NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt University announced a five-year partnership with the Korn Ferry Tour to host the annual Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation at Vanderbilt Legends Club beginning this fall.
The 2024 Simmons Bank Open will be played Sept. 12-15 on the North Course at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee. The partnership keeps the annual Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation in the Middle Tennessee area, as the tournament has been played at golf courses in greater Nashville since its inception in 2016. The Tennessee Golf Foundation will continue as the operator and host organization of the event.
“I’m delighted that Vanderbilt University has partnered with the PGA TOUR to keep the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation in the middle Tennessee area,” said Candice Storey Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director at Vanderbilt University. “We are extremely fortunate to have Vanderbilt Legends Club host a world-class event that will bring in some of the best golfers in the world to compete on the same course that our golfers play at on a daily basis. We hope that this partnership will continue to enrich a growing golf community in the greater Nashville area while showing support for Brandt, Mandy, and the Snedeker Foundation.”
The Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation is a 72-hole tournament that has been a staple on the Korn Ferry Tour schedule since its inaugural event in 2016 (was not played in 2020 due to COVID-19). In 2022, the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation was honored with the prestigious Tournament of the Year Award as part of the PGA TOUR’s annual Tournament Meetings. Last year, the tournament became a Korn Ferry Tour Finals event, where players compete for increased purses and points over the final four events of the season to determine the season-long points race and claim one of 30 PGA TOUR cards.
“We are excited about the future of the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation,” said Tennessee Golf Foundation President, Whit Turnbow. “Vanderbilt University and the Legends Club have been interwoven into the history of the TGF dating back to the early 1990s, and to align that relationship with the strategic vision of the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR University was a match made in heaven. The golf teams, staff, and membership have been a joy to work with and we look forward to showing the Legends Club to the world in September.”
Snedeker is a Nashville native who played collegiately at Vanderbilt University from 1999-2003. He was a two-time All-American as a Commodore and in 2003 was the first Vanderbilt men’s golfer to be named SEC Golfer of the Year. Snedeker was a two-time All-SEC first team selection and competed at The Masters as an amateur in 2004 before earning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors in 2007. Before that, Snedeker got his start on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he won twice in 2006 and earned his PGA TOUR card for the 2007 season.
“Mandy and I can’t wait to welcome the Simmons Bank Open and the golf world to Vanderbilt Legends Club this September,” said Snedeker. “Vanderbilt University has played such a vital role in my life and career, and we have so many special friendships and relationships that continue to this day. To bring those together with our Korn Ferry Tour event, which directly benefits the Snedeker Foundation, is very exciting. With the Simmons Bank Open being part of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, and the national exposure and media coverage that comes along with that, this is a positive thing for everyone involved. We know our friends at the Tennessee Golf Foundation will put on a first-class experience that all of middle Tennessee can be proud of.”
Snedeker and his wife Mandy, who is also a Vanderbilt alumna, have supported numerous Vanderbilt initiatives including the nearly completed Vandy United project at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. The Snedekers also have a golf scholarship at Vanderbilt that bears their name and is awarded to a member of the men’s golf team each year. Through the Tennessee Golf Foundation, the Snedeker Foundation annually supports the Sneds Tour, which puts forth a year-round junior golf tour in Tennessee aimed at allowing kids to learn, play, and enjoy the game of golf, while also making competition more affordable through lower entry and registration fees. The Snedeker Foundation has raised more than $1 million for charities in the region.
Founded in 1992, Vanderbilt Legends Club is a 36-hole golf club about 20 miles south of downtown Nashville. The North Course at Vanderbilt Legends Club, which stretches 7,190 yards from the championship tees, was designed by world-renowned golf course architect Bob Cupp, as well as World Golf Hall of Famer and 19-time PGA TOUR winner Tom Kite.
The courses at Vanderbilt Legends Club, as well as its pristine 19-acre practice facility, are widely recognized as among the finest in Tennessee. The club has hosted numerous competitions, including the Tennessee State Open (1993-96), Southeastern Conference Women’s Championship (1995), LPGA Franklin American Mortgage Championship hosted by Vince Gill & Amy Grant (2000-06), NCAA Women’s Golf Championship (2012), NCAA Women’s Golf Franklin Regional (2022), and the annual Mason Rudolph Championship hosted by Vanderbilt.
“It’s a privilege to host the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation at Vanderbilt Legends,” said Jim Leisenring, general manager at Vanderbilt Legends Club. “It’s such an honor to be able to partner with Vanderbilt University to keep this Korn Ferry Tour event in Middle Tennessee. We’re excited to host some of the top golfers in the world and show them the kind of hospitability and tremendous playing experience that Vanderbilt Legends has to offer.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Vanderbilt Legends Club and look forward to showcasing its exceptional course and facilities as host of the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation,” Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin said. “The Legends Club will serve as a great test for our players during the Korn Ferry Tour Finals as they compete to earn membership on golf’s ultimate stage, the PGA TOUR. As up-and-coming stars continue to emerge from the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR University, we are excited to partner with Vanderbilt University, which is one of the most respected academic institutions in the Nation, and also one of the top collegiate golf programs annually.”
The Korn Ferry Tour, which has served as a path to the PGA TOUR since its inception in 1990, will award 30 PGA TOUR cards based off its points list in 2024, with the No. 1 player earning exemptions into the following year’s PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open. With more than 600 PGA TOUR titles, 30 major championships and seven FedExCup champions, Korn Ferry Tour alumni make up 83 percent of the PGA TOUR’s current membership.
Vanderbilt has a rich history with the Korn Ferry Tour. A total of 11 Commodores have played on the Tour. Currently, John Augenstein and Reid Davenport are competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. Jon Curran, Will Gordon, Theo Humphrey, Carson Jacobs, Zach Jaworski, Luke List, Matthias Schwab, Snedeker, and Hunter Stewart have played in a Korn Ferry Tour event.
“Playing host to the Simmons Bank Open at Vanderbilt Legends Club is a momentous occasion for our program and the Middle Tennessee golf community,” said Vanderbilt men’s golf head coach Scott Limbaugh. “I have loved going to the event the last few years because it was such a fun atmosphere and a great opportunity to get up close and personal with the future stars of the PGA TOUR.
“This event, working alongside the Snedeker Foundation and Tennessee Golf Foundation, embodies the values of sportsmanship, competition, community, and philanthropy that we hold dear at Vanderbilt. Our golf programs are proud to be involved and we are super excited to bring this level of professional golf to our doorstep while witnessing the positive impact of this event on our community.”
The 2024 Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation will be Sept. 12-15 and all four rounds of competition will be broadcast on GOLF Channel. For more information on the Simmons Bank Open, please visit www.simmonsbankopen.com. For more information on the Vanderbilt Legends Club, please visit www.vanderbiltlegendsclub.com.
More information on the Simmons Bank Open, the Snedeker Foundation, and the Korn Ferry Tour is available online.
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