PGA HOPE Nebraska Veterans will travel to Louisville, KY to compete against Veterans from Across USA in a nine-hole golf match as part of the 2024 PGA Championship Activities.
PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, today announced that 12 teams consisting of four military Veterans and one PGA of America Golf Professional will compete in the 2024 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup on Monday, May 13th at the University of Louisville Golf Club. The Secretary’s Cup is a spirited nine-hole golf competition that kicks off PGA Championship week (Valhalla GC, Louisville, KY) and features military Veterans who have participated in the PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) program hosted by their local PGA Section.
PGA HOPE, the flagship military program of PGA REACH, is a rehabilitative golf program for Veterans to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.
Following are the Military Veterans representing PGA HOPE Nebraska along with their hometowns.
- Amber Bogle (Lincoln) – United States Air and Army National Guard
- Kevin Pritchard (Papillion) – United States Air Force
- Randy Norwood (Bellevue)- United States Air Force
- Andy Tafoya (Lincoln) – United States Army
Additionally, Mike Antonio, PGA, Director of Golf at Happy Hollow Club in Omaha, a decorated PGA of America Golf Professional who has been instrumental in the growth of PGA HOPE across Nebraska, will lead the team to Louisville, KY.
Norwood is a 2021 PGA HOPE graduate and a U.S. Air Force Veteran. He served for 24 years in the Air Force. He was selected as a member of the PGA HOPE Nebraska Squadron, remaining engaged while helping grow PGA HOPE all across the section.
Upon arrival in Louisville, the welcome reception will take place at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 11th with practice rounds on Sunday, May 12th, the Secretary’s Cup on Monday, May 13th, and all military Veterans will have an opportunity to attend a PGA Championship practice round at Valhalla CC on Tuesday, May 14th.
PGA HOPE offers golf through a developmental, six- to eight-week curriculum taught by PGA of America Golf Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency. All programs are funded by PGA REACH and supplemented by PGA Section foundations, so the cost of programming is free to all Veterans. PGA HOPE is currently being offered at more than 500 program locations in the U.S. today, across all 50 states. In 2023 the program positively impacted 12,000 Veterans, and the 2024 goal is 17,000+ Veterans served.
Led by PGA of America Golf Professionals, PGA HOPE has helped thousands of Veterans, and is the only adaptive golf program that has an MOU with the Department of Veterans Affairs, which enables VA Facilities to refer Veterans to the PGA HOPE program as a form of therapy.
