McCarty Wins 2019 Iowa PGA Player of the Year
Riverside, Iowa – Sean McCarty of Brown Deer Golf Club has won the 2019 Iowa PGA Player of the Year with a total of 1,582.16 points. This marks the third straight year McCarty has won the Iowa PGA Player of the Year, and the tenth time in the last 13 years he has accomplished this feat.
“Winning the Player of the Year in Iowa is never easy,” said McCarty, “We have so many good players in the Iowa Section that are capable of winning the title.”
The back-to-back-to back Iowa PGA Player of the Year also qualified for this year’s PGA Cup Team. This is a Ryder Cup style International Competition against Great Britain & Ireland. He helped the team overcome a 10-6 deficit after the first two days to win the Cup. McCarty went 2-1-1 in the four matches he played in, including a decisive victory in his singles match. McCarty is the first Iowa PGA Section Member to ever qualify for this biennial event.
McCarty was the Iowa PGA Section Match Play Champion defeating Judd Gibb in the final match. Match Play is one of the major point events on the Tournament Calendar.
McCarty competed in 22 Iowa PGA events this season. He had 11 top-five finishes including wins at the Match Play Championship, Pro-Pro #5, Junior Academy Stroke Play Event, Pro-Scratch/Pro-Senior Scratch and the Harris Golf Cars Pro-Facility. McCarty also finished third at the Iowa PGA Professional Championship.
Proehl Wins 2019 Iowa PGA Senior Player of the Year
Riverside, Iowa – Iowa PGA Member Chad Proehl has won the 2019 Iowa PGA Senior Player of the Year. Proehl accumulated 2,035 points to win his second Iowa PGA Senior Player of the Year award of his career.
"I had a consistent year from start to finish. Our section is full of really good players.” said Proehl, “I can't say thank you enough to all the sponsors and PGA staff for making the tournaments as good as they are. I want to thank the Sugar Creek staff and finally my wife and family for their 100 percent support"
Proehl’ season was highlighted by a chance to play in a Champions Tour Major; the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship held in May at the historic Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. Proehl finished tied for 52nd with rounds of 76-71-74-74=285 for a four-over par total.
Proehl also competed in the 2019 PGA Professional Championship in Bluffton, South Carolina where he finished in a tie for 71st place with rounds of 70-76-73-78=297 for a six-over par total.
This fall Proehl competed in the 31st Senior PGA Professional Championship held at the Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas. Proehl finished in a tie for 22nd place with rounds of 72-71-66-72=281 for a five-under par total. By finishing in the Top 35, Proehl has qualified for the 2020 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship to be held at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan on May 19-24, 2020.
Proehl was the Iowa PGA Senior Professional Champion held at Glynns Creeks shooting rounds of 64-68=132 for a twelve-under par total.
Proehl played in 20 Iowa PGA events finishing at the top of the Senior Division at the Mizuno 36-Hole Classic, Wild Rose Casino and Resort Pro-Am and the Pro-Scratch/Senior Scratch. He also finished atop the Open Division at four events. Proehl finished in the top-three at 14 events this season.
Smith Wins 2019 Iowa PGA Super-Senior Player of the Year
Riverside, Iowa – Jeff Smith of the Harvest Point Golf Course has won the 2019 Iowa PGA Super-Senior Player of the Year with 1,117.50 points.
"My goal was to be Iowa Super Senior Player of the Year.” said Smith, “I'm very happy to have achieved this award, outlasting a highly competitive field".
Smith competed in 19 Iowa PGA events this season. Smith was the top Super-Senior finisher at the Mizuno 36-Hole Classic, the 86th Iowa Open and the season-ending October Shoot-Out. The Iowa PGA Super-Senior Player of the Year also finished in the top-5 in sixteen events in the Super Senior Division.
Smith was Player of the Year in the Senior Division in 2015.
Gibb Wins 2019 Iowa PGA Low Scoring Average
Riverside, Iowa – Judd Gibb of the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course has won the 2019 Iowa PGA Low Scoring Average with an average of 70.59 that was an average of 1.05 under par.
"I certainly had a good year of golf." said Gibb, "The bounces seemed to go my way a lot in 2019. I look forward to more continued good play in 2020 against some of the best players in our Iowa Section."
Gibb played in 20 Iowa PGA events this season, finishing inside the top-five at eleven events, including five second place finishes and victories at the Iowa PGA Professional Championship, Wild Rose Casino and Resort Pro-Am, Junior Academy Senior Stroke Play Event and the Pro-Senior event.
Gibb qualified into the 52nd PGA Professional National Championship that took place April 28-May 1, 2019 at the Belfair of Bluffton in South Carolina. He just missed earning an exemption into the PGA Championship with his tie for 25th place. He shot rounds of 72-70-75-74=291 for a four-over par total.
Gibb earned an exemption into the 2020 John Deere Classic with his win at the 2019 Iowa PGA Professional Championship.
This fall Gibb competed in the 31st Senior PGA Professional Championship held at the Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas. Gibb finished in a tie for 22nd place with rounds of 68-75-70-68=281 for a five-under par total. By finishing in the Top 35, Gibb has qualified for the 2020 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship to be held at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan on May 19-24, 2020.
The two-time Iowa PGA Professional Champion finished the season with 1,124 strokes in 18 rounds. He carded two eagles and 83 birdies in 2017. Gibb averaged 3.77 birdies per round including 42 birdies on Par-3’s.
The 2019 Iowa PGA Assistant Player of the Year is yet to be determined. The Assistant Player of the Year will be announced following the completion of the 43rd National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship, which takes place at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida on November 14-17.