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Full field of 132 golfers are set to compete for Barbasol Championship


By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today

The field is set for the Barbasol Championship.

Davis Love III, Brittany Lincicome, and Billy Horschel will be among the 132 players who will be vying for the title when the event tips off Thursday and concludes on July 22 at Champions at Keene Trace in Nicholasville.

Hall of Famer Love III has won 21 times on TOUR including the 1997 PGA Championship, tops the field that represents 182 victories on the PGA TOUR. Stuart Appleby has won nine times, Hunter Mahan six times and five players have five wins on TOUR, including Horschel, the 2014 FedExCup Champion. Lincicome, the first woman to compete in a PGA TOUR event since 2008, owns eight wins on the LPGA Tour, including two major championships.

“To have this field in our first year as an event, we could not be more pleased,” said Brooks Downing, the Executive Director of the Barbasol Championship. “There are so many storylines embedded within this field of 132. And of course, we’ll crown a winner next Sunday who will earn a two-year exemption on the TOUR and an automatic berth in the PGA Championship next month in St. Louis.”

The deadline to enter the event was 5 p.m. Friday and previously announced attendees, including Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera rookie Beau Hossler. Goosen qualified for next week’s British Open, while Cabrera withdrew because of an injury.

“Changes right up to the deadline are common on TOUR,” added Downing. “As an example, we picked up two two-time winners today with Brian Gay and Harris English. With this field and the party we’re planning on throwing, we cannot wait until tournament week starts.”

The pro-am event set for Wednesday will feature former University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith, country music star John Michael Montgomery, radio music legend Rick Dees and Kentucky Sports Radio founder Matt Jones.

“Playing in a PGA TOUR event Pro-Am is an experience like no other in sports,” Downing said. “Our Pro-Am participants will each get to play alongside two PGA TOUR pros and the experience is simply priceless. We add in celebrities like Tubby, John Michael, Matt and Rick and it takes things to another level.”

Other special events include Heroes Day for military and first responders on July 19, followed by college day on July 20 and State Employee Day on July 21. See Blue Day is planned for July 21 and attendees are urged to wear blue on what is expected to be the biggest turnout of the four-day event.

Tickets: Daily and week-long grounds passes can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. A Thursdaygrounds pass is $30 with Friday priced at $35 and the Saturday/Sunday rate at $40 per day. A four-day grounds pass can be purchased for $100, with upgraded ticket options available as well.

Parking & Shuttle: All spectator parking will be at Keeneland with shuttle buses running to the course continuously throughout the day. Daily parking during competition rounds on Thursday-Sunday is $10 per day with free parking offered for practice days on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There will be no spectator parking at Champions at Keene Trace. In addition, Delaney Ferry Road near the course will be “restricted access,” and no local “park and walk” opportunities will be available. Those spectators utilizing a ride-share drop-off and pick-up lot will be available off Keene South Elkhorn Road (KY-1267) with local shuttle transporting spectators to the course.

Keith Taylor is sports editor for Kentucky Today. Reach him at keith.taylor@kentuckytoday.com or twitter @keithtaylor21.


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