2011 Year in Review
Updegraff Award: Dick Hyland
Established in 1990, the Updegraff Award is the AGA’s highest honor given in recognition of those who, by their actions, exemplify the spirit of the game. The award is named for Dr. Ed Updegraff of Tucson, honoring his lifetime contributions and dedication to amateur golf in Arizona.
In 2011, the Updegraff Award was given to Dick Hyland. “Dick Hyland has such a love of golf that integrity, adherence to the rules, and the pursuit of excellence are embodied in his everyday approach to his life and the game alike,” noted Ed Gowan, AGA executive director. “Just like with Dr. Ed, if you have a chance to talk with him or play a round of golf with him, you walk away a better person from the experience.”
Champion of Golf: PING
It seems more than fitting that PING has been selected as the fourth recipient of the Champion of Golf Award, presented annually by the Arizona Golf Association as part of the festivities surrounding the Arizona State Stroke Play Championship.
What separates PING from many other golf club manufacturers is its never-ending drive to innovate and make the products better, with its Phoenix plant serving as its worldwide headquarters for research and product design. The company also supports the game in all shapes and sizes, from its title sponsorships with the LPGA to its involvement in the junior high, high school and college ranks.
PING also goes the extra distance when it comes to charitable contributions within the game and out of the game, supporting numerous charities that are related or unrelated to golf. It also makes club donations that reach military personnel around the world, as well as special equipment for “Wounded Warriors’’ and the physically challenged.
Doc Graves Volunteer of the Year: Jerry Mahanke
Each year the AGA staff honors an individual (other than an executive committee member) who most exemplifies volunteerism through his or her commitment of time and effort to the association. In 2010, this award was named after Robert "Doc" Graves, a long-time AGA volunteer who exemplifies the selfless contributions of time and dedication to serving golf in Arizona.
In 2011, the AGA honored Jerry Mahanke with the prestigious honor. Jerry has volunteered as a rules official and tournament organizer, served on the AGA board of directors and executive committee and as chairman of the member services committee, but rating courses is his expertise. He has represented the AGA twice at the annual USGA Course Rating Calibration Seminar and both times his team had the highest score in the country.
Player of the Year: Camron Howell
The AGA awards Player of the Year in each of its three divisions (Masters, Senior and Legends), as well as overall, to the eligible player having the best overall year in Arizona events. Learn how to qualify.
In 2011, Camron Howell qualified for the overall Player of the Year honors because he earned the highest number of performance points in 2011 (1175 points). That was 475 points ahead of his closest rival. Although Camron never won a tournament during the year, he was always close to the top of the leaderboard with 2nd place finishes in the East Valley Short Course and Southern Amateur and 3rd place finishes at the Arizona Stroke Play Championship, Western Amateur, Falcon Amateur and Arizona Four-Ball Championship. He also qualified for the US Mid-Amateur Championship at Shadow Hawk Golf Club in Richmond, Texas where he shot 74-72 to qualify for match play. Camron was also the team captain for the Open Division in the Goldwater Cup and a member of the Arizona team in the AZ/UT Shootout.
2011 Accomplishments
Winner: AGA Performance Points - 1175
2nd - East Valley Short Course
2nd - Southern Amateur
3rd - Arizona Stroke Play Championship
3rd - Western Amateur
3rd - Falcon Amateur
3rd - Arizona Four-Ball Championship
7th - Arizona Mid-Amateur Championship
Qualifier - US Amateur Championship - Round of 64
Masters Player of the Year: Tom Sweigart
When a player wins almost everything he plays in, it makes it pretty simple to determine the Player of the Year. Tom Sweigart did just that in 2011, dominating the Master’s Division winning both majors – the Senior Stroke Play and Senior Match Play.
Just for good measure, he added a win at the Northern Divisional Four-Ball and placed second in the Divisional Team Classic.
2011 Accomplishments
Winner - Senior Stroke Play, Masters Division
Winner - Senior Match Play, Masters Division
Winner - Northern Divisional Four-Ball
2nd - Divisional Team Classic
2nd - Billy Bell Tournament
3rd - Masters Performance points (602.5)
Senior Player of the Year: Dave Rasley
Dave Rasley, although he had limited play due to back problems, had a successful year in the Divisional Championships, winning the Legends Division of the Senior Stroke Play Championship and reaching the round of 16 in the Senior Match Play. Rasley was a member of the Arizona team in the AZ/UT Shootout.
2011 Accomplishments
Winner - Senior Stroke Play, Senior Division
Quarter Finals - Senior Match Play, Senior Division
Member Arizona/Utah Shootout Team
Legends Player of the Year: Richard Cardwell
Richard Cardwell, a newcomer to AGA tournaments, won the Legends Division of the Senior Match Play and finished 3rd in the Senior Stroke Play.
2011 Accomplishments
Winner: Senior Match Play, Legends Division
3rd: Senior Stroke Play, Legends Division
Mayfair Award: Tim Beth
The Mayfair Award is presented to the AGA member with the lowest stroke average from selected events during the season. To qualify, a contestant must:
- Compete in at least one USGA qualifying round in AZ AND at least two AGA individual major championships, or
- Compete in at least one USGA qualifying round in AZ AND at least one AGA individual major championship AND the NCAA Finals.
Additional individual competitions that count toward this award are the Pacific Coast and Southwestern Amateurs (when contested in AZ), AZ Open, PING AZ Intercollegiate, ASU Thunderbird Invitational and the U.S. Open, Amateur, Mid-Amateur & Junior Amateurs.
A contestant must return a minimum of twelve 18-hole scores from all above listed competitions and all rounds will be used to determine the scoring average.
2011 Qualifications
Stroke Average - 70.06
Arizona Amateur Championship
Arizona Stroke Play Championship
Southern Amateur
Falcon Amateur
Arizona Mid-Amateur Championship
US Amateur Qualifying
US Mid-Amateur Qualifying