SOUTH FLORIDA PGA

Serving PGA Members and Growing the Game

What's the News?

09 Mar, 2024
West Palm Beach, FL - South Florida PGA Member and PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club, Tyler Collet, made the cut at the 2024 Puerto Rico Open after carding a 3-under second round to put him at 4-under total. “It means I can do this,” said Collet. “It just gives more confidence.” Collet, the reigning back-to-back South Florida PGA Rolex Player of the Year, is the first Section Member to make a cut in a PGA TOUR event since Alan Morin, PGA, at the 2008 Honda Classic. With tough conditions in round one, play was suspended due to inclement weather on Collet’s sixth hole at Grand Reserve Country Club. After nearly a two-hour delay, play was resumed, but Collet only managed to get through 13 holes and was forced to finish his opening round at 7:20 Friday morning. With an already early starting time in round two scheduled for Friday, Collet combined for 23 holes played on Friday. The 28-year-old, West Virginia native was on the second leg of consecutive PGA TOUR starts, narrowly missing the cut last week at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches. On Saturday, Collet climbed up the leaderboard as high as tied for 39th place thanks to a 4-under day and an 8-under total to finish round three. Collet finished his week with a four-over 76 on Sunday and finished in a tie for 68th place. Also competing in the Puerto Rico Open was Domenico Geminiani, Assistant Professional at Old Corkscrew Golf Club who earned a spot in the field after winning the 2023 Michelob Ultra Golf Tour. Geminiani finished the week at even par.
By Matt De Tullio 28 Feb, 2024
West Palm Beach, FL - The 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches will mark the fifth career PGA TOUR start for Tyler Collet, PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Florida. Elected to PGA of America Membership in 2018, the Eastern Kentucky Professional Golf Management graduate has since solidified himself as one of the best players in the South Florida PGA Section, already winning two South Florida PGA Professional Championships and is currently the back-to-back SFPGA Player of the Year. At 28 years of age, Collet, originally from West Virginia, made his first career TOUR start at the 2021 Puerto Rico Open, followed by the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. Since then, Collet has made at least one TOUR start a year, including the 2023 Honda Classic.  While Collet continues to showcase his talent on the course, he still serves as a full-time Assistant Professional for a facility that boasts three championship-level courses. With the support and guidance of Steve Hudson, PGA Director of Golf, the two have effectively managed Collet’s playing aspirations while serving as a valuable member of the Professional staff. A typical day for Collet consists of arriving at the golf course around 6:00 a.m. to help the outside operations staff before clocking out for the day at 2:00 p.m. Thanks to Hudson's support, Collet then uses the rest of the day to fine-tune his game. The 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at PGA National will again be a home event for Collet as several John’s Island members and employees will follow him throughout the week. While Collet prepares for Thursday, he will have very little time to waste before making his sixth career PGA TOUR start the following week at the Puerto Rico Open, courtesy of his 2023 South Florida PGA Professional Championship victory. For Collet, this was never necessarily part of the plan when coming out of college as a Class-A PGA Member. “Until about a year and a half ago, I was solely focused on being a Club Pro, working my way up to being a Head Professional, Director of Golf or Teaching Pro, whatever the avenue was, that was the end goal,” Collet said. When asked what changed in his game to allow him to become so successful as a player, Collet credited “self-belief.” That self-belief has turned into incredible experiences, and Collet could not be more thankful for the PGA of America and the South Florida PGA for giving him the opportunity to showcase to the world the abilities of a PGA Member. “I wouldn't be where I am without the PGA of America, and I'm extremely grateful,” Collet explained. “It's a really, really nice perk of being in the South Florida Section to be able to get into these events.” As far as Collet’s outlook on his career moving forward, his new end goal is to obtain full status on the TOUR. “I want to play full-time, that's my goal,” Collet explained. “My goal is to get full status somewhere and kind of run with it.”
By Matt De Tullio 27 Feb, 2024
