2009 United States PGA Cup Team
BRIAN WHITCOMB
PGA of America Honorary President
Lost Tracks Golf Club, Bend, Ore.
After two remarkable years as president of The PGA of America, Brian Whitcomb, 55, brings his keen insight, skills and business knowledge from the perspective of a successful golf course business owner into his new role as PGA honorary president.
Elected in 2006, as the 35th PGA president, Whitcomb championed the growth of the PGA Professional through innovative means of communication that utilized the best of new and old media alike. He instigated popular face-to-face Town Hall Meetings with PGA members to bring to the forefront the importance of one-on-one communication. All the while, he elevated the PGA member by ensuring they were positioned as the recognized experts in the game and business of golf during a historic rebranding of The PGA. Whitcomb steered the capital improvement program for Valhalla (Ky.) Golf Club, the host site of the dramatic 2008 Ryder Cup, as well as the restoration of at all three Championship golf courses at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
A PGA member since 1984, Whitcomb began his career in 1978, at the Arizona Biltmore Country Club in Phoenix. In 1981, he leased Paradise Valley Park Golf Course, also in Phoenix, and built an additional nine holes of golf. In 1989, he designed and built The 500 Club in Phoenix, which he operates with Tom Sneva, the winner of the 1983 Indianapolis 500. In 1992, he designed and built Club West in Phoenix, which he sold in 1998.
In 1995, he designed and constructed Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend, Ore. Whitcomb also has partnered with three of his former employees to build The Golf Club at Beardance in Castle Rock, Colo., the home of the Colorado PGA Section.
Since 1999, Whitcomb has served on the national PGA Properties Board. He also was a member of the national PGA Board of Directors from 1998-01, representing District 14. He was elected to a two-year term as PGA secretary in 2002; PGA vice president in 2004; PGA president in 2006; and PGA honorary president in 2008.
From 1989-91, Whitcomb served on the Southwest PGA Section Board of Directors. He was the Section's secretary from 1991-93; vice president from 1993-95; president from 1995-97; and honorary president from 1997-99. He also has served the Section as Tournament Chairperson, Education Chairperson and Golf Pass Chairperson. In 2001, he was named the Southwest Section's PGA Golf Professional of the Year.
Whitcomb attended Arizona State University from 1975-78, earning a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and competing as a member of the university golf team. He was a finalist in the National Long Drive competition in 1985 and '86.
Whitcomb and his wife, Stefanie, live in Bend, Ore., and have two children, Ryan, the PGA general manager at Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend, Ore., and a daughter, Megan.
RYAN BENZEL
Birthplace: Spokane, Wash.
Age: 30
PGA Cup Experience: 2007 (1-0-3)
Residence: Bothell, Wash.
College: University of Idaho (2001, Sport Science)
Home Club/Affiliation: Battle Creek Golf Course, Tulalip, Wash.
Turned Professional: 2001
Player Notes: PGA Teaching Professional at Battle Creek Golf Course in Tulalip, Wash. ... Tied for fourth in the 2009 PGA Professional National Championship; and T-2, finishing with an eagle on the 72nd hole in 2007 National Championship ... Tied for fourth in the 2008 National Championship ... Earned berth on the 2009 U.S. PGA Cup Team ... Member of the 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team, and scored crucial half-point in singles at Oconee Course at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga., to boost the USA to victory over Great Britain & Ireland ... One of two PGA Professionals to make the 36-hole cut in the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club, finishing 71st ... Winner, 2004 Washington State PGA Match Play Championship, 2005 Rosauer's Open Champion…Winner, 2008 Washington Callaway Invitational, 2005 Washington State PGA Match Play Championship…Winner, 2006 Washington State PGA Match Play Championship, 2006 PNW PGA Section Assistant Professional Champion ... Tied for second, 2005 Pacific Northwest PGA Washington Open…T 3rd, 2006 PNW PGA Washington Open…Runner-up in 2006, '07 Pacific Northwest PGA Section Championship ... Captured 2005, '08 Pacific Northwest PGA Player of the Year, 2007 PNW PGA Western Washington Chapter Assistant Professional of the Year, 2005, '06 Western Washington Chapter PNW PGA Player of the Year ... 2000 University of Idaho Big West Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year ... Has recorded two holes-in-one, with none in competition.
