Published on November 10th, 2026
Location: USA
Atlantis Ocean Club Golf Course to Welcome World’s Best Amateurs for ITG Tournament of Champions
Paradise Island, Bahamas, November 10 2026 – Following a successful 2025 debut that established the tournament among the world’s premier amateur golf events, the newly named Impact Through Golf (ITG) Tournament of Champions returns to Paradise Island in 2026, bringing many of the game’s top amateur players together for another week of elite competition, with recent PGA Tour winner Blades Brown serving as Tournament Ambassador and Co-host.
The tournament will be contested December 14-16, 2026, at the Atlantis Ocean Club Golf Course at Atlantis Paradise Island. The early field is one of the strongest in amateur golf highlighted by 2026 Phil Mickelson Freshman of the Year Award winner Kihei Akina, top-ranked AJGA player Miles Russell, No. 2-ranked amateur Tyler Watts, and No. 8-ranked amateur Josiah Gilbert.
Additional player announcements are coming soon.
Blades Brown will serve as Tournament Ambassador and Co-host for the 2026 event, helping welcome the next generation of elite amateur golfers to Paradise Island. Brown, who prevailed at the 2026 World Wide Technology Championship to become the youngest PGA Tour winner in nearly 90 years, is uniquely positioned to connect with a field of players pursuing the same path from elite amateur golf to the professional ranks.
“Atlantis Paradise Island is proud to welcome the Impact Through Golf Tournament of Champions and an outstanding field of athletes to the Atlantis Ocean Club Golf Course,” said Audrey Oswell, President and Managing Director of Atlantis Paradise Island. “There is something special about bringing the next generation of Golf’s top players to Paradise Island, and we look forward to providing an experience that matches the caliber of competition on the course.”
The inaugural event, previously known as the White Sands Bahamas Men’s Invitational, earned recognition as the ninth highest-rated men’s amateur tournament of 2025 according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). The event attracted 19 of the top 100 players in the WAGR rankings and awarded PGA Tour sponsor exemptions to champion Grayson Wood from the University of Georgia and runner-up Carson Bertagnole from the University of North Carolina. Both players earned opportunities to compete on golf’s biggest stage in Puerto Rico and Myrtle Beach.
The tournament represents an extension of Impact Through Golf’s mission to harness the power of golf to create positive change and strengthen communities. Through the Foundation, Impact Through Golf supports organizations addressing needs including youth and family support, health and wellness, homelessness, disaster relief and recovery, and community improvement.
“Impact Through Golf was founded on the belief that the game can be a powerful force for positive change, creating opportunities for young people and strengthening the communities it touches,” said Frank Marzano, Chairman of the Board, Impact Through Golf. “The ITG Tournament of Champions brings that mission to life by giving exceptional young golfers a world-class platform to compete while demonstrating how the game can make an impact that extends far beyond the course.”
As we enter this next chapter as the ITG Tournament of Champions, we’re excited to build on that momentum with another outstanding field, a world-class venue and an experience that provides some of the best amateur players in the world with a meaningful pathway to the next level.”
Jeff Raedle, Executive Vice President of Golf Events, SPORTFIVE
The 2026 field will compete for World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and coveted PGA Tour exemptions that provide a direct pathway to professional golf.
Championship Course & Format
The tournament will be contested at the Tom Weiskopf-designed Atlantis Ocean Club Golf Course at Atlantis Paradise Island, a par-72 layout that stretches 7,159 yards. Players will compete in a 54-hole stroke-play format, with 36 holes played on the opening day followed by an 18-hole final round. The champion and runner-up will earn PGA Tour sponsor exemptions into two separate PGA Tour events, with a playoff (if necessary), determining which player receives each exemption. The two events will be announced soon.
Beyond championship competition, The Impact Through Golf Tournament of Champions week will feature practice rounds, a beachside welcome reception and an Am-Am competition, giving players, families and guests the opportunity to experience the hospitality and natural beauty of The Bahamas, while enjoying an atmosphere modeled after professional golf’s biggest events.
Event Legacy
The Impact Through Golf Tournament of Champions builds upon The Bahamas’ longstanding tradition of hosting elite golf competition and the success of the White Sands Bahamas Golf Series, which has welcomed top men’s and women’s collegiate golfers to Paradise Island since 2019.
With its evolution into an elite individual amateur championship and now the Impact Through Golf Tournament of Champions, the event continues to strengthen Paradise Island’s place on the global golf calendar while creating new opportunities for the game’s next generation.
For more information and reservations please visit itgtournamentofchampions.com and follow @itgtournamentofchampions on Instagram.
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About SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.
While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.
Being at the centre of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, in order to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Handball, Motorsport, Esports, Cricket, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Hockey, Rugby, Olympics and Multi-Sport Events, Wintersports and many more.
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About Atlantis Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Atlantis Paradise Island recently completed $250 million in bold renovations and launched exciting new partnerships throughout the resort — including a full transformation of The Royal Towers, a reimagined Atlantis Casino, and much more. These enhancements mark a dynamic new chapter for the world’s most iconic entertainment resort destination, ensuring that guests from around the globe continue to enjoy the very best of Atlantis: with stunning accommodations, innovative cuisine, and unforgettable experiences ranging from live music performances and concerts to internationally acclaimed food and wine festivals. For more information and reservations, please visit atlantisbahamas.com.
About Ocean Club Golf Course
Atlantis Paradise Island’s Ocean Club Golf Course offers a challenging and beautiful course for golfers desiring championship play. Masterfully conceived, the Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole, par 72 championship course stretches over 7,100 yards on Atlantis’ peninsula. The course has hosted iconic sporting events such as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI), the Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament and the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. For more information about Atlantis Paradise Island resort and the Ocean Club please visit www.atlantisbahamas.com.
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About ITG
The Impact Through Golf Foundation was formed in July 2019 and serves as the charitable, nonprofit organization for The American Express®. The Foundation provides funding to organizations that support health and wellness, education, youth and family support, homelessness, natural disaster recovery, rebuilding support, and capital improvement. Since the tournament’s inception in 1960, The American Express® has generated more than $68 Million to support more than 100 non-profit organizations and charities in the Coachella Valley region. For more information, please visit: https://impactthroughgolf.org.
Press contacts
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Jack Milko
Communications & PR Manager, USA
jack.milko@sportfive.com
