With a final-round 71, Ian Holt won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club by one stroke, finishing 12-under and converting his first 54-hole lead into his maiden Korn Ferry Tour title.
Winding Bay, ABACO – Georgetown native Billy Tom Sargent and Owensboro’s Matt Atkins each posted top-25 finishes Wednesday in final-round action of the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club.
In breezy conditions with gusts up to 30 mph, Sargent climbed up the leaderboard to tie for 13th place at 5-under 283 after posting a 1-under 71 on Wednesday. Atkins concluded his tournament tied for 22nd place at 3-under 285 after slipping 18 slots following his 5-over 77. Ian Holt was the tournament champion (12-under), birding the par-5 18th hole to break a three-way tie and capture his first title.
It was Sargent’s seventh career top-25 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour while Atkins earned his 30th such finish.
Complete results are available at https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/leaderboard.
The event is the second of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season with The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island kicking off the new campaign last week in Nassau. Both events are managed on behalf of the PGA TOUR by Kentucky-based bdG Sports, a global event management company.
Sargent has played in 58 events on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2020. His lone top-10 finish to date came when he tied for seventh at the 2025 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open. He earned exemption into the 2026 KFT season after finishing the 2025 campaign inside the top 100 on the points-standings list.
This event marks Atkins’ 200th career tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour. He won the 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship; took second at the 2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation and tied for second at the 2016 Club Colombia Championship.
In all, five Kentuckians competed this week in Abaco. J.M. Butler (Louisville), Josh Teater (Lexington) and Jared Wolfe (Louisville) each finished outside the even-par cut line that was finalized Tuesday morning. Butler ended up at 4-over 148. Wolfe, the winner of this event in 2020, finished a stroke behind Butler at 5-over 149. Teater concluded his tournament stay at 7-over 151.
This week’s event featuresd a $1 million purse with Holt taking home $180,000 check as champion. Seven of the last eight Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club victors have gone on to earn their PGA TOUR Card at the conclusion of the season, including last year’s winner, Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju.
The top 20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
Winding Bay, ABACO – Owensboro-native Matt Atkins battled windy and cooler conditions but carded a 1-under par 71 Monday and was tied for eighth place when darkness halted second-round play at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club.
Second-round action will resume Tuesday at 7 a.m. ET with the third round scheduled to begin at 9:20 a.m. The Golf Channel airs live coverage of the event Tuesday from 2-5 p.m.
Atkins has posted par or better scores on 31 of his 36 holes in the event. He earned a 1-under 71 score with four birdies Monday, including one on No. 18 to conclude his round. Mitchell Meissner and Hayden Buckley were both at 8-under 123 for the tournament, leading the 132-player field, when play was suspended. Meissner owned a 5-under 54 second-round score through 16 holes while Buckley held a 3-under 56 through 16 holes.
Four other Kentuckians are competing in the second event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season along with Atkins, including J.M. Butler (Louisville), Billy Tom Sargent (Georgetown), Josh Teater (Lexington) and Jared Wolfe (Louisville).
Sargent completed his second round Monday, finishing tied for 26th at 3-under 141. His scorecard showed four birdies and 11 par scores as part of a 2-under 70.
Butler, Teater and Wolfe were all listed outside the projected cut line of even par 144 when second-round play was halted.
Butler was tied for 104th place at 4-over 148 after finishing his 18 holes Monday with an 8-over 80. Wolfe, the winner of this event in 2020, was tied for 112th place at 5-over 149 following a 3-under 69 Monday. Teater was tied for 119th place at 7-over 151.
This week’s event features a $1 million purse and boasts a strong field, including 11 PGA TOUR winners who have collected 25 total wins. In addition, the field has 44 Korn Ferry Tour winners, who have totaled 86 KFT wins.
The four-day event continues through Wednesday, Jan. 21 and will be televised worldwide by the Golf Channel with more than 12 hours of live programming. The Golf Channel will air the event from 2-5 p.m. ET on Tuesday and from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday. Live results also are available at https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/leaderboard.
Seven of the last eight Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club victors have gone on to earn their PGA TOUR Card at the conclusion of the season, including last year’s winner, Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju.
