Early May featured perhaps the round of the year within Kentucky golf for 2021. Several months removed from being the KPGA’s ROLEX Larry Gilbert Player of the Year, Andrew Stephens went to Cherry Blossom Golf Club for the U.S. Open Local Qualifier and firmly put the state on 59-watch during a day where breaking 70 was an accomplishment.

The lone National Open qualifier in the Commonwealth was pushed back a day due to heavy rainfall that came down in Georgetown on the day the Qualifier was supposed to take place. A day later with saturated conditions, a stiff wind, and chilly temperatures, Stephens was -11 thru 17 holes needing an eagle on the last to break 60. It ended up being a round of 62 (-10) for Stephens, but that was more than enough to get him through to Final Qualifying ahead of the third men’s major of the year. Fellow Kentuckians Rocco Zakutney and Billy Basham also advanced that day at Cherry Blossom.

That same week, Andy Pole, who joined Big Spring Country Club – Harmony Landing Course as their Head Golf Professional last offseason, won in his first KPGA start at his home club. Alongside John Morrison, Pat Yates and Dan Okrhulica, the four players won the Pro-Senior by two strokes for a storybook beginning to Pole’s career in Kentucky.

Storybook was also the word for five valued members of Kentucky’s PGA HOPE program. During PGA Championship week, Matt O’Keefe, Steven Fuller, Gregory Mack, Jr., Ted Palmer, and Colonel Don Wolfe represented Kentucky as the Section competed for the first time in the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup. It was a unique experience for all competitors of this tournament. Because of the pandemic, each team played in their own state in a “virtual” setting rather than gather in one place. Kentucky’s group competed at Valhalla Golf Club and while they might not have played the way they wanted, it was an inspiring experience and showcased the amazing things that PGA HOPE can do for its participants.

The KGA saw a new initiative debut in May with the Western Kentucky Am Series. Branching out from the traditional Am Series events, these events took place exclusively at golf courses in Western Kentucky with any golfer with Kentucky residency eligible to sign up. The first of which took place at Miller Memorial Golf Course where Drake Stepter and Jay Nimmo had the best gross scores of the day to kick off the new tournament series.

The KGA’s first state championship of the season also took place in May with the Kentucky Team Championship. Two of the best amateurs the state has, Matt Epperson and Andy Roberts, teamed up in the 36-hole competition at Kearney Hill Golf Links to turn a one-shot deficit after one round into a five-shot victory. Their second-round score of 61 (-11) helped Roberts win the event for the third time and the second time for Epperson.

In the previous recap, it was foreshadowed how Nick Johnston’s name would come up many times in these installments, particularly within Pro-Pro events. The month of May featured two of those events and Johnston was in the winner’s circle each time. The first of which was the Pro-Pro Challenge supported by Evolve Golf at Owl Creek Country Club. He and Jesse Massie triumphed by a stroke in the tournament where every nine holes is a different format.

Two weeks later, Johnston was once again a winner with new partners. This time it was at Audubon Country Club in the Callaway Pro-Assistant. He didn’t just get one winner’s check there, he departed with four. The first of which, the namesake Pro-Assistant, was won with Blake Watts. The Pro-Pro portion was won with Josh Griffin. A blind draw players had the option to enter led to him being paired with Andrew Stephens, which they won. For good measure, he was the low professional with a round of 66 (-6) in a performance that included a front-nine 30 (-6).

Two other tournaments from May to note were the KPGA Pro-Am Championship at Big Spring Country Club and KGA Am Series #2 from Oxmoor Country Club. Both of which took place on May 17 and the facilities’ close proximity led to our staff’s radios accidentally being relayed to the opposite event. No joke, there were multiple instances of a person at Big Spring’s radio call accidentally being answered by a person at Oxmoor or vice-versa. But the golf itself was very good at both places. An Owensboro squad containing Jason Fitch/Darrell Vanover/Cameron Carrico/Randy King won at Big Spring while Matt Reynolds, Paxton Song, Mike Newton, and Greg Engle had the top gross scores from Oxmoor Country Club after each player shot 70 (-2).

To cap off May, it was another triumphant month for the Kentucky Golf Foundation for a couple of reasons. First, the annual Gay Brewer, Jr. and Justin Thomas Grants were awarded. Congratulations once more to each of these golfers who have since used the funds from these grants to cover their tournament expenses and help them get closer to playing college golf one day:

• Micah Bertram (Gay Brewer, Jr. Grant)
• Macey Brown (Gay Brewer, Jr. Grant)
• William Carr (Gay Brewer, Jr. Grant)
• Maddi Hudson (Justin Thomas Grant)
• Cameron Roberts (Gay Brewer, Jr. & Justin Thomas Grant)
• Zach Watterson (Gay Brewer, Jr. Grant)

One of our Youth on Course Kentucky members also made headlines in May as Bryson Berry of Lexington was one of twenty junior golfers nationwide to receive a Youth on Course scholarship. A sharp young man with a well-crafted plan on how he wants to change the world (and golf), Berry was well-deserving of this honor and represents the positive work Youth on Course is doing within Kentucky Junior Golf.