PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Following the annual Korn Ferry Tour tournament meetings, which took place Thursday at the PGA TOUR’s Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, the Korn Ferry Tour announced the winners of eight awards, including the Tournament of the Year, Host Facility of the Year, Charity of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Operations Award, Sales Award, Beyond the Green Award and Most Fan-First Event.

For the first time since its establishment in 2007, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship earned the prestigious Tournament of the Year Award. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, which is managed by HNS Sports Group and played annually in Columbus, Ohio, was named Tournament of the Year in recognition of its excellence in hosting a premier event across all facets of the tournament experience.

“We are excited to congratulate the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship on being named the 2025 Tournament of the Year,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “This event is a high performer across all aspects of the tournament, player, partner and fan experience. It is an honor to recognize the hard work from the teams at HNS Sports, Champions of the Community, Nationwide and The Ohio State University Golf Club. Their passion and collaboration are second-to-none." 

Tournament award winners:

Tournament of the Year: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship

Host Facility of the Year: Lakewood National Golf Club (host facility of the LECOM Suncoast Classic)

Charity of the Year: AdventHealth Kansas City Foundation (AdventHealth Championship)

Volunteer of the Year: Pat Cullen (UNC Health Championship)

Operations Award: LECOM Suncoast Classic

Sales Award: Compliance Solutions Championship

Beyond the Green: John McConnell (CEO, McConnell Golf) (Visit Knoxville Open & UNC Health Championship)

Most Fan-First Event: Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron

See below for additional information about each award winner:

Tournament of the Year

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship

• Host Organization (Champions of the Community), Title Sponsor (Nationwide) and Host Facility (The Ohio State University Golf Club) are described by many as a cohesive unit, thanks to the relationship that has been developed between these partners for many years.
• Players consistently recognize The Ohio State University Golf Club Scarlet Course as one of the top courses on the Korn Ferry Tour.
• Nationwide has served as the title sponsor since the event’s inception in 2007, with the 2025 season marking the 19th playing of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, the second of four Korn Ferry Tour Finals Events.
• Winner of the 2024 Charity of the Year award, the tournament raised a record-setting $3.94 million in charitable giving in 2025, having totaled nearly $33 million in support of Nationwide Children’s Hospital since the event’s inception.
• Nationwide is deeply invested in the success of the tournament and its charitable impact, mobilizing multiple business units and employees and working closely with HNS Sports and Champions of the Community to produce one of the best partner programs on the Korn Ferry Tour. The partner program generates millions of dollars annually for Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
• The tournament has a strong marketing and social presence to drive fan engagement and support.

Host Facility of the Year

Lakewood National Golf Club (LECOM Suncoast Classic)

• Led by General Manager Warren Lee, the entire team at Lakewood National Golf Club is passionate about delivering a high-quality experience and is engaged with all facets of the tournament.
• Leading into the 2025 event, the Club worked with Host Organization, SPORTFIVE, to develop a tournament committee that focused on initiatives to grow the tournament.
• Players gave positive feedback on the conditions of the golf course, as well as the dining experience and amenities provided to players and caddies.
• Following hurricanes in late 2024, the Club prioritized a bunker renovation project on the Commander Course, ensuring it would be completed by the 2025 tournament.
• The Club keeps membership engaged and informed by proactively sharing key tournament information through its membership app and works with the Host Organization to create a resident handbook.
• New experiences in 2025 included a trolley for residents to make it easy for them to attend the tournament, as well as a member concert on Saturday before the tournament to build excitement heading into the week.

Charity of the Year

AdventHealth Kansas City Foundation (AdventHealth Championship)

• The AdventHealth Kansas City Foundation’s (AHKCF) mission is to inspire a healthier Kansas City through the power of generosity. The foundation is committed to enhancing both the high-tech and high-touch care for which AdventHealth is known.
• The foundation and the AdventHealth Championship team hosted the “Tee-Off Party” on Tuesday of tournament week, which raised funds to support AHKCF’s Area of Greatest Need to meet the greatest needs of AdventHealth's patients and the community.
• The foundation supports impactful programs such as the B.E. Smith Family Center, which is home to the Early Learning program for children of hospital staff, and the Britian Development program for children with special needs from birth to age six; Korn Ferry Tour professionals visit the center annually to engage with the kids.

