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Scott Kash, PGA - Patriot Award Recipient

By Kelly Elbin • November 11, 2025
As Scott Kash tells the story, the Veterans he was teaching golf to that spring day in 2023 had it all wrong. There were 15 or so Veterans who had participated in a PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) class at Stoneybrook Golf Club in Estero, Florida, and during the ceremony held at the conclusion of the class, each of them walked up to Kash, one of the PGA of America Professionals who had served as an instructor that day. "Every one of them is coming up and thanking me," says Kash. "I'm thinking, 'I'm here to thank you.' That's when it hit me that what I'm doing is making a difference. It is truly the least that we can do, as golf professionals, to teach them the game and give back to those who put on the uniform so that we are able to do what we do every day." The passion that Kash has for providing various means for Veterans to start the game and continue to enjoy it is evident to anyone who knows the man who is truly making the most of his second career, which has now seen him honored with the 2025 South Florida PGA (SFPGA) Patriot Award. Kash is the sixth recipient of the Patriot Award, which recognizes a PGA of America member who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to all who have served the United States of America. The SFPGA began recognizing the Patriot Award, one of the PGA of America's national awards, on the Section level in 2019. "This is a unique award, and I'm incredibly honored to receive it," says Kash, the Tournament Director at Quail Creek Country Club, a 36-hole private facility in Naples, Florida. "The Patriot Award is unique because it goes beyond what we do as a profession. I have looked at ways that I can give back, and when it comes to the military, I'm all in." Kash serves on the Home Base Golf Tournament Committee at Quail Creek. He played a vital role as the Tournament Director for the event itself, helping to raise more than $175,000 for the Home Base Foundation last year. Home Base is a national non-profit organization dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war through direct clinical care, wellness, education, and research, all at no cost to Veterans, service members, and their families. As a PGA HOPE Certified Professional, Kash has successfully graduated 58 Veterans across four classes since 2023. Furthermore, as a leader for the PGA HOPE Basecamps in the SFPGA's Southwest Chapter, Kash has organized three additional sessions, offering enhanced instruction and playing opportunities to 30 Veterans. One of those whose lives Kash has touched is Ronald Dixon, a disabled Veteran and one of Kash's Player Development students. "I have experienced firsthand the patience, encouragement, and genuine care that Mr. Kash provides to those he mentors," Dixon wrote in a letter recommending Kash for the SFPGA Patriot Award. "Mr. Kash has gone above and beyond in supporting me not only as a student of the game but also as a Veteran navigating the challenges of recovery, growth, and transition ... His support has helped me grow both on the course and personally, reinforcing the sense of pride and confidence that military service instilled in me." As so many Veterans have discovered how golf can help change their lives, so too has the game enriched the second part of Kash's professional arc. After a career in manufacturing planning and logistics, Kash started playing more golf. A lot more ... upwards of 175 rounds per year, in fact. He went to work at a local municipal course in the New York City area, decided to dedicate his efforts to achieving PGA of America membership, and after helping his parents move to Southwest Florida, Kash became a PGA of America member in 2010. Kash said he "felt something that day" in Maine in 2016 when he assisted in one of the early PGA HOPE events, in Maine. Part of the pull, to wanting to help Veterans, emanated from thinking about his Dad, Gerald, who had served as a special enlisted reserve in Korea. "My Dad was my rock," he says now of his late father. The son went to it, and the fire for helping veterans continues to burn strongly. He is currently working with Home Base to establish a golf league for veterans. Through PGA HOPE Basecamps, which are designed to keep veterans engaged in golf, Kash has helped secure facilities and collaborated with other PGA HOPE Certified Golf Professionals to deliver five weeks of instruction, culminating in a final 9-hole scramble. This summer, the third Basecamp session that Kash oversaw featured eight returning participants who had previously attended at least one session. Heather Angell, also a PGA of America Professional, went through PGA HOPE training with Kash. "I ran four PGA HOPE Programs in Fort Myers, and Scott was with me every step of the way making sure the Veterans had a great experience," says Angell, the PGA Director of Instruction at The Golf Club at Fiddler's Creek in Naples, Florida. "When he asked me if I could assist him with a Basecamp he created and organized this year, I did not hesitate to help out, as I knew he was offering a meaningful experience for those Veterans who had already completed the