First played in 1920 at Fort Mitchell Country Club, the Kentucky Open has produced a long list of memorable moments in the century since. This week at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club, someone will add their name to a list of champions that includes Byron Nelson, Gay Brewer, Jr. and J.B. Holmes among many others. It will be one of the players below, as they comprise the field of the 102^nd Kentucky Open.

Field list as of Thursday, July 22

Kyle Alexander - Originally from Taylorsville, he is now a member of the Men’s Golf team at Thomas More. He had a consistent performance in last month’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur, finishing T16 at Audubon Country Club.

Tyler Allred - Allred will be heading into his sophomore season at Transylvania. The 2020 North Oldham High School graduate qualified at Nevel Meade with 71 (-1).

John Bachman, PGA - The Director of Instruction at nearby Lake Forest Country Club. Bachman is a two-time champion of the Kentucky PGA Professional Championship, which he won in 2012 and 2014.

Billy Basham - One of the state’s top young talents, the Eastern Kentucky Colonel had a topsy-turvy qualifying round at Gibson Bay Golf Course when he shot 74 (+2) with four birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey. He was one of the half-dozen players who successfully advanced at U.S. Open Local Qualifying from Cherry Blossom Golf Club in May, which got him into Final Qualifying.

Bryce Beard - A Louisvillian and 2020 Saint Xavier Graduate, Beard will be a sophomore at Presbyterian College this fall. He qualified at the Nevel Meade qualifier with a round of 74 (+2).

Evan Beery - A member of Oldham County Country Club, Beery survived a seven-for-three playoff at the Nevel Meade qualifier. He will be entering his freshman year at Kentucky Wesleyan this fall.

Jakob Begley - Begley is a member of the Campbellsville University - Harrodsburg Men’s Golf team. He is a past winner on the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour, which included victories in 2019 at the Lexington Junior Championship and Spring Preview. He qualified at Gibson Bay with a score of 76 (+4).

Riley Bender - Into the championship by virtue of placing T24 in the Nevel Meade qualifier where Bender shot 73 (+1). That round included an eagle on the par-four 6th. He will be going into his senior year at St. Xavier next month.

Robbie Bender - A Saint Xavier graduate and current Indiana Hoosier, Bender qualified at the Bowling Green qualifier after shooting 74 (+2). Bender finished in a tie for sixth at the 2018 KHSAA State Championships and redshirted his freshman year as a Hoosier.

Joe Benton - A rising sophomore at Eastern Kentucky University who shot 74 (+2) at Gibson Bay Golf Course to get in the field. He is originally from Irvine and graduated high school at Estill County where he won ten different high school tournaments.

Jack Berger - Berger is a member at Lake Forest Country Club and will make the short trek from Lake Forest to Persimmon Ridge to compete this week. He qualified at Nevel Meade Golf Club when he shot 73 (+1).

J.R. Bertram - Bertram’s intentions for his golfing career were made clear in his affiliation from the qualifier at Gibson Bay, which was listed as “Amateur golfer (for now).” So presumably, the State Open could mark one of his final starts as an amateur. He shot 76 (+4) that day in Richmond to make it in this field.

Matt Bowlin - Bowlin locked down the final guaranteed spot in the championship from the qualifier at Perry Park. He shot 77 (+5) that day, clinching the eighth of the eight spots available. He played college golf for the Northern Kentucky Norse.

Jon Brewington - A top-ten finish in the Bowling Green Country Club qualifier after shooting 73 (+1) is what led to Brewington’s spot in this field. He graduated from Barren County High School and now plays college golf with the Campbellsville Tigers.

Patrick Brooks - A rising sophomore at Belmont and 2020 graduate of Saint Xavier high school. Brooks gained entry at the Nevel Meade qualifier with a round of 71 (-1).

Brandon Brown - It’s been ten years since Brown won the Kentucky Open, which he did so right here at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club. He won by four shots that week with a score of 203 (-13). More about that victory from Kentucky dot com.

Simon Brown - Holding a +2.5 handicap index, Brown plays at a variety of different golf courses in the state. His low round this year is a round of 69 that was completed at Lebanon Country Club. He finished T59 in June’s State Amateur from Audubon Country Club.

John Buchanan -  With a round of 70 (-2) at Bowling Green Country Club’s qualifier, Buchanan is in the field. He is a Hopkinsville product and entering his third year with the Murray State Racers.

Kent Bulle - The 2015 Kentucky Open champion having won at Keene Trace - Champions Trace. He has won twice on PGA TOUR Latino America and has two major championship appearances, including a made-cut in the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Andrew Buse - Buse is no stranger to the top of leaderboards. After a first round lead and eventual T5 finish in last year’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Mid-Amateur from Paxton Park Golf Course, the Louisville native looks to add onto his solid list of results in big-time competitions across the state.