The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
PLAYERS WITH TIES TO KENTUCKY
Matt Atkins – The Owensboro native attended USC Aiken (2011-13) where he was a two-time All-American and the PBC Golfer of the Year as a senior. A top 75 points leader during the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, Atkins has played in 199 tournaments on the KFT during his career, with one win and two runner-up finishes. He won the 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship; took second at the 2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation and tied for second at the 2016 Club Colombia Championship.
J.M. Butler – A former Trinity High School alum and Auburn star, Butler turned pro in 2024 after helping lead the Tigers to the NCAA golf championship. He earned exemption status on the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing among the top 10 point scorers on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas List. Last season on the PGA TOUR Americas , Butler posted six top-25 finishes, highlighted by winning the Bupa Championship in Mexico City, Mexico.
Billy Tom Sargent – The Georgetown native has played in 57 events on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2020, a year after he turned pro. His lone top-10 finish to date came when he tied for seventh at the 2025 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open. He earned exemption into the 2026 KFT season after finishing the 2025 campaign inside the top 100 on the points standings list.
Josh Teater – The Lexington native and former Morehead State star turned pro in 2001 and has played in more than 200 events on the PGA Tour. Teter owns 18 Top 10 finishes and one tournament win (2020 Puerto Rico Open) in his professional career. He has qualified for the PGA three times through the Korn Ferry Tour (2009, 2018, 2023), including a 26th-place finish in 2023. Teater tied for seventh place at 17-under 271 at last year’s Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club.
Jared Wolfe – The Louisville native and Morehead State alum (2010) owns two career wins on the Korn Ferry Tour with both coming in 2020 – at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar and the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita’s Youth. He has competed in 130 Korn Ferry Tour events during his career with eight Top 10 finishes.
Winding Bay, ABACO – Owensboro-native Matt Atkins carded a 4-under par 68 and was tied with seven golfers for sixth place Sunday when darkness halted first-round play at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club.
First-round play will resume Monday at 7 a.m. ET with the second round slated to begin at 7:30 a.m. The Golf Channel airs live coverage of the event from 2-5 p.m. Monday.
In breezy but dry conditions, Atkins climbed among the leaders after posting five birdies in his first 10 holes. He finished the day with six birdies and eight par scores to offset three bogies. Ben Taylor leads the 132-player field at 6-under through 15 holes.
Four other Kentuckians are competing in the second event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season along with Atkins, including J.M. Butler (Louisville), Billy Tom Sargent (Georgetown), Josh Teater (Lexington) and Jared Wolfe (Louisville).
Sargent completed his opening round with a 1-under 71 score, tying for 33rd place. He birdied two of his last four holes to finish below par.
Butler, who was the first-round leader last week at Atlantis after firing a 10-under 62 before finishing the event in 44th place, was not able to complete Sunday’s first round. He returns to action Monday tied for 33rd place at 1-under 50 through 13 holes.
Teater, who tied for seventh place at 17-under 271 at last year’s Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, posted a 5-over 77 to finish tied for 119th Sunday. Wolfe, the winner of this event in 2020, ended the first round at 8-over 80, tying for 129th place.
This week’s event features a $1 million purse and boasts a strong field, including 11 PGA TOUR winners who have collected 25 total wins. In addition, the field has 44 Korn Ferry Tour winners, who have totaled 86 KFT wins.
The four-day event continues through Wednesday, Jan. 21 and will be televised worldwide by the Golf Channel with more than 12 hours of live programming. The Golf Channel will air the event from 2-5 p.m. ET on Monday through Tuesday and from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday. Live results also are available at https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/leaderboard.
Seven of the last eight Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club victors have gone on to earn their PGA TOUR Card at the conclusion of the season, including last year’s winner, Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju.
The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
PLAYERS WITH TIES TO KENTUCKY
Matt Atkins – The Owensboro native attended USC Aiken (2011-13) where he was a two-time All-American and the PBC Golfer of the Year as a senior. A top 75 points leader during the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, Atkins has played in 199 tournaments on the KFT during his career, with one win and two runner-up finishes. He won the 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship; took second at the 2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation and tied for second at the 2016 Club Colombia Championship.
J.M. Butler – A former Trinity High School alum and Auburn star, Butler turned pro in 2024 after helping lead the Tigers to the NCAA golf championship. He earned exemption status on the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing among the top 10 point scorers on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas List. Last season on the PGA TOUR Americas , Butler posted six top-25 finishes, highlighted by winning the Bupa Championship in Mexico City, Mexico.
