A 61 on Sunday and a Sold-Out Saturday: What the PGA Tour's Return Meant for Asheville

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  September 21, 2026

Jacob Bridgeman grew up about an hour from The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Inman, South Carolina, and on Sunday he shot the lowest round of his PGA Tour career in front of his parents, his wife's parents, and plenty of other family members. A 10-under 61 erased a five-shot deficit and won him the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville by two strokes over Ben James. It was the PGA Tour's first visit to Asheville in 84 years, and the trophy went home with a neighbor.

A Tournament 84 Years in the Making

The Biltmore Championship Asheville ran Thursday through Sunday at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, with more than 100 golfers in the field. Explore Asheville and Biltmore Estate served as co-title sponsors for this year's event, and the broadcast reached roughly 200 countries in about 30 languages. Saturday tickets sold out ahead of the tournament.

The event came together in roughly eight to ten months of planning. Event director Nate Goldsnider said more than 600 volunteers signed up in 32 hours, and that community support has been strong throughout the planning process. "Crawl, walk, run, right?" Goldsnider said. "So, this is our first year and we can't wait to do it again next year and be even better and grow." (https://wlos.com/newsletter-daily/pga-golf-sports-tourism-economy-asheville-spending-tour-tournament-buncombe-county-broadcast-walnut-cove-western-north-carolina)

The Numbers Behind the Buzz

The PGA Tour projected about $10 million in direct spending from the tournament. That sounds like a lot until you set it beside the baseline. Tourism already generates around $2.6 billion in direct spending in Buncombe County and accounts for roughly 20 percent of the county's GDP.

The timing is what matters. Explore Asheville says direct spending in the county in 2025 came in $4 million below 2023, a gap that traces back to Helene. Kyle McCurry, the organization's director of public relations, framed the tournament as a chance to show the world where Asheville stands now. "It's not just about traffic, it's not just about whether or not you have to wait a little bit longer at a red light," McCurry said. "It's about the fact that this is a real moment to show the world that after two years from Helene Asheville's doing pretty good." (https://wlos.com/newsletter-daily/pga-golf-sports-tourism-economy-asheville-spending-tour-tournament-buncombe-county-broadcast-walnut-cove-western-north-carolina)

Playing Through the Mountains

Organizers did not want visitors spending all of their time at the tournament. Explore Asheville launched a series called "Play Through the Mountains," rounding up restaurants and businesses offering special deals throughout the tournament. McCurry called it a way to get a fuller feel for the Asheville area than only coming to The Cliffs.

Bear's Smokehouse BBQ shows what that looks like on the ground. For more than six months after Helene, the restaurant partnered with World Central Kitchen to feed people across the region. Now the restaurant is handing out brisket to hungry golfers. "People can come participate, stay in our hotels. They'll eat out on other nights. They are flying in, renting cars," co-owner Cheryl Antoncic said. The hope, Antoncic added, is that they enjoy it enough to come back and explore Asheville on their own time. (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2026/09/16/pga-tournament-returns-to-asheville)

How Sunday Played Out

Rain softened the course, and the scores showed it. J.T. Poston had a 25-foot putt for a 59 that barely missed. Ben James shot his own 61, birdied three of his last four holes, and still finished two back at 24 under. Jackson Koivun, the 21-year-old who made his pro debut in early July, posted 63-65 on the weekend and tied for fifth. His chip-in earned Shot of the Day.

Bridgeman, who leads the Tour in the key putting statistic, made a 13-foot par save on the 11th and a 12-footer on the 12th after going bunker to bunker, then reeled off three straight birdies to pull away. He finished at 26-under 258. It was his second win of the season, following his victory at Riviera earlier this year, and a reminder of why he was picked for next week's Presidents Cup. His parents had not been in Los Angeles for that win. "I think they wanted me to get a win in front of them," Bridgeman said. "I didn't think it would happen this soon. I'm just super pumped." (https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/daily-wrapup/2026/09/20/round-4-biltmore-championship-asheville-storylines-leaderboard-scores-results)

Four More Years

The tournament fell less than two weeks before the two-year mark since Helene, and organizers were open about wanting to be part of what comes next. "We're just proud to play a role in what comes after and how we can help bring everything back to the way it was or better than it was before," Goldsnider said.

The Biltmore Championship Asheville is contracted to return to the area for the next four years. Plenty of folks who visit for a weekend like this end up wondering what it would take to make the drive up the mountain permanent, and that is a conversation I am always happy to have.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Asheville NC in?

Asheville is in Buncombe County, where Explore Asheville says tourism generates about $2.6 billion in direct spending and makes up roughly 20 percent of the county's GDP.

Who won the Biltmore Championship Asheville?

Jacob Bridgeman, a 26-year-old from Inman, South Carolina, won the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville on September 20, 2026 with a final-round 61, finishing at 26 under and two shots ahead of Ben James.

Will the PGA Tour come back to Asheville?

Yes. The Biltmore Championship Asheville is scheduled to return to the area for the next four years under a four-year contract with the PGA Tour.