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Tour Stop: The Professionals @ The PGA Championship
- Ed Nelson
- May 15
- 3 min read
Club pros. The lifeblood of a golf club, they spend their days teaching 30 handicappers how to grip a golf club properly, running events and clinics, and ensuring the club remains on two feet. Whilst the days of grinding out for Monday qualifiers may be over, for some, the dream of competitive golf never fades.
The PGA Professionals Championship is the week of the year where hundreds of club professionals in America have pencilled in. From a field of 312 professionals from around the country, 20 qualify for the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, with the winner also receiving 6 starts on the PGA Tour over the next 12 months.
This year, Tyler Collet from John’s Island Club, Vero Beach, Florida, went WIRE-TO-WIRE, winning the tournament by a record-setting 10 shots. 15 under par for the tournament. The PGA Championship is nothing new for Collet, as this year will be his 4th appearance, his last three coming in 2024, 2022, and 2021. However, he has never made the cut. In 6 PGA Tour appearances, he has only made one cut, coming at the Puerto Rico Open last season. Back-to-back South Florida PGA Player of the Year, 2022 and 2023, it is clear Collet has an extensive resume in the club professional ranks. It will be interesting to see how he performs this week. Is fourth time the charm? I think yes, he will make the cut this week.
Michael Block. We have all heard the name, maybe too much. Like him or not, Blockie returns for his seventh PGA Championship appearance, and the guy can play. T-3 at this year's Professionals Championship, Blockie has years of experience behind him, with 34 PGA Tour starts, and only 2 years ago finishing T-15 at Oak Hill. All that being said, he has had his time in the spotlight and it's time to move on.
The youngest professional in the field this week is 24-year-old Andre Chi from Deepdale Golf Club in New York. Since winning a Division 3 NCAA National Championship at Methodist University, Chi recently went on to Monday qualify for the Valspar Championship, ultimately missing the cut. He says that for his entire life he has tried to copy Tiger and Adam Scott’s swing (haven’t we all), learning off YouTube and scrapbooks. Seems to have worked pretty well as he finished T-5 at this year's Professionals Championship, to see him qualify for his first ever major.
The oldest professional in the field this week is 56 year old from Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Ohio, Bob Sowards. A 12th PGA Championship appearance this week, which ties the most of any PGA of America Professional. Whilst he has never made the cut in the 12 starts, it is an incredible record-equaling achievement for the five-time Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year, and four-time PGA Professional Player of the Year.
These are the guys grinding away behind the scenes past sunset. All 20 deserve a spot in the PGA Championship, and we are eager to see who will make the cut.
Picks
Ed:
Few can take down Rory at ‘Rory McIlroy Country Club’. Bryson DeChambeau is one of them. Solo second place last year at Valhalla, Bryson is similar to Rory where they can just bully the golf course. With the amount of rain received during the week, Bryson will take over the golf course to Win his first PGA Championship, and become a three time major champion. 8/1
In form and on the up. Last years winner Xander Schauffele is hitting his straps at the right time of the year, his last 4 starts, T12, T8 (The Masters), T18, and T11. Solo second to McIlroy last year at Quail Hollow. I think this he is a lock for Top 10. 4/1
Oli:
Someone who is on the radar, but not enough to be a winner. But there’s so much value in this guy, he’s consistent (only MC is The Masters, 8/9 this season), an above average distance player (for this week's wet course!), and he will eventually put together a seriously good week. Willy Z at 15/4 to Top 20 is my first pick.
This one is out of nothing but nostalgia. I have no idea how his game will stack up on a long, wet course, probably not great. But, I’m in it for the ride. Jordan Spieth, to Win and join the list of golfers that everyone knows he should be on. 50/1
