Rod Perry: A PGA of America Golf Professional's Journey Through Competition and Service

As the 2025 PGA Professional Championship approaches this April at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Rod Perry stands as one of the tournament's most accomplished competitors. The left-handed PGA Head Professional from Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club in Port Orange, Florida, reflects on a competitive career that has bridged the worlds of club professional and tour player.

"The most rewarding aspect is being able to immerse myself in the game and business of golf, the sport I love, and be able to call that work," Perry says. "I never take for granted how fortunate I am to be able to do something I love for a career. I never had to learn to love my job."

Perry's competitive resume is impressive by any standard. His crowning achievement came in 2013 when he captured the PGA Professional Championship at Sunriver Resort in Oregon, becoming both the first left-handed champion and the first graduate of a PGA Golf Management University Program (Mississippi State) to claim the title.

"Winning at Sunriver in Oregon is the single greatest moment in my professional career," Perry reflects. "My kids were very young at the time. To have them there, along with my wife Jaclyn and my dad and Roxanne, was very special."

That victory was one highlight in a career that includes seven PGA Championship appearances and 38 starts across the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions. While Perry admits he "hasn't had much success" in the PGA Championships "yet," his determination remains unwavering. "I'll keep trying to get better every day in hopes of future success," he says.

Perry's competitive journey includes several milestone moments on the PGA TOUR. His first made cut came at the 2008 Ginn sur Mer Classic, a moment that still resonates.

"Coming back on Saturday morning and making an 18-foot putt to make the cut, and watching it go in. What a rush!" he recalls.

He followed that with a T52 finish at the 2009 Children's Miracle Network Classic. "Making cuts on the PGA Tour proves something to me deep down inside," Perry reflects.

The 2013-2014 PGA TOUR season saw Perry make seven starts while balancing family responsibilities and his club professional duties. "Kids were little, new job, 7 starts. How am I going to do all this?" he remembers thinking.

Among those appearances was the 2014 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which became a special memory for more than just the iconic venues. "Got to bring my wife along for that event," Perry says. "Playing Pebble Beach, Spyglass, and MPCC is one thing, but to play it in a PGA Tour event was really fun."

Now 51, Perry is embarking on a new competitive chapter with the PGA TOUR Champions. His second-round 67 at the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship signaled his potential on the senior circuit.

"That round was rejuvenating," Perry says, adding with enthusiasm, "Sr. Golf is going to be fun!"

Perry's impact extends well beyond his tournament performances. As PGA Head Professional at Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club, he balances competitive golf with his daily professional responsibilities.

He has been a dominant force in the North Florida PGA Section, winning the Section's Professional Championship six times and the Match Play Championship nine times. His excellence has been recognized with 13 North Florida PGA Player of the Year awards, including 10 consecutive ones from 2009 to 2018.

Perry has also shared his love of the game with the next generation, serving as a PGA Jr. League captain and coaching his son, Carson, who competed in the 2023 Drive, Chip and Putt finals at Augusta National.

As he prepares for the 2025 PGA Professional Championship, Perry represents the ideal of the PGA Professional – excelling in competition while dedicating himself to serving the game at the club level and developing future golfers.

The 2025 PGA Professional Championship, presented by Club Car, Corebridge Financial, and Rolex, will feature 312 PGA Professionals competing April 27-30 at PGA Golf Club. The top 20 finishers will earn spots in the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club.