News >> Players' Advisory Board Reflects on 2011
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Board Provides Players with Voice-
Myrtle Beach, S.C. - March 22, 2012 - Cohesion between a developmental tour and its players is an important - and sometimes difficult - task. But after the NGA Pro Golf Tour implemented the Players' Advisory Board over a decade ago, the No. 3 golf tour in the country has made great strides in developing synergy with its competitors.
“The player board just shows how much the NGA Tour cares about its players,” said 2011 board member Kyle Morris. “I think Robin (Waters), Ryan (Waters) and Jeff (Harlow) really listen to what the players had to say and took everything into account. We had about a 99 percent pass rating. I know it’s a business, but I felt like the players were the main concern during my time on the board.”
And not just the best players.
“The NGA Tour doesn’t just cater to the top players,” said Philip Pettitt Jr., a 2011 board member and 2012 Nationwide Tour member. “They’ve got over 160 players out there and they’ve got to make the best decision for all of the players, not just for the best or the worst players. Sometimes as a player, you’ve got blinders on and don’t see the whole picture. But when I was on the board, I understood things more and felt like they did a great job of making decisions for the entire field.”
The open line of communication can go both ways, too.
"I’ve had the Tour call and run many ideas by me,” said Pettitt Jr., who logged over 70 NGA starts after graduating from the University of Tennessee. “Some things look good on paper, but they may not go over well with the players. It was an honor that they thought that much of us to ask. I’ve played other tours, and the NGA Tour does the best job out of anyone.”
Matt Harmon, a fellow 2012 Nationwide Tour member, also enjoyed his time serving on the 2011 board and was especially happy with one decision passed during his tenure.
“We got a ruling about practice rounds passed,” said Harmon, the 2010 NGA Tour leading money winner. “People used to jump all over the course during practice rounds, but now they have some structure. It’s nice to have the respect of the Tour. The players are always chitchatting about stuff and the board gives them a voice. Once they see things do get passed, they understand it better.”
A
nd on the rare occasion the board is unable to push through legislation, the NGA Tour’s reasoning, once explained, allows serving members an opportunity to delve deeper into the nuances of running a successful developmental tour.
“As a player, you may not understand the way things are run sometimes,” said Paul Aypan, who served on the board as a rookie in 2011. “Being able to sit down and talk with the Tour helps us see the other side. There’s no question that the board is beneficial for the tour and the players.”
Piri Borja, Richard Swift, Ryan Henry, Matt Savage and Brent Long also served on the 2011 board.
“We would like to thank all the board members for their service,” said Robin L. Waters, President of the NGA Pro Golf Tour. “The NGA Tour wouldn’t have the stature in the game of golf it does without the help of the player advisory board.”
A vote to determine the 2012 Player Advisory Board will take place during the tour's Cross Creek Plantation event in Seneca, S.C. The new Player Advisory Board will hold its first meeting the following week in McCormick, S.C. The 2011 Player Advisory Board will continue to serve until the new Board has been put in place.
2011 Member Bios:
Matt Harmon (Grand Rapids, Mich.) - Harmon joined the NGA Pro Golf Tour after a successful collegiate career at Michigan State, where he won the Big Ten Player of the Year Award. The former Spartan is a four-time NGA Tour winner and won the 2010 NGA Pro Series Money Title. Harmon is a member of the Nationwide Tour and has conditional status for this season.
Piri “Petey” Borja (Coral Springs, Fla.) - Borja is a former All-American from Berry College and was part of the Division II National Championship team in 2007. Upon graduation, Borja joined the NGA Tour and has logged 72 starts since.
Richard “Swifty” Swift (Tucker, Ga.) - Swift is a native of Australia that’s played in 54 NGA Tour events since 2005. Prior to coming to America, Swift played on Australian Tour. Swift is a former member of the Nationwide Tour where he has had 29 starts.
Ryan Henry (Broken Arrow, Okla.) - Henry was a three-year letterman at the University of Tulsa before joining the NGA Tour in 2007. At Tulsa, Henry had 15 top-20s and five top-10s in 34 starts. On the NGA Tour, Henry picked up his first win at the 2010 Victoria Texas Open and was named last year's Golf Achievement Winner awarded to the player who most personifies the professional golfer.
Matt Savage (Louisville, Ky.) - Savage was an All-American and All-ACC team member at Florida State University where he helped bring home the the University's first ACC title. Savage, one of the most popular players on tour, joined in 2009 and has since had three top-five finishes.
Paul Apyan (Hixson, Tenn.) - Apyan is a former Southern Miss Male Athlete of the Year Award winner as well as the Conference USA Spirit of Service Award recipient during his time at Southern Miss where he was also a two-time Academic All-American. Apyan is in his second full season as a member of the NGA Tour.
