For the third straight week, the Kentucky PGA is set to conduct a state-wide Open Championship. The 20^th Kentucky Senior Open will take place August 12-13 at Houston Oaks Golf Course in Paris. Kentucky PGA Professionals and amateur golfers of any state may participate in this 36-hole stroke play championship. In this year’s event, nineteen professionals and sixty-four amateurs will gather in hopes of securing the most significant title in Kentucky senior golf.

Barry Bonifield of Louisville is the defending champion of what he called the “most important tournament of the year” after winning last year’s Kentucky Senior Open at Owensboro Country Club. Bonifield outdueled Buddy Bryant of Lexington in a three-hole playoff to win the championship for the first time. This week, Bonifield joins Randy Jewell (co-champion in 2017), Craig RauvolaBouta (2014), Al Chrouser (2010), Joe Pavoni (2003), and Bruce Walters (2001) as past champions in the field. Each will seek to join Steve Humphrey (2008, 2013) and Rick Cain (2000, 2002) as the only players to have won this title multiple times.

In addition to the past champions in the field, notable players competing at Houston Oaks include the following:

• Lance Lucas – winner of the 2018 Kentucky Senior Amateur at Persimmon Ridge and a three-time winner of the Northern Kentucky Amateur, Lucas strives to add another significant trophy in Kentucky golf to his collection.
• Buddy Bryant – the aforementioned runner-up of last year will look to do one spot better than he did in 2018. He and Lucas will be in the same group at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday.
• Ralph Landrum – The 1987 Kentucky Open champion who played in two Masters Tournaments and finished T8 at the 1983 US Open.

Tee times for the opening round range from 8:00 a.m. EDT through 12:40 p.m. EDT off the first tee at Houston Oaks. The complete tee sheet can be found here.

Houston Oaks will provide a solid test for this year’s field. Designed in 1996 by Jack Ridge, the Paris layout has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best hidden gems in Kentucky. It will measure approximately 6,446 yards for the competition with the front nine and back nine playing 3,283 and 3,163 yards, respectively. Fans and players are in store for an exciting and unpredictable final round with the inward nine containing five holes with water, including the dramatic par-five 17^th which can be reached in two, but has water lining the entire left side of the hole and the front edge of the green.

Golf House Kentucky’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages will have full coverage of the event throughout the two days of competition. Fans can join the conversation using the hashtag #KYSROpen. To view the tournament website, click here.