Tom Campbell - One of the top senior amateurs in the state and a past champion of the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur. Last month, Campbell was a runner-up in the Kentucky Senior Open.

Dustin Chamberlin - Chamberlin is one of the players who got an host site exemption, which he earned by finishing well enough in Persimmon Ridge’s member qualifier. He plays to a handicap index of 1.8.

Al Chrouser, PGA - A Life Member of the PGA of America who will likely have the most colorful wardrobe of all competitors this week. One of the friendliest Members of the Section will make for a fun pairing for his playing partners.

Cooper Collins - The runner-up from June’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur.
Collins got around Audubon in 202 strokes (-14) which was three strokes better than the next-closest player… but J.M. Butler broke the championship scoring record with a sub-200 total and beat Collins by four. That certainly does not detract from the outstanding week Collins had, and a similar performance might lead to him winning the State Open.

Jacob Cook - The low amateur and runner-up of the 2020 Kentucky Open from Triple Crown Country Club. The Kentucky Wildcat made a loud charge during the back nine of the final round, as a 32 (-4) to finish the tournament put him just two shots shy of J.B. Williams’ winning title. Cook won the Lexington City Championship last month.

Connor Coombs - Coombs was the medalist of the Kentucky Dam Village qualifier where he had a nice round of 69 (-3). He finished T64 in last year’s Open at Triple Crown Country Club.

C.J. Corum - Corum made his Kentucky Open debut last year at Triple Crown which ended up being a missed-cut. He’ll look to improve on that this time at Persimmon Ridge and got into this year’s field after shooting 72 (E) at Gibson Bay Golf Course.

Robert Costello, PGA - A talented golfer within the Section who serves as Nevel Meade Golf Club’s Head Professional. Costello completed PGA Golf Management at Eastern Kentucky University before becoming one of the most recognizable PGA Members in the Louisville area.

Steve Cox, PGA - Cox is the Head Golf Professional of Laure County Country Club. He won the 2019 Kentucky Senior Open at Houston Oaks Golf Course in a playoff. That helped him win the ROLEX Senior Player of the Year award in Kentucky for the second time that year, having also won that honor in 2013.

Chris Cunningham - A round of 73 (+1) in the qualifier at Nevel Meade Golf Club gained Cunningham entry into this year’s championship. He works in the science department at South Oldham High School and is also the Head Coach of their Boys’ Golf team.

Evan Cox - The Ashland product has had two straight successful finishes in this championship, having finished T15 last year at Triple Crown Country Club and T6 at Kearney Hill Golf Links in 2019. He played college golf for the Kentucky Wildcats and has turned professional since graduating in 2018.

Trey Cox - Originally from Lexington, Cox plays college golf at Indiana Wesleyan University. He has top-fifteen finishes in each of the last two Kentucky Opens from Triple Crown Country Club and Kearney Hill Golf Links.

Dustin Denzik - A sub-70 round of 69 (-3) at Nevel Meade’s qualifier put Denzik into the championship field. Now a professional golfer, Denzik was formerly a professional poker player where he made north of $60,000.

Shawn DeWeese - DeWeese shot 74 (+2) at the Nevel Meade qualifier, resulting in a T35 finish which got him into the championship field. He is a St. Xavier graduate who now attends college at Bellarmine.

Alex Doss - A rising senior at Northern Kentucky and recent champion of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Amateur Championship, Doss is certainly in form and does not lack confidence coming into this year's Open.

Brendon Doyle - A Louisville native who played college golf with the Indiana Hoosiers, Doyle recorded six top-ten finishes in 2020 on either PGA TOUR Latino America or the LocaliQ Series. He finished T20 in last year’s State Open and had a top-five finish in 2019 at Kearney Hill.

Drew Doyle - The St. Xavier graduate in 2020 is now a member of the Men’s Golf team with the LSU Tigers. His junior golf career was prolific, which included the 2016 Kentucky Junior Amateur title, being named Mr. Golf in 2017, and a top-ten finish in the 2018 Boys Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

Brian Ebel - Ebel snuck into the field with a score of 74 (+2) from the qualifier at Nevel Meade Golf Club. He is a member at Keene Trace Golf Club and carries a handicap index of +0.1.

Andrew Flynn - The Wright State golfer will be playing in his second consecutive Kentucky Open after posting a 69 (-3) in the Nevel Meade qualifier. He will look to bounce back from a missed cut in last year’s edition.

