Victoria National Golf Club: The Historic Course that Shapes PGA Careers
The Legacy of Victoria National Golf Club
When a time, event or place finds its rightful spot in the history books, the measure of its success is gauged largely by the fondness of the memories it conjures. Also noteworthy is the level of anticipation inspired by the prospect of all the good that may come from that end.
On all counts, Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana passes the test with flying tee shots. In fact, each year since 2012, the exquisite par-72 Tom Fazio layout crafted around an abandoned coal mine has served as the setting for a marquis PGA TOUR-sanctioned event which has enhanced the lives, careers and even futures for countless hopeful players.
The Korn Ferry Tour Championship will be held at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana, on October 5-8, 2023. There is a $1,500,000 purse.
From Victoria National to PGA TOUR: A Five-Year Journey of Korn Ferry Championships
Patrick Rodgers crosses the bridge to the sixth fairway during the second round of the United Leasing Championship held at Victoria National Golf Club on May 1, 2015.
The upcoming Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance October 5-8 marks that Tour’s final season-ending event to be contested at Victoria National Golf Club.
From 2019-2023, against the backdrop of southwest Indiana’s most indelible images, the Korn Ferry Tour’s crowning jewel event has produced scores of players destined for golf’s grandest stage of the PGA TOUR.
The Birthplace of Golf Careers
Since 2019, players have fought week in and week out all year long for a chance to compete in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship at Victoria National Golf Club and position themselves for a shot at PGA TOUR membership. Additionally, seven seasons, from 2012-2018, the United Leasing-sponsored event was contested in the spring or summer.
Though each of those Korn Ferry Tour events at Victoria National are now parts of history, more often that not, it has been on that pristine layout that futures took shape.
Players’ Perspective: Stories of Triumph
Smylie Kaufman hits his second shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the United Leasing Championship held at Victoria National Golf Club on May 2, 2015.
Going into the 2015 week at Victoria National, Smylie Kaufman was coming off back-to-back top-5s in his two previous Korn Ferry Tour starts.
“Because of the two fourth-place finishes I was coming off of, on one hand, I remember going into the week with a ton of confidence, but not as high as I would’ve liked because of a challenging past as a junior golfer at Victoria National.”
In an American Junior Golf Association event as a youngster, Kaufman posted scores in the low 80s at Victoria National and missed the cut. When he returned for the 2015 Korn Ferry Tour event, those memories tried to come back to haunt him.
Course Management: Every Hole is a New Challenge
View of the 16th green during the third round of the United Leasing Championship held at Victoria National Golf Club on May 2, 2015.
“Victoria National can be such an intimidating golf course and there I was, going back with so much momentum to a place I didn’t play well all at as a junior golfer,” Kaufman explained. “But, when I got on that first tee in the first round, I decided I was going to challenge everything about that golf course and play as aggressively as I could.”
“Victoria National is different from a lot of courses throughout the country in that it gives you no chance to ‘take a hole off’,” said Brad Wilson, Victoria National General Manager. “Every hole is demanding in its own way and if you lose focus for just one shot, you can make a big number very quickly.”
At one point after making the turn in the final round, Kaufman recalls seeing a leaderboard for the first time and noticing his lead was eight shots.
“But, at Victoria National Golf Club, that still didn’t feel safe,” Kaufman laughed. “I think my lead coming in was cut to four strokes at one point, but I still hit driver on 18, which a lot of members would’ve probably questioned. But, it ended up being a perfect drive right down the middle of the fairway, which led to a relatively easy par and win.”
Memorable Wins and Life-Changing Moments
At 10-under 278, Kaufman claimed a 5-stroke win over a trio of others.
The following year, in 2016, Ireland’s Seamus Power found Victoria National to be his gateway to PGA TOUR membership.
“I will always remember finally breaking through to the winner’s circle with that 2016 win at Victoria National, especially since it led to me earning my PGA TOUR card,” said Seamus Power. “It has an amazing layout and was my favorite course we played on Tour that season. Back then, we played it in late April, which made the course play firm and fast. It was such a good test.”