Billy Tom Sargent – The Georgetown native has played in 57 events on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2020, a year after he turned pro. His lone top-10 finish to date came when he tied for seventh at the 2025 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open. He earned exemption into the 2026 KFT season after finishing the 2025 campaign inside the top 100 on the points standings list.
Josh Teater – The Lexington native and former Morehead State star turned pro in 2001 and has played in more than 200 events on the PGA Tour. Teter owns 18 Top 10 finishes and one tournament win (2020 Puerto Rico Open) in his professional career. He has qualified for the PGA three times through the Korn Ferry Tour (2009, 2018, 2023), including a 26th-place finish in 2023. Teater tied for seventh place at 17-under 271 at last year’s Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club.
Jared Wolfe – The Louisville native and Morehead State alum (2010) owns two career wins on the Korn Ferry Tour with both coming in 2020 – at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar and the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita’s Youth. He has competed in 130 Korn Ferry Tour events during his career with eight Top 10 finishes.
Winding Bay, ABACO – Five players with ties to the Bluegrass State continue their pursuit of a PGA TOUR card beginning Sunday at the second stop on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season – the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club.
Kentuckians Matt Atkins (Owensboro), J.M. Butler (Louisville), Billy Tom Sargent (Georgetown), Josh Teater (Lexington), and Jared Wolfe (Louisville) are five of 132 players competing for the $1 million purse.
“Just another testament to the talent our state continues to produce in the sport of golf,” said Brooks Downing, President and Founder of Lexington, Ky.-based bdG Sports, which operates both the Abaco event as well as last week’s Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island. “We are so proud to brag about our Kentuckians, and their pursuit of their PGA TOUR cards.”
Wolfe, who played collegiately at Murray State, won the 2020 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar. Teater, who played at Morehead State, used a sponsor exemption in this event a year ago to propel himself to a top-10 finish. The Henry Clay High grad was then automatically placed in the field the following week at Panama, which he then won, re-establishing his status on the Korn Ferry Tour and narrowly missing earning a TOUR card at the end of the 2025 season.
Butler, who played collegiately at Auburn, was the first-round leader last week at Atlantis after firing a 62, before finishing 44th while Atkins (South Carolina-Aiken) made the cut and finished 22nd at 14-under. Teater missed the cut and Wolfe and Sargent (Western Kentucky grad) are making their first starts of the season in Abaco.
The event features a competitive field that includes 11 PGA TOUR winners, collecting 25 total wins, including five-time winner Jonathan Byrd and three-time winner Cameron Champ. In addition, the field has 44 Korn Ferry Tour winners, who have totaled 86 KFT wins.
The four-day event runs Sunday, Jan. 18 through Wednesday, Jan. 21 and will be televised worldwide by the Golf Channel with more than 12 hours of live programming. The Golf Channel will air the event from 2-5 p.m. ET on Sunday through Tuesday and from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday. Live results also are available at https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/leaderboard.
Seven of the last eight Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club victors have gone on to earn their PGA TOUR Card at the conclusion of the season, including last year’s winner, Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju.
The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
PLAYERS WITH TIES TO KENTUCKY
Matt Atkins – The Owensboro native attended USC Aiken (2011-13) where he was a two-time All-American and the PBC Golfer of the Year as a senior. A top 75 points leader during the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, Atkins has played in 199 tournaments on the KFT during his career, with one win and two runner-up finishes. He won the 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship; took second at the 2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation and tied for second at the 2016 Club Colombia Championship.
J.M. Butler – A former Trinity High School alum and Auburn star, Butler turned pro in 2024 after helping lead the Tigers to the NCAA golf championship. He earned exemption status on the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing among the top 10 point scorers on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas List. Last season on the PGA TOUR Americas , Butler posted six top-25 finishes, highlighted by winning the Bupa Championship in Mexico City, Mexico.
Billy Tom Sargent – The Georgetown native turned pro in 2019 after starring at WKU. The 2025 season was his best on tour with five top-25 finishes and a top-10 finish in the 2025 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open.
Josh Teater – The Lexington native and former Morehead State star turned pro in 2001 and has played in more than 200 events on the PGA Tour. Teter owns 18 Top 10 finishes and one tournament win (2020 Puerto Rico Open) in his professional career. He has qualified for the PGA three times through the Korn Ferry Tour (2009, 2018, 2023), including a 26th-place finish in 2023. Teater tied for seventh place at 17-under 271 at last year’s Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club.