Personal: Wife, Stacey; Children: Carsen
Special Interests: Snow skiing, fly fishing, family camping trips, spending time with family
KYLE FLINTON
Birthplace: San Rafael, Calif.
Age: 43
PGA Cup Experience: Debut
Residence: Oklahoma City, Okla.
College: Central State University
Home Club/Affiliation: Quail Creek Golf & Country Club, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Turned Professional: 1994
Player Notes: PGA Head Professional at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City, Okla ... .2008 South Central PGA Player of the Year . . 2007, '08 South Central PGA CPC Champion ... All-time record-setter with victories in the 2002, '03, '05 TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship ... Finished third in the 2008 PGA Professional National Championship . .Winner, 2006 Oklahoma Open Champion, 2007 South Central Club Professional Championship, 2007 South Central PGA Championship, 2007 South Central PGA Skins Game Champion ... 1993 Arizona Stroke Play Champion, 1993 Arizona Amateur Player of the Year . . 1986 Oklahoma Amateur Champion ... Has recorded four holes-in-one and four double eagles.
Personal: Wife, Tracy; Children: Cayla Everly, Karsten, Kale
Special Interests: Family time, fishing
SCOTT HEBERT
Birthplace: Escanaba, Mich.
Age: 40
PGA Cup Experience: Debut
Residence: Traverse City, Mich.
College: Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Mich. (Bus. Mgt.)
Home Club/Affiliation: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Acme, Mich.
Turned Professional: 1993
Player Notes: PGA Head Professional at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Mich. . Winner, 2008 PGA Professional National Championship by one stroke over Sonny Skinner ... Tied for 16th in 2009 National Championship, and earned berth in PGA Championship with a birdie on the second-extra hole of a playoff ... Winner, 1997, 1999, 2000, '01, '02,'06 Michigan Open, 2006, '07, '08 Michigan PGA Section Championship, 2006, '08 Michigan PGA Pro Pro Championship. …2006, '07 Michigan PGA Player of the Year ... Winner, 2009 Boyne Tournament of Champions, 1998 Michigan PGA Assistant Professional Championship. . His six Michigan Open titles ties PGA Hall of Fame and Michigan golf legend Al Watrous, who captured three Senior PGA Championships ... Finished T-4, 1998 ZEVO PGA Assistant Professional Championship, 1998 Chicago Open Champion, 1998 Michigan State Assistant Professional Champion ... Has competed in nine PGA Tour events between 1998 and June 1, 2009, with best finish T-56 in the 1998 Buick Open ... In 2001, competed in 23 events, making the cut in 15, on the the former BUY.com Tour and earned $50,206, with best finish T-6 at the Gila River Classic at Wild Horse Development …Winner of two events on the Hooters Tour ... Member of the Ferris State University golf team and competed in the NCAA Division II Championship ... Though carrying the same spelling of his surname, Hebert, he is no relation to the famed brothers, Lionel and Jay, who won the respective 1957 and 1960 PGA Championships ... Daughter Susie, who turned 1 on June 10, 2009, was born just before Hebert competed in the 2008 PGA Professional National Championship.
Personal: Wife, Laurie; Children: Joe, Susie
Special Interests: Spending time with friends, family; home improvement, NASCAR, bowling
ERIC LIPPERT
Birthplace: Modesto, Calif.
Age: 35
PGA Cup Experience: Debut
Residence: Marina, Calif.
College: C.S.U. - San Bernardino (1998, Bus. Admin.)
Home Club/Affiliation: Del Monte Golf Course, Monterey, Calif.
Turned Professional: 1998
Player Notes: PGA Teaching Professional at Del Monte Golf Course, Monterey, Calif. … Tied for fourth in 2009 PGA Professional National Championship thanks to third-round 65 ... Earned berth on 2009 U.S. PGA Cup Team ... Qualified for the 2001 AT&T National Pro-Am …Winner, 2008 Section Professional Cup … Began the Monterey Bay Chapter of the Northern California PGA Section and served as interim president ... Served as vice president of the Northern California Apprentice Division, and credited in founding scholarship for Section apprentices ... Winner, 1998 Western Regionals . .Credits his improved play to working with 2003 PGA Teacher of the Year Laird Small of Pebble Beach, Calif ... Two-time NCAA Division II All-American ... Has recorded one hole-in-one, and one double eagle ... Career low round of 61.
