Louisville, KY – This week, the Kentucky PGA community converged on Valhalla Golf Club for its 73rd annual Kentucky PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car, Corebridge Financial, and Rolex. As the end of the summer approaches, the legendary track has firmed up, making the 2024 PGA Championship venue even more of a challenge for the 63 PGA members who were battling for the title of top pro in the state. 

Monday's first round provided plenty of scoring opportunities, with 117 birdies and 2 eagles being scored, but, major-level courses like Valhalla always punch back. Every player in the field recorded at least one bogey, and the difficult stretch from hole 12 to 16 only provided 21 birdies on the day compared to 180 bogeys or worse. The low-round of the day was shared by Zach Haynes and Brad Maynard, who both finished at 70(-2). The co-leaders recorded the only rounds under-par on the first day of competition. Haynes led the field with 6 birdies including three straight on holes 9, 10, and 11. Former section champions Grover Justice and Tom Walters stayed close to the leaders, recording respective rounds of 74(+2) and 75(+3). 

Early on in the second round, it looked as if it was going to be a two-horse race between Maynard and Haynes for the championship. A birdie on the par-5 second hole gave Haynes an early lead at -3, but Maynard responded with back-to-back birdies on holes 4 and 5 to claim the solo lead at -4. The pair hit a rough patch as they wrapped up the front nine, with each player making multiple bogeys, but Maynard maintained a two stroke advantage at -2 for the tournament. Daniel Iceman kept his name in contention as he shot a one-under 35 on the front nine, finding himself just two shots back of the lead as he made the turn. 

Maynard started out strong on the back nine, recording 5 pars in a row before finding trouble on holes 15 and 16, which he played +3. Maynard finished with a second round 76(+4) taking him to 146(+2) for the tournament. Haynes managed the back nine well to finish at 144(E) for the tournament. 

In the end, 36 holes were not enough to declare a winner as Daniel Iceman birdied hole #18 to join Zach Haynes at even-par (144) for the tournament. The pair of pros headed back to the tenth tee, where they both missed the fairway to the left. Both golfers laid up with their second shots, but only Iceman, the reigning Rolex Larry Gilbert KPGA Player of the Year, was able to find the green with his third shot, which settled just ten feet from the pin. Haynes' third shot unfortunately found the front bunker, meaning that he needed to get up-and-down to force a second playoff hole. He was able to manage the bunker handily, but his putt barely missed the cup as it rolled past. Iceman, only needing to two-putt for the win, knocked his first putt within inches of the hole and tapped in for the victory. 

The victory not only grants Iceman the title of Kentucky PGA Professional Champion, but it also secures him a spot in the 2025 national PGA Professional Championship, which will take place next April in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Iceman will be joined by second and third-place finishers Zachary Haynes and Grover Justice. Brad Maynard, Ryne Burnett, and Mitchel Moore will serve as alternates for the national tournament. 

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QUICK FACTS: 

• Valhalla provided quite a test, with an average first round score of 82.8 strokes (+12.8). 

• The low round of the week was 70(-2), recorded by Brad Maynard and Zach Haynes in Round 1 and Daniel Iceman in Round 2. 

• Grover Justice and Zach Haynes led the field with 9 birdies through 36 holes. 

• Hole #2 played the easiest on the week with an average score of 5.23 (+0.23).

• Hole #12 played the hardest on the week with an average score of 5.01 (+1.01).

The KPGA would like to thank Keith Reese, PGA, Kyle Cramer, PGA, and the rest of the Valhalla Golf Club team for their incredible hospitality in preparing the course and executing this wonderful event.

The KPGA would also like to thank presenting sponsors Club Car, Corebridge Financial, and Rolex for their continued support of the KPGA Section Championship as well as supporting partners Gallagher, Golf Channel, PGA TOUR, and supporting sponsors Titleist, Footjoy, Callaway, Nike, and TaylorMade. 

About the Kentucky PGA:
The Kentucky PGA Section (KPGA) is one of forty-one Sections across the country representing the PGA of America and its Members. It is also one of three organizations encompassed within Golf House Kentucky, including the Kentucky Golf Association (KGA) and Kentucky Golf Foundation (KGF). The KPGA contains more than 300 Members and more than 30 Associates working in various roles across Kentucky; all of whom share the goal of bettering the game and its players. The KPGA and its Members assist with the organization of many chief growth-of-the-game initiatives including PGA HOPE and PGA Jr. League among others. The Section also operates more than thirty tournaments throughout the golf season, including the three State Open championships and qualifiers for the ISCO Championship.