Monthly Archives: July 2024

48th Junior PGA Championships Begin Tuesday at Congressional Country Club

BETHESDA, Md. — Two of golf’s major junior championships—the 48th Junior PGA Championships—tee off at storied Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, July 30-Aug. 2.

The Junior PGA Championships are open to amateurs no older than 18 years of age on August 2, and all contestants must have qualified through a PGA of America Section Championship or have been granted an exemption into the field.

The four-day, 72-hole event will feature 312 players—156 girls, 156 boys—playing concurrently. Each division will have a 36-hole cut on Wednesday, July 31, to the low 60 scorers and ties, and a 54-hole cut Thursday, August 1, to the low 30 scorers and ties. The first two rounds will be played on both the Blue and Gold Courses at Congressional before moving exclusively to the Blue Course for the final two rounds.

The top female junior golfers will compete for the Patty Berg Trophy. The girls division features seven of the top 15 junior players, according to the Rolex American Junior Golf Association Rankings, highlighted by No. 5 Asterisk Talley, No. 6 Aphrodite Deng and No. 9 Elise Lee.

The top male junior golfers competing for the Jack Nicklaus Trophy feature seven of the top 15 junior players, including No. 4 Pennson Badgett, No. 5 Will Hartman and No. 6 Jackson Byrd.

Included in the two fields are 18 players from the host Middle Atlantic PGA Section. More than 100 college coaches are expected to be in attendance for the final two rounds.

The Junior PGA Championships are where the best in the world get their start. Among previous participants are Tiger Woods, Rose Zhang, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Lexi Thompson, Yuka Saso, Scottie Scheffler, Akshay Bhatia and Inbee Park.

The 2023 Junior PGA Championships were held at Hot Springs Country Club, where 15-year-old Gianna Clemente won the Girls Division by three strokes and 14-year-old Miles Russell cruised to a seven-shot victory in the Boys Division. The two champions were both members of the 2023 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team in Rome. Clemente’s stellar year included making her first LPGA Tour cut to finish T-47 earlier this summer at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, while Russell made history in April as the youngest player to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour, ultimately finishing T-20 at the LECOM Suncoast Classic.

Players to Watch at the 2024 Junior PGA Championships

Girls Division:

Asterisk Talley – Chowchilla, California

The No. 5-ranked golfer on the AJGA Rankings, Talley is a two-time Junior All-American, earning First Team honors in 2023. She won the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley after posting three wins in 2023 at the C.T. Pan Foundation Championship and Rolex Girls Junior Championship. The 15-year-old was the runner-up at the 75th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship earlier in July and made the cut to finish as the co-low amateur at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open.

Aphrodite Deng – Short Hills, New Jersey

One of the youngest players in the field at 14, Deng is currently ranked No. 6 on the AJGA Rankings and was a 2023 Honorable Mention Rolex Junior All-American. Deng’s strong season has included wins at the 2023 Rolex Tournament of Champions, the inaugural The Nelly Invitational in May and the New Jersey State Golf Association Junior Girls’ Championship in June.

Elise Lee – Irvine, California

Currently No. 9 on the AJGA Rankings, Lee boasts top 10 finishes in her last three AJGA events: Mizuho Americas Open (5th), The Nelly Invitational (T-6) and Fortinet Girls Invitational at Stanford (T-2). The 2022 Junior All-American will be playing at Northwestern University starting in the fall.

Boys Division:

Pennson Badgett – Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

The No. 4-ranked golfer on the AJGA Rankings, Badgett has had a strong 2024 with wins at the RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic, UNIQLO / Adam Scott Junior Championship and Visit Goldsboro NC Junior Championship. The 16-year-old also finished T-5 at the 2024 Wyndham Invitational presented by Odyssey.

Will Hartman – Marvin, North Carolina

Currently No. 5 on the AJGA Rankings, Hartman returns to the Junior PGA Championship after finishing T-5 in 2023. A member of the 2023 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team, he won the 29th Annual Bobby Chapman in October and finished T-5 at the 2024 RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic. Hartman, who turned 18 over the weekend, was a 2023 First Team Junior All-America and is verbally committed to play golf at Vanderbilt University.

