PGA Tour ‘future stars’ will play in this Lakewood Ranch tournament. How to attend
Manatee County golf fans will get a chance to catch future PGA Tour golfers in April.
The eighth edition of the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic takes place April 2-5 at Lakewood National Golf Club’s Commander course.
“It’s an easy and inexpensive tournament to enjoy and get up on the ropes and watch the future stars of the PGA Tour stop into Lakewood Ranch for a year,” tournament director Justin Kristich said.
A field of 156 players will play the tournament with a $1 million purse. The top 20 players at the end of the Korn Ferry Tour’s season in October earn their 2027 PGA Tour card.
“So it’s kind of here’s your one chance to maybe see some of these guys in a different atmosphere than at a big PGA Tour event,” Kristich said.
LECOM Suncoast Classic returns to Lakewood Ranch
Neal Shipley, who was the low amateur at the 2024 Masters and United States Open, won the 2025 LECOM Suncoast Classic and the $180,000 first-place prize.
It was the first of two Korn Ferry Tour victories for Shipley en route to earning a PGA Tour card.
The 2025 tournament also netted some honors for the golf course and the tournament. Lakewood National won facility of the year and the LECOM Suncoast Classic won tournament operations of the year on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“We did a lot of new things last year to really amplify the tournament,” Kristich said.
The tournament’s success is keeping it through 2029 with LECOM signing on as the tournament’s title sponsor.
“That’ll be the 11 years at the same club and the same main sponsor, which is hard to do on the Korn Ferry Tour right now,” Kristich said.
To date, the tournament has tallied $1 million in charitable donations. This year’s tournament coincides with Easter weekend, and Kristich said they are leaning into Easter as well as having kids’ activities, a fan zone and vendors.
Parking and ticket information
Parking is free, with a complimentary shuttle from the Premier Sports Campus, located at 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. Grounds tickets cost $20 for a single day or $60 for the week. Tickets can be purchased online at www.LecomSuncoastClassic.com/tickets.
Tickets are free for children aged 17 or younger, veterans, active-duty military, first responders and teachers.
For more information, visit www.LecomSuncoastClassic.com.
