Industry News

Corebridge Financial Team of PGA of America Golf Professionals to compete in 84th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship

Led by Bob Sowards, 40 PGA of America Golf Professionals will compete in golf’s most prestigious senior major championship May 23-26

Editors: For a photo of the Corebridge Financial Team, click here.

BENTON HARBOR, Michigan (May 22, 2024) - The 84th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship returns for a historic sixth time to Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan, where the Corebridge Financial Team of PGA of America Golf Professionals will compete against the world’s best senior golfers.

The Corebridge Financial Team at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship includes the top finishers in the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship held last October at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

“Our incredible PGA of America Golf Professionals who comprise the Corebridge Financial Team have combined for 130 starts in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Michigan). “Their resilience on the course is matched by their passion for their tenured careers on the lesson tee, in the golf shop and in their respective communities. They love to compete and they love to help others enjoy the game. We wish them the best of luck at Harbor Shores.”

KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
BENTON HARBOR, MI - MAY 22: Corebridge Financial Team at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship pose for a group photo at Harbor Shores Golf Club on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. (Photo by Ryan Lochhead/PGA of America)

Corebridge Financial’s partnership with the PGA of America includes the title sponsorship of three PGA of America Member teams, formerly known as the Team of 20 (PGA Championship); Team of 35 (KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship); and Team of 9 (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship). Each group is now recognized as the Corebridge Financial Team.

Bob Sowards, PGA, the Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio, will lead the team as champion of the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship. One of the Association’s most accomplished competitors, he won the PGA of America Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year award five times, including in 2023, as well as four PGA of America Professional Player of the Year honors. He has been a member of 15 Corebridge Financial Teams competing in both PGA Championships and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships.

Sowards finished T-5 in the 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club, and even held the lead in the second round. He made the cut at the 2023 Championship at PGA Frisco and also competed in 2022 and 2019.

Among other notables beginning play Thursday:

David Hutsell, PGA, Lead Instructor at Baltimore Country Club, played in the 2010 and '11 PGA Championships. He finished T-26 in the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship to earn a place on the Corebridge Financial Team at Harbor Shores. He’s competed in 10 PGA Tour events and has won three PGA Professional Championships (2010, ‘11, ‘15). In 2020, Hutsell was diagnosed  with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and has gone through several rounds of cancer treatments. He is currently in remission.

Tracy Phillips, PGA, Director of Instruction at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, comes into the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship after making his PGA Championship debut last week at age 61. A Member of the PGA of America since 1992, Phillips stopped playing competitive golf for 20 years (1988-2008) following a collegiate golf career at Oklahoma State University. He finished T-8 in the PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial Team, and made the cut in the 2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at PGA Frisco.

Tim Weinhart, PGA, the Director of Instruction at Heritage Golf Links in Tucker, GA, finished T-9 in the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship to earn his spot on the Corebridge Financial Team. He previously played in six major championships: five PGA Championships (2002, ’05, ’06, ’08, ’09) and the 2012 U.S. Open. He made the cut at both the 2022 and 2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships, including finishing as low PGA of America Golf Professional in 2023 at PGA Frisco. Weinhart is one of only four players to win the “Georgia PGA Grand Slam”: Georgia Open, Georgia PGA Championship, Atlanta Open and Georgia PGA Match Play Championship.

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2024 Corebridge Financial Team:

Don Berry, PGA (Rogers, Minn.) - Edinburgh USA Golf Club, Minnesota Section

Greg Bisconti, PGA (South Salem, N.Y.) - The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, Metropolitan Section

Eric Bogar, PGA (Houston, Texas) - Golfcrest Country Club, Southern Texas Section

Craig Bowden, PGA (Bloomington, Ind.) - Indiana PGA Life Member, Indiana Section

Jeff Brehaut, PGA (Park City, Utah) - Utah PGA Life Member, Utah Section

Jason Caron, PGA (Greenlawn, N.Y.) - Mill River Club Inc., Metropolitan Section

Jim Carter, PGA (Scottsdale, Ariz.) - Southwest PGA Life Member, Southwest Section Paul Claxton, PGA (Claxton, Ga.) - Richmond Hill Golf Club, Georgia Section