Volunteer of the Year

Pat Cullen (UNC Health Championship)

• Has served as a volunteer at the UNC Health Championship since 2008, starting in concessions and transitioning to product delivery.
• When a chairperson role became available during tournament planning, Cullen stepped in as co-chair of Product Delivery and has already committed to serving in this role for the 2026 event.
• “Pat is a longtime volunteer whose dedication and humility have left a lasting impact on this tournament,” said Cindy Hanson, Volunteer Coordinator for the UNC Health Championship. “Pat’s commitment is unwavering. You can give Pat his list of responsibilities in the morning with complete confidence that everything will get done, and then he turns around and asks what more he can help with. He is widely known and respected for his quiet leadership and ability to handle any task with grace and reliability.”

Operations Award

LECOM Suncoast Classic

• The LECOM Suncoast Classic has consistently demonstrated exceptional operational standards, particularly in its tournament layout and hospitality build.
• The tournament has a strong commitment to continuous improvement, implementing meaningful upgrades year over year. Notably, the successful relocation of the main entry in 2025 reflects a proactive approach to enhancing the event and spectator experience.
• The tournament’s volunteer program has continued to grow and evolve, and the tournament made significant improvements to its volunteer headquarters structure in 2025.

Sales Award

Compliance Solutions Championship

• Event Manager, HNS Sports Group, alongside Host Organization Tournaments For Charity, delivered a record-setting revenue year for the 2025 Compliance Solutions Championship at the tournament’s new venue, The Patriot Golf Club in Owasso, Oklahoma.
• The number of tournament sponsors tripled compared to 2024, and across all 26 Korn Ferry Tour events, the event finished:
  • Top five in total local revenue
  • First in year-over-year local revenue growth
  • First in year-over-year percentage revenue growth

Beyond the Green

John McConnell - CEO, McConnell Golf (Visit Knoxville Open & UNC Health Championship)

• Recipient of the first-ever Beyond the Green award, which recognizes an individual tournament representative who best embodies the spirit of the Korn Ferry Tour.
• John McConnell is the CEO of McConnell Golf, the largest owner of premier country clubs in the Southeast region. McConnell Golf owns three golf facilities that host TOUR-sanctioned events: the UNC Health Championship (Raleigh Country Club), Visit Knoxville Open (Holston Hills Country Club), and the PGA TOUR’s Wyndham Championship (Sedgefield Country Club).
• Under McConnell’s leadership and vision, Raleigh Country Club and Holston Hills Country Club have delivered high-quality golf courses and experiences for Korn Ferry Tour professionals, along with great fan experiences.
• A true friend and ambassador of the Korn Ferry Tour, McConnell embraces and champions the mission of the Korn Ferry Tour and understands the critical role the Tour plays in preparing players for the next level.
• Through their community engagement platform, Footprints on the Green, John McConnell and the McConnell Golf team support the communities where their clubs are located and partner with dozens of non-profit organizations, supporting numerous causes.
• McConnell and the McConnell Golf team also support young amateur and junior golfers through the McConnell Golf Junior Scholarship Program, which offers exceptional young golfers access to premier golf facilities to help them reach the next level of competition.

Most Fan-First Event

Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron

• The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron continually provides impressive fan experiences, including
  • The tournament’s annual concert series has become a well-attended tradition for fans, with all ticket sales going to local charities.
  • A daily ticket included access to a variety of complimentary on-course hospitality venues, including the Albertsons Wine Bar & Chill Zone, Michelob Ultra Fan Pavilion, the Albertsons Signature Cafe, the Corona Premier Beach Club and the Coors Light Fan Deck.
  • The Heroes Outpost is a hospitality venue that features free lunch and beverages for all active and retired military, veterans, first responders and their families.
  • “Junior Day,” which provides the first 500 kids with a free hat and lunch on Sunday, in addition to games and activities all day, including a free clinic from the local PGA Professionals.