Meet the PGA of America Members Playing in the PGA Championship

The 2024 PGA Championship is finally here! The strongest field in major championship golf returns to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the fourth time in Championship history . . . and that includes the newly-minted Corebridge Financial Team. Twenty-one PGA of America Golf Professionals a part of the team earned their spot at the PGA Professional Championship last month in Frisco, Texas. Among the 21, 15 are PGA Championship veterans — including 2024 PGA Professional Champion Ben Polland —while six others — will be making their debuts at Valhalla Golf Club. Ben Polland, PGA Club/Facility: Shooting Star of Jackson Hole, Teton Village, Wyo. PGA Championship appearance: 4th Rocky Mountain PGA Section PGA Director of Golf at Shooting Star of Jackson Hole...Playing in his fourth PGA Championship (2021, ‘16, ‘15)...Winner, 2024 PGA Professional Championship...Finished as the runner-up in the 2015 PGA Professional Championship followed by a T-13 in 2016 and a fifth place finish in 2021...Winner, 2016 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship...Member of victorious U.S. 2022 PGA Cup Team...Member of 2015 PGA Cup Team...Winner, 2021 Rocky Mountain PGA Player of the Year; 2021 Rocky Mountain PGA Assistant Championship; 2014 Metropolitan PGA Professional Championship; 2020, '16 Metropolitan PGA Assistant Player of the Year...2013 graduate of Campbell University's PGA Golf Management University Program...Played a vital role as his Campbell squad won the 2012 PGA Jones Cup...At Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, N.Y, he worked under Darrell Kestner, the 1996 PGA Professional Champion and 2017 National PGA Golf Professional of the Year…As a young assistant at Deepdale, he stayed in the dorms on property for assistants and were on property almost 24/7. Sometimes after work, he would pull his car next to the driving range, turn on his bright lights and hit balls until midnight. Josh Bevell, PGA Club/Facility: Profectus Golf, Nashville, Tenn. PGA Championship appearance: 1st Tennessee PGA Section Owner/Instructor at Profectus Golf in Nashville, Tenn…Competing in his first PGA Championship…Finished T-8 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Winner, 2023 Tennessee PGA Player of the Year; 2014 Tennessee PGA Players Championship...Finished fifth in the 2023 Tennessee PGA Professional Championship...Runner-up, 2021 Tennessee PGA Professional Championship...T-6 at the 2016 Assistant PGA Professional Championship...Runner-up, 2016 Tennessee Assistant PGA Professional Championship...Played in the 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship...Played one season of college basketball at Division II Christian Brothers University (Tenn.) before finishing his studies and walking on the golf team at Mississippi State University…He and Errol Helling, PGA were in each other’s weddings and continue to be friends and business partners with Profectus Golf. Michael Block, PGA Club/Facility: Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, Mission Viejo, Calif. PGA Championship appearance: 6th Southern California PGA Section   PGA Head Golf Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club…Appearing in his sixth PGA Championship...Shot 70-70-70-71 (1-over 281) to finish T-15 in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill...Recorded a final-round ace on the 151-yard, par-3 15th...His 2018 PGA Championship appearance at Bellerive came in his hometown of St. Louis...Won the PGA Professional Championship in his 2014 debut following a two-hole playoff with Jamie Broce in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina...Finished T-2 at the 2023 PGA Professional Championship…Winner, 2023 and '22 PGA Professional Player of the Year; Southern California PGA Player of the Year for the 10th time (2013, '14, '15, '16, '18, '19, '20, '21, '22, '23); 2023, '22, '18, '17 Southern California PGA Professional Championship; 2023, '21, '17, '13 Southern California PGA Match Play Championship; 2019 Southern California PGA Stroke Play Classic; 2001 California State Open...Played for the U.S. Team at the 2022 PGA Cup in Surrey, England...Rallied from a four-hole deficit in the opening singles match on the final day to earn a crucial point and help the U.S. win its first overseas PGA Cup since 2009...Member of the 2015 U.S. PGA Cup Team (3-1-0 record)...Qualified for the 2007 (Oakmont) and 2018 (Shinnecock Hills) U.S. Opens...in 2007, made a 22-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a Sectional playoff...Has played in 30 PGA TOUR events including the 2024 and '23 The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open, 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge, RBC Canadian Open and World Wide Technology Championship...He has imprinted on his TaylorMade golf balls the words, "WHY NOT?" Evan Bowser, PGA Club/Facility: LaPlaya Golf Club, Naples, Fla. PGA Championship appearance: 1st South Florida PGA Section PGA First Assistant Professional at LaPlaya Golf Club…Making his PGA Championship debut after finishing