Cragun’s Resort Serves as Event Host; Festivities Set for Aug. 25 to Sept. 1
BRAINERD, Minn. – PGA TOUR rookie Jake Knapp is proof that tomorrow’s champions can be found competing at the CRMC Championship presented by Gertens, which this year is scheduled from Aug. 25 to Sept. 1 at Cragun’s Resort. The 2022 CRMC champion was Knapp, who as a rookie this season on the PGA TOUR has recorded four Top 10 finishes, including a victory at the Mexico Open at Vidanta in just his fifth start. He is now exempt on the PGA TOUR through 2026.
The CRMC Championship is part of the PGA TOUR Americas schedule, which was introduced last year and is the merger of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada into a singular tour.
The CRMC — named for title sponsor Cuyuna Regional Medical Center — goes well beyond golf as there is a robust week-long schedule for the public, adults and children alike, beginning Sunday, Aug. 25 with the “Cruising for Charity on Gull Lake” event.
Official practice rounds are Monday through Wednesday, with tournament play teeing off Thursday, Aug. 29. Courtesy of Northern Pacific Center, admission is free for all spectators wishing to view any of the practice rounds or tournament action.
As the final full-field stop before PGA TOUR America’s Fortinet Cup Championship in Toronto, the CRMC Championship — to be played on the Blue and White nines of the resort’s Dutch 27, renovated last year by PGA TOUR great and Minnesota native Tom Lehman — is a crucial steppingstone for up-and-coming professionals. The stakes are high as the top 10 players on the season-long points list after the Fortinet Cup Championship will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2024-25, as well as a share of a $100,000 bonus pool.
Two young players with recognizable last names in the golf world will be part of the CRMC field. University of New Mexico’s Carson Herron, 22, has earned an exemption into the event after capturing the Minnesota PGA State Open Championship in a playoff on July 10. Herron’s father, Tim, is a Minneapolis native who recorded four victories during his tenure on the PGA TOUR and now plays on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit. Lehman’s son, Thomas, Jr., also has earned an exemption into the CRMC. The younger Lehman, 28, played collegiate golf at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Coinciding with a week of pressure-packed golf, Cragun’s Resort, located on picturesque Gull Lake in Northern Minnesota, and tournament organizers have scheduled a full slate of activities for children of all ages and their families, many free of charge. Here is a closer look:
Sunday, Aug. 25
- Cruising for Charity on Gull Lake. An exclusive dining experience benefiting the CRMC Foundation with special guests Lehman and Shawn Chambers, two-time Stanley Cup champion, first with the New Jersey Devils and later with the Dallas Stars.
Monday, Aug. 26
- CRMC Fore Charity Scramble – Lehman 18
- Monday Qualifier – The Pines at Grand View Lodge
- Player Practice Rounds
- Player Experience – Guided Fishing on Gull Lake
Tuesday, Aug. 27
- Aces Over Deuces Fundraiser at the Gravel Pit
- Player Practice Rounds
Wednesday, Aug. 28
- Northern Pacific Center Official Pro-Am
Thursday, Aug. 29
- CRMC Championship Round 1; 156 Players in the field
- Bring Your Kids to the Course Day; autographs & photographs with the professionals
Friday, Aug. 30
- CRMC Championship Round 2
- Professional Cut – Top 60, plus ties
- Cut Party – Ernie’s on Gull
- Military Day – VIP access from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for active, non-active military and veterans. (Must have military ID.)
Saturday, Aug. 31
- CRMC Championship Round 3
- Clow Stamping Co. Saturday Night Jam – The Hype
Sunday, Sept. 1
- CRMC Championship Round 4
- Paul Bunyan Axe & Charity Check Presentation on the 18th green
For additional information on the CRMC Championship presented by Gertens, visit crmcchampionship.com.
Tickets can be purchased online for the Cruising for Charity event, VIP Experience and Saturday Night Jam by visiting crmcchampionship.com/spectators/tickets.
About PGA TOUR Americas | pgatour.com/americas
PGA TOUR Americas is an international tour that provides professional golfers with competitive opportunities and prepares them to advance their careers on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR. The 2024 schedule consists of 16 events – six in Latin America and 10 in North America – and the inaugural season culminates in September with the Fortinet Cup Championship, where the top 10 players on the season-long points list will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership the following season.
About Cragun’s Resort | craguns.com
Cragun’s Resort is located on Gull Lake and offers a wide array of year-round outdoor activities for individuals, families, and groups, including a mile-long sandy beach, biking, hiking trails, and watersports. Cragun’s Legacy Courses present golfers with the ultimate challenges and options at any skill level—from weekend warriors to the best pros in the game. The “Dutch 27” features three nine-hole layouts offering a variety of 18-hole combinations. The Red Nine is currently closed for renovation by Lehman Design Group and will reopen in 2024. The Lehman 18 reopened for its first full season this year after undergoing a full renovation.
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