Jared Wolfe – The Louisville native and Morehead State alum (2010) owns two career wins on the Korn Ferry Tour with both coming in 2020 – at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar and the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita’s Youth. He has competed in 130 Korn Ferry Tour events during his career with eight Top 10 finishes.
WINDING BAY, ABACO – More than 130 professional golfers, including last week’s champ Taylor Dickson, converge on the boating capital of the Bahamas this week for the second event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season – the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club, Jan. 18-21. The event will be televised worldwide by The Golf Channel with more than 12 hours of live programming.
bdG Sports, a global event management company who has been managing two Korn Ferry Tour events in The Bahamas since 2017, will manage the tournament on behalf of the PGA TOUR.
Below are details regarding the four-day tournament and several additional happenings promoting the game of golf and the event.
ABOUT THE GREAT ABACO CLASSIC AT THE ABACO CLUB
The Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club annually serves as the second event of the Korn Ferry Tour following the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island the prior week. Professional golfers will compete for the $1 million purse at this week’s event. The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
Tournament rounds begin each day at sunrise, 6:55 a.m. ET. Prior to the cut being made, action will conclude the first two days at dusk, approximately 5:40 p.m. ET. Final-round play should conclude at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, with a trophy presentation to follow on the 18th green.
TELEVISION COVERAGE ON GOLF CHANNEL
For the second week in a row, The Bahamas takes center stage with worldwide television coverage on the Golf Channel. Both of the first two Korn Ferry Tour events in The Bahamas – the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island and the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club – utilize the unique Sunday-Wednesday format, given the flexibility in the early season scheduling. The format allows for both events to be the only live sports broadcasts during the day throughout North America. The tournaments are two of 10 featured events on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season televised by the Golf Channel. The network will provide three hours of live coverage during each round with daily replays in prime-time windows. The television schedule follows: Sunday, Jan. 18 (2-5 p.m. ET); Monday. Jan. 19 (2-5 p.m.); Tuesday, Jan. 20 (2-5 p.m.) and Wednesday, Jan. 21 (1-4 p.m.).
LAST WEEK’S RESULT AT ATLANTIS
Dickson registered a bogey-free, 27-under 261 to win the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island by three strokes Wednesday at the Ocean Club Golf Course. His 100th career start marked his third Korn Ferry Tour title, along with the 2024 Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotia Bank and the 2024 Wichita Open. He’s only the second player in the 37-year history of the KFT to play all four rounds without a bogey.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR’S GREAT ABACO CLASSIC WINNER
Sudarshan Yellamaraju won the 2025 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club by five strokes, pulling away from the field on the final day to claim his first Korn Ferry Tour event. The Canadian also posted two other top-five finishes and ranked 19th on the final Korn Ferry Tour Points List to earn his PGA TOUR card for the 2026 season.
In the final round of The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, Taylor Dickson carded a bogey-free, 7-under 65 to claim a three-stroke victory and his third Korn Ferry Tour title.
NASSAU, The Bahamas – A pair of Kentuckians – Matt Adkins (Owensboro) and J.M. Butler (Louisville) – remain in contention at the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2026 season-opening event, the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, following the completion of second-round play Tuesday morning.
Third-round play begins Tuesday morning at 9:53 p.m. ET from the Ocean Club Golf Course. The Golf Channel airs live coverage from 2-5 p.m. Live scoring of the event is available on the Korn Ferry Tour website at https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/leaderboard.
Darkness Monday evening suspended second-round action until Tuesday morning.
Adkins surged up the leaderboard on Monday, posting a bogie-free, 7-under 65 that included seven birdies. Coupled with his 5-under 67 on Sunday, Adkins enters the third round tied with 12 other golfers for eighth place at 12-under 132.
Butler, who entered Monday tied for the lead following his 10-under 62 on Sunday, registered a 1-over 73 to slip into a tie for 44th place at 9-under 135. His round was suspended due to darkness on Monday, three holes shy of completion.
Lexington native and former Morehead State star Josh Teater did not make the 7-under par cut. He finished at 1-under 143.
A trio of golfers are atop the leaderboard at 15-under 129 after two rounds, including Taylor Dickson, who recorded three eagles and a 10-under 62 on Monday.
