November 2024: the Must-See Competitions on the PGA Tour (🏆*post updated with the Winners)
- clairebambino
- Oct 30, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 25, 2024
🗓🏌🏽♂️NOVEMBER 2024
🇲🇽🏌🏽♂️ World Wide Technology Championship – Nov 7-10, 2024 – El Cardonal at Diamante, Los Cabos • Mexico
The World Wide Technology Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, formerly known as the Mayakoba Golf Classic until 2021 when World Wide Technology became the title sponsor. The event was traditionally held at El Camaleón Golf Course in Riviera Maya, Mexico, a scenic venue designed by Greg Norman that weaves through tropical jungles, mangrove forests, and oceanfront stretches. In 2023, however, the tournament moved to Los Cabos, Mexico, and is now played at El Cardonal at Diamante.
Thanks to the rich history and strong tradition of the World Wide Technology Championship, the tournament is a pioneer in Mexican golf. Throughout its history, the event has distributed more total prize money than any other golf tournament in all of Latin America. 132 of the world’s top golfers compete each year at this iconic course to create dramatic and exciting results.
The course: Tiger Woods Design has integrated Diamante’s rolling hills and spectacular views into the design of a very distinctive golf course. The bunkers have a traditional look while natural, irregular contours have been preserved in wide fairways. “El Cardonal is going to remind people of the old-style California courses” Woods said.
💰 Purse: $7,200,000
💯 FedExCup Fall: 500 pts
Previous winner: 🇿🇦 Erik van Rooyen ($1,476,000)
🏆 Winner 2024: 🇺🇸 Austin Eckroat ($1,296,000)- Age: 25 - Turned Pro in 2021.
🍾 Eight months after a first victory at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, Austin Ekroat became the 7th golfer this season to win 2 or more titles on the PGA Tour - after Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Xander Schauffele, Nick Dunlap and Hideki Matsuyama.
It is the 2nd time Austin Ekroat has won a tournament in Mexico: 5 years ago, he won the Cabo Collegiate as a second-year student.
This November 2024, he finished with a card of 63 despite two bogeys to win by a stroke.
🇧🇲🏌🏽♂️ Butterfield Bermuda Championship – Nov 14-17, 2024 – Port Royal Golf Course • Bermuda
Established in 2019, this relatively new addition to the Tour has quickly become known for its challenging playing conditions, as the coastal location often presents players with strong winds that can dramatically affect shot-making. The tournament is played on one of Bermuda's premier golf courses, Port Royal, which features stunning ocean views and the famous par-3 16th hole that sits dramatically perched on coastal cliffs.
Originally created as an alternate event opposite the WGC-HSBC Champions, it was elevated to a full-status PGA Tour event in 2020 due to the cancellation of Asian tournaments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The championship has become an important fall series event, offering players a significant opportunity to earn FedEx Cup points and secure their Tour status for the following season.
The Trophy: The Butterfield Bermuda Championship trophy is made from Bermuda cedar. There isn’t much that could be more Bermudian than Bermuda cedar. This sturdy, aromatic indigenous tree formed a cornerstone of early British settlement in the islands. When English settlers came to Bermuda in the 1600s they found cedar trees growing abundantly. Soon they put this majestic wood to use, building houses, ships, churches, furniture and even a cedar prison in St. George’s.
Golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones.
💰 Purse: $6,900,000
💯 FedExCup Fall: 500 pts
Previous winner: 🇨🇴 Camilo Villegas ($1,170,000)
🏆 Winner 2024: 🇵🇷 Rafael Campos ($1,242,000)- Age: 36 - Turned Pro in 2011.
Puerto Rican Rafael Campos wins the first title of his career a week after the birth of his first child. Campos was 147th in the rankings with two tournaments to play. It was not certain whether he would be able to travel to Bermuda, but 🍼Paola was born on Monday 11 November.
Rafael Campos (-19) became the second Puerto Rican after Chichi Rodriguez (who died this summer aged 88) to win on the PGA Tour.
The Puerto Rican, who shot a final round 68, beat 🇺🇸 Andrew Novak (-16). 🇧🇪 Adrien Dumont de Chassart (-15) snatched the first podium finish of his career at the age of 24 and enters the Fed Ex Cup top 150.
It had been a difficult season for Rafael Campos, who had just one top 10 finish this year... and missed 16 cuts. His victory also means he can skip the qualifying rounds for two years.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️ The RSM Classic – Nov 21-24, 2024 – Sea Island Golf Club, St Simon Island, Georgia • USA
Established in 2010 and hosted by Davis Love III, a longtime resident of Sea Island, the tournament is played across two courses - the Seaside Course and the Plantation Course - with the Seaside Course hosting the final two rounds. The event was formerly known as the McGladrey Classic until 2015 when RSM (formerly McGladrey) underwent a rebranding. The tournament has become known for its Southern charm and hospitality, attracting many Tour players who either live in the area or have connections to the region through the "Sea Island mafia," a nickname for the numerous PGA Tour professionals who make their home in the Golden Isles. The coastal setting provides a unique challenge for players, with coastal winds and changing weather conditions often playing a significant role in scoring.
It is the final opportunity for pros to secure their TOUR cards for the 2025 season. Expect to see four days filled with high drama and intense emotions.
In 12 years, The RSM Classic has raised nearly $29 Million to support charities focused on children and families in need.
💰 Purse: $7,600,000
💯 FedExCup Fall: 500 pts
Previous winner: 🇸🇪 Ludvig Aberg ($1,512,000)
🏆 Winner 2024: 🇺🇸 Maverick McNealy ($1,368,000)- Age: 29 - Turned Pro in 2017.
After 134 previous starts, Maverick McNealy secured his 1st PGA Tour victory with a clutch birdie on the 18th hole, securing a one-shot victory over a trio of contenders, including amateur 🇺🇸 Luke Clanton, 🇺🇸 Daniel Berger and 🇨🇴 Nico Echavarria.
The win was a culmination of years of hard work and dedication for McNealy, who had previously shown flashes of brilliance but had yet to break through for a win. His victory at The RSM Classic not only earned him his first PGA Tour title but also secured him spots in prestigious events like The Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Masters Tournament.
McNealy's victory was particularly impressive due to the competitive field and the pressure he faced down the stretch. He displayed incredible composure and skill, making crucial putts and executing clutch shots when it mattered most. 🧐 McNealy's first love was ice hockey. He only shifted his focus to golf after high school. At Stanford University, McNealy shot a 61 in the Pac-12 Conference Championship, tying the record held by golf legends Tiger Woods and Cameron Wilson.
