Steve Jent, the exec director of Century Club Charities, announced recently that the Wayne-Sanderson Farms PGA golf tournament will no longer be held this year. So, after having a PGA professional golf tournament in Mississippi for 58 years we will have no sponsor, and therefore no tournament. Last year Century Club Charities, which organizes the tournament, gave $1 million to Blair Batson Children's Hospital, and $700m to several other charities.
Furthermore, the economic benefit to the state ran into several million dollars as visitors spent money on hotels, restaurants, and other expenditures. The total purse for 2023 was $8.3 million with the winner receiving $1.46 million.
By contrast, back at the first year of the tournament in 1968 the total purse was $20,000 and the winner received $2,800. Having lost our place in the PGA rotation it will be difficult to get back in.
I have many fond memories of the tournament. Originally it was called the Magnolia Classic held at Hattiesburg Country Club. I visited it there and remember seeing a young Davis Love III hitting a long drive around a dogleg. The tournament moved to Annandale, Madison in 1994 when various sponsors helped the tournament over the years.
In 2012 there was no single sponsor, but a consortium of five companies headed by Jackson Heart Clinic supported the tournament. It was then called the True South Classic. My company First Chemical assisted the tournament at Annandale with the use of a stand behind the 17th hole where we entertained customers.
For 21 years I volunteered as a scorer in the tournament. As scorer I walked alongside two or three players recording each stroke of the players on my palm held recorder--did the ball land in the fairway, the short rough, deep rough, bunker etc.?
The score for each player by hole was transmitted directly to the scoreboards around the course. At the end of each round the scorer accompanies the players to the scorers' tent or office where the players sign their cards to make them official.
In all the time that I was a scorer I had only one player question my scoring. He said he had a five on one hole, whereas my record showed he had a four. I read back to him each shot he had made on that hole from my palm held recorder, and he then agreed with me. (Who wouldn't want a four instead of five).
My usual routine when volunteering was to score for the pro-am each Wednesday, then for the pros on the Thursday game; take Friday off to play with my buddies on my home course; and then return to the tournament to score on Saturday and Sunday (there was a church service on Sunday at the club.)
One day while playing with my buddies at Deerfield I shot a hole in one. In spite of the fact that I am a very humble man, I told everyone who would listen about my accomplishment. This included returning to the tournament to tell the late Tom Rice, the scorers' captain about my feat.
The next day as was my custom I introduced myself to the players on the first hole. "I am Peter Gilderson," I said. Johnathan Byrd shook my hand and said: "You shot a hole in one yesterday." I was puzzled. How did he know? It turned out that he had had dinner the night before with Tom Rice, and Tom arranged for me to be Byrd's scorer the following day. At the end of the round Johnathan gave me a ball signed with his name and the word ACE in bold letters. I still have that ball in my collection.
A second notable event was scoring for Ben Crane. At the end of his round he gave me a ball signed with his name and also the inscription: Matthew 6v33. This verse says (KJV): "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." A good admonition for me and for all of us.
Many of us will undoubtedly miss the tournament. I hope that Steve Jent will be able to find some activity as a replacement so that the charities can still be supported.
Peter Gilderson, Madison.
