As Rex Hospital Open approaches, changes on the horizon for the Korn Ferry Tour stop
Mito Pereira’s name is a lot more familiar to the golf community at large this week than it ever has been, thanks to his near-win at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills — or perhaps because of the incredible way he fell from the lead, and out of a playoff, on the final hole of regulation.
But the golf community in the Triangle may remember him for a different reason — as champion of the 2021 Rex Hospital Open on the Korn Ferry Tour’s annual pilgrimage to North Raleigh.
Pereira, of Chile, closed last year with a 4-under 67 to match Stephan Jaeger of Germany at 263 over four days, tying the tournament’s 72-hole scoring record. On the first playoff hole, Pereira made birdie to Jaeger’s par, earning the win and securing his PGA Tour card for the following season.
This year, it’s unlikely Pereira will return to defend his title, but 156 other would-be Pereiras with PGA Tour aspirations of their own will indeed tee it up in the final edition of the tournament to be played at The Country Club at Wakefield.
“This is an opportunity to watch some of the best pros in the world compete,” tournament director Brian Caruso said. “That was evidenced by our 2021 champion, Mito Pereira making a run at the PGA Championship this weekend. We know he’ll get his victories, but if you came out to the tournament last year, you got the chance to see Mito compete, and win here. Again, this year, it’s a chance to watch world-class pros on their way up in an intimate setting.”
Big changes are indeed on the horizon for the Triangle’s Korn Ferry Tour stop in 2023:
The tournament’s name will change, becoming the UNC Health Championship presented by STITCH.
The tournament’s location will change. After 18 years at Wakefield, the venue will shift to Raleigh Country Club, another course owned and operated by McConnell Golf. Raleigh Country Club ranks among the top 20 courses in North Carolina and was designed by renowned architect Donald Ross.
And the tournament’s purse will change. Last year, the total prize pool was $650,000. This year, it’s $750,000. Next year? $1 million.
“Our previous agreement was coming due, and it really didn’t take much talking to know that we wanted to continue with the PGA Korn Ferry Tour,” said Lisa Schiller of UNC Health. “We felt (with the changes) we’ve opened up the tournament to some, perhaps some new supporters, some new fans, some new sponsors by moving it to another McConnell golf course. We’re looking forward to showcasing this event for people who love golf who want to come out and see these incredibly talented professionals.”
First, though, the Rex Hospital Open needs to get through the 2022 version first, and preparations are well under way at The Country Club at Wakefield to make that happen.
Among golfers with local ties expected to compete in the tournament this year are Ben Griffin, a Chapel Hill native who played at UNC and is now No. 9 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list; Akshay Bhatia, who lives in Wake Forest and won the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-opening The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic in January; Trevor Cone, who was born in Charlotte, lives in Concord, and won his second Korn Ferry Tour title Sunday; Stephen Franken, who played at N.C. State and is both a native and resident of Raleigh; Albin Choi, who played at N.C. State and resides in Raleigh; and Quinn Riley, a recent Duke graduate and four-year golfer for the Blue Devils who went to school at Ravenscroft in Raleigh and grew up in the Triangle. Riley will be making his professional debut.
About the Rex Hospital Open
The Rex Hospital Open is the largest annual charity fundraiser supporting patient care and services at UNC Rex Healthcare. Proceeds from this year’s Rex Hospital Open will benefit the UNC Rex Mobile Mammography Program, which helps underserved patients get much-needed screenings for breast cancer.
During the past three decades, charity golf has raised more than $10 million for patients, programs and services at UNC Rex.
The tournament this year will feature its pro-am on Wednesday, June 1, followed by four competitive rounds, June 2-5. Admission is free for all fans courtesy of a sponsorship from Drive Shack, and parking is also free nearby, with a 5-minute shuttle ride to the grounds.
