Monthly Archives: August 2024
Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex to Host 2025 Junior PGA Championships
FRISCO, Texas — Purdue University’s Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Indiana, will host the 2025 Junior PGA Championships, July 29 – Aug. 1, 2025. The 49th edition of the Championships will feature 312 players—156 girls, 156 boys—playing concurrently in a four-day, 72-hole stroke play competition.
One of junior golf’s major championships, the Junior PGA Championships are open to amateurs no older than 18 years of age on the last day of competition. All players must qualify through a PGA of America Section Championship or be granted an exemption into the field.
The Pete Dye-designed Ackerman-Allen and Kampen-Cosler courses at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex are rated among the best college courses in the country: Golf Digest ranked both on its list of the “25 Greatest College Golf Courses in America.” Purdue’s courses have hosted numerous collegiate events including multiple Big Ten Championships, the NCAA Men’s National Championship and PGA National Collegiate Club Golf Association National Championships.
The Junior PGA Championships have been springboards for many of the PGA and LPGA Tours’ most accomplished players. Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have competed on the Boys side, while the list of past Girls Junior PGA winners includes Inbee Park, Yuka Saso, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.
“Bringing the Junior PGA Championships to two of the top collegiate golf courses in the country will be a memorable experience for all of the players,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Michigan). “Purdue’s Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex has a strong history of hosting prestigious events, including NCAA and Big Ten championships. Working at a club in Big Ten country, I have heard from many golfers at nearby Michigan State about the great test that’s in store for the game’s top juniors next summer.”
“Having the opportunity to host the 2025 Junior PGA Championships is a true honor for Birck Boilermaker,” said Daniel M. Ross, PGA Head Golf Professional & Director of Instruction at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. “Our Superintendent, Kyle Post, and I are excited to show the juniors the same high quality that we provide for our collegiate events, membership and public golfers. We look forward to providing everyone with the Purdue Golf Experience.”
“We are excited to welcome the nation’s top junior golfers to West Lafayette to play the best 36 holes in college golf,” said Zack Byrd, Purdue University’s Director of Golf and Women’s Golf Head Coach. “Hosting another prestigious golf championship at the BBGC is a reminder of how lucky we are to call these courses ‘home.’ Thank you to the PGA of America for choosing Purdue to host their Junior PGA Championships.”
Avery McCrery and Baylor Larrabee won the Girls and Boys divisions, respectively, at the 2024 Junior PGA Championships, which wrapped up earlier this month at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland
PGA NCCGA Fall Championship and Invitational to be Held December 7-8 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
Collegiate club teams will compete in respective regions across the country throughout September and October for an opportunity to advance to the Championship and Invitational
PGA NCCGA Fall Championship Website | Regional Events Sites/Schedule
FRISCO, Texas – The PGA National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA) has announced the 2024 PGA NCCGA Fall Championship and Invitational will be held Dec. 7-8 at the iconic Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in North Carolina.
Pinehurst is home to 10 18-hole courses and regularly hosts numerous championships, including the 2024 U.S. Open. The Fall Championship and Invitational will be held on Numbers 5, 6 and 8.
“This is such an amazing opportunity for the NCCGA to conduct these events at the same resort that hosted the U.S. Open in June,” Branden Thompson, PGA, PGA of America Lead for the NCCGA said. “I guarantee it will be an experience these collegiate players will never forget.”
Held in the fall and spring, the PGA NCCGA Championship features more than 300 of the nation’s best collegiate club golfers. As the governing body for collegiate club golf, the NCCGA ensures every student can play golf in college and assists them in starting, maintaining and facilitating club golf tournaments regionally and nationally. More than 200 colleges across the United States field club golf teams.
“Pinehurst Resort has always been a welcome home for golf championships. Many of those have happened on the world stage, including four U.S. Opens, the U.S. Women’s Open, the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup,” said Matt Barksdale, Pinehurst Resort’s PGA Director of Golf. “But Pinehurst has also always been a gathering place to crown the best amateurs in the game. A long tradition that includes the North & South Amateur, the Women’s North & South Amateur as well as multiple U.S. Amateurs and the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Pinehurst is proud to continue celebrating amateur players and their opportunities to compete in hosting the PGA National Collegiate Club Golf Championship.”
Club golf teams will compete with each other in their respective regions throughout September and October (schedule), with an opportunity to advance to the Championship and Invitational.
The NCCGA operates three 36-hole tournaments in each of the 27 regions across the country. The top teams and individuals in the country receive an automatic bid to the Championship. All tournaments are co-ed and open to active college students of all skill levels, and individual students can represent their schools if they don’t have the required five students to form a team.
