PGA of America Highlight Summary – November 2016
December 2, 2016
The Headlines:
• PGA of America Celebrates Its Centennial and Looks to the Future at the 100th PGA Annual Meeting
• Team California Captures 2016 PGA Junior League Golf National Championship
• PGA Launched Global Employment Services
• Steve Schneiter Captures Senior PGA Professional Championship
• PGA Junior League Golf Pilot Program Launches
• Déjà Vu for New Mexico State in the 15th Jones Cup
• Wyatt Worthington II Wins First PGA Tournament Series Event of 2016
• Carpus named Chair of the PGA Rules Committee
PGA of America Celebrates Its Centennial and Looks to the Future at the 100th PGA Annual Meeting
The PGA of America’s historic 100th Annual Meeting, held Nov. 9-11, commemorated the Association in
the same city as its founding. Delegates gathered at the Grand Hyatt New York to elect Paul Levy of
Toscana Country Club in Indian Wells, California, the 40th PGA President. Suzy Whaley of Suzy Whaley
Golf in Cromwell, Connecticut was elected Vice President. Jim Richerson of Kohler Co., in Kohler,
Wisconsin, was elected as PGA Secretary. Outgoing PGA President Derek Sprague of Liberty National
Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, is the new PGA Honorary President.
The PGA of America Board of Directors is comprised of the president, vice president, secretary, honorary
president and 17 directors who establish Association policy. The directors include representatives from
each of the PGA’s 14 districts, two Independent Directors and a member of the PGA Tour.
The six new incoming District Directors and one Independent Director are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
District 1: Noel Gebauer, PGA, Colonie Town Golf Course, in Schenectady, New York
(Connecticut, New England, Northeastern New York)
District 2: Tom Henderson, PGA, Round Hill Club, in Greenwich, Connecticut (Metropolitan, New
Jersey, Philadelphia)
District 5: John Lindert, PGA, Country Club of Lansing, in Lansing, Michigan (Michigan, Northern
Ohio, Southern Ohio)
District 10: Kelly Williams, PGA, Greenbrier Golf & Country Club, in Lexington, Kentucky
(Carolinas, Kentucky, Middle Atlantic)
District 13: Patrick Richardson, PGA, Wilmington Island Club, in Savannah, Georgia (Georgia,
North Florida, South Florida)
District 14: Don Rea, Jr., PGA, Augusta Ranch Golf Club, in Mesa, Arizona (Pacific Northwest,
Southwest)
Independent Director: Christopher Liedel, President, Smithsonian Enterprises
All-time major Champion Jack Nicklaus spoke to the delegates during an hour-long fireside chat with
NBC Sports Jimmy Roberts on Thursday, Nov. 10. Nicklaus spoke of his relationship with his PGA
Professional, the late Jack Grout; how proud he was of the United States winning the Ryder Cup; and
reflected on his 50 years of PGA membership.
Page 1
Delegates looked to the Association’s future, with an emphasis on building a Peak Performance
Organization and further attracting Centennials (born 1997-present) to the game through the growth of
programs, such as PGA Junior League Golf and Drive, Chip & Putt. Combined with Millennials, there are
more young people under age 35 than any other time in history. Since 2010, golf has seen 500,000 new
boys and girls enter the game, outpacing other major sports.
Among the featured presenters and speakers were incoming PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan,
United States Olympic Committee Chief Marketing Office Lisa Baird, Soccer United Marketing President
Kathy Carter, NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum and TRU Youth Monitor Study VP and
Co-Head Erik Medina.
