Impact
Records
Tom Malin
East Catholic High School
Impact Statement
Malin has 600 career victories under his belt.
Biography
Coach Malin has had tremendous success in two sports at East Catholic. In May, Malin won his 600th golf match when the Eagles defeated Portland High. That victory gave him a career record of 600-303-18 with 11 state championships.
The 2023 spring season ended with East Catholic finishing second in the Division 3 state championships, 17 shots behind state champ Portland.
Malin also won 369 matches as the school’s boys’ soccer coach. He won two soccer state championships before stepping down from that position.
In 1965, Malin was a member of the school’s basketball team that won a state title.
Malin is the second Connecticut coach to be named the NHSCA National Boys’ Golf Coach of the Year. Norwich Free Academy’s Bob McPhail won the award during the 2015-16 sports year.
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Records
Cascade High School
Woosley-Reed claimed four state titles and made an immediate impact at the University of Tennessee.
Woosley-Reed claimed four state titles and made an immediate impact at the University of Tennessee.
Evan Woosley-Reed
Cascade High School
Impact Statement
Woosley-Reed claimed four state titles and made an immediate impact at the University of Tennessee.
Biography
Woosley-Reed heads to the University of Tennessee on a golf scholarship after winning four straight Tennessee high school state championships. He won the Division I Class A title last fall with two rounds of 66. He holed a birdie on the final hole to win the gold medal by one stroke over North Greene’s Aiden Collier. Woosley-Reed was ranked No. 38 in the Junior Golf Scoreboard 2022 rankings.
“Evan’s signing is a continuation of one of our main priorities in recruiting the in-state kids that have proven they can compete and work at the elite level that is necessary to compete for SEC and national championships” said Tennessee Volunteer Head Golf Coach Brennan Webb.
“Evan’s record over the last four years, including three state high school titles and a state junior title has proven to our staff he is capable of helping us achieve our lofty goals, as well as fit very well in the culture of our program.”
Woosley-Reed played as a freshman for the Vols. At the Puerto Rico Classic, he finished three rounds with a total of 8-under tying for 8th place. He also tied for 12th at the All-American Individual.
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Records
Personal Honors
Mountain Brook High School
Impact Statement Placeholder
Impact Statement Placeholder
Alex Lockett
Mountain Brook High School
Impact Statement
Impact Statement Placeholder
Biography
This past season, Lockett led Mountain Brooks to its fifth straight state championship. The team won the title by 13-strokes during the two day championship. Coach Lockett had four golfers place in the Top 10. Tom Fischer won co-champ after shooting a 1-under 143 for the tournament.
In 2018, after the school’s second straight 7A title, Lockett was named All-USA Coach of the Year by USA TODAY.
Professional Achievements
Westlake High School
Nokes has made an impact since taking over in 2002, while coaching 7 State Championship teams.
Nokes has made an impact since taking over in 2002, while coaching 7 State Championship teams.
Callan Nokes
Westlake High School
Impact Statement
Nokes has made an impact since taking over in 2002, while coaching 7 State Championship teams.
Biography
Since taking-over the Westlake program in 2002, Nokes has led the school to seven state
championships. This past season, Westlake won its fourth straight Class 6A championship, led by Jacob Sosa, who finished tied for second in the individual championship after shooting a 139 over the two-day event. Nokes has coached three overall individual state champs.
Other honors for Coach Nokes include being named Texas State Coach of the Year in 2009. That same year he was named the NFHS Southwest United States Regional Coach of the Year.
In 2013, Nokes was honored by the Texas High School Coaches Association with the highest milestone of victories award by compiling 500 victory points in 11 seasons, making him the fastest to achieve that milestone in Texas 6A golf history.
Nokes is the first coach from Texas to receive this honor.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Columbus High School
Chris Parker led his Columbus HS team to it’s third straight Georgia state team championship.
Chris Parker led his Columbus HS team to it’s third straight Georgia state team championship.
Chris Parker
Columbus High School
Impact Statement
Chris Parker led his Columbus HS team to it’s third straight Georgia state team championship.
Biography
This past season Parker led his school to its third straight Georgia state team championship. Since taking over the program in 1994, Parker’s teams have consistently finished in the Top 5 in the state. This year’s 4A state title was the fifth overall under Parker, who has also guided the Blue Devils to four state runner-up finishes.
After capturing the school’s third straight title, Parker told the Ledger-Enquirer, “It was exciting because we lost three seniors from last year who are all playing college golf. We had to replace a lot. This team really improved a lot, and over the last month or two they’ve played as well as any team we’ve ever had.”
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Records
Spring Lake High School
“They want to learn how to play golf. Golf is a sport of a lifetime.” -George Bitner
“They want to learn how to play golf. Golf is a sport of a lifetime.” -George Bitner
George Bitner
Spring Lake High School
Impact Statement
“They want to learn how to play golf. Golf is a sport of a lifetime.” -George Bitner
Biography
This past school year saw George Bitner coach his 50th year of high school golf. Bitner, who is 77 years old and showing no signs of wanting to retire, started the Spring Lake boys’ golf team in 1969 and the girls program in 1980. Along the way, he has coached both teams to over 1,000 victories.