Landon Finn - Finn qualified at the Perry Park qualifier with a seventh-place finish when he shot 76 (+4). He is originally from Florence and plays college golf with the Thomas More Saints.

Luke Fuller - A junior-to-be of the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky, Fuller shot 70 (-2) in the Nevel Meade qualifier to make it into back-to-back Kentucky Opens. He finished T46 in last month’s State Amateur at Audubon.

Ben Fuqua - A former UK golfer who now serves as the Assistant Coach for the Wildcats. He finished T8 in last year’s State Open from Triple Crown Country Club, a performance highlighted by a final round of 67 (-5) which was the second-best score of that round.

Adam Gary, PGA - Gary is the Women’s Golf Coach for Western Kentucky University. The Bowling Green resident played collegiately himself at Florida Gulf Coast University and played on mini tours for several years before entering the coaching field of the golf industry.

Glenn Garnett - The Director, Junior Golf at Man O’War Golf in Lexington got in the field with a round of 75 (+3) from Gibson Bay’s qualifier. Garnett is currently a PGA Associate as he works on completing his education with the PGA of America before being elected to Membership.

Kameron Gehring - One of those who advanced through the seven-for-three playoff at Nevel Meade’s qualifier. He is from Monticello and plays college golf for Campbellsville-Harrodsburg.

Ryan Gillum - Gillum just finished his redshirt senior season at Morehead State and is originally from Grayson. He has a solid track record in the last three editions of the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur, finishing T16 at Audubon in June, T30 in 2020 at Lexington Country Club, and T25 in 2019 at Country Club of Paducah.

Josh Griffin, PGA - An Assistant Golf Professional at Wildwood Country Club, Griffin went through the PGA Golf Management program at Eastern Kentucky and has solidified himself as one of the top playing assistants within the Section. He is the current chairman of the Section’s Assistants Committee and received this year’s Assistant Golf Professional of the Year award.

Francesco Guarneri - Francesco “Keko” Guarneri hails from Santiago, Chile and will be a new addition to the Eastern Kentucky Men’s Golf squad this fall after transferring from the University of the Cumberlands. It will be Keko’s first Kentucky Open after shooting 69 (-3) in the Nevel Meade qualifier.

Sam Guest - A home-club member at Persimmon Ridge who qualified through the club’s qualifier for its membership. Guest is fresh off a top-five finish in last week’s Louisville Junior Championship from Persimmon Ridge’s sister course, Polo Fields.

Will Guest - Another member at Persimmon Ridge, Will Guest got into the field at the Nevel Meade qualifier where he shot 71 (-1). That score came with a double bogey included, so it’s evident Guest has plenty of birdies in his arsenal.

Austin Gutgsell - A former golfer at LSU and past competitor in PGA TOUR events, Gutgsell would be a solid pick to contend this week. Gutgsell was forced to withdraw from last year’s State Open but seeks to make up for that with a big performance this week.

Benny Haggin - The Lexington product will be starting his college golf career with the Virginia Cavaliers next month. He’s enjoyed a successful Kentucky Junior Golf career, which includes a victory in the 2019 Kentucky Boys Junior PGA Championship.

Kendall Hale - Playing out of nearby Long Run Golf Course, Hale advanced through the qualifier at Nevel Meade Golf Club when he shot 74 (+2). He had a minor scare late in his round when he made double bogey on the 17th, but made a clutch birdie on the last which meant he avoided the playoff for the final spots out of that qualifier.

Allen Hamilton - Recent graduate at Kentucky and graduate of Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Hamilton has a long list of golfing accolades. Most recently, Hamilton took care of business and won the Boone Invitational at Frankfort Country Club.

Joe Hamilton - A Kentucky PGA Junior Tour member who got into the field as an alternate after just missing out on an automatic berth from the Gibson Bay qualifier. Last month, he posted a top-ten finish in the Tour’s Northern Kentucky Junior Championship from Summit Hills Country Club.

Ballard Harris - A Louisville native and former Trinity High School golfer, Harris shot 69 (-3) at the Nevel Meade qualifier to get into the field. He will be heading into his second year with the Bellarmine golf team.

Matthew Harris - A multi-sport athlete having played baseball for the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky. Harris can swing a golf club just as well as a baseball bat, as he turned professional to work his way up the pro golf ladder. He finished T12 in last year’s Kentucky Open which included a second round score of 66 (-6).

Parker Haynes - The Elizabethtown native plays golf at University of Findlay in Ohio and punched his ticket to the State Open after posting a round of 72 (E) in the Bowling Green qualifier. He missed the cut in the State Am by just a stroke last month.