Adkins tied for 53rd in the event here last year at 5-under 275. He has played in nearly 200 tournaments on the KFT during his career, with one win and two runner-up finishes. He won the 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship; took second at the 2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation and tied for second at the 2016 Club Colombia Championship. A 2009 graduate of Apollo High School in Owensboro, Atkins attended USC Aiken (2011-13) where he was a two-time All-American and the PBC Golfer of the Year as a senior. He began his pro career in 2013.
A former Louisville Trinity High School alum and Auburn star, Butler turned pro in 2024 after helping lead the Tigers to the NCAA golf championship. He earned exemption status on the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing among the top 10 points scorers on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas List. Last season on the PGA TOUR Americas, Butler posted six top-25 finishes, highlighted by winning the Bupa Championship in Mexico City, Mexico.
The four-day opening event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season features a field of 132 players competing for a $1 million purse. The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island is one of 10 featured events on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season televised by the Golf Channel. The network will provide three hours of live coverage during each round with daily replays in prime-time windows. The remaining television schedule follows: Tuesday, Jan. 13 (2-5 p.m.) and Wednesday, Jan. 14 (1-4 p.m.).
This week’s event features a competitive field including 12 PGA TOUR winners, collecting 26 total wins and 53 Korn Ferry Tour winners, achieving 79 total KFT wins. The last three winners of the opening event of the Korn Ferry Tour season have gone on to earn their PGA TOUR Card at the conclusion of the season.
NASSAU, The Bahamas – Louisville native J.M. Bulter made a splash in his first career round on the Korn Ferry Tour on Sunday, carding a 10-under par 62 to tie for the lead when opening-round action of the the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island was suspended due to darkness.
The completion of first-round play at the Ocean Club Golf Course will be take place Monday before the second 18 holes begin later in the morning. The Golf Channel will air live coverage of the event Monday from 2-5 p.m. ET. Live scoring of the event is available on the Korn Ferry Tour website at https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/leaderboard.
“I played really solid today,” Bulter said. “I hit a lot of good shots and made a lot of really good putts, just played steady. The putter was feeling nice out there and not a lot of wind. I was able to take advantage of the soft conditions and make a bunch of birdies.”
Butler’s bogey-free round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-4 ninth hole.
“I hit a 3-wood down there and had about 117 yards in (the hole) and hit a gap wedge that landed about four or five feet behind the hole and spun in,” Butler said. “That was nice.”
Butler’s round also included eight birdies and nine par scores.
A former Trinity High School alum and Auburn star, Butler turned pro in 2024 after helping lead the Tigers to the NCAA golf championship. He earned exemption status on the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing among the top 10 point scorers on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas List. Last season on the PGA TOUR Americas , Butler posted six top-25 finishes, highlighted by winning the Bupa Championship in Mexico City, Mexico.
Butler is tied with Justin Suh, who registered a matching 10-under 62 on Sunday. Suh surged on the back nine of his round, posting birdies on seven of his last eight holes.
The four-day opening event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season features a field of 132 players competing for a $1 million purse. The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
Tournament rounds begin each day at sunrise, 6:50 a.m. ET. Prior to the cut being made, action will conclude the first two days at dusk, approximately 5:40 p.m. ET. Final-round play should conclude at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, with a trophy presentation to follow on the 18th green.
The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island is one of 10 featured events on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season televised by the Golf Channel. The network will provide three hours of live coverage during each round with daily replays in prime-time windows. The television schedule follows:
This week’s event features a competitive field including 12 PGA TOUR winners, collecting 26 total wins and 53 Korn Ferry Tour winners, achieving 79 total KFT wins. The last three winners of the opening event of the Korn Ferry Tour season have gone on to earn their PGA TOUR Card at the conclusion of the season.
NASSAU, The Bahamas – Professional golf returns to paradise this week when the Korn Ferry Tour opens its 2026 campaign starting with the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, Jan. 12-15, at the Ocean Club Golf Course. The event will be televised worldwide by The Golf Channel with more than 12 hours of live programming.
bdG Sports, a global event management company, will manage the tournament on behalf of the PGA TOUR. bdG Sports has been managing two Korn Ferry Tour events in The Bahamas since 2017. This will be the second year the first event has been played at the Ocean Club Golf Course at Atlantis.