original PGA HOPE Program. Scott saw the importance of the program and the need that the graduates wanted more. PGA HOPE has become his passion and the program in Southwest Florida has been elevated because of him." Paul Fitzpatrick, PGA Director of Golf at Babcock National Golf & Country Club in Punta Gorda, Florida, has worked with Kash on several Basecamp events and echoes the praise from Angell. "Scott's genuine care for veterans and passion for providing them with opportunities to improve their golf game and feel comfortable are always evident," says Fitzpatrick. "We organize Drive, Chip, and Putt challenges, as well as a 9-hole scramble. In addition, Scott has conducted multiple surveys to better understand the participants’ needs and enhance their overall experience. Scott has found his passion and is dedicated to giving our veterans every opportunity to enhance their lives and golf experiences. His vision for the PGA HOPE program will have a lasting impact on our Section." So many of us try to find that calling in life. What is it that we can do to genuinely make a difference? Will it really matter at all? For Scott Kash, the answer is simple, really. In part, it's in what he calls "that look of amazement" on the faces of the Veterans he teaches, when they react to a golf ball they have struck well, soaring up in the air. In part, it's in honoring his Dad by "waking up each day with a passion for Veterans and these programs." Put together, the whole of it adds up to the intense commitment that Kash has made to those he gets to thank through the game that brings joy, renewal and, in many ways, peace, to those who deserve it the most. "You have to pour your heart and soul into this if you commit to giving back to our Veterans," he says. "I have had conversations with fellow PGA Professionals about the PGA HOPE program, and I often share the profound impact of seeing Veterans' appreciation for what we do for them. This has truly been a truly life-changing experience for me."

Rolex South Florida PGA Players of the Year Announced

By Matt De Tullio • November 7, 2025
West Palm Beach, FL - Justin Hicks, Ashley Grier, Tim Cantwell, and Jerry Tucker have been awarded 2025 South Florida PGA Rolex Section, Women's, Senior Player, and Super Senior of the Year honors, respectively, based on the season-long points race. Annually, the SFPGA recognizes a Section, Women's, Senior, and Super Senior Player of the Year, determined by total points earned during Section individual stroke play events, PGA Professional Championships, and participation in the Challenge and Senior Challenge Cup Matches. For the second consecutive year, Hicks, a PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club, has earned the Section's top playing honor, earning a total of 1,657 points, 213 points better than Michael Kartrude, PGA of The Bear's Club. Hicks' season was highlighted by qualifying for the PGA Championship by way of the PGA Professional Championship, where he finished in a tie for ninth, earning him entry into his first career PGA Championship. Less than a month later, Hicks was competing in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club after successfully surviving golf's longest day and qualifying for his eighth Major Championship of his career. At the Section level, Hicks managed a top-10 finish in all four majors, including a T9 finish to open the season at the Fort Lauderdale Open, a fourth-place finish at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open, a T7 finish at the Bushnell Stroke Play Championship, and a third-place finish at the South Florida PGA Professional Championship to close the season. Since becoming a member of the SFPGA in 2022, Hicks has taken full advantage of his Class-A Membership, earning two Rolex Player of the Year titles, resulting in two PGA TOUR starts, a Section major title at the 2024 Bushnell Stroke Play Championship, three Corales Puntacana Championship member qualifier titles, and a PGA Championship start. In her first year as a SFPGA member, Grier, a PGA Assistant Professional at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club, was named the Rolex Women's Player of the Year, earning 1,487 points, nearly 1,000 points ahead of her closest competitor. After transferring in from the Middle Atlantic PGA Section, where she became the first female to be crowned the Section Player of the Year in 2024, Grier's talent followed to South Florida, where she managed a T2 finish at the Fort Lauderdale Open which marked her first Section event. Grier later competed in the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, earning low PGA Professional honors, the first SFPGA Professional to do so in Section history. Her momentum carried into the South Florida PGA Professional Championship, ending in a tie for fourteenth before capturing the Women's Section Championship title to cap off the season. The Women's Player of the Year honor only adds to Grier's PGA of America playing career, where she has competed on the U.S. Women's PGA Cup Team in 2019, was awarded the 2020 PGA of America Women's Player of the Year honor, and has competed at four PGA Professional Championships and will make her fifth in 2026. Cantwell earned his first Rolex Senior