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The PGA Championship is a Major tournament, which means the field is usually as full as it can possibly be. From former winners and other qualifiers, there are tons of ways to get into the event, but not as many apply to club pros. Club professionals are golfers who being senior pros, either run golf clubs themselves or teach others, like Michael Block, for example.
21 club professionals will be part of the 2024 PGA Championship field, including the 2024 PGA Professional Championship winner, Ben Polland. The golfer will lead the Corebridge Financial Team.
The PGA of America, the sponsor for this Major tournament, fills the 20 spots for club professionals based on the top finishers at the PGA Professional Championship, leaving room for 21 players to get into the field.
Which club pros are in the PGA Championship?
The fact that the PGA of America provides an opportunity for several players who otherwise would not get into the field, such as Michael Block, allows for a more interesting tournament.
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He is part of this year's club pros team, the Corebridge Financial Team. He and Ben Polland, leading the team in 2024, are joined by:
- Wyatt Worthington II
- Jeremy Wells
- Andy Svoboda
- Josh Speight
- John Somers
- Braden Shattuck
- Tracy Phillips
- Zac Oakley
- Jeff Kellen
- Brad Marek
- Kyle Mendoza
- Jesse Mueller
- Jared Jones
- Larkin Gross
- Matt Dobyns
- Tyler Collet
- Josh Bevell
- Evan Bowser
- Preston Cole
Many of these players will be in their first-ever PGA Championship. Generally speaking, these club pros don't make as much of an impact at the tournament, since they're not technically pro golfers on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, or LIV Golf.
However, sometimes, they do make noise. Block's run at the 2023 PGA Championship where he not only made the cut but finished tied for 15th place comes to mind.
Most of these players hold jobs in and around golf. For example, Wyatt Worthington II is a PGA Golf Manufacturer Sales Representative at Eastside Golf. Braden Shattuck is the PGA Director of Instruction at Rolling Green Golf Club.
This gives them a unique perspective and knowledge of the sport, and the PGA of America aims to give them a chance to play in the tournament. They are hard pressed to compete with Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and others, but they are given a shot at competing.
Many of these players do play in professional tournaments. For example, Braden Shattuck was in the field for the Corales Puntacana Championship. He missed the cut but was one shot under par.
So even though they do play some tournaments from time to time, it's hard to qualify for a Major that way. Unless they win one close in schedule to a Major tournament, they're not going to get in very easily, but the PGA of America steps in to give them a shot to see what they can do.
