West Palm Beach, Fla. — South Florida PGA Professionals Michael Kartrude and Tyler Collet qualified for the 2026 PGA Championship after finishing in the top-20 at the PGA Professional Championship, which concluded Wednesday at Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon. Kartrude, an assistant professional at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, placed third at 2-under total in just his second appearance in the event. With the result, the 36-year old has advanced to the major championship in both of his attempts after surviving a four-for-one playoff at last year’s national championship. Collet, an assistant professional at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, tied for fourth at 1-under, jumping 39 spots up the leaderboard to secure his place in the field, backing up his historic 2025 PPC win. The 2026 event marked his fifth career start for the 30-year old, previously starting in the ‘21,’22,’24 & ‘25 championship. With their finishes, Kartrude and Collet earned positions on the Corebridge Financial PGA Team and will join 18 other PGA of America Golf Professionals at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, May 14-17. The national championship annually determines a 20-player group out of 312 PGA of America Golf Professionals who advance to the major, providing a pathway for professionals who primarily work in instruction and club operations to compete alongside top players in the world. Both players will be making their second consecutive appearances in the major. Kartrude’s third-place finish represents the best result of his career in the event, while Collet’s tie for fourth adds another top-five performance following his victory one year ago. Since 2023, the South Florida PGA Section has been represented by six different professionals, combining to fill 10 total spots in the championship field during that span

FRISCO, Texas (April 22, 2026) - The PGA of America and CBS Sports present “The Road to Bandon,” a new, 30-minute special airing Sunday, April 26, at 2:00 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. The program, narrated by CBS Sports On-Course Reporter and former PGA TOUR member Johnson Wagner, features six PGA of America Golf Professionals from across the country as they prepare to compete in the 2026 PGA Professional Championship (PPC) at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, April 26-29, with hopes in earning one of 20 available Corebridge Financial Team spots in the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. “The Road to Bandon” provides an inside look at the journeys of the featured PGA Professionals who balance their role in the industry with their passion to maintain a competitive level of play. “PGA of America Golf Professionals are the backbone of our sport,” said PGA of America Vice President Nathan Charnes, PGA. “Alongside serving as expert coaches, operators and business leaders within the game, they can still compete at a very high level. We are thrilled to partner with CBS to build excitement for the PGA Professional Championship and showcase these six outstanding PGA Members, whose stories embody the passion and dedication that define our Association.” PGA of America Golf Professionals featured in “The Road to Bandon” Justin Hicks, PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla., is the 2025 Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year, thanks in part to his victory in the 2025 Senior PPC. Hicks has played some of the best golf of his career now that he has entered the 50-and-older ranks: He earned Low PGA of America Golf Professional honors with a T17 finish in the 2026 Senior PGA Championship, competed in two Major Championships in 2025, The 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow on the Corebridge Financial Team and the 2025 U.S. Open, made an appearance in the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, and Monday qualified for the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational. Michael Kartrude, PGA Assistant Professional at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla., secured the final spot in the 2025 PGA Championship on the Corebridge Financial Team after a dramatic 5-hole playoff at PGA Golf Club. The 2025 South Florida PGA Section Professional Champion has earned the respect of many of the PGA TOUR’s players who are members at The Bear’s Club. Ben Polland, PGA Director of Golf at Shooting Star Golf Club in Jackson Hole, Wy., will come into Bandon as the reigning back-to-back recipient of the PGA of America Professional Player of the Year award. Polland made four-consecutive cuts in his six 2025 PGA TOUR exemptions, highlighted by a top-25 finish at the Barracuda Championship. Eric Steger, PGA Teaching Professional at Pebble Brook Golf Club in Noblesville, Ind., made his first PGA Championship appearance at Quail Hollow following a T-9 finish in the 2025 PPC. This won’t be his first experience competing at Bandon Dunes, playing in the 2011 U.S. Pub Links, losing his match to reigning U.S. Open Champion JJ Spaun. Eric is the son of PGA Professional Scott Steger, who played in the 1994 PGA Championship as a Club Professional. They work side-by-side as PGA Coaches at Pebble Brook. Mike Suhre, PGA Owner & Head Professional at Oak Brook Golf Club in Edwardsville, Illinois, is the 2025 PGA Youth Player Development Award recipient, stemming from his extraordinary contributions and achievement in youth player development. In addition to being one of the most accomplished PGA Jr. League Coaches in the country, Suhre also dedicates his time to PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the flagship military program of the PGA of America REACH Foundation. He will make his third PPC appearance at Bandon Dunes next week. Riley Wheeldon, PGA Director of Instruction at Aronimink Golf Club, has a goal to become the first PGA of America Golf Professional from a PGA Championship host site to earn a spot in the field through the PPC. Wheeldon, a past winner on the Canadian Tour, has made an immediate impact as a PGA Coach at Aronimink during his first year working alongside Head Professional Jeff Kiddie, the 2023 PGA Golf Professional of the Year. This will be Wheeldon's first PPC. Additionally, CBS will run a 2026 PGA Championship preview show Saturday, May 9th at 2pm ET, to showcase the season’s next Major featuring the strongest field in golf and a historic return to Aronimink Golf Club for the first time since 1962. For more information about the PGA Professional Championship, click here . About the PGA of America The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals who love the game, are expert coaches, operators and business leaders, and work daily to drive interest, inclusion and participation in the sport. The PGA of America owns and operates numerous championships and events, including major championships for men, women, seniors and the Ryder Cup, one of the world’s foremost sporting events. For more information, visit PGA.com and follow us on X , Instagram and Facebook .

