Nearly 3,400 ready to tee it up in 32nd Myrtle Beach World Am

Nearly 3,400 golfers have descended on the Grand Strand to participate in the 32nd Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship, and tournament organizers and players avoided one hazard with the diversion and dissipated strength of former Tropical Storm Erika, which shouldn’t impact the event.

Rain is still expected Monday, however, following significant rain Sunday, and there is a 20- to 30-percent chance of rain for the remainder of the week, according to The Weather Channel.

“We spent all last week looking to see if we’d get a hurricane or tropical storm and that missed us,” said Jeff Monday, tournaments director for marketing cooperative Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, which operates the event. “So once we knew there was no danger, there’s not much you can do about regular storms. As long as the courses are playable we’ll play golf outside of thunder and lightning. It might take a little getting wet but hopefully it will clear up within the next couple days.”

The decision on whether a course is playable or not rests with the course operators, so it’s possible some flights will play Monday while others will not. A flight hasn’t lost a round to inclement weather since 2012.

“We’ve had two great years of weather, but it looks like it’s a good possibility [a flight will lose a round] this week,” Monday said.

Approximately 3,350 players have registered for the tournament, which is down from 3,405 players last year. Participation had increased 8 percent in both 2012 and ’13 and 3 percent last year.

“We’re looking at a 1- to 1.5-percent decrease, and after the growth we had I feel good about it,” Monday said. “In the golf world we live in it’s not a growing pool of people. We feel if we’re steady this year we’re winning.

“We still have 3,350 players coming to play Myrtle Beach courses, so that’s awesome.”

Players in 72 flights will compete on 57 courses Monday through Thursday, leading to Friday’s championship round at Barefoot Resort’s Dye Club for the third consecutive year.

The tournament has a gross flight that doesn’t factor handicaps in scoring for the second straight year, and it has attracted 48 players, which is about the same amount as last year.

“The guys that are playing are happy that it exists for them,” Monday said. “We didn’t grow it in its second year but it’s still a viable part of the event right now. If we can get players who wouldn’t have experienced the tournament without it, that’s awesome.”

Within the next few years, tournament organizers hope to have two full gross flights that will fill one golf course each day. “About 85 to 100 players would be a good goal to get to in the next couple years,” Monday said. “If it stays right where it is it’s not a failure.”

Two-time major champion John Daly’s scheduled appearance Tuesday and Wednesday highlights nightly events at the World’s Largest 19th Hole dinner cocktail party and expo from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

Daly is promoting his signature drink, the John Daly featuring sweet tea, lemonade and vodka in three varieties. He will host his Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio Show “Hit it Hard with John Daly” live from 7-8 p.m. Tuesday night from the convention center, and is expected to take the stage to answer some questions, sling his drink as a bartender and mingle with the crowd.

Daly, 49, reiterated his commitment to the tournament Sunday despite a health scare Saturday, when he collapsed on the 18th hole of a golf course in Mississippi and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. Daly said the health issue was related to a collapsed lung that he has been recovering from. He was reportedly back and playing on the same course Sunday.

Brian Katrek and John Maginnes are scheduled to broadcast their Siriux XM PGA Tour Radio show Katrek & Maginnes On Tap on the main stage from 5-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

World billiards champion Ewa Mataya Laurance will be playing pool each night, performing trick shot exhibitions and challenging people in 9 Ball, and Golf Channel personalities Win McMurry and Charlie Rymer will assist with emcee and interview duties.

American Idol winner Taylor Hicks will perform Tuesday and highlights the musicians and singers performing on the music stage. East Coast Party Band is Monday, Stephen Kellogg is Wednesday and Little Memphis Band is Thursday.

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers are the official band of Daly’s drink and were booked through him, so Daly is likely to join Kellogg on stage.

Sticky Fingers BBQ will provide food Monday and 18 different restaurants will be serving Tuesday through Friday. Staples each night include Domino’s, Friendly’s and Sheraton catering.

Additional beverage offerings at the 19th Hole include numerous liquors including Maker’s Mark and Dewar’s, Barefoot wine, and beer including Michelob Ultra, Shock Top, Goose Island IPA, Stella Artois Cidre and Long Table Farmhouse Ale.

This story was originally published August 30, 2015 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Nearly 3,400 ready to tee it up in 32nd Myrtle Beach World Am."