Player of the Year honor, narrowly beating Alan Morin, PGA of the Club at Ibis, and the 2023 and 2024 player of the year, by 112 points. The PGA National Golf Club Teaching Professional opened the 2025 season with a second-place finish at the Florida Senior Open, a top-10 finish at the Fort Lauderdale Open, and a T3 finish at the South Florida Senior Open. Cantwell then joined 34 other PGA Professionals at the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club, where he made the cut, ultimately finishing at T58. Sustaining that momentum into the summer, Cantwell managed a top-15 at all Section majors, including a third-place finish at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open, a T5 finish at the Bushnell Stroke Play Championship, and a T11 finish at the South Florida Senior PGA Professional Championship. To end the season, Cantwell competed and finished fourth in the Senior PGA Professional Championship, earning him entry into the 2026 Senior PGA Championship for the second consecutive year. For the fourth time in five years, Tucker of Jerry Tucker Golf has claimed the Super Senior Player of the Year honor, accumulating a total of 1,000 points. Tucker's season was highlighted by a seventh-place finish at the South Florida Senior Open, an 18th-place finish overall at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open (first in the Super Senior division), and an T8 finish at the South Florida Senior PGA Professional Championship (first in the Super Senior division). Closing the year, Tucker competed at the Senior PGA Professional Championship and was a member of the Senior Challenge Cup team. Tucker adds to his historic SFPGA playing resume, which includes six Senior Player of the Year honors and one overall Player of the Year honor. The Player of the Year is presented by Rolex and is a season-long points race designed to honor the best overall Section, Female, Senior and Super Senior players.

PGA of America 2025 Hall of Fame Class Honored at 109th PGA Annual Meeting

By PGA of America • November 6, 2025
FRISCO, Texas (Nov. 6, 2025) - The PGA of America celebrated its 2025 Hall of Fame Class with an induction ceremony at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Wednesday night during the 109th PGA Annual Meeting in Frisco, Texas. The PGA of America Hall of Fame honors individuals who through their lives, careers, service and support have made significant and enduring contributions to the Association in its mission to grow the game of golf. The biennial ceremony, emceed by CBS Sports Reporter Amanda Balionis, honored and celebrated PGA of America Past President Jim Richerson, PGA ; PGA Members Ronny Glanton, PGA, Jim McLean, PGA and JD Turner, PGA ; LPGA Tour Legend Nancy Lopez ; and PGA of America Honorary Member and adaptive trick-shot artist Dennis Walters. "The PGA of America Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is always a special night, and the 2025 Class truly represents the very best of our Association and the game we love," said PGA of America President and Master Professional Don Rea Jr. "It's a tremendous honor to celebrate their profound achievements in growing and elevating golf and the industry. Their collective legacy is inspirational." The PGA of America Hall of Fame originated in 1940 at the suggestion of famed sportswriter Grantland Rice and is the highest honor the PGA of America can bestow upon its members and ambassadors of the game. The Hall of Fame includes four induction categories: PGA of America Golf Professional Category (Glanton, McLean, Turner); PGA of America Past President Category (Richerson); Tour Player Professional Category (Lopez); and PGA of America Ambassador Category (Walters). The evening started off with a local legend, Ronny Glanton, PGA, who began his career in 1981 as an Assistant Professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course in Richardson, Texas. Upon achieving PGA of America membership in 1984, he took over as Head Professional and has been at the Richardson facility ever since. He’s the namesake of The Ronny Golf Park, a first-of-its-kind facility located on campus at PGA Frisco that features a two-acre, lighted golf park made entirely of fully synthetic turf and hosts programs for children ages 3-14. “About 15 years ago (Northern Texas PGA CEO) Mark Harrison had this idea to build a golf park and allow kids to come participate for free,” said Glanton. “It took a lot of people, but Mark Harrison was the key and he kept it alive. It’s very humbling and an honor to be part of it.” Glanton then reflected on his 44 years at Sherrill Park. “First and foremost, the city of Richardson gave me a chance to be their Head Professional at a young age of 25 years old, and then I had to prove myself,” said Richardson. “They’re commitment to golf is unprecedented for a municipality. If it weren’t for the people who supported what we do, I would never be sitting here today.” Jim McLean, PGA, is one of the most influential PGA of America Golf Professionals in the world and is recognized globally for his teaching. In 1991, he founded the Jim McLean Golf School, which has grown into an internationally respected academy. A PGA Master Professional, McLean has taught thousands of golfers, including