Jackson Byrd – Saint Simons Island, Georgia

The son of five-time PGA TOUR winner Jonathan Byrd, Jackson Byrd returns to the Junior PGA Championship following a runner-up finish in 2023. The No. 6-ranked AJGA golfer was a member of the 2023 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team and is a two-time Honorable Mention Junior All-American. Byrd, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on the opening day of the 2024 Junior PGA Championships, finished T-3 at the 2024 RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic and T-6 at the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley.

Players From the Middle Atlantic PGA Section in the Fields (18):

  • Abigail Avallone, Bethesda, Maryland
  • Zoe Cusack, Potomac, Maryland
  • Talon Dingledine, North Chesterfield, Virginia
  • Clark Xander Goboy, Chesapeake, Virginia
  • Kathryn Ha, Roanoke, Virginia
  • Samuel Han, Ashburn, Virginia
  • Alina Ho, Great Falls, Virginia
  • Irene Kim, Columbia, Maryland
  • Carson Looney, Bethesda, Maryland
  • Elsie MacCleery, Crozet, Virginia
  • Keya Naik, Ashburn, Virginia
  • Macie Rasmussen, Chesapeake, Virginia
  • Logan Reilly, Lovettsville, Virginia
  • Madison Rizzo, Leesburg, Virginia
  • Brandon Sipe, Yorktown, Virginia
  • Ashika Vuradi, Brambleton, Virginia
  • Helen Yeung, Clarksville, Maryland
  • Timothy Yi, Centreville, Virginia

PGA Buying Summit Brings Golf Industry Together for Packed Midseason Business Event at PGA Frisco, July 29-31

FRISCO, Texas – More than 150 top and emerging golf and golf lifestyle brands will fill sold-out exhibit spaces at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort and Monument Realty PGA District to meet with hundreds of influential PGA of America Golf Professionals and industry buyers representing top clubs, resorts, off-course retailers and golf management companies at the PGA Buying Summit in Frisco, Texas, July 29-31, 2024.

Valuable mid-season business opportunities are packed into Summit days and nights with product sourcing, education and buying appointments taking place by day, and new networking golf experiential programs filling event nights across the PGA Frisco campus. The PGA Buying Summit is reserved exclusively for golf industry professionals and not open to the public. Registration for qualified industry professionals remains open at PGABuyingSummit.com.

“We are pleased to welcome back our PGA of America Golf Professionals and industry executives to the PGA Buying Summit for its second edition at PGA Frisco,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Michigan). “Collectively, the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Monument Realty PGA District, Fields Ranch golf courses, PGA of America Coaching Center and the Professional Development Center at the Home of the PGA of America represent an unmatched destination for gathering as an industry in the mid-season to grow business, build careers and share best practices on enhancing the game for all.”

“We are excited to return to Frisco with sold-out exhibit spaces, best-in-class educational offerings and fun nighttime experiential industry networking events for the 2024 PGA Buying Summit,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon. “We look forward to hosting event programming across the expanse of the spectacular PGA Frisco campus and providing opportunities for all in attendance to gain valuable business insights, deepen professional connections and source the newest golf collections and innovations to drive retail at golf facilities nationwide.

Product Discovery & Sourcing

ONE2ONE Buying Appointments (private invited buyer/vendor event)

8:30 am – 4 pm, July 29 – Omni PGA Frisco Resort

The sold-out, private ONE2ONE buying appointment event is held the day before open ballroom exhibits on July 29 and features pre-scheduled meetings among emerging and established golf brands with VIP golf buyers.

Open Ballroom Exhibits

8 am – 5 pm, July 30 | 8 am – 2 pm, July 31 – Omni PGA Frisco Resort

More than 150 emerging and established golf and golf lifestyle brands in sold-out ballroom spaces will showcase Spring 2025 golf resort apparel collections and the latest golf innovations to hundreds of influential PGA of America Golf Professionals and golf buyers, representing more than $280 million in purchasing power and more than $500 million in retail sales. Top brands such as Nike Golf, Greyson, Holderness & Bourne, Under Armour, Dunning, Vineyard Vines and Johnnie-O are joining emerging brands such as Eastside Golf, Featherie, Flag & Anthem, Fore All, Devon Halsey, Jack Black and many more to create an unmatched midseason golf retail sourcing opportunity.

