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By Dick Harmon

All Craig Norman ever wanted to be was a golf professional, make the game his life. When he got his wish, it was all he dreamed it would be.  Going to his job as head golf professional at Hobble Creek Golf Course is a step towards heaven for the Provo native.

Norman was named the 2019 Professional of the Year by his peers in the Utah Section of the PGA of America in October, an honor that left him stunned and speechless, humbled to his core.  “I had no idea and I may not be deserving of that great honor,” he said.

“If you look at the names on that list over the years, that is a lot to live up to. I am deeply honored and cannot believe it, no, not at all.”

Humility aside, Norman has etched a profile in Utah as a consummate pro, uniquely gifted to strike the right balance between manager of manicured acres and a facilitator of fun with clubs, balls, grass, and cups.  It takes an artist to put it altogether.

Norman, the nephew of one of Utah’s longest-tenured golf professionals, the retired Sonny Braun, replaced Braun a few years ago after being his assistant since 1993. Before that, he was an assistant at Riverside Country Club in Provo from 1986-1993. 

Norman’s work in 2019 is highlighted by overseeing the return of one of the state’s favorite public courses after issues with pump and water rights reduced irrigation by 30 percent for the 2018 season.  He has increased corporate tournament play to 40-plus events a year, organized an efficient, hardworking staff, increased participation in the men’s, women’s and junior associations tied to the course and traveled the state as a volunteer rules official. He was the official starter at the Siegfried and Jensen Utah Open at Riverside Country Club, just 11 days after undergoing back surgery.

A friendly, upbeat, accommodating face in Utah golf, his dedication and love for the game is evident in everything he does. It is a natural offshoot of his upbringing by parents who made golf their lifetime hobby and a sister, Terry Norman Hansen, one of the most prolific women’s amateur players in state history. Craig, who played at Provo High School, played collegiately at Utah State University.

“I wish my mom and dad were here to see this,” said Craig who lost his father in 2007 and his mother, a prolific association winner at East Bay and old Timpanogos Golf Courses, in 2017.

Norman has always been enchanted by the draw of golf.  “It’s the most unfair game you play because it’s a chase of the unattainable yet attraction of the belief that you can master it.  You can hit it perfectly, but if you can’t make a 3-footer, it’s all for naught.”

By Pat Kravitz, PGA of America

Farmington, Utah’s Zach Johnson carded a bogey-free, 5-under 67 to gain a one-stroke lead after 18 holes of the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship.

University of Minnesota Assistant Golf Coach Matt Rachey is alone in second place after posting a 4-under 68. PGA Golf Club is playing host to the 43rd edition of the national championship, which concludes Sunday.

Johnson, who began his round on the back nine of the Wanamaker Course, kicked off his day with a 30-foot birdie from the fringe on No. 10. He rattled off three more birdies on 12, 15 and 16 to reach 4-under through his first seven holes.

“The putt on 10 was a nice way to start the tournament,” said Johnson, a 36-year-old PGA Assistant Professional at Davis Park Golf Course in Fruit Heights, Utah. “With the weather and the wind, it wasn’t easy out there. Pars were a good score. Luckily, I drove it really well today.

“I haven’t been playing much. Yesterday, I played a practice round with some friends from Utah and really played like a dog. I spent some time working on things in the mirror last night. I came out and hit it pretty well, so it was encouraging to find something that works.”

Johnson added a fifth birdie on No. 8 and maintained a clean card by knocking in a 10-foot par putt on No. 9 (his 18th).

This week’s champion, if eligible, will earn a berth in the 2020 PGA Professional Championship, which is slated for April 26-29 at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. The winner will also receive $12,000 of the $150,000 purse. The top-four finishers, if eligible, will earn a berth in next year’s National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship, to be held November 12-15 at PGA Golf Club.

Leaderboard: https://tinyurl.com/yjs3wwle

Photo by Hailey Garrett/PGA of America

The Utah Section PGA Assistant of the Year Award was given to Talisker Club at Tuhaye Assistant Golf Professional Jon DeBoer, and for good reasons.