Eric Hiatt - One of the top members from Persimmon Ridge, Hiatt led the way in the club’s points standings for the Ketterman Cup. He’ll look to use his familiarity with the facility to his advantage for a successful week in the State Open.

David Huffman, PGA - The Head Golf Professional at South Park Country Club is nothing but consistent. Huffman consistently puts up rounds at or near par in KPGA Section events. He is currently ninth in the Section’s ROLEX Larry Gilbert Player of the Year standings.

Jonathan Ice - With a round of 73 (+1) in the Nevel Meade qualifier, Ice secured himself a place in the championship field with a T24 finish there. He finished T43 in last year’s State Open when Triple Crown served as host.

Daniel Iceman III, PGA - An Assistant Golf Professional at Weissinger Hills Golf Course who has been one of the KPGA’s best players for several years now. Last year, he won the Section’s Assistants Match Play Championship. He was the runner-up of the 2016 Kentucky Open at Hurstbourne Country Club.

David Jasper - A local product who played college golf for the Michigan Wolverines in the 1990s. He won the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Mid-Am three consecutive years from 2013-2015.

Trevor Johnson - Johnson turned into a staple for the Louisville Cardinals while on their golf team. Two years ago at Big Spring Country Club – Harmony Landing Course, Johnson was the leader after two rounds before being leapfrogged by Trey Shirley which led to a runner-up finish for Johnson.

Nick Johnston - An Assistant Golf Professional at Wildwood Country Club, Johnston won the 2019 Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur at Country Club of Paducah. He then finished T8 in the 2020 Kentucky Open. This has been a prolific year for Johnston in Kentucky PGA events, as he’s notched several wins which has him well out in front of the ROLEX Assistant Player of the year standings.

C.J. Jones - Jones won the KHSAA State Championship in 2015. The Frankfort native now plays college golf with the Ball State Cardinals. He finished T16 in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur with progressively better scores each day, culminating with a round of 67 (-5).

Grover Justice, PGA - Justice is the Director of Instruction at Bluegrass Golf Academy in Lexington and a past ROLEX Larry Gilbert Player of the Year within the Section. He was the runner-up in the 2007 Kentucky Open and the reigning champion of the Kentucky PGA Professional Championship.

Jay Kirchdorfer - A rising senior for the Kentucky Men’s Golf team and a Saint Xavier 2018 graduate. He won the 2020 Kentucky Match Play Championship at Nevel Meade Golf Club and finished T14 in this year’s State Amateur from Audubon Country Club.

Jensen Klondike - The senior to-be at Bellarmine certainly performs at qualifiers. He was medalist at the Seneca qualifier for the State Amateur and qualified easily at Nevel Meade for this year’s Open with a 71 (-1). After missing the cut by just one shot last year, expect Klondike to come back with vengeance.

Brooks Korfhage - The rising junior at Bellarmine scraped his way into this year’s Kentucky Open after getting through a playoff at the Nevel Meade qualifier. He is a Louisville native and 2019 graduate of Saint Xavier.

Mark Krebs, Jr. - Golf is only part of the story for Krebs. He played on the Kentucky Wildcats’ basketball team in the late 2000s and now holds an executive position at Morgan Stanley. He is in the field after qualifying at Perry Park Resort with a score of 73 (+1) which was a top-five score in that event.

Campbell Kremer - The St. Xavier grad enters his sophomore season with the Kentucky Wildcats this fall. Kremer has been a fixture at the top of marquee tournaments lately, including a T8 finish in the 2020 Kentucky Open, a T14 in the 2020 Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur, and a T8 in this year’s State Am.

Matthew Kruza - The Persimmon Ridge member made it into the field at Nevel Meade’s qualifier when he shot 74 (+2). Hopefully his friends and family following him this week will yell “Kruuuuuuuuuzzzzz” anytime he makes a birdie this week.

Chase Landrum - The Hilltopper of Western Kentucky made the cut last year at Triple Crown but was forced to withdraw. In 2019 at Kearney Hill, he finished T28. He is a past Mr. Golf recipient.

Ralph Landrum, PGA - The General Manager of World of Golf in Florence. Landrum is no stranger to competing in big events. In his days as a playing professional, he competed in eleven total major championships which are highlighted by a top-ten finish in the 1983 US Open. Landrum won the Kentucky Open in 1987 when it was played at Frankfort Country Club.

Matthew Langan - Langan qualified at Nevel Meade Golf Club’s qualifier with a score of 73 (+1). He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University which is in Lexington City, Virginia.

