Years of planning and building has finally arrived as the highly anticipated OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank as a part of the Korn Ferry Tour is set to take center stage Thursday through Sunday with eager fans ready to pack the La Paloma course at the Tascosa Golf Club.
This is the first professional golf event held in Amarillo since the Ben Hogan Tour at the Amarillo Country Club in 1990.
Highlighting the the unprecedented tournament on top of being one of the bigger advocates for getting professional golf back to Amarillo for decades is PGA Tour veteran and Amarillo High graduate, Ryan Palmer. Palmer is a four-time winner on the PGA tour and will make his first Korn Ferry start since 2024. Palmer has made 542 PGA starts, making 328 career cuts.
“There has been a lot of talk and a lot planning,” Palmer said. “There were a ton of people who made this possible. We’re hearing a lot of positive responses already and we’re excited for a great week. There are a lot of great future players and former winners here. There are guys that have qualified for the U.S. Open here, and guys that will get their PGA Tour card later this year. The Korn Ferry Tour is the best and it’s guys proving themselves.”
Palmer is also impressed of the renovations of the La Paloma layout. The course is playing at a par 70 and 7,091 yards.
“The course is in great condition,” Palmer said. “I think a lot of the guys are shocked to see what kind of condition it’s in. The greens are rolling perfect and we have that West Texas wind. The golf course is perfect and we’re all excited.”
Palmer is set to tee off at 6:50 a.m. in his opening round Thursday and 12:10 p.m. for his second round Friday.
Another local name is set to compete. Randall graduate and amateur Wyatt Provence qualified for the OccuNet Classic by winning the Michelob Ultra Men’s City Championship for a third consecutive year at the end of May. Provence will tee off at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday and 2:05 p.m. on Friday.
While Palmer and Provence make up the local golfers, the field is stacked with veterans and players that are up and comers looking for a spot on the PGA Tour. One of those is University of North Carolina graduate Dylan Menante. Menante is in his second year on the Korn Ferry Tour and seeing success as a rising star.
Menante recently won his first Korn Ferry event at the Tulum Championship at PGA Riviera Maya in Tulum, Mexico back in April. Menante carded a bogey-free 9-under 63 in the final round, which set a new 18-hole tournament scoring record and broke the 72-hole scoring record at 19-under par.
“My season started shaky but I got that tour win in Tulum and that got me going,” who has made 35 career starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. “I just want to keep the momentum rolling and keep earning points and get to the tour. That’s the goal. I never thought I’d be in Amarillo but it’s incredible. I think it’s great what the community has done and to see all the volunteers out here doing everything they can. It’s unbelievable and everyone wants to put their best foot forward to make this event the best it can be and keep the momentum going.”
OccuNet Classic notes
- Among former PGA Tour players in this tournament are Chez Reavie, Doc Redman, Harry Higgs, Ryo Ishikawa, and Chan Kim.
- John Daly II the son of two-time major winner John Daly, is making his professional debut at the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National bank on a sponsor exemption. Ironically, Daly’s father played on the Ben Hogan Tour event at the Amarillo Country Club in 1990, finishing second to champion Lindy Miller. Daly II tees off at 2:05 p.m. on Thursday and 8:45 a.m. on Friday.
- This field includes 11 PGA Tour winners with 23 total victories, led by Ryan Palmer with four wins.
- This field includes 55 Korn Ferry Tour winners with 79 career victories, led by four-time winner Robby Shelton.
- Four players in this week’s field have qualified for next week’s 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southhampton, N.Y. Those qualifiers are Cole Hammer, Robbie Higgins, James Nicholas, and Jake Peacock.
To follow the OccuNet Classic, please visit https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/tournaments/2026/occunet-classic-presented-by-amarillo-national-bank/H2026173
Editor’s note: OccuNet Classic notes were helped compiled by Phil Woodall.