T-8 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship…T-8 finish in the 2023 South Florida PGA Professional Championship...Winner, 2022 Fort Lauderdale Open; 2021 South Florida PGA Assistant Championship...Played in 34 events on PGA TOUR Canada from 2017-19...Competed in three U.S. Amateurs...Played college golf at Oakland University where he won the Horizon League Conference Tournament as a junior in 2015…Co-hosts the Bogey Golf Podcast. Preston Cole, PGA Club/Facility: Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, N.C. PGA Championship appearance: 1st Carolinas PGA Section PGA Lead Assistant Professional at Quail Hollow Club…Competing in his first PGA Championship…Earned a berth in the Championship and a spot on the 2024 Corebridge Financial Team from his T-8 finish at the PGA Professional Championship at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco…Winner, 2023 Assistant PGA Professional Championship, holed his wedge shot from 124 yards for a walk-off eagle to win on the 18th hole at PGA Golf Club...Shot a final-round 4-under 68 to finish at 13-under...Gained PGA TOUR Latinoamerica status in 2020...Played college golf at Furman University where he earned All-Southern Conference and All-American Scholar honors…His wife, Grace, also works Quail Hollow Club, site of the 2025 PGA Championship…She is running the entire merchandise operation for the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. Tyler Collet, PGA Club/Facility: John's Island Club, Vero Beach, Fla. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd South Florida PGA Section PGA Assistant Professional at John's Island Club…Playing in his third PGA Championship (2022, ‘21)…Finished T-6 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a berth in the Championship and position on the Corebridge Financial Team….Winner, 2023 and '22 South Florida PGA Player of the Year; 2023 South Florida PGA Professional Championship; 2023 South Florida PGA Stroke Play Championship; 2023 South Florida PGA Assistant Championship; 2020 South Florida PGA Professional Championship...Played in the PGA TOUR's 2024 Cognizant Classic; 2024 Puerto Rico Open, made the cut; 2023 Honda Classic and 2021 Puerto Rico Open...Graduated in 2017 from the PGA Golf Management program at Eastern Kentucky University...Helped Eastern Kentucky win the 2016 PGA Jones Cup at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida...Played a 9-hole practice round with Jon Rahm at the 2022 PGA Championship. Matt Dobyns, PGA Club/Facility: Meadow Brook Club, Jericho, N.Y. PGA Championship appearance: 6th Metropolitan PGA Section PGA Head Golf Professional at Meadow Brook Club…Making his sixth start in the PGA Championship…Finished T-16 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Is one of six players to win multiple PGA Professional Championships (2015 at Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, Pennsylvania; 2012 at Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, California)...With victory in 2012, he became the third member of the Metropolitan PGA Section to win the event...Captured the 2012 PGA Professional Championship by eight strokes, breaking Sam Snead's 41-year old margin of victory record (5-stroke margin) set in 1971...Member of 2013, 2015, and 2017 U.S. PGA Cup Teams...Winner, 2015 PGA Professional Player of the Year; 2015 Metropolitan PGA Player of the Year; 2015 Metropolitan PGA Professional Championship; 2016 and '15 Metropolitan PGA Championship; 2009 Metropolitan PGA Assistant Championship...Was the former assistant professional under 1996 PGA Professional Champion Darrell Kestner at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, N.Y…Plays right-handed but putts from the left side (was missing too many putts right-handed). Larkin Gross, PGA Club/Facility: Westwood Country Club, Vienna, Va. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Middle Atlantic PGA Section PGA Assistant Golf Professional at Westwood Country Club…Making his second start in the PGA Championship…Finished T-8 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Despite being the youngest member of the field while making his debut in the 2021 PGA Professional Championship, he finished 4th to earn a spot in the 2021 PGA Championship (he had his father, Butch, as his caddie at PGA Golf Club)...Was 23 years, 9 months, 4 days old upon teeing it up in the Opening Round on May 20...Winner, 2023, '22, '21, '20 Middle Atlantic PGA APA Player of the Year; 2023 Middle Atlantic PGA Players Cup; 2022 Middle Atlantic PGA APA Tour Championship; 2021 PGA Professional Player of the Year; 2021 Middle Atlantic PGA Professional Championship; 2021 Middle Atlantic PGA Assistant Championship; 2021 Middle Atlantic PGA Player of the Year; 2020 Middle Atlantic PGA Section Stroke Play; 2020 Middle Atlantic PGA APA Open...Member of the victorious 2022 U.S. PGA Cup team...Played collegiate golf at Methodist University, where he was a three-time All-American and part of the 2018 national championship team...Winner, 2018 Don Scalf Award (Conference Student-Athlete of the Year); 2019 Mason Sykes Award (University