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The PGA Tour is back in Louisville. For the second time, the ISCO Championship is set to tee off at Hurstbourne Country Club on the east side of Derby City. While the tour’s biggest names will converge at the Scottish Open, this alternate-field event is a key opportunity for up-and-comers, veterans looking to regain top form and a slew of DP World Tour players making a two-week voyage across the Atlantic.
One golfer will win $720,000 on Sunday night, pocketing 300 FedEx Cup points and a priceless two-year PGA Tour exemption on his way out. There are 144 players in the field, including eight sponsor exemptions, two PGA teaching professionals and four Monday qualifiers. Fifty spots are reserved for members of the DP World Tour — this event and next week’s Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic are part of the Europe-based circuit’s schedule, in accordance with the “strategic alliance” that led to the Scottish Open becoming an official PGA Tour event in 2022.
Hurstbourne Country Club, established in 1966, is ranked by Golf Digest as the fourth-best course in Kentucky. It hosted the ISCO for the first time last year and provided one of the stiffer tests of the PGA Tour’s 2025 season. The 36-hole cut of 1 over was one of just three over-par cuts in full-field, non-major events all year, and the ISCO was one of only four non-majors last year in which one or fewer players finished double-digits under par. The difficulty was in stark contrast to the 2024 tournament at Keene Trace Golf Club in Lexington, where the cut was a PGA Tour-record 8-under and 53 players shot 10-under or better for the week.
Like many PGA Tour hosts, Hurstbourne CC is a par 72 for members but will play as a par 70 this week, with just two par 5s (Nos. 7 and 10) and four par 3s (Nos. 6, 9, 13 and 17), alongside 12 par-4s. Holes No. 1 and 18 are par 5s for members, but they’ll instead be par 4s measuring 515 and 481 yards, respectively. The adjusted routing will feature no par 5s in the final eight holes, and with the long par-3 17th flowing into the challenging 18th, the leaders will face a challenge down the stretch.
William Mouw came out of nowhere a year ago to capture his first career PGA Tour victory. He was seven shots back and tied for 25th entering the final round before shooting a 9-under 61 that gave him a four-shot lead when he finished at 10-under par. Paul Peterson, the 54-hole leader, made a late push to get within one but couldn’t birdie Nos. 17 or 18, leaving him at 9-under.
Both players return to Louisville looking to give their 2026 seasons a late boost. Mouw is 105th in the FedEx Cup standings (only 70 make the playoffs) with just one finish better than T-20 this season. Peterson has made just three of eight cuts this year, and his only two finishes better than T-67 have come at alternate-field events.
In fact, the entire top five from last year is back in search of momentum.
Spain’s Manuel Elvira rallied to finish third at 7-under in last year’s event; he’s had an inconsistent season on the DP World Tour, posting two top-10 finishes in 17 starts. American journeyman Vince Whaley, who was born in Lexington but moved away at age 4, and English veteran David Skinns rounded out the top five in 2025 — both posting 6-under. They’re 168th and 136th, respectively, with one combined top 10 in 24 appearances this year.
Then there’s Jackson Koivun, who tied for sixth (5-under) as an amateur last summer. Koivun was so dominant at Auburn that his PGA Tour card was secure by the end of his sophomore season — although he returned to the Tigers as a junior in 2025-26. He officially turned pro after last month’s U.S. Open, where he finished T-23 and tied for low amateur honors. And while he missed the cut at last week’s John Deere Classic in his first start as a professional, he’s viewed not only as a threat to contend but as the betting favorite to win this week.
Chan Kim is also back at Hurstbourne, where he led by five at the halfway mark after rounds of 61 and 68. He backed up to T-14 (3-under) with rounds of 75 and 73. He’s split his time in 2026 between the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour (golf’s equivalent of Triple-A).
Last year’s ISCO Championship field featured five alumni from St. Xavier High School, the same all-boys Louisville powerhouse that produced two-time major champion Justin Thomas. Three of those former Tigers are back in 2026, with Brendon Doyle (’14) and Stephen Stallings Jr. (’13) not listed in the field. Stallings was the only St. X grad to play the weekend a year ago, although he faded and finished last among players who made the cut.
Drew Doyle (St. X ’20): The former LSU standout is working his way up the pro ranks. He won on the PGA Tour Americas in January in Colombia; he’s third on that circuit’s points list, so he should be in line for a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour by next year. Doyle has yet to make a PGA Tour cut in three tries, missing by two at last year’s ISCO, but he’s made all seven cuts so far in 2026.