Educational Opportunities

PGA Education Conference

10:30 am – 4:30 pm, July 29 – Professional Development Center, Home of the PGA of America

Nationally recognized PGA of America Golf Professionals will lead a full day of 19 wide-ranging PGA of America Education Sessions on July 29, organized within three core Association tracks: Golf Operations, Teaching & Coaching and Executive Management. Sessions will be held in the state-of-the-art Professional Development Center at the Home of the PGA of America with access to hybrid indoor/outdoor hitting bays, simulator bays, an indoor short-game area, a putting lab, modern classrooms and a full-size driving range. PGA Professionals can earn one PDR credit per session, two PDR credits for event participation, and four PDR credits for attending Summer Jam.

Complimentary Equipment & Fitness Education

2 – 6 pm, July 30 – PGA of America Coaching Center powered by T-Mobile, Monument Realty PGA District

PGA of America Golf Professionals attending the Summit can attend 50-minute complimentary education sessions on July 30, presented by Callaway Golf, PING, Technogym, XXIO and PGA of America Value Guide. Sessions will repeat each hour, 2 – 6 pm, and will be held in the high-tech, high-touch and data-driven experience at the new PGA of America Coaching Center powered by T-Mobile. Following the afternoon education sessions, event attendees will return for an industry-only Open House during the event’s Summer Jam Golf Festival to see first-hand the T-Mobile 5G-connected technologies employed for PGA Coaching Center partner companies Full Swing Golf, Putt View, S.A.M. Putt Lab, Swing Catalyst, Technogym, Toptracer, Trackman and Zen Green.

Nighttime Golf Experiential Networking with Peers

Welcome Reception & Live Fashion Show

5 – 6:30 pm, July 29 – Panther Creek Pavilion, Omni PGA Frisco Resort

All registered attendees are invited to kickstart the event week with the PGA Buying Summit Welcome Reception and Live Fashion Show, 5 – 6:30 pm on July 29 at the resort’s Panther Creek Pavilion. Attendees will network with peers and enjoy complimentary drinks and light appetizers in the new reception setting with expansive floor-to-ceiling views of Fields Ranch East. Fifteen exciting golf brands will debut their Spring 2025 collections live on the runway at the midpoint of the Welcome Reception. Fashion Show attendees will vote for the “2024 People’s Choice: Best in Fashion Show” awards in three categories: Favorite Men’s Brand, Favorite Women’s Brand and Best Dressed. The winners will be announced at the conclusion of the Welcome Reception. View Fashion Show participating brands here.

Summer Shootout Tournament

7 – 10:30 pm, July 29 – The Swing, Monument Realty PGA District

  • Following ONE2ONE buying appointments and the Welcome Reception and Live Fashion Show, a fun Summer Shootout will be held at The Swing, a 10-hole, lighted par-3 short course in the heart of the Monument Realty PGA District. Exhibitors and buyers will come together for an exciting best-ball team tournament, with shotgun starting times at 7 and 8:45 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams and attendees will have a chance to win $5,000 in a Hole-in-One Contest, sponsored by American Hole in One. A few spots remain for exhibitor and buyer participation, learn more here.
Summer Jam

Summer Jam Golf Festival

7 – 10:30 pm, July 30 – Monument Realty PGA District

Following open exhibits and the education sessions on July 30, event attendees can unwind and connect with industry peers during the Summer Jam Golf Festival, 7 -10:30 p.m., offering live music and entertainment, complimentary barbecue and drinks, and extensive golf activities across PGA District destinations.