Standing on the tee as a starter for the first time as a Tennessee PGA Section Intern, JoAnna Ehret, PGA, faced a challenging situation. The event's title sponsors are due on the tee, but they are late. The 23-year-old Ehret, familiar with the rules, welcomes the group and informs them they will be assessed a two-stroke penalty for their tardiness. Unbothered, the group proceeded to tee off and virtually ignored Ehret. Worried she may have misstepped, Ehret informed her boss of the situation, only to be reassured that she did the right thing. Later at scoring, the group told Ehret's boss that she was wrong and didn’t know what she was talking about. Ehert's boss responded, "she is absolutely right; she did the right thing, and you have a two-stroke penalty." At that moment, Ehret, now Lead of Championship Administration for the PGA of America, gained the confidence she needed and the reassurance that she belonged. "I know what I'm doing, I can do this," Ehret recalled telling herself. "No matter what anybody else thinks, I can do it." A Minnesota native and a talented junior golfer, Ehret competed on her high school golf team as a middle schooler, assuming the captain's position by the time she was a freshman. Her talents took her to Western Kentucky University on a full academic and athletic scholarship. Her eyes were set on pursuing professional golf until a back injury during her junior year halted her playing career. Still incredibly passionate about the game, Ehret knew she had to do something in the industry. Her first opportunity came as an intern with the Tennessee PGA, then the Tennessee Golf Association, before eventually earning her first full-time position with the South Florida PGA. "I had a background in tournament administration but was open to learning everything about the golf industry and all the different paths I could take," she explained. While at the Section office, Ehret had her hands in nearly every aspect of operations. From tournament operations, growth of the game, and communications, it allowed her to find what she truly enjoyed most. "I fell in love with tournament operations and the connections you make with the members, and I loved it," Ehret said. With her passion in mind, Ehret had the opportunity to move to the green grass side of the industry at Trump International Golf Club - West Palm Beach. This move allowed her a unique opportunity to continue building her network while running all member outings and events. During this time in 2014, Ehret entered the PGA Associate Program, figuring the best way to serve the members was to be one herself. "I want to know what they do on a daily basis, what kind of knowledge they need so that I could better help them do what they need to do," she said. While her time at Trump was beneficial and a great learning experience, Ehret quickly realized that amateur events were not necessarily her passion. Ehret noticed a position available at the PGA of America headquarters, and as she read the job description, she thought, "this is literally my dream job." Ehret was offered the position and started at the PGA of America Headquarters in 2016 as the Member Championships Coordinator before moving to Senior Member Championship Coordinator and eventually Lead of Championship Administration, the position she currently holds. The feeling Ehret had when she first read the job description is still true after seven years. "I have loved every minute of it," Ehret said, smiling. "It's exhausting and a lot of work, but when you're working with an amazing team for a shared goal like that, and then to see it all come to fruition in a major championship is pretty awesome." Exhausting may be an understatement in this case. Ehret runs 14 Championships from November through February, including all PGA Tournament and Winter Series events at PGA Golf Club and all PGA Professional Championships. That is not all; Ehret plays a critical role in all Major Championships run by the PGA of America, including the Ryder Cup. In 2021, Ehret experienced a full circle moment at the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, as she was responsible for marking the entire golf course and played an integral role in all course setup and preparation. For some, that may not register as much, but when you are responsible for properly preparing a golf course for the sport's most recognized and viewed event, the pressure is at an all-time high. "It was exhausting and terrifying but something I will never forget," Ehret said. As Ehret continues to excel and grow in her career, challenges often arise as a female in a historically prominent male industry and especially as someone running events for males. When asked what has allowed her to shine through adversity, Ehret's most significant advice is to prove yourself through your actions. "You just have to have thick skin, and you can't let it bother you," she explained. "You just have to prove and show through your actions, product, and productivity that you are fully capable. You have to go out there and show it to them."
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About SFPGA

The South Florida Section of the PGA of America is an association of golf professionals whose mission is to promote interest, participation and enjoyment in the game of golf; establish and maintain professional standards or practice; and enhance the well-being of golf professionals.

