Huntsville PGA Golf Tournament Canceled From 2024 Schedule
HUNTSVILLE- The HomeTown Lenders Championship is no more.
After several months of review, Huntsville’s Korn Ferry Tour stop will not return to the 2024 schedule. “The PGA Tour faced many difficult decisions when finalizing the 2024 schedule. The removal of the tournament from the schedule does not minimize the outpouring support we received from the Huntsville community over the past several years,” said Michael Eady, president of Knight Eady, which owned and operated the tournament from 2020 to 2022 and assisted when the title sponsor was transferred to HomeTown Lenders mortgage brokerage firm of Huntsville.
The removal of the tournament comes despite profound economic and philanthropic impact on the Huntsville community. It’s estimated the tournament made an economic impact of over $1.3-million. During its three years of operation, the tournament had a philanthropic impact of nearly $200,000, as well as, raising money for local charities.
Some reports indicated HomeTown Lenders was unable to fulfill its financial obligations to the tournament and had possibly paid only one half of the necessary funding for the tournament played at The Ledges earlier this year, thus causing the PGA TOUR to withdraw the tournament from its 2024 schedule.
“This event had a huge impact on the community as we were able to see direct financial benefits not only on local businesses, but on our local philanthropies as well,” said Melissa Thompson CEO and President of the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville. “The tournament was having a real impact on real people right here in our own backyard. While it may look different in the future, we hope that we can continue to work with Knight Eady to leverage sports as a vehicle for impact right here in Huntsville.”
The four-day tournament was held at The Ledges, which is regarded as the premier golf course in North Alabama located atop Huntsville Mountain in Southeast Huntsville near Jones Valley.
“Huntsville is a special city with an incredible appetite for sports,” added Eady. “There’s a very real possibility that the Huntsville Championship could come back as some other golf-related event. It may look different, but it’s still going to be something that the Huntsville community can be a part of and can be proud of.”