Coral Springs, FL - For the fourth time in five years, the Southeast Chapter of the South Florida PGA has won the Annual Nelson Cup Matches, held April 20th at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, Florida. The Nelson Cup is an annual South Florida PGA Ryder Cup-style tournament between the Southeast, Southwest, and Southern Chapters. Each team is composed of 12 Chapter members, two of whom are senior members. Started in 1992 by the Nelson family and now carried on by John Nelson, PGA Teaching Professional at the Country Club of Coral Springs, the annual Matches are played to honor the Nelson family and the significant contributions made to junior golf in South Florida. The day started with morning foursome matches that saw the Southeast Chapter jump out to an early 4.5-point lead over both the Southern and Southwest Chapters, with scores of 9 for the Southeast Chapter and 4.5 for both the Southern and Southwest Chapters. The Southeast Chapter teams of Richard Terga, PGA, and Alastair Mackenzie, PGA, as well as the team of Nick Latimer, PGA, and Jimmy Gascoigne, PGA, led the way in the morning, each winning both of their matches to secure four early points for the Southeast Chapter. Carrying the momentum into the three-ball matches, the Southeast Chapter added 9.5 more points to the Southwest Chapter, 5.5, and the Southern Chapters, 3 points earned during the second set of matches, bringing the points total to 18.5 for the Southeast Chapter, 10 for the Southwest Chapter, and 7.5 for the Southern Chapter. The teams of Terga/Mackenzie and Latimer/Gascoigne kept their undefeated streak going, again adding two more points each. Then, Southeast Chapter teams of John Bendar, PGA, and Morgan Jewell, PGA, and Colin Amaral, PGA, and Steve Vecellio, PGA, also went undefeated in the three-ball matches, adding two more points each. Heading into the final format of singles matches, the Southeast Chapter held a commanding 9-point lead over the Southwest Chapter and an 11-point lead over the Southern Chapter. The Southwest Chapter surged to start singles matches, winning their first eight matches to move within striking distance of the Southeast Chapter. Ashley Grier, PGA, and Latimer halted the run, winning both of their respective matches to earn four more points for the Southeast Chapter. As the singles matches concluded, the Southwest Chapter earned 17 total points, 5 more than the Southeast Chapter, but not enough to overtake them. The final points tallied 30.5 for the Southeast Chapter, 27 for the Southwest, and 14.5 for the Southern Chapter. In the 32 playings of the Nelson Cup Matches, the Southeast Chapter has now won 12 times, compared to the 12 from the Southwest Chapter and the three from the Southern Chapter. Each team was outfitted by SFPGA supporting partner Scales Gear. Team Rosters: Southeast Chapter: Colin Amaral John Bednar Jimmy Gascoigne Ashley Grier Morgan Jewell Michael Kartrude Nick Latimer Alastair Mackenzie Phillip Manceri Taylor Morgan Richard Terga Steven Vecellio Southwest Chapter: Justin Bertsch Evan Bowser Josh Brunet Andrew Filbert Daniel Heaslip Daniel Lee John Lento Matt Markle Justin McCarraher Adam Miller Gary Shea Justin Smith Southern Chapter: Stephen Conte Christian De Greiff Daniel Escalera O liver Gilmartin  Corey Henry Jared Isaacs Sean Kicker John Palloy David Ragan Ricardo Ronderos Jan Urso Grayson Zacker