DeBoer focuses on people first, business second. He realizes the game we all love is filled with people that love the game. If those people are taken care of, then his job is done correctly.

When asked what he focused on professionally this year he said, “This season was a transition. Our club went through several significant changes… I focused on continuing the traditions of service while helping to communicate to our membership the new story of our development group. I helped more on the business side of the transition and I think that added value to what golf professionals do for their clubs. Also, I tried to step out from behind the counter to greet people. When I was focused last year on the business I spent way too much time looking at the computer instead of the people who are in front of me. Pro tip of the day: Always make sure your documents are on “auto-save” so you can step away at a moment’s notice.”

It is this mindset of a people-first focus that makes DeBoer the PGA professional he is today and just one of many reasons it is no surprise that he won the Assistant of the Year award for all he’s done in 2019.

“The award reflects an acknowledgment of all assistant professionals within our section,” DeBoer said. “I’ve worked for some amazing head golf professionals throughout my years and hope they know this is a product of their influences.

“Going forward this is just a benchmark in my progression and I hope to improve on the quality and consistency of my efforts,” he continued. “I know the level of professionalism in the other award recipients and other candidates; I feel I need to earn the award more now than ever going forward for them.”

DeBoer has been in the business since 1994, elected to PGA Membership in January of 2018 and at Tuhaye for the past-five seasons.

“I might still be an associate if I hadn’t recently married in 2015 and found a wife who told me to ‘get it done!’” he said.

“Many remember the travel to PGA schools. My first school occurred in Portland, Oregon. One hundred apprentices in the Downtown Hilton were greeted by the administrator. He set the rules for the week, the expectations and the consequences. He then straightened his bowtie and said, ‘Anyone who wants to make it through this week should probably stay away from Jon… Jon, would you stand up?’ Thanks Doug Vilven, I got 93 business cards before the end of the day.”

DeBoer, like many, worked for Vilven and was influenced by his happy demeanor, work ethic and professionalism that a PGA professional should have.

“I enjoy the sense of community that exists within the membership.  If I needed support in anything—professional or personal—the group of PGA professionals that were there for me is humbling.  I am proud of how PGA members look to enrich the game, the business and the people who are part of golf.  I am part of other professional groups but the Utah PGA Section has grown to becoming a family over my career.”

Gladstan Golf Course Assistant Golf Professional Jake Wyatt, who’s been a member of The PGA of America since October 2017, has been selected to receive the 2019 Utah Section PGA Youth Player Development Award.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Wyatt said. “I am extremely humbled and grateful to win this award. Junior golf development has always been a passion of mine since entering the PGA.”

Every golfer can agree that growing the game is important to keep one of the world’s oldest sports alive and thriving, but it requires honorable characteristics to focus their career on helping youth learn the game and reap from the benefits of the life lessons the game teaches.

“Introducing the game to the next generation is a big motivation,” Wyatt continued. “I want our game to be accessible to anyone and everyone. Focusing on junior golf and making a less-intimidating, more-fun oriented program has always been a goal of mine. The more friendly and fun we make it up here, the more students we have seen come back and enjoy our practice facilities and the golf course. I want to make Gladstan a place where all the kids in Payson and the surrounding areas love to come, enjoy and spend their time learning the game that we already know and love.”

Gladstan Golf Course offers a yearly junior golf program with several classes, lessons and fun competitions. In addition to their own program Wyatt has lead the creation of and coaches the Gladstan PGA Jr. League team.

“Starting the PGA Jr. League in Utah County has been tremendous,” Wyatt said. “Seeing how the kids react in the team environment and the friends they make has been amazing. I look forward to seeing how we can keep growing and improving the league in the coming years.”

In addition to his responsibilities at Gladstan, Wyatt volunteers his time with the local high school golf team and loves to play golf with his family.

The game offers many things to those who dedicate their time and effort to sharing it with others. For Wyatt, it’s what his career is centered on and he’s influencing the game in Utah because of it.