Cooper Musselman (St. X ’13): The former Kentucky star hasn’t found steady status on a PGA Tour-sanctioned circuit, although this will be his eighth career start on the big tour. He missed last year’s ISCO cut by three, finishing 4-over.
Daniel Iceman (St. X ’08): The assistant golf professional at Weissinger Hills Golf Course in Shelbyville won the Kentucky PGA Professional Championship in 2024 and was runner-up last year. He played for the University of Louisville from 2010-13 after two seasons at Morehead State. Iceman shot rounds of 78 and 80 to finish at the bottom of the 2025 ISCO field. He’s one of two PGA of America pros playing this year, joining 2025 PGA Professional Championship winner Tyler Collet.
J.B. Holmes: The 44-year-old Campbellsville native starred at Taylor County High School — first making the varsity team as a third grader! — and the University of Kentucky, then won five PGA Tour events between 2006 and 2019. He’s largely disappeared in the past few years, spending more time with family and less time on the road; he doesn’t have a top-20 finish on tour since 2020. His only start in 2025 came at the ISCO, where he missed the cut. He was a surprise qualifier for the U.S. Open before missing the cut at Shinnecock Hills.
Adam Hadwin: The Canadian played for Louisville from 2005-09, most notable winning the 2009 Big East individual championship — and helping the Cardinals claim the team title — for his lone collegiate triumph. He was a full-timer on the PGA Tour from 2014-25, picking up a win in 2017, and has made eight starts this season while also competing on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Max Homa:At No. 73 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Homa is the clear headliner. He’s a six-time PGA Tour winner who captured five victories in less than 24 months between 2021 and 2023. His game has fallen off enough for him to lose his guaranteed spot in the marquee fields, but he finished alone in second at last week’s John Deere Classic, so he’s certainly trending in the right direction. Homa’s popularity during his playing peak was buoyed by a humorous presence on Twitter (now X). He remains one of pro golf’s most popular Instagram presences, with more than 774,000 followers.
More: British Open-bound Max Homa playing ISCO instead of Scottish
Harry Higgs: “The Big Rig” is another social media darling who seems to be finding form of late. He was in the top 10 at the halfway mark of the U.S. Open three weeks ago before finishing T-43 there and T-21 last week. He can also be as good as it gets if you need a quote.
Joel Dahmen: In a similar vein, Dahmen has gained popularity through a humorous and genuine social media presence. He’s been highlighted in Netflix’s “Full Swing” docuseries after being a fan favorite in its first season. Dahmen overcame testicular cancer as a young professional to become a steady presence on the PGA Tour; his lone win came in an alternate-field event in 2021, but he’s kept his card for a decade straight. He’s not in great form, though, finishing no better than T-42 since the start of March.
Miles Russell (a): The world’s top-ranked junior golfer doesn’t turn 18 until November, but the Florida state signee — he’ll be teammates with Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie — has already made waves in a handful of pro events. The lefty made a Korn Ferry Tour cut at 16 and made the U.S. Open cut last month, setting up a heartwarming moment as his father carried his bag on the 72nd hole. Russell missed the cut by two at last year’s ISCO.
Jackson Koivun is the betting favorite to win in his second start as a PGA Tour pro.
Odds as of Tuesday, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kohles was tied for the lead entering the final hole at the John Deere Classic, but he hooked his approach shot into the water and made double bogey to tumble into a tie for third behind Chris Gotterup and Homa. He shared the place with Lee Hodges and 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, both of whom are also in the ISCO field. Kohles is playing for the 10th straight week on either the PGA or Korn Ferry Tour.
Hossler and McCarthy rank third and fifth on tour in career starts without a win. Zac Blair, who’s fourth on that list, is also in the field (+4000 after a T-9 at the John Deere). Patrick Rodgers, the active leader with 332 winless starts, withdrew Tuesday.
Koivun being the favorite in his second pro start is certainly eye-catching at first glance. But he’s a field-best No. 51 in the Data Golf rankings, where he’s been as high as No. 32 this year. Bezuidenhout (No. 54), Homa (No. 63), McCarthy (No. 77) and Kohles (No. 78) are next in line.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about the PGA Tour's opposite-field event, the ISCO Championship
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One golfer will win $720,000 on Sunday night, pocketing 300 FedEx Cup points and a priceless two-year PGA Tour exemption on his way out. There are 144 players in the field, including eight sponsor exemptions, two PGA teaching professionals and four Monday qualifiers. Fifty spots are reserved for members of the DP World Tour — this event and next week’s Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic are part of the Europe-based circuit’s schedule, in accordance with the “strategic alliance” that led to the Scottish Open becoming an official PGA Tour event in 2022.
