(Murfreesboro, TN) – The next tournament on the TNPGA schedule brings us to Murfreesboro, TN for the 55th Tennessee PGA Professional Championship August 21-23 at Stones River Country Club. The Championship is known as the premier event for Tennessee Club Professionals. Stones River Country Club plays host this year and will present a challenge for players with their elevated Mini Verde Bermuda grass greens and tree lined fairways. For a hole-by-hole course breakdown visit here.
DATES: August 21-23, 2023
OFFICIAL NAME: 55th Tennessee PGA Professional Championship
HASHTAGS: #TNPGAPRO #TNPGA
VENUE: Stones River Country Club – Murfreesboro, TN
PAR/YARDS: 71 – Men: 6,880 yards | Women: 6,100 yards
PURSE MONEY: $40,000 (winner claims $6,800)
PAST CHAMPIONS: https://shorturl.at/efk19
QUALIFYING SPOTS: 4 spots for the 2024 PGA Professional Championship at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco East & West Courses
FIELD OVERVIEW
SIZE: 64 players
FIELD LIST: https://shorturl.at/rIOU5
FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS: https://shorturl.at/bsFX0
PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONS: 8
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Sunday: Practice Rounds
Monday: Round 1
Tuesday: Round 2
Wednesday: Round 3, Awards Presentation Following
ROLEX REGULAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
Through seven point events in 2023 we have a highly contested race for the Rolex Regular Player of the Year. Bobby Cochran (Memphis, TN) holds a narrow lead over Josh Bevell (Nashville, TN) and Braxton Hunter (Knoxville, TN). Bevell climbed into the second spot after a T-3 finish in the Yamaha Harold Eller back in mid July. Only 29 points separate the top-3 heading into this week’s Championship. The Professional 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. Here is a look at the current top-10 heading into this week’s 55th Tennessee PGA Professional Championship.
- Bobby Cochran (Colonial Country Club) – 755
- Josh Bevell (Profectus Golf) – 728
- Braxton Hunter (Fairways & Greens Golf) – 726
- Adam Forgey (Heatherhurst Golf Club) – 653
- Allie Knight (Fairways & Greens Golf) – 588
- Ryan Botts (Old Hickory CC) – 547
- Kevin Snell (TN Golf Trail at Henry Horton) – 497
- Chase Harris (Chickasaw Country Club) – 518
- Casey Flenniken (Tanasi Golf Course) – 493
- Mike Vance (Jackson National GC) – 344
NOTES ON THE LIST OF COMPETITORS:
Defending champion Casey Flenniken will look to go back-to-back this year to win his second Tennessee PGA Professional Championship. Flenniken has not seen the course much this year, only playing in five points events, but has finished in the top-5 in two of those starts. Stones River Country Club played host to the 2022 Players Championship where Loren Personett finished first among professionals. Personett has won the championship three times: 2003, 2015, and 2021. Past champion Johan Kok will look to make history at this year’s Championship. Kok has won four Tennessee PGA Professional Championships (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) and will look to tie the record of Joe Campbell and Gibby Gilbert Jr. as the third player to win the tournament five times. Kok has played in two point events this year and has one top-10 in those two starts. Kok finished runner-up in last year’s event at Tennessee National. Past Champions Kelvin Burgin, Audie Johnson, Scott Moran, Randy Helton and Oliver Peacock are also in this year’s field.
Action gets underway at 7:30 A.M. CT the all three tournament days with a single tee starting off No. 1 tee. After rounds one and two the field will be repaired based on scores with leaders teeing off last. A trophy presentation by the clubhouse will follow the final round of play.