The Invitational provides an additional opportunity for more students to compete in a national event. Invitations are extended to one team from each of the 27 regions that did not qualify for the Championship, as well as the next top individuals not competing on a team.
Teams from Grand Canyon University and Miami University (Ohio) earned bids to the 2024 Fall Championship and Invitational with their back-to-back wins at the 2023 Fall Championship and Invitational and the 2024 Spring Championship.
Fall Championship & Fall Invitational Format and Qualifying Information
In the fall only, the Championship is accompanied by an Invitational.
Fall Championship Qualifiers:
- Three (3) automatic qualifiers from five zones across the country
- Highest-ranked teams not included in one of the automatic qualifiers
- Defending champion from the previous Fall Championship (Grand Canyon University), Fall Invitational (Miami University-Ohio) and Spring Championship (Grand Canyon University and Miami University-Ohio were co-champions of the event)
- Other exemptions as identified by the NCCGA
- Top individual students not otherwise on qualified teams
Fall Invitational Qualifiers:
- One (1) team from each of the 27 regions that aren’t participating in the Championship
- Teams who have exceptional stories and exemplify what club golf is all about
- The next top individual students (who were not on a competing team)
Lottie Woad Awarded Mark H. McCormack Medal as World’s Leading Female Amateur Golfer
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J., and ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Lottie Woad has won the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading woman in the 2024 World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®.
Woad is the first female winner of the McCormack Medal from England, and she receives exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Erin Hills and next year’s AIG Women’s Open.
“I’m really happy to have won the McCormack Medal,” said Woad. “It rounds off a successful year for me and I’m honored to be named alongside the previous recipients of the medal.
“It was always a goal of mine to reach number one and become the world’s leading amateur golfer. It’s taken a while to get there but it’s nice to see all the hard work pay off and achieve this milestone.”
Earlier this year, the 20-year-old became the first European golfer to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in dramatic fashion after going birdie-birdie over the final two holes to clip USC’s Bailey Shoemaker by one shot.
She has amassed three victories thus far in her collegiate career, including last fall at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M. Woad has also recorded three second place finishes, one in the 2024 NCAA D1 Women’s Championship, as well as at the Florida State Match Up and Collegiate Invitational at GCC.
Later this month, she will compete for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at Sunningdale in England in a bid to win the match against the United States of America for the first time since 2016.
“The list of past McCormack Medal winners reads like a who’s who of today’s top professional talent, underscoring the immense dedication and passion required to achieve the world’s No. 1 amateur ranking,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “Lottie’s achievement is a powerful testament to her relentless effort and determination. On behalf of everyone at the USGA, we extend our heartfelt congratulations for this remarkable honor.”
Professor Steve Otto, chief technology officer at The R&A, said, “Lottie has enjoyed a very successful year in which she has consistently performed at a high level and her results, including winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, makes her a thoroughly deserving recipient of the women’s McCormack Medal.
“We would like to congratulate Lottie on this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing her golf career go from strength to strength in the years ahead.”
The R&A and the USGA co-award the McCormack Medal annually. It is named after Mark H. McCormack, who founded sports marketing company IMG and was a great supporter of amateur golf.
The World Amateur Golf Ranking, which is supported by Rolex, was established in 2007 when the men’s ranking was launched. The men’s ranking encompasses over 3,900 counting events, ranking 4,660 players from 118 countries. The women’s ranking was launched in 2011 and has a calendar of around 2,650 counting events with more than 3,033 ranked players from 90 countries.
PGA of America REACH Foundation Announces PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars for 2024-25
FRISCO, Texas (Aug. 14, 2024) – The PGA of America REACH Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Association, has awarded scholarships to 25 students at 15 colleges through the PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars Program for the 2024-25 academic school year. With the generous support of the Lundgrens, the $8,000 scholarships were presented to talented and motivated students from diverse backgrounds who are working toward PGA of America Membership through one of the 16 accredited PGA Golf Management University Programs across the nation.
PGA WORKS—an initiative designed to evolve the demographic composition of the golf industry’s workforce and the PGA of America’s Membership—leverages fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship to inspire and engage talent from diverse backgrounds to pursue key employment positions across the golf industry.
Scholarship recipients must be pursuing bachelor’s degrees in a golf industry-compatible major, with the ultimate goal of obtaining PGA of America Membership. Since its inception in 2018, a total of 93 individuals have earned PGA WORKS Golf Management University scholarships totaling $744,000.