During an interview in the spring, Bitner figured that he had been behind the wheel of the school van for about 115,000 miles. In that same interview, he said he still has about five years left in him and the 2014 girls’ team is expected to challenge for a state team title after finishing third in Michigan’s Division 3 finals last year.
Bitner continued to lead Spring Lake’s boys’ and girls’ golf teams. He led the girls’ team to three consecutive D3 State Championships from 2014-2016. Bitner stepped down after 88 combined seasons after the 2016 season.
Bitner was inducted into the Spring Lake High School Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural first class in 2018. He was also inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame the same year. Additionally, Bitner was honored by the creation of the George Bitner Invitational. The first event was held at the Spring Lake Country Club in May of 2019.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Bergen Catholic High School
Jacobsen is the winningest coach in New Jersey’s golf history, holding over 1,100 wins.
Jacobsen is the winningest coach in New Jersey’s golf history, holding over 1,100 wins.
Jim Jacobsen
Bergen Catholic High School
Impact Statement
Jacobsen is the winningest coach in New Jersey’s golf history, holding over 1,100 wins.
Biography
Jim Jacobsen has had an incredible 31-year career as the boys’ head golf coach at Bergen Cathoic. The 2012-13 season saw Jacobsen win his 900th match. Jacobsen’s career record is 917-31-1, which he attributes to both luck and strategy.
Since being honored, Jacobsen has continued his success. He led his team to three additional state championships. From 2016 until 2019, Jacobsen’s team had an impressive 99-0 record. His teams also won the Tournament of Champions from 2014-16.
In April of 2019, Jacobsen hit another huge milestone in his storied career. He earned his 1,100th career victory with a 143-181 win over Pascack Valley. He was named the 2019 NJ.com Golf Coach of the Year. His team also finished second at the Tournament of Champions. He holds a career record of 1,122-33-1.
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Records
Bartram Trail High School
Schell had a successful scholastic career at Bartram Trail and is hoping for the same results at Ol Miss.
Schell had a successful scholastic career at Bartram Trail and is hoping for the same results at Ol Miss.
Brett Schell
Bartram Trail High School
Impact Statement
Schell had a successful scholastic career at Bartram Trail and is hoping for the same results at Ol Miss.
Biography
Schell closed-out his scholastic career by finishing runner-up at Florida’s 3A state championship. He carded one of the 20 lowest scores at the state championships in the last 55 years, finishing one shot behind two-time state champ Brett Roberts of St. Thomas Aquinas, who is only a junior. His 36-hole score at the state tournament was better than former FHSAA state champions Brooks Koepka (current U.S. Open champ), Len Mattice, Mark Calcavecchia and Gary Koch, all of whom went on to play in the PGA Tour. Schell finished third last summer in the Florida Junior Amateur Championship. He is a 3-time winner on the FSGA Junior Tour.
In 2016 he placed Top-5 at both the St. Augustine Amateur and First Coast Amateur. The St. Augustine Record named Schell, who will play his college golf at the University of Mississippi, its 2018 St. Johns County Boys Golfer of the Year.
Schell redshirted his first season at Ol Miss and the season was eventually canceled due to Covid. He was named First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll.
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Records
Personal Honors
Gaffney High School
“Of the 10 birdie putts I made, they all went in dead-center. Perfect stroke, perfect line.”
“Of the 10 birdie putts I made, they all went in dead-center. Perfect stroke, perfect line.”
Zack Gordon
Gaffney High School
Impact Statement
“Of the 10 birdie putts I made, they all went in dead-center. Perfect stroke, perfect line.”
Biography
Gordon closed out his scholastic career with an incredible performance at the South Carolina Class 5A individual championships.
Gordon, who will attend Clemson University on a golf scholarship, won the state championship by shattering the state scoring record that was previously held by current PGA Tour golfer Bill Haas. Gordon shot a 66 and 62 to capture the state title. Gaffney also won the team championship.
Gordon also won the 2016 Carolinas Junior PGA Championship in Conway, South Carolina last summer when he had consecutive rounds of 68. He made a hole-in-one at that tournament. Gordon won the 2017 CGA South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship.
During the first two years at Clemson, Gordon held a 72.43 stroke average for those 40 rounds. He qualified for the NCAA tournament as a freshman.
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Records
Personal Honors
Calvary Baptist Academy
In 2018, Burns won his first PGA title in dramatic fashion by birdieing the last three holes to win by one stroke at the Savannah Golf Championships.
In 2018, Burns won his first PGA title in dramatic fashion by birdieing the last three holes to win by one stroke at the Savannah Golf Championships.
Sam Burns
Calvary Baptist Academy
Impact Statement
In 2018, Burns won his first PGA title in dramatic fashion by birdieing the last three holes to win by one stroke at the Savannah Golf Championships.
Biography
Sam Burns is currently ranked as the #1 junior golfer in the country by Golfweek.
He won three Louisiana High School Athletic Association individual state championships. In 2014, Burns won the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the Junior PGA Championship.
This March, Burns, who will attend LSU, played in his first PGA event — The Valero Texas Open, where he shot an opening round 89 and a 77 on the second round. Burns was also a member of the 2014 United States Junior Ryder Cup team.