BRADENTON, Fla. (April 19, 2026) - In his Senior PGA Championship debut, Justin Hicks earned Low PGA of America Golf Professional honors with a T17 finish at 5-under par at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. The PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla., played the final round 1-over, his only round above par this week following rounds of 69, 69, 72. One stroke shy of an automatic invitation to the 2027 Senior PGA Championship, Hicks still relished in his performance this week. “It was a very exciting week from start to finish,” said the South Florida PGA Section Member. “I'm still kind of riding a wave of things here. The last couple of years have been pretty good for me. My (Stonebridge CC) members have been really supportive of me out here playing in these events too and rooting me on back home. Had my wife and son out here with me as well. I've got quite a few text messages to catch up with tonight.” Hicks carded three birdies on the day against four bogies, the most he’s made all week, but he’ll leave satisfied with another week of competing under his belt. “The more I kind of get comfortable out here, I think that was a big part of it for me. I've never been the hare in the race. I've always been the tortoise.” Hicks has played some of the best golf of his career now that he has entered the 50-and-older ranks. Prior to this week he competed in the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow on the Corebridge Financial Team, made an appearance in the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, Monday qualified for the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational and qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open. “Little by little I just keep trying to get that tortoise going,” the 2025 Senior PGA Player of the Year said. “17th is a good finish here this week. I know it could have been better, but you could say that about every time you play golf.” In a booth interview with Golf Channel’s George Savaricas following his final round, Hicks summed up his experience this week. “It was a really special week, one I'll remember I think forever.” Of the 36 PGA of America Golf Professionals competing this week under the Corebridge Financial Team moniker, Hicks created space early on in the Championship, at one point being only three strokes off the lead. Omar Uresti, PGA, was next at T51 and 3-over for the week. Close behind Uresti was Bob Sowards, PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio, who had the low round of the day of the 10 Corebridge Financial Team members who made the weekend. He carded a 2-under 70 to end the week 5-over and T59. In his seventh Senior PGA Championship Appearance, and seventh cut made, Sowards saved his low round of the week for Sunday. He birdied two of his first four holes and played steady the rest of the round, crediting his distance control as the difference maker. “I hit the irons a lot better,” Sowards said. “I put a new set of irons in the bag, new shafts, and I was hitting them so far the first three days. I dialed in the distance instead of knocking it over every green, and so for next week’s PGA Professional Championship (at Bandon Dunes), I'm gonna go back to my steel shafts.” Alan Morin, PGA of The Club at Ibis, also made the cut and finished tied for 69th place at 8-over par. Additional South Florida PGA Members competing in the Championship included Paul Scaletta of the Bear’s Club, Tim Cantwell of PGA National Golf Club, and Mark Brown of The Yacht and Country Club. Each qualified to compete as part of the Corebridge Financial PGA Team, representing both their respective facilities and the South Florida PGA Section on a national stage.

Naples, FL - The 2026 South Florida PGA Section tournament season began April 16 with the Club Car Pro-Official at Wilderness Country Club in Naples. The event featured 34 two-person teams, each consisting of a South Florida PGA Professional and an Official from the same facility. Evan Bowser, PGA Head Professional at Wilderness Country Club, and amateur Ray Cool won the gross division with a 4-under 67, edging out Justin Rountree, PGA of Eagle Lakes Golf Club and amateur Will Latreille in a scorecard playoff. Their round included six birdies and two bogeys. Josh Brunet, PGA General Manager at Eagle Lakes Golf Club, and amateur Anthony Hack won the net division with a 7-under 64, highlighted by a 5-under 31 on the back nine. Eagles Lakes defeated the team of Rountree and Latreille and the team of Austin Jarchow, PGA and John Collings of Boca West Country Club in a scorecard playoff. Jarchow captured the low professional title with a 3-under 68 which included an eagle on the par-5 16th hole.  Teams played in a one best ball of two format, with amateurs receiving 85% of their handicap. Club Car served as the title partner, with Golf Sign & Design as the presenting partner. Additional support was provided by BlueGolf, DLL Financial Solutions, Earth Networks, ExecuSearch, Holderness & Bourne, Prize Possessions and RELAY. The South Florida PGA Section thanks Wilderness Country Club for hosting the event, including PGA Director of Golf Sara Dickson, PGA Head Professional Evan Bowser and the staff and membership at Wilderness for their sup port.

