Air Capital Classic notebook: Wichita continues to impress Web.com Tour president

As president of the Web.com Tour, Bill Calfee enjoys every tournament his organization lists on its schedule, but he always has exceptionally nice things to say about the Air Capital Classic.

That didn’t change this week after spending time at Crestview Country Club and seeing the event’s support across Wichita.

“What I like most about it is that when people come in they are always surprised by the hospitality, the presentation and how big it is,” Calfee said. “They come in with a preconceived notion of what these things look like. It is nice to see their reaction when they see things like the crowds around the 17th and 18th greens.

“Even guys who work for the PGA Tour come out and see this is pretty cool. It’s not just a golf tournament. It’s food and an atmosphere and people having a great time.”

The Air Capital Classic is entering its 26th year of competition. It is one of four tour stops that have remained for that length of time, along with Springfield, Boise and Knoxville.

Qualifying changes a plus — Two years ago, the PGA Tour drastically altered its qualifying process by eliminating its Q-school and awarding 50 new tour cards a year to worthy Web.com players. The Q-school now earns golfers access to the Web.com Tour, while the top 25 money winners on the Web.com Tour get promoted to the PGA Tour, along wtih 25 others that perform well in a series of playoff events.

Calfee said it has been a welcome change for the Web.com Tour.

“This is a better system and the right way to do it,” Calfee said. “It is clearly better for the Web.com Tour, being the path to the PGA Tour has made an impact. From a marketing and PR perspective, we have the ability to promote these guys. They are the golfers who are about to be on the PGA Tour.”

Calfee also said, more often than not, the golfers who work their way up through the Web.com Tour have more staying power once they reach the PGA Tour than golfers that made it the previous way.

Familiar setting — Almost one year after winning an individual championship at the NCAA Golf Tournament at Prairie Dunes Country Club with Stanford, Cameron Wilson returned to the Sunflower State this week to play in the Air Capital Classic.

He said it was nice to return to an area where he has experienced success. So much so, that he made a side trip to Hutchinson on Wednesday before practicing at Crestview.

“I drove over to Prairie Dunes to play this morning. That brings back memories,” Wilson said. “Everyone was nice to me in Kansas last year and everybody is still pretty friendly. I am happy to be here.”

Wilson has made four of 11 cuts this season. He ranks 93rd on the Web.com money list.

Pro-Am winner — Pro Chase Wright teamed with Randy Johnston, Rich Richardson, Jeff Schauf and Mark Tucker to win the Marge Page Pro-Am on Wednesday at Crestview. They shot 48, one stroke better than Luke List’s team.

From U.S. Open to Wichita — Sixteen golfers that participated in the U.S. Open last week at Chambers Bay Golf Course will compete in the Air Capital Classic. The highest finisher was Jamie Lovemark, who came in 18th. Andy Pope, Mark Silvers, Brad Fritsch and Brad Elder all made the cut. Jason Allred, Sebastian Cappelen, Roberto Castro, Tyler Duncan, Cody Gribble, Josh Persons, Stephan Jaeger, Richard Lee, Garth Mulroy, Tim O’Neal and Tom Hoge all missed the cut.

This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Air Capital Classic notebook: Wichita continues to impress Web.com Tour president."