IAGA Quick Hits | 9.12.25
Ouimet Caddies at the LPGA’s FM Championship Pro-Am
From the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund
Nearly 100 Ouimet caddies represented The Fund on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at the LPGA’s FM Championship Pro-Am on a picture perfect day at TPC Boston.
Scholars and supporters walked inside the ropes with top business leaders and some of the most recognizable names on the LPGA Tour, including Nelly Korda, Rose Zhang, Lexi Thompson and Massachusetts’ own Megan Khang.
Phyllis Thomas Pink Ball at Diamante Country Club
From the Arkansas State Golf Association
The week began at Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs Village with the annual Phyllis Thomas Pink Ball, the largest women’s event of the year. Held in honor of Phyllis Thomas, a respected businesswoman who built Harbor Oaks Golf Club and played a pivotal role in promoting golf in Arkansas, the event drew a record-breaking field of 120 players across 30 teams.
Despite the extreme heat, the competition was fierce, and the camaraderie was just as strong. Congratulations to this year’s winners: Alyssa Hagewood, Donna Hagewood, Haley Arzaga, and Miae Ahnheo.
GAM Foundation Presents Scholarships to Professional Golf Management Students
From the Golf Association of Michigan
A couple of months ago at the awards ceremony for the CGA Match Play, the association’s longtime executive director, Ed Mate, made an apt comment about the ongoing work John and Amy Lee of Greeley are doing to pay tribute to their son, Michael, who passed away in December 2020 at age 28 after battling Covid-19. Mate called it a “testament to goodness.”
On Thursday, another example of that goodness came to fruition. The Mike Lee 9, a short course built mainly for golf beginners at the Boomerang Links facility in Greeley, was formally dedicated and opened. A 24-by-18-inch cast aluminum plaque noting Michael Lee’s many personal attributes and the support the city of Greeley and others provided in making Mike Lee 9 a reality sits on a pedestal near the first tee.
About 80 people, including the mayor of Greeley, John Gates, took part in the festivities honoring Lee, a well-liked, respected, upbeat young man who played high school golf at Greeley Central and won the CGA Match Play Championship in 2011.
2024 Maryland Women’s Open Runner-up Melanie Green Excelling on the EPSON Tour
From the Maryland State Golf Association
Melanie Green, a name increasingly familiar to followers of women’s golf, is on a determined path to earning an LPGA Tour card. This journey, which is rooted in a standout collegiate career and now flourishing on the EPSON Tour, recently saw a significant stop at the Maryland Women’s Open, an event that holds a special place as the first professional event of her career.
Green, a former standout at the University of South Florida (USF), left a lasting mark on the Bulls’ golf program. During her time at USF, she consistently showcased her talent, accumulating numerous accolades. She made the American Athletic All-Conference team four times, was a 2022 NCAA Regional individual qualifier, and was the first USF player to be named the American Athletic Conference Women’s Golfer of the Year, among many other accolades. Her collegiate success laid a strong foundation for her professional goals.
The transition from amateur status to playing as a professional can be particularly challenging for any golfer. However, the 25th Maryland Women’s Open served as an exciting launchpad for Green. “It was my first pro event, so I was a little more nervous but mainly excited,” she shared when asked about her initial thoughts on participating in the tournament. “It was a great event to start my pro career,” Green exclaimed. “Overall…such a great event for a state championship, one of the best ones across the country. I’m super happy that is where my start happened.”