2016 PGA of America National Award Honorees:
PGA Golf Professional of the Year Cary Cozby and PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Adams headlined the
2016 PGA of America National Award recipients honored on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Cozby, the PGA
Director of Golf at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, joined his father, Jerry Cozby (1985),
as the only father-son combination to win the PGA’s highest annual honor. Adams, of Hamilton Farm
Golf Club, in Gladstone, New Jersey, has taught four U.S. Presidents, as well as Jack Nicholson, Sean
Connery, Michael Douglas, Glenn Frey and Tom Lehman. Meanwhile, PGA Merchandiser of the Year—
Public Category Matt Brown not only received his award on Wednesday but was also elected Mayor of
Gearhart, Oregon, with 80 percent of the vote, the day before.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
PGA Golf Professional of the Year: Cary Cozby, Southern Hills C.C.—Tulsa, Oklahoma
PGA Teacher of the Year: Mike Adams, Hamilton Farm G.C.—Gladstone, New Jersey
PGA Youth Player Development Award: Dennis Johnsen, Pine Meadow G.C.—Mundelein, Illinois
Bill Strausbaugh Award: Joe Tesori, The Pompey Club—Pompey, New York
Horton Smith Award: Bryan Jones, Black Oak G.C.—Long Valley, New Jersey
PGA Player Development Award: Mary Hafeman, Deercreek C.C.—Jacksonville, Florida and
Missing Links G.C.–Mequon, Wisconsin
Patriot Award: Stephen Greiner, Links to Freedom—Springfield, Virginia
Deacon Palmer Award: William “Bill” Flynn*, Windham C.C.—Windham, New Hampshire
PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Private Facilities: Mark Thush, Desert Mountain Club–
Scottsdale, Arizona
PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Public Facilities: Matt Brown, Highlands G.C.–Gearhart, Oregon
PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Resort Facilities: Kelly O’Donnell, Wolfdancer G.C.–Lost Pines,
Texas
Herb Graffis Award – Northern Texas PGA Section**
*Deceased
**Herb Graffis Award presented on Thursday, Nov. 10
Team California Captures 2016 PGA Junior League Golf National Championship
Despite Mother Nature’s efforts to douse the desert in a rare thunder and hail storm, Team California
emerged victorious over Team Georgia 8-4, in the 2016 PGA Junior League Golf National Championship
presented by National Car Rental at Grayhawk Golf Club.
The All-Star team from Las Positas Golf Course in Livermore, California, raced out to an early lead
Monday morning and never looked back. Team California’s Aidan Tran, 12, set the tone off the bat with
Page 2
a birdie putt to open the first match. Through the first three holes, Team California led Team Georgia by
3 points, needing just 3.5 more over the next six holes to clinch.
With a rare desert storm fast-approaching, California locked up the win on the par-4, 305-yard 6th hole
with a championship-clinching, 3-foot birdie putt by 12-year-old phenom Alice Liu. Despite earning the
magic half-point that put California mathematically over the top, Liu was unaware at the moment of the
putt’s significance. This is the second PGA Junior League National Championship title for a team from Las
Positas (2012), which also finished second in 2013.
1st Place – Team California (Livermore)
2nd Place – Team Georgia (Alpharetta)
3rd Place – Team Ohio (Columbia Station)
4th Place – Team New Jersey (Hillsborough)
5th Place – Team Connecticut (Cromwell)
6th Place – Team Texas (Cedar Park)
7th Place – Team Alabama (Huntsville)
8th Place – Team Illinois (Lemont)
PGA Launched Global Employment Services in Partnership with Colt Mackenzie McNair
Golf is truly a global game, and the PGA of America is making sure its members are positioned to help
grow the sport around the world. The PGA of America has partnered with Colt Mackenzie McNair
(CMM) – the leading executive recruitment specialist in golf markets outside the U.S. – in an effort to
support PGA Professionals in finding and securing international employment opportunities.
In essence, CMM becomes an international extension of the 14 PGA Employment Consultants working
to match PGA Professionals with golf facilities seeking experts in the game and business of golf. As with
the existing format for domestic employment services, CMM will be seamlessly integrated into the jobseeking tools PGA Professionals already use, including PGA.org, CareerLinks and JobFinder.
PGA Professionals who are interested in learning more about global employment opportunities can log
on to PGA.org/employment for additional information.