At the Summer Jam Golf Festival, event attendees can:

  • Test their skills on The Dance Floor, a lighted two-acre putting course, featuring cutting-edge golf equipment from participating companies, and compete for the lowest score and closest-to-the-pin prizes, sponsored by Unknown Golf. Prizes awarded to the top three finishers, plus bonus prizes up to $2,500.
  • Experience the new state-of-the-art PGA of America Coaching Center powered by T-Mobile during an Open House where attendees can explore the 12,000-square-foot, two-story center’s high-touch, high-tech and data-driven experience. Open House activations include Putt Pong by PUTTVIEW, contests by Full Swing Golf Simulators and lessons with lead PGA Coach Pablo del Olmo using Swing Catalyst and Trackman technology.
  • Discover new golf innovations at the Summer Jam Festival Village featuring product displays by Birdie Bay Dallas, FOAR Golf, Hold Fast Golf Grips, Tübr, Unknown Golf and Vibra Plate. Enjoy event lawn backyard games by Bucket Golf.
  • Listen to live music by the popular Emerald City Band and enjoy complimentary barbecue and drinks near The Dance Floor and the 920 square-foot video wall.
  • Enjoy complimentary tee times on The Swing, including a Hole-in-One Contest for a chance to win $5,000, sponsored by American Hole in One.
  • Network with peers across the PGA District and enjoy access to Lounge by Topgolf, Ice House and additional specialty retail and dining establishments.

To participate in the Summer Jam Golf Festival, all attendees must present their PGA Buying Summit event badge at the festival entrance for complimentary admission. Additional Summer Jam details are available at PGABuyingSummit.com.

Event details, including Education Conference sessions and speakers, industry registration and hotel reservations are available at PGABuyingSummit.com.

About PGA Golf Exhibitions

The PGA Show and PGA Buying Summit – Frisco are organized by PGA Golf Exhibitions (part of RX) and the PGA of America. Since its inception in 1954, the PGA Show has grown into the largest annual business event for the global golf industry. Both the PGA Show and the mid-season PGA Buying Summit drive the business of golf by providing opportunities to showcase and source innovative products, develop professional networks, learn new business strategies, and connect with peers and golf leaders. Learn more at PGAShow.com and follow us on “X”Instagram and Facebook.

PGA Past President Suzy Whaley Named 2025 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team Captain

FRISCO, Texas – The PGA of America today announced PGA Past President Suzy Whaley as Captain of the 2025 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team. She will lead the U.S. Team of 12 boys and girls as they compete in the 13th Junior Ryder Cup at Nassau Country Club and Bethpage Black in New York, Sept. 23-25, 2025.

Whaley, who served as the 41st PGA President, was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2023. A PGA Master Professional, she also is the President of Golf Nation, an online and connected TV OTT channel that brings golf lifestyle and premium videos together on a shop-able streaming content platform. Additionally, she is one of GOLF’s “Top 100 Teachers in America” and serves as a commentator for ESPN.

Whaley previously captained victorious U.S. Teams at the 2022 PGA Cup and the 2019 Women’s PGA Cup.

“I could not be more excited to serve as Captain of the 2025 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team,” said Whaley. “The Junior Ryder Cup is undoubtedly one of the highlights of Ryder Cup week, and provides a worldwide platform for these highly-skilled junior players to compete. I look forward to leading our team in New York next September.”

Following two-year terms as both PGA Secretary and PGA Vice President, Whaley became the first woman elected to serve as PGA President in 2018. She steered the Association through the onset of the global pandemic, leading to the establishment of the nearly $8 million Golf Emergency Relief Fund for golf-industry personnel in need, and an unprecedented growth in rounds played, using social distancing protocols established in conjunction with the CDC and Back2Golf.

Whaley is a 2022 Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame inductee as well as a member of the Connecticut Golf Sports Hall of Fame and Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. She was recognized with the 2023 Walter Hagen Award and the Metropolitan Golf Association’s Distinguished Service Award as well as numerous teaching awards including: Golf Digest Top 50 Instructor, Golf Magazine top 100 instructor, LPGA Top 50 Instructor, two-time Connecticut PGA Teacher of the Year, 10-time Golf Digest State Teacher of the Year and U.S. Kids Golf Master Kids Teacher. She is a five-time PGA Jr. League Championship finals Coach and has instructed more than 300 children to collegiate golf.

A dual member of the PGA of America and LPGA Teaching & Club Professional division, Whaley was a LPGA Tour member in 1990 and 1993. She famously qualified and participated in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to qualify for a PGA TOUR event. This occurred after Whaley became the first PGA of America woman professional to win the Connecticut PGA Championship.