Frank Esposito, PGA (Florham Park, N.J.) - Mountain Ridge Country Club, New Jersey Section

Ray Franz, PGA (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) - Daniel Island Club, Carolinas Section

Greg Gregory, PGA (Joshua, Texas) - Southern Oaks Golf Club, Northern Texas Section

Jeff Hart, PGA (Solana Beach, Calif.) - Southern California PGA Life Member, Southern California Section

Scott Hebert, PGA (Traverse City, Mich.) - Traverse City Golf & Country Club, Michigan Section

Gregory Hiller, PGA (San Antonio, Texas) - TPC San Antonio, Southern Texas Section

Jason Hrynkiw, PGA (Ormond Beach, Fla.) - Oceanside Country Club, North Florida Section

David Hutsell, PGA (Lutherville, Md.) - Baltimore Country Club, Middle Atlantic Section

Ed Kirby, PGA (North Kingstown, Ri.) - The Aquidneck Club, New England Section

Chad Kurmel, PGA (Okemos, Mich.) - Michigan State University, Michigan Section

David Ladd, PGA (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - Champions Club at Summerfield, South Florida Section

Brad Lanning, PGA (Hortonville, Wi.) - Rise Up Golf Consulting, Wisconsin Section

Brad Lardon, PGA (Santa Fe, N.M.) - The Club at Las Campanas, Sun Country Section

Ryan Malby, PGA (Kalispell, Mont.) - Pacific Northwest PGA Life Member, Pacific Northwest Section Sean McCarty, PGA (Solon, Iowa) - Brown Deer Golf Club, Iowa Section

Todd McCorkle, PGA (Fort Worth, Texas) - Old Overton Club, Northern Texas Section

Dave McNabb, PGA (Newark, Del.) - Applebrook Golf Club, Philadelphia Section

Alan Morin, PGA (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) - The Club at Ibis, South Florida Section

Rick Morton, PGA (Jacksonville, N.C.) - Rock Creek Golf & Country Club, Carolinas Section

Birk Nelson, PGA (Eugene, Ore.) - Orange Whip Golf & Fitness, Pacific Northwest Section

Rod Perry, PGA, (Port Orange, Fla.) - Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club, North Florida Section

Tracy Phillips, PGA (Tulsa, Okla.) - Cedar Ridge Country Club, South Central Section

Chad Proehl, PGA (Urbandale, Iowa) - Sugar Creek Golf Course, Iowa Section)

Jake Reeves, PGA (Knoxville, Tenn.) - Fox Den Country Club, Tennessee Section

Micah Rudosky, PGA (Cortez, Colo.) - Conquistador Golf Course, Colorado Section

Robert Russell, PGA (Stilwell, Ks.) - Nicklaus Golf Club At LionsGate, Midwest Section

Jeffrey Schmid, PGA (Iowa City, Iowa) - Brown Deer Golf Club, Iowa Section

Steve Schneiter, PGA (Sandy, Utah) - Schneiter’s Pebblebrook, Utah Section

Rob Sedorcek, PGA (Ballwin, Mo.) - Family Golf & Learning Center, Gateway Section

Mick Smith, PGA (Summit, Wis.) - Mick Smith Golf, Wisconsin Section

Bob Sowards, PGA (Dublin, Ohio) - Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club, Southern Ohio Section

Tim Weinhart, PGA (Canton, Ga.) - Heritage Golf Links, Georgia Section

The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, golf’s most historic and prestigious senior Major Championship, will be contested May 23-26 and broadcast on Golf Channel and NBC. The action can also be taken in through srpgachampionship.com and by following @seniorpgachamp on Facebook, Instagram and X.

About 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, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Contacts
Jesse Dodson, PGA of America, jdodson@pgahq.com


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