As a Tiger, Burns continued his success for two seasons before turning professional after the 2017 season. As a sophomore, he was named First-Team All-SEC and the SEC Player of the Year. He was also bestowed the NCAA’s highest honor as the Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year.
In 2018, Burns won his first PGA title in dramatic fashion by birdieing the last three holes to win by one stroke at the Savannah Golf Championships.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Highland Park High School
“The score didn’t matter; the result wasn’t important, he just wanted to keep playing.”
-Scott Scheffler, Scottie’s father
“The score didn’t matter; the result wasn’t important, he just wanted to keep playing.”
-Scott Scheffler, Scottie’s father
Scottie Scheffler
Highland Park High School
Impact Statement
“The score didn’t matter; the result wasn’t important, he just wanted to keep playing.”
-Scott Scheffler, Scottie’s father
Biography
Like 2011 NHSCA Senior National Boys’ Golfer of the Year Jordan Spieth, who finished runner-up at this year’s Masters, Scottie Scheffler appears to have a promising professional career in front of him.
Scheffler, who won his third straight Texas state championship, finished 22nd at this year’s PGA Byron Nelson Classic, scoring a hole-in-one along the way. Scheffler is ranked #1 by the American Junior Golf Association and #5 by the World Amateur Golf Ranking system.
Scheffler, who will attend the University of Texas, has a sister who is a golfer at Texas A&M. Scheffler is the third Texas boys’ golfer to be honored by the NHSCA.
Scheffler continued his success at Texas. He was named the Phil Mickelson Freshman of the Year in 2015. He assisted the Longhorns in claiming three Big 12 Championships. Scheffler obtained his PGA card and most recently was honored as the 2019 Kom Ferry Tour Player of the Year.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Gilmour Academy
“I think of golf as kind of a puzzle with no answer. You can always get more intelligent with the game, but sometimes you don’t really know what exactly is different about the way you’re playing.”
“I think of golf as kind of a puzzle with no answer. You can always get more intelligent with the game, but sometimes you don’t really know what exactly is different about the way you’re playing.”
Andrew Bieber
Gilmour Academy
Impact Statement
“I think of golf as kind of a puzzle with no answer. You can always get more intelligent with the game, but sometimes you don’t really know what exactly is different about the way you’re playing.”
Biography
Andrew Bieber won his second straight Ohio Division III state golf championship in the Fall.
Bieber, who will attend Duke on a golfing scholarship, shot a 144 over the two rounds of the 2012 state championships, which set a course record for the NorthStar Golf Resort course. Bieber was also honored in October as the GTM Sportswear Athlete of the Month.
While at Duke, Bieber continued to improve his game. As a senior, he won the coveted Intercollegiate Golf Championship (70-68-72=210, -4).
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Records
Personal Honors
Valor Christian High School
Clark has been playing big since he was six. He’s had a successful career from high school up to the PGA.
Clark has been playing big since he was six. He’s had a successful career from high school up to the PGA.
Wyndham Clark
Valor Christian High School
Impact Statement
Clark has been playing big since he was six. He’s had a successful career from high school up to the PGA.
Biography
In what will go down as arguably the best two-day performance ever at a Colorado high school state golf tournament, Clark shot back-to-back 8-under-par rounds of 64 last fall to win his second 4A state championship, his 36-hole total of 128 winning by eight strokes. Clark also won the state title as a sophomore and finished second in state his freshman and junior years. Clark hit all but two greens in regulation in the tournament, had a half-dozen birdie putts skim the edge of the cup and was 10-under on the course’s par-5 holes.
Named the 4A Player of the Year by The Denver Post, Clark, No. 24 in the Polo Golf Rankings, was one of four American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) players selected to receive the Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Awards. The awards will be presented at the PGA Tour HP Byron Nelson Championship and Awards Dinner presented by American Airlines.
The 2010 Colorado State Amateur champion, Clark is a two-time Rolex Junior All-American and has 11 career AJGA top-10 finishes, including a win at the 2010 Under Armour/Vicky Hurst Championship. He will attend Oklahoma State University.
Clark spent 3 years as a Cowboy. After his freshman year, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Year. His mom and biggest supporter passed away in 2013. In her honor, he’s always wants to “play big” for her. As a senior, he transferred to the University of Oregon. Both he individually and his fellow Ducks finished second at the DI NCAA Championships. He was named First Team All-American, Golfweek Male Golfer of the Year, and the Pac-10 Player of the Year.
After graduating with his degree in Business, Clark earned his PGA card at the end of the 2018 season. His best PGA finish came at the Honda Classic in March of 2019, where he finished 7th.
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Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Jesuit Preparatory School of Dallas
“Golf, to its foundation, is a game of integrity and one that encourages us to give back, kind of be ambassadors, role models, I guess, for kids, whether they like golf or not.” -Jordan Spieth
“Golf, to its foundation, is a game of integrity and one that encourages us to give back, kind of be ambassadors, role models, I guess, for kids, whether they like golf or not.” -Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth
Jesuit Preparatory School of Dallas
Impact Statement
“Golf, to its foundation, is a game of integrity and one that encourages us to give back, kind of be ambassadors, role models, I guess, for kids, whether they like golf or not.” -Jordan Spieth
Biography
Not only did the 6-foot Spieth become the first golfer to win three 5A state titles, but he did it in dominating fashion. The University of Texas recruit followed an opening-round 68 with a closing 64 that included eight birdies and no bogeys – and his 12-under-par total of 132 gave him a seven-stroke victory. He finished 13th in state as a freshman.
