LOUISVILLE, KY – After six long months of successful competition, the 2024 Kentucky PGA Junior Tour season has come to an end at the Lou Perry Tour Championship. Following impressive displays across multiple events, nine juniors have been named the 2024 Player of the Year for their respective divisions. View the final standings HERE. 

Boys 8 & Under Player of the Year: Maximus Schadler

Schadler competed in twelve events during the 2024 season, claimed seven victories, and never finished lower than second place. Schadler’s season was highlighted with a victory at the Lou Perry Tour Championship last month where he put together rounds of 42 (+7) and 38(+3) to win by four strokes. 

Boys 10 & Under Player of the Year: Braden Hendricks

A victory at the 2024 Lou Perry Tour Championship vaulted Hendricks to the top of the Player of the Year rankings. The win was Hendricks’ fourth of the year in eleven events. His lowest round of the season, 38(+2), came in his first victory of the year at the Derby Classic at Shawnee Golf Course on May 5th, 2024.

“Competing on the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour helped me get better as a golfer because the competition was great. It showed me that all the practicing makes a difference.  Playing on the Junior Tour also pushed me to play my best. What I enjoyed most about the golf season was getting to see my friends and having fun with them (and my caddy) at all the tournaments.”

Boys 11-12 Player of the Year: Max DeHaven

DeHaven dominated the Boys 11-12 division, competing in twenty-one events and claiming thirteen victories. DeHaven’s impressive season was highlighted by victories at the 2024 Lou Perry Tour Championship and the 2024 9-Hole Junior Amateur. The eleven-year-old recorded three rounds under-par, including an impressive two-round 69(-3) at the Eastern Kentucky Junior Championship. 

"Playing on the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour has helped my confidence and helped me overcome some of my mental struggles. What I enjoyed the most about this season was how good the pace of play was at every tournament. I also enjoyed the points system, and I really think this is a good motivator to do well and get rewarded at the end of the season. What I look forward to next year is the Team Championship. Thank you for a great season!"

Boys 13-15 Player of the Year: Carson Nicholas

Carson Nicholas claimed the top spot in the Boys 13-15 division after recording four wins in nine events and never finishing lower than fifth place. The highlight of Nicholas’ season was easily his first-class performance at the 45th Boy’s Junior Amateur at Nevel Meade Golf Club. Nicholas fired rounds of 69(-3), 71(-1), and 72(E) to finish at 212(-4) and win the tournament by six strokes. 

"I am very honored to have earned 2024 Player of the Year on the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour. This was a goal I set for myself at the beginning of the season and I knew it would be challenging since there are so many talented junior golfers in Kentucky. Playing on the Junior Tour helped me grow as a golfer because it provided me with opportunities to compete at a high level at a variety of great golf courses across the state. The highlight of my season was winning the Kentucky Boys Junior Amateur 13-15 division at Nevel Meade and playing with old and new friends throughout the season. I will continue to work on my game this winter and I look forward to playing in more events next season.  Lastly, I would like to thank the staff of Golf House Kentucky and the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour for putting on great events as well as each golf course in Kentucky that hosted and supported the junior tournaments."

Boys 16-18 Player of the Year: Will Carter

Following top-five performances at the Lexington and Northern Kentucky Junior Championships, Carter led the division heading into the final event of the year. With multiple players chasing closely, though, he was under pressure to perform at the Lou Perry Tour Championship. Carter did just that, shooting a two-round 144(E) to finish the season at the top of the division. 

"Competing on the Junior Tour has always been so fun and I have made many new connections with people throughout the years. It has helped me learn to always have fun and not get mad at the game of golf. I am excited to get back out there next year and hopefully get some more good results."

Girls 9 & Under Player of the Year: Madeline Sherertz

Madeline Sherertz put on an immaculate display this season, winning all nine of the events in which she competed. The nine-year-old birdied a whopping 22.22% of holes played and finished two tournaments under par. At the Lou Perry Tour Championship, Sherertz recorded rounds of 36(+1) and 39(+4) to finish at 75(+5) and cap off an impressive season with one last victory. 

“I think this past season my mental game got stronger as well as my ability to try and move on from shots I may not like. I really enjoyed making new friends during the tournaments and spending time with my dad caddying and family on the course. I am looking forward to the challenge of moving up age groups with longer yardages next season and making even more friends.”

Girls 10-12 Player of the Year: Parker Haddix

Just like Sherertz, Parker Haddix also completed an immaculate season by winning all fourteen events in which she competed. Haddix showed extreme consistency, finishing the season with seven events where she scored even-par or better. Haddix also had an impressive season-long scoring average of 4.9 strokes on par-fives. At the Lou Perry Tour Championship, Haddix finished with a score of 74(+4) to claim a sixteen stroke victory. 

“I am so excited and honored to be named Girls 10-12 Player of the Year. This is a huge reward for all of the time and hard work by my coaches and myself. Competing in the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour has helped me with tournament practice and course management. My favorite event of the year was winning the Lexington City Championship at Kearney Hill Golf Links. It’s always nice to play new courses, see my friends, and make new ones! The Junior Tour is a great experience, and I am looking forward to hopefully defending the Player of the Year title next year. I would like to thank everyone at Golf House Kentucky for a GREAT season!” 

Girls 13-15 Player of the Year: Heidi Mitchell

Heidi Mitchell claimed the Girls 13-15 division title after tallying eight wins in eleven events this season. Mitchell finished every event in the top-five, with runner-up honors at the Lou Perry Tour Championship and the 45th Girls Junior Amateur. Mitchell’s biggest win of the season came at the Louisville Junior Championship where she recorded rounds of 79(+7) and 76(+4) to finish at 155(+11) and a five-stroke victory. 

“Playing on the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour has really helped me grow as a player by giving me the chance to compete against some really strong junior golfers. One of the highlights of my season was making seven birdies in an 18-hole round at Polo Fields Country Club, which was a big confidence boost. I also loved meeting other junior golfers from all over Kentucky and making new friends. Next season I am looking forward to the Girls Junior Amateur and trying to break my personal best!”

Girls 16-18 Player of the Year: Morgan Kennedy

Morgan Kennedy, who is committed to play golf at Morehead State University next fall, won two of the five events in which she competed this season to claim the Girls 16-18 Player of the Year honors. Kennedy recorded a 157(+13) at the Northern Kentucky Junior Championship to claim her first victory of the year by seventeen strokes. Her second victory came at the Lou Perry Tour Championship with rounds of 77(+5) and 79(+7) to finish at 156(+12) and a three-stroke margin of victory. 

"I am really excited to be the Player of the Year! I started playing on this tour when I was twelve years old, and this is my first time winning POY honors. I've made so many friends from across the state playing the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour. Traveling and playing at such a wide variety of golf courses has definitely made me a better golfer. I had an awesome summer and Senior year of high school golf and now I look forward to my next chapter of my game improving by playing competitive golf at Morehead State University in the fall of 2025."

 The KPGA Junior Tour would like to thank everyone who competed this season as well as all parents, volunteers, officials, and golf course staff who helped make this season one to remember! We look forward to another successful season in 2025!