Barbasol Championship change ups the ante for Lexington's PGA Tournament

The Barbasol Championship is getting better this summer.

The only regular PGA Tour stop in the state of Kentucky is moving up one week. Since it became a mainstay at Champions Trace in 2015, the event has coincided with the British Open. The conflict has prevented many of the tour’s best players from taking their talents to Central Kentucky.

The 2022 edition of the event will be held July 7-10. Even though some players in the Open prepare in Europe prior to the major tournament, this year the door is open for more American stars to hit the links in Lexington.

There’s also an added benefit for this year’s Barbasol Championship winner. The victor will earn the final qualifying spot for the 150th Open Championship. Shortly after the victory, the winner will hop on a plane to Scotland to compete at St. Andrew’s.

It’s created the perfect storm for the best Barbasol Championship yet. Last year’s tournament was filled with a ton of drama, particularly for everyone at the KSR compound. JT Poston, caddied by our old pal Aaron Flener, went down to the wire in a six-hole playoff before ultimately falling to Seamus Power. That loss won’t sting as badly if JT can punch a ticket to St. Andrew’s with a win in Lexington this July.