A Myrtle Beach golf tournament wants you. Or at least one of you.
The Myrtle Beach World Amateur, which calls itself the biggest single-site golf tournament in the world, is expecting more than 3,000 players for the Aug. 31-Sept. 4 tournament in South Carolina.
Golfers will come from 20 countries and 49 states. And that last statistic doesn’t sit well with tournament organizers.
They want a golfer from every state, and Alaska is the last holdout. So they’re holding a contest — the Last Frontier Sweepstakes — and will provide the winner with a free plane ticket, free lodging and free entry into the tournament.
All you need to do is write a 100-word essay saying why you should be the token Alaskan, beat the Feb. 23 deadline, and wait to hear if you’re the winner or not.
This is not a hackers-need-not-apply deal. The tournament, now in its 37th year, attracts everyone from scratch golfers to 36-handicap duffers.
The tournament’s website calls Alaskans “forever elusive.”
“World Am staff has been perplexed as to the reasons (the) Alaskan delegation has been limited,” it says. “Sure, during the summer months Alaskan’s have the ability to play through midnight. But we’re the Golf Capital of the World!”
The contest is open to men and women. Other than a valid U.S. Golf Association handicap, the only requirement is permanent residency in Alaska.
A field of 3,200 is expected, with play spread around on 60 golf courses in Myrtle Beach. There are several age-group divisions, including one for golfers 80 and older. Last year’s tournament featured 67 flights.