Even before Colonial Country Club closed the books on the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge officials were looking to the future, announcing that former Colonial club president Kip Adams has assumed the role of chairman for the 2025 and 2026 tournaments.
A Colonial Country Club member since 2009, Adams succeeds Jim Whitten who served as tournament chairman from 2021-24. Adams served on the Colonial board of governors for six years and as club president from 2018-2020.
“Colonial Country Club is an iconic Fort Worth institution with a unique and storied place in championship golf history. I am honored and privileged to serve as chairman of the Charles Schwab Challenge,” Adams said. “Our tournament is the longest running PGA Tour event at the same venue, and we have hosted major championships and the best players in the world for generations. We are proud of the charitable and economic impact we generate each year and I am excited to be part of continuing that tradition.”
A native Texan and a graduate of The University of Texas, Adams is senior vice president and practice leader for the retirement and private wealth division of HUB International-Fort Worth and serves on the board of directors for Goodwill Industries of North Central Texas.
This year’s Charles Schwab Challenge, played on Colonial’s newly renovated course, produced a first-time winner, Davis Riley, whose victory also was his first individual win on the PGA Tour (he won a team event last year along with Nick Hardy). Riley outdueled the world’s No. 1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, and Keegan Bradley in Sunday’s final round, shooting an even-par score of 70 to prevail over both by five strokes with a 14-under-par total of 266.
Riley, 27, collected the winner’s share of the $9.1 million purse ($1,638,000), Colonial’s traditional plaid jacket and the Schwab winner’s car, a fully restored and modernized 1975 Stingray.
Colonial’s always festive atmosphere was tempered this year by the death of two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray who died Saturday after withdrawing from the tournament on Friday. Murray’s family said the 30-year-old golfer, who had struggled with alcohol problems and mental health issues, took his own life.
“The members of Colonial Country Club send our deepest condolences to Grayson’s family and friends during this sad time,” Colonial said in a statement. “The golf community is small. When one hurts, we all feel it tremendously. Grayson was a talented golfer, but most importantly, a human being that was truly loved by many …”
This article includes information from the Associated Press and Colonial Country Club.