Prior to the start of his final high school season, Spieth ended his Junior golf career on a high note, winning the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods. It was his fifth Junior victory and his 18th consecutive Top 10 finish. Spieth was the U.S. Junior Amateur champion in 2009, and was the Rolex Junior Player of the Year that year.
He is a three-time Rolex First Team Junior All-American. Perhaps the highlight of Spieth’s career to date, however, came last May, when playing on a sponsor’s exemption, he finished tied for 16th in a PGA Tour event, the HP Byron Nelson Classic. Spieth carded rounds of 68-69-67-72 for a 4-under-par 276, just six shots behind tournament champion Jason Day, and he became the sixth-youngest player ever to make a PGA Tour cut.
While at Texas, Spieth’s dominance continued. He led Texas to an NCAA Championships and was named both the Big 12 Freshman and Player of the Year.
Midway through his sophomore year, Spieth turned professional and continued his success and has impacted the PGA since. On July 14, 2013, Spieth became the fourth youngest PGA winner as he won the John Deer Classic. This win earned him his full status of his PGA Tour card. He was named the PGA Rookie of the Year in 2013.
His first major victory came in 2015 at the when he won the Master’s Tournament. He was won the FedEx Cup. He was honored with the Vardon Trophy in 2015 and 2017. This award is given to the PGA’s leader of scoring average.
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Articles
Community Service
Spieth founded the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation. The "Foundation offers a platform for Jordan to lend time, help grow awareness and offer financial support for four philanthropic areas: special needs youth, junior golf, military support and pediatric cancer," according to their website.
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Memorial High School
Whitsett finished in the top two in the 5A state tournament all four years of high school.
Whitsett finished in the top two in the 5A state tournament all four years of high school.
Cory Whitsett
Memorial High School
Impact Statement
Whitsett finished in the top two in the 5A state tournament all four years of high school.
Biography
A left-hander, Whitsett began playing before he was 2 years old, took his first lesson at age 8, and broke 80 a year later. By the time he was 10 he had broken 70. The two-time EA Sports All-American, Whitsett finished in the top two in the 5A state tournament all four years of high school, winning the title by four strokes as a sophomore and sharing medalist honors this year in a tournament shortened to 27 holes by inclement weather. He helped Houston Memorial advance to the state tournament all four years of his career.
Ranked No. 1 on the Junior Golf Scoreboard and No. 2 by Golfweek, Whitsett won the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2007 and in a span of 14 days in 2009 he won the Western Junior and the Rolex Tournament of Champions titles. Later in the summer he set records at two courses in Texas, carding a 62 at the Houstonian Golf and Country Club in Houston and two days later shooting 61 at Wilderness Golf Club in Jackson, the first time he ever played the course. Also a straight-A student, Whitsett will attend the University of Alabama.
While at Alabama Whitsett had an illustrious career. In 2011 he won the Patriot All-America Tournament, where each participant carries a bag with the name of a fallen soldier. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-SEC. In 2012 the Crimson Tide made it to the final match at the NCAA Championships, finishing second. The team came back in full force and won the Division I Championships in 2013 and 2014, with 2013 being the first time ever.
Whitsett also excelled off the golf course. He was honored with the NCAA Elite 89 Award, given to the student-athlete with the best GPA at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships in 2012 and 2013.
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Videos
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Timberline High School
Peck continues to impact the golf world.
Peck continues to impact the golf world.
Cameron Peck
Timberline High School
Impact Statement
Peck continues to impact the golf world.
Biography
Peck has yet to win a state championship – he finished fourth in the Class 3A state tournament both as a sophomore and a junior and owns three top-five state finishes; however, Peck burst onto the national scene by winning four of the eight American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) national events he played last summer – the FootJoy Invitational in June and the HP Boys Junior Championship, the U.S. Junior Championship and the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship on successive weeks in July – to finish No. 1 in the Polo Golf Rankings and earn his second Rolex Junior All-American First Team selection.
As a freshman Peck finished second in the district tournament and fifth in the state meet despite a badly sprained wrist. Named his team’s Most Inspirational Player four consecutive years, Peck is also an outstanding student with a 3.7 grade-point average. He will attend Texas A&M University.
In 2013 Peck won the 112th Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur Championship, which earned his card for the tour. He was also named the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Golfer of the Year.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Spruce Creek High School
A fixture near the top of the Florida golf scene, Graham averaged 68.5 strokes per round as a senior.
A fixture near the top of the Florida golf scene, Graham averaged 68.5 strokes per round as a senior.
Wesley Graham
Spruce Creek High School
Impact Statement
A fixture near the top of the Florida golf scene, Graham averaged 68.5 strokes per round as a senior.