Brent Long (Carthage, Tenn.) - Long is a former standout at Western Kentucky University, where he won Sun Belt Conference medalist honors in 2006. The long-hitting Tennessean has played in 60 NGA Tour events since 2008. Last season, after sharpening his game on the NGA Tour, Long went on to make 10 Nationwide Tour starts, mostly through Monday qualifiers, and picked up a T3 finish in the South Georgia Classic, which was won by fellow NGA Tour member Teddy Potter. Both had Monday Qualified just to get into the event.
Philip Pettitt Jr. (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) - Pettitt Jr. is a former University of Tennessee stalwart where he was an All-American and served as Team Captain. Pettitt has had 70 starts on the NGA Tour. In 2011, Pettitt Jr. won twice on the NGA Tour and went on to secure his Nationwide Tour card through PGA Tour Qualifying School. Pettitt has three career NGA Tour wins and was selected as the 2009 Rookie of the Year over runner-up Keegan Bradley.
The NGA Pro Golf Tour is the No. 3 Men’s Professional Golf Tour in the United States after the PGA and Nationwide Tours and is the No. 1 recommended developmental tour by more PGA and Nationwide Tour Professionals.
The NGA has helped hundreds of professionals acquire their PGA, Euro, Nationwide, and Champions Tour cards. In fact, NGA alumni have won an incredible Fourteen (14) “Major” Championships.
NGA Alumni include: 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley; 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year and 2003 US Open Champion Jim Furyk; 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink; 2009 US Open Champion Lucas Glover; 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson; 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel; 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis; two-time US Open Champion Lee Janzen; British Open and PGA Champion John Daly; British Open Champion Tom Lehman; PGA Champion David Toms; 2003 Tour Championship Winner Chad Campbell; 2010 NGA Player of the Year Michael Thompson; 2011 PGA winners Sean O'Hair, Scott Piercy, Scott Stallings, Bubba Watson, Mark Wilson, Gary Woodland and many, many more.
At this year’s PGA Tour Qualifying School, 52% of those earning full exempt status on the PGA Tour and 67% of those earning full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour were past NGA Professionals. Another 16 NGA Professionals advanced to the PGA Tour for 2012 by finishing inside the Top 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list, including 2011 NGA members Ted Potter Jr., Russell Knox and Billy Hurley III.
The NGA Pro Golf Tour, established in 1988, predates the Nationwide Tour as the longest running developmental tour in golf. For more information on the NGA or the NGA Pro Golf Tour, please visit our website at www.NGATOUR.com or contact our Tour Office at (800) 992-8748.
Board Provides Players with Voice-
Myrtle Beach, S.C. - March 22, 2012 - Cohesion between a developmental tour and its players is an important - and sometimes difficult - task. But after the NGA Pro Golf Tour implemented the Players' Advisory Board over a decade ago, the No. 3 golf tour in the country has made great strides in developing synergy with its competitors.
“The player board just shows how much the NGA Tour cares about its players,” said 2011 board member Kyle Morris. “I think Robin (Waters), Ryan (Waters) and Jeff (Harlow) really listen to what the players had to say and took everything into account. We had about a 99 percent pass rating. I know it’s a business, but I felt like the players were the main concern during my time on the board.”And not just the best players.
“The NGA Tour doesn’t just cater to the top players,” said Philip Pettitt Jr., a 2011 board member and 2012 Nationwide Tour member. “They’ve got over 160 players out there and they’ve got to make the best decision for all of the players, not just for the best or the worst players. Sometimes as a player, you’ve got blinders on and don’t see the whole picture. But when I was on the board, I understood things more and felt like they did a great job of making decisions for the entire field.”
The open line of communication can go both ways, too.
"I’ve had the Tour call and run many ideas by me,” said Pettitt Jr., who logged over 70 NGA starts after graduating from the University of Tennessee. “Some things look good on paper, but they may not go over well with the players. It was an honor that they thought that much of us to ask. I’ve played other tours, and the NGA Tour does the best job out of anyone.”
Matt Harmon, a fellow 2012 Nationwide Tour member, also enjoyed his time serving on the 2011 board and was especially happy with one decision passed during his tenure.
“We got a ruling about practice rounds passed,” said Harmon, the 2010 NGA Tour leading money winner. “People used to jump all over the course during practice rounds, but now they have some structure. It’s nice to have the respect of the Tour. The players are always chitchatting about stuff and the board gives them a voice. Once they see things do get passed, they understand it better.”
A
nd on the rare occasion the board is unable to push through legislation, the NGA Tour’s reasoning, once explained, allows serving members an opportunity to delve deeper into the nuances of running a successful developmental tour. “As a player, you may not understand the way things are run sometimes,” said Paul Aypan, who served on the board as a rookie in 2011. “Being able to sit down and talk with the Tour helps us see the other side. There’s no question that the board is beneficial for the tour and the players.”
Piri Borja, Richard Swift, Ryan Henry, Matt Savage and Brent Long also served on the 2011 board.
