Host Pro Nick Johnston guides team to victory at Wildwood Country Club.

LOUISVILLE, KY (June 21, 2022) – Nick Johnston led a pro-am team to victory for the second time in Kentucky PGA competition this season during Monday’s Bill Long Mega Pro-Am presented by Cunningham | Yamaha and supported by Bushnell. After first doing so in May’s Pro-Senior, he did it this time as the Host Professional at Wildwood Country Club.

Johnston, Steve Adams, Brian Bailey, and Dan McIntyre waltzed to a four-stroke victory where the event’s format took the two best net scores on each hole. The winning foursome took an under-par score on all but four holes which helped them accumulate a total score of 124 (-20).

Two teams shared the runner-up spot with Steve Cox, PGA, Buck Wideman, Terry Beams, and Cory Cox joining Brad Maynard, PGA, John Dennis, Jacob Fowler, and Ryan Bennett as those who recorded scores of 128 (-16).

Andrew Stephens, PGA, the reigning ROLEX Larry Gilbert Player of the Year, had the low individual round of the day with the only sub-60 round at 69 (-3). He claimed low pro honors by a stroke over Blake Watts, PGA and Aaron Eldridge.

While Cox was part of the second-place squad in the team competition, he was first in the low senior competition. The Head Professional from Larue County Country Club shot 71 (-1), giving him a three-shot victory in that portion of the event over Bruce Oldendick, PGA.

NOTES & STATS

• Several closest-to-the-hole competitions were held throughout the day. Sara Stephens, PGA and Blake Watts, PGA won the Professional prizes which were hosted by Cunningham | Yamaha on the 13^th hole. For their quality tee shots, they were each presented with complimentary bottles of Woodford Reserve. Bushnell hosted the same contest for amateurs on the 8^th hole where Bentley Andrews and Greg Rumery struck the top shots and earned Wingman speakers for them and each of their teammates.
• Seven gross eagles were notched throughout the day. The par-five 17^th allowed the most with three while the par-five 7^th and 9^th holes surrendered two apiece.
• The 9^th was the easiest hole of the day with a stroke-to-par average of +0.19. 36 birdies were made there, the most on any hole, to go alongside the pair of eagles.
• The par-four 14^th was the only hole to average more than a stroke over par and was the hardest hole of the day as a result. It averaged +1.04 and had the fewest birdies of any hole with two.
• The front nine played close to a stroke easier than the back nine. Holes 1-9 had a scoring average of 40.73 (+4.73) compared to 41.58 (+5.58) on holes 10-18. Combined, the day’s scoring average was 82.31 (+10.31).

Click here to view the final results

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The Kentucky PGA extends its thanks to Nick Johnston and the entire staff at Wildwood Country Club for their assistance in hosting this tournament. Additionally, the Section sends its appreciation towards Mark Jackie of Cunningham | Yamaha and Robb Spencer of Bushnell for their support of the event and all Section activities throughout the year.

Next on the Section’s tournament schedule is the first of the three State Opens that will take place during the summer. The 23^rd Kentucky Senior Open will take place at The University Club at Arlington on June 27-28. Defending champion Scott Porter headlines the field looking to win the most prestigious tournament for senior males in the Commonwealth.

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, which also includes the Kentucky Golf Association (KGA) and Kentucky Golf Foundation (KGF). The KPGA contains more than 275 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 Barbasol Championship.

Media Contact:
Ethan Fisher, PGA | Golf House Kentucky | efisher@kygolf.org | (502) 792-9703