MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The state’s best professional and amateur golfers will gather at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane this week for the 92nd West Virginia Open Championship. Opportunities for the pros and amateurs to compete against each other are rare. The WV Open brings the groups together every year in pursuit of the top prize in the state.
“Our amateurs, we see each other all year at different events,” said WVGA Executive Director Chris Slack. “But having the pros here, David Bradshaw obviously, Kenny Hess, Will Evans, some of these guys that don’t get to play in too many tournaments here in West Virginia, and it is always on one of the best courses in the state. We have that this year at Sleepy Hollow. It is going to be a great week.”
Sleepy Hollow is hosting the WV Open for the first time since 2016. Harpers Ferry native and Shepherd University graduate David Bradshaw has won the last two opens staged at Sleepy Hollow.
Bradshaw won his first state open as an amateur in 2004 and he has added eleven more titles since. His pursuit of catching Sam Snead for the most WV Open titles continues.
“Sam Snead won this event 17 times. He is one of the top, arguably three to five best golfers ever in the world all-time. To have him win this golf tournament 17 times and be on that trophy is pretty special.
“[Bradshaw] is always at the top of the favorites list. That list is pretty short and he is always on it.”
From 2005-2022, professionals won 18 consecutive editions of the WV Open. That streak was halted in 2023 when Brooke High School graduate and Marshall golfer Ryan Bilby won the tournament at Berry Hills. Last year, Shady Spring High School graduate and WVU golfer Todd Duncan won at Edgewood Country Club.
“Todd and Bilby both graduated from college back in May and finished their college careers at WVU and Marshall. They will both be playing professionally this week at the open.
“We have other [amateurs]. Christian Brand is a member [at Sleepy Hollow]. There’s a lot of amateurs that can contend. Cam Roam, Owen Elliott just won the state amateur, Chris Williams, Mitch Hoffman, there’s a lot of amateurs that could get it done again.”
Competition in the 54-hole event begins Wednesday at 8 a.m. The field of 132 players will be cut to be best 60 scores and ties after Thursday’s second round.
In addition to Bradshaw, Brand, Bilby and Duncan, Jonathan Clark, Ken Hess and John Ross are former champions in this year’s field.