over 100 PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour professionals, among them Cristie Kerr, Keegan Bradley, Lexi Thompson and Bernhard Langer. Not only is McLean an expert coach, but a mentor to countless PGA of America Golf Professionals. “(Mentoring) has been the most important thing in my life, I think,” said McLean. “Working with a lot of juniors, that’s been the most fun thing. We have a great staff and a lot of great young people working for me, and that’s been the most important thing. We built a template for hiring young professionals, and the difference between a good future teacher and a great one is massive. We hire the great ones.” JD Turner, PGA, learned the game on a nine-hole golf course in Perry, Iowa. From there, he played collegiate golf at the University of Iowa and started a career as a PGA of America Golf Professional at facilities throughout Iowa and Nebraska, most notably as the Head Professional and Director of Golf at Des Moines Golf & Country Club. He reached a broader audience with the “The Iowa Golf Show” and then the “JD Turner Golf University” television programs, reaching 1.2 million viewers in the mid-1980s and ran for an incredible 25 years. As a PGA Master Professional, Turner’s skills as an instructor landed him on Golf Magazine’s “Top Teachers” list from 1991 to 2012. “I played golf with some producers in Des Moines, Iowa, and I said ‘why don’t we start a golf show’ and they were intrigued,” said Turner. “I put together a resume and they said ‘let’s do it,’ so we started the show. It turned out quite nice.” A mentor to many, Turner reflected on how the importance of leading others was instilled in his own life. “My dad was a school teacher and a coach and he gravitated toward a small town of about 6,000 people, a blue collar town,” he said. “He had a strong feeling for kids who came from tough places, and he passed that on to me. It was a wonderful quality of his and that was a big influence on me.” PGA of America Honorary Member and World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Walters turned tragedy into inspiration after being paralyzed from the waist down from a golf cart accident in 1974 at age 24. He not only found a way to keep competing at a high level, helping to create a new category in the game: Adaptive Golf. He has also inspired thousands through his world-famous trick-shot clinic, the “Dennis Walters Golf Show,” always accompanied by his co-star rescue dog, who also made a star appearance on the PGA Frisco stage. “I want to thank the PGA of America for this honor,” said Walters. “I have basically fulfilled my boyhood dream of making it through this world as a professional golfer. That was my original goal, to make it through this world on my golf skills. And I did it.” In his more than 3,000 shows, Walters always leaves a message that has altered the direction of his own life. “If you have a dream and it doesn’t work out, that’s okay because the solution is simple: Get a new dream.” Nancy Lopez has a long history of breaking records. In 1978, she was LPGA Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year and won the Vare Trophy for scoring average: She is still the only woman to capture all three honors in the same season. Today, the World Golf Hall of Famer’s influence remains strong through her company Nancy Lopez Golf, helping women learn the game and feel more comfortable on the golf course. However, as she spoke about her career, it was the influence of her own family that made the difference. “My dad was my teacher, my hero, my best friend,” the Hall of Famer said. “He helped me to learn to love the game. I’ve been very blessed, I have a wonderful family, a wonderful husband and three wonderful daughters. There was a lot of juggling, but I always looked at it this way: When I was mom, I was going to be the best mom I could be. Once I walked inside the ropes, that’s where I needed my focus, because if I didn’t, I was just wasting my time. Then when I was back outside the ropes, I thought only about my life.” The culmination of the inspirational evening was PGA of America Past President Jim Richerson, PGA. The General Manager & Chief Operating Officer of The Riviera Country Club & The Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Richerson was elected President at the 104th PGA Annual Meeting in 2020, and oversaw record participation and growth of the game, further elevating the role and stature of the PGA of America Golf Professional. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit,” Richerson said. “I think anybody that’s had any type of success in our business has a lot of people that have supported them along the way. From a business standpoint, I’ve had great partners, but it starts and ends with my family. I grew up in a very supportive family, my parents supported six kids that all went into different industries. And my wife, Kristi, for those who don’t know her, is better than me in every way. She’s the most genuine person I know. You can’t have any success unless you have people supporting you, and I’ve been very fortunate that the little bit of success that I've had is because of such great support. For a full list of PGA of America Hall of Fame Members, click here .
