Korn Ferry Tour announces title sponsorship extension with Bahamas Tourism, return of Golf Channel for season-opening events
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Korn Ferry Tour and The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, title sponsor of the Tour’s pair of season-opening events in The Bahamas since 2017, announced a three-year contract extension (through 2027) Friday evening.
The Korn Ferry Tour will begin its 2025 season at a new venue, as Ocean Club Golf Course, a Tom Weiskopf design stretching over 7,100 yards along the eastern shore of Paradise Island, is set to host the season-opening The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island. The Tour will then head to The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, which will be played for the eighth time this coming season.
Golf Channel is set to televise both The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island and The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, marking the first time since 2020 both events in The Bahamas will be televised. Each event will continue to utilize their traditional Sunday-Wednesday tournament schedule, providing a unique live television window for the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-opening events.
“This extension of our partnership with the Korn Ferry Tour reinforces the growing impact of sports tourism in The Bahamas,” said Director General of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, Mrs. Latia Duncombe. “By hosting these premier events and welcoming back Golf Channel’s coverage, we continue to elevate The Bahamas on the global stage, showcasing our capability to deliver top-tier experiences for golfers and sports fans.”
The 2025 schedule marks the first time since 2017 the Korn Ferry Tour will open its season at a new venue, with The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island serving as a continuation of The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, the Korn Ferry Tour’s opening event for the last seven seasons.
For Atlantis Paradise Island and the Ocean Club Golf Course, this marks a return of professional golf to its world-class resort. One of the world’s most iconic destination resorts, Atlantis 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.
“On behalf of Atlantis Paradise Island and the Ocean Club Golf Course, we are delighted to welcome the return of the Korn Ferry Tour to Nassau,” said President and Managing Director at Atlantis Paradise Island, Audrey Oswell. “The Ocean Club Golf Course is beloved for its challenging design, pristine condition, and breathtaking panoramic views. We look forward to showcasing the best of Bahamas’ golf to the competitors, fans and community.”
bdG Sports, an international sports marketing and event management firm, will continue to serve as the host organization for both Korn Ferry Tour events in The Bahamas.
“We are grateful to continue our long-standing partnership with The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, in addition to welcoming Golf Channel back to The Bahamas,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “The Bahamas continue to be an amazing season-opening location for our membership, and we are excited to welcome Atlantis Paradise Island and Ocean Club Golf Course to the Korn Ferry Tour family as we begin the next chapter of these great tournaments.”
Winners of the 2024 events in The Bahamas – Jeremy Paul and Aldrich Potgieter – earned PGA TOUR membership earlier this month, as both finished inside the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour Points List upon conclusion of the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance.
Jeremy Paul, winner of the 2024 The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, finished No. 21 on the final Korn Ferry Tour Points List and became the fifth player from Germany to earn a PGA TOUR card via the Korn Ferry Tour. Aldrich Potgieter, champion of the 2024 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, became the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history (19 years, 4 months, 11 days) and the second-youngest graduate in Korn Ferry Tour history (20 years, 23 days), as he finished No. 29 on the Points List.
Additional past champions of the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-opening events in The Bahamas include PGA TOUR winners Akshay Bhatia (2022 The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic), Sungjae Im (2018 The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic), and Adam Svensson (2018 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic).
Dates for both The Bahamas Golf Classic at The Atlantis and The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club will be announced next week as part of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour schedule release.
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About The Bahamas Tourism
The Bahamas has over 700 islands and cays, as well as 16 unique island destinations. Located only 50 miles off the coast of Florida, it offers a quick and easy way for travelers to escape their everyday. The island nation also boasts world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the Earth’s most spectacular beaches for families, couples and adventurers to explore. See why It’s Better in The Bahamas at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.
About Atlantis Paradise Island
Atlantis Paradise Island, a lush, oceanside resort located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, is a dynamic destination and offers visitors bold multimillion-dollar renovations, exciting new partnerships, and reimagined guest experiences. Bahamian culture and the spirit of its beloved team members are the heart and soul of this iconic, legendary resort. Atlantis’ immersive programming connects guests to the rich history, art, people, food, and festivities of the Bahamas while remaining dedicated to sustainability and environmental conservation.
Home to Aquaventure, one of the world’s largest waterparks, the 141-acre waterscape of thrilling slides and river rides features 14 pools and five miles of white sand beaches. Atlantis is also home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, with over 65,000 aquatic animals from 250 species making their home in natural ocean-fed lagoons and habitats, including Dolphin Cay, the unparalleled marine animal conservation and education center created to provide guests with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about some of nature’s most fascinating mammals.
Atlantis has five unique lodging options: the grand, iconic newly renovated towers of The Royal, the family-friendly ambiance at The Coral, water-side villas at Harborside Resort, all-suite luxury accommodations at The Cove, and residential-style living at The Reef.
Guests can choose from an impressive collection of over 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges with celebrity chef culinary masterpieces, including Fish by José Andrés, Nobu by Nobu Matsuhisa, and Paranza by Michael White. With its unrivaled meeting and convention space and the well-appointed Atlantis Marina overlooking Marina Village, the Atlantis experiences are endless and unique to each traveler. Additional resort amenities include the tranquil Mandara Spa, a newly opened tennis and pickleball center, indoor and outdoor regulation basketball courts, a 500-seat movie theater, Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA) for children ages 3-12, a gaming arcade, CRUSH- a teen nightclub, Jokers Wild comedy club, an award-winning 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf, the renowned and newly redecorated Atlantis Casino, and an array of luxury and boutique duty-free shopping.
About Korn Ferry Tour
Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour identifies and develops golf’s next stars, preparing them to compete and win on the game’s biggest stage. The Korn Ferry Tour, which has served as a path to the PGA TOUR since its inception, annually awards PGA TOUR cards based off its points list, with the No. 1 player earning exemptions into the following year’s PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open. With more than 650 PGA TOUR titles, 32 major championships and eight FedExCup champions, Korn Ferry Tour alumni make up 83 percent of the PGA TOUR’s current membership. To learn more about the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour and to follow the season-long quest for PGA TOUR cards, visit PGATOUR.COM or follow the Korn Ferry Tour on social media. Ten Korn Ferry Tour events in 2025 are televised on Golf Channel in the United States, with tournament coverage available internationally in more than 170 countries and territories via 23 media partners.
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