By ANTHONY CALHOUN
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
Three Indiana golf professionals are recipients of some of the most prestigious honors from the PGA of America.
Tony Pancake was named the 2024 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the highest honor given by the organization every year.
According to the PGA website, the Golf Professional of the Year award goes annually to a club professional who displays outstanding “leadership, strong moral character, and a substantial record of service to the Association and the game of golf.”
Pancake, the Head Golf Professional at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, was selected from over 29,000 golf professionals nationwide.
Mike David, the executive director of Indiana Golf, had glowing reviews of Pancake’s work in central Indiana.
“Tony is the epitome of what a PGA Professional should be,” David said. “He is involved in all aspects of the club, including tournaments, merchandising, giving lessons, running events, and general club operations. And he is able to do all of these things at a pretty demanding club. In addition, he finds time to give back to the game and the community. He is truly a leader in the golf industry and is tremendously deserving of this award.”
Pancake was not the only golf professional from the state of Indiana recognized by the PGA this year.
Crystal Morse received the PGA Player Development Award, while Rob Koontz was named the PGA Merchandiser of the Year in the Resort category.
Morse is the Director of Junior Golf Development at the Legends Golf Club in Johnson County.
David had high praise for Morse’s accomplishments.
“Crystal is a forward thinker,” David said. “She is willing to try new programs and understands that even though golf is riding a high right now, we need to continue to think about the next generation of players. She is 100 percent committed to introducing the game to new people and to making the game more enjoyable for those already playing.”
Koontz is the PGA Head Professional at The Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in southern Indiana.
According to the PGA website, the Merchandiser of the Year award “recognizes PGA Professionals who excel in business and merchandising for the promotion of golf.”
David loves the recognition that Koontz is getting on the national stage.
“I could not be happier for Rob,” David said. “He is a soft-spoken guy who simply goes about his business of providing great service to guests who come to French Lick. For a PGA Professional at a resort tucked away in southern Indiana, this is a tremendous achievement.”
Pancake, Morse, and Koontz are the first national winners from Indiana since Chip Essig won PGA Professional of the Year in 2011.
Indiana had three national winners in the last 33 years before this year.
The awards will be presented to the trio at the PGA of America Annual Meeting on Nov. 5, 2024.