Hollis Cavner is the CEO of Pro Links Sports, which is an event management and corporate hospitality company that manages many PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events including the U.S. Senior Open, the World Golf Championship in Mexico City, the Valspar Championship, the Wells Fargo Championship, the Boca Raton Championship, the Sanford International, the Insperity Invitational and the 3M Open here at the TPC Twin Cities.

I sat down, OK with this COVID 19 I called him, to gain some insightful information about Hollis and this year’s unique spectator-less 3M Open.

Joe Stansberry: Where and how did you get your start into tournament management?

Hollis Cavner: I started working with ESPN in the early 80s as a gopher/runner. After that David Fay, executive director of the USGA thought I’d be good in tournaments, so he hired me and I worked on several U.S. Opens and Senior Opens. After that experience, I set up our company Pro Links Sports, LLC in 1992.

JS: I know you were very close to Arnold Palmer and he helped mentor you. What is your fondest memory of “The King”?

HC: I think my fondest memory of him was our vacations we took together with just our families down in the Bahamas. Where Arnold could just be Arnold… away from golf… just being himself.

JS: Now that the 3M Open must be held without spectators, will that have an impact on the charitable donations to the community?

HC: Well as you know without spectators and corporate sponsors you lose a lot of revenue, but because of the continued support, extreme support from 3M and the company they are, we will still make a very large donation to our charities this year.

JS: How actively were you involved with the PGA TOUR, and in particular commissioner Jay Monahan, regarding the restructured 2020 schedule? And was there a risk that the 3M Open would be canceled?

HC: Pro Links Sports was extremely active because three of the tournaments that were canceled were ours. Our concern was the financial side plus the impact, not only on the sponsors, but the communities and our charities. The TOUR was extremely helpful and were accommodating on our dates. And yes, could the tournament have been canceled? Big time! If Governor Walz said “NO” it was out! The PGA TOUR wanted us to play, even under the current norm.

JS: If you were Governor Walz, what would you have done regarding spectators and sponsors at the 3M Open?

HC: I would have probably allowed limited guests. I really wanted to bring in the military active duty and retired military and give out tickets as freebies. But I think the Governor and his experts certainly know more and are a lot smarter than I! All in all, I am very happy he allowed us to have the tournament!

JS: Are you comfortable with the safety protocol not only for the players, caddies and PGA TOUR personnel, but more so for all your staff and countless volunteers for this year’s event?

HC: ABSOLUTELY! It very well thought out. Players and our staff will be in a bubble starting a week before the event. Sanford Health Systems will be on site testing us multiple times, and during tournament week, we will be tested four times with results within 90 minutes. As for the volunteers, the numbers will be down significantly. Volunteers will also be tested but, because they will not have as close of contact to players and staff, they will not have to go through as stringent testing as the players and staff.

JS: Finally, what is your proudest accomplishment from either the 3M Championship or the current 3M Open?

HC: I think bringing professional golf to Minnesota on a full time basis. Minnesota fans are some of the best and deserve it! They are phenomenal! And to start as a successful Champions Tour event and evolve into a top notch PGA TOUR event is a tremendous accomplishment that I am very proud of. I just wish the fans could be out here and witness this year’s great event along with the best players in the world…. but at least we will put on a great TV show for everybody!