2026 UNC Health Championship Preview
The Korn Ferry Tour returns to Raleigh this week as Raleigh Country Club hosts the UNC Health Championship, closing a special two-week stretch across McConnell Golf properties. Following the Visit Knoxville Open at Holston Hills Country Club, the Tour’s rising stars arrive in North Carolina’s capital city for one of the Korn Ferry Tour’s longest-running and most tradition-rich events.
Tournament Week Begins
Since moving to RCC in 2023, the championship has delivered a compelling blend of low scoring, classic architecture and dramatic Sunday finishes. The course’s sloping greens, strategic angles and firm playing surfaces create a test that asks players to think their way around rather than simply overpower the layout.
With a field including emerging stars, local favorites, past champions and recognizable PGA TOUR veterans, Raleigh once again provides a fitting stage for meaningful competition during an important stretch of the Korn Ferry Tour season.
And as always, it’s more than just a tournament week — it’s a celebration of community, North Carolina golf history and the continued growth of championship golf across McConnell Golf’s portfolio.
Tournament History
The UNC Health Championship traces its roots to 1994, when it debuted as the North Carolina Classic on what was then the Nike Tour. Over more than three decades, the championship has become one of the Korn Ferry Tour’s most established events, serving as a launching pad for future PGA TOUR winners and major championship contenders.
Known for many years as the Rex Hospital Open, the tournament entered a new era when UNC Health became title sponsor and the event moved to Raleigh Country Club in 2023.
The move deepened the championship’s connection to North Carolina golf history. Designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1948, Raleigh Country Club is one of the state’s most respected classic layouts and the final course designed by Ross. Under McConnell Golf’s stewardship, the course has been restored and elevated into a modern championship venue while preserving the character, strategy and subtlety that define Ross architecture.
Recent champions at Raleigh Country Club include:
• 2023 — Jorge Fernández-Valdés
• 2024 — Kaito Onishi
• 2025 — Trace Crowe
2025 Tournament Recap
Trace Crowe captured the 2025 UNC Health Championship with a tournament-record performance.
The 2025 UNC Health Championship showcased both the scoring potential and championship demands of Raleigh Country Club.
Trace Crowe, an Auburn standout and Raleigh resident, closed with a brilliant 5-under-par 65 to finish at 21-under 259, setting a new tournament scoring record and capturing his second Korn Ferry Tour title by five shots.
Crowe’s victory came against a strong leaderboard that included four-time PGA TOUR winner Martin Laird, Hank Lebioda and Davis Chatfield, who finished tied for second at 16-under. Lebioda fired a final-round 61, adding another electric Sunday moment to a tournament that continues to produce memorable finishes.
The week also featured several meaningful local storylines. Carter Jenkins, a former McConnell Golf Junior Scholarship recipient, competed on his home course and finished tied for 43rd. Raleigh native Chesson Hadley returned to the event where he famously jumpstarted his career with a 2013 victory during the Rex Hospital Open era.
Players to Watch/Field Highlights
The 2026 UNC Health Championship will once again feature a strong blend of rising Korn Ferry Tour talent, local connections and familiar names with PGA TOUR experience.
Blades Brown arrives as one of the most compelling young players in professional golf. The 19-year-old Tennessee native recently earned PGA TOUR Special Temporary Membership after a strong finish at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, adding to a breakout season that has included multiple top-20 finishes on the PGA TOUR and strong results on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Miles Russell, another highly regarded young standout, adds even more intrigue to the field as one of the game’s most closely watched prospects.
The field also includes several players with proven PGA TOUR credentials, including Aaron Baddeley, Cameron Champ, Lanto Griffin, Chesson Hadley, Russell Knox, Martin Laird, K.H. Lee, Luke List, Carl Pettersson and Chez Reavie.
Several Korn Ferry Tour standouts bring momentum into Raleigh, including Doc Redman, a former U.S. Amateur champion and Clemson standout who won his second tournament of the season at Holston Hills.
