Wells Fargo Championship is broadcast to a national and international audience. The broadcast and scenes from Wilmington and the surrounding area will be available to over 1 billion potential households in 32 languages, across 225 countries and territories outside of the U.S. via international TV partners. HD coverage of events will be available internationally on 35 channels across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australasia, Latin America and Canada.
So yes, it's a pretty big deal!
Past Wells Fargo Championship winners include James Hahn (last year's winner), Rory McIllroy (winner twice), Rickie Fowler and Tiger Woods, just to name a few. You can check out the full list of past Wells Fargo tournament champions here.
So, who's playing this year? Will Jordan Spieth play and visit his Grandpa who lives in Hampstead while he's here? Will Phil make an appearance? Will Rory return to reclaim the title? We'll just have to wait and see. Oh the anticipation!
When and where is the 2017 Wells Fargo PGA Championship?
The Wells Fargo Championship is slated for May 1-7, 2017 at Eagle Point Golf Club located at 8131 Bald Eagle Lane in Wilmington, NC. The Eagle Point golf course, which opened in 2000, was designed by Tom Fazio and is currently among the Top 100 Golf Digest courses in America. Fazio has overseen the alterations and re-design of Quail Hollow Club for several years. Though in a different region of the state and on the coast, several PGA TOUR players have played Eagle Point and believe it will be well received by the TOUR players. The club is just north of downtown Wilmington and is only about a half-hour drive from Topsail Island, NC, making it close and convenient to your Topsail beach vacation rental.
For an inside scoop on Eagle Point Golf Club, check out this article and photo feature on Golf Tripper.
Where can I get tickets to the Wells Fargo Championship in Wilmington?
Wells Fargo PGA tournament tickets can be purchased online here. Grounds tickets start at just $30 with options for weekly, practice round and single-day pricing.
All Wells Fargo Championship grounds tickets include the following:
- Access to the grounds of Eagle Point Golf Club.
- Parking and shuttle fees from Wells Fargo Championship-authorized locations are included in the cost of each ticket. (Please Note: The Spot Festival Property in Hampstead, NC is slated to be the major tournament shuttle point offering busing to and from the tournament grounds. Hampstead is located right on the mainland and is only a few minutes' drive from Topsail Island itself.)
- Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult ticket holder.
- Concession Dollars are available.
How is parking for the tournament being handled?
As you might imagine, managing traffic flow and preparing for the influx of visitors to the area is of utmost priority. To minimize congestion and potential traffic issues, the Hampstead Spot Festival grounds are being prepared and organized to become the General Parking site for the tournament.Star News Online in Wilmington reports:
"Tony Schuster, the tournament operations director, said the site is challenging because of the road system that leads to the golf course, and, with the expectation of 25,000 spectators during the peak days of Friday and Saturday, general parking will be offsite. The vast majority of ticket buyers coming to the tournament, Schuster said, will be directed to park at the Spot Festival property in Hampstead, and then they will be bused to the golf course."
You can read the full article here in the Wells Fargo Championship Reps Outline Parking, Traffic Plans feature.
What do I need to know to about planning my stay on the coast of NC?
Book Your Premier Accommodations for the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship.
Ward Realty offers Topsail Island vacation rentals that put you close and convenient to the general parking for the Wells Fargo Championship in Hampstead, making it the ideal time and place to plan your combination beach/golf vacation. Oceanfront Topsail rentals give you double the benefits which include a gorgeous view of the Atlantic plus easy access to the golf tournament. Our Surf City vacation rentals put you right in the center of Topsail Island so that all you have to do is hop over the bridge and drive a few minutes into Hampstead itself.
Let us know how we can help you plan your stay. We're happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have. Stay tuned for more details as the Wells Fargo Championship dates approach. A follow-up post is coming soon, so be sure to follow Ward Realty's blog so you don't miss it.
Are you getting tickets to attend the 2017 Wells Fargo PGA Championship at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington? We want to know!