Below are details regarding the four-day tournament and several additional happenings promoting the game of golf and the event.
ABOUT THE BAHAMAS GOLF CLASSIC AT ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND
The Bahamas Golf Classic at Paradise Island is the first of 25 events across seven countries and seven U.S. states during the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. More than 150 golfers will compete for $1 million purse at this week’s event. The top-20 players on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn 2027 PGA TOUR membership, with the season-long standings finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region in mid-October.
Tournament rounds begin each day at sunrise, 6:50 a.m. ET. Prior to the cut being made, action will conclude the first two days at dusk, approximately 5:40 p.m. ET. Final-round play should conclude at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, with a trophy presentation to follow on the 18th green.
ABOUT THE OCEAN CLUB GOLF COURSE & ATLANTIS
After dazzling in its debut, a year ago, Atlantis and The Ocean Club Golf Course will again welcome competitors and golf enthusiasts alike to the Korn Ferry Tour’s opening event for 2026.
The Tom Weiskopf-designed course spans over 7,100 yards along the eastern shore of Paradise Island. While Atlantis, one of the world’s most iconic destination resorts, boasts a lush, oceanside location anchored by five distinct hotels, the world’s largest open-air marine-life habitat, a 141-acre waterpark, the renowned Atlantis Casino, and a variety of restaurants led by more globally recognized, Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chefs than any other resort or destination in the region.
TELEVISION COVERAGE ON GOLF CHANNEL
Both of the first two Korn Ferry Tour events in The Bahamas – the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island and the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club – utilize the unique Sunday-Wednesday format, given the flexibility in the early season scheduling. The format allows for both events to be the only live sports broadcasts during the day throughout North America. The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island is one of 10 featured events on the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season televised by the Golf Channel. The network will provide three hours of live coverage during each round with daily replays in prime time windows. The television schedule follows:
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to the Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island are available for purchase at the following link: https://tickets.thebahamasgolfclassic.com/.
The Daily Grounds Pass ($25.00) entitles the purchaser general admission access for a single day of golf. Gates open at 7 a.m. ET.
The Daily Hospitality Pass ($125.00) entitles the purchaser admission for a single day of golf plus admission to the 18th Green Hospitality Tent where complimentary snacks and beverages can be enjoyed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PARKING INFORMATION
General parking is complimentary and available at Casuarina Beach on Paradise Island, which is just to the left after exiting the bridge. A complimentary shuttle service is available to the Ocean Club Golf Course. There is no public parking at the golf course.
EVENTS SURROUNDING THE TOURNAMENT
Youth Pro Am – Thursday, Jan. 8: Five Bahamian boys and five girls will be paired together with five professional golfers to play a four-hole event. It’s an incredible opportunity for these high-school-aged young people to play and walk alongside one of the pros in the event. The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. and conclude between 5-5:30 p.m. at the 18th green. Awards will be presented to the winning team immediately following the event.
Youth Clinic – Friday, Jan. 9: Nine professional golfers from the tournament will guide the group of 60 young people through skills needed in each aspect of the game, then put the youth through drills while providing valuable instruction. TaylorMade has donated hats and gloves to all the kids, who are a part of the Fourteen Clubs Foundation. The clinic will take place on the practice range.
Public Exhibition – Saturday, Jan. 10: Several professional golfers will demonstrate a variety of golf shots at the Bahamas Golf Federation Driving Range near the SportsCentre beginning at 9 a.m. ET.
Youth Day at the event – Wednesday, Jan. 14: Local youth from area schools are invited to attend the final round of the tournament. Play should conclude around 3:30-3:45 p.m.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR’S WINNER
Hank Lebioda outlasted S.H. Kim with a birdie on the first playoff hole to claim his first Korn Ferry Tour event at the 2025 The Bahamas Golf Classic at Paradise Island. The victory, along with four additional top-five finishes during the season helped Lebioda secure a sixth-place finish on the final Korn Ferry Tour Points List.
UP NEXT
The Korn Ferry Tour heads to Abaco next week for the 2026 Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club, Jan. 17-21. The Golf Channel will provide live coverage of each round.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju won the 2025 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club by five strokes, pulling away from the field on the final day to claim his first Korn Ferry Tour event. The Canadian also posted two other top-five finishes and ranked 19th on the final Korn Ferry Tour Points List.