The 2025 Junior Ryder Cup will take place over three days. Foursomes and four-ball matches will be contested at Nassau Country Club on Tuesday, Sept. 23, and Wednesday, Sept. 24. The decisive single matches will be contested at Bethpage Black, site of the 2025 Ryder Cup, on Thursday, Sept. 25. This marks the first time the U.S. Ryder Cup venue will host the Junior Ryder Cup singles matches on the eve of the Ryder Cup.

The U.S. Team, which owns a 7-4-1 record in the event, will consist of six girls and six boys who are U.S. citizens and are members of the high school graduating class of 2026 or younger. The 2025 U.S. Team points list for qualification will begin at the 2024 Junior PGA Championships, taking place July 30 – August 2 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.

PGA of America Studios Offers Plug-and-Play Production Services for North Texas Businesses

FRISCO, Texas – The PGA of America has completed an expansion of PGA of America Studios, an innovative production facility with plug-and-play production services for all audio and video content needs. Located inside the Association’s home office in Frisco, Texas, the studio is turnkey for live shows and sets for national and local broadcast productions, streaming, commercials, photo shoots and remi-style coverage spanning the 660-acre PGA Frisco campus and beyond.

Bringing production capabilities to PGA Frisco is rooted in creating a “home base” for PGA of America Members to tell their stories, while driving efficiencies in the coverage of championships on site and beyond. The facility was created in partnership with Safari Solutions to be as flexible as possible, including real-time distribution of video to either one-to-one or one-to-many distribution points, such as Facebook LIVE, YouTube and more.

In addition to being a hub for the PGA of America to create and broadcast video, audio and social media content about the organization’s Members and events, external companies and agencies can rent the space for their own multimedia needs. One of a few full-scale production studios in North Texas, it includes full support from the studio team, as well as access to set designs, equipment and post-production needs. To ensure the studio provides first-class service, PGA of America is partnering with KO-MAR Productions, a full-service video production company that has been producing PGA of America content for more than 20 years.

Since its first broadcast in April 2023, PGA of America Studios has hosted a national commercial shoot for T-Mobile, as well as the T-Mobile 5G “Live from the Range” show during the 2024 PGA Championship from Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, KY. Last summer, the studio hosted a team from ESPN to cover the 2023 PGA Jr. league Championship live from PGA Frisco, and most recently a live remote interview with Golf Channel’s Whit Watson.

The newly expanded PGA of America Studios will host a live ESPN+ show as part of Conference USA’s Football Media Day on July 23, featuring head coaches and players from 10 CUSA programs in a variety of formats, ranging from 1:1 interviews to panel discussions and video analysis. Seminar rooms adjacent to the studio will serve as backdrops for official photography, press conferences and podcast recordings; a private, soundproof green room will host the conference’s social team for behind-the-scenes content capturing. Throughout the 2024-25 NCAA football season, hundreds of local and national media outlets will rely on the interviews and reports recorded and produced within the PGA of America Studios.

“Working with an organization like Conference USA highlights the capabilities of the studio and is a great way to showcase how different companies and organizations can use the space to promote their own campaigns and products and deliver a message to a wider audience,” said Charles Dillahunt, Studio, Productions, Wagering and Gaming Lead for the PGA of America. “With so many events coming to Frisco and the DFW area, PGA of America Studios is slated to become the preferred partner when companies are looking to create, produce and distribute multimedia content.”

First Three Players Named to 2024 USA Curtis Cup Team

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – The top three Americans in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR® as of July 10 have earned places on the 2024 USA Curtis Cup Team. They are: Zoe Campos, 21, of Valencia, Calif.; Catherine Park, 19, of Irvine, Calif.; and Jasmine Koo, 18, of Cerritos, Calif. The three will compete against Great Britain and Ireland in the 43rd Curtis Cup Match Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at Sunningdale Golf Club in England.

The remaining five players will be chosen by the USGA’s International Team Selection working group prior to the three-day international competition. The winners of the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship (Aug. 5-11 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.) and the 2024 McCormack Medal will also receive automatic selections, if American.

