Southwest PGA

Southwest PGA
SportGolf
Founded1958; 67 years ago (1958)
FounderPGA of America
CEOBernie Eaton
PresidentSteve Leonard
MottoServing the Members and Growing the Game
CountryUnited States
HeadquartersScottsdale, Arizona
Official websitehttp://www.southwestpga.com

The Southwest Section PGA (Southwest PGA) is a professional golf organization founded in 1958[1] that is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Southwest PGA administers golf tournaments for stakeholders and conducts PGA Tour qualifying events. Based on the number of members and associate members, the Southwest PGA is the 5th largest of the 41 Professional Golfers' Association of America Sections.[1] The largest annual event the Southwest PGA Section conducts is the Arizona Open.[2][3]

As of 2024, the Section is represented by Dr. Chris Cain on the PGA of America board of directors.[4]

Chapters

The Southwest PGA has two chapters of the Section – the Southern Arizona Chapter of the Southwest PGA and the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Southwest PGA.[5][6]

The Southern Arizona Chapter of the Southwest PGA was chartered by the Section to provide greater member service to those association members and associates whose facilities are located in the southernmost regions of the Section including Tucson, Arizona.[7]

The Southern Nevada Chapter of the Southwest PGA was chartered by the Section to provide greater member service to those association members and associates whose facilities are located in Clark County including Las Vegas, Nevada.[8]

Tournaments

The Southwest PGA conducts a number of golfing championship events:

  • The Southwest PGA Match Play Championship[9]
  • The Arizona Open[9]
  • The Southwest PGA Championship/PPC[9]
  • The Southwest PGA Jr. League Section Championship[10]

PGA Tour qualifying

As of the 2024 season, the Southwest PGA conducts pre-qualifying and Monday qualifying outings for three PGA Tour events:

An exemption for the Shriners Hospital Open is given to the winner of a qualifying tournament for Southwest PGA Professionals. An exemption for the WM Phoenix Open goes to the winner of the Southwest PGA Championship. 2023 winner Kim Paez became the first woman to win the Southwest PGA Championship, but was ineligible for the Phoenix Open because Paez played from shorter tees in violation of the Whaley Rule; her spot went to Jesse Mueller.

See also

  • Ping, an Arizona-based golf manufacturer

References

  1. ^ a b "PGA of America Sections". PGA of America.
  2. ^ "Arizona Open Qualifying Events". Southwest PGA.
  3. ^ "76th Arizona Open Players". Southwest PGA.
  4. ^ "UNLV PGA Leader Named to PGA of America National Board of Directors". admin Reporter. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Local golf pros receive high honor". Arizona Daily Star. January 13, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Hurlburt, Brian (July 23, 2019). "Wes Weston claims PGA chapter championship". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  7. ^ "Southwest PGA Southern Chapter". Southwest PGA.
  8. ^ "Southwest PGA Southern Nevada Chapter". Southwest PGA.
  9. ^ a b c "Craig Hocknull wins second Southwest PGA Match Play title". azcentral. July 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  10. ^ "Junior golfers compete in Regional". Sonoran News. September 13, 2019.
  11. ^ "Southwest PGA Champ gets spot in Phoenix Open". azcentral. January 24, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  12. ^ "Craig Hocknull wins Southwest PGA Champion". azcentral. September 14, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  13. ^ "2019–2020 PGA Tour Open Qualifier Contact List". PGA Tour. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  14. ^ "Tournaments – Tour Qualifying". Southwest PGA. Retrieved November 25, 2019.