PGA Tour Announces Debut Biltmore Championship In 2026
Yesterday, the PGA Tour, Biltmore Estate and Explore Asheville announced a PGA Tour tournament, the Biltmore Championship in Asheville, that will debut in 2026 during the FedEx Cup Fall.
“After more than eight decades since the Asheville Land of the Sky Open, the PGA TOUR is pleased to make its return to the Blue Ridge Mountains with the Biltmore Championship in Asheville, a proud name synonymous with the region,” said Tyler Dennis, PGA TOUR Chief Competitions Officer. “We are honored to partner with Biltmore Estate and Explore Asheville on this exciting new event and look forward to building a partnership that spotlights the strength and beauty of the area and its community.”
Biltmore Estate and Explore Asheville will serve as co-title sponsors of the Asheville’s first PGA Tour event in more than 80 years, with the inaugural tournament set for September 17-20, 2026, at The Cliffs at Walnut Grove.
“We are honored to partner with the PGA TOUR, Explore Asheville and The Cliffs as a title sponsor of the Biltmore Championship in Asheville,” said Mark Hemphill, Chief Marketing Officer of Biltmore. “Bringing a world-class golf tournament to the mountains of North Carolina creates an opportunity to make a positive, enduring impact on our community and economy. We look forward to an inspiring competition and inviting guests to discover the unique natural beauty and gracious hospitality of our area.”
The Biltmore Championship in Asheville marks the PGA TOUR’s first event in Asheville since 1942. First contested in the early 1920s, the Asheville Open was an official PGA TOUR tournament from 1939 to 1942, with World Golf Hall of Famer Ben Hogan winning the final three beginning in 1940. The Biltmore Championship in Asheville will mark the seventh all-time TOUR event in the city.
Vic Isley, President & CEO for Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority added, “After more than 80 years, Explore Asheville is thrilled to team up with Biltmore to welcome the PGA TOUR back to Asheville, Buncombe County and Western North Carolina for the next four years. The PGA TOUR’s Biltmore Championship in Asheville will draw more than 100 players, thousands of spectators, millions of dollars in direct spending for area businesses, and hours of live national television coverage shining a light on the beauty of our region – all to support our creative travel and hospitality. community. Importantly, we value the charity impacts that PGA TOUR events generate for host communities each year.”
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is a private facility in Arden, North Carolina, just minutes from Asheville Regional Airport and a short drive from downtown Asheville. Ranked among the top courses in the state, the 7,167-yard venue sits in a valley bordering the Pisgah National Forest and Blue Ridge Parkway, with 18 holes that wind through former farmland and the streams and woodlands of mountain laurel. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is one of seven exclusive private club communities in The Cliffs. Other clubs are located outside Greenville, South Carolina, and Clemson, South Carolina on Lake Keowee.