Personal: Wife, Angela; Children: James
Special Interests: Movies, bowling, prides cooking skills in barbeque, smoking meat
LEE RINKER
Birthplace: Stuart, Fla.
Age: 48
PGA Cup Experience: 1992, 2007 (1-5-2)
Residence: Jupiter, Fla.
College: University of Alabama (1983, Finance)
Home Club/Affiliation: Emerald Dunes Golf Club, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Turned Professional: 1983
Player Notes: PGA Director of Golf at Emerald Dunes Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla ... Tied for fourth, 2009 PGA Professional National Championship ... Winner, 1982 Florida Amateur Championship, 2003, '05 South Florida PGA Championship . . Competed on the PGA Tour from 1984 through 2006, and the former Nike Tour from 1990 through 2003 ... Competed in five U.S. Opens (1983, ' 85, '93, '97, 2005) and seven PGA Championships (1991, '92, '96, '97, '98, '2006, '09) ... Finished runner-up, 1997 Byron Nelson Classic, 1997 B.C. Open. . Finished third, 1996 Honda Classic … Has competed in six PGA Championships, with best finish T-29 in 1998 ... Member of the 1992 and 2007 U.S. PGA Cup Team ... Runner-up, 1994 Nike Tour Championship. . Was the 2005 South Florida PGA Player of the Year ... 2005, '06 South Florida PGA Player of the Year ... Brother, Larry, is a PGA Life Member, a former Tour professional and walking reXM Radio and PGA Tour Network . .Sister, Laurie, is a veteran member of the LPGA Tour ... Has recorded eight holes-in-one, with one in competition.
Personal: Wife, Molly; Children: Lee Jr., Abby, Lilly
Special Interests: Music, fishing
STEVE SCHNEITER
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah
Age: 45
PGA Cup Experience: 1996 (3-2-0)
Residence: Sandy, Utah
College: Brigham Young University
Home Club/Affiliation: Schneiter's Pebblebrook Golf Links, Sandy, Utah
Turned Professional: 1987
Player Notes: PGA Assistant Professional at Schneiter's PebbleBrook Golf Links in Sandy, Utah...Winner, 1995 PGA Professional National Championship…Low PGA Professional at the 2005 PGA Championship...Finished tied for second in the 2009 PGA Professional National Championship and was runner-up in 2003 - each time at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M ... Earned berth on 2009 U.S. PGA Cup Team, after previously competed on 1996 U.S. Team ... Winner, 1997, 2001 Western PGA Professional Championship ... Winner, 2004 Arizona Open…Winner, 2003, '04 Wyoming Open … Winner, 2004 Long Beach Open … Winner, 1993 Idaho Open … Winner, 1993, '99, 2003, '08 Utah PGA Section Championship … 1997 Utah PGA Player of The Year … Enjoyed a successful amateur career, winning the 1982 Utah State Amateur, earning 1987 All-American honors at Brigham Young University, winning the Cougar Classic and finishing eighth in the NCAA Championship ... Has recorded three holes-in-one, including one in competition.
Personal: Fiancée, Jill; Children: Jonathan, Riley, Mallory, Josh
Special Interests: Family, fly fishing, stock market
MARK SHEFTIC
Birthplace: Hanover, Pa.
Age: 35
PGA Cup Experience: Debut
Residence: Ambler, Pa.
College: Coker College, Hartsville, S.C.
Home Club/Affiliation: Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.
Turned Professional: 1998
Player Notes: PGA Teaching Professional at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. . Tied for second in the 2009 PGA Professional National Championship, finishing one stroke behind Mike Small (in the PGA Championship field) after owning the second and third-round lead ... Earned berth on the 2009 U.S. PGA Cup Team ... Finished runner-up, 2004, '07 Philadelphia Open, low professional in the 2007 Philadelphia Open ... Owns three top-10 finishes in the Pennsylvania State Open ... Finished in the top 10 in the 2004, ''06 Pennsylvania State Open ... Runner-up, 2006 Philadelphia PGA Assistant Professional Championship ... Winner, 2008 TPD Championship, 1993 York County Amateur Championship.
Personal: Wife, Nicole; Children: Ty Edward
Special Interests: Movies, other sports, spending time with family
SONNY SKINNER
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Va.
Age: 49
PGA Cup Experience: Debut
Residence: Sylvester, Ga.
College: Abraham Baldwin College/ Shorter College
Home Club/Affiliation: River Pointe Golf Club, Albany, Ga.