Steve Schneiter Captures Senior PGA Professional Championship
Steve Schneiter had something come over him, he said, which carried him to a piece of PGA of America
history Sunday at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Facing a must-make 15-foot left-to-right
downhill par putt on the 18th green, Schneiter surveyed his task, stepped up and rolled the ball home,
accentuated by a large fist pump. The final-hole dramatics lifted the 53-year-old Assistant PGA
Professional from Sandy, Utah, to a 3-under-par 69 and 13-under-par 275 total. It was enough for a onestroke triumph over Rick Schuller of Chester, Virginia, in the 28th Senior PGA Professional Championship
presented by Golf Advisor and Mercedes-Benz USA.
Schneiter, the only player to complete the week with four sub-70 rounds, earned $21,500 from a
$300,000 purse. With his victory, he became the first PGA Member to claim both a PGA Professional
Championship (1995) and a Senior PGA Professional Championship.
Page 3
PGA Junior League Golf Pilot Program Launches
The PGA of America and national African-American Fraternity Sigma Pi Phi have partnered to launch a
PGA Junior League Golf pilot program at seven top junior golf facilities across Florida, Georgia and Texas
this fall. Funded by PGA REACH, the program provides six weeks of free PGA Professional golf instruction
to children of all socio-economic backgrounds with the aim of increasing diversity in junior golf.
Déjà Vu for New Mexico State in the 15th Jones Cup
Some say that once is a mistake, and twice could be a pattern. For New Mexico State University’s PGA
Golf Management program, which today secured its second Jones Cup in as many years on the
Wanamaker Course at PGA Golf Club, back-to-back victories suggest the strong likelihood of a winning
program pedigree.
With a two-day total of 594, the Aggies became the first program to win consecutive Jones Cups since
Coastal Carolina turned the trick in 2004 and ’05. The 36-hole event included each of the 19 universities
that sponsor the PGA Golf Management program showcasing the talents of five players in the annual
team event.
Wyatt Worthington II Wins First PGA Tournament Series Event of 2016
Wyatt Worthington II doesn’t just want to make birdies, he wants to make history. Worthington did
both Tuesday, shooting another 2-under 70 to win Event No. 1 of the PGA Tournament Series by two
shots at PGA Golf Club. The 29-year-old Worthington is believed to be the first African American to win
a PGA Tournament Series event. Worthington, who teaches in the winter at famed Seminole Golf Club
and works at the Golf Depot at Central Park in Gahanna, Ohio, earned $5,000 for the victory.
Carpus named Chair of the PGA Rules Committee
Tom Carpus of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, whose leadership in professional education was
celebrated both within the Philadelphia PGA Section and at the national level, has been named chair of
the PGA Rules Committee. The PGA Head Professional at Kennett Square (Pennsylvania) Country Club
will serve a two-year term heading 38 PGA Members on a Rules Committee that oversees and
implements the Rules of Golf at the Association's premier spectator championships
PGA of America Staff News
The PGA would like to welcome the following new employee(s) who began their tenure recently:
• JoAnna Smith - Member Championship Coordinator
Page 4
PGA of America Highlight Summary – December 2016
January 3, 2017
The Headlines:
• Plans for the PGA Merchandise Show, Demo Day and Teaching & Coaching Summit Underway
• Player of the Year Winners Announced
• Captains’ Registration Open for 2017 PGA Junior League Golf Season
• 2016 PGA Tournament Series Concludes at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL
Plans for the PGA Merchandise Show, Demo Day and Teaching & Coaching Summit Underway
New golf fitness and wellness sessions, as well as an expanded retail track are among the extensive
educational opportunities offered during the 64th PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Jan. 24-27, 2017.
Outdoor instructional workshops, daily keynote sessions, certification programs and classroom seminars
create a comprehensive educational calendar for PGA Professionals and industry leaders attending the
PGA Show.
Detailed descriptions of educational programming, instructor biographies and online registration are
now available at PGAShow.com. Early savings on conference registration fees are available through
December 30, 2016. PGA Professionals are able to earn more than 30 MSR credits through participation
in PGA Education, PGA Merchandise Show and PGA of America programs.
