David Bradshaw prepares to hit a shot. Photo by Greg Carey
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A field of 132 golfers will tee it up Wednesday in the signature event on the West Virginia Golf Association calendar. Glade Springs Resort in Daniels will play host to the state’s top professional and amateur golfers in the 93rd West Virginia Open.
Play begins on the Cobb and Stonehaven courses Wednesday at 8 a.m. Golfers will play 18 holes on each course before the field is trimmed to the low 60 golfers and ties entering Friday’s final round. The final round will be played on the Stonehaven course.
Glade Springs most recently hosted the West Virginia Open in 2020, when Parkersburg native Ken Hess held off Wheeling’s Thadd Obecny by one stroke the win his first championship.
Hess is one of seven former champions in this year’s field. David Bradshaw (12 championships), Christian Brand (4), Jonathan Clark (2), John Ross (2), Ryan Bilby and Todd Duncan have previously claimed the title.
Ryan Bilby won the 90th West Virginia Open at 10-under par. Photo by Greg Carey
Bradshaw, a Shepherd University graduate, won his first championship as an amateur in 2004 and he has added 11 more titles, most recently in 2021.
Defending champion and former touring professional Christian Brand won last year’s championship at Hurricane’s Sleepy Hollow Golf Club. The Marshall University graduate also won the event in 2014, 2015 and 2022.
Clark, who recently qualified for and competed in the United States Senior Open, won the Open in 2001 and 2012. Ross won the Open in 1997 and 1999.
Amateur golfers have won the last three championships. Brooke High School and Marshall University graduate Ryan Bilby won in 2023. Shady Spring High School and West Virginia University graduate Todd Duncan claimed the title in 2024. Brand’s 2025 title was his first since regaining amateur status.
WVU’s Todd Duncan lines up a putt on the No. 3 green in the Mountaineer Invitational at Pete Dye Golf Club (Photo by Joe Brocato)
All past champions are exempt from qualifying for the West Virginia Open. Six qualifying tournaments across the state set the field for the annual tournament.
13-time WV Amateur champion Pat Carter and 4-time WV Amateur champion Sam O’Dell lead the list of notable golfers seeking their first Open title. Other notable golfers in the field include 2024 runner-up Will Evans, former WVU golfer Chris Williams, Rutgers rising junior and former WV Junior Amateur champion Argyle Downes, former Marshall golfer Davey Jude and 2026 WV Senior Open runner-up Ian Patrick.
PGA Tour Americas touring pro Mason Williams is returning to West Virginia to compete during an off-week on the tour calendar. The Bridgeport native is currently 11th on the PGA Tour Americas points list. Five events remain on the tour schedule. The top ten golfers at the end of the season earn direct qualification for the PGA Korn Ferry Tour in 2027.
Mason Williams watches his shot. Photo by Greg Carey
Many of the state’s top junior golfers are also in the WV Open field, including Marshall commit Carson O’Dell, 2-time WV Junior Amateur champion and WVU commit Tommy Evans, Carson Higginbotham, University of Charleston signee Cam Fallon, Parker O’Dell, WV Junior Match Play champion Ben Carew and AJGA WVU Medicine United Hospital Center champion Alex Randolph.