What's the News?

09 Mar, 2024
West Palm Beach, FL - South Florida PGA Member and PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club, Tyler Collet, made the cut at the 2024 Puerto Rico Open after carding a 3-under second round to put him at 4-under total. “It means I can do this,” said Collet. “It just gives more confidence.” Collet, the reigning back-to-back South Florida PGA Rolex Player of the Year, is the first Section Member to make a cut in a PGA TOUR event since Alan Morin, PGA, at the 2008 Honda Classic. With tough conditions in round one, play was suspended due to inclement weather on Collet’s sixth hole at Grand Reserve Country Club. After nearly a two-hour delay, play was resumed, but Collet only managed to get through 13 holes and was forced to finish his opening round at 7:20 Friday morning. With an already early starting time in round two scheduled for Friday, Collet combined for 23 holes played on Friday. The 28-year-old, West Virginia native was on the second leg of consecutive PGA TOUR starts, narrowly missing the cut last week at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches. On Saturday, Collet climbed up the leaderboard as high as tied for 39th place thanks to a 4-under day and an 8-under total to finish round three. Collet finished his week with a four-over 76 on Sunday and finished in a tie for 68th place. Also competing in the Puerto Rico Open was Domenico Geminiani, Assistant Professional at Old Corkscrew Golf Club who earned a spot in the field after winning the 2023 Michelob Ultra Golf Tour. Geminiani finished the week at even par.
By Matt De Tullio 28 Feb, 2024
West Palm Beach, FL - The 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches will mark the fifth career PGA TOUR start for Tyler Collet, PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Florida. Elected to PGA of America Membership in 2018, the Eastern Kentucky Professional Golf Management graduate has since solidified himself as one of the best players in the South Florida PGA Section, already winning two South Florida PGA Professional Championships and is currently the back-to-back SFPGA Player of the Year. At 28 years of age, Collet, originally from West Virginia, made his first career TOUR start at the 2021 Puerto Rico Open, followed by the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. Since then, Collet has made at least one TOUR start a year, including the 2023 Honda Classic.  While Collet continues to showcase his talent on the course, he still serves as a full-time Assistant Professional for a facility that boasts three championship-level courses. With the support and guidance of Steve Hudson, PGA Director of Golf, the two have effectively managed Collet’s playing aspirations while serving as a valuable member of the Professional staff. A typical day for Collet consists of arriving at the golf course around 6:00 a.m. to help the outside operations staff before clocking out for the day at 2:00 p.m. Thanks to Hudson's support, Collet then uses the rest of the day to fine-tune his game. The 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at PGA National will again be a home event for Collet as several John’s Island members and employees will follow him throughout the week. While Collet prepares for Thursday, he will have very little time to waste before making his sixth career PGA TOUR start the following week at the Puerto Rico Open, courtesy of his 2023 South Florida PGA Professional Championship victory. For Collet, this was never necessarily part of the plan when coming out of college as a Class-A PGA Member. “Until about a year and a half ago, I was solely focused on being a Club Pro, working my way up to being a Head Professional, Director of Golf or Teaching Pro, whatever the avenue was, that was the end goal,” Collet said. When asked what changed in his game to allow him to become so successful as a player, Collet credited “self-belief.” That self-belief has turned into incredible experiences, and Collet could not be more thankful for the PGA of America and the South Florida PGA for giving him the opportunity to showcase to the world the abilities of a PGA Member. “I wouldn't be where I am without the PGA of America, and I'm extremely grateful,” Collet explained. “It's a really, really nice perk of being in the South Florida Section to be able to get into these events.” As far as Collet’s outlook on his career moving forward, his new end goal is to obtain full status on the TOUR. “I want to play full-time, that's my goal,” Collet explained. “My goal is to get full status somewhere and kind of run with it.”
By Matt De Tullio 27 Feb, 2024