At the PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day at Orange County National Golf Center on Tuesday, Jan. 24,
renowned PGA members and instructors David Leadbetter and Mike Malaska will both present hands-on
instructional workshops. John Holmes, president of Atlas Turf, will also conduct a workshop on turf
playability, while GolfTEC will present a workshop on instruction technology. Additionally, the PGA
Certified Professional Program Player Development Certification Program, the PGA of America Strategic
Management Simulation Course and a condensed FlightScope® Academy program will be offered that
day. The PGA of America Strategic Management Simulation Course enables PGA Professionals to
understand real world golf situations aligned with a primary focus on improving marketing and sales at a
golf facility.
Daily keynote education sessions, Jan. 25-27, begin each conference day and feature presentations by:
David Leadbetter, PGA, who will present “Applied Biomechanics of the Golf Swing” (Wednesday);
Michael Leemhuis, PGA Master Professional and Ocean Reef Club President, who will address CEO
expectations for PGA Professionals (Thursday); and the Doneger Group, which will present “FutureRetail
– New Growth Opportunities” (Friday).
PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit presented by Omega
The biennial PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit, presented by Omega, is an additional PGA Show Week
education opportunity, Jan. 22-23 at the Orange County Convention Center. The Sunday-Monday
Summit will present the most current teaching and coaching techniques, plus biomechanics, motion and
swing strategies. Hosted by 2008 PGA Teacher of the Year Martin Hall, the Summit also features 2015
PGA Teacher of the Year Cameron McCormick and 2016 PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Adams, among an
impressive lineup of PGA Professionals and industry experts. PGA Professionals can earn 16 PGA
Education Credits by attending the two-day summit. Registration is available on PGA.org.
Page 1
Berberian and Lardon Capture PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year
Awards
PGA Professional Champion Rich Berberian Jr. of Hooksett, New Hampshire, and Brad Lardon of Santa
Fe, New Mexico, have won the respective 2016 OMEGA PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional
Player of the Year awards. The twosome will be honored on Friday, June 19, at the 50th PGA
Professional Championship at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon.
Berberian, 29, a PGA Assistant Professional at Windham Country Club in Derry, New Hampshire, secured
his first PGA Professional Player of the Year Award. In June, Berberian won the 2016 PGA Professional
Championship at Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York and went on to claim New England PGA
Player of the Year honors.
Lardon, a 51-year-old PGA Director of Golf at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, New Mexico, won his first
Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year Award and became the first Sun Country PGA Member to
claim the national honor. Lardon had spent nearly 23 years in the Southern Texas PGA Section before
assuming his duties July 1 at Las Campanas.
The final PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year standings were determined
based on a point system involving national and PGA Section competitions from Jan. 1 through Dec. 16,
2016.
Captains’ Registration Open for 2017 PGA Junior League Golf Season
Captains’ registration for the 2017 PGA Junior League Golf season is now open and can be found on
PGA.org. The regular season will run from April 1 – July 31 and is a simple six-step process to get
involved. If you need any further support contact your Section League Manager or contact the National
Player Development Office (https://www.pga.org/articles/pga-junior-league-golf-support).
2016 PGA Tournament Series Concludes at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL
Event Date
PGA Golf Club Course
Winner
Nov. 28-29
Wanamaker
Wyatt Worthington II, PGA
Dec. 1-2
Dye
Bob Sowards, PGA
Dec. 5-6
Ryder
Rod Perry, PGA
Dec. 8-9
Wanamaker
Rod Perry, PGA
Dec. 12-13
Dye
Bob Sowards, PGA
Dec. 15-16
Ryder
Omar Uresti, PGA
PGA of America Staff News
The PGA would like to welcome the following new employee(s) who began their tenure recently:
• Kelsey Conway – PGA REACH Program Coordinator
• Rhiannon Heath – Digital Project Coordinator
• Matt Clark – Championship Operations Manager
• Brandon Haney – Championship Operations Manager
• Chris Kerr – Championship Operations Manager
• Tarynn Hockenberry – AP Processor
Page 2