by PGA of America
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Rod Perry of Port Orange, Fla., whose consistency carried him throughout the season to success in both Section and national events, has earned the 2012 PGA Professional Player of the Year Awards.
It was the first national award for Perry, 39, who has set several milestones with his season-ending honor. He is the first left-handed player, the first PGA Golf Management University graduate and the second North Florida PGA member to be named PGA Professional Player of the Year.
The final Player of the Year standings were determined based on a point system involving both national and PGA Section competitions from Jan. 1 through Dec. 17, 2012. Perry, in his first season as a PGA head professional at Crane Lakes Golf and Country Club in Port Orange, finished tied for second in the PGA Professional National Championship at Seaside, Calif. He also won his third North Florida PGA Section Championship in August, and two PGA Tournament Series titles in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and was the No. 1 Series money-winner.
Rod Perry, PGA
P G A A W A R D S
Perry earned 1,377.5 overall points, including 362.5 for sharing runner-up in the National Championship, 300 for Section Player of the Year and 200 additional points for winning the SectionChampionship and Section PGA Professional Championship. He also gained 200 for leading the PGA Tournament Series money list and 100 for capturing two Series events. Three-time PGA Professional Player of the Year Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, was runner-up with 1,190 overall points, followed by Danny Balin of Rockville, Md., with 1,135; Mitch Lowe of Modesto, Calif., with 886; and Kelly Mitchum of Southern Pines, N.C., with 862.5.
"It has been quite a year, a big job change for me going from director of instruction to head professional," said Perry, a native of York, Pa., who has served since April as PGA head professional at Crane Lakes Golf and Country Club in Port Orange. "With the new job, you're playing expectations are less. I ended up with a good National Championship finish, tying for second at a place in the country that I absolutely love going to play."
Rod Perry Earns
PGA of America's National Award
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Rod Perry, PGA