Biography
A fixture near the top of the Florida golf scene, Graham averaged 68.5 strokes per round as a senior and did not shoot an over-par round all season. He finished second in the Class 2A state tournament last fall, shooting 2-under-par 142, and was the meet’s highest-placing senior. He also was the Region 2 runner-up and shot a sparkling 67 to win the District 5 meet by seven strokes.
As a junior Graham finished third in the state tournament and was a four-time Flagler County Player of the Year. Currently the nation’s top-ranked junior player, Graham was named to the Rolex Junior All-America First Team after advancing to the U.S. Junior Amateur semifinals and earning runner-up honors in the HP Boys Junior Championship last summer. He will attend Florida State University.
Graham was a four year golfer for Florida State University. He was a team member when the Gators finished third in the NCAAs, which was the best -ever finish for a Florida State golf team.
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Records
Personal Honors
Desert Mountain High School
McKenney won two Arizona State Championships while at Desert Mountain before playing in college at the University of Florida.
McKenney won two Arizona State Championships while at Desert Mountain before playing in college at the University of Florida.
Tim McKenney
Desert Mountain High School
Impact Statement
McKenney won two Arizona State Championships while at Desert Mountain before playing in college at the University of Florida.
Biography
McKenney won his second Class 5A state individual championship in dominating fashion, carding a 10-under-par 134 – featuring an opening-round 64 – that tied the state tournament record set by PGA Tour professional Ted Purdy in 1991. It was the lowest 36-hole score in any state tournament this year and helped Desert Mountain win the state title. He was named Player of the Year by the Arizona Republic. Ranked 12th in the Junior Golf Scoreboard national rankings, he will attend the University of Florida.
McKenney went on to play all four years at Florida. His senior year McKenney was named NCAA All-Southeast Region honors and was named a second-team All-SEC performer. He also made the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice during his career.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Savannah Christian School
“Part of golf is feeling good. You need to feel good when you’re playing.” -Brian Harman
“Part of golf is feeling good. You need to feel good when you’re playing.” -Brian Harman
Brian Harman
Savannah Christian School
Impact Statement
“Part of golf is feeling good. You need to feel good when you’re playing.” -Brian Harman
Biography
A left-hander, Harman recently won his second Class 3A state title, shooting 66. He carded a 64 to win the title as a junior. A two-time State Junior Boys champion and two-time state Player of the Year, Harman received sponsor exemptions to compete in two PGA Tour events in 2004 – the MCI Heritage Classic in April and the Buick Championship in August.
Harman was a U.S. Junior Amateur quarter-finalist in 2002 at the age of 15. Also an honor student with a 4.0 GPA, he is a two-time EA Sports All-America selection. He will attend the University of Georgia.
While at the University of Georgia, Harman was a three-time 2nd Team All-American. He was a member on the winning team for the 2005 and 2009 Walker Cup and the 2007 Palmer Cup.
After college Harman turned professional in 2009. He has four professional wins under his belt, two oh which are in the PGA. In 2017 Harman finished in the Top 10 of the US Open. As of August 2018 he was ranked as high as #20 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
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Personal Honors
La Mirada High School
Im excelled as a 2004 CIF State Champion and has wins under his belt in the PGA.
Im excelled as a 2004 CIF State Champion and has wins under his belt in the PGA.
Daniel Im
La Mirada High School
Impact Statement
Im excelled as a 2004 CIF State Champion and has wins under his belt in the PGA.
Biography
Im is a 4.0 student who will also attend perennial power UCLA, which finished as runners-up on the men’s side of the NCAA competition this season. Im won the C.I.F. individual title in California’s Southern and has been ranked among the best junior golfers in America for the past several years.
While at UCLA Im won the 2006 PAC Championship. Upon graduation he turned professional in 2008. He has played on both the Challenge Tour and the Canadian Tour. He is currently part of the European Tour. In 2008, Im won two Canadian Tour events.
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Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Bonita Vista High School Chula
Minor led Bonita Vista to three CIF State Titles over his career. He left a legacy behind with his activities with the Junior Golf Association.
Minor led Bonita Vista to three CIF State Titles over his career. He left a legacy behind with his activities with the Junior Golf Association.
Don Minor
Bonita Vista High School Chula
Impact Statement
Minor led Bonita Vista to three CIF State Titles over his career. He left a legacy behind with his activities with the Junior Golf Association.
Biography
When he started playing golf at the ripe “old” age of 12, Don Minor didn’t see himself making his living in the golfing business. It’s merely another classic example of how time can change things including one’s career path. “My parents started me playing golf, and it was just something fun to do” said Minor, who has guided Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista, California to prominence among San Diego area schools. It wasn’t unusual to start at that age then. Today, that’s a very late age for a tournament golfer to start playing.
Not only did Minor come late to playing the game of golf, he came late to coaching it as well. Retired from the U.S. Navy after serving 27 years as a fighter pilot, he has become one of golf’s guiding forces in southern California. But Minor comes earlier than any other high school golf coach to national honors. The National High School Coaches Association is honoring Minor as its inaugural National High School Golf Coach of the Year for 1998.
