Leonard wins final Dominion Energy Charity Classic golf tournament in Henrico; new tournament to enter region in 2026

Justin Leonard eagled the final hole to capture the 2025 Dominion Energy Charity Classic title at The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course in Henrico Oct. 19, marking the end of the tournament’s decade-long run at the course.

Leonard’s eagle helped him finish the tournament at 12-under-par, which held up for a one-stroke win when Ernie Els, who had been leading much of the tournament’s final day, finished with a bogey on No. 17 and a par on No. 18.

The tournament was the first playoff event this season on the PGA Tour Champions, which is open to players 50 and older and includes many professional golfers who have starred on the PGA Tour circuit for years.

Leonard, 53, has 12 wins on the PGA Tour and one golf major, the 1997 Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland.

On Monday, regional officials announced that a new professional golf event – the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region – will begin a four-year run at The Federal Club in Hanover County Oct. 5-11, 2026.

The Korn Ferry Tour is the professional circuit for golfers who are trying to gain, or regain, membership on the PGA Tour. The new event in Hanover will serve as its championship event, awarding fully exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour to all players who qualify for the event and awarding PGA Tour membership cards to the top 20 players on the tour's points list at the conclusion of the event.

Korn Ferry is a global consulting firm.

“We’re thrilled to announce that the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region will be moving here, beginning next year,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “This community has been an incredible host to a PGA TOUR Champions event for a decade, and we’re looking forward to building on the foundation they’ve established in this area. A thank you to each of the local organizations for their partnership in making the Richmond region the new home for our season-finale event, which is highlighted by the PGA TOUR Card Ceremony, the most impactful moment of the Korn Ferry Tour season. We are thrilled for what the future holds here in Virginia.”

The agreement to bring the new event to the Richmond region developed through the collaboration of four tourism and economic development organizations: the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Richmond Region Tourism, the Henrico Economic Development Authority and the Henrico Sports and Entertainment Authority.

“We are proud to join our partners in bringing this exciting new chapter of professional golf to the Richmond Region,” said Henrico Board of Supervisors Chair Dan Schmitt of the Brookland District, who also is a member of Richmond Region Tourism’s Executive Committee. “Hosting the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship highlights our region’s ability to deliver world-class sporting events that drive tourism and economic growth. The Federal Club will provide an exceptional stage in 2026, and we look forward to building on this partnership and showcasing future venues, including The Crossings in Henrico, as premier destinations for professional golf.”

Henrico officials purchased The Crossings Golf Club in Glen Allen in August 2024 for $3 million and partnered with Pros, Incorporated, which is renovating and updating the course to PGA standards and will operate it for at least 20 years. Officials had hoped the course would be finished in time to be considered as a new home for the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, whose run at CCV ended in part because members of that club wanted the ability to play the course more often during the fall.

The DECC has generated more than $14 million for local charities during its run, tournament officials said. The team that has overseen the event will transition to manage the new event, according to DECC Executive Director Steve Schoenfeld, who will hold the same title for the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. “The support the community has demonstrated over the past ten years has been nothing short of spectacular, so we are excited to be able to remain here and cannot wait to get started on this next chapter of professional golf in the Richmond region.”

The Korn Ferry Tour (then known as the Nike Tour, the Buy.com Tour and the Nationwide Tour) previously hosted the Henrico County Open at The Dominion Club in Glen Allen from 1993 to 2008.