Palm Beach Gardens, FL - The 2026 South Florida PGA Play Yellow Birdie Bash raised over $539,000, a record-breaking number, through its annual 81-hole marathon to support the South Florida PGA Foundation and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. The annual event now in its fifth year features an 81-hole challenge across The Match and The Staple courses at PGA National Resort, where two-person teams compete to make as many birdies as possible. Each birdie is tied to donor pledges, directly contributing to the event’s fundraising total. This year a total of 1,151 birdies were made, also setting a new record. Proceeds from the Birdie Bash benefit the South Florida PGA Foundation and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Funds support youth development programs, military initiatives, scholarships and pediatric health care services, including efforts at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. The event has become one of the South Florida PGA Foundation’s primary fundraisers, generating more than $2 million in the last five years. The 2026 edition continued that trend, with PGA Professionals across the Section participating in both fundraising and on-course competition. Forty-two South Florida PGA members competed in two person teams, combining endurance and performance with charitable outreach. Participants engaged their networks to secure pledges, with fundraising totals linked to birdies made throughout the day. The Birdie Bash format connects competition with fundraising, as scoring directly impacts the amount raised. The event remains a recurring initiative within the South Florida PGA schedule, supporting charitable programs through member participation and donor contributions. Donations will be accepted through Friday, April 10th. Please click here to see the event leaderboard and or to make a donation.

March 18, 2026

“When you get an opportunity, take full advantage of it,” Tyler Nagy said. “If you're not taking advantage of every single opportunity that's given to you, then it’s a wasted opportunity.” That philosophy has guided Tyler Nagy since he was named the first recipient of the South Florida PGA Foundation Scholarship in 2018. The scholarship gave him the chance to pursue his education at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and focus fully on making the most of his college experience. A valedictorian at Sebastian River High School in Vero Beach, Florida, Nagy had already demonstrated a strong commitment to academics, athletics, and service. The son of PGA Member Bela Nagy, Director of Golf at Sandridge Golf Club in Vero Beach, Florida, he was a natural fit for the scholarship and arrived at Rollins in the fall of 2018, determined to seize every opportunity. Between 2018 and 2021, Nagy earned multiple undergraduate degrees, including a primary degree in mathematics, a secondary degree in public policy, and a minor in data analytics. He remained at Rollins to complete his Master of Business Administration, graduating in 2023 at the top of his class. He was equally committed on the field. A five-year member of the Rollins men’s soccer team, Nagy played in 63 matches and served as captain in his final season, helping lead the program to an Elite Eight appearance — just the third in school history. Off the field, he served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and worked as both a tutor and writing advisor. For Nagy, success meant going beyond the minimum. “I tried to do everything I could do academically and athletically,” he shared. “I never wanted to look back and wish I had worked harder.” Attending a private institution came with financial considerations, and Nagy acknowledges that without the South Florida PGA Foundation Scholarship, institutional aid, and Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship, Rollins may not have been possible. “It was the difference between carrying debt for years and graduating from my undergrad debt-free,” he said. “It opened up an avenue that I never thought was there.” Today, Nagy is pursuing another graduate degree at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, completing a master’s program in data science. The degree builds on his professional work in healthcare analytics, where he has advanced from his company’s first data analyst into a leadership role overseeing analytics strategy and decision-making. From scholarship recipient to graduate student and analytics leader, Nagy’s journey reflects the belief that opportunity only matters if you choose to embrace it. Over the years, the South Florida PGA Foundation has supported nine students in their pursuit of higher education, and the program continues to grow. In 2026, the Foundation increased its scholarship to two $30,000 awards, annually impacting the lives of students in the community.

FRISCO, Texas (February 9, 2025) - PGA of America Golf Professional Jeff Gullett, the Chief of Athletics and Director of Golf at Boca Woods Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla., has earned PGA Master Professional status, the highest education designation available through the Association. Backed by more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals within the PGA of America, Gullett, a Member of the South Florida Section PGA, joins a special group as the 479th PGA Member to earn Master Professional status. He achieved his designation in Golf Operations. “Becoming a PGA Master Professional is the culmination of lifelong learning,” said Gullett. “It’s a momentous achievement for me and my family, and it places me in a position within this business that very few people reach. This is a lifelong achievement because it’s been a lifelong journey. It’s really special.” The PGA Master Professional 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 facilities. 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 individuals 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. A PGA of America Golf Professional for over 20 years, Gullett advanced from Assistant Professional roles to Head Professional at Bocaire Country Club, where he served for 12 years. He was named Director of Golf at Boca Woods in 2022. Throughout his career, Gullett has overseen all aspects of golf operations, including merchandising, budgeting, finance, payroll and overall business performance. In addition to earning the PGA Master Professional designation, Gullett is American Development Model (ADM) certified and a member of the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA). He holds an MBA from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma. Gullett resides in Boca Raton, Florida, with his wife Vanessa and their two children, Kay’den and Chloe. About the PGA of America The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals who love the game, are expert coaches, operators and business leaders, and work daily to drive interest, inclusion and participation in the sport. The PGA of America owns and operates numerous championships and events, including major championships for men, women, seniors and the Ryder Cup, one of the world’s foremost sporting events. For more information, visit PGA.com and follow us on X, Instagram and Facebook.