Hurstbourne Country Club, established in 1966, is ranked by Golf Digest as the fourth-best course in Kentucky. It hosted the ISCO for the first time last year and provided one of the stiffer tests of the PGA Tour’s 2025 season. The 36-hole cut of 1 over was one of just three over-par cuts in full-field, non-major events all year, and the ISCO was one of only four non-majors last year in which one or fewer players finished double-digits under par. The difficulty was in stark contrast to the 2024 tournament at Keene Trace Golf Club in Lexington, where the cut was a PGA Tour-record 8-under and 53 players shot 10-under or better for the week.
Like many PGA Tour hosts, Hurstbourne CC is a par 72 for members but will play as a par 70 this week, with just two par 5s (Nos. 7 and 10) and four par 3s (Nos. 6, 9, 13 and 17), alongside 12 par-4s. Holes No. 1 and 18 are par 5s for members, but they’ll instead be par 4s measuring 515 and 481 yards, respectively. The adjusted routing will feature no par 5s in the final eight holes, and with the long par-3 17th flowing into the challenging 18th, the leaders will face a challenge down the stretch.
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William Mouw came out of nowhere a year ago to capture his first career PGA Tour victory. He was seven shots back and tied for 25th entering the final round before shooting a 9-under 61 that gave him a four-shot lead when he finished at 10-under par. Paul Peterson, the 54-hole leader, made a late push to get within one but couldn’t birdie Nos. 17 or 18, leaving him at 9-under.
Both players return to Louisville looking to give their 2026 seasons a late boost. Mouw is 105th in the FedEx Cup standings (only 70 make the playoffs) with just one finish better than T-20 this season. Peterson has made just three of eight cuts this year, and his only two finishes better than T-67 have come at alternate-field events.
In fact, the entire top five from last year is back in search of momentum.
Spain’s Manuel Elvira rallied to finish third at 7-under in last year’s event; he’s had an inconsistent season on the DP World Tour, posting two top-10 finishes in 17 starts. American journeyman Vince Whaley, who was born in Lexington but moved away at age 4, and English veteran David Skinns rounded out the top five in 2025 — both posting 6-under. They’re 168th and 136th, respectively, with one combined top 10 in 24 appearances this year.
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Then there’s Jackson Koivun, who tied for sixth (5-under) as an amateur last summer. Koivun was so dominant at Auburn that his PGA Tour card was secure by the end of his sophomore season — although he returned to the Tigers as a junior in 2025-26. He officially turned pro after last month’s U.S. Open, where he finished T-23 and tied for low amateur honors. And while he missed the cut at last week’s John Deere Classic in his first start as a professional, he’s viewed not only as a threat to contend but as the betting favorite to win this week.
Chan Kim is also back at Hurstbourne, where he led by five at the halfway mark after rounds of 61 and 68. He backed up to T-14 (3-under) with rounds of 75 and 73. He’s split his time in 2026 between the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour (golf’s equivalent of Triple-A).
Notable names in the 2026 ISCO Championship
Local connections
Last year’s ISCO Championship field featured five alumni from St. Xavier High School, the same all-boys Louisville powerhouse that produced two-time major champion Justin Thomas. Three of those former Tigers are back in 2026, with Brendon Doyle (’14) and Stephen Stallings Jr. (’13) not listed in the field. Stallings was the only St. X grad to play the weekend a year ago, although he faded and finished last among players who made the cut.
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Drew Doyle (St. X ’20): The former LSU standout is working his way up the pro ranks. He won on the PGA Tour Americas in January in Colombia; he’s third on that circuit’s points list, so he should be in line for a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour by next year. Doyle has yet to make a PGA Tour cut in three tries, missing by two at last year’s ISCO, but he’s made all seven cuts so far in 2026.
Cooper Musselman (St. X ’13): The former Kentucky star hasn’t found steady status on a PGA Tour-sanctioned circuit, although this will be his eighth career start on the big tour. He missed last year’s ISCO cut by three, finishing 4-over.