“Zoe and Catherine are two of the top collegian players in the world and have had incredible performances this year both in NCAA competition, and at top amateur tournaments. And Jasmine’s career as a junior golfer, inclusive of winning the Women’s Western, is one of the best we’ve seen in some time,” said Meghan Stasi, four-time USGA champion who is serving as the USA captain. “I look forward to watching them contribute to our team and have the opportunity to compete for our country on this international stage.”

Campos, currently ranked No. 5 in WAGR, is a rising senior at UCLA. She has earned All-Pac-12 First-Team honors the last two seasons, and last year led the Bruins with four individual wins and a 70.7 scoring average.

Park, who is coming off sharing low-amateur honors in the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally, is a rising junior at the University of Southern California. She won the individual 2024 Pac-12 title in the spring, her third win of the 2023-24 season, and is currently a career-high No. 6 in WAGR.

Koo, No. 8 in WAGR, is an incoming freshman for USC who will team up with Park this fall. She made her Augusta National Women’s Amateur debut in April, finishing fourth with a 2-under 70 in the final round. The 2023 Women’s Western Amateur champion also tied for third in the Girls’ Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in South Carolina in March.

The Curtis Cup Match is contested by two teams of eight female amateur players, one from the United States of America and one from Great Britain and Ireland, which is composed of England, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The USGA’s International Team Selection working group selects the USA Team, while The R&A selects the GB&I Team. The Americans have won the last three matches (2018, 2021, 2022) and lead the overall series 31-8-3.

Latin Biz Today and PGA of America Introduce the Game of Golf to Latino Business Community

In “Tina Makes Golf Her Thing” video series, a PGA of America Golf Professional teaches a Latina beginner the game

CROTON ON HUDSON, N.Y. – Latin Biz Today (Latin Business Today, LLC) and the PGA of America have collaborated on “Tina Makes Golf Her Thing,” a twist on #MakeGolfYourThing, the collaborative industrywide movement working to expand inclusion across the sport.

The five-part video series—available here—demonstrates how easy it is for a beginner golfer to learn the fundamentals and enjoy the game. The beginner is Tina Trevino, Latin Biz Today VP, Partner, Director of Community Relations. Her coach is PGA of America Golf Professional Jim McCann, Director of Golf at Spook Rock Golf Course in Suffern, New York, and a member of the Metropolitan PGA Section.

Learning the game from a PGA of America Golf Professional means the instruction is conducted at the highest level. While McCann coaches Trevino, he continues to manage the day-to-day business of Spook Rock Golf Course, where he’s served as Director of Golf since 2018.

Latin Biz Today, PGA of America and the Metropolitan PGA Section are proud to kick off the first of five episodes this week. New episodes start today and drop on three successive Wednesdays with the final wrap up in September.

“I didn’t grow up knowing any females or Latinos who played golf,” Trevino said. “I didn’t think it was something I would enjoy, but Jim’s personality and experience made it all incredibly inviting and not at all intimidating. Golf is the perfect sport to meet and enjoy fellow golfers in an outdoor environment. It’s also a sport where I can continually challenge myself to improve and feel good about my progress. I’m fortunate to be taught by Jim, a PGA of America Professional, and learning the correct way means I’ll enjoy the game for business and pleasure for many years to come.”

“I enjoyed teaching Tina the fundamentals of the game,” McCann said. “Spook Rock golf course is located within a diverse community and this campaign will continue to help me and other PGA of America Golf Professionals across the country introduce the Latino business community to golf. I’m glad Latin Biz Today and the PGA of America are partnering on this program and I’m fortunate to be part of it.”

Latino business community

According to a report released in September 2023 by the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI), the U.S. is currently home to more than 62.5 million Latinos, representing 19 percent of the U.S. population. With an economic output of $2.8 trillion, there are approximately 5 million Latino-owned businesses across the U.S., generating more than $800 billion in annual revenue.

In 2023, there were 6.1 million People of Color on-course golfers, according to the National Golf Foundation. People of color now represent 23 percent of all “green grass” golfers – a new high mark in racial and ethnic representativeness. The more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals are at the forefront of the golf industry introducing, coaching and operating the vastly-growing golf industry.

