Meet the PGA Professionals playing at the PGA Championship
The PGA Championship offers the chance for PGA professionals to qualify for a major championship, so which ones won the golden ticket in 2024?
One of the many beauties of the PGA Championship is the participation opportunities afforded to the PGA professionals of America.
From coaches to administrators and business leaders, over a hundred players teed it up in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco from April 29 to May 1 to qualify for the second major of the year.
Every player finishing in the top 20 made it to Valhalla. Some new faces and some old will play in Louisville, Kentucky this week including Michael Block who played in last year’s PGA Professional Championship before finishing tied for 15th at Oak Hill.
Block is an example of what is possible once you earn your way into the field. The American was drawn to hit the first tee shot in this year’s first round.
Below is the complete list of players who qualified with some details about each:
ALSO: Who is Michael Block?
ALSO: Everything you need to know about the 2024 PGA Championship
PGA Professionals at PGA Championship
Josh Bevell: From Nashville, Tennessee, making his debut at the event having turned professional in 2010
Michael Block: Played in seven previous major championships, came tied for 15th at the 2023 PGA Championship, made a hole-in-one in the final round
Evan Bowser: From Naples, Florida, making his debut at the event having turned professional in 2017
Preston Cole: From Charlotte, North Carolina, making his debut at the event having turned professional in 2016
Tyler Collet: Played in two previous PGA’s, missed then cut in both, lowest round at the event was 71 in 2022 at Southern Hills
Matt Dobyns: Played in six majors and five PGA’s, never made a major cut, lowest round at the PGA Championship was 71 in 2018 at Bellerive.
Larkin Gross: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2021 at Kiawah Island, turned professional in 2020
Jared Jones: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2022 at Southern Hills, turned professional in 2010
Jeff Kellen: From Glenview, Illinois, making his debut at the event having turned professional in 2011
Brad Marek: Played in one previous PGA, made the cut and finished 78th in 2021 at Kiawah Island, turned professional in 2008
Kyle Mendoza: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2022 at Southern Hills, turned professional in 2008
Jesse Mueller: Played in three majors and one PGA, came 51st at the 2012 US Open, from Phoenix, Arizona
Zac Oakley: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2022 at Southern Hills, turned professional in 2006
Ben Polland: Played in three previous PGA’s, 33-year-old who won the 2024 PGA Professional Championship
Tracey Phillips: From Tulsa, Oklahoma, making his debut at the event at the age of 61 and will play the Senior PGA Championship in 2024.
Braden Shattuck: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2023 at Oak Hill, has played in three PGA Tour events so far in 2024
John Somers: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2023 at Oak Hill, from Trinity, Florida
Josh Speight: Played in two previous PGA’s, missed the cut on both occasions, from Locust Hill, Virginia
Andy Svoboda: Played in five previous major championships all of which were US Opens, made the cut in one of them, played 80 PGA Tour events and came second at the 2014 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Jeremy Wells: Played in one previous PGA, missed the cut in 2023 at Oak Hill, turned professional in 2013
Wyatt Worthington II: Played in three previous PGA’s, missed the cut on all three occasions, played in four previous PGA Tour events
NOW READ: What is the prize money?
NOW READ: History of the PGA Championship
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
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