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Scott Kash, PGA - Patriot Award Recipient

By Kelly Elbin • November 11, 2025
As Scott Kash tells the story, the Veterans he was teaching golf to that spring day in 2023 had it all wrong. There were 15 or so Veterans who had participated in a PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) class at Stoneybrook Golf Club in Estero, Florida, and during the ceremony held at the conclusion of the class, each of them walked up to Kash, one of the PGA of America Professionals who had served as an instructor that day. "Every one of them is coming up and thanking me," says Kash. "I'm thinking, 'I'm here to thank you.' That's when it hit me that what I'm doing is making a difference. It is truly the least that we can do, as golf professionals, to teach them the game and give back to those who put on the uniform so that we are able to do what we do every day." The passion that Kash has for providing various means for Veterans to start the game and continue to enjoy it is evident to anyone who knows the man who is truly making the most of his second career, which has now seen him honored with the 2025 South Florida PGA (SFPGA) Patriot Award. Kash is the sixth recipient of the Patriot Award, which recognizes a PGA of America member who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to all who have served the United States of America. The SFPGA began recognizing the Patriot Award, one of the PGA of America's national awards, on the Section level in 2019. "This is a unique award, and I'm incredibly honored to receive it," says Kash, the Tournament Director at Quail Creek Country Club, a 36-hole private facility in Naples, Florida. "The Patriot Award is unique because it goes beyond what we do as a profession. I have looked at ways that I can give back, and when it comes to the military, I'm all in." Kash serves on the Home Base Golf Tournament Committee at Quail Creek. He played a vital role as the Tournament Director for the event itself, helping to raise more than $175,000 for the Home Base Foundation last year. Home Base is a national non-profit organization dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war through direct clinical care, wellness, education, and research, all at no cost to Veterans, service members, and their families. As a PGA HOPE Certified Professional, Kash has successfully graduated 58 Veterans across four classes since 2023. Furthermore, as a leader for the PGA HOPE Basecamps in the SFPGA's Southwest Chapter, Kash has organized three additional sessions, offering enhanced instruction and playing opportunities to 30 Veterans. One of those whose lives Kash has touched is Ronald Dixon, a disabled Veteran and one of Kash's Player Development students. "I have experienced firsthand the patience, encouragement, and genuine care that Mr. Kash provides to those he mentors," Dixon wrote in a letter recommending Kash for the SFPGA Patriot Award. "Mr. Kash has gone above and beyond in supporting me not only as a student of the game but also as a Veteran navigating the challenges of recovery, growth, and transition ... His support has helped me grow both on the course and personally, reinforcing the sense of pride and confidence that military service instilled in me." As so many Veterans have discovered how golf can help change their lives, so too has the game enriched the second part of Kash's professional arc. After a career in manufacturing planning and logistics, Kash started playing more golf. A lot more ... upwards of 175 rounds per year, in fact. He went to work at a local municipal course in the New York City area, decided to dedicate his efforts to achieving PGA of America membership, and after helping his parents move to Southwest Florida, Kash became a PGA of America member in 2010. Kash said he "felt something that day" in Maine in 2016 when he assisted in one of the early PGA HOPE events, in Maine. Part of the pull, to wanting to help Veterans, emanated from thinking about his Dad, Gerald, who had served as a special enlisted reserve in Korea. "My Dad was my rock," he says now of his late father. The son went to it, and the fire for helping veterans continues to burn strongly. He is currently working with Home Base to establish a golf league for veterans. Through PGA HOPE Basecamps, which are designed to keep veterans engaged in golf, Kash has helped secure facilities and collaborated with other PGA HOPE Certified Golf Professionals to deliver five weeks of instruction, culminating in a final 9-hole scramble. This summer, the third Basecamp session that Kash oversaw featured eight returning participants who had previously attended at least one session. Heather Angell, also a PGA of America Professional, went through PGA HOPE training with Kash. "I ran four PGA HOPE Programs in Fort Myers, and Scott was with me every step of the way making sure the Veterans had a great experience," says Angell, the PGA Director of Instruction at The Golf Club at Fiddler's Creek in Naples, Florida. "When he asked me if I could assist him with a Basecamp he created and organized this year, I did not hesitate to help out, as I knew he was offering a meaningful experience for those Veterans who had already completed the original PGA