Andrew Lardner, PGA - The Head Professional at Persimmon Ridge’s sister course, Polo Fields Golf & Country Club. Lardner is a popular Member both within the Kentucky Section ad amongst his membership at Polo Fields. Before coming to Polo Fields, Lardner spent nearly a decade working at Seneca Golf Course.

Mason Lenhart - Lenhart shot 74 (+2) at the Nevel Meade qualifier to qualify for this championship. He plays college golf for the Cincinnati Bearcats and graduated from North Oldham High School in 2018.

Logan Liles - A rising senior at Lewis County High School, Liles is proving to be a consistent force across Kentucky Junior Golf. A T21 finish in the inaugural Barbasol Junior Championship helped show that. Liles will be competing in his first Kentucky Open after qualifying at Nevel Meade.

Shane Limberg - Limberg was the first alternate from the qualifier at Nevel Meade, but has officially gotten into the field. He is a recent graduate of Trinity High School and will play golf collegiately for Centre starting this fall.

Allan Lockwood - The Elizabethtown native’s decorated Kentucky Junior Golf career has come to an end as he will be attending Morehead State. Lockwood qualified after shooting 71 (-1) at the Nevel Meade qualifier.

Daniel Love - The Middle Tennessee State golfer posted a T51 finish in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur last month. He got progressively better with each round at Audubon that week, posting scores of 76-72-71.

Andrew Marrs - The rising Morehead State sophomore shot 68 (-4) in the Nevel Meade qualifier which was the second best score. He will be competing in his first Kentucky Open.

Jesse Massie, PGA - An Assistant Golf Professional at Woodhaven Country Club, Massie has been the ROLEX Assistant Player of the Year two straight years in the Kentucky Section. Those campaigns include two consecutive victories in the National Car Rental Kentucky PGA Assistant Professional Championship.

J.R. Maxam - Maxam was among those to be on the right side of the six-for-three playoff from Gibson Bay’s qualifier. Maxam succeeded in extra holes after shooting 77 (+5) in that round. He is a member at Winchester Country Club.

Joey Mayo - The Country Club of Paducah member shot 72 (E) in the Kentucky Dam Village qualifier to reach this year’s Open field. He’s a graduate of St. Mary High School and Rhodes College, where he played golf at both.

Michael McAdams - The former “number one” player at Kentucky Country Day and finance major at Kentucky. A round of 70 (-2) at the Nevel Meade qualifier was more than enough to earn him his first appearance in a Kentucky Open.

Dawson McDaniel - The medalist from the Bowling Green Country Club as McDaniel shot 67 (-5) that day to win that honor by a stroke. He plays college golf with the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky and posted a T30 finish in last year’s State Open.

Aaron McDowell, PGA - McDowell serves as the Head Golf Professional at Lakeside Golf Course in Lexington. He finished T59 in this championship a year ago at Triple Crown.

Fred Meyer - The medalist from the Perry Park qualifier with three strokes to spare. Meyer shot 68 (-4) that day to easily lock himself into the field of this championship. He is a former college golfer with the Kentucky Wildcats and graduated from UK with a degree in Management.

C.M. Mixon - Mixon is a rising junior for the Louisville Cardinals and recently got through the Barbasol Pre-Qualifier to play in the Monday Qualifier. He qualified for this year’s Open in his hometown at Bowling Green Country Club after firing a round of 70 (-2).

Isaac Moody - Moody is not far removed from a bronze-medal performance at the Kentucky Boys Junior Amateur which took place at Nevel Meade Golf Club. His 36-hole score of 138 (-6) came just three shots shy of matching champion Luke Muller. He qualified for this championship after shooting 74 (+2) in Gibson Bay’s qualifier.

Mitchell Moore, PGA - The Director of Instruction at Hopkinsville Golf & Country Club. Moore has risen to the ranks of being one of the Section’s most successful and influential teachers. He is a talented golfer as well, as he finished in the top-three at last year’s Kentucky PGA Professional Championship which got him into this year’s PGA Professional Championship. He has already won at Persimmon Ridge this year, as he came out on top in Golf House Kentucky Classic #2 supported by PXG in June.

Chandler Morgan - Morgan had a top-five finish in the Perry Park qualifier earlier this month when he shot 74 (+2). That scorecard was nearly as clean as it gets, as he made sixteen pars alongside two bogeys. He plays out of Lakeside Golf Course.

Frankie Morgan - A rising junior at Bellarmine, Morgan will make his Kentucky Open debut after firing a round of 72 (E) at the Bowling Green Country Club qualifier.

Brett Munson - Munson earned medalist honors at the Nevel Meade qualifier after firing a sizzling round of 65 (-7) with eight birdies and one bogey. Munson will have home-field advantage as he plays his golf at Persimmon Ridge.

