Well, the start to another PGA Championship week has begun! It all started with a 3:45 am wake up call to make a 5:45 am flight heading to Rochester, NY where the 95th PGA Championship will start on Thursday at Oak Hills Country Club. This year our two son’s Hayden & Carter made the trip with Jane and me.
The first evening was off to a great start as Jane and I had the great opportunity to attend the PGA Champions Dinner at Oak Hills CC. The defending champion (Rory McIlroy) hosts a dinner of his choice for the special guests along with some nice speeches from our PGA of America President, Ted Bishop, other past champions and some videos that make your skin tingle. See photo for menu.
It started with a fantastic Cocktail Hour in the main clubhouse where players, PGA Officers, Board of Directors, Rules Officials and special guests were able to mingle and chat. I had the opportunity to speak with Keegan Bradley during the cocktail hour while showing him a photo of one of our junior golfers and me with our Boston Red Sox uniforms and hats. Let me digress for a second……..It is customary for the PGA Champion to give a gift to all attendees at the dinner and last year Keegan gave personalized Boston Red Sox Jersey, cap and baseball to everyone. (Keegan is a HUGE Boston fan)
So, I thanked him personally for the gift and showed him this picture of our junior golfer with me in the uniform that he presented to me. Keegan was a very nice young man and glad to see the picture and talk with me for a minute! He even brought his mother as his special guest and she was a delight at the dinner table from what I witnessed.
So, as I go to the bar to get some drinks Tiger, Rory and Martin Kymer were hanging out and just chatting with people. Very casual and nice to see them so relaxed.
As the evening progressed, Jane and I sat at table 6 (right behind Tigers table) where I sat immediately next to 2001 PGA Champion David Toms. Wow, was he a terrific gentleman! We had great conversation about all sorts of things ranging from our kids, golf, Huskers (He know’s Bo), the anchoring issue and much more. Absolutely delightful evening with short commentaries from two-time champion Dave Stockton and Keegan Bradley. Other guests at our table were 1977 champion Lanny Wadkins, PGA of America COO Darrell Crall and two PGA of America Presidents Dick Smith and Will Mann and their wives.
Through the entire night I had the opportunity to talk with Phil Mickelson, Lee Trevino, Keegan Bradley, Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington (whom we sat with last year) and just mingle with many other great champions!
Needless to say, the evening was awesome and we are so fortunate to be a part of it and represent Wilderness Ridge and our owners and members.
Wednesday Morning:
This morning was an early up with a PGA Championship Rules Committee meeting that we attend as part of the PGA Board of Directors. A very interesting hour long meeting that goes through everything from A – Z regarding the championship. The hour went by like it was a minute!
Following the Rules Meeting I attended a Board of Directors and Past Presidents Breakfast where we heard updates from our President, Ted Bishop and our CEO Pete Bevacqua. Delicious Eggs Benedict!
Finance Committee:
I have the opportunity to sit on a finance committee for the PGA of America which oversees all the assets and investments of our organization. Keep in mind, the PGA of America is the largest sports organization in the world! We have some great investment minded professionals on the committee as well as a few PGA staff and three Board Members (me being one). I don’t have much to bring in terms of investment knowledge but I do bring lots of common sense. J I have learned a tremendous amount about our association as I have been on this committee and look forward to my continued involvement.
More happening tonight but you’ll have to wait till tomorrow to hear the details!
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