JAGA announces 2019 award winners

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Longtime ladies golf leader Emily Brown and four others were recently selected to receive the 2019 Jacksonville Area Golf Association awards.

 

Brown will receive the Earl and Eleanor Kelly Longtime Service Award, presented annually to someone who has made an overall impact on the golf community. A member at Eagle Harbor Golf Club, she has been a leader in the Jacksonville Women's Golf Association for over 50 years and is also active with the Florida State Golf Association and the United States Golf Association.

 

Others who will be honored:

 

Community Service Award: Bill Hughes, PGA TOUR.  Hughes retired as general manager of TPC Sawgrass in 2017 after 12 years and was instrumental in the growth of the PLAYERS and the JUNIOR PLAYERS championships. He is a PGA Master Professional and remains active in golf and club management.

 

JAGA Director of the Year: Thomas Bozzuto, Hyde Park Golf Club.  He served as the association's Vice President/Tournaments in 2019. His work resulted in capacity fields for most events, including the First Coast Amateur and the Jacksonville Amateur. He also serves as executive director of the Jacksonville Beach Golf Association.

 

Professional of the Year: Clint Avret, Timuquana Country Club. A strong supporter of JAGA, Avret has been at the club for 14 years and has been the North Florida PGA champion and its tournament director.

 

Club Executive of the Year: Bruce Mohler, Jacksonville Beach Golf Club. The former head pro at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Mohler took over the Jacksonville Beach operation during the course renovation and guided its renaissance to record play.

 

“It is a privilege to spotlight these five individuals who have made many valuable contributions to JAGA and golf in North Florida over the last 12 months,” said JAGA president Randy Nader. “Collectively, they have helped make 2019 a year of growth and progress for our organization. We thank them for all they’ve done and look forward to publicly honoring them at the TPC Sawgrass banquet in February.”

 

The awards will be presented February 5 at the Celebration of Golf banquet at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse where John Tucker will receive the Deane Beman Award. Tucker was the driving force locally in bringing the PGA Tour back to Northeast Florida in 1965 and luring the PGA Tour to move its headquarters here in the 1970s. Former TOUR commissioner Beman will be on hand to present the award to Tucker. Banquet tickets may be purchased at www.jaxareagolf.org.