Student-Athlete of the Year)...As a senior, was named NCAA Division III Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Semifinalist; GCAA PING All-Region team, Methodist's Senior Male Athlete of the Year; first-team All-USA South Athletic Conference selection; and team Co-captain...At Essex High School, was Virginia High School League (VHSL) State Champion as a senior...Graduated from Methodist's PGA Golf Management program in 2019… His wife, Paige, is also a PGA of America Golf Professional and caddied for Larkin during the 2024 PPC. Jared Jones, PGA Club/Facility: River Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Southern Texas PGA Section PGA Director of Instruction at River Oaks Country Club…Returns for his second PGA Championship appearance (2022)...Earned a spot in the field and the Corebridge Financial Team through his T-2 finish at the 2024 PGA Professional Championship…Finished T-2 at the 2022 PGA Professional Championship, earning him a spot in the field at the 2022 PGA Championship as a Corebridge Financial Team member...Played with the U.S. Team that won the 2022 PGA Cup...Winner, 2019 Southern Texas PGA Professional Championship; 2016 Southern Ohio PGA Assistant Player of the Year; 2015, '12 Southern Ohio PGA Assistants Championship...Played collegiately at Ohio State from 2004-07, where he was a member of the 2004 Big Ten championship team…Played a practice round with Rickie Fowler and Jason Dufner at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. Jeff Kellen, PGA Club/Facility: North Shore Country Club, Glenview, Ill. PGA Championship appearance: 1st Illinois PGA Section PGA Head Golf Professional at North Shore Country Club…Making his PGA Championship debut…T-8 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship, which earned a berth in the PGA Championship and position on the Corebridge Financial Team…Finished T-2 in the 2023 Illinois PGA Professional Championship following a third place finish in 2022...Winner, 2018 Illinois PGA Players Championship...One of a handful of pro golfers to birdie every hole for an entire nine, shooting a 27 on the back nine on the Hopkins Tour in 2014...Played collegiately at Illinois State, where he was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and a two-time Academic All-American. Brad Marek, PGA Club/Facility: Corica Park, Alameda, Calif. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Northern California PGA Section PGA Golf Instructor at Corica Park...Returns for his second PGA Championship appearance…Finished T-6 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team…Finished T-8 at the 2021 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot in the 2021 PGA Championship...One of two PGA Professionals to make the cut at the 2021 PGA Championship, finishing in 78th place...Winner, 2023 Northern California PGA Tournament of Champions; 2021 Northern California PGA Player of the Year...Finished T-2 in the 2023 Northern California PGA Section Championship...Runner-up, 2021 Northern California PGA Section Championship and Match Play Championship...Played professionally for ten years on various tours, winning 17 times in that span...Played college golf at Indiana University, where he was a three-time NCAA Academic All-American...Grew up in Chicago and won the Illinois Junior Amateur and Illinois Amateur Championships as a youth...Co-founded Athlos College Coaching, a service designed to lead students through the college golf recruitment process. Kyle Mendoza, PGA Club/Facility: Hacienda Golf Club, La Habra Heights, Calif. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Southern California PGA Section PGA Head Golf Professional at Hacienda Golf Club…Making his second career start in the PGA Championship…T-16 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship earned him a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Finished T-6 in the 2022 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot in the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills...Winner, 2020, '21 Southern California PGA Section Professional Championship...Made the cut at the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines (finished T-65th)...Played golf at Citrus College...Competed with his older brother, Mike, in the PGA Professional Championship this year. Jesse Mueller, PGA Club/Facility: Grand Canyon University Golf Course, Phoenix, Ariz. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Southwest PGA Section PGA General Manager at Grand Canyon University Golf Course…Competing in his second PGA Championship...Recorded a T-4 finish at the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Won the 2022 PGA Professional Championship...Mueller's caddie all week at the 2022 PGA Professional Championship was his wife, Jessie, and the couple even celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary during the opening round...Qualified for the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, where he notched an eagle on the par-4 10th - his very first hole of the championship...Winner, 2023 Southwest PGA Player of the Year; 2023 Southwest PGA Match Play Championship; 2020, '17 Southwest PGA Section Professional Championship...Made the cut at the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, where he finished T-51...Also played in the 2022 U.S. Open...In 2024, he became the first Southwest PGA Professional since 2005 to make the cut at the WM Phoenix Open...Played golf collegiately at Arizona State from 2001-05, earning Academic All-America honors...Guided his golf team to three state championships at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona...In addition to his full-time role as the GCU Golf Course general manager, he has served for nine seasons as a Volunteer Assistant Golf Coach at Grand Canyon University where his brother, Mark, is the head coach…He has three brothers who all played college golf, including Mark. Zac Oakley, PGA Club/Facility: Bidermann Golf Club, Wilmington, Del. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Philadelphia PGA Section PGA Assistant and Teaching Professional at Bidermann Golf Club…Playing in his second PGA Championship…T-16 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship clinched a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Finished T-6 in the 2022 PGA Professional Championship despite coming off a partially torn tendon in his left foot that put him in a cast for about seven weeks. Had just a few weeks to rehab before the Championship began...Earned a start in the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills...Winner, 2023 Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship; 2023 Philadelphia PGA Assistant Championship; 2021, '19 Philadelphia PGA Section Match Play Championship...Won twice during both the 2021 and 2017 PGA Tournament Series at PGA Golf Club...Winner, 2021 Philadelphia PGA Section Player of the Year...Won the 2021 DeBaufre low scoring average title and set the all time lowest Philadelphia PGA Section scoring average of 68.9 for the season...Three-time All-America golfer at Wesley College…Son of Pete Oakley, a PGA life member who won the 2004 Senior British Open and played in six PGA Championships and 11 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships. Tracy Phillips, PGA Club/Facility: Cedar Ridge Country Club, Broken Arrow, Oka. PGA Championship appearance: 1st South Central PGA Section PGA Director of Instruction at Cedar Ridge Country Club…Appearing in his first PGA Championship after a T-8 result in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship…Was the low PGA of America Professional and finished T-17 overall in the 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores...Also made the cut at the 2023 and 2014 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships...Winner, 2020 South Central PGA Section Match Play Championship; 2014 South Central PGA Senior Professional Championship; 2015 South Central PGA Senior Match Play Championship; 2013, '11 South Central PGA Section Championship; 2011 South Central PGA Section Player of the Year; 2015, '14 South Central PGA Section Senior Player of the Year; 2013 South Central PGA Section Teacher of the Year; 1980 Junior PGA Championship after finishing as the runner-up in 1979...Was Golf Digest's No.1-ranked junior golfer of 1979, then found instant success at Oklahoma State in 1981 by winning his first-ever college tournament...Was also a Second Team All-American in college...His dad, Buddy Phillips, was a PGA legend in Tulsa and worked for 40 years as the Head Professional at Cedar Ridge Country Club, where Tracy now works...His mother went into labor with him while watching his father play at Artesia Country Club in New Mexico...Spent three years caddying for Kelli Kuehne on the LPGA Tour…His father, Vernon “Buddy” Phillips”, was the Head Golf Professional for 40 years at Cedar Ridge Country Club. Braden Shattuck, PGA Club/Facility: Rolling Green Golf Club, Springfield, Pa. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd Philadelphia PGA Section PGA Director of Instruction at Rolling Green Golf Club…Making his second consecutive/career start in the PGA Championship…Finished T-16 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to clinch a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team in the PGA Championship…Won the 2023 PGA Professional Championship at Twin Warriors in his debut just a year after becoming a PGA of America Member...Headlined the 2023 Corebridge Financial Team at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill...Winner, 2023, '22 Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year; 2022 Philadelphia PGA F. Edward DeBaufre Trophy for Scoring Average...Former member of the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour, where he won the 2011 and 2012 Boys 16-18 Player of the Year...Played college golf at the University of Delaware...Had to rebuild his swing from the ground up following a car accident in 2019 that resulted in multiple herniated discs in his lower back. John Somers, PGA Club/Facility: Southern Hills Plantation Club, Brooksville, Fla. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd North Florida PGA Section PGA Head Golf Professional at Southern Hills Plantation Club…Playing in his second career and consecutive PGA Championship…Registered a T-4 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to claim a berth in the field and on the Corebridge Financial Team…Finished T-4 in his PGA Professional Championship debut in 2023, earning a start in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill...His wife gave birth to their daughter two days before he left for the 2023 PGA Professional Championship in New Mexico...Winner, 2023, '22 North Florida PGA Professional Championship...Played golf for Elon University, earning Team Most Valuable Player honors in 2013...Grew up on a farm in Elon...Earliest golf memory was playing in a parent-child golf tournament with his grandmother...His grandmother, Helen Hartman, was the first woman to play in the Greater Greensboro Open, now the Wyndham Championship…Completed the PGM program at Elon University in 2.5 years… His wife Catherine and daughter, Colbie Jean, attended the 2024 PPC, just over one year after her early arrival two days before the 2023 PGA Professional Championship.  Josh Speight, PGA Club/Facility: The Club at Viniterra, New Kent, Va. PGA Championship appearance: 3rd Middle Atlantic PGA Section PGA Director of Instruction at The Club at Viniterra…Playing in his third PGA Championship...His T-8 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship earned him a berth in the PGA Championship and spot on the Corebridge Financial Team…Finished T-11 in 2023 PGA Professional Championship...Finished T-4 at the 2016 PGA Professional Championship after posting a final-round 65, which established a personal-best and shared the lowest round of the Championship...Played in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill and the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol...Member of the 2017 U.S. PGA Cup Team...Winner, 2020 Middle Atlantic PGA Section Player of the Year; 2017 Middle Atlantic Section PGA Professional Championship...Competed collegiately at Methodist, where he was a Second-Team All-American in 2010 when Methodist won the National Championship...Graduated from Methodist's PGA Golf Management Program in 2011...Earned All-State (Va.) honors in high school...He and his wife, Sydney, have two kids, Graham (3) and Grace (2). Andy Svoboda, PGA Club/Facility: Butler National Golf Club, Oak Brook, Ill. PGA Championship appearance: 1st Illinois PGA Section PGA Head Golf Professional at Butler National Golf Club…Playing in his first PGA Championship…Finished T-2 at the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to earn a berth in the Championship and spot on the Corebridge Financial Team…Winner, 2023 Connecticut PGA Professional Championship; 2023 Connecticut PGA Player of the Year;  2023 Connecticut PGA Match Play Championship; 2022 Metropolitan PGA Assistant Player of the Year; 2022 Metropolitan PGA Assistants Championship...Has qualified for five U.S. Opens...Won three events on the Korn Ferry Tour...Played collegiately at St. John's University, where he won 14 collegiate tournaments, including the 2001 Big East Conference Championship…He started caddying at Winged Foot GC at 10 years old. Jeremy Wells, PGA Club/Facility: Cypress Lake Golf Club, Fort Myers, Fla. PGA Championship appearance: 2nd South Florida PGA Section PGA Director of Player Development at Cypress Lake Golf Club…Appearing in his second career and consecutive PGA Championship…Finished T-8 in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship to clinch a spot in the field and on the Corebridge Financial Team…Seventh place finish in his PGA Professional Championship debut in 2023, earning a start in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill...Finished T-3 in the 2021 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship...Finished T-3 in the 2022 South Florida PGA Professional Championship...Winner, 2020 South Florida PGA Assistant Championship...Played collegiately at William & Mary. Wyatt Worthington II, PGA Club/Facility: Eastside Golf, Las Vegas, Nev. PGA Championship appearance: 4th Southwest PGA Section PGA Golf Manufacturer Sales Representative at Eastside Golf…Competing in his fourth PGA Championship following T-16 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship…Owns three top 10 finishes at the PGA Professional Championship: T-8 in 2023, T-4 in 2022 and T-6 in 2016...Has earned starts in three PGA Championships: 2023 at Oak Hill, 2022 at Southern Hills and 2016 at Baltusrol...His start in the 2016 PGA Championship made him the second African American PGA of America Golf Professional to earn a PGA Championship berth, following Tom Woodard (1990) of Denver, Colorado, who played in the 1991 PGA Championship...In November 2016, he became the first African American to win a PGA Tournament Series event (Event No. 1) at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida...Member of U.S. Team that won the 2022 PGA Cup...Winner, 2021 Southern Ohio PGA Professional Championship...Tied course record, 64, at Methodist University...Graduated from Methodist's PGA Golf Management Program in 2011.