Turned Professional: 1982
Player Notes: PGA Director of Golf at River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga ... Runner-up, 2008 PGA Professional National Championship ... Winner, 2008 PGA Professional Player of the Year, 2008 Georgia PGA Stroke Average award, 2006 Georgia PGA Player of the Year ... Member of the PGA Tour in 1990, '92, '97, '98 ... Winner, 1993 Nike/Nationwide Shreveport Open, 1994 Nike/Nationwide Richmond Open, 2006 Georgia PGA Match Play Championship, one event in the 2006 PGA Winter Tournament Series ... Has recorded 13 holes-in-one.
Personal: Wife, Genia; Children: Marlee
Special Interests: Family
MIKE SMALL
Birthplace: Aurora, Ill.
Age: 43
PGA Cup Experience: 2005, '07 (3-5-2)
Residence: Champaign, Ill.
College: University of Illinois (1989, Marketing)
Turned Professional: 1990
Player Notes: Since 2000, has served as head men's golf coach at the University of Illinois in Champaign ... Winner of the 2005 and 2009 PGA Professional National Championship. Rallied to win this year's National Championship with a final-round 68 at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M ... Finished runner-up in the 2004 National Championship; was fourth in 2006 and tied for runner-up in 2007 ... Earned berth on the 2009 U.S. PGA Cup Team after previously competed on the 2005, '07 Teams ... Finished as Low Club Professional at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., accomplished the feat after winning the Illinois Open four days earlier and flying to Southern Hills to compete ... This season, guided Illinois to its first Big Ten Conference championship since 1988, when Small was a team member with current Tour star Steve Stricker ... Small also was the 2009 Big Ten Coach of the Year, having guided his team to the NCAA Championships for the fourth time in the past seven seasons. He also was the 2002 Big Ten Coach of the Year and is a two-time 2003, '09 Midwest Region Coach of the Year ... Competed in the 1994, '98 and 2007 U.S. Open ... Winner of a record eight Illinois PGA Championships, including seven straight -- 2001, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08 and '09 . . .Winner, 2003, '05, '06, '07 Illinois Open ... Finished tied for 27th in the 2004 Cialis Western Open and tied for 50th in 2005 ... Tied for fourth in the 2003 Northern PGA Club Professional Championship, tied for seventh in 2004 and finished second in 2001 ... Competed on the former Nike Tour, winning the 1997 Monterey Open and the 1997 Cleveland Open ... Has recorded two double eagles and four holes-in-one ... Was a member of the PGA Tour in 1998, and owns a career-best share of ninth place in the 1998 Bell Canadian Open ... Is the first member of the Illinois PGA Section to win the PGA Professional National Championship ... In 2007, Small captured the Illinois Open a day before he traveled to the PGA Championship and finished as the Low PGA Professional at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
Personal: Wife, Ann; Children: Will, Wyatt
Special Interests: Fishing, NCAA sports
CRAIG THOMAS
Birthplace: Manhattan, N.Y.
Age: 46
PGA Cup Experience: Debut
Residence: White Plains, N.Y.
Home Club/Affiliation: Metropolis Country Club, White Plains, N.Y.
Turned Professional: 1988
Player Notes: PGA Head Professional at Metropolis Country Club . .Tied for fourth in the 2009 PGA Professional National Championship. . Tied for sixth in 2006 PGA Professional National Championship ... Winner, 2009 Westchester Open, 2005 TaylorMade International Pro-Am, 2005 Metropolitan PGA Head Professional Championship, 2004 Metropolitan PGA Player of the Year, 2004 Eastern PGA Professional Championship, 2004 New York State PGA Championship, 2000 Metropolitan PGA Club Professional Championship ... Member of the 1997 All-Marine Golf Team. . Posted a 64 in the second round of the 2007 New York State Open at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale, N.Y., site of the 2009 U.S. Open ... Joined by Metropolis Country Club assistant professional and future son-in-law Keith Dicciani in the 2009 PGA Championship field, the first PGA Professional twosome since 1993 to work at the same golf club and compete in the current year's PGA Championship ... Served from 1984-88 in the U.S. Marine Corps ... Has recorded six holes-in-one.
Personal: Wife, Rochelle; Children: Danielle
Special Interests: Movies, reading, fishing, New York Islanders hockey
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