The head coach at Bonita Vista High since 1995, Minor has continued the school’s excellence in the competitive San Diego Section. Bonita Vista has won six consecutive Metro League championships, and in 1996, qualified for the state championships with a second-place section finish as a team. That team went on to finish seventh in the state tournament. This year’s Bonita Vista squad went 13-1 in its first 14 dual meets. Though he started playing golf at a relatively late age, Minor showed an aptitude for the game. He played four years for his high school team, then earned three varsity letters at Oregon State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1965.
Upon graduation from college, Minor was accepted into the Navy’s flight training program. For the next 27 years, he would have no formal association with the sport. Minor earned his Navy pilot wings in 1967. By the time he retired in 1992 with the rank of Captain, he had racked up 5,500 flight hours and 849 carrier landings. Oh, by the way, accompanied by many rounds of golf. “I did get to play a lot of golf at some really beautiful courses all around the world,” Minor said. “Golf was fun. But that was the extent of my involvement with it.”
Then Minor landed with the San Diego County Golf Association. In 1994, he became the tournament director of the Junior World Golf Championships, the world’s oldest and largest international junior golf championship event. Last year’s event, the 31st Annual, attracted about 870 participants in four age divisions ranging up to age 17, including 250 from 35 foreign countries. American participants qualify through their state, while the majority of foreign contestants are selected by their respective golf governing bodies.
“The thing that makes the Junior Worlds unique is the extensive foreign participation,” Minor said. “We have state qualifying here, but you don’t see that in many foreign countries, where they pick who they want to attend. We have our first entry from Morocco this year, and that’s exciting.”
“The college coaches love it, too. The Junior World is their chance to see the elite golfers compete, not just from the United States, but from all over the world. Last year, we had the girls junior champion from Taiwan come to compete in the Junior Worlds, and she earned a scholarship and is now playing at a school here in the United States.” The Junior World Championships is just one of a myriad of events today available to junior-age golfers. “It’s amazing how many events there are now,” Minor said. “Even 10 years ago, there weren’t that many events. Now, you can go to an event every week if you want. Some parents say they budget as much as $15,000 per year for their son or daughter’s junior golf schedule. That’s a lot of money, but they look at it as an investment. If their child earns a college scholarship as a result of playing that schedule, then that investment has paid off.”
The effect of the enforcement of Title IX has been an increase in opportunities for girls “but not necessarily an increase in participation” and that is one of Minor’s challenges in his current full-time post as executive director of the San Diego County Junior Golf Association.
“Any decent girl golfer has an excellent chance of getting a scholarship just about any place,” Minor said. “There’s much more competition among the boys. If you look at our membership in San Diego County, in the 15-17 age group, we’ve got about 350 boys who are members, but only about 20 girls. I don’t know what the reason is. We’ve really tried hard to get the girls’ membership up, but it’s been tough.”
“There are so many quality boy golfers out there, there’s not enough room for all of them. The golf coach at Sacramento State is dividing up scholarships among the boys for 10 spots. But they can’t find enough girls to fill the 10 girls’ spots. They’ve never had 10 girls. “If I’d have been smart, I’d have had my daughter playing golf.” Minor’s military experience has more than compensated for his lack of teaching experience in working with high school golfers. “I had to work with many young sailors, many not much older than the high school golfers I coach now,” he said. “In both cases, you have a lot of control over their lives, that’s for sure. You have to motivate them to be mature, productive individuals. Golf is a game that teaches maturity. It’s a game of failure. Sometimes you’ll hit a bad drive, or three-putt a green, and you have to learn to just let it go, to concentrate on the next hole. Some kids with all the talent in the world never learn that. The ones that are successful are the ones that control their emotions through the good shots and the bad shots.” Minor’s actual path to the Bonita Vista position was aided by his involvement with his son Mark’s golfing career. Think Don started late Mark didn’t pick up a club until he was 13, in 1990. But, like father like son, Mark learned the game quickly. Today Mark is the No. 1 golfer at Cabrillo Community College in Santa Cruz, California.
When Mark was a golfer at Bonita Vista, the team needed scorekeepers, so Don was among the volunteers. When an assistant coach was needed, Don again came to the rescue. After two years on the staff, the head coach was transferred to another campus. Though school district personnel were given preference in hiring, no staff members expressed an interest.
So Minor was hired. It’s been a win-win situation all the way around. “Because of my involvement with the Junior Golf Association, it works out great for the school,” he said. “My dad tells me I’ve got the best retirement job in the world.”
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Records
Green Hope High School
Todd has excelled in all levels of play on the golf course from Green Hope High School all the way to the PGA.
Todd has excelled in all levels of play on the golf course from Green Hope High School all the way to the PGA.
Brendon Todd
Green Hope High School
Impact Statement
Todd has excelled in all levels of play on the golf course from Green Hope High School all the way to the PGA.
Biography
“Brendon Todd capped an outstanding individual career with the ultimate team effort in his senior season by leading Green Hope to the state title,” said NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro. “The NHSCA is proud to name Bendon Todd as the National High School Senior Boys Golf Athlete of the Year.”
Todd recently concluded a high school career in which he captured three individual state championships and led his team, Green Hope High School, to an overall title as a senior. Todd also garnered numerous awards in independent golf ventures away from the high school season, including winning the 2003 AJGA Rolex Junior’s event and finishing third at the AJGA Chrysler Classic. The two-time AJGA Junior All-American will attend the University of Georgia to further his academic and athletic careers.