Keegan Bradley Named United States Captain for 2025 Ryder Cup

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – PGA of America President John Lindert today announced that Keegan Bradley will serve as Captain of the United States Ryder Cup Team for the 45th Ryder Cup, which will be played September 26-28, 2025, at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.

The Woodstock, Vermont, native is the 31st U.S. Captain since the Ryder Cup’s inception in 1927. Bradley made his Ryder Cup debut in 2012 at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, where he won his first three matches and finished with a 3-1-0 record. The 38-year-old Bradley competed in his second Ryder Cup in 2014 at Gleneagles in Scotland, and owns a career Ryder Cup record of 4-3-0 including 2-1-0 in foursomes and 2-0-0 in four-ball.

“I am proud and excited to name Keegan Bradley as Captain of the 2025 United States Ryder Cup Team,” said Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at The Country Club of Lansing. “Keegan’s past Ryder Cup experience, strong relationships and unwavering passion for this event will prove invaluable as he guides the U.S. Team over the next year and a half. We are confident that with Keegan at the helm, the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team will compete at Bethpage with the same confidence and determination that has defined his career.”

Bradley turned professional in 2008 following a standout collegiate career at St John’s University. He has collected eight worldwide victories and 58 top-10 finishes in 347 PGA TOUR events. He captured his first major title in 2011 at Atlanta Athletic Club, where he rallied to win the PGA Championship in a playoff. Bradley compiled a 2-2-1 record at the 2013 Presidents Cup to help the U.S. to an 18 ½ to 15 ½ victory.

“I am incredibly honored to accept this opportunity to Captain the United States Team at the 2025 Ryder Cup,” said Bradley. “I would like to thank the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for their trust in me as we embark on this journey to Bethpage Black.

“My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event have never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to beginning preparations for 2025.”

PGA of America Vice President Don Rea Jr. Earns PGA Master Professional Designation

FRISCO, Texas – PGA of America Vice President Don Rea Jr., the Owner and Operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club, a public golf facility in Mesa, Arizona, has earned PGA Master Professional Status, the highest educational designation a PGA of America Member can obtain.

The Association comprises more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals, and Rea, a Member of the Southwest PGA Section, joins a special group as the 447th to earn Master Professional status. He achieved his designation in Executive Management.

The PGA Master Professional Program is available to those with at least 10 years of PGA of America Membership along with having achieved advanced certification through the PGA Specialized and Certified Professional Programs. The curriculum includes an extensive project based on the specific certification previously acquired by the PGA of America Golf Professional. PGA Master Professional status is earned upon successful completion of the project’s presentation.

The program was established in 1969 to recognize PGA of America Members who make a significant effort to improve as golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations. The curriculum is designed to ensure golf professionals are prepared to meet the growing demands of the marketplace within the Executive Management, Golf Operations and Teaching and Coaching Designations.

“It’s an incredible privilege to become a PGA Master Professional and be a part of this extraordinary group,” said Rea. “This program is about becoming the best PGA of America Golf Professional you can become and setting the standard within the golf industry. I’ve always been inspired by the careers and efforts of our Master Professionals. This is a career milestone I’ll never forget and I hope I can inspire many more to do the same.”

A PGA of America Member for 22 years, Rea was elected PGA of America Secretary in 2020 and Vice President at the 2022 PGA Annual Meeting. In November of this year, he will be elected President. He joins PGA of America Past Presidents Suzy Whaley, Roger Warren, Ken Lindsay and J.R. Carpenter as a PGA of America Officer who has earned the title of PGA Master Professional.

Rea served on the PGA of America’s National Board of Directors from 2016-’19. Elected as President of the Southwest PGA Section from 2013-’14, Rea also was a member of the Board of Directors for the Southwest PGA Section, National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Arizona Tourism Alliance. While on the PGA Board of Directors, he chaired the Junior Golf Committee and worked with the Coaching and Player Development, and Community Golf Committees.

Rea currently serves on the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association Board of Directors to promote the golf and hospitality industry and help educate the public and Arizona legislators on golf industry water usage.

Since 2012, Rea has owned Your Course Consulting. He also founded Community Course Rescue Services, LLC in 2017.

Rea resides with his wife of 25 years, Karen, in Gilbert, Arizona, and has two children, Don III and Katie.