Notes and quotes from the Senior PGA Professional National Champ.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Bender of Lake Mary, Fla., was not pleased with a pair of 75s, which left him missing the cut by seven strokes.

"There is no one in the field this week who has played less golf than me the past five years," lamented Bender.

What does make Bender smile is his teaching business, which has taken him overseas to Asia and also has been buoyed at home in Florida where he started the Lake Mary Prep school for juniors.

"With the Olympics bringing back golf [in 2016] is great and it affects my business very much," said Bender. "I work a lot in Europe and Asia and there will be more and more countries now funding national programs for their juniors. You'll see more government programs starting and that means job opportunities for PGA Professionals."

Bender, who will be presented his PGA Teacher of the Year Award at the PGA Merchandise Show in January, said that he has been overwhelmed by well wishes by friends, associates and his students.

"The biggest feeling of accomplishment is that you can say that you helped someone to play better, whether it is for fun or for making a living at golf. I know that I wish I had the amount of information that is out there for young people when I was growing up. I was basically teaching myself and I didn't get any formal coaching until I was on the Tour, and I was 32 at the time."

Amateur Champion Competing

The Senior PGA Professional National Championship's talented field features PGA Life Member Bob Dickson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., who is the first player in event history to have won both a U.S and British Amateur, and accomplished the feat in the same season (1967).