Myrtle Beach Is Where the Season Stops Being Hypothetical

Albuquerque didn’t hand out answers.
It handed out reminders.

Long days. Thin air. Games that stretched past comfort and into honesty. Some players left sharper. Some left frustrated. Everyone left knowing exactly where their game bends when the weekend doesn’t let up.

That’s what makes Myrtle Beach different.

This isn’t just another stop on the calendar. This is the first Pro National of the season, and for the first time all year, the bracket arrives with a shape already carved into it. The Top 100 Pros are seeded. Everyone else has to earn their way in through play-ins, where the boards are loud, the opponents are desperate, and nothing comes easy.

Seeding doesn’t mean safety.
It means inevitability.

For Colin Hodet, the road begins clean and immediately tightens. A qualifier stands across from him first — someone fighting just to be there — and then the bracket starts asking harder questions. Gio Mora. Jacob Trzcienski. No time to settle in. Myrtle doesn’t reward patience; it demands readiness.

Gage Landis steps into the same reality. A qualifier first, then the possibility of Kyle Petering or Sam Finley. His season has been built on consistency, and Myrtle will test whether that steadiness survives when the pace jumps and the margin shrinks.

For Adrian Brunson, Myrtle Beach wastes no time announcing itself. A play-in opener, then the potential of Tanner Halbert, and possibly Hunter Thorson beyond that. This is what the first Pro National does — it removes gentle introductions.

Gio Mora’s path feels almost scripted. Qualifier first. Jacob Trzcienski next. And if he survives, Colin Hodet waiting. That’s Myrtle Beach telling you exactly where you stand.

Collin Powers doesn’t get a breather either. Qualifier. Then Anthony Eastridge or Adam Hisner. The bracket assumes you’re ready — and moves on quickly if you’re not.

For Richard Nyberg, the climb is familiar but unforgiving. A qualifier to start, then Eddie Grinderslev, and if that door opens, Erick Davis. No favors. No easing in.

Hunter Thorson and Hunter Thorne both arrive knowing their names don’t soften the bracket. Thorson could see Brunson or Halbert almost immediately. Thorne may need to go through Nico Mireles just to earn a look at Gavin Cano. That’s not bad luck. That’s the format doing its job.

Spencer Fabionar’s path reflects exactly where his season stands. A qualifier first — no skipping steps — followed by Kamryn Belvin or Chad Hunt. Myrtle Beach doesn’t care how explosive you can be if you can’t lock in fast.

Tony Forbes faces the same kind of test. Qualifier. Then Mike Hoffman or Matt Wilson. The kind of stretch that exposes whether confidence holds when nothing breaks your way.

For Owen Krick, the road tightens quickly. Survive the qualifier, handle Justin Stranger, and suddenly Cash Chamness might be across the boards. Seeding doesn’t remove danger — it concentrates it.

Connor Heiser draws a climb that stacks immediately. Qualifier. Then Quinn Reeves. Then possibly Devon Harbaugh. Myrtle doesn’t space out difficulty. It layers it.

And Frank Verona’s path offers no shortcuts. Qualifier first, then Nick Mescal, and if he gets through that, Trey Burchfield waiting. That’s not a bracket designed for comfort.

Threaded through all of it are the players who won’t see the seeded side at all unless they fight their way there. Qualifiers don’t ask how close you were last week. They ask how sharp you are right now.

Even the Armed Forces event reflects the weekend’s tone. Brent Loghry, owner of Brotherhood Cornhole, teaming with Rich Chamness, owner of BG Cornhole, isn’t about seeding or ranking. It’s about respect for the game and the people who carry it. Different bracket. Same seriousness.

Everything before Myrtle Beach taught lessons.

Myrtle Beach decides which ones stick.

This isn’t the beginning of the season.
It’s the first time the season speaks back.

What to Watch

Watch how quickly the seeded players impose themselves — and who looks uncomfortable carrying expectation.
Watch the qualifiers, because desperation has a way of turning into danger fast.
Watch who survives Friday without draining the tank, and who looks spent before the weekend even tightens.

The first Pro National doesn’t reward promise.
It rewards readiness.