In a major year for Louisville, the 2024 PGA Championship has changed the course of Valhalla.
St. X alumnus Jimmy Kirchdorfer acquired Valhalla in late June of 2022 when the PGA of America decided to sell the course. He, along with three other members, including Chess Musselman, who is also a St. X alumnus, purchased Valhalla to ensure the course ownership remained local. Along with this purchase, Kirchdorfer became the president of Valhalla, which came with even more responsibilities.
Valhalla has gone through many course updates in this past calendar year. In November of last year, they shut down the course for maintenance in preparation for the PGA this May. Members were not able to play the course at all besides one weekend in April when they were able to play the course with all the stands and the tournament conditions. The course also lengthened the par-3 14th hole to 254 yards. However, it’s not just the length of the course that poses a challenge, but also the thickness of the rough, which is sure to test the skill of the professional golfers.
Kirchdorfer is aware of the uncontrollables of hosting a golf tournament, like weather forecasts and who wins the tournament. Just like he would love clear skies and sunshine, it would also be a storybook ending if St. X alumnus and Louisville native Justin Thomas took home his third PGA Championship trophy in his hometown.
“He’ll obviously be the crowd favorite here,” Kirchdorfer said of Justin Thomas. “He’s been great to this community, and everybody saw him grow up. He used to come out to Valhalla. As a kid, they would bring him out here on his birthday. It was a big treat for him. I know he’s excited.”
As the PGA Championship is one of professional golf’s four major tournaments, Valhalla has a real chance to step into the spotlight. Kirchdorfer knows this and is so focused on having Louisville traditions on the grounds at Valhalla, ensuring the tournament’s success.
“We want people to create memories,” Kirchdorfer said. “A lot of people will tell me they were here in 2008 when the Ryder Cup was here. They were here in 2014 when Rory won or even 2000, when Tiger Woods had an epic playoff that you still see on the Golf Channel. People have great memories from their time in Valhalla, so hopefully this is just one more time that produces great memories for the people that come here all week.”