While at the University of Georgia he was a 4x All American and was part of the 2005 NCAA Championship team.
After graduation, Todd joined the PGA in 2007 and continues to play today in the PGA. He has three PGA wins under his belt. In November of 2019 Todd won the Bermuda Championships A few weeks later he won the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Calais High School
Frost earned All-America status twice in the NHSCA National Open High School Boys Golf Championships.
Frost earned All-America status twice in the NHSCA National Open High School Boys Golf Championships.
James Frost
Calais High School
Impact Statement
Frost earned All-America status twice in the NHSCA National Open High School Boys Golf Championships.
Biography
“Athletes like James Frost are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA Executive Directors Bob Ferraro said. “He has worked extremely hard to develop his skills and has become one of the best golfers not only in the state of Maine, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring him.”
Frost, who will continue his golf career next year at Mississippi State University, won three Maine Class C state individual titles, shooting 73 last fall to win his third title, and helping his team to three state team crowns. He was coached at Calais High by the NHSCA’s National High School Boys Coach of the Year, Mike Ellis.
Frost also earned All-America status twice in the NHSCA National Open High School Boys Golf Championships. He scored 217 and finished 11th in the 2000 championships as a sophomore, following that performance with a 226 total and 24th place in 2001 as a junior. Frost is one of just six male golfers to earn All-America honors more than once.
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Personal Honors
Taylor County High School
“I always told him don’t let your hat get too big, and it hasn’t.” -Maurice Holmes, J.B.’s father’s advise
“I always told him don’t let your hat get too big, and it hasn’t.” -Maurice Holmes, J.B.’s father’s advise
John Bradley Holmes
Taylor County High School
Impact Statement
“I always told him don’t let your hat get too big, and it hasn’t.” -Maurice Holmes, J.B.’s father’s advise
Biography
“Athletes like John Holmes are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “He has worked extremely hard to develop his skills and has become one of the best golfers not only in the state of Kentucky, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring him.”
Holmes, who will attend the University of Kentucky, has finished in the Top 10 in the state tournament the past three years, winning the state title as a sophomore in 1998. He finished ninth in the state in 1999 and sixth this past year. Recently, Holmes advanced to the sectional round of qualifying for this year’s U.S. Open Championship.
Holmes also has won the individual title in the NHSCA National Sports Festival the past two years, in 1999 at Jekyll Island, Ga. and in 2000 at Orlando, Fla. He also finished 18th in the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1998, making him the only male golfer to earn All-America honors all three years the event has been held.
In 2005, Holmes represented the United States at the Ryder Cup. After that he turned pro and has been playing in the PGA since. He has notched eight wins in his career, including five in the PGA.
In 2016, he finished third in the US Open. He also tied for 4th at the Masters. Most recently, Holmes won his fifth PGA event by winning the Genesis Open in February of 2019.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
DuQuoin High School
Two time state place finisher, Furlow continued to play golf at Southern Illinois University.
Two time state place finisher, Furlow continued to play golf at Southern Illinois University.
Jason Furlow
DuQuoin High School
Impact Statement
Two time state place finisher, Furlow continued to play golf at Southern Illinois University.
Biography
Furlow twice placed high in the Class A Illinois boys state golf tournament, finishing third in the state as a junior in 1998 and 11th in the state last fall as a senior. In the National Open High School Golf Championships held June 23-25 in Winter Garden, Florida, Hentzner was the highest-placing senior in the boys competition, finishing in fourth place. The tournament was part of the 3rd annual National High School Sports Festival, which attracted nearly 1,000 athletes to the Orlando, Florida area for competition in golf, tennis, and soccer June 23-26.
“Athletes like Jason Furlow are one of the reasons these Championships are so gratifying,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “He has worked extremely hard to develop his skills, and we are extremely proud to be honoring him.”
Furlow’s consistent play at the Orange County National Golf Center kept him within striking distance of the lead throughout the 54-hole event. An opening-round 71 left him 11th after the first day, but he improved seven spots the second day with an even-par 70 and finished the tournament with a 72 for a final score of 3-over-par 213. The performance also helped Furlow improve 35 spots over last year’s performance when he finished 38th with a 308 total. John Bradley Holmes of Campbellsville, Kentucky, a junior at Taylor County High School, won the event for the second consecutive year with a 208 total.
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Personal Honors
Langley High School
“There isn’t a year gone by where I don’t feel like I’ve learned something. I think you need to have the kind of mindset where you’re constantly learning.” – Al Berg
“There isn’t a year gone by where I don’t feel like I’ve learned something. I think you need to have the kind of mindset where you’re constantly learning.” – Al Berg
Al Berg
Langley High School
Impact Statement
“There isn’t a year gone by where I don’t feel like I’ve learned something. I think you need to have the kind of mindset where you’re constantly learning.” – Al Berg
Biography
In nearly a quarter-of-a-century of coaching, Berg has made Langley into one of the best high school golf programs in Virginia. “One of the things that I’ve tried to focus on with the kids is making sure that they understand that this is not a game of a straight line going up in terms of how you progress. It’s more like the stock market. It goes up and down. But if you stand back and look at it over a long period of time, you’ll see that the general move has been up.”