Daniel Iceman (St. X ’08): The assistant golf professional at Weissinger Hills Golf Course in Shelbyville won the Kentucky PGA Professional Championship in 2024 and was runner-up last year. He played for the University of Louisville from 2010-13 after two seasons at Morehead State. Iceman shot rounds of 78 and 80 to finish at the bottom of the 2025 ISCO field. He’s one of two PGA of America pros playing this year, joining 2025 PGA Professional Championship winner Tyler Collet.
J.B. Holmes: The 44-year-old Campbellsville native starred at Taylor County High School — first making the varsity team as a third grader! — and the University of Kentucky, then won five PGA Tour events between 2006 and 2019. He’s largely disappeared in the past few years, spending more time with family and less time on the road; he doesn’t have a top-20 finish on tour since 2020. His only start in 2025 came at the ISCO, where he missed the cut. He was a surprise qualifier for the U.S. Open before missing the cut at Shinnecock Hills.
Adam Hadwin: The Canadian played for Louisville from 2005-09, most notable winning the 2009 Big East individual championship — and helping the Cardinals claim the team title — for his lone collegiate triumph. He was a full-timer on the PGA Tour from 2014-25, picking up a win in 2017, and has made eight starts this season while also competing on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Names you might recognize
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Max Homa:At No. 73 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Homa is the clear headliner. He’s a six-time PGA Tour winner who captured five victories in less than 24 months between 2021 and 2023. His game has fallen off enough for him to lose his guaranteed spot in the marquee fields, but he finished alone in second at last week’s John Deere Classic, so he’s certainly trending in the right direction. Homa’s popularity during his playing peak was buoyed by a humorous presence on Twitter (now X). He remains one of pro golf’s most popular Instagram presences, with more than 774,000 followers.
More: British Open-bound Max Homa playing ISCO instead of Scottish
Harry Higgs: “The Big Rig” is another social media darling who seems to be finding form of late. He was in the top 10 at the halfway mark of the U.S. Open three weeks ago before finishing T-43 there and T-21 last week. He can also be as good as it gets if you need a quote.
Joel Dahmen: In a similar vein, Dahmen has gained popularity through a humorous and genuine social media presence. He’s been highlighted in Netflix’s “Full Swing” docuseries after being a fan favorite in its first season. Dahmen overcame testicular cancer as a young professional to become a steady presence on the PGA Tour; his lone win came in an alternate-field event in 2021, but he’s kept his card for a decade straight. He’s not in great form, though, finishing no better than T-42 since the start of March.
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Miles Russell (a): The world’s top-ranked junior golfer doesn’t turn 18 until November, but the Florida state signee — he’ll be teammates with Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie — has already made waves in a handful of pro events. The lefty made a Korn Ferry Tour cut at 16 and made the U.S. Open cut last month, setting up a heartwarming moment as his father carried his bag on the 72nd hole. Russell missed the cut by two at last year’s ISCO.
ISCO betting odds
Jackson Koivun is the betting favorite to win in his second start as a PGA Tour pro.
Odds as of Tuesday, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Koivun +1500
- Homa +1900
- Davis Thompson +2350
- Christian Bezuidenhout +2450
- Mouw +2600
- Rico Hoey +2600
- Stephan Jaeger +2800
- Ben Kohles +2800
- Taylor Pendrith +3100
- Steven Fisk +3100
- Beau Hossler +3100
- Denny McCarthy +3200
Kohles was tied for the lead entering the final hole at the John Deere Classic, but he hooked his approach shot into the water and made double bogey to tumble into a tie for third behind Chris Gotterup and Homa. He shared the place with Lee Hodges and 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, both of whom are also in the ISCO field. Kohles is playing for the 10th straight week on either the PGA or Korn Ferry Tour.
Hossler and McCarthy rank third and fifth on tour in career starts without a win. Zac Blair, who’s fourth on that list, is also in the field (+4000 after a T-9 at the John Deere). Patrick Rodgers, the active leader with 332 winless starts, withdrew Tuesday.
Koivun being the favorite in his second pro start is certainly eye-catching at first glance. But he’s a field-best No. 51 in the Data Golf rankings, where he’s been as high as No. 32 this year. Bezuidenhout (No. 54), Homa (No. 63), McCarthy (No. 77) and Kohles (No. 78) are next in line.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about the PGA Tour's opposite-field event, the ISCO Championship
Continue reading...