Standing on the tee as a starter for the first time as a Tennessee PGA Section Intern, JoAnna Ehret, PGA, faced a challenging situation. The event's title sponsors are due on the tee, but they are late. The 23-year-old Ehret, familiar with the rules, welcomes the group and informs them they will be assessed a two-stroke penalty for their tardiness. Unbothered, the group proceeded to tee off and virtually ignored Ehret. Worried she may have misstepped, Ehret informed her boss of the situation, only to be reassured that she did the right thing. Later at scoring, the group told Ehret's boss that she was wrong and didn’t know what she was talking about. Ehert's boss responded, "she is absolutely right; she did the right thing, and you have a two-stroke penalty." At that moment, Ehret, now Lead of Championship Administration for the PGA of America, gained the confidence she needed and the reassurance that she belonged. "I know what I'm doing, I can do this," Ehret recalled telling herself. "No matter what anybody else thinks, I can do it." A Minnesota native and a talented junior golfer, Ehret competed on her high school golf team as a middle schooler, assuming the captain's position by the time she was a freshman. Her talents took her to Western Kentucky University on a full academic and athletic scholarship. Her eyes were set on pursuing professional golf until a back injury during her junior year halted her playing career. Still incredibly passionate about the game, Ehret knew she had to do something in the industry. Her first opportunity came as an intern with the Tennessee PGA, then the Tennessee Golf Association, before eventually earning her first full-time position with the South Florida PGA. "I had a background in tournament administration but was open to learning everything about the golf industry and all the different paths I could take," she explained. While at the Section office, Ehret had her hands in nearly every aspect of operations. From tournament operations, growth of the game, and communications, it allowed her to find what she truly enjoyed most. "I fell in love with tournament operations and the connections you make with the members, and I loved it," Ehret said. With her passion in mind, Ehret had the opportunity to move to the green grass side of the industry at Trump International Golf Club - West Palm Beach. This move allowed her a unique opportunity to continue building her network while running all member outings and events. During this time in 2014, Ehret entered the PGA Associate Program, figuring the best way to serve the members was to be one herself. "I want to know what they do on a daily basis, what kind of knowledge they need so that I could better help them do what they need to do," she said. While her time at Trump was beneficial and a great learning experience, Ehret quickly realized that amateur events were not necessarily her passion. Ehret noticed a position available at the PGA of America headquarters, and as she read the job description, she thought, "this is literally my dream job." Ehret was offered the position and started at the PGA of America Headquarters in 2016 as the Member Championships Coordinator before moving to Senior Member Championship Coordinator and eventually Lead of Championship Administration, the position she currently holds. The feeling Ehret had when she first read the job description is still true after seven years. "I have loved every minute of it," Ehret said, smiling. "It's exhausting and a lot of work, but when you're working with an amazing team for a shared goal like that, and then to see it all come to fruition in a major championship is pretty awesome." Exhausting may be an understatement in this case. Ehret runs 14 Championships from November through February, including all PGA Tournament and Winter Series events at PGA Golf Club and all PGA Professional Championships. That is not all; Ehret plays a critical role in all Major Championships run by the PGA of America, including the Ryder Cup. In 2021, Ehret experienced a full circle moment at the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, as she was responsible for marking the entire golf course and played an integral role in all course setup and preparation. For some, that may not register as much, but when you are responsible for properly preparing a golf course for the sport's most recognized and viewed event, the pressure is at an all-time high. "It was exhausting and terrifying but something I will never forget," Ehret said. As Ehret continues to excel and grow in her career, challenges often arise as a female in a historically prominent male industry and especially as someone running events for males. When asked what has allowed her to shine through adversity, Ehret's most significant advice is to prove yourself through your actions. "You just have to have thick skin, and you can't let it bother you," she explained. "You just have to prove and show through your actions, product, and productivity that you are fully capable. You have to go out there and show it to them."
Show More

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