The 2023 PGA Championship week at Oak Hill Country Club is underway, and even though the actual competitive rounds of golf don’t begin until Thursday, there were already a number of fans streaming through the gates at Oak Hill on Monday morning.
Practice for the pros was actually delayed a bit on Monday due to a concern about frost.
But still, many fans came to watch the world-class golfers practice, and the General Chairman of the PGA Championship, Ron Pluta, noted how this is just one more sign that a lot of people recognize Rochester really is a big golf town.
“I mean, you walk around today, this is a Monday practice round, the very first day of practice and the course is filling up with spectators,” Pluta noted. “I was up at the bus terminal and buses are pulling in and spectators are getting off. (In) Rochester, we feel that this is our Super Bowl, in Rochester (it’s) golf.”
Pluta says around 3,500 volunteers from all over the country are helping the PGA work this week’s event, which is expected to draw more than 225,000 spectators and have an estimated economic impact of about $190 million.
Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement Monday noting that the event also gives the state an opportunity to showcase locally made products including the use of what’s called a New York State Tasting Yard, a patio style venue that features foods and beverages from around the state.
“This event will not only put Rochester on a global state, it will also provide an economic boost to the entire Finger Lakes region,” Hochul said.
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said the ‘tasting yard’ at Oak Hill, “will ensure that New York’s diverse, delicious food and beverages will be front and center at one of the top tournaments in the country, giving our producers an opportunity to connect with thousands of attendees from around the globe.”
