CANONSBURG — Sports management is the career of choice for Knoch graduate Melissa Myler.

The 2006 Slippery Rock University graduate learned the trade in college and is experiencing it in a big way as operations manager of the Mylan Classic, a Nationwide Golf Tour event scheduled for Sept. 2-5 at Southpointe Golf Club.

Myler served an internship with the United States Golf Association and worked the U.S. Open when it was at Oakmont Country Club in 2007.

"That experience was absolutely perfect for me. It worked out to a tee," Myler said.

Her most pressing duties at the U.S. Open were working with the 5,300 volunteers for the event. Those volunteers were part of 30 committees Myler helped to coordinate.

She also worked on player housing. PGA golfers had the option of renting available homes in the area for $7,500 that week or staying in a hotel. Every player received a rental car upon his arrival to Pittsburgh.

"Some golfers wanted to stay close to the course, some wanted a putting green in their backyards ... There were plenty of specific requests," Myler said. "I probably worked 17-hour days for two or three weeks or so."

It proved worthwhile as Myler met an Oakmont member who owned Chestnut Ridge Golf Club in Blairsville. She worked there as a sales manager for two years before interviewing for her current position, which is under Washington County Economic Development, Inc., affiliated with the county's Chamber of Commerce.

"I caught a break in that the tournament director of the Mylan Classic, Chase McClain, is a fellow SRU graduate," Myler said. "I had never met him, but I felt like I was talking to an old friend."

The Mylan Classic is a non-profit event, with all profits being dispersed to different charities.

When someone buys tickets for the tournament online, he must choose a charity to which his money benefits. There are 125 charities listed on the Mylan Classic website, including the Butler Health System Foundation, Butler A.M. Rotary Club, Butler Rotary Foundation and United Way of Butler County.

"It's a unique set-up in that a charity that helps to sell tickets gets all of that money back," Myler said. "We've already hit $90,800 in ticket sales and the tournament is still almost three months away.

"Our goal is to reach $250,000 in sales."

The Nationwide Tour event generating the most money in ticket sales thus far is the Albertson's Boise Open in Idaho, which generated more than $1 million.

As operations manager, Myler is again working with volunteers. This time, that number is 500.

"It's been tough finding them this year because the U.S. Women's Open at Oakmont is taking up a lot of volunteers as well," Myler said.

Arnold Palmer is the honorary chairperson for the Mylan Classic. His grandson, Sam Saunders, has been granted an exemption to play in the event.

The rest of the field will be comprised of the top 135 golfers on the money list at that time.

"That's why we really can't promote certain golfers who are coming," Myler said. "That money lost flip-flops all the time."

The 72-hole stroke play competition will feature a 36-hole cut to the lowest 60 scores. Total purse for the event is $600,000 with $108,000 going to the winner.

The top 25 golfers on the Nationwide Tour money list at the end of the season will be awarded their 2011 PGA Tour cards.

Nationwide Tour graduates have won more than 260 PGA Tor titles, including 13 majors.

For more inmformation or to buy tickets to the Mylan Classic, visit www.mylanclassic.com.