The George Holliday Memorial Junior Tournament has been a staple of Thanksgiving weekend on the Grand Strand for the past 55 years.
It won’t be played this year, however, as organizers have elected to cancel the event for one year due to anticipated renovation work being done on one of its three host courses.
The Myrtle Beach National Golf Club King’s North Course, the premier course on the 54-hole property, was closed for four months this summer for a front-nine renovation project, and a renovation of the back nine is planned next summer.
Some minor work continues this winter.
Three-day, 54-hole tournament is traditionally played over the three courses at MB National – the West, Southcreek and King’s North layouts – from Thursday to Saturday.
The event is operated by Founders Group International, which owns and operates MB National, with input from the Holliday family.
“Speaking with the family we thought it was a better idea to pause for this year and bring it back next year and feature the fully-renovated King’s North at its full capacity,” said tournament director and MB National general manager Ryan Ruddy. “Any kind of change that we do we always run it by Russell Holliday and the family. . . . We were kind of concerned and Russell was concerned about the two different surfaces because we did the front nine and not the back nine yet. Plus any other projects that might come up, there might be a bunch of areas that are ground under repair.”
The tournament is held on two courses per day, but organizers want the Arnold Palmer-designed King’s North to be part of the rotation.
“That was a thing with Russell as well, she really likes to have the kids on the championship course,” Ruddy said. ‘It’s one of the big draws that you’re playing Arnie’s track, so we didn’t want to rob that from the kids this year.”
Ruddy said there is consideration to make it a two-day Friday-Saturday tournament in the future, but no decision to make a change has been made yet.
Tournament registration usually begins around July so organizers let players know in late summer that the tournament wouldn’t be held in 2024.
A rich history
The George Holliday is the third-oldest junior golf tournament in South Carolina.
The tournament is named in honor of George Judson Holliday III of Galivants Ferry, a successful junior and collegiate golfer who was killed in a 1967 automobile accident at the age of 22. He valued the qualities that golf instills and the opportunities it afforded him, and his family created the tournament to give juniors a high-caliber tournament to compete in.
The list of past participants is long and impressive and includes players who reached the PGA Tour such as Lucas Glover, Jonathan Byrd and DJ Trahan, and those who have reached the LPGA Tour such as Kristy McPherson.
Last year’s winners were Elijah Felty from North Chesterfield, Virginia in the boys and overall divisions, and Jillian Fatkin from Oak Island, N.C., in the girls division.
While the tournament allows and attracts younger players and has divisions that start at 10 years old, boys ages 14-18 playing from the back tees are eligible for the overall championship, and girls ages 13-18 are eligible for the girls title.
It regularly attracted more than 200 players for many years from up to about 20 states, has always had a large local contingent, and had about 140 players last year. The decrease in players in recent years is generally among girls and younger players, Ruddy said.
“Our numbers have been holding steady, but we’re hoping it will be an advantage to put the pause on the event and pick up some additional players with a brand new golf course,” Ruddy said.
The tournament offers significant ranking points for junior golf organizations and associations including Junior Golf Scoreboard and the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA).
Players receive an initial welcome gift and lunch each tournament day.
Tilghman on the move
The Strand’s other junior golf winter mainstay, the Charles Tilghman Junior Championship, is being held this year at Myrtlewood Golf Club’s PineHills Course from Dec. 14-15.
The 35-year tournament is annually held at the Surf Golf and Beach Club, but the private course has a clubhouse and bunker renovation project planned that will likely extend beyond next year’s tournament as well.
So it is moving this year, and Surf Club head pro Dan Cordaro said it will likely be held elsewhere in 2025 as well.
“We’ll revisit in the next couple months. As of now it won’t be here next year,” Cordaro said.
The Tilghman is conducted by the Carolinas PGA Section and is open to players from the Carolinas. It annually sells out at 96 players.
If it has to be moved again in 2025 there’s a good chance it remains on the Strand. “Due to the time of year of the event we try to keep it in a warmer climate either way, and the Myrtle Beach area fits that. So it’s definitely possible that we stay in the area,” said CPGA tournament administrator Brianna Newton.
The tournament has moved in the past, as it was played at the Members Club at Grande Dunes for a year in 2016 when Surf Club’s greens were being renovated.