Bobby Newberry, PGA - The last Member of the Kentucky Section to step in the winner’s circle, as Newberry was apart of the winning team at last week’s Adidas Pro-Junior from Juniper Hill Golf Course. He teamed up with Emma Lindemoen, Finn Johnson and Winn Scherer. Newbery serves as an Assistant Golf Professional at Louisville Country Club.

Nick Newcomb - The runner-up from the Kentucky Dam Village qualifier which came via a round of 70 (-2). He is a member of the Murray State Racers’ Hall of Fame and now serves as the Pro Shop Manager at Miller Memorial Golf Course in Murray.

Patrick Newcomb - Newcomb was in the final group at the final round of last year’s Kentucky Open where he ultimately finished in sixth-place. He rose inside the top 1000 of the OWGR recently when he notched a T3 finish in the Holcim Columbia Classic presented by Volvo on the PGA TOUR Latino America.

Jay Nimmo - It’s been a busy few weeks for the multi-time champion of the KHSAA Boys Golf Championship, as Nimmo competed in the U.S. Junior Amateur last week in North Carolina where he was narrowly edged out in the Round of 64. Prior to that, he competed in the inaugural Barbasol Junior Championship along with the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur. He will be heading to Mississippi in a few weeks to start his collegiate career in Starkville with the Bulldogs.

Zach Norris - The University of Kentucky golfer from McKee has been competitive in recent Kentucky Opens and also notched a T4 finish in this year’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur at Audubon Country Club.

Keith Ohr, PGA - The Head Professional at Lake Forest Country Club; a mere stone’s throw away from Persimmon Ridge. This year marks the twentieth-year anniversary of Ohr’s State Open triumph from 2001 at Oxmoor Country Club. He also won the Open in 2012 plus the 2013 and 2015 Kentucky PGA Professional Championships.

Cooper Parks - The decorated alumnus of Taylor County and rising junior at Kentucky shot 68 (-4) in the Nevel Meade qualifier. Cooper will look to add on to his T47 finish in last year's Kentucky Open.

Tanner Parks - One of the UK Wildcats in the field, Parks is a member at Campbellsville Country Club and made it into the championship at Gibson Bay Golf Course where he shot 72 (E). He finished 72nd in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur last month.

Miles Parroco - One of the four summer interns for Golf House Kentucky this summer, Miles will be trading in his camera for his clubs. He’ll be transferring from Longwood University to Northern Kentucky this fall and qualified with a round of 70 (-2) at the Nevel Meade qualifier.

Todd Pellowe - The Persimmon Ridge member advanced into the field from Nevel Meade’s qualifier when he shot 74 (+2). He is a well-regarded photographer in the Louisville area.

Aaron Pha - Originally from Yangon, Myanmar, Pha came to Kentucky to play collegiately for Western Kentucky where he will be a sophomore this season. Pha attended the International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head, South Carolina and competed in the 2019 Boys Junior PGA Championship.

Scott Porter - Last month’s champion of the Kentucky Senior Open. Porter triumphed by three strokes at Heritage Hill Golf Club after a 36-hole score of 133 (-11) locked up the title for him. After the round, he said, “I have been playing in Kentucky Opens since I was in my early twenties and I have finished runner-up maybe four times in the regular Open. I never thought the first Open I would win would be the Senior Open. It just means a lot to win one.”

Jansen Preston - One of the best junior golfers Kentucky has produced recently, Preston plays for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He was the 2019 Kentucky Boys Junior Amateur champion and recently posted a T8 finish in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur.

Grant Puckett - Puckett is from Clay and attends Webster County High School. He finished T31 in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur last month, which could have been even better had an opening round of 76 (+4) not left him working uphill the last two rounds.

Andy Roberts - The 2010 champion of the Kentucky Open which was won at Lexington Country Club. Robers completed the “cycle” in his words last week when he won the State Match Play Championship from The Country Club of Owensboro. That victory, along with a State Open title, State Am title and State Mid-Am title puts him in uncharted territory among Kentucky amateur golfers.

Kelby Robinson - Playing at his home course of Gibson Bay, Robinson qualified there with a round of 74 (+2). It was a nice comeback performance from Robinson there as he started his round +4 thru 6 holes but rebounded to get in the group of qualifiers with multiple shots to spare.

Will Sallee - Sallee is in the field after shooting 76 (+4) in the Gibson Bay qualifier. He is an alumnus of Eastern Kentucky University and a former member of their golf team.

Ryan Sanders, PGA - Sanders moved to Kentucky a short time ago to become the Director of Golf at Hunting Creek Country Club after spending the last several years working in Florida. He finished T6 in the Bowling Green qualifier to secure a place in what will be his first Kentucky Open.

