Times Observer File Photos Nate Sandberg, seen in this 2019 file photo, will be one of the golfers who will be teeing it up for the 2021 Jim Riggs Memorial Champions at South Hills Country Club in Busti, N.Y. on June 13. The event will feature area club champions from 2019 and 2020 as well as past Jim Riggs Memorial Champions winners. Sandberg claimed the club title at Jackson Valley Golf Course in 2019.

After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jim Riggs Memorial Champions will return in 2021 — with an expanded look.

The stroke-play golf tournament, which will be held June 13 at South Hills Country Club in Busti, N.Y. will include the men’s scratch club champions — in both 2019 and 2020 — from all of the regulation 18- and nine-hole courses in the circulation areas of The Post-Journal, the OBSERVER and the Times Observer. Past champions will also be receiving invites, bringing the potential field to almost 60.

The Riggs Memorial Champions, now in its 31st year, was the brainchild of the late Jim Riggs, the sports editor at The Post-Journal from 1979-2015.

“There’s nothing like it in the three-county area right now,” said tournament director Nolan Swanson, co-owner of Pinehurst Golf Club in Westfield. N.Y. “This is the only individual golf tournament without handicap. It’s fun. It’s just a great time.”

Swanson, who has played in the tournament six times, winning it once, said invitations will be mailed to the home courses of the 2019 and 2020 club champs as well as the past Jim Riggs Memorial Champions winners. Invitees are asked to email Swanson at pinehurstgolfclub@gmail.com to confirm their participation. The deadline is June 1.

The 2019 Jim Riggs Memorial Champions winner was Scott Crist of Bemus Point Golf Course, who shot a 73 at Cable Hollow Golf Course, one shot better than runner-up Kevin Kaszuba from Shorewood CC.