‘A bit lonely’: Wichita Open prepares for Thursday start with no fans in attendance
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of golfer Luke Gannon
The Tuesday during the week of the Wichita Open is usually a frantic time for tournament director Roy Turner.
In a typical year, he’s preparing the North course at Crestview Country Club to for 50,000 spectators to pass through during the week. Turner estimates that he usually spends about two months perfecting the 17th hole experience, which has been voted the best hole on the Korn Ferry Tour for its lively atmosphere.
But this is no typical year, as the coronavirus pandemic forced the Wichita Open, which tees off on Thursday, to be held without fans. On this Tuesday, Turner says — rather solemnly — that he has only been to the 17th hole once in the past 10 days.
“It’s going to be a bit lonely out here this year, but I’m sure everybody will understand why,” said Turner, who has spent the last two decades turning the professional golf tournament into one of Wichita’s signature events each summer. “The people who are going to miss it the most are the people who come out here and have a good time and look forward to it every summer like it’s Christmas.
“I’ve been trying to get people to come out and enjoy the tournament for so many years and now I’m telling them to stay away.”
Turner has been blown away by the community support he’s received since the July announcement that the tournament this year would be without fans. There was some apprehension that a year without the 17th hole experience would drive sponsors away, especially during a time when so many businesses are struggling financially.
But Turner said all but three of the 150 sponsors have already pledged to come back for next summer’s event.
“The response has been a real kick in the butt, how great it is, and that just motivates me to look forward to the future,” Turner said. “I think everybody in the public understands the situation and now it’s shifted to ‘Let’s get ready for next year and let’s make it even bigger and better.’”
Without fans, Turner has been able to turn his attention to the golf side of things for the Wichita Open, which he says will have one of its strongest fields yet.
Nearly all of the top players on the Korn Ferry Tour will play in the event, including Taylor Pendrith, who finished in a tie for 23rd at the U.S Open last week, and Davis Riley, who is in search of his third tour victory which would earn him an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour.
For local talent, Wichita native Luke Gannon earned a spot in the field through Monday qualifying and Andy Spencer, a Kansas City native who was a standout at Kansas, will make his first start on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“I think the field is getting stronger and stronger every year,” Turner said. “We look at these players later on and now he is playing and winning in the PGA Tour. We always get the best players on (Korn Ferry) tour because they love Wichita and they love this event. I’m sure the competition will be incredible.”
As far as COVID-19 testing goes, players, tournament officials and volunteers — a total of 536 people — were all tested this week. The Korn Ferry has supplied its own testing vehicle, which allows rapid test results that are received in hours instead of days.
Turner said the testing has gone off without a hitch and the tournament will begin 7:20 a.m. Thursday.
“It’s all been quite a big production to make sure we get everybody taken care of,” Turner said. “My priority is to get this event done as well as we can and make sure there is no virus outbreak. We’re looking forward to playing in June next year and getting back to normal, but right now we’re dealing with the virus and making the best of it and making sure the players here are taken care of and welcomed to the city of Wichita.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 4:27 PM.
.jpg)