Kirk Schooley, PGA - The Head Golf Professional at Juniper Hills Golf Course in Frankfort. In 2015, he won the Section’s ROLEX Senior Player of the Year award.

Chris Schuler, PGA - The Head Professional at Oxmoor Country Club in Louisville. Schuler previously worked at Louisville Country Club and Nevel Meade Golf Club after being elected to PGA Membership in 2015.

Kyle Scott - Scott was the joint runner-up from the Nevel Meade qualifier when he shot 68 (-4). Last year at Triple Crown, Scott found himself on the wrong side of the cutline and missed out on the final round by a stroke.

Reese Sexton - A Monticello native and Wayne County High School graduate who now plays college golf at Eastern Kentucky. He won the Kentucky Middle School Championship in 2015 at Quail Chase Golf Club and qualified for this year’s Open by firing a 67 (-5) at the Gibson Bay qualifier.

Steve Shafer, PGA - Shafer is double-dipping this week as both an employee and competitor. The Director of Golf at Persimmon Ridge is teeing it up and with a made cut, would earn himself an extra round of golf while also being able to skip several hours of work.

Kyle Sheffer, PGA - Sheffer recently became the Head Golf Professional at Oldham County Country Club after spending the last several years as an Assistant Professional with Wildwood Country Club. He is an alumnus of the PGA Golf Management program at Eastern Kentucky University.

Gabe Shelley - A Persimmon Ridge local member who will seek to use his familiarity of the Arthur Hills layout to his benefit throughout the week. He had a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Junior Four-Ball Championship this spring at Audubon Country Club.

Alec Silchuk - Finishing in 53rd place last year at Triple Crown, the Franklin resident was even-par after two rounds before a tough final round hurt his final finish. He stands as a solid dark-horse pick this week.

Jesse Smith - Placing T9 in the Nevel Meade qualifier, Smith did after shooting 70 (-2). He had two very distinct nine-hole rounds that day, as he made just two pars on the outward nine before making eight pars on the inward half.

Parker Smith - The Louisville native and Ballard High School graduate shot 70 (-2) at the Gibson Bay qualifier to gain entry into his first Kentucky Open.

Paxton Song - It’s a home-game for Song this week as he is a member of Persimmon Ridge. To make it in this championship, he successfully qualified at Nevel Meade Golf Club with a round of 73 (+1). That day, he made seventeen pars and one bogey.

Andrew Stephens, PGA - The Kentucky PGA’s reigning ROLEX Larry Gilbert Player of the Year is fresh off an appearance in the Barbasol Championship; an exemption earned through that award. Stephens missed the cut, but it was an experience of the lifetime that he has relished. Last year at Triple Crown, he finished T30.

Drake Stepter - Stepter won the KGA Western Kentucky Am Series event at Miller Memorial Golf Course earlier this summer. He also had a nice performance at Audubon Country Club for the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur, where he finished T16.

Andrew Strother - Strother was in the penultimate group at the final round of June’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur where he went on to finish T16. He finished in sixty-third place at last year’s Kentucky Open from Triple Crown.

Drew Stultz - An advancer of the Gibson Bay qualifier after shooting 75 (+3) for a T16 finish that day. He will be a sophomore at Transylvania University this fall.

Dylan Stultz - The senior to-be at Greenup County High School was the Daily Independent’s Boys Golf Player of the Year in 2020. He is the younger brother of Drew.

Tadd Switzer - Switzer had a strong run in last week’s State Match Play Championships fro, The Country Club of Owensboro. He shared honors for low score in the stroke play qualifier when he shot 68 (-4) and made it to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Hunter York. He also finished T38 in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur at Audubon Country Club.

Chase Taylor - A Winchester Country Club member who advanced through Gibson Bay following a round of 76 (+4). He plays college golf for the Midway Eagles and studies Sport Management.

Kelly Taylor - A round of 73 (+1) in the Bowling Green Country Club qualifier led to a top-ten finish and more importantly a spot in this championship. He is a product of Glasgow. The one in Kentucky, not the one in Scotland.

Brandon Tereshko - The Hunting Creek Country Club member advanced into the field after finishing eleventh at Gibson Bay’s qualifier. 

Justin Tereshko - This time last year, Tereshko was busy accepting his new job as the Head Coach for both the men and women of Hanover College’s golf teams. He’s a good person to have coach you as Tereshko has been one of Kentucky’s top amateurs for quite some time now. He recently finished T40 in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur.

