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Jason Caron Continues Dream Year, Earns PGA TOUR Champions Status in 2025
By Ryan Adams, PGA
Published on
Jason Caron normally has a khaki-colored hat in his rotation for Sundays when he's playing tournaments. And normally on Sundays, he's wearing that hat and not playing with Vijay Singh and against Padraig Harrington.
But for the PGA of America Golf Professional at Mill River Club on Long Island, 2024 hasn't been all that normal. Instead, Caron's donning a blue hat with his course's name on it, designed by his wife, that served as maybe the ultimate good luck charm in the latest chapter of an absolutely amazing year.
Caron has parlayed a historic T-4 finish at the Senior PGA Championship this past May into an unbelievable hot streak of performances on the PGA TOUR Champions, the latest of which, a T-3 at the Simmons Bank Championship on Oct. 27, secured him full-time status on tour for next year . . . and a spot in the season-finishing Charles Schwab Cup Championship this week among the Top 36 players.
It's been such a stunning stretch of play that the man himself, Caron, is shocked at how well it's gone.
"I'm in disbelief," said Caron after a final-round 68 that punched his Top 36 ticket. "I'm not going to say I didn't want this to happen, but I never thought it'd actually happen. It's mind-boggling."
What's truly mind-boggling is how Caron, who's Mill River's PGA Head Professional and manages the golf operation alongside his wife and fellow PGA Member Liz, put together a serious resume throughout the year. A quick summary:
- Everything got rolling at Harbor Shores in Michigan, where he finished tied for fourth at the Senior PGA in May, earning entry from his performance in the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship.
- Getting into the field as an alternate, Caron finishes T-31 at the American Family Insurance Championship just weeks later.
- After a missed cut at the U.S. Senior Open (he got in via local qualifer), Caron rolls out another T-3 at the Rogers Charity Classic in August. He got into the field as an alternate.
- Due to that finish, he plays the Ally Challenge the following week, finishing T-47.
- At the Constellation Furyk & Friends in early October, gaining entry via sponsor's exemption, he finishes T-4. Caron follows that with a T-47 the next week (getting into the field again based on performance) at the SAS Championship.
- Caron's done enough to qualify for the PGA TOUR Champions Playoffs, and finishes T-26 in the first event. It allows him (in the to get into the 54-player Simmons Bank Championship, where he finishes T-3.
What a run, right?! The more you listen to Caron, however, the more you realize why he was able to put together such a special season. It's his humble demeanor coupled with some serious talent and willpower that has kept him not only going and going, but also grounded to reality. The fact that this isn't his day job but when things are going well, why not take advantage of it?
"Something just started clicking with this new putter I got, and something between my ears clicked, too," added Caron. "I mean, I'm out there playing with staples of the tour like Vijay and Steve Alker . . . and it never really bother me I guess. The game is so weird. I've had a lot of highs but I've also had a ton of lows early in my career. I just kept plugging away and tried to take it one shot at a time. I really was never nervous. I was just playing golf."
First things first, Caron has one more tournament in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship to tie a bow on 2024. Although he's never played in Phoenix, the timing is great with his job back home at Mill River where the golf season is nearing its end. Same thing goes for when the tour fires back up in early 2025 and Caron can escape the Long Island chill for some warmer locations and playing opportunities. Who wouldn't?
Outside of the PGA and Senior PGA next year, come April, you'll find Caron at Mill River until end of August. Job No. 1 has always been working at the club and he'll work out a schedule that suits both parties. He's hoping Liz, and his daughters, Caroline and Julia, can come out to see dad more often in 2025. While you can tell Caron is excited for what next year has in store, in a world where things change by the minute, it's refreshing to hear him never waver from what's most important.
"I just kept plugging away and tried to take it one shot at a time. I really was never nervous. I was just playing golf."
Jason Caron, PGA
"It should be a lot of fun again," Caron says, "but chasing the white golf ball down a fairway is not my priority. My kids are."
Oh, and about the hat. Will we see it more often?
"I was thinking, 'Man, I've played good every time I've worn that hat.' Obviously it works," cracked Caron. "Maybe it's all in the hat."
Or maybe its the calm, steady and seemingly unflappable man from Mill River, who proved to everyone (even himself) how truly remarkable he is at playing golf on the biggest of stages.