Holston Hills members Bryce Lewis and Hunter Wolcott also arrive in Raleigh following strong performances during last week’s Visit Knoxville Open, where Lewis finished tied for third and Wolcott tied for eighth. UNC (Ryan Burnett, Austin Greaser, Austin Hitt and Dylan Menante), Duke (Ryan Blaum and Julian Suri) and NC State (Carl Pettersson) have former players teeing it up.
Former UNC standout Dylan Menante competes at the 2025 UNC Health Championship.
Storylines to Watch
A second McConnell Golf showcase: After the Visit Knoxville Open at Holston Hills, the UNC Health Championship completes a unique two-week stretch of Korn Ferry Tour events at McConnell Golf properties.
Classic Donald Ross test: Raleigh Country Club offers one of the Korn Ferry Tour’s most distinctive architectural challenges, rewarding patience, precision and creative shot-making.
Blades Brown’s rise: One of golf’s most talked-about young players arrives in Raleigh with growing momentum and increasing national attention.
Local connections: From Chesson Hadley’s history with the event to Doc Redman’s Raleigh ties, the tournament continues to highlight players with meaningful North Carolina connections.
PGA TOUR veterans: A strong group of recognizable names brings additional experience and fan interest to Raleigh Country Club.
Points-race pressure: With PGA TOUR cards at stake, the UNC Health Championship offers another important opportunity for players to climb the Korn Ferry Tour standings.
A proven championship venue: Since moving to RCC in 2023, the tournament has produced three distinct winners and a tournament scoring record, reinforcing the course’s ability to identify high-level talent.
Raleigh native and McConnell Golf member Chesson Hadley.
Course Spotlight: Raleigh Country Club
Designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1948, Raleigh Country Club stands as one of North Carolina’s most important classic golf venues.
The course reflects many of Ross’s defining traits: natural routing, strategic bunkering, deceptive angles and green complexes that demand thoughtful approach play. Rather than relying solely on length, RCC asks players to control trajectory, manage spin and remain disciplined around its sloping putting surfaces.
Under McConnell Golf’s ownership, Raleigh Country Club has undergone a careful restoration that preserved the course’s historic identity while preparing it for modern championship play. The result is a course that feels both timeless and current — a classic Ross layout capable of challenging today’s best young professionals.
Players have praised RCC for presenting a different kind of Korn Ferry Tour test, one that rewards complete golf and thoughtful decision-making. That combination has helped the UNC Health Championship quickly establish a strong identity in its new home.
Community Impact
The UNC Health Championship does more than showcase the next generation of PGA TOUR talent — it also makes a meaningful impact throughout the Triangle.
Each year, the tournament supports UNC Health and its broader mission of improving health and wellness across North Carolina. The championship also engages hundreds of volunteers, welcomes fans from across the region and provides a platform for community partners, sponsors and charitable initiatives.
Beyond the competition itself, the event delivers economic impact for Raleigh and Wake County while highlighting the area’s hospitality, business community and deep golf tradition.
The continued success of the UNC Health Championship reflects the collaboration between UNC Health, Raleigh Country Club, McConnell Golf, tournament organizers, volunteers and community partners who help ensure professional golf leaves a lasting legacy in the Triangle.
Doc Redman wins the Visit Knoxville Open with an eagle putt in a playoff.
Closing a Special Two-Week Stretch
The UNC Health Championship completes a special back-to-back run of Korn Ferry Tour events across McConnell Golf properties, following the Visit Knoxville Open at Holston Hills Country Club.
Together, the two tournaments highlight the strength, variety and championship quality of McConnell Golf’s portfolio — from the rolling Donald Ross terrain of Holston Hills to the restored Ross character of Raleigh Country Club.
For players, fans and communities alike, the two-week stretch offers a powerful reminder of the role classic golf courses continue to play in shaping the next generation of PGA TOUR talent.
For more on McConnell Golf’s tournament venues and network of championship courses, visit McConnellGolf.com.