When this year’s Wyndham Championship tees off in Greensboro later this month, the golf won’t be the only big draw.
Country artist Lanie Gardner – a Burnsville native who’s been making waves on the national stage – is set to headline a benefit concert at Piedmont Hall at the Greensboro Coliseum complex on Thursday, July 31, following the opening round of the tournament.
High Point native and former “The Voice” contestant Tatum Scott will also perform.
The show, sponsored by the Wyndham Championship and Cone Health, will raise money for communities in Western North Carolina that are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene.
All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly toward recovery and rebuilding efforts in the region.
Hurricane Helene made landfall late on Sept. 27, 2024, in Florida’s Big Bend region before heading into North Carolina. Though that storm didn’t originally dominate headlines nationally, it brought catastrophic rainfall to the mountains – particularly around Asheville – with totals ranging from 12 to 20 inches over two days and some spots seeing even more.
Among the many losses was Asheville’s Municipal Golf Course, known to locals as “Muni,” a Donald Ross design. The flat front nine was obliterated by floodwaters; however the back nine – which sits higher – managed to survive the storm and it remains open for play. A full restoration of the front nine is planned, but that will take time and money.
To help keep the course operating in the meantime, the Wyndham Championship has teamed up with Wyndham Rewards and The First Tee – Central Carolina to raise operating funds and make sure Muni stays open.
Gardner is a rising star who has drawn national attention in recent months. Her second album, Polaroids, was released in June, and she was recently named the Apple Music Country Riser of the Month. She also took part in Darius Rucker’s “Darius and Friends” benefit concert for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Scott, now based in Nashville, was a contestant on NBC’s “The Voice” earlier this year. She joined Team Legend, but her run ended in a head-to-head battle with Bryson Battle, another North Carolina native.
Tickets for the benefit concert can be purchased through the Greensboro Coliseum Complex box office or through Ticketmaster.
Just last week, severe flooding in parts of Texas claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed towns, serving as another grim reminder of how suddenly and powerfully storms can upend communities.
The Wyndham Championship, held at Sedgefield Country Club, is the seventh-oldest event on the PGA TOUR outside the majors. Founded in 1938 marks the end of the regular season and determines the 70-player field for the FedExCup Playoffs.
This year it is set for Wednesday, July 30 through Sunday, Aug. 3,
More information about the tournament, which was once known as the Greater Greensboro Open – and even better known as the GGO – is available at WyndhamChampionship.com.
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