Local Knowledge: Annandale Golf Club and the Viking Classic

This week, the PGA Tour heads to Jackson, Miss., for the next-to-last event of the 2009 season -- the Viking Classic. Before the players got to town, we sat down with Annandale Golf Club PGA Head Professional Stephen Christopher for a little Q&A. Christopher talked about the compelling storylines the event will have and also shed some light on 2008 champion and funny man, Will MacKenzie.

PGA.com: The Viking Classic has a later date on the schedule this year. I imagine that has to be pretty exciting for everyone there considering the storylines that will unfold with many players in the field needing to play exceptionally well in order to avoid a dreaded trip to q-school. Can you talk a little about that?

Will MacKenzie is the defending champion of the Viking Classic. (Benc/Getty Images)

RELATED
• Viking Classic coverage • PGATour.com's expert picks • Approach shots will be key at Annandale this week.  See how you can improve your iron play. • Local Knowledge archive

Christopher: Our tournament has been here 16 years and I've been here for each one of them. We've progressed to three or four different better dates on the schedule over that time. We've been at the end of the year for eight of the 16 years. Even before the FedExCup came along, this tournament has been very beneficial for a lot of the guys in terms of playing their way into majors and keeping their card. There will be a lot of guys here trying to earn money and move up to improve their status for next year. Not having another event opposite us is going to be great for the fans and the publicity we get in the golf publications. Another reason we moved it is there are a lot of events in the area this time of year with college football and state fair. For the first time in a long time, we don't have to compete with any of that. None of our three in-state schools will be playing here on the weekend. We're excited that more people will be able to come out and support the tournament a little more this time around.

PGA.com: Last year, you had an extremely popular champion in Will MacKenzie. I've never run into anyone who doesn't love Will's personality. Is there anything about his victory that stands out in your mind?

Christopher: I think there are a couple of things. Being where we are as far as the schedule is concerned, we get a lot of rising stars who haven't reached stardom just yet and a lot of guys who were stars and are looking to regain their way back to it. Will hadn't reached it yet, but he was a good player on the Nationwide Tour.

I had a chance to visit with Will as much, or more so, after his victory than any previous winner. I enjoyed that. Visiting with his new baby and sharing some champagne. What stands out with him is it was a live-changing event for him to win and the status he gained. It gives him confidence and a little more money in the bank, if you will, to make him feel like he can go out, take a chance and not have that grinding pressure every week of making a check. We enjoy seeing young players, or older for that matter, come here and know when they win it's changed their life and watch them and see what happens when they start the new year. Will hasn't had a great year -- he'll be the first to tell you that -- but he's looking forward to getting back to a place where he has a lot of confidence.

PGA.com: There's so much time and effort that goes into planning a PGA Tour event. How exciting that the event is finally almost here?

Christopher: It comes at a real good time of year for us from the club's standpoint. The year is coming to a close and this is some of the best weather, typically, that you'll have for golf in Mississippi -- highs in the 70s, pushing 80s, but not as hot and humid. Having done this for 16 years with the help of the tournament office and great maintenance staff, things are a lot easier than one might think.

This tournament, in ways, marks the end of our year. Things will slow down with football and hunting season in full swing. This year has been unique in that we've had a lot of rain here and it's been a challenge to get things set up, but it'll be fine for the tournament. The weather looks good. We're excited that we're going to have really good weather for the tournament. It'll be nice to have good weather for a change.

PGA.com: As the head professional at Annandale, what's your favorite part about hosting a PGA Tour event?

Christopher: The relationships with the players, for one. But frankly, there's something a little different than the norm: it's exciting to have the single-largest sporting event in the state. It's marquis that we have the single-largest sporting event. We know what it does in our local area for charity. The tournament really helps charitable organizations get revenue. It's not just one thing that's my favorite. It's cool to visit with the tour pros and hear what they say, but it what makes you feel good as a whole is what it does for charity in your area. That's exciting too.

PGA.com: What has been your most memorable experience so far at Annandale?

Christopher: I think one of my most memorable was the first year in 1994. This wasn't memorable on a good note, though. We only got in 36 holes because of weather and Brian Henninger won. I remember being in the merchandise tent in the middle of the course and having it knocked down from weather. That was memorable in a scary sense.

But all the champions we've had and all the lives that have been changed are memorable.

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to fill in for Scott Verplank during the pro-am one year and my team won the pro-am. Nobody else probably remembers that, but I'll never forget it.

We've been blessed with a lot of great champions and players through the years. It's a laid back style of event, which is what I think the guys like. People are always willing to take the guys fishing, or bow hunting and to wild game cookouts. All the extracurricular activities sum up the memories for me.