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has earned the distinction of
Merchandiser of the Year.
PGA Head Professional Chris
Champagne of The Preserve Golf
Club in Vancleave, Mississippi has
earned his third award from the
Gulf States PGA, Merchandiser
of the Year in the Resort category
(2016, 2013, 2009).
For the second year in row,
PGA Teaching Professional V.J.
Trolio from Old Waverly G.C. has
been named the Section’s Player
Development Award winner. This
award honors his extraordinary
and exemplary contributions and
achievements in the area of player
development.
Leading the class of 2016 award
winners in the Louisiana Chapter
is its Golf Professional of the
Year Gamon Manne, PGA Head
Professional at the Country Club
of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, La.
Louisiana Assistant Professional
of the Year has been awarded
to Grant Landry, PGA Assistant
Professional at Baton Rouge
Country Club.
The Mississippi Chapter has
once again selected Tim Basel,
PGA Head Professional at Reunion
Golf & Country Club in Madison,
Miss., as its Golf Professional of
the Year, an award he also received
in 2015.
Representing the Mississippi
Chapter
in
the
Assistant
Professional of the Year category
is this year’s award winner Tyler
Daniels, Assistant Professional
at Northwood Country Club in
Meridian, Miss.
Two special Chapter awards are
set aside to honor individuals that
tirelessly and unselfishly work to
support the game of golf.
The Louisiana Chapter has
chosen Ladd’s Regional Manager
Mike Drury, Sr. as the recipient
34
of the Barbato-Thomas Award,
which is named after Mike Barbato
and Henry Thomas who both
played a major role in the birth and
development of the Gulf States
Section, and who Drury knew
well. The award is presented to
individuals in recognition of those
who have unselfishly served and
supported the game of golf and the
PGA Professional.
Drury has been involved
with golf for over 50 years, and
throughout this time, has developed
countless relationships with PGA
professionals in the Section. Drury is
a past superintendent of Briarwood
Golf Club and Gonzales Country
Club and has been working in golf
course and turf equipment sales in
the Louisiana and Mississippi areas
for the past 30 years.
Drury played a key role in the
restoration of Metairie Country
Club after Katrina hit in 2005 by
loaning them equipment to begin
the rebuilding process after all of
the club’s equipment was lost.
Ladd’s involvement with the
Section and Mississippi Chapter
as a sponsor allowed Drury to take
on a role that he especially loved,
cooking for the players.
“I’ve had a lot of fun with those
guys over the years,” said Drury,
reflecting on his time with the Gulf
States membership.
The
Mississippi
Chapter’s
Carpenter-Lindsay Award was
named for James Ray Carpenter
and Ken Lindsay, both of whom
served as PGA of America
Presidents and have given so much
to the Association. This year’s
recipient is Melanie Morgan,
Senior Vice President and Director
of Corporate Communications
and Marketing for longtime Section
sponsor Trustmark.
“I am truly grateful to have been
selected to receive the CarpenterLindsay Award,” said Morgan.
“This recognition by a group of
professionals that I respect and
admire tremendously is truly
humbling.”
Morgan has been involved with
the Trustmark Children’s Hospital
Pro-Am for 10 years, an event the
Gulf States PGA has also supported
for many years.
“Just knowing that helping
coordinate, alongside a tremendous
golf committee, a single day of
golf on three courses for some
400 golfers will help make a sick
child’s day a little brighter is all the
incentive I need to stay involved,”
said Morgan.
Morgan also works the Section for
the annual Trustmark Invitational,
which is the only invitational in
Mississippi that puts professional
and amateur golfers together for an
incredible tournament experience
each summer.
The Players of the Year will be
determined after the conclusion of
the E-Z-GO/Oliver Counce Six
Pro Championship in December
and will be honored along with
the special award winners during
an awards ceremony held after the
tournament at Monday, December
5th at Tchefuncta Country Club.
The Gulf States PGA Awards
Committee consists of past award
winners.