SOUTH FLORIDA PGA

West Palm Beach, FL - A Class-A PGA of America Golf Professional since 2024, Michael Kartrude, PGA, has excelled at the Section and National levels, qualifying for the 2025 PGA Championship through the PGA Professional Championship in his first attempt. Today, the lead PGA Assistant at The Bear’s Club adds 2025 South Florida PGA Professional Champion to his quickly growing resume. With rounds of 66-61-73, 12-under par, Kartrude not only clinched the Championship title, but also earned entry into the 2026 Puerto Rico Open. “It feels great," Kartrude exhaled after a grueling final round. “It is where I wanted to be when I got elected, and that was a goal, and we did it.” After opening the 46th Section Championship with a 4-under 66, Kartrude was in a tie for fourth and two back of the lead. Kartrude set himself apart from the rest of the pack in round two, matching The Park's course record with a 10-under 61, giving himself a three-shot lead heading into the final round. “I was playing great, and when I'm playing that way, I know I can go low,” Kartrude recalled in his second round. “The hardest part for me is holding that together.” Following a career round, Kartrude reset and prepared for a crucial final round. “I did my best to slow my emotions down,” Kartrude said. “Walk slower, walk around the hole a little more. I don’t want to speed up because if I speed up, it can snowball, and I think I could have held it together better than I did today, but I did enough. Kartrude's emotions were certainly tested today, battling harsh conditions. His first test came on the par-4, 8th hole, where a bad lie on his approach shot led to a double bogey. Kartrude bounced back with a birdie on the par-5, 9th hole to hold a five-shot lead over Justin Hicks, PGA, heading into the final nine. After losing his tee ball right on the par-4, 10th hole, Kartrude saved bogey before making another bogey on the par-4, 12th hole. Kartrude bounced back with a birdie on the par-4, 13th hole, before facing his toughest emotional battle. On the par-5, 15th hole, Kartrude lost his ball in a tree just left of the fairway, leading to an eventual double bogey. “Between the horrible situation I got on 8, losing a ball on 10, and then having a ball stuck in a tree. Talk about going through it, so I think my emotions were in check enough to get through it.” Kartrude managed to play the final three holes at even-par to claim the title by three shots over Dakun Chang, PGA. Hicks finished in third at 6-under total, while Ian Shapiro, PGA, Jeremy Wells, PGA, and Raymond Miron, PGA, finished in a tie for fourth at 4-under.

The PGA of America announced today that Jim McLean, PGA of Jim McLean Golf Schools, and Dennis Walters, Honorary PGA of America Member, will be inducted into the 2025 PGA of America Hall of Fame Class. Jim McLean is one of the most influential PGA of America Golf Professionals in the world, recognized globally for his teaching excellence. In 1991, he founded the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral, which has grown into an internationally respected academy with locations across the U.S., Spain, Mexico, and South Korea, and is currently headquartered at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla. His schools have produced 420 certified teaching professionals, with over 250 serving as Directors of Golf or Instruction. McLean, a PGA Master Professional, has taught thousands of golfers, including over 100 PGA, LPGA, and Champions Tour professionals, including Cristie Kerr, Keegan Bradley, Tom Kite, Peter Jacobsen, Lexi Thompson, Gary Woodland, and Bernhard Langer. McLean has written 15 golf books, a business book and contributed to Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Golf Illustrated and Met Golfer. He has been a featured presenter at 12 PGA Teaching & Coaching Summits, spoke at three European Summits and has presented all over the world. He served 15 years on the National PGA Teaching and Education Committees. McLean’s contributions have been recognized at every level. In the Metropolitan Section, where he spent 19 years, he was named Teacher of the Year (1986), received the Professional Development Award (1987) and was inducted into the Met PGA Hall of Fame (2012). In the South Florida Section, he won Teacher of the Year twice (1996, ‘98), earned the Youth Player Development (2000) and Professional Development Awards (2001) and was inducted into the South Florida PGA Hall of Fame (2020). Nationally, he was named PGA of America Teacher of the Year (1994) and received the PGA Professional Development Award (2020). As a player, McLean qualified for the U.S. Junior, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, and U.S. Senior Open, and made the cut in the Masters. Earlier in his career, he was Director of Golf at Sunningdale, Quaker Ridge, Sleepy Hollow, Tamarisk, and Doral. Both of his sons, Matt (Wake Forest) and Jon (Oklahoma State), played college golf. Born in Neptune Township, New Jersey, World Golf Hall of Fame Member Dennis Walters fell in love with the game early and became one of the state’s top junior golfers. He finished 11th in the 1971 U.S. Amateur and after playing collegiate golf at North Texas State University, aimed for the PGA TOUR, reaching the finals of Q-School. His plans changed dramatically after a golf cart accident in 1974 left the 24-year-old paralyzed from the waist down. Showcasing the dedication and devotion that has marked his life ever since, Walters turned tragedy into inspiration and found a way to continue playing the game he loves at a high level while inspiring others to do the same. In 1975, he began playing from a custom-made swivel seat on his golf cart, beginning a career of inspiring all golfers, especially those with disabilities, and leading to the recognition of a new category: Adaptive golf. Walters won the inaugural USGA Adaptive Open in the seated division in 2022. Two years later, he won the Florida Adaptive Open in the seated division shooting 74, one shot lower than his age. Since 1977, he has staged the world-famous one-hour trick-shot clinic, the “Dennis Walters Golf Show,” more than 3,000 times, traveling over 3.5 million miles and always accompanied by his co-star rescue dog. Walters was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019; New Jersey Golf Hall of Fame ( 2019); received the USGA Bob Jones Award (2018); Neptune High School Hall of Fame (2016); South Florida PGA Section Hall of Fame (2010); PGA of America Distinguished Service Award (2008); University of North Texas Hall of Fame (2000); joined the likes of U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Gerald Ford as a PGA of America Honorary Member (1992); and received the Ben Hogan Award (1978). The PGA of America Hall of Fame originated in 1940 at the suggestion of famed sportswriter Grantland Rice. It is the highest honor the PGA of America can bestow upon its membership or ambassadors of the game. For a full list of PGA of America Hall of Fame members, click here . “The PGA of America is honored to recognize our 2025 Hall of Fame Class and celebrate the incredible impact they have had throughout their careers, inspiring thousands both on and off the course,” said PGA of America President and Master Professional Don Rea Jr., PGA Owner/Operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club (Arizona). “Whether they have won Major Championships, given thousands of lessons or captivated audiences with trick shots, each PGA Hall of Fame Member has played an essential role in shaping the game of golf as we know it today.” The 2025 PGA of America Hall of Fame Inductees fall under four induction categories: PGA of America Past President Category (Richerson); PGA of America Golf Professional Category (Glanton, McLean, Turner); Tour Player Professional Category (Lopez); and PGA of America Ambassador Category (Walters).