HOPE Program. Scott saw the importance of the program and the need that the graduates wanted more. PGA HOPE has become his passion and the program in Southwest Florida has been elevated because of him." Paul Fitzpatrick, PGA Director of Golf at Babcock National Golf & Country Club in Punta Gorda, Florida, has worked with Kash on several Basecamp events and echoes the praise from Angell. "Scott's genuine care for veterans and passion for providing them with opportunities to improve their golf game and feel comfortable are always evident," says Fitzpatrick. "We organize Drive, Chip, and Putt challenges, as well as a 9-hole scramble. In addition, Scott has conducted multiple surveys to better understand the participants’ needs and enhance their overall experience. Scott has found his passion and is dedicated to giving our veterans every opportunity to enhance their lives and golf experiences. His vision for the PGA HOPE program will have a lasting impact on our Section." So many of us try to find that calling in life. What is it that we can do to genuinely make a difference? Will it really matter at all? For Scott Kash, the answer is simple, really. In part, it's in what he calls "that look of amazement" on the faces of the Veterans he teaches, when they react to a golf ball they have struck well, soaring up in the air. In part, it's in honoring his Dad by "waking up each day with a passion for Veterans and these programs." Put together, the whole of it adds up to the intense commitment that Kash has made to those he gets to thank through the game that brings joy, renewal and, in many ways, peace, to those who deserve it the most. "You have to pour your heart and soul into this if you commit to giving back to our Veterans," he says. "I have had conversations with fellow PGA Professionals about the PGA HOPE program, and I often share the profound impact of seeing Veterans' appreciation for what we do for them. This has truly been a truly life-changing experience for me."

Rolex South Florida PGA Players of the Year Announced

By Matt De Tullio • November 7, 2025
West Palm Beach, FL - Justin Hicks, Ashley Grier, Tim Cantwell, and Jerry Tucker have been awarded 2025 South Florida PGA Rolex Section, Women's, Senior Player, and Super Senior of the Year honors, respectively, based on the season-long points race. Annually, the SFPGA recognizes a Section, Women's, Senior, and Super Senior Player of the Year, determined by total points earned during Section individual stroke play events, PGA Professional Championships, and participation in the Challenge and Senior Challenge Cup Matches. For the second consecutive year, Hicks, a PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club, has earned the Section's top playing honor, earning a total of 1,657 points, 213 points better than Michael Kartrude, PGA of The Bear's Club. Hicks' season was highlighted by qualifying for the PGA Championship by way of the PGA Professional Championship, where he finished in a tie for ninth, earning him entry into his first career PGA Championship. Less than a month later, Hicks was competing in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club after successfully surviving golf's longest day and qualifying for his eighth Major Championship of his career. At the Section level, Hicks managed a top-10 finish in all four majors, including a T9 finish to open the season at the Fort Lauderdale Open, a fourth-place finish at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open, a T7 finish at the Bushnell Stroke Play Championship, and a third-place finish at the South Florida PGA Professional Championship to close the season. Since becoming a member of the SFPGA in 2022, Hicks has taken full advantage of his Class-A Membership, earning two Rolex Player of the Year titles, resulting in two PGA TOUR starts, a Section major title at the 2024 Bushnell Stroke Play Championship, three Corales Puntacana Championship member qualifier titles, and a PGA Championship start. In her first year as a SFPGA member, Grier, a PGA Assistant Professional at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club, was named the Rolex Women's Player of the Year, earning 1,487 points, nearly 1,000 points ahead of her closest competitor. After transferring in from the Middle Atlantic PGA Section, where she became the first female to be crowned the Section Player of the Year in 2024, Grier's talent followed to South Florida, where she managed a T2 finish at the Fort Lauderdale Open which marked her first Section event. Grier later competed in the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, earning low PGA Professional honors, the first SFPGA Professional to do so in Section history. Her momentum carried into the South Florida PGA Professional Championship, ending in a tie for fourteenth before capturing the Women's Section Championship title to cap off the season. The Women's Player of the Year honor only adds to Grier's PGA of America playing career, where she has competed on the U.S. Women's PGA Cup Team in 2019, was awarded the 2020 PGA of America Women's Player of the Year honor, and has competed at four PGA Professional Championships and will make her fifth in 2026. Cantwell earned his first Rolex Senior Player of the Year honor, narrowly