“It has been the most fulfilling part of my PGA membership experience. Seeing the joy and excitement when a student hits a great shot or comes into the shop to tell me how they played or how much fun junior camp is. It’s been very rewarding.”

Golf often has a stereotype of being a private game, or a game that’s hard to begin because of price, location and intimidation. For The Ridge Golf Club Head Professional Bryant Boshard, winner of the 2019 Utah PGA Player Development Award, it’s exactly opposite.

“Everyone needs a chance to excel in something they enjoy doing,” Boshard said. “Each person that walks through our doors is another opportunity for us to share the great game with. Our program selection makes it easy to cater to every type of golfer, from young to old and beginner to advanced. We want you at The Ridge and we are here to help develop your game and enhance your experience on and off the course.”

Boshard has been in the golf business for 20 years, received his PGA Membership in 2014, has been at The Ridge for seven years and the head golf professional for two.

Inclusion is a main focus for Boshard and his staff. Developing programs for juniors, seniors and veterans has shaped the day-to-day life at The Ridge in West Valley City.

“I became a PGA professional because of my love and passion for the game,” Boshard explained. “Over the past few years working with juniors, seniors and veterans has shown me the value and joy it brings to not only their lives, but my own as well. My new reason for being a PGA professional is to continue to spread the game to as many people as possible and share the joy and love it brings to my life.”

Because of this inclusion-centered belief, The Ridge has won several awards including the Utah Parks & Rec Outstanding Adaptive Program in 2018 because of their focus on veterans and the Utah Best of State Golf Programs in 2019.

The Ridge offers leagues for men, women, juniors and veterans. In the first year of The Ridge Veterans League it ran for three months, the next year doubled and ran for six months and they are expecting it to continue to grow for next year.

“I’m grateful and humbled that I have been selected for this prestigious award and I will take pride in receiving it,” Boshard said. “This award would not have been possible without our amazing assistant golf professionals and the entire staff at The Ridge. Since we re-opened our doors in 2013 our goal has always been the same: Make The Ridge Golf Club a place where people of all ages and skill levels can call home. A place they feel comfortable and a place where they know that our staff is always here to help.”

The Utah Section PGA is excited to announce the 2019 Award Winners. We had so many incredible nominees this year. It is great to know that we have so many PGA Professionals going above and beyond at their facilities and their efforts within Utah golf.

A special thank you to the committee for the time you put into the detailed process of selecting this year’s class. And thanks to all of you for your efforts in growing the game in Utah.

Congratulations to all of our deserving winners! We will be honoring them at the Annual Awards Banquet on February 11, 2020 at Bloomington Country Club in St. George, UT.

Professional of the Year: Craig Norman, Hobble Creek 

Teacher of the Year: Tommy Sharp, Golf Lab

Youth Player Development: Jake Wyatt, Gladstan 

Assistant of the Year: Jon DeBoer, Tuhaye

Jon Unger Award: Brian Howes, Callaway 

Merchandiser of the Year Private: Marty Bauer, Glenwild

Merchandiser of the Year Public: Lynn Landgren, Bonneville

Player Development Award: Bryant Boshard, The Ridge  

Superintendent of the Year Public: Tracy Howard, Carbon Country Club

Superintendent of the Year Private: Paul Stokes, Logan Country Club

Horton Smith: Chad Pettingill, Jeremy Ranch

Bill Howard: Dale Darling

Bill Strausbaugh: Darci Olsen, Glenmoor

Gentleman Jeff: Scott Whittaker

The quality of high school golfers has improved so much over the past few years, the difference between making an All-State team or not comes down to one stroke or even less throughout the season. The Utah Section PGA extends the honor of First Team All-State to the top 10 golfers in each classification, the next 10 are selected to the Second Team, and the next 10 after that are selected to Honorable Mention.

The Utah Section of the PGA of America has been actively supporting high school golf for over 25 years. Twenty years ago they developed the Utah High School All-State Golf Program. The All-State Golf selection process is unique among all-state honors programs in that it is all by the numbers. Thirty-five percent of a players best region scores and sixty-five percent of their state championship scores are used to rank each player. No arbitrary or influenced decisions, it’s all by the numbers. The players skills and scores earn the recognition.

