Small town airport seeing big time stars ahead of CJ CUP

JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Before golf’s biggest names could get a look at the course at Congaree Golf Club ahead of the CJ CUP, they had to find their way to Jasper County and the small town of Ridgeland, S.C.

To do that, eight players chose the local airport just nine miles down the road.

“It is extremely rewarding, it is extremely gratifying to us as you say with a small town airport, an airport that is still building out its infrastructure,” said Danny Lucas, airport manager.

Those golfers have come in over the last few days, with a handful of spectators still to hit this tarmac.

“We’ve had numerous reservations lodged with us for fans flying in from different parts of the country,” Lucas said.

The grass in the airfield, slightly different than its counterpart on the course, but provides a mutual benefit that Lucas says goes beyond the green.

“This is about more than just fun and games. This is about business,” Lucas said.

He says the more planes fly in and out of this airport, the more money they might see in the future.

“There might be industrialists who come and visit us and find a reason to come back to visit us and perhaps make an investment,” Lucas said.

Obviously, there’s more than a handful of golfers and fans on their way this week, so Lucas says the tournament will benefit the entire region not just his small town airport.

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