Cameron Travis - The Richmond native is in the State Open’s field for the second consecutive year by virtue of shooting 71 (-1) in the Gibson Bay qualifier; the sixth-best round that day. Last year at Triple Crown, a tough second round prevented Travis from making the cut.

Shawn Tipton - Tipton had one of the top opening rounds in last year’s State Open from Triple Crown. He began the tournament with 67 (-5) but ended up finishing T33 after being the victim of a couple big numbers in rounds two and three. He also finished T15 in the 2019 State Open.

Matthew Troutman - The junior member of Persimmon Ridge has been on a roll in the last month or so. He was a runner-up in the inaugural Barbasol Junior, runner-up in the Kentucky Boys Junior Amateur, and posted a top-ten finish in the Boys Junior PGA Championship. This summer has arguably established Troutman as the next great Kentucky golfer.

Ashton Van Horne - The 2016 Kentucky Open champion, with University of Louisville Golf Club being the site of his triumph. Last year at Triple Crown, he finished T20.

John Vidal - Vidal is a PGA Associate not far from being elected to Membership within the PGA of America. Last year, he teed it up at Triple Crown while he was working there as an Assistant Professional This year, he will tee it up in the Kentucky Open for the first time as the Head Professional of Perry Park Resort.

Justin Warman - Warman is a member of Campbellsville University’s golf team. The COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020 was especially ill-timed for him, as he won the Mid-South Conference’s Golfer of the Week in what turned out to be the final week of that season. He kept his strong play going into the summer as he finished in the top-ten at last year’s Kentucky Open.

Stephen Warren - Warren finished T4 in the Kentucky Dam Village qualifier after shooting 74 (+2). He’s had a productive campaign in KGA related tournaments so far this year, with a T26 in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur and a victory in the KGA Am Series event at University Club of Kentucky.

Blake Watts, PGA - The Head Golf Professional at Wildwood Country Club. In the 2011 Kentucky Open, Watts finished runner-up that year when it was held at, you guessed it, Persimmon Ridge. He is a four-time champion of the Kentucky PGA Professional Championship, having captured that trophy in 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2019.

Logan Watts, PGA - The brother of Blake, Logan is an Assistant Golf Professional at Louisville Country Club. He finished runner-up to his brother in the 2019 Kentucky PGA Professional Championship at Indian Hills Country Club. Last year at Triple Crown, he finished T56.

Brody Webb - A round of 72 (E) from Gibson Bay’s qualifier got Webb into the field. He is a Georgetown native and a rising junior at Morehead State University.

Jakob Wellman - Wellman finished T17 in the KHSAA Boys Individual Championship last fall at Bowling Green Country Club after qualifying for the tournament individually out of Owensboro Catholic High School. He also competed in last month’s State Amateur at Audubon Country Club.

Gabe Wheeler - Wheeler earned the final spot available from the qualifier at Kentucky Dam Village thanks to a round of 75 (+3). Originally from Missouri, he came to Kentucky to play golf at Murray State and has since turned professional.

J.B. Williams - The two-time defending champion of the Kentucky Open. Last year, Williams prevailed by two strokes in a wire-to-wire victory at Triple Crown Country Club. In 2019, he matched the tournament scoring record at Kearney Hill Golf Links and beat Evan Davis on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.

Kyle Wilshire - Wilshire is from Lexington and went on to play college golf for the Golden Knights of Central Florida. In 2017, he played a full season on the Korn Ferry Tour and earned conditional status on PGA Tour Latino America in January 2020. He placed T15 last year at Triple Crown Country Club.

Colten Wilson - Wilson has been a consistently solid force in Kentucky Junior Golf the last couple of years. He was a recipient of the 2020 Gay Brewer Jr, Grant. To qualify for this championship, he shot 74 (+2) at the Nevel Meade qualifier which secured his spot.

Mitch Winzer - A round of 72 (E) from Gibson Bay’s qualifier put Winzer into the field. He is relatively new to Kentucky after originally hailing from Australia. He caddied for Mark O’Meara at the 2018 Masters Tournament.

Jiles Wyatt - Wyatt had a nice round of 69 (-3) in the qualifier from Bowling Green Country Club. That led to a third-place finish that day which got him into this field with ease. He will be a freshman at Centre College this fall.

Dane Zachman - Zachman wasn’t able to qualify at Nevel Meade when he teed it up in that qualifier, but he converted on his second-chance at his home club’s qualifier at Persimmon Ridge where he gained entry. He is originally from Wisconsin.

Hayden Zimmerer - Rising senior at Dayton, Zimmerer qualified handily at Nevel Meade after posting a 70 (-2). Zimmerer not only possesses the game to compete this week, but also the home course knowledge.