All First Team All-State players will be invited to the All-State Banquet at the end of May 2020. This is just one of many community-based programs that the PGA operates each year to benefit our Utah golf community. Congratulations to all of these players on a fantastic year in golf.

Team selections below, or CLICK HERE.

Glenmoor Head Golf Professional Darci Dehlin-Olsen was elected to the Utah Section PGA Board on October 11^th and is the first-ever female to be elected to the board in Utah Section history.

“I’m honored to do it,” Dehlin-Olsen said. “I think it’s awesome and I think I will be able to be an asset to the section and continue to help grow for more opportunities for women to see that there is an avenue for them in the PGA.”

Dehlin-Olsen has been a member of the PGA for eight years and is currently the head golf professional at Glenmoor Golf Course in South Jordan, Utah. At one point the course was in danger of being shut down and the land sold for development purposes, but Dehlin-Olsen lead a “Save Glenmoor” campaign that garnered the communities’ support to help preserve the course.

In addition to being elected to the Utah Section Board, she has been asked to serve a two-year term on a national women’s leadership committee within The PGA of America.

“I’m very excited about that because I can take some of that and bring it back to our section and try to help not only in Utah, but everywhere to help grow women’s golf and help more women join the PGA.”

One of Dehlin-Olsen’s goals in helping serve the Utah Section is to strengthen the playing opportunities for women members of the PGA in Utah.

“I’m already so thrilled that we have playing opportunities in the section, I’ve missed it,” she said. “It’s fun to go play with the guys and stuff but I can’t fully compete there and there isn’t the camaraderie I feel when playing with the other women in our section. I for sure want to keep growing it and getting more women to join and play.

“Hopefully as female PGA members in Utah we can keep growing high school girls golf and girls golf in the state in general. I just want to be a good example and show that there is a place for you in the golf world and the PGA.”

The Utah Section PGA seeks to be a strong and prominent organization within the golf community by providing quality programs and services to both PGA members and others. With Dehlin-Olsen being a new addition to the board, that goal will only become more of a reality.

“We are excited to have Darci join the board,” Utah Section PGA Executive Director Devin Dehlin said. “We look forward to having a woman’s perspective as we continually look for ways to better serve our membership and grow the game of golf in Utah.

“We want to be more inclusive to all women in our section and having Darci share her ideas on increasing the participation of our women will be a great asset as we grow their involvement.”

In the 2019 Utah Section PGA Women’s Match Play Championship, it was The Country Club Assistant Professional Haley Sturgeon who got off to a hot start and never looked back as she went a total of 10-under par in her semi and final round matches to become the Utah Section PGA Women’s Match Play champion on October 16^th at Riverside Country Club in Provo.

“It feels great,” Sturgeon said about the win. “My golf game has come around and it was fun competing with the ladies. It was a great match and it was fun being out here.”

Sturgeon faced Promontory Assistant Professional Sadie Palmer in the morning semifinal match where she quickly got to a 5-up lead through six holes with four birdies.

Palmer cut the lead down, being 3-down through 12 holes, but Sturgeon’s steady play proved to be too much as she would go on to win the semifinal match with a 4 & 3 win.

Defending champion Emily Jones, 12-weeks from of having her first baby, faced Glenmoor Head Golf Professional Darci Dehlin-Olsen in the semifinals.

The match felt tight the entire round with the biggest lead going to Jones when she was 3-up through 11 holes. But it was Dehlin-Olsen who steadily chipped away at the lead with birdies on the 15^th and 16^th holes, causing the match to be tied with two holes left.

Dehlin-Olsen won the 17^th hole with a par but then struggled on her approach into the 18^th hole, with Jones forcing extra holes and winning the semifinal match on the first extra hole.

With enough excitement in the semifinals to end the season, Sturgeon wasn’t about to let her hot start come to an end.

Going head-to-head against the defending Women’s Match Play champion, Sturgeon made a steady climb to a 7-up lead through 9 holes with three birdies and a conceded eagle on the par-five 5^th hole.

