There will be a European flavor to this week’s Barbasol golf championship

It might be difficult to follow last year’s dramatic six-hole playoff, but the seventh PGA Barbasol Championship will give it a try this week at the Champions at Keene Trace.

“We’re in a good spot,” tournament director Darren Nelson said last week.

In fact, there are some new twists to this year’s event, starting with the July 7-10 time frame that puts it not in competition with the British Open across the pond, but the week before The Open. The Barbasol winner will earn an automatic berth in the tournament on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

“Our champion, whoever he is, will do his after-round responsibilities, sign autographs and take photos and then he’ll jump on a NetJet at LEX and head to New York and then head right over to Scotland for the 150th edition of The Open Championship.”

The Barbasol field has expanded to 156 golfers from 132 last year. According to Nelson, there are 50 players from the European tour, now called the DP World Tour. The entry deadline was 5 p.m. Friday.

“Hopefully we’ll get some late commits that will boost our strength of field even more,” Nelson said.

The Barracuda Championship at Truckee, California, follows the Barbasol. Nelson said he believes many of the European players coming to Lexington are also interested in competing in the Barracuda the next week.

“They can play both of those events,” he said. “So they get two different events, (it’s) kind of worth making the trip over from Europe.”

Barbasol’s assistant tournament director last year, Nelson assumed the director’s role after Bryan Pettigrew stepped down in January after running the tourney since 2019.

“I think the relationship with some of the sponsors, getting to know those folks last year was very helpful,” Nelson said. “I’m on a texting basis with every sponsor if they have questions, which is really cool. Lexington, when you get down to it, it’s not that big of a town. Everybody kind of knows everybody. I think being here last year helped me get to know some of those folks and get re-acquainted March 1.”

The current hot topic in golf is the LIV Tour, which has coaxed some of the big names away from the PGA Tour. The PGA has responded by suspending those who play on the LIV Tour. Nelson said he doubted that the Saudi Arabia-backed tour will have much impact on some of the smaller tournaments like the Barbasol.

“It will definitely not have an effect on the tournament this year,” Nelson said. “And, honestly, I don’t see it affecting the event next year, either. We’re in a spot in the summer where guys want to play here or they need to come play here, some from the DP World Tour. I think those events in the fall will be most impacted with his new calendar schedule the PGA Tour is going to.”

After all, the Barbasol is where it’s at this week where the PGA is concerned.

“It’s the only PGA event we have in Kentucky,” Nelson said. “The fact that we can showcase Kentucky and Nicholasville, I think they enjoy this area.”

Tickets still available

▪ General admission tickets are still available at Barbasolchampionship.com. There is a new venue this year called Club 87. It’s a shared hospitality where patrons can buy tickets for individual days or all four days with food and beverage included.

“It’s on the 18th fairway,” Nelson said. “It’s something new and sales are going really well. We’ll probably have to cap it at some point.”

▪ Military and First Responders Appreciation Day will be Thursday. Barbasol will have Patriots Outposts all four days. Military and first responders can go to Barbasolchampionship.com to see how to get free tickets for the four days.

▪ Friday is College Day with half-off ticket options for college students. Saturday is Family Day with activities for families and children from 9 a.m. to noon. Barbasol hopes to display championship trophies from UK on that day, as well.

▪ Sunday is Championship Sunday. “It’s all golf that day,” Nelson said. “And I know a lot of people are still talking about that six-hole playoff (with Seamus Power defeating J.T. Poston) from last year.”

PGA Barbasol Championship

When: Thursday through Sunday

Where: Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville (Champions Course)

TV: 4-7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday (Golf Channel)

Tickets: Visit BarbasolChampionship.com/Tickets

New tournament date and field among changes to Barbasol Championship

Tickets for Kentucky’s PGA Tour event in Nicholasville go on sale next week