Wichita Open Tournament Director Roy Turner reflects on career before retiring

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — For this week’s special, we head out to Crestview Country Club, home of the 2022 Wichita Open.

Tournament Director and Wichita sports legend Roy Turner is in the middle of hosting his 23rd and final Open.

“My passion for Wichita and this tournament can be seen as you look around this great course,” Turner explained.

Turner has turned the Wichita Open into one of the best annual stops for the PGA’s Korn Ferry Tour. But his time in Wichita begins long before this tournament. Turner is in the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame for his time as the Wichita Wing’s head coach.

“Being a coach, I was about passion,” Turner added. “I was a passionate coach. I treated people like I would’ve wanted to be treated as a player. The success of the Wings and those crowds, and everything that went into it, was second to none.”

He believes his time with the Wings helped build the foundation for how he handles the Wichita Open.

“Sport, by itself, is not enough,” said Turner. “We need to have emotions. We need to have fun. And that’s what we’ve been able to do in the soccer business, and obviously, this business.”

Before going into retirement, Turner is hoping to put on the best tournament Wichita has seen.

“We do change. We do upgrade every year,” added Turner. “It’s tough to do sometimes, but we’ve done it again this year, and some of our upgrades, even to me, are remarkable.”