beating Alan Morin, PGA of the Club at Ibis, and the 2023 and 2024 player of the year, by 112 points. The PGA National Golf Club Teaching Professional opened the 2025 season with a second-place finish at the Florida Senior Open, a top-10 finish at the Fort Lauderdale Open, and a T3 finish at the South Florida Senior Open. Cantwell then joined 34 other PGA Professionals at the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club, where he made the cut, ultimately finishing at T58. Sustaining that momentum into the summer, Cantwell managed a top-15 at all Section majors, including a third-place finish at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open, a T5 finish at the Bushnell Stroke Play Championship, and a T11 finish at the South Florida Senior PGA Professional Championship. To end the season, Cantwell competed and finished fourth in the Senior PGA Professional Championship, earning him entry into the 2026 Senior PGA Championship for the second consecutive year. For the fourth time in five years, Tucker of Jerry Tucker Golf has claimed the Super Senior Player of the Year honor, accumulating a total of 1,000 points. Tucker's season was highlighted by a seventh-place finish at the South Florida Senior Open, an 18th-place finish overall at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open (first in the Super Senior division), and an T8 finish at the South Florida Senior PGA Professional Championship (first in the Super Senior division). Closing the year, Tucker competed at the Senior PGA Professional Championship and was a member of the Senior Challenge Cup team. Tucker adds to his historic SFPGA playing resume, which includes six Senior Player of the Year honors and one overall Player of the Year honor. The Player of the Year is presented by Rolex and is a season-long points race designed to honor the best overall Section, Female, Senior and Super Senior players.

PGA of America 2025 Hall of Fame Class Honored at 109th PGA Annual Meeting

By PGA of America • November 6, 2025
FRISCO, Texas (Nov. 6, 2025) - The PGA of America celebrated its 2025 Hall of Fame Class with an induction ceremony at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Wednesday night during the 109th PGA Annual Meeting in Frisco, Texas. The PGA of America Hall of Fame honors individuals who through their lives, careers, service and support have made significant and enduring contributions to the Association in its mission to grow the game of golf. The biennial ceremony, emceed by CBS Sports Reporter Amanda Balionis, honored and celebrated PGA of America Past President Jim Richerson, PGA ; PGA Members Ronny Glanton, PGA, Jim McLean, PGA and JD Turner, PGA ; LPGA Tour Legend Nancy Lopez ; and PGA of America Honorary Member and adaptive trick-shot artist Dennis Walters. "The PGA of America Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is always a special night, and the 2025 Class truly represents the very best of our Association and the game we love," said PGA of America President and Master Professional Don Rea Jr. "It's a tremendous honor to celebrate their profound achievements in growing and elevating golf and the industry. Their collective legacy is inspirational." The PGA of America Hall of Fame originated in 1940 at the suggestion of famed sportswriter Grantland Rice and is the highest honor the PGA of America can bestow upon its members and ambassadors of the game. The Hall of Fame includes four induction categories: PGA of America Golf Professional Category (Glanton, McLean, Turner); PGA of America Past President Category (Richerson); Tour Player Professional Category (Lopez); and PGA of America Ambassador Category (Walters). The evening started off with a local legend, Ronny Glanton, PGA, who began his career in 1981 as an Assistant Professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course in Richardson, Texas. Upon achieving PGA of America membership in 1984, he took over as Head Professional and has been at the Richardson facility ever since. He’s the namesake of The Ronny Golf Park, a first-of-its-kind facility located on campus at PGA Frisco that features a two-acre, lighted golf park made entirely of fully synthetic turf and hosts programs for children ages 3-14. “About 15 years ago (Northern Texas PGA CEO) Mark Harrison had this idea to build a golf park and allow kids to come participate for free,” said Glanton. “It took a lot of people, but Mark Harrison was the key and he kept it alive. It’s very humbling and an honor to be part of it.” Glanton then reflected on his 44 years at Sherrill Park. “First and foremost, the city of Richardson gave me a chance to be their Head Professional at a young age of 25 years old, and then I had to prove myself,” said Richardson. “They’re commitment to golf is unprecedented for a municipality. If it weren’t for the people who supported what we do, I would never be sitting here today.” Jim McLean, PGA, is one of the most influential PGA of America Golf Professionals in the world and is recognized globally for his teaching. In 1991, he founded the Jim McLean Golf School, which has grown into an internationally respected academy. A PGA Master Professional, McLean has taught thousands of golfers, including over 100 PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour professionals, among them Cristie Kerr, Keegan Bradley, Lexi Thompson and Bernhard Langer. Not only is McLean an expert coach, but a mentor to countless PGA of America Golf Professionals. “(Mentoring) has been the most important thing in my life, I think,” said McLean. “Working with a lot of juniors, that’s been the most fun thing. We have a great staff and a lot of great young people working for me, and that’s been the most important thing. We built a template for hiring young professionals, and the difference between a good future teacher and a great one is massive. We hire the great ones.” JD Turner, PGA, learned the game on a nine-hole golf course in Perry, Iowa. From there, he played collegiate golf at the University of Iowa and started a career as a PGA of America Golf Professional at facilities throughout Iowa and Nebraska, most notably as the Head Professional and Director of Golf at Des Moines Golf & Country Club. He reached a broader audience with the “The Iowa Golf Show” and then the “JD Turner Golf University” television programs, reaching 1.2 million viewers in the mid-1980s and ran for an incredible 25 years. As a PGA Master Professional, Turner’s skills as an instructor landed him on Golf Magazine’s “Top Teachers” list from 1991 to 2012. “I played golf with some producers in Des Moines, Iowa, and I said ‘why don’t we start a golf show’ and they were intrigued,” said Turner. “I put together a resume and they said ‘let’s do it,’ so we started the show. It turned out quite nice.” A mentor to many, Turner reflected on how the importance of leading others was instilled in his own life. “My dad was a school teacher and a coach and he gravitated toward a small town of about 6,000 people, a blue collar town,” he said. “He had a strong feeling for kids who came from tough places, and he passed that on to me. It was a wonderful quality of his and that was a big influence on me.” PGA of America Honorary Member and World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Walters turned tragedy into inspiration after being paralyzed from the waist down from a golf cart accident in 1974 at age 24. He not only found a way to keep competing at a high level, helping to create a new category in the game: Adaptive Golf. He has also inspired thousands through his world-famous trick-shot clinic, the “Dennis Walters Golf Show,” always accompanied by his co-star rescue dog, who also made a star appearance on the PGA Frisco stage. “I want to thank the PGA of America for this honor,” said Walters. “I have basically fulfilled my boyhood dream of making it through this world as a professional golfer. That was my original goal, to make it through this world on my golf skills. And I did it.” In his more than 3,000 shows, Walters always leaves a message that has altered the direction of his own life. “If you have a dream and it doesn’t work out, that’s okay because the solution is simple: Get a new dream.” Nancy Lopez has a long history of breaking records. In 1978, she was LPGA Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year and won the Vare Trophy for scoring average: She is still the only woman to capture all three honors in the same season. Today, the World Golf Hall of Famer’s influence remains strong through her company Nancy Lopez Golf, helping women learn the game and feel more comfortable on the golf course. However, as she spoke about her career, it was the influence of her own family that made the difference. “My dad was my teacher, my hero, my best friend,” the Hall of Famer said. “He helped me to learn to love the game. I’ve been very blessed, I have a wonderful family, a wonderful husband and three wonderful daughters. There was a lot of juggling, but I always looked at it this way: When I was mom, I was going to be the best mom I could be. Once I walked inside the ropes, that’s where I needed my focus, because if I didn’t, I was just wasting my time. Then when I was back outside the ropes, I thought only about my life.” The culmination of the inspirational evening was PGA of America Past President Jim Richerson, PGA. The General Manager & Chief Operating Officer of The Riviera Country Club & The Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Richerson was elected President at the 104th PGA Annual Meeting in 2020, and oversaw record participation and growth of the game, further elevating the role and stature of the PGA of America Golf Professional. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit,” Richerson said. “I think anybody that’s had any type of success in our business has a lot of people that have supported them along the way. From a business standpoint, I’ve had great partners, but it starts and ends with my family. I grew up in a very supportive family, my parents supported six kids that all went into different industries. And my wife, Kristi, for those who don’t know her, is better than me in every way. She’s the most genuine person I know. You can’t have any success unless you have people supporting you, and I’ve been very fortunate that the little bit of success that I've had is because of such great support. For a full list of PGA of America Hall of Fame Members, click here .
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