“We would like to thank all the board members for their service,” said Robin L. Waters, President of the NGA Pro Golf Tour. “The NGA Tour wouldn’t have the stature in the game of golf it does without the help of the player advisory board.”
A vote to determine the 2012 Player Advisory Board will take place during the tour's Cross Creek Plantation event in Seneca, S.C. The new Player Advisory Board will hold its first meeting the following week in McCormick, S.C. The 2011 Player Advisory Board will continue to serve until the new Board has been put in place.
2011 Member Bios:
Matt Harmon (Grand Rapids, Mich.) - Harmon joined the NGA Pro Golf Tour after a successful collegiate career at Michigan State, where he won the Big Ten Player of the Year Award. The former Spartan is a four-time NGA Tour winner and won the 2010 NGA Pro Series Money Title. Harmon is a member of the Nationwide Tour and has conditional status for this season. Piri “Petey” Borja (Coral Springs, Fla.) - Borja is a former All-American from Berry College and was part of the Division II National Championship team in 2007. Upon graduation, Borja joined the NGA Tour and has logged 72 starts since.
Richard “Swifty” Swift (Tucker, Ga.) - Swift is a native of Australia that’s played in 54 NGA Tour events since 2005. Prior to coming to America, Swift played on Australian Tour. Swift is a former member of the Nationwide Tour where he has had 29 starts.
Ryan Henry (Broken Arrow, Okla.) - Henry was a three-year letterman at the University of Tulsa before joining the NGA Tour in 2007. At Tulsa, Henry had 15 top-20s and five top-10s in 34 starts. On the NGA Tour, Henry picked up his first win at the 2010 Victoria Texas Open and was named last year's Golf Achievement Winner awarded to the player who most personifies the professional golfer.
Matt Savage (Louisville, Ky.) - Savage was an All-American and All-ACC team member at Florida State University where he helped bring home the the University's first ACC title. Savage, one of the most popular players on tour, joined in 2009 and has since had three top-five finishes.
Paul Apyan (Hixson, Tenn.) - Apyan is a former Southern Miss Male Athlete of the Year Award winner as well as the Conference USA Spirit of Service Award recipient during his time at Southern Miss where he was also a two-time Academic All-American. Apyan is in his second full season as a member of the NGA Tour.
Brent Long (Carthage, Tenn.) - Long is a former standout at Western Kentucky University, where he won Sun Belt Conference medalist honors in 2006. The long-hitting Tennessean has played in 60 NGA Tour events since 2008. Last season, after sharpening his game on the NGA Tour, Long went on to make 10 Nationwide Tour starts, mostly through Monday qualifiers, and picked up a T3 finish in the South Georgia Classic, which was won by fellow NGA Tour member Teddy Potter. Both had Monday Qualified just to get into the event.Philip Pettitt Jr. (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) - Pettitt Jr. is a former University of Tennessee stalwart where he was an All-American and served as Team Captain. Pettitt has had 70 starts on the NGA Tour. In 2011, Pettitt Jr. won twice on the NGA Tour and went on to secure his Nationwide Tour card through PGA Tour Qualifying School. Pettitt has three career NGA Tour wins and was selected as the 2009 Rookie of the Year over runner-up Keegan Bradley.
The NGA Pro Golf Tour is the No. 3 Men’s Professional Golf Tour in the United States after the PGA and Nationwide Tours and is the No. 1 recommended developmental tour by more PGA and Nationwide Tour Professionals.
The NGA has helped hundreds of professionals acquire their PGA, Euro, Nationwide, and Champions Tour cards. In fact, NGA alumni have won an incredible Fourteen (14) “Major” Championships.
NGA Alumni include: 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley; 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year and 2003 US Open Champion Jim Furyk; 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink; 2009 US Open Champion Lucas Glover; 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson; 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel; 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis; two-time US Open Champion Lee Janzen; British Open and PGA Champion John Daly; British Open Champion Tom Lehman; PGA Champion David Toms; 2003 Tour Championship Winner Chad Campbell; 2010 NGA Player of the Year Michael Thompson; 2011 PGA winners Sean O'Hair, Scott Piercy, Scott Stallings, Bubba Watson, Mark Wilson, Gary Woodland and many, many more.
At this year’s PGA Tour Qualifying School, 52% of those earning full exempt status on the PGA Tour and 67% of those earning full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour were past NGA Professionals. Another 16 NGA Professionals advanced to the PGA Tour for 2012 by finishing inside the Top 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list, including 2011 NGA members Ted Potter Jr., Russell Knox and Billy Hurley III.
The NGA Pro Golf Tour, established in 1988, predates the Nationwide Tour as the longest running developmental tour in golf. For more information on the NGA or the NGA Pro Golf Tour, please visit our website at www.NGATOUR.com or contact our Tour Office at (800) 992-8748.