Last fall, Berg led the Saxons to their third straight state championship in Virginia’s largest classification. Langley won the state title by 11-shots over runner-up Lake Braddock. Berg has led Langley to five of its seven overall state championships. In addition, his teams have won 17 district championships in 22 years with over 50 team tournament wins. His only losing match record came in his first year of coaching.
Off-the-course, Coach Berg has sent numerous golfers, both boys and girls student-athletes, on to play Division I college golf. Since retiring from teaching, Berg drives over 100 miles one-way from Richmond to northern Virginia to continue coaching at Langley.
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Marion High School
Coach Messerli has coached multiple sports at Marion High School, namely golf, football, wrestling and basketball.
Coach Messerli has coached multiple sports at Marion High School, namely golf, football, wrestling and basketball.
Dave Messerli
Marion High School
Impact Statement
Coach Messerli has coached multiple sports at Marion High School, namely golf, football, wrestling and basketball.
Biography
Dave Messerli has served as Marion’s head golf coach for 41 years. During that time, Coach Messerli has led his school to a state championship, several top ten team finishes, eleven conference titles and numerous individual top ten finishes. Dave’s coaching talent goes beyond golf — he served as head football coach at Marion High School for 18 years and was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Association hall of Fame in 1998. Coach Messerli has also served as assistant varsity wrestling coach, plus an assistant coach for boys’ and girls’ basketball. Coach Messerli is the second coach from Iowa to win the NHSCA’s National Boys’ Golf Coach of the Year Award. Richard Gaard from Decorah won the award in 2008.
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Articles
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Norwich Free Academy
“No one has impacted the sport of golf more (at NFA) than Bob McPhail.” -Bill Howard, co-head coach
“No one has impacted the sport of golf more (at NFA) than Bob McPhail.” -Bill Howard, co-head coach
Bob McPhail
Norwich Free Academy
Impact Statement
“No one has impacted the sport of golf more (at NFA) than Bob McPhail.” -Bill Howard, co-head coach
Biography
McPhail began as an assistant coach at Norwich Free Academy in 1970 after leaving an illustrious career in computer technology for the world of teaching and coaching.
He became the head coach of NFA’s golf program in 1972. At one point, he also coached the football team and the freshman boys’ basketball team. From 1981, he became the Athletic director. He held this position 1993. He subsequently took over the golf program again in 1994. He coached until his retirement in 2016.
He has been inducted into the Norwich Sports and Norwich Free Academy Halls of Fame and served as secretary of the Eastern Connecticut Conference for over 20 years. McPhail’s all-time record is 656-170. McPhail also started the girls program and coached for eight years and 56 wins.
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Professional Achievements
Vandergrift High School
“He’s been a shot in the arm because he has such energy, and he’s got it every day.” -Mike McGraw, Baylor Head Coach
“He’s been a shot in the arm because he has such energy, and he’s got it every day.” -Mike McGraw, Baylor Head Coach
Cooper Dossey
Vandergrift High School
Impact Statement
“He’s been a shot in the arm because he has such energy, and he’s got it every day.” -Mike McGraw, Baylor Head Coach
Biography
Cooper Dossey won the Texas Class 5A championship this past season. Dossey won the championship by eight shots with rounds of 66 and 69.
As a junior, Dossey finished in second place, one shot off the lead. Dossey led his school to three straight Texas 5A team championships. Dossey will continue his golf career at Baylor in the fall.
In his first year, Dossey helped lead the Bears to their first NCAA Regional title and their first NCAA berth. He helped the Bears back to the Championships the following seasons. His junior years, they also made a run for the fourth consecutive season, which set a school record.
Dossey is the first in program’s history to earn First-Team All-America honors following his senior year. Additionally, he became the third to compete in the coveted Palmer Cup.
Of the greens, Dossey also shined. He was selected to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll seven times over his career. He also was an Academic All-12 honoree four times.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Panorama High School
Hal Rossow closed-out a 38-year coaching career at Panorama High School in the spring with the school’s fourth straight state meet appearance.
Hal Rossow closed-out a 38-year coaching career at Panorama High School in the spring with the school’s fourth straight state meet appearance.
Hal Rossow
Panorama High School
Impact Statement
Hal Rossow closed-out a 38-year coaching career at Panorama High School in the spring with the school’s fourth straight state meet appearance.
Biography
Hal Rossow closed-out a 38-year coaching career at Panorama High School in the spring with the school’s fourth straight state meet appearance. Rossow led Panorama to 2A state championships in 2015 and 2016.
The Iowa High School Golf Coaches Association named Coach Rossow its Class 2A Coach of the Year at the end of each of those championship seasons. Over the past four seasons, Panorama’s team amassed an incredible 280 wins with just 19 losses.
This past season, Rossow’s team finished with a 70-7 record with a third place finish at the state tournament with two all-state selections.
Coach Rossow is the third coach from Iowa to win the NHSCA National Boys’ Golf Coach of the Year. Dave Messerli of Marion won the award in 2015 and Richard Gaard of Decorah won it in 2008.
In 2020, Rossow was inducted into the Iowa High School Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
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