Power recalls a weather delay in Sunday’s final round with those daunting last four holes awaiting him upon his return to play.
“I knew I had to make something happen and was lucky enough to pick a shot up at 17,” Power recalled. “To this day, that approach shot into 17 remains one of the best shots of my career. Making a 10-foot putt for par on the last hole to eventually be declared the winner was a career-changing moment on an incredible course in Victoria National.”
Three years later in 2019, the first season Victoria National Golf Club served as home for the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, Tom Lewis rose to the occasion.
“It's always been a dream of mine to play on the PGA TOUR,” said Lewis after his win in 2019. “I've achieved some good things on the European Tour and hopefully keep this going and achieve even better things on the PGA TOUR. I'm looking forward to the year I've got ahead, just to see what the future brings thanks to this.”
The following year, more dreams reached fruition on the Victoria National Golf Club stage.
“It's almost surreal. I think just over a month and a half ago I was still playing Monday qualifiers and just hoping to get kind of a schedule going,” said Brandon Wu in 2020 after winning that season’s 2020 Korn Ferry Tour Championship at Victoria National. “Standing here now, seven weeks later, winner of the Tour Championship at Victoria National is just an awesome feeling, quite surreal and really hasn't even set in yet.”
Justin Suh reacts after making a putt of the final round and winning the Korn Ferry Tour Championship at Victoria National Golf Club on September 4, 2022.
In 2022, Justin Suh closed out his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned victory with a 4-under 68 in the final round of the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance.
Suh made just three bogeys all week at Victoria National Golf Club, the fewest scores of bogey or worse by any player in the field, and finished at 21-under par, two strokes ahead clear of the field.
By virtue of the victory and the 1,000 points awarded, Suh finished No. 1 on both the Korn Ferry Tour Finals Eligibility Points List and the season-long Korn Ferry Tour Eligibility Points List.
As a result of sweeping the No. 1 rankings, Suh earned fully exempt status for the 2022-23 PGA TOUR season, an exemption for the 2023 PLAYERS Championship and, for the first time in history, an exemption for the 2023 U.S. Open.
Suh joined world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (2019) and PGA TOUR winner Chesson Hadley (2017) as the only players in history to win both points lists.
Breaking Barriers: Kyle Westmoreland’s Historic Achievement
Another key – and historic – ingredient to the 2022 drama that Sunday afternoon was Kyle Westmoreland, who played collegiately at the United States Air Force Academy and attained the rank of captain as he served a five-year stint with the United States Air Force after graduation.
Westmoreland was anywhere from No. 23 to No. 26 on the Korn Ferry Tour Finals Eligibility Points List after he finished his round with a birdie at the par-5 ninth. After a relatively lengthy wait, Westmoreland finished No. 25 and became the first Air Force Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR card.
The Victoria Effect: From Korn Ferry Tour to PGA TOUR
View of the 16th green during the final round of the Web.com Tour United Leasing Championship at the Victoria National Golf Club on July 1, 2012.
“For five years, I’ve had the opportunity to watch those who’ve had success at Victoria National and the year-long Korn Ferry Tour points chase,” said Chris Graham, Dormie Network Chief Hospitality Officer. “Then, to see them good on to succeed on the PGA TOUR is what it is all about. Scottie Scheffler is an example. He was the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, which was the first year we hosted this event.”
Even though it was the players’ performances which dictated their levels of success moving on the PGA TOUR, the special thing is that it all unfolded at Victoria National Golf Club.
Creating Unforgettable Experiences for All Players
“To be able to present a golf course that is in pristine condition for the Korn Ferry Tour players to experience speaks directly to the quality and care that comes from our agronomy team and volunteers,” Wilson added. “It was also special to help create a memorable experience for those who played in the pro-ams to be able to compete on that same course.”
Destined for Greatness: The Road Ahead at Victoria National
With that kind life-changing action a part of its past, there can be only a natural and exciting tendency to think of the memories which remain out there, ready to unfold and take shape, on the pristine layout of Victoria National Golf Club for other players of all calibers.
