(MEMPHIS, TN) – The next tournament on the TNPGA schedule takes us to Mephis, Tennessee for the National Car Rental Tennessee Assistant PGA Championship August 22nd-23rd at Memphis Country Club. Originally called the Apprentice Championship, the tournament dates back to 1971. There will be 37 Assistants battling for the Harold Eller Trophy, with the top two advancing on to the 2022 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
DATES: August 22-23, 2022
OFFICIAL NAME: National Car Rental Tennessee Assistant PGA Championship
HASHTAGS: #NCRTNASSISTANTS #TNPGA
VENUE: Memphis Country Club – Memphis, TN
PAR/YARDS: 70 – 6,700 yards
PURSE MONEY: $9,150 (winner claims $1,500)
PAST CHAMPIONS: https://bit.ly/3AwCfs3
QUALIFYING SPOTS: 2 spots for the 2022 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship
FIELD OVERVIEW
SIZE: 37 players
FIELD LIST: https://bit.ly/3CbCI3R
FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS: https://bit.ly/3K8kKBj
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Sunday: Practice Rounds
Monday: Round 1
Tuesday: Round 2, Awards Presentation Following
ROLEX ASSISTANT PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
Through five events Lee Whitehead (Louisville, TN) has dominated the Rolex Assistant Player of the Year points race. Whitehead holds the top spot with four first place finishes among Assistant Professionals this year. Whitehead will look to continue his hot streak in Memphis. Mike Vance (Jackson, TN) sits in the second spot after finishing tied for first at the Players Championship back in July. The National Car Rental Tennessee Assistant PGA Championship is a Level I event where the top-20 finishers will be awarded points ranging from 300 points to first and 12 points to twentieth. With Assistant Professionals vying for a spot on the Assistant Cup Matches Team here is a look at the current top-10 heading into this week’s Championship.
1. Lee Whitehead (Williams Creek Golf Club) – 813
2. Mike Vance (Jackson National Golf Club) – 581
3. Tre Mullins (Cherokee Country Club) – 492
4. Chase Harris (Chickasaw Country Club) – 464
T5. Paul Apyan (Choo Choo Golf Academy) – 300
T5. Dylan Jones (Glenrochie Country Club) – 300
7. Jeff Berry (Stones River) – 297
8. Chris Baker (Towhee Club) – 240
9. Jesse Grimes (Troubadour Golf & Field Club) – 227
10. Eric Olson (GOLFTEC – Nashville West) – 222
NOTES ON THE LIST OF COMPETITORS:
Defending champion Paul Apyan (Chattanooga, TN) who won last year’s event at Council Fire Golf Club will look to defend his title this year. Apyan will look to follow up his strong performance from early this year at the Tennessee State Open where he finished first among Assistant Professionals. This year’s field has all ten of the top ten players on the Rolex Assistant Player of the Year with the exception of. Chase Harris (Jackson, TN) will look to continue his 2021 campaign in a strong way this week. Harris being the former Assistant Professional at Memphis Country Club will be in familiar territory this week. Jesse Grimes (Murfreesboro, TN) and Ty Medling (Collierville, TN) who finished tied for second last year will look to qualify for the 2022 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship once again.
Action gets underway at 8:00 A.M. CT with a single tee starting off No. 10 tee for round one and No. 1 tee for round two. Round one pairings were based on current Rolex Assistant Player of the Year points and round two pairings will be based on score. A trophy presentation by the clubhouse will follow the final round of play.