Champions Return and Careers Come Full Circle at Upcoming PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship 

North Carolina A&T State University women’s team, Texas A&M International University men’s team and PGA of America Golf Professional Clay Myers return to a championship that brought them smiles and success.

North Carolina A&T State and Texas A&M International won titles at last year’s PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship presented by Chase and Kohler at Whistling Straits, and they will look to defend their championships when the PWCC starts play Monday (May 3) at The Park.

Myers has a closer connection to both. He is the Head PGA Professional at The Park and played in the 2011 PWCC at PGA Golf Club when he attended Jackson State University.

Without playing in the 2011 PWCC, the 36-year-old Myers wouldn’t be serving as a host, ambassador and starter for next week’s PWCC at The Park. Myers remembers that trip for being the first time he visited Florida and for something more life changing.

“The biggest impression that was made on me was by the GM there (at PGA Golf Club) at the time – Bill Cioffoletti,” Myers said. “I remember him talking to me about becoming a PGA Member. And I gave it some serious consideration that started me on that path.”

Myers decided instead to turn professional for several years – he was part of Golf Channel’s “Big Break The Palm Beaches” at PGA National - but when that didn’t work out, he became a PGA Member. His first boss? Cioffoletti (who passed away in 2022 from cancer).

“It will be a full-circle moment for me, being the head golf pro here, and hopefully I can be that Bill Cioffoletti for someone else,” said Myers, who has been at The Park for 3.5 years. “Without Bill, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Myers’ advice to the players about becoming a PGA Member won’t be obvious. But it will be meaningful.

“Everybody's here to compete and to focus on golf, right?” Myers said. “I'm sure a lot of them have aspirations to play after college. But I just want to let them know that whenever you want to come on this (business) side, there's an opportunity for you.”

That’s the mission of this tournament, which was created in 1986 to highlight competitive golf programs at the most underserved and underrepresented minority-serving institutions in the country, as well as educate and inspire student-athletes to pursue career opportunities in the business of golf and beyond.

North Carolina A&T State women’s team and Texas A&M International men’s team certainly highlighted their programs' success when they won last year at Whistling Straits. North Carolina A&T State saw their 15-shot final-round lead disappear on a windy day before a clutch birdie from Polina Marina on the 18th hole gave the Aggies a one-shot win over Howard University.

“Our team is thrilled to come back and defend, but we know there’s extra pressure in doing that,” said North Carolina A&T State coach Mesha Levister, who coached Prairie View A&M University last year at the PWCC. “As an opposing coach, it was impressive to see how their No. 4 and 5 players stepped up with the top three players to win the tournament.”

The Aggies are once again led by Ekaterina Prokhorov, who earned the 36-hole Medalist honors last year. Prokhorova recently finished in the top five in seven consecutive tournaments. Fellow senior Tori Mouton also is a key player for the Aggies.

“They both have done a phenomenal job their senior year and they know they’re going to carry the brunt of the load,” Levister said.

Texas A&M International won the men’s Division II championship by seven shots over Fayetteville State University. The DustDevils won with a final-round score of 32-over 320 in the windy conditions.

“Winning the national championship was very important to us,” said coach Rudy Gonzalez, who was coaching Texas A&M International women’s team at the NCAAs during the PWCC. “I spent a lot of time on the phone that week. We didn’t know what to expect, but that environment quickly snaps you into championship form.”

Gonzalez will be at The Park for this year’s PWCC. He says it’s a tournament that transcends scores.

“I’m really in awe of what everyone involved with the PGA WORKS Championship does,” he said. “It’s one of the greatest championships in college golf. We travel to tournaments and never get to see this kind of hospitality.”

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff won’t defend its Division I title because it won the Southwestern Athletic Conference and will instead be playing in the NCAAs.

For the complete field list, click here.