Severe flooding cancels Greenbrier Classic; industry support follows

The Greenbrier Resort and the PGA Tour was forced to cancel the Greenbrier Classic after severe flooding struck West Virginia, causing the death of 23 so far. The tournament was scheduled to be played July 7-10.

“We are heartbroken by the devastation that residents of West Virginia are experiencing at this time and the reports of lives lost due to the terrible flooding,” PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement. “Cancelling the Greenbrier Classic is certainly the most prudent course of action as our foremost concern is the well being of those who are having to live through this tragic situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”

“It’s like nothing I’ve seen,” said Jim Justice, owner and CEO of the Greenbrier. “But our focus right now isn’t on the property, the golf course or anything else. We’re praying for the people and doing everything we can to get them the help they need.”

One superintendent, Brandon Reese, director of golf course operations at TPC Louisiana, has taken action to support his friends in the industry by setting up a GoFundMe page to support the maintenance team at the Greenbrier. On the page Reese writes, “Many of the agronomy team members on his staff have had severe damage to their homes or have lost most everything.”

As of this writing, $2,805 was raised over two days. To donate to the cause, click here.

Editor’s note: As of July 11, the GoFundMe page has raised a total of $10,700. On July 12, the Greenbrier’s resort reopened after being forced to close for more than two weeks. 

“We had some major damage in different parts of the hotel, and it’s taken a lot of work to get The Greenbrier back to the standard that our guests expect,” Justice says in a press release. “But my dad once told me that if you can’t get it done in 24 hours a day, then you’re gonna have to work nights. We’ve worked a lot of nights, because we know just how important it is to have The Greenbrier up and running and guests coming here to visit.”

The resort’s Greenbrier course will reopen on Tuesday as well, but its Old White TPC and Meadows courses will be “closed for the foreseeable future,” according to a story from The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.