Lexington Country Club, Host Course of the 111th Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur Championship

LEXINGTON, KY – Excitement is building as the 111th Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Men’s Amateur Championship heads to Lexington Country Club next week. A field of 156 of the Commonwealth’s best amateur golfers will tee it up, all chasing a place in history in an event that dates back to 1911. The championship takes place Monday through Wednesday, June 23–25, at one of the state’s most revered private clubs. Fifty-four holes of stroke play will determine this year’s champion, with a cut to the top 70 players and ties after the second round.

Lexington Country Club, established in 1901, has long been a centerpiece of Kentucky golf. Players will face a much different task at LCC than they did in 2020, when the Kentucky Amateur was last held there. Over the past two years, Kevin Hargrave and his crew have leveled some green surfaces, removed 300 trees, and remodeled several holes on the back nine. 

A new irrigation system was implemented, and all the bunkers have been redone. The club also added over 300 yards to the gold tees, which now span over 7,350 yards. It is designed to provide a true test of championship golf and crown a worthy champion in 2025.

This year’s field spans generations and backgrounds, featuring past champions, seasoned veterans, and rising stars eager to make their mark. The eventual winner will need to overcome not only the depth of competition but also the demands of Lexington Country Club’s championship-caliber layout.  Adding to the intrigue, ten players representing the host club, Lexington Country Club, are in the field, each hoping to leverage their home-course knowledge in pursuit of history. If one of them prevails, they would become the first player since Bill Sergent (Crooked Creek, 1997) to win the Kentucky Amateur on their home course - a feat not achieved in nearly three decades!

Several standout players and pairings will highlight the opening rounds at Lexington Country Club. Kicking off at 8:30 AM on Hole #10, the trio of Sutherland, Pendergrass, and Wise promises early action, with Clay Pendergrass fresh off the Men's Four-Ball Championship win earlier this year. At 9:10 AM, two highly anticipated groups will tee off: Zakutney, Haddix, and Collins from Hole #1 and a star-studded group of past champions — Musselman Jr, Roberts, and defending champion Trey Wall — from Hole #10. This trio brings over four decades of championship history into one group. 

Defending champion Trey Wall returns after a strong collegiate season that included an individual win at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, finishing 10-under-par. Runner-up Brady Smith also returns in top form, having earned medalist honors at the U.S. Open Local Qualifier earlier this year at Traditions Golf Club. Denver Haddix and Andy Roberts, two staples of Kentucky amateur golf, also return after captaining their respective sides in the inaugural East/West Cup this April. Both players posted top-15 finishes in last year’s Kentucky Amateur and are expected to be in contention again.

At 9:30 AM on Hole #10, King, Epperson, and Bryant will look to make their mark, while afternoon play features Brumfield, Knecht, and Boland going off at 2:30 PM on Hole #1. The day’s final featured group tees off at 3:20 PM on Hole #1, showcasing Kirchdorfer, Kendrick, and Ice, another trio with the potential to contend deep into the week.

In addition to these marquee groups, six other past champions are also in the field: Jim Brown (1977, 1981, 1982), Olin “Buddy” Bryant (1996, 1998), Charlie Cornette (2003), Tyler Sharpe (2008), Tom Campbell (2014), and Nick Johnston (2019). Their presence adds another layer of prestige and experience to an already competitive lineup.

Beyond the honor of hoisting the state’s most prestigious amateur trophy, this year’s winner will earn a direct exemption into the final field of the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship, set for August 11–17 at the iconic Olympic Club (Lake Course) in San Francisco, California. The champion will also gain an exemption into Final Qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur, further reinforcing the Kentucky Amateur’s role as a proving ground for elite amateur talent.

Full championship coverage will be available at kygolf.org and across our social media channels on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to like and follow for behind-the-scenes footage, leaderboard updates, and on-site highlights throughout the week.

Click here for tee times and pairings.

Click here for more information about the Kentucky Men’s Amateur.

Click here to view the full KGA event schedule.

The Kentucky Golf Association extends its gratitude to Lexington Country Club and its staff for their support of the Kentucky Golf Association. Event coverage will be available following each round.

About the KGA:

The Kentucky Golf Association (KGA) is the official governing body for amateur golf in the Commonwealth, as recognized by the United States Golf Association (USGA). Established in 1911, the KGA is a full-service organization representing more than 120 member golf courses across Kentucky.

Led by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of course representatives from throughout the state, the KGA plays a vital role in promoting, supporting, and growing the game of golf in Kentucky. It is also a founding member of Golf House Kentucky, the umbrella organization for Kentucky’s Family of Golf Organizations.

As an Allied Golf Association of the USGA, the KGA is responsible for a wide range of services, including managing the World Handicap System, conducting course ratings, providing expertise on the Rules of Golf, running competitive tournaments and USGA qualifiers, and enhancing the visibility and branding of golf throughout the Commonwealth.