“Our PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars display the bright future of the PGA of America and the golf industry workforce,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Michigan). “We are grateful for the Lundgren family and their support of these young adults who will no doubt make their mark within our game as they become PGA of America Golf Professionals and find meaningful careers.”
Scholarship recipients were selected on the basis of academic record, leadership demonstrated through participation in school and community activities, honors and work experience, a statement of goals and aspirations, unique personal or family circumstances, an outside appraisal, active participation in the game of golf and playing ability.
To ensure success and perpetuity of the program, as well as objectivity in the selection process, the PGA of America REACH Foundation retained Scholarship America as a third-party administrator. Scholarship America is the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships, tuition assistance and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals to help students achieve their college dreams.
2023-2024 PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren
Scholars Program Recipients
Isabella Boyle, Lincoln, Neb., University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Class of 2027
Abigail Brooks, Kings Mountain, N.C., North Carolina State University, Class of 2025
Natalie Brosig, Erie, Pa., Methodist University, Class of 2025
Jordyn Cline, Mahwah, N.J., University of Nevada; Las Vegas, Class of 2026
Peyton Cusick, Ballwin, Mo., University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Class of 2027
Joseph Fenceroy, Fox Point, Wis., Coastal Carolina University, Class of 2027
Aidan Hall, Pateros, Wash., New Mexico State University, Class of 2027
Alexander Ham, Ewa Beach, Hawaii, University of Nevada; Las Vegas, Class of 2025
Alexander Henbest, Manahawkin, N.J., University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Class of 2028
Reagan Hubbard, Ellicott City, Md., Penn State University Park, Class of 2028
Maximus Kaufman, Westfield, Ind.. Eastern Kentucky University, Class of 2027
Gabriel Knowshisgun, Albuquerque, N.M., New Mexico State University, Class of 2027
Emily Martin, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, Campbell University, Class of 2026
Addyson Meadows, Troy, Ala., University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Class of 2026
Willow Merry, Michie, Tenn., Mississippi State University, Class of 2026
Nikolas Pitiris, Cyprus, New Mexico State University, Class of 2026
Sydney Raines, Oakland, Calif., University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Class of 2028
Luke Roque, Tacoma, Wash., University of Idaho, Class of 2027
Brianna Rostescu, Norridge, Ill., Florida Gulf Coast University, Class of 2028
Atirath Roy, India, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Class of 2026
Jamie Rush, McMurray, Pa., Methodist University, Class of 2025
Jenna Rutledge, Fairbanks, N.C., Methodist University, Class of 2026
Meredith Speer, Cedar Park, Texas, Sam Houston State University, Class of 2027
Scarlet Sturch, Durant, Okla., University of Central Oklahoma, Class of 2027
Rachael Volin, Lincoln, Neb., University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Class of 2026
Brandt Snedeker Named U.S. Vice Captain by Keegan Bradley for 2025 Ryder Cup
FRISCO, Texas – United States Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley today named Brandt Snedeker as one of his Vice Captains for the 45th Ryder Cup, which will be played September 26-28, 2025, at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.
Bradley previously appointed Webb Simpson as a Vice Captain. Additional Vice Captains will be announced at a later date.
“As I’ve started preparing for the 2025 Ryder Cup, I quickly realized that Brandt was someone I wanted by my side,” said Bradley. “Having competed in two Ryder Cups, including a stellar individual performance in 2016, Brandt’s experience and insight will surely be beneficial to our team in the months ahead.”
This will be Snedeker’s first appearance as a Vice Captain. The 43-year-old owns a 4-2-0 career record in two Ryder Cup appearances (2012, ‘16). He went 3-0-0 as the only undefeated American in 2016 to help the U.S. Team capture a dominant 17-11 victory at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota.
“I am so grateful to Keegan and the PGA of America for giving me the opportunity to represent my country in the role of Vice Captain,” said Snedeker. “The Ryder Cup is unlike anything in our sport and I hope to bring the passion and pride to help Keegan deliver his vision of what a Ryder Cup in New York should look like. I am so excited to serve alongside my good friend Webb and know we will do everything in our power to help Keegan and the players be ready for a great competition next September at Bethpage Black.”
The Nashville, Tennessee, native has amassed 13 career professional victories with nine coming on the PGA TOUR, including the 2012 TOUR Championship. He earned PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 and has collected 79 top-10 finishes in 434 career TOUR starts.
