Club Champs Come Together to Shine at Inaugural PGA National Club Championship

The 2021 PGA National Club Championship took place March 13th-15th at Pinehurst Resort. Four winners were crowned at this inaugural championship which celebrates and recognizes Amateur Club Champions from PGA run golf facilities and their PGA coaches who helped these golfers become champions. 312 players (104 women and 208 men) competed in the event from 48 different states. Below highlights some of the storylines from this championship tournament.

Before the championship rounds got started, all the players were able to play Pinehurst’s famous par 3 Cradle golf course and take part in sponsored events from our Presenting Partner TaylorMade and supporting partners Rapsodo and Clover Whiskey. Eliza Breed of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in NY started off the week on the right foot by getting a hole in 1 using a hickory stick club on the first hole of the cradle. Four different club champions got holes in 1’s during their par 3 round.

In the Women’s division, Katie Kirk used her home-state advantage to get the win with a 3-day total of 227. Katie represented TPC Piper Glen as the women’s club champion where Tyler Peterson is the PGA Professional.

Katie started off the week with solid rounds of 74-74 on Pinehurst No 6 and No 8 and finished with a 79 on the famed No 2 course. Allison Cooper-Wix from the Country Club of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania made a run on day 3 shooting the lowest score of 74 for the women on Course No 2 and finishing 2nd place.

The Senior Women's division was won by the home-course favorite Patty Moore. Patty shot rounds of 83-70-84 to get the win by 9 shots. Her 2nd round score of 70 was quite impressive given she was the only player in the field to break 70 on Pinehurst No 6.

“It is really special to win on your home course with some of your friends out there watching you and cheering you on,” Moore said.

Matthew Barksdale is the PGA Professional at Pinehurst who represented Patty. Matt and his team were integral to making the 2021 National Club Championship a huge success and we cannot thank him enough for being the host PGA Professional.

The Men’s division was a shootout between two very talented club champions from the state of Georgia. Stephen Behr of The Golf Club of Georgia edged out Jack Roberts from The Club at Osprey Cove to get the win by four shots.

Charles Fox Jr. is the PGA Professional who represents Stephen and Robert Ellis at Osprey Cove is the PGA Professional who represented Jack Roberts.

Jack, who is only 13 years old, was leading the championship after two rounds. Stephen and Jack were tied during the back-nine stretch of the third round of the championship, but with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to finish the 3rd round, Stephen got the win and was crowned the inaugural National Club Champion. Given Jack’s age and talent, we know he will be back to contend for the National Club Championship and will be in the winners circle often.

The Senior Men’s division was won by another club champion in Georgia named Coleman Tidwell who represented the Idle Golf & Country Club and PGA Professional Brandon Stooksbury.

Coleman finished steadily with seven-straight pars and edged out Bob Brooks from Bella Vista Country Club in Arkansas by 2 shots. Coleman opened up the tournament with the only under par round of 70 on Pinehurst No 2 and led the tournament wire to wire.