With a birdie on 10 and a sand save for par on the 11^th, making 10-foot putts look like gimmies, Sturgeon won the 2019 Utah Section PGA Women’s Match Play Championship with a 9 & 7 victory.

“I was just focusing on having a good start and focusing hole-by-hole; on to the next hole, boring golf, like we all dream to play every round,” Sturgeon said.

“The opportunity to play here, in October, it’s awesome,” she continued. “And the women’s program that it’s building, it’s great competition. It’s a tight-knit group and it’s fun to be out here playing with the ladies.”

Sturgeon is a Utah junior golf product, she especially gives credit to the girl’s high school golf program where she played for Layton High School and then would go on to play a year of college golf at Utah Valley University and then would transfer to Dixie State and compete until she graduated in 2016.

As for her plans moving forward:

“Right now I’m the assistant golf pro at The Country Club and they are letting me go down to the Cactus Tour in January to play three months down there, then I’ll probably play in the US Open qualifier and then Q school again next year.”

With the way Sturgeon competed in this year’s Women’s Match Play Championship, it would be no surprise to see her find success in her upcoming schedule.

For semifinal and final round photos CLICK HERE.

By Michael R. Abramowitz, PGA of America

Think part Pied Piper. Part Eddie Murphy. Part Nick Faldo, minus the accent and, of course, the game.

ESPN reporter Michael Collins brought his entertaining traveling road show to the 2019 PGA Jr. League Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, for an extended weekend.

Collins—who once did a popular piece online with phenom Akshay Bhatia from the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, where Bhatia (then a U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team Member) taught Collins how to do the “Orange Justice” dance from Fortnite—is as genuine as it gets.

With a jovial personality, distinctive gray beard and hearty laugh, you can’t help but fall for Collins’ shtick. And now he has a 11-year old sidekick in Utah PGA Jr. Leaguer Warren Fisher, who is co-hosting hilarious bits with Collins to air on November 3rd on ESPN2. Stay tuned.

Vaudeville would be proud.

“It was an absolute blast,” said Collins. “Yesterday was the first day I met him. I was impressed the first time I shook hands. Demeanor, knowledge, 11 years old, just a ball of energy.”

Whether it’s putting drills with Team North Carolina that fall into Collins’ uncanny impromptu bravado or it’s joining in the Championship’s Skills Challenge or serving as a serious on-course reporter, Collins has as many options as a Swiss Army knife.

Meanwhile, Fisher, a now two-time PGA Jr. League Championship Cub Reporter, serves as the ultimate complement, with an equally cutting-edge sense of humor and over-the-top personality.

Harry Caray and Steve Stone. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo. Michael Collins and Warren Fisher? It’s not too much of a reach, now, is it?

“Halfway through our day, I told Warren, ‘There’s a good chance me and you will do some stuff in the future.’ He’s a lot of fun…He definitely knows what he wants to do. Knowing and being good at it is hard to do, but he definitely has both.

“He knows what he loves to do. He’s good at it. He’s coachable—easy to work with and great at directional stuff. There’s adults not as good, professionally. He’s one of those guys. Any time they want to ask me if I want to work with Warren, just tell me where I need to be and what time.”

Fisher has his eyes set on the stars and the best-dressed list.

“I want to work in television and do some acting, definitely,” proclaims the suave Fisher, who dresses in a Sunday-best, bow-tied suit, and last year, declared that he also wanted to be President of the United States. “Not any more. TV is where it’s at. For sure.”

“I knew just the way he was dressed this is going to be fun,” explained Collins. “I’m jealous of his look. And how he can slurp down all those milkshakes, too.”

Hollywood, here they come. Get their agent on the phone. Tell them the PGA Jr. League Championship is calling.

The 8th PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental is being held at Grayhawk Golf Club, Oct. 12-14. Twelve all-star teams from across America are competing for the national title. ESPN2 will televise a highlight show on Sun., Nov. 3, at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. ESPN is the new broadcast network of the PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental.

For the original story and more info on the PGA Jr. League Championship, click HERE.