When the Wichita Open kicks off its 30th anniversary tournament in June, the roar of the crowd will celebrate more than just the play of some of the world’s best up-and-coming professional golfers.
It will also celebrate the longevity of one of the city’s premier sporting events, which, thanks to the outside-the-box thinking of its long-time director, has come to raise the profile of the Air Capital and contributes a growing local economic impact measured in the millions.
“It seems to be getting better every year,” says Roy Turner, entering his 20th year as the tournament’s director.
And as one of four original events of the PGA’s Web.com Tour still in operation, Turner says there is no greater sign of its impact than the fact that officials from other tournaments around the country are always keen to learn the secret of the success in Wichita.
“I love it,” Turner says. “I love sticking my chest out in the meetings and saying, ‘We’re from Wichita.’”
(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)