PGA Family Golf Championship Shines at Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run

The real prize at the 2025 PGA Family Golf Championship was time together on two of Wisconsin’s iconic golf courses. Nearly 160 golfers from 28 states and Canada teed it up August 30–31 at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, bridging generations for two fun-filled days of family golf.

 Dave DeSantis, PGA, wife Holly, and grandson Gordie Gatrell (Salt Lake City, Utah) lived up to their team name “3-Peaters,” capturing the Professional Division title for the third consecutive year. The trio went bogey-free on both days with a -18 finish (126, 64-62), four shots ahead of second place. Two teams tied for second with a 14-under 130.  Team Pickle Chips, made up of Matt Montecucco, PGA (Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.) and his cousin Avery Marie Renggli recorded rounds of 66 and 63. Team Vernon with Timothy Vernon, PGA, son Michael and daughter Laura (Edina, Minnesota), posted rounds of 64 and 66.

 “I boldly came up with the name this year,” Dave DeSantis said. “When you are defending a title, you definitely feel the pressure. We set a goal to go bogey-free, and we did. We all stepped up and made the putts when we needed them.”

 In the Amateur Division, three-time participants Joe Herrera and his son Philip (GCL Golf) of Las Vegas, Nevada, won the title with a -15 (129, 64-65), finishing two shots ahead of Jon and Brody Lindahl (Team Lindahl) of Roseville, Minnesota, who finished at -13 (131, 66-65).

 “Philip only started playing golf three years ago before the first PGA Family Golf Championship at PGA West, and we weren’t overly competitive,” Joe Herrera said. “We played last year in Orlando and loved it, but this year was amazing. We finally cracked the code of playing a scramble, found our rhythm, and we won!”

 “My putting really helped us on the first day,” Philip Herrera added. “We hit some shots today that we needed when we needed them.”

The two-day scramble featured teams of 2-4 players, all biologically or legally related, competing in amateur and professional divisions. The professional division included teams with one or more PGA or LPGA Professional, while the amateur side showcased family golfers of all skill levels.

First round action on Friday (Aug. 30) was played on Blackwolf Run’s Meadow Valleys Course with the final round Sunday on Whistling Straits’ Irish Course.

The inaugural event was held in 2023 at PGA West in La Quinta, California, followed by Disney’s Palm Golf Course in 2024.

There were 11 PGA/LPGA Professionals playing with their families in the event, including Dave DeSantis, PGA, (Golf Galaxy, Salt Lake City, Utah), wife Holly DeSantis and grandson Gordie Gatrell; Mike Abate, PGA, and his son Nicholas (Divide Golf Club, Concord, N.C.); Matt Montecucco, PGA (Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.) and his cousin Avery Marie Renggli; Timothy Vernon, PGA (Edina, Minn.), son Michael Vernon and daughter Laura Vernon; Rob Reider, PGA (La Crescent, Minn.) and his son Carson Reider (Menominee, Wis.); Josh Wall, PGA Associate, (McLemore Club, Lookout , Ga.) and his father Jim Wall (Green Bay, Wis.); Kelly Kuhlman, PGA/LPGA, (Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club, Rochester, Mich.) and her son Leo Kuhlman, daughter Lydia Kuhlman, and sister-in-law Alicia Singer, PGA (Colonial, North Richland Hills, Texas); Anthony Vitale, PGA (Home of the PGA, Frisco, Texas) and his father John Vitale (Albuquerque, N.M.); Ed Conway, PGA Associate (Blue Bell Country Club, Hatboro, Pa.) and his son Andrew Conway; Peggy Roberts, LPGA (The Manor, Milton, Ga.) and her daughter Elle Roberts.

Of all the families playing in the PGA Family Golf Championship, one family hailed from Alberta, Canada with the rest from the States, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.