Additionally, he was named the 2024 recipient of the PGA TOUR’s Payne Stewart Award, presented annually to a professional golfer who best exemplifies Stewart’s steadfast values of character, charity and sportsmanship. Snedeker was also a member of the victorious U.S. Team at the 2013 Presidents Cup.
PGA of America Encourages Golfers to Get Out on the Green During National Golf Month
FRISCO, Texas (August 9, 2024) – In celebration of National Golf Month, the PGA of America Coaching Center powered by T-Mobile will offer a range of golf clinics, including women’s-only events, for golfers of all skill levels and ages. Those golfers looking to take their game to the next level can even book an on-course lesson with a PGA of America Golf Professional on Fields Ranch East or Fields Ranch West.
“Our goal is to break down the barriers of entry and make golf fun and accessible for everyone,” Paige Holland, PGA, said. “Whether you’re someone who has been playing for 30 years or are looking to swing a club for the first time, the team at the PGA of America Coaching Center is focused on creating programs that bring together people and show them how fun golf can be. Our facility’s technology gives us an edge in that it allows us to combine modern coaching philosophies with state-of-the-art technology and a strong sense of community.”
- On August 12, PGA of America Golf Professional Paige Holland will launch a four-week clinic for middle- and high-school-aged girls aimed at building confidence on the course and fine-tuning different swings. A second series will start on September 16.
- On August 18 from 2-3:30 p.m., the “Bring a Friend” Ladies Golf Clinic hosted by Holland and Trish Holt, Head Golf Professional at Fields Ranch, provides the perfect blend of golf instruction and social engagement. Each participant who brings a registered friend will be entered in a drawing for a free lesson with Holland.
- On August 24 and 25, the PGA of America Coaching Center will host two clinics – one exclusively for men (August 24) and a second just for women (August 25). These 90-minute classes will focus on hands-on instruction from PGA of America Golf Professionals and focus on full swing, chipping and putting. Instruction will be tailored to each participant and offer drills and exercises that can be practiced on the course.
Participants in each clinic rotate through a series of drills and exercises on both levels of the PGA of America Coaching Center, including the first floor putting green featuring Science and Motion Putt Lab technology and second-floor Top tracer-enabled hitting bays with AI-powered analytics and AR-enabled visual aids to supplement lessons.
Golfers can also sign up for 1:1 instruction and small group offerings to fine-tune specific parts of their game, including how to play into the wind, green reading and shot-shaping.
In 2023, more than 26.6 million Americans played a round of green grass golf, according to the National Golf Foundation. Of that, 7 million were women and 3.5 million were children between the ages of 6-17. In response to the surge in participation, the PGA of America has worked to develop curriculums for golfers of all ages and abilities in an effort to grow the game.
PGA of America Golf Professional Tom Wildenhaus Earns PGA Master Professional Designation
FRISCO, Texas – PGA of America Golf Professional Tom Wildenhaus, the Director of Golf at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Florida, 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 Wildenhaus, a Member of the South Florida PGA Section, joins a special group as the 448th to earn Master Professional status. He achieved his designation in Executive Management.
“I never originally planned to be a Master Professional, however I enjoy continuing this lifelong learning and I wanted to challenge myself,” said Wildenhaus. “I learned a lot about myself and my operation throughout the process. Knowing some of the Master Professionals who’ve come before me, most of them were mentors to me in some way, whether they know it or not. Realizing that I’m now associated with them in that way is really impactful for me.”
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.
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.
In 2021, Wildenhaus earned the PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year Award, the highest annual honor given to a PGA of America Golf Professional, awarded for leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the Association and the game of golf.
Wildenhaus has earned numerous South Florida PGA Section awards and accolades, including the Golf Professional Development Award (1996, 1998), Golf Professional of the Year Award (2007, 2016) and the Bill Strausbaugh Award (2008). He was elected to the South Florida PGA Hall of Fame in 2011.
Wildenhaus has held a consistent presence in PGA of America governance beginning in the South Florida PGA Section’s Southwest Chapter in 1994, where he served as Education Chairperson prior to serving on the Chapter’s Board of Directors. He also served on the South Florida PGA Section Board of Directors (1999-2007). He was elected Section Secretary in 1991 and served two-year terms as Secretary, Vice President and President. He was elected President of the South Florida PGA Foundation in 2010 and still holds that position today. At the National level, Wildenhaus served on the PGA of America Public Relations Committee (2010-2012) and was appointed to the Board of Control (2015-2019).
Wildenhaus has spent more than 30 years at Olde Florida Golf Club, where his leadership has continually driven a full membership.
Wildenhaus resides in Naples, Florida, with his wife Tracy.
